RETIRED PEOPLE HAVE SO MUCH TIME. WHAT DO THEY DO WITH ALL THAT TIME?

ONE DAY (Friday 18 May 2024) by Hugh Murray

   Today I was up early (how I hate that, because mostly I go to bed at 2am or a little alter.  Because I had a doctor's appointment I went to bed a little earlier, 1:45am.  Up at 7, got to the doc's office by 9:45.  I have to go about every 6 weeks to receive an injection in my right eyeball.  I had an aneurism inside the eyeball several years ago and the vein can flare up and distort vision greatly.  The shot seems to keep it smaller.  They must numb the eyeball first, and that will last up to 2 hours.  After, the eye begins to run, and it affects the right sinus, so then my right nostril runs.  I use a kleenex on my eye, then on my nose, then on my eye then on...This can go on for hours so forget about reading or doing anything on these shot days.

   It was a beauriful sunny day, but I had brought a removable sunglass attachment that fits on my regular glasses, because walking in the sun hurts my eyes on such days.  I planned to go to the supermarket while the eye was still numbed.  From home to doc's, to supermarket 2 miles, and from supermarket to return home, another 2 miles.  I was there and back weekly with my groceries.

     With warm weather, I wanted to buy some cheap sodas.  In my neighborhood a 2-liter 7-Up is $3.20 or so, but Kroger had 4 2-liter sodas for $5.    The problem, each bottle is slightly over 4 pounds weight.  Bought a half-price pastry, and 4 2liter bottles of Kroger diet lemon soda (7 Up) and Kroger Diet Soda.  Decades ago I would walk home with 3 such bottles in one hand, and the groceries in another, but have  not done that in years.  Am I up to it?  Put 3 in plastic bag in my right hand, one and the pastry in the left. Sun glass to protect my eye.  Gloves were not used so much weight, and my fingers were hurting.  Half way, at Red Arrow Park, sat on a bench. moved 1 bottle from my right hand bag and placed it in my rucksack (backpack), drank a swig or 2 of water, and moved on.  On Wells Street, across from the Milw Public Library, had to stop under a tree, and rest a minute.  Then made it back home.  Normally, I do not stop at all but normally I am not carrying so many liquids.  Age makes a difference.

     Home sweaty home, by 1:30pm.  Took off most sweaty clothing, AND for first time this year, opened a window a few inches.  Eye was tearing, so rather than sit around with klenex all afternoon, took 2 aspirin and some water, and slept till 5;30.  Rather than a big meal, decided on soup and toast with butter.  Kroger vege beef soup on the fire, 2 slices of toast in the toaster, butter in microwave at 9 seconds to soften it.  Plugged it in, and it blew a fuse or something in the micro.  And it's almost new, I bought it in 2009 (or earlier).

    Ate half the soup and the toast/butter, and some pudding to which I added cottage cheese, and for a final snack, pretzels for salt. especially after sweating so much.  I can watch tv, but not too much computer as the brighter light annoys my eyes after the shot.

     I made it through another day.  When you get to be 85, that is an accomplishment.   Hugh