THINKING ALLOWED

Last Tuesday I was chatting about my outing to buy gifts for our great-granddaughter and how difficult I find it getting about in the shops etc.  During the week I began to think of the things I loved to do which are now beyond me, and other things as well.

All senior members of my family are long gone as are most of my closest friends.  I wasn't a member of a large group but the friends I had were very precious to me.  Consequently, I don't get out much now and am so grateful for Phil always being there for me and my family help me keep going.

It is not only people I have lost but so many abilities I once had:

From a young age I swam a lot in the Swan River (it was clean then) and at Mandurah when on holidays there.  I don't like public swimming pools so my swimming days are long gone.

From my teen years on I always loved to walk.  When I was 15-18 I walked home from the office nearly every afternoon and that would have been a good 3 miles or more.  Going for a walk was often a pasttime we did just for the fun of it.  In our later years Phil and I would drive down to the Swan River and often walk for several miles on a cool, balmy evening.  Now, as I said on Tuesday, I have trouble walking to our mail box at the front gate.

From age 15 I loved to dance and would attend various tennis club dances at least once as week and usually twice weekly.   I remember about 40 years ago getting up to dance with Phil and found my back tended to be rather too painful so not a lot of dancing from then on.  I really missed that.

I used to love sewing, making nearly all my daughters' clothes when she was younger (and two wedding dresses for her as well as a gown for her 21st party) and also some clothes for my son and work shirts for my first hubby.  I can still use the sewing machine but can't use the scissors and even have problems holding a needle to hand sew.  Any cutting has to be handled for me by Phil when I do such things as taking something up cos it's too long for me.  I've shrunk a few inches and trousers I buy these days are always far too long.

I loved doing cross stitch but that again has has to be abandoned as the needles are too small for my now clumsy hands to manage.  I have some pieces I'd dearly love to finish...perhaps one day....somehow.

I used to do a lot of knitting but that is a thing of the past but I am determined to keep on crocheting so I can continue making rugs for Vinny's to sell.  It can be painful but it is something you can put down for a few minutes and then pick up again.  These are more rugs going to Vinny's this week.

I've mentioned before how I loved to work in the garden...planting, pruning, weeding, digging holes etc and now I can just go out and admire my frangipani which Phil looks after for me and that's it for me.  I can hold a hose when needed so I guess that's a plus.

Why have I listed all the above 'bads'?  I guess it's because as I sat and thought about it all I realised how much fun I've had during my life so instead of regretting what I can no longer do I feel grateful to have been given all these extra years to enjoy what I still can do, albeit it rather slowly.  I have a wonderful little family.  I know they are busy and I'd love to see more of them but Phil and I are always included in family 'dos' which we both enjoy so much.

At 84 why should I complain about what I can't do but relish the wonderful memories I have and look forward with joy the remaining time left to me.  Yes, life is still good in our little old cottage with a great husband and a beautiful little cat....and my frangipani.