Senior Daze

by Katie Bourg

About Katie: Having arrived in time for the Great (?) Depression, WWII, and all other 20th century problems, I am endowed with long and varied memories. Writing classes have long been my home away from home. Other people's stories are fascinating, and sharing is growth at its best. Hope you seniors will join me with your stories. Try it. You'll like it.

I'm waiting for windows to be delivered. Will have to pick up all my shoes and put them back in the closet again. Why is it some simple everyday tasks seem so difficult to keep up with? I usually wear the same two or three pairs of shoes, but frequently find half a dozen lying on the floor in front of my window. There may be others under the bed, which is adjacent to the window wall. I really don't want to look.

Yesterday, Charlie the cat was bouncing something around, batted it under the bed and out again. It was grey and furry and had an orange tail. It took all my courage to pick up the deceased with a wad of toilet paper, and deposit it in the garbage. Following the deposit, Charlie and I had a serious discussion. I do not do well with rodents. Not even Mickey Mouse.

My TOPS group is sad. For years we have finished our Wednesday morning meeting with a trip to Nadine's for a bowl of cabbage patch soup. Two weeks ago, the door was locked. This past week, we looked through the windows to find every picture and decoration identified with the place was gone from the wall. We have tried to find her, to ask why, but the phone number has been disconnected. Later, we ran into another regular who said she heard they couldn't make it. Victim of the economy. That little restaurant had been there for many, many years, and frequented by a lot of faithful. It is a sad loss to the community. Sure going to miss that soup.

Now that we are facing fall, the weather has seemed to improve. My geraniums are doing great, but I still haven't mastered the hose problem. The connections are as tight as I can get them, but I'm getting daily baths of cold water. I've tried a new method of fertilizing with a hose attachment, so some of my unexpected showers turn me a little green. Hope I don't start sprouting geraniums out of the top of my head.

I am very much aware that I have never been the family gardener. No wonder Gus didn't want me in his garden. Next year I think I will try tomatoes and cucumbers. And green beans. That is what I'm missing the most.

And already, the newpaper ads are all about school supplies. Did somebody cancel summer altogether, when I wasn't looking?

Next week I will travel with my grandson to Chewelah in eastern Washington. My oldest son has a nice farm forty miles north of Spokane, and I love it there. Haven't been over for a couple of years, and I didn't realize how long it had been. They keep telling me I could fly to Spokane and they would pick me up. But getting to Sea-Tac and back seems a big hurdle. People in Everett don't like the idea, but I really wish we could fly from here to there. I've wondered about a bus trip, but have not made any effort to find out if there is an available source. I have to look into that.

Have had several flyers land in my flower bed in the last couple of weeks, advertising coming elections. I pick them up and toss them in the recycle bin. My mind is made up. They really don't need to waste paper on me. And I'd just as soon not have to pick them up out of my posies. They don't do a thing for geraniums.

Meantime, the Stilly Singers are gearing up for another season of entertaining for nursing homes and assisted living folks. It's fun, and seems to brighten up their day. Better than sitting and molding...much better. If you just like to sing, call the Stillaguamish Senior Center for information. The more the merrier. Love to have you.

Some of us got together on the streets of Everett last week. We sang our hearts out for an hour at the corner of California and Colby. Our piano looks like a Bengal tiger. We had the same one last year. I wanted to see the one with the big ears. I think it is an ape. May take a trip down just to see it. Afterwards, we went to a bakery up the street for something sweet we probably shouldn't have had. But, gee, it was good.

Gee! Now there's a word you don't hear much anymore. Sounds so much better than a lot of what we do hear these days. Guess that marks me, but if it does, so be it.