I was up on PA for a week to hang with my Dad. The goal was to visit some assisted living places, to maybe clean out a few things, and just generally bond. It was decent typical weather for January. A stormy Monday led to a blue sky Tuesday and I took a walk around the block.
Big trees
Here's the home I grew up in. That big oak sheds limbs like crazy. Talk about a thunk on the roof. Yikes. I did spend an hour or so picking up sticks - mission accomplished.
So, here's a senior story. We are cleaning out the computer room closet. We gather a ton of ancient paper for shredding and he agrees. Then I haul out his roller blades that he bought twenty five years ago after my mother passed. He had fond memories of ice skating as a boy and thought roller blading could be fun. He took a lesson or two, had all the pads, and a helmet. This phase did not last long, but what the heck.
"Dad, are you going to be using these any time soon?" I ask the man (age 85) who now uses a walker to shuffle along, all hunched over.
"Well...I did pay over a hundred dollars for them," he says.
"Lori can find a good home for them, " I respond (and by home I mean Goodwill).
"Can she sell them?" he asks.
I mumble as I haul them out of the closet and run them down the steps to my Lori take away pile.
We had many of these moments. If we didn't whisk stuff away fast enough, it was back in his clutches.
More tales to come........I've got a doozy of a clothes story for you.
He's a pip!
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Good for your dad, although not his age-yet I still have things and places I want to do and visit. Pleased you had a grand time with your dad. Awesome pics too.
ReplyDeleteHave a great February.
Yvonne.
I shall have more stories. He's got optimism galore at age 85
DeleteGot to admire him at the age of 60 to even attempt roller blades. It is hard for "older" people to part with their things. So many memories attached to them, etc. Going through hubby's parents' things, they had kept every single tax return since they filed together after they married in 1947. That and every card they had ever exchanged. We wore out a few shredders shredding things.
ReplyDeletePretty sky and a neat house you grew up in!
betty
it's been funny as he holds on to "crap"
Deletelol get it out of his clutches or back it goes. Hey, sell sell sell, dough is swell.
ReplyDeletecan't put much past him either
DeleteHi Joanne - so pleased he's still full of beans ... and aware of his roller blades - they'll be refashioned and gratefully used by someone ... love it -
ReplyDeleteThat Oak is amazing ... but it's tall! - cheers Hilary
picture 10 more trees like it on the property. That's how many have been taken down through the years due to age and issues. Pennsylvania means "Penn's Woods" - that is proof
DeleteIs that one of the trees you fell from as a child? Now you're finally getting even. Now ITS limbs are breaking. :)
ReplyDeleteI can relate to how your dad feels about those skates. So much money... and "I might still give it a try... someday..." I have way too many things around here that fit quite nicely into that same category.
P.S. I finally bought "My Zoo World" and started reading it last night. :)
the tree I fell out of his gone. Alas.
DeleteI hope you enjoy My Zoo World - thanks for the support
I'm enjoying it so far, but life keeps getting in the way of my reading. :(
DeleteYou wrote about a pic Ray took of you on an outing to his aunt's place, where you surrounded by animals. If the expression on your face is anything like it is in mt imagination, that would have made an AWESOME cover!
I'm sure you wouldn't want him to try roller blading now!
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't thinking about trying again (he can't) but he hated to have them leave the building. What can I say?
DeleteI sure wish my mom would agree to go to assisted living. She'd rather be a burden on everyone.
ReplyDeleteOh, Dad's not signed up yet. He's "thinking" about. We are all in this same boat with our seniors...I'll keep you posted on progress.
DeleteYes I can relate to the tall trees surrounding your property - last weekend saw the tree surgeon round here ensuring all of them stay strong and upright and DO NOT lose their branches so any dead limbs were removed much to the chagrin of the squirrels who use them to bound around without descending into cat territory!! I have my roller blades (bought in the USA) and to be honest I won't be letting go of them when I'm 85 either - they can go in my coffin - I love the memories of "daring do" they bring back :)
ReplyDeleteSpecial Teaching at Pempi’s Palace
my dad probably should have used a tree surgeon back in the day - probably would have helped in the health of his trees. We use a certified arborist at our home in TX. Keep those memories!
DeleteGreat pictures! It is so hard to let go of things that connect us to our memories. I'm glad you got to visit your Dad.
ReplyDeletehe has a lot of memories stuffed in closets. That's for sure. I'll be heading back up in April, I think
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