Habits

When I was married, one of her less than charming traits was never being able to find her glasses, keys, wallet, etc. It seemed like every departure was delayed for a “treasure hunt”.

Despite having six+ pairs of eyeglasses, she would still drive at night without glasses. She wrecked two cars over the years driving without her glasses. By luck and the grace of God none of the kids were hurt.

This morning I was reminded of those days when I couldn’t find my house keys. Banner needed his morning outdoor latrine visit. We went anyway and a neighbor let us back in the building.

I am organized, as you can see in the picture, mainly because I operate on autopilot in the morning until I have my coffee.

Last night I was distracted by a neighbor as Banner and I arrived from his 10 pm last call. The neighbor was commenting on his new coat.

As usual, I found my keys in the last place I looked, which was next to the coffee pot. Yes, I live the title of my blog.

Feeling the Years

 

The last two days have been 8+ hours working the mortgage gig. Tomorrow is more of the same, this time a road trip ending in Scottsbluff. Blogging, and witty comments, will resume when I return.

The days when I shrugged off 18 hour on a job are long ago. Oh well, I'm 76 and still out work younger folks. What keeps me going is the late Jackie Cooper's words of wisdom, "Winners do what losers won't".

A Fortunate Life

Walking two miles a day gives you time to think. Walking with a companion allows exchange of ideas. Living in a 90+ resident senior apartment building with a minimum age of 65 lets you see a lot of wheelchairs, walkers, and oxygen concentrators in use.

My walking companion is 73, I’m 75, and we both have some health issues. We both agree we are very fortunate our problems don’t keep us from living a full life. Down the road is an assisted living building that reminds us others our age cannot live a full life.

My mother lived for years in a near vegetative state in such a place.

Between watching what I eat and an exercise plan, I’m down 40+ pounds from a year ago. The dog helps; he has his needs. That means more exercise on my part.

Hopefully I have many more active years ahead of me. Family history on both sides had many individuals active into the 80’s and early 90’s.

I rarely dwell on this. Rather, I just keep on keeping on.

For those with inquiring minds, my walking companion is just that, someone to walk with. A gracious lady, intelligent, with a positive outlook who has her own life and interests.

Senior Employment

Working at age 75 is challenging. First, finding something to do, and second, finding someone to hire you.  The third issue is physically being able to do the work.

Right out of the Army I got a job working on a core drill. We had a three man crew, the driller, helper, and water truck driver. Damn hard physical work. We had an old man driving the water truck. He wouldn’t admit to his age but he was probably in his 80’s. Watching him, I realized he never moved until he needed to, never picked up drill stem higher than necessary, and conserved him strength. I never forgot the lesson I learned from him. It didn’t matter in my younger years but now it does.

This past summer I worked driving a shuttle bus hauling water truck drivers out to the producing oil fields in Northern Weld County. Quit when winter came. I didn’t feel up to driving two lane roads with no shoulders in Colorado blizzards.

For the past 18 months I have been acting as a “collection agent” delivering dun letters to people behind on their mortgages. Paid on a per job basis. Very much part time work.

When the shit hit the fan in 2002 and banks quit lending money for car loans, I fell back on my younger skill sets in the construction field, inspecting and securing houses abandoned by their owners. The collapse of the subprime mortgage business coupled with George II’s economy kept me busy. This continued under the Lightbringer’s inept presidency.

Recently a company I did work for back then contacted me. I’m currently going through their HR’s torturous road. Assume I survive the journey; the job is a simple inspection for insurance companies. Simple, yes, but convoluted. Sketches, measurements, photographs and the use of computer programs (me weakest skill) are all part of the process not to mention finding the property in the first place. Yeah, Magellan!

I’m asked why I don’t get back into sales. Simply, I don’t want that much interaction with people. Yes, my daughter-in-law’s label GOB (Grumpy Old Bastard) is apt. Being a WalMart greeter/loss prevention isn’t for me.

I don’t need to work, financially, but I enjoy getting out and about and solving problems.  The problem, while I don’t care about age, my body does. It reminds me frequently. Oh well, so long as I’m breathing air and taking nourishment, I’ll keep on keeping on.

Moving OnUp

Moved into a new place and have been without Internet for a few days so am way behind on reading and commenting on blogs. My Latter Day Luddite computer skills isn't helping. In addition, I've gone from Windows XP to Windows 7 so have a new learning curve. Please bear with me.

One good thing about moving is getting rid of "stuff". Here is a pile going to ARC.

My sister, the insurance adjuster and her assistant were in a nearby small town and just happened to visit a thrift store. They spotted and bought these books for me. Thanks Sis and Little One.

The Martin Caidin book was copyrighted 1960.

The move is about 90% done, and the last storage shed gets emptied 1/15/15. New chapter in my life that I am looking forward to with good spirits. What is a bummer is once again being reminded I'm 70. I've always taken a certain private satisfaction in my physical powers. In my younger days could easily bench press twice my weight and work nearly everybody into the ground. Not so today. Oh well, life is a bitch, and then has puppies.

Once again I remember the wise words of my late father.

"The best way to move is with a 5 gallon can of gasoline and a book of matches".

Thanks, But No Thanks

Man called yesterday wanting me to sign up for a winter deicing crew job (on call) at Denver International. Flattering, as I had worked on his crew before. Said no, even though the money is good. My knees and my stamina are not what they once were and the equipment is open bucket.

In the picture above, the sprayers are working from enclosed cabs with heaters and wipers. Open bucket is this.

No matter how much protective clothing you wear, you will be exposed to the deicing fluid (glycol)  used to melt the existing ice and the anti icing fluid that goes on the cleaned surfaces if precipitation is falling. Not to mention the elements and the many non stop hours during a major event. The wind will carry the stuff everywhere.

The driver of the truck also gets out and sprays landing gear and runs his hand across surfaces on the smaller regional jets. It is wet, nasty work with many chances for slips and falls. Being a 1944 model, don't think I want to learn how long my broken bones will take to heal.

Should have put off getting old for a few more years.