And the blind shall see!

I was reminded recently of a former beau I once dated.  David was a really neat guy who happened to be blind.  We met under unusual circumstances.  I was acting as an interpreter for a deaf/blind student at the University and David was an acquaintance of Don's. Don would call him quite frequently and on those occasions using a speaker phone I would interpret David's side of the conversation to my deaf/blind student who although deaf was able to speak.  My job was to be only an instrument but it was impossible not to get involved to some degree.  I found David very interesting and  I really wanted to know more about him.  Sometimes I would have to speak directly to him when he had difficulty understanding Don on the phone. 

David worked for the Oklahoma Library for the Blind and had met Don through his work there.  Evidently he was curious about me as well and obtained my number from Don.  One nigh he called and we spent about 3 hours talking on the phone before we decided to go out together.

I had never dated a visually impaired person since my work was with the hearing impaired.  I had learned a little about working with the blind from being with Don but my knowledge was definitely limited.  David was a patient teacher.  

We had several dates before I took him to meet my parents.  I had explained to my mom and dad that David was blind before I introduced them.  We had no more sat down in my parent's living room when my mother started walking around the room talking while at the same time changing the light bulbs in all the fixtures.  She was replacing every 60 watt bulb with a 100 watt bulb when my dad asked, "Lolita, what in the world are you doing?"  


David leaned close to me and asked me what was going on.  I explained that my mother was increasing the luminosity of the room when David laughed and responded, "Why didn't I think of that!"
 

Weekend warriors

I was all set to go to Colorado in July but then the air conditioner in my car quit working.  I have to see what that will cost to repair before I commit to a trip.  I'm bummed!  Oh well, have to have priorities and fixing the car is at the top of my list.  It's way tooo hot for a car with no air!!!  I don't like sweating.

Ron and I took my brother to a funny movie Saturday.  We saw Grownups.....all you need to do is leave your brain at the door..thinking is not required for this movie but it is silly and funny!  Mike and Ron really enjoyed it (it's a real guy movie)...It was a good way to spend a hot afternoon!

Ron is at the dermatologist this morning getting (his age spot) looked at.  He didn't call me so I don't know what the doctor told him.  If he does say it is just an age spot Ohhhhhh Lordy....Ron will have a fit!

My daughters left this morning for Corpus Christie, they are chaperones for a bunch of 5th grade students.  They will all be spending the night on the USS Lexington and going to Sea World exploration camp.  I'm sure they will have stories to tell when they get back.  I think they are chaperoning 14 boys and 1 girl on this trip.  Have mercy....

 

Ever have one of those days when you just woke up feeling like pure ole blahhhhhh....well that's me today!  I got a haircut yesterday - don't like it - can't say why because it probably looks just like it did 2 minutes before I got it cut - which just says I wasn't happy in the first place.  All that just sounds like a good case of whining!  If I put my mind to it I can change my mood around before lunch time. 

I loved this little story about how one mother made her son feel guilty when he called her on the phone:

"Hi Ma, How are you?"

"Not so good.  I haven't eaten for 27 days, so I'm very weak."

"Good heavens, that's terrible.  Why not?"

"I didn't want to have my mouth full of food if you should happen to call me."

Here are some NEW Barbie dolls to coincide with her and OUR aging gracefully.

Bifocals Barbie.  Comes with her own set of blended-lens fashion frames in six wild colors (half-frames too!)  neck chain and large-print editions of Vogue and Martha Stewart Living.

Hot Flash Barbie.  Press Barbie's bellybutton and watch her face turn beet red while tiny drops of perspiration appear on her forehead.  Comes with hand-held fan and tiny tissues.

Facial Hair Barbie.  As Barbie's hormone levels shift, see her whisters grow.  Available with teensy tweezers and magnifying mirror.

Flabby Arms Barbie.  Hide Barbie's droopy triceps with these new, roomier-sleeved gowns.  Good news on the tummy front, too - muumuus with tummy-support panels are included.

Bunion Barbie.  Years of disco dancing in stiletto heels have definitely taken their toll on Barbie's dainty arched feed.  Soothe her sores with the pumice stone and plasters, then slip on soft terry mules.

Post-Menopausal Barbie.  This Barbie wets her pants when she sneezes, forgets where she puts things, and cries a lot.  She is sick and tired of Ken sitting on the couch watching the tube, clicking through the channels.  Comes with Depends and Kleenex.  As a bonus this year, the book "Getting In Touch with Your Inner Self" is included.

The good news about mid-life is that the glass is still half-full.  Of course, the bad news is that it won't be long before your teeth are floating in it.

update on Ron

Ron saw his doctor Tuesday and after the appointment he came walking into my office looking glum and holding a piece of paper.  My heart sank because he looked as if he had just been told what I've been fearing since last September.  He sat down next to my desk and handed me the paper.  I was shaking when I opened it and read "How to manage Gerd"......acid reflux?  This is why you look like someone ran over your dog?  The doctor wants you to go on a diet????????  That's all?????????  I thought he should have been dancing on the ceiling but NOOOOOOOOO he was upset because the doctor told him he's fat!   Well, welcome to my world!!!!!!!!!!!  As long as I live I will never understand this man!  I can't tell you how relieved I am that his diet is his only immediate problem.  The bulge on his side is normal for the type of surgery Ron had and basically the doctor told him he would never be symetrical again.  (This too upset Ron)  I asked him if this news had thwarted a possible career move as a Chippendale dancer but my humor only made him mad.  Oooops  Sometimes he drives me absolutely nuts!  I guess we will just sit back now and wait until September when he has his next CT scan.  In the meantime I'm looking for bricks to elevate the head of his bed!  I guess the best place to look is in HIS HEAD!

First Date

 I guess everyone remembers their first date or at least most girls remember.  I was 15 when I had my first date and I was scared out of my mind.  I remember my father gave the boy a tour of our house....A TOUR for goodness sakes like this kid was considering architecture as a career choice or better yet, interior design.  I about died when my dad opened the door to my room which was a complete disaster because I had tried on every article of clothing I owned looking for just the right outfit.  I just remember thinking my dad was a complete dork.  But when I became the mother of soon- to-be-dating teens I realized I had not been the only nervous person in my family when I had my first date.......so was my dad!

Now, teenagers and dating....those are two words that would strike fear into the hearts of any parent.  When my girls got to the dating age I was a single parent and could only wish for an intimidating figure like my dad to infuse fear into the hearts of all would be suitors.  As a single mom and not a very imposing figure to those hormone raging young men I had to get creative.


So, when the first pimple faced, hormone raging, knocked kneed suitor came a calling I was ready.  Before the day of the BIG DATE I had found our old Sesame Street Growth Chart and nonchalantly taped it along side the door frame of the front door.  I then got my old Polaroid camera and loaded it with film.  Then I waited!


The next day when froggy came a courtin I insisted on being the first to greet him.  We exchanged introductions and I got the itinerary for the evening and the time I could expect my daughter's safe return.  I could see that my daughter was showing signs of relief that so far I hadn't embarrassed myself or better yet her.  Then just as they were about to leave I whipped out the camera.  My daughter grimaced but decided to pose and get it over with.  I told her first I wanted one of her date alone.  I asked the young man to line up next to the growth chart and to say "cheese".  With Polaroid picture developing before our eyes I then advised him how handy it would be for the police if my daughter wasn't returned in the same condition in which she left!  


Intimidation knows no gender!

My poor kids never had a chance when it came to names.  I didn't want the rhyming twin names but I wanted some similarity so I stuck with the same first letter, Jamie and Julie.  That was probably a little too close but what the heck, I was twenty so what did I know.  Now the identity problem was always an issue and one my father never tried to resolve so he just called them names like turd and bird.....or the generic, "hey you".  Their friends called them JamieJulie just so they wouldn't get the wrong name.  Our neighbors called them Ding and Ling or sometimes Link Link.....The girls just learned to answer to just about anything even each others names.  


When they were teenagers I would be with one girl shopping and someone would come up and start a conversation.  Later when I asked who it was my daughter would say, I don't know it must be one of the other daughter's friends.  Whoever it was they wouldn't want to embarrass the person by telling them they were talking to the wrong twin.  


Another little stunt they would pull was when boys started calling.  They would switch the phone between them when they got tired of talking and the poor boy never knew he was talking to the other sister.  I know this trick has been played on me too but I've never been able to catch them at it.  Because we all three sound alike on the phone my dad always asked first "which one are you" before he started talking.


What I really love is the reaction to Jamie's pre-k students sometimes have the first time they see her sister.  Some have actually cried because it startled them so much but all of them just go into a dumb struck stare.  Then they have to discuss all the similarities...."She has your face"  "You sound just alike"  etc.  The one big advantage to Julie being the kindergarten teacher is that Jamie's four year olds have an easy transition from pre-k to kindergarten.  I'm not sure some of them even realize they have a new teacher.  I do know their parents are relieved when the new year starts and no one is crying.

Raising twins has been my greatest adventure.  Even though I was out numbered from the get go I have had a great time observing them and trying to figure out this whole twin connection.  It also gives me great comfort to know that they have such an incredible bond.  They always have each other!

Weekend Updates

Ron has finally agreed to see his doctor.  He was sick all weekend and he felt bad enough to agree he needs to go to the doctor.  He is having pain in his back, his blood pressure is up and his heart is beating way too fast and all this occurs after he eats.  He is supposed to call this morning and set up an appointment.  Since he was feeling so bad we didn't do anything yesterday.  It was so hot here that it was too miserable to be outside anyway so I tried to fix lunch for him (but it made him sick) and it wasn't my cooking either!  Or at least it didn't make me sick.

I finally got the results of my mammogram and everything was OK...no change since the last one.  I also had a Dexa scan done Friday on my bones.....checking for osteoperosis but I don't have the results of that one.  Soooooo one more test and then I'm good for another 365 days or 3,000 miles or whatever the case may be.

I've scheduled vacation time for July 16 through July 25th and I have absolutely no idea what I'll do.  I need some vacation ideas.....I'm not a traveler but I need a change of scenery.  Anyone have any favorite vacation spots?