The Old Crone's Sport

Here I am crocheting a poncho. I love to crochet and find it very relaxing. I can knit, too, but must focus harder.

This is our grandaughter, Jessica, wearing the orchid-color poncho I crocheted.

The Old Crone
Old Crones and Coots

A Rockwell Family Christmas Holiday

This is the R.B.Rockwell family. From left is Jessica (age 22), Geoffrey the Old Coot's son, (age 52), our grandson, Christopher (age 16) who is Geoff's son, me AKA "The Old Crone" (age 75) and Rocky, the "Old Coot" (age 79).

We had a typical Christmas at Castle Yonder. At least, as typical as the last decade has been here. We used to have fun with little children playing with toys and young adults setting off fireworks, but now we have sibling arguments, young adult angst, middle-age anxiety, and Old Coot and Old Crone gloom. We are a mess--a real modern family and I'm not going to whitewash it by telling you we live in Hallmark.

In spite of all that, we care about each other, and consider ourselves an unusual family. I miss our former daughter-in-law a lot. She brought a lot of cheer and energy to our gatherings. I'm positive the "children" miss her a lot too from Rockwell celebrations even though they live with her and have developed their own traditions now. She has not been present for one of our Holidays since 1998.

Divorce brings much sadness and heavy hearts for many family members, not just the children and former spouse.

I also miss my own children. We haven't had a family Christmas with the three of them present since 1989. Moving to California can be cost and time prohibitive, and new relationships/families get started.

I liked going on a cruise last year, and would like to do that again although we would need two people to accompany us as wheelchair pushers. I grow less mobile every day although if I wear the portable oxygen and use the cane I can run some errands. I use the little seated grocery cart to do the grocery shopping, and the bagger will load them into my car trunk. Getting them out and into the kitchen presents a challenge.

Rocky spent close to a week in the hospital for gall bladder pain getting discharged on Dec. 21. He is considered "high risk" for surgery because of his lungs and the anesthesia. He's trying to wait it out and with the help of some heavy-duty meds, is controlling the pain so far.
Old Crones and Coots

Carwash on a Sunny November Day

Carwash - the fun highlight of my day

The Old Crone

101 Years Old

This is my Uncle Walter with me at his 100th birthday party Sept. 29, 2008. He lives in Iowa and is in reasonable health, and most especially his mind still functions quite well. I think it's his life-long good nature that has caused him to enjoy his long life. A month ago he celebrated becoming 101 with a "Come and Go" Coffee in his home. He still lives alone but has a nearby son and daughter-in-law who look after him.

Here's a short story that I wrote earlier this year for a website that publishes stories that are exactly 55 words long:

My Uncle Walter has always loved to joke. He celebrated his 100^th birthday last September, and the community gathered to honor him. His doctor, a guest, asked him, “Walter, what did you do during your life that you lived to be 100?”

“Well, Doc,” said my uncle, “I didn’t take all those pills you prescribed.”

Now here's another short story that was sent to me as "Happy Tales":

While I sat in the reception area of my doctor's office, a woman rolled an elderly man in a wheelchair into the room. As she went to the receptionist's desk, the man sat there, alone and silent. Just as I was thinking I should make small talk with him, a little boy slipped off his mother's lap and walked over to the wheelchair. Placing his hand on the man's, he said, "I know how you feel. My mom makes me ride in the stroller too!"

The Old Crone

Old Crones and Coots

Twinkle in Your Wrinkle

I don't recall where I got the above picture, but I like it so I thought I'd share it with you.

I would also like to share some info from a website that I have found very valuable http://www.fact.com. It exposes rumors and sets right political claims. Here's what I found useful for all of us:

Inoculation Misinformation

Claims that the "swine flu" vaccine is dangerous range from seriously overblown to flat-out false.

October 19, 2009

Summary

Wild rumors are flying about the newly developed vaccine for pandemic influenza H1N1, also known as "swine flu." We’ve seen e-mails stating that the vaccine is tainted with antifreeze or Agent Orange, causes Gulf War syndrome, or has killed U.S. Navy sailors. One says the vaccine is an "evil depopulation scheme." The claims are nearly pure bunk, with only trace amounts of fact.

If you are the sort who trusts anonymous e-mails more than you do doctors and experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, you may wish to stop reading now. For others, here are the facts as stated by the best authorities we can find:

• The vaccine does have some risks – the same risks as the seasonal flu vaccine. Except for the virus, it is functionally identical to the vaccine that’s given every year.
• The multidose formulation of the vaccine contains thimerosal, which prevents contamination. Some have accused thimerosal of causing developmental disorders in children, but scientific evidence doesn’t support this.
• The vaccine does not contain squalene, which has been accused – also without good evidence – of causing Gulf War syndrome.
• There’s no reason to believe that a vaccination would cause Guillain-Barre syndrome. GBS was associated with several hundred flu vaccinations in 1976, but there’s been no evidence of an association since then, despite close monitoring.
• While it’s true that a Navy vessel was prevented from deploying because of a flu outbreak, that had nothing to do with the vaccine, which hadn’t been developed at the time. And there were no deaths aboard the ship, as some e-mails claim.
• Vaccination is not mandatory for the public nationally or in any state, although New York requires that health care providers get vaccinated. Massachusetts legislation granting standby powers in case of health emergencies does not require vaccination or establish quarantine "camps."

Note: This is a summary only. The full article with analysis, images and citations may be viewed on our Web site http://www.fact.com

Old Crones and Coots

Autumn Color and The Flu Season Are Finally Here

Along with Autumn colors, the flu comes with it! Our Appalachian mountains are having a drab Fall and just today, very late in the season, the colors can be described as barely "vibrant."

The Old Coot and I both have gotten our flu shots and checked to see that our pneumonia shots are current. We are waiting, not so patiently, to receive the H1N1 inoculation. This coming week I will be calling the Public Health Dept. and Walgreen's to check if they've received the vaccine yet.

In the meantime, we wash our hands often and I bought an aerosol room spray called Neutra Air made by Lysol which is supposed to kill bacteria in the air and on counters, etc. We are taking extra precaution because of The Old Coot's lowered immune system which makes him vulnerable to any lung infection.

My former daughter-in-law (and still my good friend) forwarded an e-mail she had received that I think is full of good common sense. I'm sharing it with you:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu): 1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications). 2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).. 3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method. 4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.* 5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption. 6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

The above was written by

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital , Bombay Hospital , Saifee Hospital , Tata Memorial etc.. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).

(signed) The Old Crone

Old Crones and Coots

Red Hats

Here I am telling stories at the Border Belles chapter of the local Red Hats luncheon club. I joined Red Hats at the invitation of a new friend, and now she has stopped going to lunches so I have no relationship with anyone there outside of those luncheons. One of our storytelling members belongs but she has had multiple surgeries, so she is absent more than present. So I always feel like a newcomer.

Old Crones and Coots

Nothin' Says Lovin' Like Somethin' From the Coven

I can't believe that I've neglected this Blog since mid-summer!!! I apologize. My only excuses, weak as they are, are that I didn't have enough photos to keep posting, especially about the subject matter of this Blog, and that I joined Facebook.

For the rest of the summer I became obsessed with Facebook. But ultimately, I found it to be a little awkward to navigate, a little sillier than I wanted to be, and a time sucker. That's right, I said time sucker!

So I decided to control my urge to send hugs to people and to post the minutiae of my daily life, because frankly my daily doings are not all that interesting. I still log on a couple times a week just to check what my family members are talking about.

I'm taking care of the photo problem by using photos from my design collection. I did join a fun group on Facebook: What My Digital Camera Saw Today, in which you post photos that you've taken in the last 24 hours.

The picture of the witches I chose with this post was stimulated by just having finished reading THE WIDOWS OF EASTWICK by John Updike.

I've had many ideas for posts for this Blog, but they have escaped me now. So I'm starting to carry a notebook so I can write stuff down. The only problem is where do I carry it if I don't have a pocket? Maybe I can sew some aprons!!!

Old Crones and Coots

Something To Cry About

Crying is crying, right? Only for the weak? For babies? 

Wrong! Crying is good for grownups, and science has proven it. Bio-chemical research has shown that there is a chemical difference between the tears shed because of emotions and the tears shed due to cutting onions or those that come along with a sneeze.

The difference has to do with emotions. A person must open up to the emotions they feel before the tears will flow. You can beat a pillow for fun and laugh, or beat it out of anger and cry--the emotion makes the difference. 

Holding the tears back increases emotional tension and makes great demands on defense mechanisms such as denial and projection. Bio-chemistry has shown that there are specific toxins contained within emotionally-based tears. Releasing those toxins releases tension from the digestive system, the cardiac system, vision, muscles, and nerves. 

One way to induce a good cry is to seek out some privacy, then watch a sad movie or read a touching book. I personally think a much better way is to give yourself permission to release those tears when you feel them naturally. I guarantee all old crones and old coots out there it won't be long before you'll have an opportunity to shed some tears. So go ahead, and cry as though, indeed, you were crying your heart out, and feel secure that you're really crying the toxins out.

Adapted from an article "Benefits of a Good Cry," at http://www.care2.com

Movie Review - I'm Not Rappaport

The Old Coot asked that I order this movie as he had seen the last part of it on tv and wanted to see the whole movie. He is very much a Walter Matthau fan.
So we watched it a few nights ago. I knew nothing about it except it had originally been a Broadway play. The dialogue, presumably from the play, makes up a good bit of the movie.
Not that there isn't action. Au contraire there is lots of action provided by a drug dealer, a pretty female artist who owed the dealer money, a punk on a skateboard who blackmailed the elderly, and the President of a tenants' association who jogged in his spare time. Add to this plenty of street characters, a carousel, and Central Park for colorful action.
"I'm Not Rappaport" is about storytelling. It combines the talents of Matthau and Ossie Davis to tell the story of the brief relationship between Mel (Matthau) and Midge (Davis) which is built around stories.
Mel's true name is not revealed until the last scene because he still lives out the role of a fantasized Socialist labor union organizer and spends his hours following his philosophy "to shake things up."
Midge serves as his unwilling foil, and straight man, as he reluctantly listens to and believes Mel's tall tales. The plot moves when the men take action on these tales.
The title of the movie comes from a joke that's told three times, and which sums up the movie's theme of loss of identity, or should I say non-identity of the elderly. Not as lyrical, the title could have been "I'm Not A Nobody; I Was An Ordinary Joe, But In Fantasy, I Am Somebody."
This movie has appeal for viewers who love words and syntax as there are jewels of language throughout.

Old Crones and Coots

And So the Wheels Turn

Old Crones and Coots

A Review Of The Savages

A Review Of The Savages

A good friend mentioned this movie to me as one I might be interested in. I'm not sure she had any ulterior motive, but she was right. It was interesting, so I shall critique it and pass it on to you.

It's about aging--realistic aging. It juxtaposes clips of advertising fantasies from retirement community marketing tools with realistic scenes of aging in Sun City and a nursing home.

The point of view is primarily that of two middle-aged siblings, a brother and sister, who have cut themselves off from their father, Lennie, played by Philip Bosco. There is their father's girlfriend, however, and the plot with the three main characters begins with the girlfriend's death. Their father is suffering from dementia and they must find someplace for him to live.

The two major defense mechanisms for handling stress are divided between the brother and the sister. John, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, handles anxiety through thought while Wendy, played by Laura Linney, is all-emotion when she reacts. And both of them turn to prescribed medication when things get really rough; albeit prescribed for someone else, the deceased girlfriend.

There is humor in the movie, just as in reality, so overall it is not a downer although some powerful scenes of aging linger in the mind, for the benefit of the younger crowd, I guess, since I don't think those of us of that are Citizen Seniors need much reminding.

Several scenes make up the ending and leave the viewer and critic with messages that linger. The denouement answers a question which was in the back of my mind of why has there been such an emotional disconnect between parent and "child"?

The question that lingers and remains unasked is did Lenny, the father, bring his final treatment on himself by actions performed half a century earlier and maintained throughout his lifetime? Lenny had a mean personality, and how does one care for a parent like that?

The final ending was satisfactorily upbeat from my perspective. It may have been intended as an inspirational metaphor. For me, however, the metaphor repeats what we know about aging--some people, for one reason or another, reasons which often are out of their control, just do it better.

And as the final scene of the movie shows, living with the resources that are truly needed is better than dying.

Old Crones and Coots

"In the beginning..."

I have been reading The Bible According To Mark Twain to the Old Coot. I have always loved to read out loud and now that he has vision problems, it suits us both. We just finished the first two chapters, "Extracts From Adam's Diary," and "Eve's Diary." The last sentences of Adam's Diary touched us so, I swear I saw tears in the Old Coot's eyes. At least I think they were tears--it was hard to tell since my allergies had set in and my eyes were watering badly. Here are Mark Twain's words:

"After all these years, I see that I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning;
it is better to live outside the Garden with her than inside without her.
At first, I thought she talked too much; but now I should be sorry to have that voice
fall silent and pass out of my life. Blessed be the sorrow that brought us
near together and taught me to know the goodness of her heart and the sweetness of her spirit!"

Old Crones and Coots

Lazy Limericks

There once was a lazy old crone,
Who got tired of playing alone,
So she created a Blog,
Grew plump as a hog,
And made friends without leaving home!

Old Crones and Coots

Not Quite the Last Rose Of June

"I'll live as if life were worthwhile. I'll make it so."

This red rose is a little out of focus--sort of like us these days.

I've always thought of flowers as metaphors for human beings. Seeds=sperm and egg; seedlings=infancy and childhood; and on into maturity. A lucky rose lasts until it's quite old and then just drops its petals one by one. But some are struck down earlier, at any age, by disease. And some are struck down by accident, an overzealous pruner, a hail storm, Big Foot.

But every moment that the Great Creator gives us is worth just that--every moment!


Old Crones and Coots

E. V. A. (Extra-Vehicular Activity)

This is multi-tasking: cane in one hand, portable oxygen in the other which also holds a bottle of water, oxygen tubing in my nose, and purse strapped across my shoulder. I thought multi-tasking in retirement meant drinking ice tea and reading a book!!!


Old Crones and Coots

We launch our new Blog with a 33rd anniversary.

We celebrate with crabcakes and softshell crabs.
And chardonnay!
33 years--not bad for the 2nd time around!

Old Crones and Coots