Random 5 for March 25 – Easter, chores, people, friends, death

Gallery

Posted on by

Our local flower tent is up amid snow banks.

A new tradition? — This picture is from last year but it’s getting to be a tradition to have a big snowstorm right before Easter. Hopefully the snow will completely melt and the flowers will take over the parking lot!

Within a month it will look like this…hopefully!

First time in 14 years! – The toilet paper fairy failed me this week. For the past 14 years the beloved husband has always filled the toilet paper storage in the bathrooms. I noticed the supply was going down so I filled it myself. It felt wrong. Like I was depriving the beloved husband of chore he loves. Because we’re retired, we worry about things like toilet paper. We go to mega box stores and buy it by the pallet. Then we have a wing dedicated to toilet paper storage which requires refilling the bathrooms. I remember the good old days when I bought it by the 8 pack and was good for the month!

Chatty folks – I enjoy my walking group. There are a few of us that walk our local indoor mall early mornings. I’ve gotten to know some of the folks. Typically I walk with someone who went to my old gym. She’s quite the talker. I know most everything about her life. It makes the time go faster. She was out twice in the past two weeks and I’ve come to know another very nice woman. She’s always been there. Sometimes we miss a chance to meet someone when there is a more outgoing person around. Lesson learned.

Speaking of friends – Friendship is a funny thing. I enjoy unusual people. Not annoying people. People who are a little different. Interesting. Caring. Sometimes you can tell within a minute whether you can become friends with someone or if it’s just an acquaintance passing through.

Hitting home – The beloved husband hollered “holy cow” while reading the newspaper. I asked if I was in the obituary. That’s a standing joke between us. He’s up earlier than I am and has read the paper when I came down. He informs me that I am NOT in the obituary so it’s ok to proceed with shower, etc. This time it was not a joke. The wife of one of his good friends died. She’s a contemporary. We knew she had an incurable issue but did not expect this. Not now. Her son is a doctor so we knew she was getting the best treatments possible to extend her life. Although we were never close, it hit home. We are the same age. It’s the luck of the straw who stays and who goes. Cherish today.

So how was your week?

74 thoughts on “Random 5 for March 25 – Easter, chores, people, friends, death”

  1. You get snow, we get it in liquid form. I keep having to remind myself it’s only March/start of April and summer will be here soon enough.
    Your walking group is its’ own little universe. I’m always sad when someone moves away. We usually don’t walk all together as we all have dogs and some dogs just get into trouble – but everyone seems able to stop and chat in the shade for a bit – even the dogs seem to miss a regular walker (dog or not) if not encountered. (We always say Molly has more friends than we do…)
    You need all sorts of “friends”: ones good for long talks and ones where only a few minutes at a time are enough – variety keeps the mind happy and working
    Always sad when one has gone on

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  2. You’re right, I can usually tell within a few minutes if I want to spend more time with someone or not. It’s like the book, Blink.
    It’s always sobering when a contemporary passes. Gives you pause.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

    • I’ve been going twice a week for 6 months and have made a few friends. So far they are not friends outside of the walking group but there is one couple that I enjoy a lot so there is a chance. I love that it’s a supportive group. You can take a problem there and get suggestions. One of the older ladies (in her 80s) was having her entire family in for Christmas (around 30 people) and we helped simplify a menu so that it wouldn’t be exhausting for her. There is also health advice (you always get that with older people), reviews on drugs, etc. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  4. I read the obits everyday. I used to laugh at my mother because she read them every morning. It is interesting to me that moist of the people are older than me. Many are in their !ate nineties and even over one hundred. I like the ones with a picture. I need to find a picture of me that I like so my obit will have one.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • Same here. I was in an organization with a woman about 15 years younger than me. She had an “If I Die” folder for her husband complete with picture and obituary. Since she was under 50 and in good health I found it odd. She died at age 53 and the picture was a good one. I am always relieved when the obits are older than me although we have young drug deaths here. So sad.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  5. I share in common with you the enjoyment of many friends who are “just a little different.” It has been my experience since I was a child. I find people very interesting! I try to avoid those people who I have determined suck the air out of the room with their monopoly on conversation or drama, but people with even slightly anti-social tendencies have at one time or another been very close friends. I have an older friend who keeps track of all the obituaries for me. She has become the person everyone calls with that kind of information and then she makes sure a large network of old friends is informed. The announcements are coming with alarming frequency! I agree with you–treasure each day!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  6. Yes, indeed, carpe diem and all that…when friends slip away, time hurts…
    Old is not a word that gets used around here… I’m older, and sometimes himself refers to me as a woman of your vintage, but that’s as far as he allowed to go nowi’m a few months off eighty… it really only feel like thirty eight, actually…. !

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  8. So sorry about your friend passing!
    On another note, so glad you got to make friends with someone new in your walking group! Sometimes its good to mix around with people you kind of know – you find out new things about them when you do 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  9. I remember that mountain of snow last year. TP, I am obsessed with it… or better, obsessed with the chance of not having it. Has to be Cottonelle and huge packs stocked up in the utility closet, the guest bathroom closet, the master closet. I take my Cottonelle on vacation with me. It’s a multi use item,,, nose blowing, cleaning up spills, spiffing up the bathroom mirrors, it’s an excellent lens cleaner for glasses and camera lenses and so much more.
    I enjoy people that are a little different, too… quirky. Those who love their TP and you have to love cats. Yes, on cherish today. I am sorry about your friend.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • We are Charmin people here but I hear you loud and clear. Lots of uses for TP. If I had ever used a dating app (the internet wasn’t invented when I was young) my lead sentence would be “Must love cats.” No point in wasting time on people who don’t like animals or are allergic.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  10. Hi, Kate – I love this mixture of life’s highs and lows…of humor and solemnity. Cherish today is the number one advice we can give to each other, and to ourselves. And way too funny about the toilet paper!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  11. Being at work all day really did cut down on the use of household items; TP, coffee, electricity, etc. But, given the choice, not working is well worth the cost of buying TP by the pallet. I hope your husband forgave you for taking over his very important duty. A man’s gotta feel useful.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply ↓

  12. Age is a funny thing. For years, John had a mantra, “Old age is a terrible thing.”

    We would laugh and go on. Then he said it in front of his mother. She was about 90 years old at the time. She said, “I wouldn’t know.”

    He asked, “If you’re not old, what are you?”

    She said, “Advanced middle age.”

    We never discussed toilet paper with her.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  14. Kate, I’m sorry about the passing of your friend. How sad life can be at times.
    I hate to switch topics so fast, but this is a fast-paced venue here. Toilet paper. The gardener and I have to use different toilet papers. And mine is the chlorine-free type. Not easy to find by the pallet!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  15. I’m sorry about your friend.
    Isn’t odd how we never thought about death much when we were in our 20s and 30s and then it starts becoming more relevant, but distant in the 40s. Now I find myself obsessed with articles on things associated with earlier death. I always meet the criteria it seems. Apparently, I’m lucky I’m still alive and kicking at 53.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  16. I remember that photo from last year, Kate. Boy, time sure flies! Oh no, I’m not retired but I’m a huge paper towel, toilet paper and dinner napkin hoarder. I’ve got three of each, bulk sized packages from Costco right now!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  19. You crack me up with the toilet paper. I really, REALLY hope it’s not the case that we use more of it the older we get. Let’s not go there. But my wife and I seemingly switch places quite a bit in who makes the purchases of it. For some reason we each have “phases,” for lack of a better word, where one focuses on buying it before that ends and the other one picks up the chore. I’m not sure why. – Marty

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • It was a shocker when we retired because we did go through more just by being home all day. We purchase together but the real test was who would go to the attic to get a new supply! Hope we didn’t switch roles.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  20. Friends. I recently had a very dear friend terribly disappoint me. I am not sure if the damage is even repairable. It made me start to think and reevaluate my “circle.” Do I want to expand that circle and meet new people. Make new friends? My answer is no. I do not. Perhaps I am just tired and putting myself out there is just too much work for this retiree.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • At our age, acquiring friends is a funny thing. It’s not like you meet people at work or through your kids that click. I do what I like to do and sometimes I’ll meet something and it develops. Other times they are just friends for the activity. Better a smaller group of quality friends that you can be honest with than a larger circle. I have a few that travel in groups. After a trip they always spend a good bit of time complaining about someone so it’s not unusual. I’m sorry about your friend. Perhaps something was going on in her life and it wasn’t about you at all. Then again, only you know the truth.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  22. My East Coast sisters and friends are very bitter about the snow — partly due to dead tree blossoms, partly due to the snow days and being stuck at home with bored children.

    Meanwhile, we got a little rain, not as much here as just 10 miles north. But we’ll take it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • I’m getting bitter about the snow too. Our earliest flowering trees are thick with buds but fortunately have not come out yet. Last year our flowering cherry was ruined by a late snowstorm and the pear wasn’t as nice either. These are pattern changes but we are seeing more snow in March than in January and early February.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  23. I remember when my mother retired she went full in on Kleenex hoarding. She knew the price of it everywhere and made it part of her retirement mission to buy it for a good price. For Mom it was a kind of game. My point being, I understand your TP fixation and look forward to creating my own retirement obssession.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply ↓

  24. Hitting home is right. When my BIL died in 2010, it was the catalyst for me to go and visit my brother in NZ. He was less than a year older than me, and it made me think about things differently. I am sorry about your friend’s wife. I heard about two ex bank colleagues passing away by reading the obits. One was the same age as me, the other a year younger.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  25. Profound wisdom today, Kate. Because I’m an introvert, extroverts usually glom onto me. A built in audience! I don’t talk back, instead listen! So I sometimes miss the quiet people like myself, too.

    And your last point, about cherishing the day, and the people we encounter in it. Yes!

    Thank you for a good start to my Sunday.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  26. Sorry about your friend…yes, cherish today because you’re right. It’s all so random. Love the two photos and spring, though still flirting, seems to be about to unpack. I can’t wait to throw off my layers to show a little skin .

    We shall cherish the day.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  27. My week? Very similar to yours!

    Perish the thought of being firmly implanted on the toilet seat and seeing a few sheets left on the roll and no backup roll visible!. A quick shopping trip and the strategic placement of rolls in appropriate places … and all is well once again!

    Chatty friends and neighbors can be very nice, but those who have verbal diarrhea and no listening skills, really are a distraction from more potentially productive conversations.

    I am constantly being surprised by people leaving our world who were born in the 1943 – 1949 years. My year was 1946! Should I pack my bags and be ready for a quick departure? 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

Don't be shy, I'd love to hear what you're thinking!