January Thaw
Wed., February 9, 10:02 AM
Yeah, I know it came in February, but it came. I think the knowledge that we’d have a January thaw was the only thing that kept me going through the month.
December was bad enough. I try to stay out of the stores as much as possible around the holidays. In addition, the holidays were on the weekends. I depended on U.D. to drive me for quick shopping, but not too much. Since I don’t see in the dark well enough to drive and since I also don’t have the energy for extended forays, I was looking forward to my January days off, when I could run errands or just do something to let me walk. Every Wednesday and Friday in January was snowy or extremely cold or both. I just know someone was out to get me! Was I depressed? No, repressed. I couldn’t even go and work in the basement, because it was colder than I could tolerate, even with coat and hat.
February second was the first nice Wednesday, and I was grateful – not that I could make use of it. Husband had a doctor’s appointment, and taking him anywhere is a project in itself, from reminding him for several days previous to actually getting him out on time. (I try to get him out half an hour earlier than necessary; we made the actual appointment by five minutes.)
But that was the beginning of the warmer weather (it will last about a week). I talked U.D. into going to Costco on Saturday and then to an extended supermarket run on Sunday. Oh, I ached, but I think I’m better off.
We have more weather coming – my joints and incision are talking – but I got a chance to move. It doesn’t take much to make me happy.
The stray cats aren’t coming around here as much. There are often paw prints in the snow, but the cats are afraid of the automatic garage opener, so they’re not hanging around waiting for me. I know that Mrs. Neighbor-Out-Back feeds and shelters them, so I don’t feel guilty. If I happen to be outside the garage and one of them actually lets me pet her, I will feed her – but they all seem to run away now. Must be the younger generation.
On one of those cold sunny days, I saw old Droopy Drawers lying on the sidewalk, and I thought it must be warmer there. Maybe it was, but he never got up (and it took Animal Control four days to come and take him away). He was an old tom who often killed kittens and terrorized the females, but I still felt a little bit bad. Somehow we seldom see dead cats; they just sort of disappear.
I just went out for all of half an hour – a quick trip to the pharmacy for Husband and to the convenience store for milk – also for Husband. He let a whole bottle of milk spoil because he didn’t know it was there; he was stretching the last of the previous bottle so he wouldn’t run out. Providing the essentials for him involves a whole lot of mind reading – which is supposed to cost extra, but no one ever pays.
I’ve seen a lot of advice about keeping track of one’s prescription medications, and I feel pretty slick because I’ve been doing that for Husband for more than fifteen years. All of his meds are in one ziplock bag, along with an index card that lists his over-the-counter pills as well and tells when he gets what. If ever I were unable to take care of them, it would be simple for someone else to take over. (But he can’t do it himself – he’s in too much denial – and he’d probably stop taking them when they got low, instead of calling the drugstore!)
So that’s my outdoors for today – once to get my newspaper and to pick up Miss Neighbor-Next-Door’s for her. And one quick errand run. Tomorrow – depending on where the rain-snow line is – I will go to the office. Friday – if the snow isn’t too bad – it’s the eye doctor. It’s just about a year since my surgery, and I see the oncologist on Monday. Round and round.
