January 7, 2011
I have spent the last week in Florida with my Mom & Grandpa. It has been great fun. My Grandpa (on my Mom’s side), my Uncle Steve (on my Dad’s side, I actually have two uncles named Steve), and my second cousin Nancy are really the only family I see much of. I enjoy all the time I get to spend with the people I am related to. It is fun to hear all of the stories about everyone and play cards.
You can’t be a true Keefer without playing cards. When we play we are out for blood. At about age 6 you were on your own when in came to cards, even Grandma wouldn’t be ‘nice’ to her own grandchildren in a card game.
I can still hear her comments today, “Aren’t you going to be nice to your Grandma?” Then she would smile at me all sweet like. Ha. “Na-ty. Just na-ty.” She of course would have to be winning to keep playing.
Then, there is Grandpa…”Are you sure you want to play that?!” He chuckles as he steals what you would think is a good play. He of course somehow always has a better hand then anyone else. How that works I still to this day have not figured out.
Other then lots of playing cards, Mom and I carted Grandpa all over the place shopping. He was a fantastic sport about it. He even modeled some flamboyant women’s hats, that tittered on top of his xxl head (he & I wear the same size hats). I have some amazing pictures of this, which I am still deciding if I am going to post or not. Time will tell.
We ate lunch with Grandpa every day at his retirement center. It was fun to meet his friends and the waiters. The staff at ‘the center’ are really good. They all know my Gpa by name and bring him iced tea even before he asks for it. They know his wit and joke with him all the time. Much to my Mom’s relief they know he is diabetic and watch his dessert intake. Which is good…because he tries to cheat all the time. I would too if I couldn’t eat sugar!
His friends are some of the most interesting people I have met. I should start off by saying that the average age at ‘the center’ is 96. Which is unbelievable to me. I met a man they called ‘Little John’ (who isn’t even 5ft, tiny little thing), who is 96 and sharper then a tack. Sweetest man. He goes for a walk everyday. My Mom told him a joke at breakfast, he came all the way across the dinning room at lunch when he saw her to tell her a joke. Aw! He had to get close to her to whisper it in her ear because it was slightly dirty. Oh, also Little John is from the Bronx. He would want me to tell you that in his day when you went out you were to wear a hat, a fedora.
BeBe. There just aren’t enough words to describe Bebe. I think she might be my favorite this trip. She is a firecracker. You can hear her laughter walking down the hall to the dining room. She calls my Mom ‘honey.’ When we went to the Salvation Army on Wednesday we took BeBe with us. Oh she was a hoot. On the way there she was telling me all about this shell shop she used to own and how she still owns this storage locker that is full of shells. She has her opinions about everything, especially the food at ‘the center,’ and she will tell you about it. But, she will have you rolling in the aisles as she does so. BeBe is also 96. You wouldn’t know it by looking at her or talking to her though.
I want to know the secret that many of these people have who live with my Grandpa. He is considered a ‘youngin’ there. There is a woman there who is 99 ½. When my Grandpa pointed her out, I never would have thought she was going to be 100 in a couple months. She was up and about, still very active. Going out for dinner every week and doing her own errands. I guess I have no idea what age really brings.
As far as my Pots goes for this week, I have been doing particularly well. Even with all the travel, which surprises me. I have been consuming more caffeine then usual, but I have been about ten times more active then usual too.
I have been on a much more regular sleep schedule, which I think makes a big difference. I should be doing this while I am at home too, but it is just more difficult. I have been sleeping on an air mattress, so I am looking forward to getting back to the tempurpedic (mattress & pillow…I would live in bed if I didn’t have to get up and get some exercise) that I LOVE so much.
I have not been drinking as much water as I should be. I am looking forward to getting home and getting back to my regular h20 intake.
I have been getting much more exercise then I do on a normal basis. I have been doing really well with it actually. I am surprised at that. Other then being sore and having a pressure headache, I am doing pretty well. My Mom and I walked on the beach (which is a major workout for normal people) for and hour and a half and I felt fine.
I think that the weather has had a lot to do with feeling good. There is nothing like the power of sunlight and a good temperature. The beach was beautiful and that just put me in a great mood. I love the tropical setting. I would live in it full time if I could, it makes me feel so great.
So, when I get home (wheels down in about 30 min, probably) I would like to:
· Keep up being more active on a daily basis with a yoga routine that I found before I left.
· Get my water routine back in check.
· Start getting to bed and waking up more on a general routine (baby steps).
· Keep up with my meds (I have been doing really well lately, probably also a reason I am feeling more in check).
Well, this will all have to be done in steps…as I am home for a couple days and then I leave for Ohio for 2 ½ to see my best friend Val. Which might disrupt this whole process. I will just have to get back on the routine again when I get back.
Kicks & Giggles.
K
<3
