Author: Easin' Along

I did something this week that I have never done in my life.  I completed a crossword puzzle. Actually, I completed four crossword puzzles. If it sounds strange that a word hound like me would never attempt such a task, I can explain.  I’m not very good at sitting still for extended periods. I think it is the same reason that I don’t play card games or do very well fishing from a boat. This old boy needs to be moving or at least actively engaged if confined to a chair. Playing poker for pennies or wading a stream for rainbow trout I can do…bridge is not my game.

This week I am recovering from knee replacement surgery.  Although I am doing well, the process is tortuous for someone averse to remaining still.  The act of sitting is especially difficult in the early stages of recovery because I have to keep my leg straight for long periods and apply ice at regular intervals.  Blogging is made difficult with these restrictions because sitting at a desk with one straight leg is very uncomfortable for me, and typing on a laptop from a recliner is equally challenging.

Patience is the real issue. Every morning I ask the Good Lord to send me some, but the problem is that I can’t sit still long enough for His patience to reach me. No more whining, I promise. The fact that worn-out knees and hips are replaceable is a blessing and, with time and a good regimen of therapy, everything should be on the path to normal.

This week’s chapter of Easin’ Along will again be short.  After getting caught up on all the magazines I accumulated over the summer, I tried to focus on something interesting to share with readers; a task not made easy on pain medications. I’m off the pain meds as of Thursday but the activity level remains low. About all I can do is think about what I would rather be doing if I were somewhere besides a recliner or the bedroom.

I’ve been here and I don’t want to do that anymore.

 

I would much rather be preparing for a road trip.

 

How about a morning walk to see the sunrise?

I don’t consider this fishing, it’s more like good buddies having a morning coffee session.  At the least, I can walk to the water’s edge to cast a line or retrieve a catch.

I’ve thought a lot about a trip to peek at the fall colors—maybe next week.

Pork shoulders on the grill…who wouldn’t want to wade into some good barbeque?

I’m having a good time thinking about winning The Ultimate Tailgate Camper. I love this picture of Helen’s non-stop excitement.

Speaking of the new camper, I also wanted to share the video of our prize-winning moment and have posted it below. I almost HAD to sit after this one, but managed to lean on Helen (and my cane) to stay upright.

These are just a few of the many things I focus on while sitting idle in my recliner. Thanks for letting me share them with you and for Easin’ Along with me as I continue to heal. I have to ice my knee now.  See you next week.

 

 

 

I have made many online friends through Easin’ Along, most of which I’ll never meet in person, but I cherish the opportunity I have to communicate with all of them. Earlier this week, Nancy Dobbins, who writes a very well-crafted and often thought-provoking retirement blog, Defining Third Age, posted an article detailing some of the pleasures and challenges she uncovered during her first year of blogging. Within that post, Nancy listed both the “pros”, all of which I share, and the “cons” of writing consistently good articles consistently. I’m willing to bet that all of us who practice this labor of love called blogging have felt every one of the items on her lists. One of her “cons” hung prominently over me this week.

“There is pressure to produce frequently, as well as to produce posts with good content.”

I felt the pressure this week. To blog or not to blog…that was the question.

We returned from a delightful two weeks on the road. As always, we very much enjoyed our time spent in North Carolina, and I can’t say enough about the eight days we spent in Edisto Beach sharing glorious weather, the beach, and the creek with our beautiful granddaughters. It was a different scene when we arrived back in Knoxville.

The most glaring issue was the fact that I had knee replacement surgery scheduled a week and a half out and, the “do list” was long. Even though I can barely walk for more than thirty steps without taking a break, there was still Lucy (trailer) to unload, clean, and winterize before putting her away for a few months. When we opened our garage door, we discovered that the faucet on our laundry sink had a leak that needed repair. The handle on our bathroom toilet had broken before we left and could no longer go ignored. I had appointments to keep, paperwork to complete, an RV we won three weeks ago needed moving to a different spot in the storage lot.  Helen said I had to get a flu shot.

To blog or not to blog…

Retirement is a wonderful period in our lives due to the time we have to delve into the things that give us joy and pleasure whether it is art, music, exercise, Bible study, golf, travel, or writing. The list is endless. I love my blog and, now into my fourth year, Easin’ Along is as much a part of me as my family. My blog replaces the journal I kept for twenty years and adds the structure that I need in my life now that I am no longer working. I don’t want to lose that. Selfishly, I write for me as much as I write for you.

 

So…distractions be damned, I won’t let a leaky sink shelve Easin’ Along this week. Nevertheless, my time is short so I’m going to give readers another peek at Creek Week. Helen took many of the pictures shown above and below with her iPhone.  I am impressed with the quality and think you will be as well. To reduce upload time, I reduced a few pictures to a smaller size, but you can enlarge any of them with a simple click.

Nancy, thanks for highlighting the “pros”.  As I commented on your excellent blog post, eventually they will far outweigh the “cons”.  To my fellow bloggers, thanks for keeping in touch and for your insight into retirement—the best gig out there. To my readers, thanks for stopping by and for the opportunity to share the experiences and the joy of retirement with you. Hopefully, we’ll have many more days together while…Easin’ Along.