New Glasses and Switching Cars

Hello,

We had gotten a call on Monday that my new glasses were in, but forgot to check messages. Today was a good day to get the new glasses. When I first tried them on there was a blurry area on one lens. Luckily that was a smear. It took a bit of adjusting to get it lined up correctly. I thought I would more quickly notice how well I could see, but that was not the case. Perhaps I just take it for granted. I will have to say that they are a smaller area lens than my old glasses and I notice that. They are quite thick at the edges. But I can see. I have some old clip-on sunglasses that I use in the car since the progressive lens does not darken so much there. The new lens on the left is so thick that the clip does not go around it. I will have to figure out a solution or maybe these new ones are better than the old were.

Hopefully they will last for quite some time. It is a lot of money, but it keeps my life very normal. I may not have a Kate Spade bag, but I have Kate Spade glasses. Do you think that guy only showed me the most expensive frames, or was it right that only three worked with my prescription, face and what I might like? I opted for the second costliest.

Leroy has switched cars with me because I was excited when I drove the newer car at night. The lights are so much better that I felt much more comfortable. I drive home from work two nights and have appreciated the new view.

The hard part of changing cars from time to time is knowing which car I am in and whether I should be shifting or not. The more difficult time was when I drive the shift car and could not figure out why it would not start. It was because I had not engaged the clutch. How quickly new habits are formed! I also like using the radio on the new car.

I got the car washed at a place where human beings clean it out and dry it. They put on the hazard warning lights which I had not noticed until I pulled out on the busy street. Since I had never used them on this car, I could not immediately see the button to turn them off. I had to quickly pull off on a side street and come to a stop before I did a more thorough search. Now I know where that button is so I will be prepared if I should need them in the near future. The far future is a matter of forgetting.

Paula

Sun, Dust, Plastic

Hello,

The sun was beautiful this morning. I bask in its warmth, light and positives. Oh no, a negative! Dust was suddenly visible on some furniture that had been missed when cleaning. The good thing is that those dust motes could be eliminated from our living space. I just did not want to see that something had been missed and perhaps should be dealt with while still visible.

Because the sun was so nice and the temperature, for at least ten days, is predicted to be above freezing, the poinsettias are now outside enjoying the outdoors. They were joined by the four amaryllis pots as well as one spider plant. The impatiens that have lived in jars all winter to become seriously root entangled in the water, have been cut off with the possibility of roots growing and a later transplant to the outdoors. I like the plants, but I am happy to move them out and give us more space in our environment.

Yesterday on the walk home from church we found three plastic bags plastered against a fence with the wind smacking them. We picked them up and gave them a new purpose in life by picking up trash on the one block that we had yet to cover. We did not fill the bags, but I suspect one would have been full if combined. We had picked up a large bag from the city’s one bag challenge to clean up the streets. We dumped the contents of the bags into that bag and will take a walk from time to time with those rescued bags and continue filling the challenge bag which is larger than I want to drag around with me. Unexpectedly helping on Earth day! Our neighborhood clean up days were first postponed and then cancelled because of snow. Yesterday was a perfect day to be out picking up debris.

Paula

Eco Fest

Hello,

Yesterday Leroy and I went downtown to the eco fest. I have been looking/considering a new or at least newer car. My foremost criteria are that it would have the latest safety features that we can afford plus it would have great gas mileage. There were a number of electric cars there. Leroy and I were very impressed with the Tesla. Now can we part with that much money for something that just moves us from place to place? One previous car that we looked at has all the safety features, but the gas mileage is not quite as good as one that has most of the features, but not all. Leroy says, but not seriously, that we should just get both so we have it all covered. Now if we could stick them together the problem would be solved. Neither of those cars were the all electric. That attracts me a lot and Leroy seemed quite interested in them as well. More looking and considering is in the future.

We were quite impressed with the variety of booths that were at the Eco event. There were many things to learn about the local possibilities in industry/home as well as the nature around us.

We had planned to travel up to the top of Mount Trashmore, but the line for the bus was quite long. It will be open later in the summer for people to walk or bike up, no more bus rides at that point. We figure we can do either of those human powered options.

The African/American Museum was celebrating their 25^th anniversary so we visited them. We have been there twice before, but there is always something new to see. Quite frankly I have to admit that I do not see it all in one visit or perhaps I do not remember what I saw on a previous visit. It was a great time out and about.

We forgot to get the car washed, but all that dirt will stay for another day.

Paula

Dentist Visit

Hello,

I had my semiannual dental check this morning. I like getting that done because my teeth are so much cleaner than when I walked in the door. Also I like my dentist and the hygienist. It is a good feeling too when everything checks out to be good. Isn’t it amazing how long our body parts last even with benign neglect?

Before I left the house I was a little concerned because sleet and rain had come down for some time. It was a bit slippery to walk to the garage, but the streets were not slippery. Is that because there is so much traffic keeping the road surface warmer? At any rate, I was pleased that it was safer than I had expected.

Leroy went to work before the winter weather settled in. I consider him a spoiled guy because he gets to park in the museum garage. Consequently when he is ready to come home, he does not have to scrape the windows, but just gets in and drives.

I did wipe off the back car window when I came out of the dentist’s office. I stopped at a grocery store on the way home. I scratched the ice off the outside rearview mirrors before I got back in the car. I just used my finger nails so it was not thick ice. When I got home I cleaned off the back up camera as it was difficult to see around the water spots. Hopefully all this will be gone tomorrow when I go to work once again. Yoga is at 8:00 so I must leave fairly early, however all those people going to Iowa City will surely mean that the interstate is good. I am not so sure about the road to Ely. There is always a lot of traffic coming toward me, but not much on my side of the road.

I just got a note that there will be no choir practice tonight. I had been wondering if we would dare walk on the sidewalk or if we must take the car. Instead we will sit in the chair. Should I be walking around now?

Paula

Eyes

Hello,

My eyes have been checked. They are healthy, but sight is limited, however new glasses bring it close to the optimal level. Because I can still see to read and do things that are close it means the cataracts are not hampering my life enough to have them taken away. The new glasses could be available in 10 days or three weeks. The ten day figure appeals to me, but I have no control over the outcome. New frames will be acquired as well. The guy who was helping said, “There is no longer a lab in town where they will put the lens in your frames. We can do that in the office here, but we do not guarantee results with your strong prescription.”

I threw caution to the wind and selected, with help, new frames. This guy seemed quite comfortable saying which frames looked best on me. With my strong lens, frame options are rather limited. Only three were looked at. I just hope he and Leroy have that good eye. One nice thing they did have mirrors on the wall so I could walk right up to it to see myself, but the view is a little distorted because of the necessary of being so close with clear glass in the samples.

We are members of AARP. That means we got 20% off, if I had only gotten the lens it would have been just 10% off. So that made it a little easier to handle. Again I got extras that added dollars to the total. I get charged extra for those strong lenses. I pay to have them be as light and thin as possible. I got special no glare lens.  I also get the no line bifocals as well as the lens which are sunglasses when needed. I wear these everyday so it is not like buying a dress that I will only wear once or twice. Just justifying the cost!

I will be grateful that they are there helping me every day. My life would change radically if they were not on my face seeing with me. I am grateful for all the inventors who have worked to make this a normal life for me.

Paula

Newsletter, talking, owl

Hello,

I delivered almost ¾ of the neighborhood newsletters that are my responsibility. By the time I got home I had over 10,000 steps on my tracker. I will admit to being a bit tired. I work tomorrow and Saturday. I saw a prediction that it could rain on Friday so I am not sure when I will finish the job. Sunday we are to have a neighborhood clean up if it does not snow as predicted.

While I was out delivering the newsletters I was putting one under a mat by a front door when the door opened, startling me. It was a neighbor who was just getting his mail. He seemed pleased to get the newsletter when I handed it to him. At another house a guy was sitting on his porch. I was able to hand the paper to him. That makes it nice since then I know it stays where I put it until it is retrieved. This particular man told me he had had a stroke so he does not get out much. He was certainly in a mood to talk. I visited for a while before I remarked that I must move on. I feel a little guilty about that, but I knew I have several more to deliver.

On the walk home I heard an owl hooting. I stopped, searched the tops of the trees in the direction of the sound, but saw nothing except a crow flying around. Perhaps the crow was annoying the owl. A couple days ago I heard an owl closer to the house, but that was at night when it seems right to hear owls. I am glad that they have been able to survive in the city or perhaps they just fly in for a visit. I was pleased to learn that my guess of it being a barred owl agreed with the sounds I was able to find online. How did we manage before the computer and the internet was so ubiquitous?

Paula

Handling Differences of opinion

Hello,

At the library I consider it important that people who have many different beliefs and philosophies feel comfortable there. The library should be open to all. So generally I do not express my opinion on any subject that seems controversial. It is easier if I agree with the speaker to nod and concur without saying much of anything. Also, if my feelings are not strong about the subject, it all it makes little difference to me to listen to someone else express their ideas. However it becomes harder when I passionately hold a diametrically opposed point of view. I sometimes wonder, “Do they think I agree with them because I say nothing in particular? Does it matter what I think in this situation?”

Last night at work two different patrons at different times told me issues that I have rather strong opinions about. My stance is quite different from their opinion. I came away from the “talk” feeling quite conflicted perhaps because I said nothing about my point of view. Being silent does cost something emotionally.

Perhaps many of us have difficulty expressing different opinions while being concerned about the reception in the listener. My childhood home did not have many political discussions so I rarely heard people talking from different sides of an issue. Or perhaps they were all on the same side of almost every concern.

There was some talk about other religions, but I am ashamed to say that was more on the level of “us them” type of comments with “us” being seen as superior and correct to “them”.

It is indeed not a perfect world. Now if I can figure out how to have your opinion and my different opinion, help us remain on good terms, the world would be perfect.

Paula