And some things never do!

My Mother spent most of her life at a much heavier weight. She spent a great deal of her time dieting and/or looking for the next good diet. Where do you I learned that from? I have lived with the dilemma all my life. I have been educated on many issues: not to wear horizontal stripes is a big one!

My Mom weighed 86 pounds at last her weighing, now she may even weigh less. She still sees herself as heavy. When we were out last week, I saw this little outfit by one of her favorite clothing manufacturers and got it for her.

When I took it out to dress her, she was horrified! "I can't wear horizontal stripes!". Yes, Mom, at 86 pounds, you definitely can!

Some Things have Changed

Recently we were talking to Mom's hospice nurse and a nurse in training during their weekly visit. For some reason we talked about traveling and I was reminded of my parents travels and later on, the summers they in spent in Colorado with their friends.

They had a wonderful group of close friends that they met when they moved into their first apartment. They added a few other couples on when they got active in our synagogue. At any rate, this group stayed close for all the years that they lived. Mom and 2 or 3 others are the only ones that are still alive as far as I know.

My parents traveled to England, Scotland, Wales, Norway, Sweden, Copenhagen and Israel..wonderful places and we have wonderful photos to remember those trips. After my folks drove across the country and back through Canada, they traveled to places in the North and South West. Later they found summer rentals in Colorado. They rented ski condos for the summer. Many of their friends also rented places there. Most of the times they stayed for one or two months. The fun that they had in Phoenix, continued in Colorado.

When I was telling the nurses about this, I realized that this is not something that most people could not afford to do today, especially retired people. Even more amazing, when I thought about it, most of the men were retired salesmen, not professionals ie: (doctors, or attorneys,accountants)They were folks who had worked all their lives and retired with some savings. These kinds of things that most of the folks that are retired (read hubby and I) these days just can no longer do. My Dad's stock accounts were steady and income-producing; their home was paid for. The owners of the condos were happy to have people in the condos, the prices were reasonable. In later years, the condos were sold to a large Japanese corporation and the prices were raised to rates that were no longer affordable.

It is just another example of our changing world, the loss of simple times. I am so happy that they did have the wonderful group of friends that they enjoyed, how wonderful that was for them. I am also happy that they were able to have travels and the adventures that were able to experience. It is hard to accept that most people these are times that won't happen for them!