Hello, all! It's been quie a while since I've written. Not that I haven't had anything to say (YOU ALL KNOW BETTER (silly grin). Just that there's been a lot going on and I haven't taken the time to fill you in on all the 'happenings'.
Just briefly, I've received sone therapy and counseling to cope with my vision loss. This is not an easy thing to deal with, but then, nothing of value ever is. I am able to read certain things--nothing with famcy printing, colored print or stuff like that. Most cartoons are a blur. I cannot see faces and sadly miss a lot of beauty that way. But I recognize voices. The biggest problem I'm having right now is cutting up vegetables. Onions and garlic in particular--go figure. My therapist told me to get a cark colored cutting board for the contrast.I've been using prepared garlic, but being a purist, don't care for it as much as fresh garlic. But, then, we all have problems, don't we. :) But enough of that. I'm learning to cope and am getting pretty good at using my peripheral vision. God is good to me and DH and things could be a whole lot worse.
My question for today is: And get this!!! I was getting ready to do laundry Saturday. I was separating the clothes and checking pockets--you know the drill. In the right, front pocket of DH's jeans, I found an unopened condom package. Red--double your pleasure--all rolled up--nice and neat. He hasn't used those things since we were first married 60 years ago for birth control before I was fitted with a diaphram.
I've been trying to figure this out where it came from. I showed it to him and asked him where he got it. Sadly, he didn't even know whata it was. Last Thursday my friend took us to WalGren's. He was wandering around in the store by himself. The ONLY thing I can think of is that he opened a package and swiped one. Don't ask me why. He's been impotent for many years. But, aren't those boxes shrink-wrapped? How'd he get into the box? There are security cameras all over the place. I'd sure hate to think of him on film.
Anyway, I certainly can't tell my kids about this and I don't want to share this with my friends at church. So, here you go. Dearfriends--I figured if anyone would understand you would. But WHY?
He still thinks we've had sex every once in a while and he tells me it's the best love making we've ever done. I'm happy for him--just wish I could have participated.
Well, I guess that's about it for today. It's been too long since I've communicated. Thanks for being so patient with me.
We've just had a thread about our spouses stealing candy, etc, from stores when our backs were turned, Mawzy, so it looks like he's just in step with the rest. I wonder if there might have been a "sample" bin where he found one, or that some kid had broken open a package and helped himself and left the rest behind.
It is DEFINITELY TOO LONG since you've been with us, my friend. I'm glad to hear you're doing better coping with the macular degeneration. My grandmother had it and I've always been scared of it but so far no problems.. Love, Clare
Oh, goodness, Mawzy, when you come back, you come with a bang!!! It is SO GOOD to hear from you! I have missed you so much. I'm glad you were able to get the training and counseling to help you. Your attitude is wonderful!
As to the condom's appearance, we had a thread the other day about stealing and discussed the fact that they don't realize what they are doing or that it is wrong. It could be that the box was brightly packaged and someone with him stopped close to it and he saw it and wanted to see what was in it...
Just tell him that when you two make love, you don't want anything between you, so he doesn't need to get any more of them!!! <grin>
mawsy glad to hear from you and that you are coping well. they have garlic and onions cut up n ow in boxes in the grocerery stores?? in the produce section. i buy it all the time due to laziness and not wanting to weep.. haha..
i had a chuckle over the sex and how its the best yet. if you can bottle that script and sell the idea in a bottle you will get rich very quick. hahah..
your good nature is shining and we are glad to hear you are ok. divvi
Glad to hear from you Mawzie and when I read about you finding the condom in DH's pocket, I had to laugh out loud. Sorry, but it really struck me funny. Maybe the bright colored attracted him.
Mawzy - good to hear from you. Your post are too far apart. I am glad God is giving you tidbits to smile about.
Do you have a food processor or one of the small choppers that you could use for the onions and garlic? I agree - fresh cut is always the best. I have seen the chopped garlic but no onions at the store. I can't remember is you have help that comes in but maybe they can cut/chop the onions and garlic for you. I will usually chop a whole onion at the same time and put what I don't use in a bowl. It will stay nice for a week or so in the frig.
Mawzy, that was me that started that thread on dh's stealing. Boy, if he steals a condom, I'll really wonder what's going on!!! So far he's stolen from an estate sale, and had been stealing cookies from Furr's Cafeteria (for years). He told me today he's no longer doing that. Okay!!
You are quite a woman, with your strength and can-do attitude surrounding your eyesight loss. I send you many hugs and much encouragement.
Oh, Mawzy, gosh it's good to hear from you. It sounds like you are dealing with the problems that have come your way, with your usual strength and spirit. I love your comment about wishing you had been there for that great love-making.
How is Noche these days? Still a source of pleasure and entertainment, I hope.
Oh, Folly--thanks so much for inquiring about Noche. Right this minute he's been kicked outside because he jumped not once, not twice, but three times up on the kitchen counter. I have the dishwasher going and he loves to sit there and feel the heat and the rumble of the machine.
He went out out evening after dark about 2 months ago to stretch his legs and I guess he got into a fight with another cat. He came back in and hid under a table--did I tell you guys this?--the next day he was still there and I crawled under to see what was wrong. He wouldn't move. He tried to eat out of my handbutwas in too much pain.Myfriend drove me up to the vet's office and he had a big old abcess ffrom a cat-bite next to his juglar vein.
He got his throad shaved so the doctor could drain the abcess and a big old shot of antibiotics. He was better in 3-4 days. His hair is finally growing back in and now he stays pretty close to home after dark.
He's really a precious little guy and sits on DH's lap most every day. A real good guy!
Mawzy.. what makes you think that your dh took the condom..... methinks that some aggressive girl was probably interested in him....maybe she slipped it to him without you noticing.....now there's a thought...and if you would, please give her my name and number...thanks
So good to hear from you Mawzy -- you've been missed. Phranque may be right -- better watch out for those other women. Loved the story of Noche liking the dishwasher sound/feel -- awwww (as Divvi would say) let him sit there.
dear Weejun--no, I'm sorry--he just cannot sit on the kitchen counter. He has the run of the entire house and the only no-no's he has are the kitchen counter, the kitchen table and he cannot scratch my furniture. Do that and OUT you go. If youhad him,he'd be spoiled rotten. But, then he already is. When he gets mad at us, he turns his back and just switches his tail. What a bratty kitty he can be. But we really do love that little black fellow. And he knows it. :)
And, phranque--During the last 60 years, there have been many women who have made passes at my DH. He's a fine looking gentleman. Hmmm--you may be right. If I find any predatory women after him, I'll just give them your address. :)
Thanks for the ALRIGHTY THEN moment. I know deep down this is upsetting but for the life of me I could not help laughing... There was a thread the other day about stealing. Lord help us if we get stopped by security for the things they might do. I hope we have understanding sales and security people.
Mawzy, good to hear from you! I admire your tenacity in working w/your macular degeneration--in fact I admire all of you who have handicaps to work around/overcome to be good caregivers. Good examples I'm not sure I could follow. And the story of the "mystery of the red condom" made me laugh out loud! Oh the embarrassment if caught red-handed with that! Or maybe not embarrassment but a statement: see what we can do!
You guys are so uplifting! The last couple of months have been a real ride. He told someone the other day that I was his favorite wife. Can you belileve that? We've been married 60 years and I promise you--neither of us were married before--I think there are laws against that. We were both pretty young. I was 18 and he was 23. I just smiled and patted him on the back. He likes that. :)
You guys are so good for me.. My DH likes to tell me about the gal that wanted to take him home from HomeDepot.. Now, we must understand, here's a man with a cane, obvious dementia,,,doesn't make sense most of the time, and is 85 ...has cancer and is totally blind... after the 4th telling, I invited him to GO with her... Then there is this maintenance girl at the Y who has befriended him,, They, according to him, discuss their health issues, especially her Hysterectomy, his prostate problems and her 5 children with out a father.. When THAT one surfaced, I called all my financial entities and advised them of the need to clear everything thru me..No condoms yet, but he did buy the latest one a $5 card... I haven't had a card in 49 years..AND, I'm to understand that it may be a long ride....Thanks all, loveya..
Rather late than never, but I have another idea re: the red condom. Most men's restrooms have dispensers that dispense condoms..and one needs to drop a quarter into the slot and they get ONE. I didn't know this until a few years ago. This is just another possibility - and it would free your fears about him shoplifting.
OK MsNancy-and just how did you get this info (very big grin) I had to throw this in-while making professional calls to a low budget mental health service I was surprised to see a bowl of brightly wrapped candy. I knew the enployees very well. I took some candies and unwrapped one while walking to my car. Imagine my surprise when I found they were condums. The staff was waiting for me when I returned and rest and never let me forget the incident.
Nancy* While on a road trip, my sister and I stopped at a truck stop and they had dispensers in the ladies restroom. We pooled our quarters and bought one of each kind just to see all the different kinds. I don't know what she did with her share and I don't remember what happened to my share either.
Joyce, I assume that you all unwrapped them and "blew them up" so you could see what they looked like? <grin>
My only experience with them was when my younger son wanted to buy his first condoms, and my husband was out of town, so he and I went to the drug store together and found out how many different styles, colors, flavors, etc. that the came in. We read labels, looked at each other and grinned, and I told him to get whichever he wanted and I'd pay for them. After that, he went alone..... <grin>
There is an email circulating re how to keep a healthy level of insanity -- among the many funny antics suggested was: Pick up a box of condoms at the pharmacy, go to the checkout counter and ask where the fitting room is.
This thread reminds me of the time, when I went into a manufactoring plant that makes condoms. They use a form that is shaped like the male part fully erect and they have hundreds of them. They have all these women working there that are where white lab coats and all these forms on machines that dip them into the rubber. It is a site to see. I would imagine most of these women when the go home they are disappoint being around these things all day and hundreds of them different colors and smells.
Oh how I love you all!!! I have been so blue today. I decided to check in before going to bed and instead of crying, I'm laughing out loud at the incredible pictures you all paint so VIVIDLY! Phranque, anytime I come across samples I'll send them your way. Oh, maybe I should re-word that, (huge grin:o)
It's 1:30AM and I couldn't sleepand after reading these comments I laughed so much I'll never get to sleep.It's good we all still have our sense of humor,laughing is good for your health.
Mawsy, At the beginning of this conversation you said you were "separating the clothes and checking pockets" when you were getting ready to do the laundry. Doing the laundry is one of the new chores I find myself doing and I have a question. I understand the checking of the pockets, no problem there, but what do you mean by separating the clothes? I have been doing the laundry for about 4 or 5 months now and I do check the pockets but I have never separated the clothes in any way and have no clue how you would do that. Is it by size, material or fabric, and why?
I sort mine by whites, permapressed, heavy/dark like jeans, bedding. Anything red that hasn't been washed before I wash by itself, usually by hand because red items usually "bleed" and you end up w/pink things. Some dainties should be washed by hand or gentle cycle of washer and not put in the drier. I empty the drier as soon as clothes are done and fold or hang them because if left in drier, I'd have to iron them. I make an effort NOT to purchase anything 100% cotton because those will HAVE to be ironed. Can you tell that's not a favorite task?
I sort mine by whites, light colored, dark colored, delicates. Must be a man thing, Jim. My husband would throw everything in together, too. Oh, and I usually wash towels by themselves because they tend to get fuzz on everything else in the dryer.
I sort things the same way as buzzelena when washing. However, I dry lightweight stuff by itself and put the rest of the washload in later. In other words, I guess I wash by sorting in the usual way, but dry by weight.
buzzelena must be right - it's a man thing. I put everything in the wash and drier together. I try to take things out of the drier as soon as it is done, but rarely succeed. Once I washed a blue and white jacket I had just bought my wife with something red. That took care of the jacket, so I am careful with new colored items, usually.
Holy cow, I have been just sorting by Clean and dirty. I put the clean things on hangers and the dirty things in the washer. Is there a way you can do them al together? A special soap or something. I can handle everything else but this is crazy. have you ladies always been doing laundry by these rules? If so bless your hearts.
I think I'll try your way Marsh.
Anything that needs to be ironed will go in the trash.
Shout makes a product called Color Catcher that absorbs and traps loose dyes. It really works. It's a sheet that you put into the washer when doing a mixed load or with a new dark colored shirt. Unless, or course, you prefer pink undies like phranque does.
Phranque, Send your unintended pink undies to Sheriff Joe in Maricopa, county AZ..He has his prisoners wear pink, live in non air conditioned quarters ( in his view they don't deserve to live in better conditions than the troops in the sandpiles of the middle east) so he could use em. ; )
Through simplification of our wardrobes and the need for full loads (less numbers of small loads) and because for a while DH had to run them,most of the time we have 2 loads a week. Everything possible is wash and wear or fold until use. One basket is underwear, lights and brights (generally light weight). It includes sheets and some towels. The other load is darks and heavier--including fleece, sweats, jeans, dark towels, and towels used for floor wipe ups, regrdless of color. On the rere occasion when a new article needs special handling , I point that out to the helper who will deal with it. I try hard to avoid things requiring special handling. That's when it pays to read the tags.