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Now I see you…

When I was in third grade, my entire class had our vision tested. Most of my classmates passed with 20/20 vision. But when it came to me, I couldn’t even see the big E on the chart. Maybe if I’d known it was supposed to be an E I would have “seen” it, but at that point in my life, I knew nothing about eyecharts.

So my parents promptly took me to an eye doctor, who confirmed it: I was incredibly nearsighted. Now, I have no idea what my vision was in comparison to the 20/20 ideal, but I do know it was bad. I got glasses, and in those days, you really could have lenses as thick as Coca-Cola bottles. For those of you not familiar with soft drink bottles, once upon a time such beverages came in glass bottles, which were recycled.

I was incredibly shy back then, and having the other kids tease me about my “four eyes” was painful. Not to mention I never looked good in glasses. Ever. People have since tried to tell me I was just self-conscious about them, but my family and teachers agreed, glasses were not a good look on me. Kind of mean of them to say so, but that’s another story. Once I learned about contact lenses, I couldn’t wait to get them. Of course back then you had to be an adult to wear contacts, so the wait seemed like forever.

Today I wear contacts with glasses as a back up. I don’t look so bad in glasses anymore, as long as my hair is okay. If my hair’s a mess, I’m definitely a “before” picture in my glasses. I know the day may come when contacts aren’t practical. At least, I think that happens when you get older.

I’m not legally blind, but I need my eyewear. It’s something I can’t live without. I’m so used to it now I hardly think about it, except when I need to shell out money for a new pair of glasses or a set of contact lenses. Both are expensive. The contacts because contacts just are expensive, and the glasses because I need a special kind of lens since my eyesight is so bad.

Of course as I’ve gotten older it’s become harder to see things up close. So even with my contacts I need to wear readers sometimes. But that’s a small price to pay for the gift of sight, and I’m glad I live in an era where glasses and contacts are readily available to me.

Image Credits: Cat in Glasses © Moriom12–stock.adobe.com Girl in glasses © Al–stock.adobe.com

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Walter’s in the Box I Need

Walter’s keeping me from cleaning out my old dresser. I finally was able to get a new dresser and the old one’s being hauled away shortly. In the meantime, I need boxes to pile in everything that’s currently in the old dresser. (Well, not everything–I’m taking this opportunity to clear out some old clothing.) But I can’t empty out any of the drawers if the cats keep getting in my way. Oh well, I’ll let them have their fun, at least for a little while.

I will too fit!!

Image Credits: Cesar Cat © Belinda O; Paws in Heart © Bigstock Photos; Cat in Box illustration © Ovit–stock.adobe.com

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Six Months

Today marks six months since my dad died. I’d been thinking about him a lot over the weekend, because that was the time I was supposed to visit him. We’d made the plans before he was diagnosed. Since he lived in Palm Desert, I always visited him either in April or October/November, when the weather was more temperate. When we made our plans, April was out because that was the month of my mom’s 90th birthday, but I ended up seeing him in April anyway.

That visit, made in early April, would be the last time I’d see him. While he clearly was sick and had lost a lot of weight, he was still my dad. His attitude was good and he was happy to see me. My uncle, aunt, and several of my cousins were there then as well, and while I was glad to see them, in retrospect I wish I’d had more time alone with my dad. But I’m not terribly bothered by it. I’d planned another trip in May, but he went downhill quickly.

The uncle who visited died in September. I saw him again a few weeks after our visit to Palm Desert (when I was visiting my mom) and had a good talk with him, something that had been really important to my dad.

I’m told the first year after someone dies is the hardest. I have to admit, in a way I don’t want the pain to go away because I feel like then I’ll be letting go of someone I loved very much, and I don’t want to let go. Maybe a few more tears and I’ll be ready for the next stage.

Anyway, here’s to my dad.

Image Credit: Flowers (header) © Caphira Lescante–stock.adobe.com

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Walter’s Content in the Sun

Walter and Mimi take turns sitting on the living room windowsill, and both look pretty content when they’re doing so. I’m rarely able to catch Mimi in such a peaceful pose. For that matter, it doesn’t usually happen with Walter. They both tend to shift when I move in on them. But today I was able to get close enough to capture Walter looking, well, pretty content.

Image Credits: Cesar Cat © Belinda O; Paws in Heart © Bigstock Photos; I Work Hard…© DzgnVibe–stock.adobe.com

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Treasured Books

What’s one thing you own that holds deep sentimental value?

Several books from my childhood sit on one particular bookcase, and they all have sentimental value. One of my most valued treasures is the The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, illustrations by Tasha Tudor. The book itself is falling apart in places, but not so much that I can’t page through the chapters and remember what first enchanted me about the story. It’s those wonderful illustrations that bring back the memories, those along with a poem or two uttered by the characters in the book. I memorized one of those poems and still can recite it today.

Another book that sits on the same bookcase is Riley Love-Lyrics. Published in 1905, my great-grandfather gave it as a wedding gift to my great-grandmother. He’d rewritten one of the poems on the front inside cover. The ink has faded, of course, but I still can read the love in what he wrote. I have no idea if the poems are any good and frankly, they probably aren’t classics, but the book means a lot to me.

And of course, I have my collection of the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, illustrated by Garth Williams, in hardcover. They’re only available in paperback today, which you’d think might make what I have worth something, but I doubt that it is. But again, they mean a lot to me. I read and re-read each of these books time and again. What do I think of the TV show? Never saw the original, and haven’t watched anything of the new episodes (assuming they’re still available). Some things, in my mind, are best left to the imagination.

Image Credits: Header © Wit_Photo–stock.adobe.com; all pictures of the books and illustrations are from my own collection.