"THE MARATHON"

By Sandra Miskie 

(aka: Grandma Geezer Ph.D)

I’ve learned a lot in the past year. 

Some of it was immediate and other things took a lot of time. Sort of like touching a hot stove versus putting yourself into the same destructive life patterns.  Like cooking… some things just need blanching other things need hours. 


Some things will lose their flavor if cooked too long other things will make you sick if not cooked long enough. 

I will now stop with the metaphors... 

...And give you an example of one situation Grandma Geezer begs you to look at, so you will avoid the chaos she has encountered. 

Trust me on this! 

The following highlighted items are crucial!

DON’T PROMISE TOO MUCH!!!   

 PLAN AHEAD!!!   

PUT EVERYTHING DOWN ON A CALENDAR!!!

LEAVE ROOM FOR EMERGENCIES!!!

Don’t trust your memory. 

In the midst of a busy time make sure your calendar is never more than inches away or put it on your phone. Grandma Geezer’s phone skill’s are as high tech as her computer skills so I haven’t mastered that yet but this year I will. Twice this year I broke the habit of checking my calendar on a daily basis and believe me, especially if you’re retired that is dreadful. One day kind of floats into another and things get scheduled over each other. What I’ve learned … My energy level doesn’t reach the level it used to and chaos ensues.

“ Don’t forget brunch tomorrow!” 

Yikes, I promised a longtime friend I’d go to her pottery showing at ten in the morning. She was having brunch at her house before we left to the show. A variety of tasty treats were laid out on the table and I ate them all. I know better…but she’s such a good cook! After buying three pieces of pottery I knew I was in trouble. My stomach wasn’t feeling well and I needed a bathroom but I had to be in the mountains for a wedding of a friend’s daughter I thought was the next week. It will take me forty minutes to get there and I had two and a half hours left. No problem.

I couldn’t find the map to the church that morning...

...So I kept calling various people to guide me. No one answered my messages and I was getting nervous. Twenty minutes later, after finding a bathroom I’m back on the road. Let’s see I have two hours and ten minutes. OK! Finally I got hold of someone who gave me directions…  “See ya at one!”  ONE O”CLOCK!!! (I THOUGHT IT WAS AT TWO!) Funny how a nervous moment like that sends you back to the bathroom! I’m now back to fifty minutes because of a short restroom break.

I find the church because of excellent directions with minutes to spare and sit down on an aisle seat. What a precious wedding but I couldn’t stay for the reception because in November I was asked to play flute in a winter concert and accepted! When I found out the concert was on the wedding day four weeks later there was nothing I could do. No problem I thought I’ll have just enough time to acclimate from the mountain drive to the concert, I’ll wear the same clothes to the wedding I need for the concert and I’ll be able to keep my instrument in the car as well as the chocolate treats I made because the weather was cooperating. The drive back was over an hour and I was a little tired but I had to place the Christmas treats I promised on everyone’s music seats before the concert.

The concert is halfway over and I notice my feet are freezing because I didn’t put on my boots before leaving the car because I was in a hurry. It was hurting cold. I’m placing hand warmers in my cute little shoes to keep my toes warm and then I’m taking them out to warm my fingers because my flute is cold. I don’t care if people are wondering what I’m doing … I’m cold! They said we would be in a heated tent but unless I’m wrong heated means any temperature above 65 degrees.  I’m not looking forward to the walk back uphill,  two blocks to the car with a purse, my instrument and the bag with leftover treats.  Stiff and cold I am fortunate to get a ride on a golf cart being sent around to pick up seniors. I love being a senior! I get into my Subaru and immediately turn on the heated seats and wait until my brain unfreezes. My phone rings, “ Where do you want to meet for dinner?”.

Needless to say I didn’t follow any of the above highlighted items.  

As I look back on the day a month later I realize I shouldn’t have eaten all the brunch food, I should have gotten the directions days before, I should have kept the wedding invitation in sight, I should have kept my boots on all day instead of showing off my cute silver socks and I should have skipped the concert because there are plenty of future opportunities. The good parts of the day were there but not enjoyed. 

I’m still learning this lesson ....

"To enjoy life to the fullest - don’t cram it together in a marathon of events."

Yours Ever So Truly,

GG