Yesterday was the first day I've been out and about on my own for a while. It felt strange. For one thing, I don't know what I was thinking. I signed up for an OLLI class that meets from 11:30 to 1. What a wierd time! I had to eat lunch at 11 or wait until I got home again. I ate at 11, but it was hard to get on track to get going that early. Ray had driven himself in and I was kind of at 6s and 7s, not sure what to do. It was still pretty cold, so cooking would have been good, but there wasn't really anything I wanted to make that I could start and finish before 11. I worked on photos some and went up and down stairs several times, continuing to tidy up odds and ends from our crazy weeks.

I heated up the chicken and couscous again and it was still tasty. I was ready to leave, but my iPad was charging. After about 15 minutes, I decided I could leave without it. I got to the class about 20 minutes late and I didn't have my parking passes with me. The class was mediocre, involving watching videotaped information, interspersed with comments from the "teacher." There was little new information, about diet, exercise, and other things you can do to live longer independently. The one thing that I have heard before that I know I need to do is strength training. When I talk to my Dad about this, he says, "does gardening count?" No, gardening and other daily activities do not count. We lose 25% of our muscle mass as we get older, and we have to exercise to be able to continue to garden and do other things.

I felt kind of strange on my way there, like I really prefer to stay in my home, cooking and gardening and communicating on line. It would be easy to turn into a recluse, only going places with Ray. I woke up feeling sad that I have so much to offer and sure that there are people who need help, but I just can't connect with them. I try not to think about it, but it bothers me so much. Especially when I go to a class like this: I think, I could live a long time and have nothing to do with my life...I am concerned that Ray is at risk for health problems. I am, too, but less so. I have tried unsuccessfully to help him. He is working too much.

Captain's surprise haircut

I got home and spent a little time in the garden. I picked some lettuce and beets. I worked on the photo albums some more. My Dad arrived. He was too excited about his trip to do any gardening. We agreed the garden looked pretty good. I washed the lettuce and beet greens and put them in a salad bowl with spinach and a lemony dressing.

I went to feed the pigs and then to the Kenney Ridge potluck. There were few of us, but lots of good food. The board meeting was right afterward. It was painful and left a knot in my stomach. I didn't sleep very well either. But I do feel like we made some progress. Ray was home when I got there and we watched a little TV. He went to bed and I stayed up until almost 11.