The lady of the house was happy I dropped by. No more newspaper in the house as she is getting ready for the big clean up. I wondered how she could limit herself to do fewer things being already limited in resources and yet still have interests in life. There is the satisfaction in opening her house to guests but not in learning computer talk or getting an answering machine hooked up to her phone. What does she do when she is alone? She watches news reels that will go on and on, I mean she reads less, so she has to make up her time by watching TV more and listening to her favorite radio programs.

There are new people who come and go on the late night programs and she keeps up to date with who is the new host. she likes to relate what she sees on the tube. That is her way of saying what is new.

There is her favorite walk from the kitchenette to the table area. The more she does it, the better able she can continue to walk and serve. People like that live for their children, as if they have no life for themselves. She tries to give herself reasons not to ask for help but she could use help in transporting food back and forth.  

One feels sorry that she is not as mobile as she once was but then again she had her run of things for many good years and we can’t always be as mobile as we once were. She has to answer to fire alarms more than before because of the elderly who forget pots on the stove and so far except for one happening there have been no smoke alarms due to her.One wants to remember her as being self-sufficient and independent always but I realize that with age one forgets.