HURRICANE IAN HEADS FOR FLORIDA

Yesterday was fairly somber, with our friend Ricky undergoing a triple bypass in Rochester.  Late last night we learned the procedure went well.  Whew!  

As the messages came from the operating room, they were forwarded to us so we could know the surgery was on point.  We've been asked to tag along the day he'll come home, hopefully in a week or less.  That will be a celebratory trolley.

We live in an amazing time in history.  Our grandparents wouldn't have had the luxury of a bypass surgery.  The use of "luxury" is a bit wacky, yet it's an accurate way to describe it.  Enduring such a surgery is filled with fear and apprehension we cannot understand until we ourselves must endure the ordeal.  That's the way much of life is for us.  We can sympathize, yet we cannot know the whole of another's suffering.  

The boyfriend picked up the groceries for our Friday supper party, so we're all set.  It's hard to wrap our minds around the fact that we've been married now for 55 years.  That sounds incredibly old.  Neither of us feel any different mentally than we did when we were dating.  Physically, is another story.  Remember our younger days when we raced around like our pants were on fire, and now we'd rather kick back with our laptops and a batch of soup bubbling in the crock pot.  To us, that contentment is definitely a well-earned luxury.    

Hurricane Ian hit Cuba with what they're calling apocalyptic force, and now it's moving from south to central Florida.  It looks like Ft. Meyers will get the brunt of the soon category 5 storm.  Up to 24 inches of rain is expected, with flash flooding.  High winds will likely knock the power out.  Wind velocity is expected up over 140 mph.  

Last night the first frost of the season arrived.  The morning is absolutely gorgeous, cool with the sun shining.  The corn field out front is an elegant gold carpet.  If plans for the new rest home unfold as planned, next year there won't be a corn field.  The plan is for the grounds to expand from Venny's 55-and over community to a new rest home complex across the street from where we live.  

Many rest homes across the country are closing due to lack of help.  That's a scary thought, because, like it or not, the human population continues to age and require late-life assistance.  Our friend Ricky, who just had the triple bypass surgery is likely going to a rest home to recover and go through rehab.  It's not something any of us want, yet what choice do we have.  When the actual time comes, a rest home just might be another one of those aptly named luxuries.  

Today we're gonna rearrange the pictures hanging on our walls.  We have some treasures, and it's fun to change things around every once in awhile.  Our small #216 entry in the hallway is up for a change with the fall season upon us.  Variety does spice up life.