Just A Number?

I’ve been on my own for one day short of seven months.  I try not to keep track, but it’s difficult.  I’ve learned some things.

1. I get along with myself most of the time.  I seldom question my motives, but understanding and accepting are too different things.
2.  I can get by with one bath towel and one hand towel.   I run them through the washer, dry them, and put them back into service. I don’t use a washcloth, so they’re totally useless.
3. See number two as it applies to sheets and pillowcases.
4. I like planning for trips for two rather than one.  There’s a discussion of options when a second voice enters the conversation.
5. Trips for one are less expensive.
6. You can eat at the kitchen sink every day if you like.
7. I prefer eating with a companion and playing Euchre after my meals, especially breakfast.
8. Having someone come in and help with cleaning every other week is helpful.  I can handle most things, but it’s the dusting I hate.
9. Buying in bulk, unless it’s golf balls, serves no purpose.
10. I use the stove top, microwave, and crock pot on a regular basis.  I’ve cooked a single meal in the oven and it served me for three days.

I’ve been going through my five year plus blog collection, looking for fifty to sixty stories to publish in my book.  I’ve got five hundred and sixty-seven to choose from.  Several of the posts offer advice.  Some is common sense and I try to dress it up in a story that suits the day’s mission.  Some is directed at my grandchildren even though I know they’re not regular readers.  Heck, Jackson is only two years old so he’ll be reading these several years from now.  Brady and Eva are busy living life.

Other observations are just that.  A quick look at life with some select words of wisdom.  Sometimes they connect sometimes they don’t.

I need to take heed to the suggestions to keep moving forward.  I’ve done a good job with the business side of my life, but I’m still treading water on the personal side.  I scan the crowd when I go out but haven’t made any moves.  The moves I used in my youth have moved on.

I’ve joined a Facebook group called “Ed Asks”.  You must be single, live in The Villages, and be approved by Ed. He approves you if you meet the requirements.  I did so he did.  There are about 376 members.

He posts most days making interesting observations about being a senior single.  I read each post, but I’ve never commented until earlier this week.  The topic was age difference between prospective partners.  His final’ observation read: The best considered formula so far has been half your age plus 17.

Then he posed the daily question. If you were to create an equation to answer that age old question, what would it look like?

My response. “Half my age plus 17 would make my new friend 55. While I welcome the thought, I don’t think I could keep up.  Doing athletic things together could be a challenge. I think my current age minus a dozen years, or less, might be a better fit.”

I don’t know where he came up with his formula.  Perhaps he googled it.  He may have just made it up.  In any case, he received several comments.   One referenced the phrase “Trophy wife and an old man driving a Bentley.”   Most agreed that a gap that large could be a challenge.  My favorite reply was simply this.

You’re as young as you feel. As long as you can keep up with one another, age is just a number.