How We Work

 I don't want to write. I had a very upsetting and insulting call to my cardiologist office on Tuesday. Writing about it will come later. But, it is still eating at me, the disrespect, accusations. 

The way Tommy and I "work" is different. I told Tommy to remind me at the next commercial break so we could hurry into the kitchen and put away cans of chicken. He did and I told him to go ahead and get out of my way. He knew I cannot get past the walker if he is in the position he needs to be to help me. But, sometimes he waits on me to "make sure I am coming."

"Hurry" is a relative term. We both have to get to our feet and Tommy has to get to his walker. We struggle and are slow even with the lift chairs and Tommy's walker is beyond his reach because of the leg rest going up when he sits. I have to wait for the chair to lift me, too. Then, I just wobble off to the kitchen. I try to hurry, but that can cause me to get more wobbly. I do get less wobbly as my legs adjust. 

Eight 15-ounce cans of chicken, like large tuna, maybe 12 ounces, have been sitting in front of the microwave in the way since Tuesday. I had him sort chicken in the hall closet and get out anything for 2021 and 2022 so we can use those before the year is up. We had no 2021. 

I cannot get them to the shelves unless I keep walking back to the counter carrying one can at a time. So, he handed them to me one at a time and the job was done in one-tenth of the time it would have taken me alone. Neither us had to move, just stretch a bit. 

In order to use these cans up by the end of the year, I decided to make chicken salad or pasta salad for lunches. Tommy informed me he does not think of pasta salad as a lunch option, so he won't be eating it at all. Apparently, he does not want it for dinner either...sigh. However, this means I won't have to share. And, I can put celery in it. I know I have seen him eat pasta salad here and cannot remember on what occasion. 

So, we work, just less often, less vigorously, and differently. Of course, this all happens to all of us over time. But, it is getting very different here. Full on canning all day long has given way to small batch canning of pints, etc. 

We didn't miss one word of Gunsmoke by working together during a commercial! Plus, I could not have done much more, anyway, since my back was hurting with all the bending I had to do. Something heavy needs to go on bottom shelves. Also, we won't be using chicken daily. 

No matter your age, how have your work habits changed over the years?