the diamond jubilee year

 Today is the 4th day of the 19th week, the 7th day of the 5th month, the 127th day of 2025, and:

• Bike or Roll to School Day
• Beaufort Scale Day - the measurement of wind speed
• Cystinosis Awareness Day - a rare genetic disorder that causes crystals damaging to organs, especially kidneys and eyes.
• Data Innovation Day
• Great American Grump Out Day
• National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day
• National Barrier Awareness Day
• National Cosmopolitan Day
• National Day to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy
• National Deaf Interpreter Day
• National Design Packaging Day
• National Roast Leg of Lamb Day
• National School Nurse Day
• National Skilled Trades Day [every first Wednesday in May]
• National Tourism Day
• Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day
• Paste Up Day - harkening back to the day when publications had to be arranged by hand 
• Project Aces Day - Parents and Children Exercise Simultaneously 
• Radio Day - commemorating the work of Alexander Popov
• World Carnivorous Plant Day - approved by Audrey
• Worldwide Day of Genital Autonomy -  celebrated on the anniversary of the Cologne Ruling and an affirmation of children's right to self-determination
• and Voyager 1 is ~23h 02m 22s of light travel time from Earth 

Quote of the day:

"Imagination is the eye of the soul."

~ Joseph Joubert - French moralist and essayist who achieved fame after he died in May 1824 with the posthumous publication of  "Pensées"

This picture is courtesy of Bing's daily wallpapers and is of Sopela, Spain.  It has absolutely nothing to do with the subject implied in the title, which means this would be an example of a very poorly written essay, if that is what I was writing instead of a personal ramble of thoughts that I call a blog and invite others to read.  So why share it? 

It's a stunning picture, and that is reason enough, neh?

Now, without the slightest hint of a viable transition, welcome to my ramble

Both of my grandmothers turned 75 around the time when I was 29 or so.  While I remember Grandmom Riley having a big family party when she was 65, I don't remember any subsequent birthday celebrations for her, and I don't remember any for Grandmom Hughes.  They had very different life situations, although they had a couple things in common - they both lived in houses that where they had been for decades and they both had extended families [sisters, children, grandchild[ren], and great-grandchildren].  

Grandmom Riley had never worked, and lived with Aunt Nell [Uncle Eddie had died by then].  She had been a widow since 1949 and got the lowest possible amount of Social Security based on her husband's previous income.  She was active, did housework and cooking every day,  kept the garden neat, watched soap operas, and was visited regularly by my mother [who was still working] and every other week by me with little kids in tow.  She didn't get around very much, and never interacted with the neighbors.  Now and then Grandmom and my mother would go on a bus trip together as one of my relatives drove a tour bus.  

Grandmom Hughes had worked as a pediatric nurse, but retired long ago.  Grandpop Hughes had died about seven years previously, so she was living alone in the house they had built on 1 1/2 acres of land, not all of it cleared, and on Grandpop's pension plus her Social Security, and an investment portfolio.  She too was active and did a lot of yard work, as well as housework, and cooking Sunday dinner for anyone who would come [usually my aunt and family, but my family made it now and then].  The neighbors were always dropping in, and she would walk over and visit with them, sitting on the front or back porch and shooting the breeze or maybe playing cards on the kitchen table.  Her daughter and her oldest granddaughter [that would be me] called her every day and every other week, I would show up with little kids to visit for the day.  Grandmom would also go with the neighbors, or drive herself, to bingo now and then, or go on a bus trip.   

I assume they were both on Medicare as well as Social Security, but neither discussed their day-to-day financial situations with me.

At 75, my mother was retired and living on a small pension plus my father's social security.  When Grandmom Riley died, she told me sadly that now she was an orphan and alone as her sister had also passed away.  She too was active,  both physically - doing upkeep on her small apartment, driving out, and getting her own groceries - and mentally - taking drawing classes, sewing and doing crafts.  The relative who used to do bus trips had retired, so there weren't many of them anymore.  I called her a couple times a week and we [Frank and I] would take her out to dinner and tried to convince her to go on vacations with us.  She didn't see much of her grandchildren as Tommy was in the Navy, and Gem was working full time and living in Pennsylvania.  

And what am I doing at 75?  

Well I am still working full time and struggling to stay active - always inclined to activities [crafting, sewing, reading, writing, playing games] that are sedentary and working on a computer in the office doesn't get one up and about much.  And as far as doing housework?  Quite frankly, I would rather work more and keep my cleaning lady, thank you very much!  As a result, compared to my grandmothers and mother, I have more physical issues, I think.  Retirement?  I can't live on Social Security and the 401K has been decimated by recessions [1999, 2008, 2020, and now].  Altho there seems to be a robust community where I currently live, all of the activities take place during the day when I am working, so I don't have that outlet.  And as far as family - my son is out of state, my daughter is consumed with her family problems, and neither are in good health.  In short, I'm pretty much alone, without the emotional support system that my grandmothers enjoyed, and my mother partially had.  

Mind you, I am not isolated.  I hear regularly from both kids, altho not always as much as I would like.  I have a good relationship with my grandkids, even tho I am not part of their day-to-day life.  I have two very good friends that I keep up with regularly and others that I touch base with more casually.  As a denizen of online worlds for the past 30+ years, I have a strong presence in world and online - living a second life.  I have at least one person from work that I have formed a bond with.    

In other words, while I am more alone than my grandmothers and mother were, I don't feel that I am lonely.  I do wish that I could actually retire or even go to part-time, but by working as long as I can, I can keep my lifestyle intact for now.  I do wish I just had more hours in the day for things other than work and sleep though

And, of course, Triscuit would not want to be left out, and I have to admit, the apartment would be a much colder and emptier place without my furry friend.