No cartwheels, no running: I plan to walk my way to good health

I anticipated that 2024 would be a banner year for me. I even wrote a blog about it: If life begins at 40, can it begin again at 70? I touched on having become a bionic woman by getting new hips in 2022 and 2023, telling all who would listen that I planned to do cartwheels in 2024. It didn’t take much for me to realize that was a mental activity, rather than a physical one. As a child I was big on doing headstands and handstands, but never cartwheels, so why start in my 70s? Let’s get real.

Photo by Nik Shuliahin 💛💙 on Unsplash

In that same blog post, I also said that I realized that “no one will come knocking on my door, offering me exciting new adventures and experiences.” Although there was no actual knock at the door, at the end of 2023 I did enter into what is to be a long-term relationship with a man I’ve known for more than 20 years. That has already resulted in new adventures and experiences, which we plan to continue. After seven years of being single again, it is a happy change of lifestyle for me for which I am truly grateful.

No time for Mickey as I visit Molly in Orlando, Florida

I recently travelled to Orlando Florida to visit Molly. That’s not a misprint; I did say Molly, not Mickey. I’m currently here on a three-week housesit, until early January. Ironically, I’ve never been to Disney World but I’m not one to enjoy rides so I doubt I ever will. Mickey is sure to have many other visitors this holiday season so my absence won’t be missed.

Molly enjoying her owners’ present last week, on her 14th birthday

I’m in the downtown area of Orlando, in what is described by the City of Orlando as a ‘trendy and friendly neighbourhood’. I can certainly attest to the friendliness of passersby. Having recently finished a sit in Los Angeles, the warmth and friendliness of people here is a surprising and welcome change.

If life begins at 40, can it begin again at 70?

I have somewhat of a contemplative approach to what I refer to as ‘zero birthdays’. I am puzzled by people who dread turning 30, although that was a milestone for me as it represented the end of a marriage. The ‘over the hill’ concerns of approaching 40 didn’t phase me at all. In fact, I felt good about where I was at and how I felt at that point in my life. At 50 I was in the first year of a new marriage, which brought many years of enjoyable adventures and experiences. Reaching 60 for me meant starting retirement after 30 years of working for the provincial government. I had mixed emotions about how I might handle retirement but am happy to say that I adjusted quickly and have enjoyed the freedom and flexibility that retirement has provided me.

Photo by Tim Cooper on Unsplash

In just a few months I’ll be reaching another zero birthday. This is one zero birthday I’ve already been reflecting on for months. Somewhat sadly, in my early 60s I became single again. More recently, having been through some static years with the pandemic, followed by a somewhat unexpected need to have both hips replaced, I’m now wondering what the new-and-improved me will accomplish in my golden years. Having now returned to volunteer house sitting, I recently did my first international flights since just before the pandemic started. Next month I will do another sit in the USA, which will take me into the new year. It will give me lots of time to ponder what my seventies might bring. I am not delusional enough to expect (or want) to be the first Golden Bachelorette, but what exactly will my goals be, and what will I accomplish? That’s a million-dollar question. What’s in the cards for me?

Gender and sexual diversity

Education comes in all forms, especially as we age and hopefully mature. My days of taking courses in a formal institution are likely behind me, but I’m grateful that everyday life teaches me on an ongoing basis. Today I’m looking back over the decades, seeing how my view of family life and gender identity has evolved. I’ll start by saying I’m cisgender: by dictionary definition, my gender identity corresponds with the sex registered for me at birth (female).

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

Up until my forties, I was aware that – as far as I knew, at least – none of my family members or friends were gay. Up until then it was also rarely a topic of conversation in my circles. Then along came Ellen Degeneres, in the same decade, coming out publicly as a lesbian. The associated media coverage immediately negatively affected her professional career. Needless to say, we all know that her career rebounded remarkably well over time. Her public announcement has also been seen as having opened the door for other gays and lesbians to find the courage to live their authentic life.

Defining Wealth in Friendships

By definition, wealth relates purely to physical assets: personal property, monetary savings, and income-producing assets. However, I consider myself wealthy when it comes to true friends. I have often said that I have very few friends, as I think many people confuse acquaintances with friendships. I used to define a friend as someone who, when I called in the middle of the night and asked them to come and get me, they’d say ‘OK’, rather than ask why. However, on reflection I realize that if I received that call, I would still ask why, so I need to lessen my expectations. After all, I want to be there for my friends. I have also come to realize that friendship comes in varying degrees, including at various stages of our lives.

Reveal yourself to others, warts and all

My primary purpose for this blog had been to share my travels as a volunteer house and pet sitter. Along the way a friend encouraged me to extend my writing to other topics, which I have done at times. My most recent post was in May of this year, about a local sit. Soon after that my world changed to some extent, as I learned that I had severe arthritis in both hips and was a candidate for hip replacement. For months I only shared this news with those closest to me. It was somewhat of a shock to me, as although I’d been living with pain and stiffness, I had no idea that it had progressed that far.

One of my reasons for not writing about my reaction to this news was a concern about being judged by homeowners. I thought they would perhaps discount me, as not being able to handle future sits. I knew that I would never take on more than I was confident I could handle, but I also knew those who did not know me might judge me differently. A fear of being judged, unfairly I felt.

Saffron is precious and colourful

As my current TrustedHousesitters house and pet sit will end in a couple of days, I think it’s about time I introduce you to my current housemate, Saffron. Overall, he has taken quite some time to warm up to me. The first night he slept on his owners’ bed, which didn’t surprise me. He cuddled up to their pillow, I assume in part to be reminded of them by their scent.

However, by the second night he had joined me in my room. At first he tried curling up above me, stretched across my pillow. With his tail rhythmically swishing across my face, I soon put an end to his plan. In contract to him being indifferent to me during the day, at night he’s like velcro. He’s either stretched across my legs when I’m laying on my back reading, or else curled up in behind my knees when I’m sleeping on my side.

Curiosity: The way out of problematic assumptions

I have lived in Niagara Falls, Canada for almost 50 years. Over those years I have regularly donated to charities and thrift stores. I know that in Niagara Falls, like most cities, there are many people who are less fortunate and in need of acts of kindness. Why am I saying this now? Because this week I was reminded to not make assumptions; something we all need to be reminded of at times. Instead, I decided to satisfy my curiosity.

Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash

I am on a house and pet sit in the neighbouring town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Just a half hour drive between the two and yet, in so many ways, worlds apart. Niagara-on-the-Lake is comparatively the rich relative of the Niagara region, with many stately, luxury homes. In March of 2022 the average sale price of a Niagara Falls home was $807,625, whereas for Niagara-on-the-Lake it was $1,416,557, and was the highest priced location in the Niagara region (population 447,888).

An augmented area of outstanding natural beauty

For those who watch the British TV show, Escape to the Country, you may be familiar with the term ‘an area of outstanding natural beauty’. I sometimes wonder why I only hear that phrase being used for the British countryside, as there are certainly many places in the world where it would apply. I am currently living in such a place.

I am on a TrustedHousesitters house sit, in an area I would say has both natural and fabricated beauty. Natural in that the town is on the Niagara river, with the remains of the forts of both Canada and the USA facing each other at the mouth of the river, and the Toronto skyline visible on a clear day across Lake Ontario. It is a town that has been featured in many major movies because of its quaint charm, manicured homes and gardens, and picture-postcard beauty.

The homeowners for this sit described their home as small, but I quickly assured them that it was twice the size of my one-bedroom condominium. However, having walked the immediate neighbourhood today, it certainly is amongst some giant properties.

When I’m in the back yard of the home I’m currently in, I can see the back of this neighbouring home in the distance, through the trees on that home’s property. What I originally thought was a street is actually the driveway of this house.

The benefits of doing a house sit close to home

Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting a home for a possible house and pet sit with TrustedHousesitters. It was a mere 30-minute drive through beautiful countryside. I had already connected well with the owners, having a few chatty emails, and we’d developed a comfort level. However, they wanted to be sure that one feature of their home wouldn’t be an issue for me, which I thought was both considerate and wise; it’s important that a sit be a good fit for everyone.

As an experienced sitter, why take a sit so close to home? There are so many reasons, but I’ll touch on a few for this particular sit.