SUNDAY FUNDAY - OCTOBER 22, 2023

 SUNDAY - FUNDAY - OCTOBER 22, 2023

WARM-UP

Yes - I do talk about the weather - and it has been a little nippy in the mornings.  I’m not complaining - after our summer, it feels good.  And it is still warming up to pleasant temperatures in the afternoon.

Did you catch the eclipse on Saturday?  I was Georgetown Market Days, and it seemed like pretty much everybody had their special glasses!! 

The Hunter Moon is next Saturday - October 28, 2023

And, HALLOWEEN is Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Story:

It was fall - finally.  Melissa Pringle was so ready for fall after the hot summer.  And it was time to get her fall clothes down in her closet.  There was a box of sweaters, another box of sweatshirts, a box of long-sleeved knits, and some long-sleeve dresses and blouses.  Melissa had owned some of these from college, some sixty years ago. 

Melissa was in halter tops or little strappy dresses all summer.  She knew that there would probably be a few more surprising warm days in Texas, so she kept two summery dresses on hangers.  She would pack the summer things in the boxes of fall and winter clothes - after she emptied them. Her bed was stacked high with the summer things waiting for boxes.  She had left space for the boxes she would be getting down.  

Melissa had some of her favorite '50s songs playing on her iPhone.  It was almost like a party in her apartment.  

The fall day started in the mid-40s, and the forecast was 74 degrees today.  While she missed her native New Hampshire in the fall and the beautiful foliage, he knew the leaves would be gone up north in a short month, and snow and ice would be on the way. 

She thought she’d call her sister later in the day ‘just because.’  They had a fun time, with Geri teasing Melissa about “How hot was it today” during the Texas summers, and Mellissa teasing back with “How cold was it today?  How much snow did you get?” In the New Hampshire winters.

The first box came down easy enough.  She had her step stool and could pull it down off the shelf.  

But, the second box was wedged in a little tighter. There was a very heavy box next to it, wedging it in. She leaned over to loosen the box and get it down and fell off the stool.

She hit her head on the stool as she fell and then blacked out for a few minutes.  When she got her wits about her again, she felt pain.  Her right leg moved just fine.  When she tried to move her left leg, there was pain.  She saw the box with George’s rock collection had fallen on her leg.  While she had kept that rock collection, she wasn’t sure.  She thought maybe one of her grandchildren might like it. 

She tried to roll over to push the box of rocks off her with her good right leg - and pain shot up her left leg.  Had she broken something?  She wasn’t sure, but the pain was real.  She rested another minute and tried again.  She got enough of the box of rocks off her leg but couldn’t pull her left up.  

Ten minutes later, with several painful tries, Melissa freed her leg. Now, to stand up.  

No - she couldn’t stand up. 

Using her right leg, she pushed her prone body to the closet door - and then stopped to catch her breath.  Her phone was on the kitchen counter.  She couldn’t call for help.  No one would hear her, even if she screamed as loud as she could.   Another ten minutes of crawling got her out to her bedroom.  She tried to pull herself up on her bed, but the pain in her left leg wouldn’t let her.

Another twenty minutes brought her to the kitchen.  She was glad that she lived in a one-floor house.  She could only imagine how it might be to try to crawl downstairs. 

The next obstacle was to get the phone off the counter so she could call somebody.  Painfully, she managed to get the phone and called her neighbor Rhonda.  Rhonda didn’t answer.  Melissa remembered that Thursday was Rhonda’s bridge day.  Finally, with some trepidation, Melissa called 911.  She laughed to herself as she thought about the old college comment, “I’ve fallen and can’t reach my beer.”  The dispatcher was friendly and helpful.  The dispatcher said paramedics would be there within fifteen minutes.  

Melissa heard the paramedic truck pull up and the paramedics at her door.  But she had locked her door and thrown the deadbolt for safety.  

The paramedics yelled to her, and she called back as well as she could.  

Crash - the paramedics had gone to her back door, also locked with a deadbolt.  They had broken a window to get in. 

They checked her out, and the lead EMT said, “I think your leg might be broken.” 

They took her to the hospital emergency room, and her leg was broken.  Her leg was set in a cast, and she was moved to a rehab facility for physical therapy.  

*****

Yes, this is just a story.  But, the story is based on reality.  As we age, we have brittle bones and are susceptible to falls.  

Three suggestions - the first is be a willing and able helper to those like Melissa who might need help getting things down from shelves and with other physical tasks. 
The second suggestion is not to tackle a job (like getting things down from shelves) without help.
And the third is to have a LifeAlert or some device (like an Apple Watch) to call for help.

*****

SOME FALL PUNS

• Fall is a-maize-ing.

• After a good summer fling, it’s time to fall in love.

• Pumpkin spice, spice, baby.

• I'm acorn-y person.

• Humpty Dumpty had a great fall — I hope you do too!

• Hay there!

• This cooler weather is soup-er.

• I yam what I yam.

• Don't even chai.

• Donut know what I ever did without my pumpkin spice latte

• Orange you glad it's fall?

• Trick or treat yo' self.

• Resting witch face

• Let’s pumpkin spice things up a bit.

• I like you a latte.

• You autumn know...

• What month does every tree dread? Sept-timmmberrr!

• Fall-elujah

• Blessed and pumpkin spice obsessed!

• Witch fall flavor is your favorite?

• It feels like scarecrows are stalking us.

• Pumpkin spice and everything nice

EVENTS:

Last Saturday, there was quite a crowd at Walburg - some birthday and anniversary celebrations.  It was a pleasant evening.  Hopefully, some of you can come to Walburg German Restaurant this Saturday (October 21st) for a fun evening.  

We start at 6:30 in the tent behind the restaurant (don’t go to the restaurant), and then the house band plays, and we are back at about 8:00.… remember to pick a friend who doesn’t drive anymore and would like to get out.

Next Thursday evening, a new event will be in the City of Georgetown - Georgetown Pride.  It will NOT be a parade but at the Georgetown Library and Library Parking Lot - at 6:30 (and parking lot at 7:30 - with food trucks and activities)

*****

WRAP-UP

Have a great week, be ready for Halloween, enjoy the beautiful week.

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, OCTOBER 22, 2023