Day four. I am still struggling to come up with the positives each day. But, over all, I feel as though I am doing fairly well at this. I realize that it is a slow process. It has been a long time since I have identified positive things in my life on a repeated basis.
My attempt at photos yesterday made me realize once again that I do enjoy photography. I have a point and shoot digital camera, but would love to get an SLR digital. This is something that my husband also has on his wish list, so maybe we will figure out a way to buy one sometime soon. He is a guy who does lots of research, primarily through the “Consumer Reports” ratings before making any large purchase. Once he is satisfied that it is a prudent purchase, we will be able to go ahead to buy it. He has been researching this for quite some time now. I am hoping that he will be ready to buy an appropriate camera in the next few months. It drove him crazy when I just went ahead and bought a little Canon Power Shot at Target without any research or months of agonizing over the decision. We were taking a trip overseas, and I decided I wanted a digital camera, something small for carrying around the tourist areas. Silly me. I have loved it, and have never regretted buying it. But I agree that it would be nice to have a camera with a little more quality at times. So I am deferring to him on that purchase.
When I was with my mom yesterday, I realized how bad her hearing has become. She has the television turned up so loud that it is impossible to have a conversation. She doesn’t realize that. She talks to me as though we are just chatting. She talks at a conversational level, which means that I can’t hear her over the television. Then she gets frustrated that I can’t hear what she has said. I have to talk very loudly to her in even normal conversation, but when trying to talk to her over the loud television, I feel as though I need a megaphone. My throat is actually a little hoarse.
We have an appointment for her hearing check in mid-December. She is very concerned about the cost for hearing aids. I wonder if she will even use hearing aids. She realizes that she doesn’t hear everything, but she has no concept of how much she is missing.
When with my mom, I try to ensure that conversational subjects in any public place are appropriate for the public. Sometimes she makes rude comments about people sitting nearby. Doesn’t matter. She will loudly announce that the guy at the next table has huge ears. Or, retired nurse that she is will comment that the woman going by is so fat that it is not healthy-fat being the appropriate medical term, of course. If I try to remind her that her comments can be heard by others, she doesn’t care. “Oh, piffle!” is a favorite phrase.
Okay, okay, I know-I am starting to sound less than positive here. So, here is the list of the day:
December 4, 2010:
1. I had a good telephone conversation with my daughter, who lives in Oregon.
2. I enjoyed taking the photos of the snow.
3. My mom and I finished about 1/2 of her Christmas cards.
Just My Life 
Good Job Chlostie, keep it going, you are doing great! (High five, Low five, chest bump) I have a Canon EOS Rebel and love it, if it is on the husbands list. No problems and even an idiot like me was able to use it pretty easily. Hope Santa brings you the camera. 🙂 Have a great day!
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on December 5, 2010
at 7:44 pm
I’ll check to see which one is on the list. He is usually a Nikon fan.
By: chlost on December 5, 2010
at 9:25 pm
I read the 20 posts you wrote while I was gone. I am behind on reading but catching up. I only write a post a week, but it is long. It gives me time to read my friends’ posts. I had to laugh at your trip to Target with your mom in the handicapped car – what an adventure. I agree with you, kids should believe in Santa. I was brought up in a secular home but we had Papa Noël come and bring presents. I bought my Nikon D40 as soon as I retired and it takes pretty good pictures without my trying hard. I should read all the instructions but am always traveling, so I keep it on automatic. Rather than buying expensive lenses I have other cameras that are good at other things. I have a small camera which takes good pictures through windows or glass, documents. I have another one which is very good for long range shots and shots in the dark.
Today has been the coldest day for us so far, it went down to 40. I hear that tomorrow evening it will be down to the 20s. By Friday we will be warm again in the 50s – I don’t think I could handle that much snow anymore, but I love to visit it. It is always so special when we get a couple days of snow each year.
By: Vagabonde on December 5, 2010
at 11:37 pm
Wow! I don’t think I could read 20 posts. Thanks for that!
I will check with the Husband on the Nikon D40 as well. I just want us to have something that can take high quality photos, but is easy to use for the kids as well. They move fast-I want to get a shot without having to fiddle around with too much focusing and f stops or whatever you have to do these days for digitals.
Thank you so much for your kind words as to your Papa Noel story. I hope to keep the holidays special for our family.
By: chlost on December 6, 2010
at 5:02 pm