Vince and I have both talked about thinking about things we used to not think about and accepting that some things we did at 40, we can no longer do at 65. I’ve asked him not to get on ladders or do dangerous things when I’m not at home, and even when I am at home, he needs to tell me if he’s doing something dangerous so I can check on him.
The satellite dish was up on the shop roof. It’s pretty high up there. We haven’t had satellite in about 5 years so he was going to take it down. I wasn’t sure why . . it isn’t bothering anything. I went out and the ladder was there and the dish was gone. I had no idea he was on the ladder. I told him . . I wish you’d tell me before you get up on that big ladder!
The next time I went out, the ladder was gone but the radio antenna had been installed so he had been up on the ladder again.
Yesterday I went out and there he was again . . on a shorter ladder but cutting limbs. The limbs were about to touch on the UPS trucks that come back here so we had to get them trimmed.
With his weight loss, he has energy to do the things around here that have been needing to be done but we’re going to have to have a serious discussion about doing things when I don’t know he’s doing something a bit risky.
Yesterday he trimmed trees all the way down the driveway and I’m betting he won’t be climbing ladders today or tomorrow. He’s probably sore or going to be sore. Those ladder climbing muscles haven’t been used in a long time and he was up and down the ladder a whole lot yesterday.
Liz says
Sounds like you guys need to get some walkie talkies. The Cobra brand has a couple small clip-on types. It may help if one of you fall and can still talk. But, it also requires that both of you use them on a consistent basis.
After a few of my mom’s friends fell down and were not found for a bit of time, my mom agreed to a wearable help button which was linked to the monitored security system.
Karen says
It drove me nuts when Bob went to our property by himself with a chainsaw. He doesn’t do it much anymore, thankfully.
PatC says
I’ve had the same conversations with my husband!
Judy Laquidara says
I just don’t have a lot of faith in those predictions. Last summer, in May and June, they were predicting El Nino for the summer and saying how it was going to be a much better summer for farmers and ranchers and it was the worst summer we’ve had here. I hope they’re right but I’m not counting on it.
Linda in NE says
With his weight loss Vince’s balance is probably better and he doesn’t feel like climbing ladders is risky. But yes, I see my husband wobble every so often and yet he gets up onto the very top of the ladder to pick fruit. Maybe that feeling of being invincible and immortal doesn’t leave guys when they get out of their teens.
shirley swift-bruner says
i think it is a guy thing. my hubby is now 80 and still thinks he can climb ladders and run around with a chain saw and numerous other things that could be a safety hazard. i have just given up hope of convincing him to quit doing things. he just doesn’t listen
Rosalie says
Did you seal the cuts on the live oaks?
We have Oak wilt in our area and have to seal- don’t know if it has gotten up to your area.
montanaclarks says
Tell him to get off that ladder trimming tree limbs!!! I can send him some nasty photos of a dear friend who very recently fell doing exactly that!! A limb knocked the ladder over and then the limb hit Barry in the head. Barry had a brain bleed, a HORRIBLE laceration from the bridge of his nose way up into his scalp, chips of bone broken from his spine and earned himself a helicopter ride to the trauma center in Arkansas. And–Barry (he is OK now) is younger than Vince!
Kay L Ford-Sollimo says
I have a friend whose multiple heart attack husband would not give up smoking. She decided to take a “positive” approach and simply said “Is the life insurance up to date?” I’ll need that money when you’re gone.
dezertsuz says
It is hard to come to grips with the fact that there are things that used to be so easy and now we shouldn’t even think about doing them. =P Not for sissies.