This and that and a neighborhood death

Someone I grew up with in my childhood neighborhood, who I went to grade school through high school passed away last week. No cause of death was mentioned. She was in my graduating class. She was also 60 years old, as I am. I wasn’t friends with her, but I had tried to be friends with her in grade school. I wasn’t Facebook friends with her, but a lot of my Facebook friends were Facebook friends with her. I know I’d seen at least one mention of her and a photo several years ago. Facebook is strange, the way you can get a glimpse of a Facebook friend of a friend.

She is the third member of my graduating class, and second from my neighborhood, that passed away in the last year. Someone set up a Facebook group for our high school for remembering those who’ve passed away. Someone actually reported my death 2 years ago. It was creepy. The person, who didn’t even know me, mistakenly reported my death, rather than my childhood bff who passed away in the ‘90’s. My bff’s sister set her straight and called for the admins of the group to get verification before approving any death notice. 

I guess when you get to be a certain age you hear about more deaths from people you knew from your childhood neighborhood or schools. The last year and a half, with the pandemic, there have been so many deaths. Celebrities, musicians, broadcasters, weathermen, a lot of people in the public eye. So many people. I remember as a child hearing my parents remark when hearing of a death on the news, “but they were so young”. I find myself saying that more and more. It’s as though we don’t realize…I guess…our own mortality.

In my health news, I have been strictly vegetarian since August 13, 2021, except for 2 instances of having baked fish or sushi. I’m allowing myself fish, preferably salmon, occasionally because of the Omega-3’s. I find I’m not missing beef, chicken, pork, or turkey. I’ve been eating plant based fake meats. For dinner tonight I had a Beyond Burger prepared at home (just as good as TGIF’s, but without the ambiance). For Labor Day I will be trying their fake  Italian Sausage. I really haven’t been disappointed by any of the plant based fake meats that I’ve tried. I have also been preparing, or having my wife or daughter prepare vegetarian Mexican food and Indian food. I’m hoping to try cauliflower steak tomorrow. Hoping the weather cooperates so my wife can fire up the grill. Thanksgiving will be interesting. Where in the world can you buy a tofurkey?

Eating vegetarian and analyzing nutrition labels is not a problem. I’m taking the time to really read those nutrition labels because I’m terrified of the consequences if I don’t reduce sodium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. I have a friend in the same boat as me, but he’s more than 10 years older. We met for breakfast with our wives on Friday and we’re comparing each other’s approach to the same health issue. He’s already seen a nutritionist, I just got my referral approved on Friday. I don’t think he’s going vegetarian, but everyone’s approach to this is different. I know eating vegetarian will have more health benefits than the ones I’m concentrating on.

On the apartment front, I am working with my daughter on apartment upkeep, cleaning, meal prep, etc. Yesterday she went to use her brand new vacuum which suddenly had a loud whistling noise. I called the manufacturer who directed me to partially disassemble it and look for clogs. My daughter is vacuuming laminate flooring and 2 new area rugs. All she’s vacuuming up is dust bunnies. Needless to say I found nothing. I was directed to return it to where we purchased it. So we did. Then I spent 2 hours researching other vacuums in the store and ended up getting one. We haven’t tried it yet. Today was supervising yard work and having dinner at our house for a change.

After the vacuum debacle, I set about to inflate the Coleman air mattress my son will use on sleepovers. I seemed to get it almost inflated, but not quite completely. Turns out there were 4 small holes. I’ve never patched an inflatable before, so I’m not quite sure what product to use. This is a project for another day.

Lola’s Diner © 2008-2021