Hanging up the Skates

I guess it had to happen sometime. Still, as far as I'm concerned, it's a sad day. My mum has hung up her ice skates for good.

After skating for many, many years shefell last season and broke her wrist. She was in a cast for around a month and a half. And after she got it off it took quite awhile before the swelling went down and flexibility returned. Not wanting to take any more chances she decided that was it.

She's still active. Both my parents go swimming three or four times a week. And they go for walks around the neighbourhood too. But it's too bad there's one less activity in her life that she used to enjoy doing.

Musings of Life

I attended my friend Jan's father's funeral on Saturday. He passed away at age 88 after living the past few years at a seniors' residence in Scarborough. His children and grandchildren would often visit him there keeping him company.

At the funeral Jan's sister Helen spoke about her dad. What she said reminded me a bit about my own father. She said he was someone who loved his family, though he never really opened up much emotionally-speaking. They knew he cared about them through his actions rather than what he said. She mentioned they didn't know much about his past because he rarely spoke of it.

This was something I realized about my own parents too - That I didn't know much about their past. So, one day, I decided to borrow a friend's video camera and interview them.

Now, I'm not sure how good a job I did. My mom was better. She had a greater recollection of her life when she was young and growing up in China. My father didn't go into a lot of detail. Maybe because his memory is getting spotty. Not only about things from the past, but from recent events. As well, I think he was more of a loner. So there may not have been as many tales to regale. That's something that continues to this day. If it weren't for my mom, he wouldn't get out so much.

Though sometimes they quibble when she gets naggy, he depends on her for a lot of things. She gets him out of the house to meet with their seniors' group on a weekly basis. And they go swimming three or four times a week which is great for their overall health.

He brings something to the relationship too. Though she's the cook in the family, he does the dishes. As well, he still mows the lawn, even into his early 80s. And since she's given up driving, he's the Uber driver too. He takes her shopping and to do their weekly activities.

It seems like they're fairly content with where they are in life. He likes to chill out reading his Chinese newspapers and watching any Chinese programs he can get on local cable. She likes to tend her garden and hang out with the grandkids whenever she gets the chance.

So far, so good. Hopefully my sister and I won't have to look into long term care anytime soon. A number of their peers have moved into seniors' facilities because of mobility problems or other issues. The residences are quite nice, but they're smaller and you can't putter around outside in the garden like in a house.

Mom and Dad's 50th

I took my mom and dad out to dinner for their 50th wedding anniversary last Tuesday. My sister had bought some gift cards from The Keg. She and her kids couldn't go because they were in France visiting our aunt and uncle on vacation.

We went to the location on Leslie, just south of the 401. It's the one closest to where my parents live. We went there once before for a birthday celebration in the fall.

This location always seems to be packed. It doesn't help that their parking lot seems to be small. Upon arrival I dropped them off at the door and drove a minute or two away to a small lot for other businesses that were closed for the day.

Dinner was good. The food there is always tasty. My mom had the same thing as last time, the Black Cod. I had the Filet Mignon, medium-rare. That's what my nephew, Avery, had before. My dad had the Prime Rib (what I had last time). Of course we all shared. It's what we Asians do.

At the end the waitress brought us a piece of ice cream cake on the house. As a gift for their anniversary. That was nice.

Little Accident

Mom and Dad.

It finally happened. After many, many years of uneventful activities (which included weekly outings to the local arena in winter), my mother actually sustained an injury serious enough to require being put in a cast. Last Saturday she fell while skating and broke her wrist.

I got the call the next morning when I was getting ready to meet up with my friends for lunch. My mother phoned to tell me the news. After she fell she had called my sister to ask her to take her to the hospital. She would be required to wear a cast for six weeks.

Thank goodness the pain was limited to the evening of the accident. The awkwardness of wearing the cast is the worst thing so far. It seriously limits her ability to pick up and hold things. I'm sure that's for the best. It'll give her wrist a better chance of healing properly.

She's already had the cast changed once. The new one is a little less cumbersome, so that's good. Here's hoping for a full and complete recovery.