The Native Iowan

Thinking of old friends, on a wet, chilled Saturday.

Thinking of one old buddy who has been living under doctor’s care for some time. The diagnosis is terminal, yet the prognosis is good. Meds and regular visits to the medicos keep the terminal side of things away. Though the meds are tough, life aint what it was, time is a good thing.

Another dear compadre is starting the “chemo-trail” to well-being. Loss of hair, huge weight loss, pain and discomfort to come.

One of my oldest drinking buddies is coming good after a series of negative diagnosis. Negative but not the end of the world. Life changing, indeed restrictive. Daily meds, monthly Dr visits.

I guess its an age thing.

I visit the Dr every 6 months. Always looking for a “pass” when I go for annual tests. My next visit is in a month’s time.

The biggest thing I experience as I age is that I am a bunch slower than before. Remember when you could burn the candle at both ends… and in the middle? When you’ take your liver and drag it in the dirt? Beat your kidneys with a sledge hammer? Clog your lungs with tar?

When you healed quickly and completely? Er, almost completely. My healing nowadays is slow, very, very slow. Glacial.

Youth… so attractive. So destructive.

And I would not change a single thing. It’s been a great, great parade. I like my oldfart seat on the sidelines these days.

Tho slow, and tiring easily, I’m still pretty tough. I still crank and wank pretty hard. My little farm and my business ventures keep me awake, aware and sleeping sound, I think one of the big things I have managed well is my stress levels, or lack thereof. I simply dont get too involved in too many venues anymore.

Being and old fart is pretty cool.

I was sitting in the Point Cruz Yacht Club 10 or more years ago. After 5pm, the business crowd was ensconced at “Table One”. A dozen or so of the bankers and wankers and business owners and managers.

I sat and listened to my peers, most of whom I had known for years, talk about life. Complain about life. Most were by nature stressed beings. Business and life in general in the islands can indeed be stressful. (Life and business anywhere is suppose to be stressful) That particular eve the discussion was more negative than positive. I nursed my drink and quietly listened as the table talked.

I eventually got a bit cranky… “… for fucksake, guys, you’re all here moaning and groaning…”, I said.

“… there was a time when we’d sit here and talk about boats, cars, women, wine…”, I pounded on the table. “…we’d laugh and argue and get merrily drunk on our ways home from work…”, “… nowadays all you bastards talk about is your next Doctor’s appointment!”.

Half the guys at the table that day are now dead. The other half are undoubtedly under Doctor’s care. My self included.

I guess its an age thing.

Like a dog thats been kicked too many times, the rains make me nervous.

Should I get my standby generators out? Make sure the house is “ready”?

Or should I sit here under my grannyblanket? Listen to the rain, watch the bluez,

Here in The Land of Aus we are in electionmania mode. I find it shameful the BS and prevarication we experience at these times. The promises made, the rhetoric poured about, the BullShit spewed.

The finances squandered.

It’s the same world wide.

No single Nation holds any special claim on political BULLSHIT and Lies.

Had to call the US this morn, sort some bank business out. 930am my time, 430pm AZ time. Got a positive gal at the other side, she was very helpful, sorted my needs out nicely. While talking to her I noted that I had not been in the USA since late in 2018. Going on 4 years. Damn long time.

There are times I get itchy about visiting the USA, again. Of course, top on my list is visiting my Mother. Fronting up with a bunch of flowers. Sitting and letting her talk. Spending a couple days in her shadow. I could easily get sad thinking about how long its been. Too long. June 2018 was my last trip to Iowa.

But I shant be jumping on a jet any time soon. I have too much going on here. The best I could possibly manage would be a short trip. An over n back trip. Where I really want to have a month or so. I enjoy driving across the US. Visiting old friends. Checking the pulse of the USA as I travel cross country, stay in different towns, eat in different restaurants. It’s been way too long.

I know, I’m being selfish.

Ill end with a picture from my suburban backyard…

And the beat goez on…

More later