LIGHT BULBS DON'T BOUNCE

Our trip south has thus far been interesting, if not filled with excitement.

Leaving for the winter to travel to Florida involves packing for both cool and possibly cold weather while also considering what we will need for the warmer Florida weather. Since we were already experiencing cold weather in New York, we had to have at least clothes that were appropriate departure day. We were traveling to our daughter’s home in Maryland and hoped it would be warmer there, which it was. Nevertheless, a storm was moving in across the Midwest, so who knew what type of clothing we would need in the next day or so. It’s always an adventure trying to second-guess Mother Nature, and we often end up with too many of one type of clothes and too few of the other.

Traveling in a car as we do these days is far less adventure filled than when we made similar trips in the Chuckwagon, as we called our now sold motor home. Although we can, and do, share the driving, I drove the entire trip this time. We made the 375-mile trip in just about eight hours. The road conditions were good and traffic was light … until.

We were traveling along happy has piglets snuggled against their mother’s warm belly while sucking on their favorite teat when we met with the first adventure of the trip. We were on a curve leaving Route I-83 to get around Harrisburg, PA when traffic came to stop. A complete stop! Ahead we saw nothing but cars, trucks and other vehicles nestled bumper to bumper like dogs greeting each other by sniffing butts. I happened to glance at the GPS on the dash and noticed that it was almost 8 miles to the next turn-off. That is how I knew later that it took us one hour and 18 minutes to travel those 8 miles. The backup, we learned, was caused by compressing three lanes of traffic into one lane, while side traffic entered the mix at several points, and all this for a work area of less than 200 yards long. Once past that roadwork bottleneck, we resumed normal speed and traveled to our Thanksgiving destination without further incident.

I have often wondered why after a long trip such as this that the first thing I want to do to sit down somewhere. Isn’t that strange. Anyway, our daughter was not yet home from her job, but we knew the Open Sesame that would raise the garage door, and we got in all right. Only one dog greeted us, which was a puzzle. We found the second one, Butch, mysteriously behind a closed door in our granddaughter’s room. Mysteriously, because both dogs are always free to roam the house during the day. I guess the adage “Snooze and you lose” applies in this case. Butch must have been snoozing in the bedroom when our granddaughter left for the day and became a captive of his laziness.

Our daughter returned home after work and that is when we learned our rest break was over. She had a list of “things” for us to do in preparation for the crowd that was due for Thanksgiving. Mom was to clean and vacuum and I had the responsibility of installing a new set of lights in the upstairs bathroom. Piece of cake, I figured.

Murphy’s Law says something to the effect that if anything can go wrong, it will. That bit of wisdom certainly applies with respect to home repairs. Each of the two light fixtures had three large, clear light bulbs in them. These had to come out so I could get to the escutcheons that held the light bar cover to the mounting plate. You know how light bulbs come out. You turn one a little and its feels really loose, but not loose enough to be removed. So you turn it some more and try again. I did this several times until I was sure it was loose enough to come out. But no. So I let go of the bulb to reposition my hand for another turn and, you got it, it WAS loose enough to come out. And it did.

Well, I’m leaning over the sink to get to the light bar that is mounted above the mirror and I am not in a good position to act quickly, so I thought I could – now get ready for this – catch it on the first bounce. Ha! In the same nano-second that I realized that light bulbs do not bounce, it did not bounce. It hit the sink below my arms shattered into 11 million tiny pieces. This is not a good thing to have happen where people frequently walk around bare footed.

OK, so Joyce had one more room to vacuum.

I was more cautious with the remaining bulbs and after replacing that first light fixture prepared to tackle the second one.

The cover plate on the second light fixture, I found, much to my consternation, covered not only the mounting plate but also two holes in the wall from an earlier fixture replacement. This was not part of the plan. While I carry numerous tools in my toolbox, spackling compound is not one of those tools. Nor do I carry a variety of paints with which to touch up holes once patched. Fortunately, my daughter had both spackling and touch-up paint and with great relief I announced shortly thereafter that the bathroom was finished.

Working on overhead projects that require me to look up for any length of time triggers my vertigo. This job was one of those projects and I found that I was dizzy and lightheaded the rest of the day. Not the way I wanted to start the Thanksgiving holiday season, but I survived and was ready for the big turkey massacre the next day.

I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving with friends and/or family. We did. We had 14 people that included two of my daughters and their families, sans one grandson, and my cousin and his wife. It’s good to have family around.

EXERCISE and the PRIVILEGE OF GROWING OLDER

I just finished my morning exercises and this seemed a good time to write about those exercises. The significance of finishing my exercises this morning is that this was the third time the week. I normally exercise for an hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. This was, however, the first time in a long while that I have been able to complete three mornings of exercise in one week. I was so tired after the first day or two that I would have to skip the remaining exercise day in any given week.

I knew I had to keep trying; I had to keep working to build up my endurance or I would otherwise gradually get to the point where I could not even do one morning exercise regimen. That was not an option for me.

I was a skinny, 90-pound weakling growing up as a child. I did not start exercising regularly until the early 1960s when President Kennedy promoted regular exercise through creation of the President’s Council on Fitness. I’ve been exercising more or less regularly ever since.

I led an exercise group several years ago at a campground where Joyce and I were spending the winter. The exercise program I developed was intended for seniors (most winter snowbirds are over 55) and was designed with the goal of maintaining flexibility and strength. Arthritis, bone loss, football or other sports injuries all combine to diminish our ability to do some things. The choice is simple: join the rocking chair group, gain weight, and die earlier than need be because we allow our muscles and joints to deteriorate.

As I said, I was not willing to go down that road. Hence, I stayed with my exercises and today I finished my third day without feeling as if I would die. I don’t believe in pushing myself to the point that I am exhausted – although my wife reminds me that I tend to overdue – but I do believe in the theory that if I can take three steps today, I should strive to take four steps tomorrow.

My strength and resolve to exercise weakened over the years. I had made several trips to the hospital for coronary stents (13 in all) and had a serious lung infection this past summer. I was out of shape and gradually had to rebuild my willingness and ability to complete my exercise program.

And I did it! Of course, I’ll probably need a nap this afternoon.

Exercise is one of the more or less free things we can do to prolong life and enjoy a better quality of life. I subscribe to the statement made by movie actress Laura Linney: “We should embrace the privilege of growing older.” Having lost five cohorts this past year, I appreciate that growing older is a privilege. Just growing older is not such a big deal if you cannot enjoy that life. That’s where the exercises come in. Strength and range-of-motion exercises enable me to continue doing what I like to do.

I prefer to exercise at home. First, I can design my own program, one that does not involve expensive equipment. Second, I do not need to allow travel time to and from a gym, especially in inclement weather. Third, I do not have to pay a gym membership fee. Fourth, I can watch television or listen to music of my choosing. Fifth, if want to or need to cut my program short some morning, I can do so without feeling guilty.

My approach does require a measure of self-discipline. When you pay for a gym membership and/or have scheduled time to be there, you are more likely to go. I have to be my own coach (Stop and get your breath), my own drill sergeant (Give me three more, maggot), my own cheerleader and my own evaluator of results.

I use a variety of exercises I have put together to deal with my unique circumstances. When you go to a gym, someone there will help develop a program suitable for you. I avoided arthroscopic knee surgery a few years ago after the surgeon suggested I first work to build up the muscles that control the knee joint and hold things in place. Without these exercises the surgery, he said, would be of little value because the problem would return. Those exercises led to stronger quadriceps, among other things, and eliminated the need for surgery. Those exercises are part of my thrice-weekly program.

I had a similar experience with my left shoulder. I could raise my left arm over my head only with help. I again faced arthroscopic surgery, at best, and, depending on what the surgeon found when he got in there, possibly more extensive reconstructive surgery. A year’s recovery time was the prediction. My cardiologist would not sign off on the surgery, as it would require taking me off one of my coronary medications. The orthopedic surgeon once again prescribed physical therapy. It worked and I now have complete range of motion in my shoulder. Those physical therapy exercises are also part of my weekly program.

I had some favorite exercises from the program I did years ago, but as my wife regularly reminds me, that was before the coronary stents plus, I was younger. Therefore, I stated looking around for some low-impact exercises that were appropriate for seniors.

I found what I was looking for at the "Real Age: Live Life to the Youngest" web page created by Drs. Oz and Roizen. The program I found that fit my needs best was the YOU2 Workout at the following website: http://www.realage.com/the-you-docs/you-staying-young/working-out-at-home-without-equipment. Highlight this and paste it into your web browser to see the complete 18-move program.

Here is what they say in the first paragraph:

“The best gym in the world? You're living in it. By using your own body weight to complete a strength-and-stretch workout, you'll have the ability to transform your body -- no excuses. This 18-move workout from the YOU Docs and celebrity trainer Joel Harper is one that you can do in fewer than 20 minutes -- and there's no need for equipment. It will strengthen your muscles (to make you stronger, leaner, and more equipped to handle the rigors of aging) and stretch them (to make you more flexible and dynamic, for the same reason).”

I do not do all 18 moves because I have substituted some of my own that deal with specific areas (e.g., shoulders and knees) that I want to work on. Use your head. If something hurts, stop. If you cannot at first do all the reps recommended, do what you can and try for one more the next time. Check with your doctor if you are in doubt about any of these exercises. Finally, combine these exercises with a sensible walking program and you may be surprised how you feel in a month or two.

Three days a week. That’s all it takes. Get up, get going and join me.

THE MAGIC OF MULCH

I have been scolded by my loyal readers (both of them) for not posting to my blog more often. What can I say? I plead guilty. My only defense is that I’ve been busy with other things.

I will try to do better. However, I try not to bore you with inane comments that insult your intelligence. I may bruise your brain once in awhile, but I try to write only when I have something to say.

So what is this “Magic of Mulch” crap? Just this. We suburbanites are wasting too much money – not to mention valuable nutrients – on bagging our lawn clippings.

I purchased a new lawn mower last spring and more by accident than design the lawn mower I got was a mulching mower. That means it has a heavy-duty engine (7.5 hp) and a more bell shaped blade housing. This design forces the clipped grass blades back downs through the rotating blade to be cut again before falling to the ground. The more powerful engine guarantees that the cutting blade rotates fast enough to whack those clippings one more time before they fall into the grass below.

This mower has a grass catcher attachment that one can use when cutting taller grass that needs to be bagged or discarded on your compost pile. I have not yet had to use it.

How can that be? Well, as I said, I got this new mower last spring when on the first day of mowing the power mower I had started making strange noises. Since it was 20+ years old and had been repaired once before, I turned it off and headed for the mall to find another. I found the mower I wanted and purchased it that day. Hence, I was on top of the spring-summer mowing season from day one with my new mulching mower.

I didn’t know much about mulching mowers and, like many of you, had used a grass catcher in the past to collect grass clippings that I put on my compost pile. This compost pile has for 45 years added much needed moister-holding content to my otherwise very sandy garden soil. I never bagged my grass clippings to be carted off to the town compost pile.

As I read about mulching, however, I learned that mulching your grass clippings is actually preferable to bagging. Those grass clippings contain valuable nutrients that our lawns need. In fact, many of us buy expensive fertilizer to put on our lawn in the spring (and fall) to improve the root system and help thicken the mat of “good” grass that will then prevent weed grasses from getting started. Those nutrients find their way into the blades of grass that we cut off – and then throw away.

Mulching puts those nutrients right back into the soil. The nutrients are recycled, if you will, and many of us are ardent recyclers. Recycling helps the environment, improves the looks of our lawn, and saves money.

But, you might complain, aren’t those brown clumps of dry grass ugly, not to mention bad for the lawn as they breed mold and create thatch that must later be removed with a thatching tool? That can happen if you wait too long between mowing, as is common among those who bag their grass clippings. Mulching requires that you cut only the top one-third of the grass blade AND that one-third should be no more than one inch long.

Consider these points from the Cornell University Cooperative Extension office:



Just Mow It: A Guide to Grass Recycling

Consider The Benefits Of Leaving Clippings On The Lawn When Mowing:

• You can save one-third of your annual lawn care time by mowing frequently and not collecting clippings.

• Clippings left on the lawn recycle nutrients, saving about 25% of your annual fertilizer costs. According to Dr. Norman Hummel, Jr., Turfgrass Specialist at Cornell University, "one ton of fresh clippings contain approximately 15 pounds of nitrogen, 2 pounds of phosphorous and 10 pounds of potassium -- the three major nutrients -- and smaller quantities of the other elements essential for plant life." We must stop thinking of grass clippings as "garbage."

• According to a University of Connecticut research scientist, clippings left on the lawn can increase the organic content of the soil and lead to increased earthworm activity. Earthworms improve soil aeration and water movement through the soil, providing a better environment for plant growth.

• A ton of grass clippings contains more than 1,700 pounds of water. Leaving clippings on the lawn saves tax dollars spent for labor, fuel costs and dumping fees that are incurred to dispose of this moisture-laden material.



How to Recycle Grass: Successful recycling of grass clippings to your lawn requires nothing more than basic lawn care on a regular basis.

• Mow when your grass is dry and 3 to 3-1/2 inches tall. Never cut it shorter than 2 to 2-1/2 inches or remove more than one third of the leaf surface at any one mowing. This will allow your lawn to have a larger and deeper root system -- a stronger defense against weeds, diseases and drought.

• Use a sharp mower blade or a mulching mower if you have one. A sharp blade and frequent mowing will mean finer clippings that will decompose quickly. If you have trouble using your mower without the bagger, call your dealer for assistance. Mulching kits are available to retrofit some mowers.



So why am I talking about mulching this time of year? With a light dusting of snow already on the ground in this part of New York, most of us are thinking about putting our lawnmowers away and making sure the snow blower works. Yes, but for one nasty little thing: all those leaves that are on the ground or still on the trees. They are out there (under the snow, perhaps) and still need to be removed unless we want some ugly brown spots on our lawn next spring.

Now is the time to think about mulching those leaves rather than raking them. Mulching leaves makes as much sense as mulching lawn clippings. Here’s why, as explained by the folks at Superlandscaping: http://www.superlandscaping.com/learn/leaf-mulching.

Benefits of Leaf Mulching

Following are some of the main benefits mulching can offer your lawn:

• Soil enrichment: leaf mulch is excellent for returning nutrients back to the soil and causes your lawn to require less fertilizer and other additives as a result.

• Water conservation: mulching can help to retain moisture in the soil in your lawn. When you cover soil with leaf mulch, the mulch reduces the soil’s exposure to sunlight and wind, which reduces water evaporation.

• Insulation: mulch insulates your plants’ roots from the heat in the summer, the cold during winter, and wind all year long. It also prevents soil compaction and erosion from wind and rain.

• Weed control: leaf mulching can help prevent weeds from growing in your lawn by covering the surface of your lawn. You should add a thick layer of mulch (two to three inches) in gardens to reduce the need for herbicides.

• Saves money: by using natural fertilization methods instead of synthetic ones, you can save money on caring for your lawn.

I have already mulched my first batch of leaves under the crab apple tree and the weeping cherry, but I will be out there again later in the week when this snow dusting evaporates (or melts) and the leaves are dry. It’s quick, easy on my back and good for my lawn.

You might want to give it a try.