Sunday evening we went to the Christmas Eve party at the home of my sister the ex-mayor's wife. Sis goes to great trouble and expense, making finger foods, desserts, and finding games for entertainment, with trinkety prizes. It's just family. The ex-mayor also helps her a lot, with the cooking and cleaning up.
Anyhoo, I'd been worried all week about how I was going to get into Sis's house. Most people enter through the garage, two steps up into the kitchen. Ex-Mayor even put a pull handle on the side of the door frame, to help me get in. It worked for a couple years, but my knees have been rebelling from my week of four batches of Chex Mix, three Oreo Cakes, and two 18-count cartons of deviled eggs. That's a lot of getting up and down.
The other way in is through the front door. Five steps up onto the porch, and another up into the house. This has been my recent method of ingress. The stumbling block being an ACTUAL stumbling block when stepping down from the driveway onto the sidewalk. There's an actual concrete step, along with a wobbly rock. I have The Pony beside me, to hold onto his shoulder, as there is no handrail.
With my knees so sore and uncooperative, I was afraid to try that stumbling block this year.
"I don't know... maybe I'd be better off to walk down the driveway a bit, and then step into the yard, and walk up to the sidewalk that way."
It was dark when we got there. The Pony took his phone flashlight, and scoped out my proposed path. He gave it the okay. After he and Farmer H carried in the deviled eggs, potato salad, vegetables, and wine that we brought, The Pony came back to be my support animal. LITERAL support!
I made it just fine, except for the tree root that stubbed my toe. I was going slow enough that it couldn't trip me up. The porch steps have a rail. The Pony offered a hand at the top step. And Farmer H was in the house to steady me as I climbed the threshold.
It was a relief to be inside, and to make it to A-Cad unscathed by reversing the process when we left. NOBODY wants to remember The Christmas That Mrs. Hillbilly Mom Was Taken Away In An Ambulance! That is not a tradition that I'm willing to start.
6 comments:
I am so glad they both helped you get into and out of the house. Perhaps next year they might have installed a ramp to make things easier for you. Even a temporary one.
River,
I, too, am grateful for the assistance. I can go through the yard for the one time a year I need to go inside the house. Otherwise, Sis comes out to T-Hoe through the garage, if we need to exchange pleasantries or goods.
My sister-in law is anticipating a knee replacement, as she is finding walking harder and harder. I am not there yet, but some days it screams when I stand wrong. You might have to consider surgery. The Pony will just have to move back home to take care of you!
Kathy,
The thought of having surgery makes me panic! The only part of a hospital I "enjoy" is having meals brought to my bed!
The Pony would do anything for me! EXCEPT move back in here with the slow internet. That's his criteria. Internet speed.
Well, he does have a guest room! It might be a nice vacay, you could spend time poking fun at Hick managing on his own!!
Kathy,
The good thing about The Pony's guest room is that it has its own bathroom. With a corner shower. If I felt woozy and fell over, I'd still be standing! The bad thing about The Pony's guest room is that it has no bed or furniture yet!
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