Steve Russo <
sru...@nycap.rr.com> wrote:
> January 29 – February 3, 2012
> Participants
> • Steve –Your humble narrator.
> • Barb – My bride of 39 years.
>
> Beach Club Villas– Studio
>
> Preamble (or Pre-Ramble might be more accurate)
>
> Has it really been a whole year?
>
> First, an admission… I typically introduce myself in these reports as a
> strapping, virile, handsome epitome of masculinity. Sadly, I’ve come to
> the realization that the years are becoming less and less kind. While I
> used to claim I was aging like fine wine, I fear the reality is I’m aging
> more like milk. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m falling apart, but there are
> aches where there never were and I sometimes let out an “Okey-doke” when
> rising from a chair.
>
Okey doke? Mine is more of a "ughhh". And if it's getting up off the
floor or out from under a car I'm working on, it's usually more of a
Tourette's outburst.
> What’s prompted this deterioration? Old age in general or, as Indiana
> Jones once said, “It’s not the years… it’s the mileage.” To top things
> off, last summer brought a torn meniscus, torn quadriceps tendon, torn
> patellar tendon and a small fracture in the patella in my right knee –
> previously known as my “good knee”. It’s a long, boring story but I’ve
> managed to ward off surgery thus far. I’m a little concerned with how the
> knee will hold up considering the amount of walking at Walt Disney World.
> There are good days and bad but I’ve yet to determine what causes one or
> the other. I’ve walked the golf course a few times after the diagnosis
> and continue to take 3-4 mile walks from home (on the good days and when
> the weather permits) so we’ll see.
>
My new things the leg elbow...it's been whining at me since December. They
cant seem to find e cause, so I'm going to try physical era this week,
which means it hurts seriously because I really don't believe I. Physical
therapy unless it's post-surgery rehab.
> This past year has also been big for major milestones: we survived an
> earthquake, a hurricane and two weddings. Our son, Stephen, tied the knot
> last July at a big wedding. Daughter, Stephanie, married just a couple of
> months ago in November at an even bigger celebration. Oh… and did I
> mention I’m retired? After a few false starts and two concessions to
> “stay on a little longer”, I managed to (finally) retire completely just
> prior to Christmas 2011.
>
Congrats on the retirement! Now you'll have more time fro RADP!
We went to the beach the day after we buried one of our cats. That was
hard in and of itself, but even worse because we left the other one at home
alone. It all worked out and helped us get on with life, but there were
sill moments that week where we thought we should go home. And we probably
would have had we not been there with Katie and her friend from Atlanta.
>
> You’re probably wondering, and justifiably so, how I can financially
> justify a Disney trip so soon after two weddings and a retirement? First,
> we have our Annual Passes. Second, as DVC members, there’s no real
> out-of-pocket cost for the room. Lastly, I signed us up for a Southwest
> VISA card and, for an annual fee of $39, received two free roundtrip
> tickets. My only costs will be food, beverages (uh, oh)
Rethinking that retirement, huh?
--
- Rodney