Saturday Slight

Why does time fly so fast in the spring?  As I think back on this week and the images bounce around in my mind, once again I find it amazing how so much can change so quickly.

A week ago we were helping Willie and Debbie host Miss Idaho on her visit to the area.

Since then, she's gone home, enjoyed some down time and headed off to Sun Valley.

Since then, Debbie has toured London and headed off to France.

Bill has caught a mess of fish on an afternoon excursion to Mirror Lake.  He's worked a few days and has taught his last class of sixth graders at Farmin School.  

Those sixth graders, their teacher and Bill will all be on hand for the Idaho State Forestry Contest next Thursday at the Delay farm in Careywood.

Meanwhile, Annie has reveled in a Sounders victory over the LA Galaxy minus Beckham.  It had been a while since the Sounders had defeated the Galaxy, so it was sweet victory, indeed.

Annie has headed this weekend to Vancouver, B.C., to run a half marathon.

In this past few days, a big slice of my youth has stepped aside to usher in my "Golden Years"  as a "card-carrying codger."

I don't turn 65 until June, but the reminders of this upcoming significant birthday keep arriving in the mail.

First came my first-ever application for renewing my driver's license.  

Fill out this form truthfully, the directions stated, then write a check to your local sheriff's office for $31 and send both at least three weeks before your birthday.   

Upon perusing the form, I noticed my first old-age restriction.  

Licensed drivers UNDER 62 can fork out $50-plus and renew for 8 years instead of 4. If you're older than 62, forget it. 

If the state doesn't feel comfortable licensing pre-70-year-olds for eight years, how soon will it be before the subtle hints start among family members feeling a need to take away Mom's driving privileges?

Ouch! 

I thought all the time that,  in this era,  the 60s were the new 40s.  The driver's license restriction seems pretty prejudicial to me.

Nonetheless, I filled out my form, checked the box that said I wasn't lying, wrote the check and sent it in yesterday's mail.

When I opened the mailbox later to grab yesterday's mail,  reminders of approaching mortality were even more evident. 

Two insurance cards showed up.

During our "approaching mortality" phase of life, we're supposed to get sick and start taking all those pills.

So far, my regimen includes an Advil once or twice a week.  

The closest I've gotten to sick lately came a few days ago when my lower scalp started itching. 

At first, I thought it was cuz of all the sweat that had poured down from my hair to my neck during that two-day summer we had when I worked out in the yard for several hours each day.

After washing my neck area thoroughly and having the itch continue, my newest "disease" ranged from possible lice from the new puppy to mange to scabies to cancer to kidney malfunction to dozens of other possibilities, including OLD, DRY skin.

During all my many Internet diagnoses, I learned that a cold, wet wash cloth would ease the itching.  

I also shampooed with some Selsun Blue, which is supposed to help take care of several head problems.

I figured that if I did, indeed, have lice I could go to Bonners Ferry or Coeur d'Alene, where nobody would know me, and purchase a jar of the RID stuff, which is supposed to kill lice.  

I figured this, even after reading that humans CAN'T get lice from dogs.   Humans have to be getting lice from someone else, like Willie did years ago when he was in grade school. 

Well, I hadn't been inside a grade school lately, but still inside my head the imagination went wild while I tried to remain calm and NOT scratch the outside of my head. 

The itching continued off and on for a few days, regardless of how much I read on the Internet.

Yesterday was hair ZAP day for me, so upon walking into the beauty salon, I immediately asked my hairdresser to check my head and scalp for creepy crawly critters or any signs of strange diseases.  

Turns out two hairdressers fingered through my hair for a couple of minutes, looked over the scalp and found nothing out of the ordinary.

Now, I must add that all through the seven-day itch, I kept considering those fuzzy hairs Sally always clips on my lower scalp as possible culprits.

At the end of the zap session, Sally clipped the hairs, which she said were growing upward while the others were growing downward.  

Within seconds, the itching stopped.  

All that Internet diagnosing fell by the way side as the knowledge that clipping those fuzzy little follicles brought me total relief.

On this Cinco de Mayo, 26 days remain before the two insurance cards for meds and supplemental medical needs take effect.

And, I'm disease and itch free BUT getting older by the day.

So, the time continues to fly, lives continue to change, little dramas keep unfolding as the clock ticks on. 

But I'm gonna forget all that for now, cuz there's a Derby this afternoon----best two minutes in sports, they call it.  Our Idaho horse has 50-1 odds of winning, but there's always hope.

Happy Saturday.