Getting older is a very comical process. You lose everything - your sight, your teeth, your agility, your balance, your memory and yes, your hearing.
All weekend long we walked everywhere. (Other than our bike ride and Surry adventure) Carol is much like our mom used to be, and sprints out ahead. I could easily keep up with her, but I feel bad leaving Marcia behind, who only "strolls", as she described it. So most of the time we were in line - Carol, then me,then Marcia.
Now we all suffer from hearing loss - just like our mother, and our grandmother, and our aunts on that side. The loss is at varying levels, but let's face it, we don't hear like we used to!!
Carol would make a comment - and I would respond. And no sooner did I finish, but Marcia would make the identical comment as Carol.
Here's a scenario...
A sign on a building in Cape May reads Cape May Roasters (and there's a picture of a coffee cup). Carol walks by and says -" Oh, I wonder if they have peanuts?" Second in line, (me) says -"It's a coffee shop!", as I pass the sign. Marcia approaches the sign and says -"I wonder if they have peanuts?"
And so this is how it went the entire weekend!! I just couldn't stop laughing. The two of them are connected telepathically for sure, because they were too far apart for Marcia to have heard Carol's comments. Just call them Pete and Repeat! And I'm stuck somewhere in the middle!!
Monday, September 11, 2017
Part II - The Surry
Well, two days later we got another great idea!
If we can't ride individual bikes how about a Surry where we all pedal together. Sounds easy, right?
We walked to the bicycle rental shop and said - "We'd like a Surry for 2 hours, please!" The very polite man behind the counter said -"Well, ladies, have you ever driven a Surry before?" Us -"No." Polite man -"Well, my suggestion would be to take it out for only an hour. You will thank me when you get back!" Us-"Okay." (Mumbling under our breath that he must think we are really incapable, weak, old women) "Tom" explained how the Surry worked and said that even though there were two steering wheels, only the one on the left actually steered the Surry, and that the pedals do not "brake" the Surry, but a large silver handle (thingy) by the left steering wheel was the only way to stop the thing!
The sisters quickly took a seat - Marcia in the back (middle) so she didn't have to pedal - and Carol on the right side of the front - leaving yours truly in total command of the Surry.
As we started off "Tom" said - "Hey, the one in the back has to pedal, too!" BUSTED!!! I used the large silver thingy to stop the Surry as Marcia slid over to pitch in her man (woman) power, and off we went one more time!
One thing great about the Surry is there is no balance issues, therefore no wobble , wobble. However, there is still the pedal, pedal, huff, huff to contend with - and now we are pulling lot more weight! So... it's more like PEDAL, PEDAL, HUFF, HUFF, HUFF! I was beginning to see why one hour would be long enough.
We once again enjoyed the sights. The old Victorian homes in Cape May are just gorgeous! I can never get enough of them!
After about 45 minutes, I had to take a potty break. I'm sure it had something to do with all the giggling we did on that thing. We drove to our B and B, took the break then headed back to turn it in. And yes, Mr. Polite Man was there to greet us with - "I told you so!"
I actually think that we may just try the bicycles again next year! Do you think we'll remember how to ride them???
If we can't ride individual bikes how about a Surry where we all pedal together. Sounds easy, right?
We walked to the bicycle rental shop and said - "We'd like a Surry for 2 hours, please!" The very polite man behind the counter said -"Well, ladies, have you ever driven a Surry before?" Us -"No." Polite man -"Well, my suggestion would be to take it out for only an hour. You will thank me when you get back!" Us-"Okay." (Mumbling under our breath that he must think we are really incapable, weak, old women) "Tom" explained how the Surry worked and said that even though there were two steering wheels, only the one on the left actually steered the Surry, and that the pedals do not "brake" the Surry, but a large silver handle (thingy) by the left steering wheel was the only way to stop the thing!
The sisters quickly took a seat - Marcia in the back (middle) so she didn't have to pedal - and Carol on the right side of the front - leaving yours truly in total command of the Surry.
As we started off "Tom" said - "Hey, the one in the back has to pedal, too!" BUSTED!!! I used the large silver thingy to stop the Surry as Marcia slid over to pitch in her man (woman) power, and off we went one more time!
One thing great about the Surry is there is no balance issues, therefore no wobble , wobble. However, there is still the pedal, pedal, huff, huff to contend with - and now we are pulling lot more weight! So... it's more like PEDAL, PEDAL, HUFF, HUFF, HUFF! I was beginning to see why one hour would be long enough.
We once again enjoyed the sights. The old Victorian homes in Cape May are just gorgeous! I can never get enough of them!
After about 45 minutes, I had to take a potty break. I'm sure it had something to do with all the giggling we did on that thing. We drove to our B and B, took the break then headed back to turn it in. And yes, Mr. Polite Man was there to greet us with - "I told you so!"
I actually think that we may just try the bicycles again next year! Do you think we'll remember how to ride them???
Part I - It's Just Like Riding a Bike
You know the saying...the moment you think you have forgotten how to do something some wise person says "you know, it's just like riding a bike!" This is supposed to make you feel more confident because, of course, you will always remember how to ride a bike!
NOT!!!
This past weekend I took our annual trip to Cape May with the sisters. We have stayed at the same Bed and Breakfast for the last three years, and have already booked for next year - we love it so much!
Every year we try something new that we hadn't done there before. We've toured an old estate; took a "haunted house tour" on a trolley; took the ferry to Lewes, DE for the day; and rented a Surry (for a long hour) and bicycles! You know, because you never forget how to ride a bike! May I stop here and say it has been a good 30 years for me, and 15 or so for Carol and Marcia since our cheeks have touched a bicycle seat!
Our B and B provides bikes for the adventurous- so we thought - why not?
Just picking out the right bicycle and mounting it was a real treat! Marcia's handle bars felt "weird" - so we traded bikes. Carol's bike was too tall for her so I traded my bike (aka Marcia's bike with the "weird" handle bars) for hers. After a trial run into the curb she wanted her other bike back. So we finally took off with Carol in the lead, Marcia in the middle, and I took up the rear. After a few false starts along with lots of wobbling due to balance issues, we were on our way! Oh, boy!
Pedal, pedal, huff, huff, wobble, wobble, pedal, pedal, huff, huff, wobble, wobble -and so it went for the next 90 minutes! The sights were beautiful, but the sight of us must have been another story!
Nearing the end we all stopped at a stop sign at a very busy intersection. Carol continued on and Marcia waited for the next break in traffic. As she took off she started to wobble, finally putting her feet down to "walk" across the street. I patiently waited for her to get on her bike and start peddling. She'd go a little bit, wobble, and put her feet down. I think she forgot how to ride her bike!!!
After several attempts she got going and I crossed the street to join her. By this time Carol was several blocks away unaware of Marcia's struggles.
We continued on and as we approached our B and B we noticed a bunch of people gathered at the end of the driveway. Uh-oh!! Carol had crashed her bike pulling into the driveway! Thank goodness she was okay! Just a bruise on her arm and leg - no blood!
Just so you know...those "wise " people are not so wise - you can forget how to ride a bike!!
NOT!!!
This past weekend I took our annual trip to Cape May with the sisters. We have stayed at the same Bed and Breakfast for the last three years, and have already booked for next year - we love it so much!
Every year we try something new that we hadn't done there before. We've toured an old estate; took a "haunted house tour" on a trolley; took the ferry to Lewes, DE for the day; and rented a Surry (for a long hour) and bicycles! You know, because you never forget how to ride a bike! May I stop here and say it has been a good 30 years for me, and 15 or so for Carol and Marcia since our cheeks have touched a bicycle seat!
Our B and B provides bikes for the adventurous- so we thought - why not?
Just picking out the right bicycle and mounting it was a real treat! Marcia's handle bars felt "weird" - so we traded bikes. Carol's bike was too tall for her so I traded my bike (aka Marcia's bike with the "weird" handle bars) for hers. After a trial run into the curb she wanted her other bike back. So we finally took off with Carol in the lead, Marcia in the middle, and I took up the rear. After a few false starts along with lots of wobbling due to balance issues, we were on our way! Oh, boy!
Pedal, pedal, huff, huff, wobble, wobble, pedal, pedal, huff, huff, wobble, wobble -and so it went for the next 90 minutes! The sights were beautiful, but the sight of us must have been another story!
Nearing the end we all stopped at a stop sign at a very busy intersection. Carol continued on and Marcia waited for the next break in traffic. As she took off she started to wobble, finally putting her feet down to "walk" across the street. I patiently waited for her to get on her bike and start peddling. She'd go a little bit, wobble, and put her feet down. I think she forgot how to ride her bike!!!
After several attempts she got going and I crossed the street to join her. By this time Carol was several blocks away unaware of Marcia's struggles.
We continued on and as we approached our B and B we noticed a bunch of people gathered at the end of the driveway. Uh-oh!! Carol had crashed her bike pulling into the driveway! Thank goodness she was okay! Just a bruise on her arm and leg - no blood!
Just so you know...those "wise " people are not so wise - you can forget how to ride a bike!!
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