Christmas, 2016
New Address! 5131 South Ridge Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45224
As usual, I seem to be running late. But the thought is there even tho I am so slow to get things going.
A year ago this month I was deep into the chaos of downsizing and moving: choosing what to
pitch, getting boxes packed to donate, to send to family in Florida, deciding what to sell at auction, or to take to my new 900 sq. ft. patio home here at Twin Towers Retirement Community –(TT). It was a formidible task for someone with significant limitations in lifting and walking. I will ever be so grateful for all the people who pitched in to make it possible, especially my dear friend Annette Roth.
I had lived at Coral Park for 50 years. What started as a normal 6 room colonial house grew over
the years like topsy to 4 usable stories. A pulldown stair opened to what became a full, finished room in the attic with roof gable storage space (1975); the basement garage became my fully finished exercise
& rec room with a ‘scene shop’ workroom built out from it (1987). And then in 2001, I added 750 sq. ft.
out the back to give me my downstairs bath, closet space, sunroom and huge open office/computer room
with a bed so I could live on a one floor condo when necessary. I truly loved that house, but at 85, it just
became too much to manage, and I needed to be in a safe, care taking environment. where I could still
live independently with Coco and Willa. They had to go with me!
In June 2015, I started seriously looking for a retirement community I could enjoy and afford. Twin Towers fit the bill, and it helped that I already had at least 10 friends already living here. Ginny
(& Art) Weil shared an apartment (1963-4) and worked with me in theater; Nancy Neal and I worked together in Drama Workshop (1970’s) and Phi Beta; Gwen Peerless (1990’s) took my Univ Cin. Learning in Retirement class for 6 years; Jim & Carol Bussey went to Russia (1991) in John Leman’s International
Choir Tour with me (and he was in east side Cin. community theater)—just to name a few. I have made
many new friends. I have dinner every nite with Jim Fethe & Clyde Bowden. Clyde and I are the same
age and we were a Freshman & Sophmore at Marshall College at the same time (1948-50)—but never met then. I have also run into other ‘small world’ coincidences here this year.
I am now happily ensconced here in my new patio home, tho I still have a bunch of boxes in the
garage still to be unpacked. It is nice to know you are ‘normal’ and not alone. Others here also have
unpacked boxes, aches and pains, etc. etc. and that is a comfort. It has been hard getting used to having
dinner early (starting 4:30) but the food is good. I usually drive up to the ‘big house’ where the main
dining room is located, tho there is a bus which will take you up and back from your patio home. I plan
to use that these cold winter months.
TT offers wonderful entertainment programs for their residents, especially at Christmas. Best of
all, they have a program with Univ Cin. College Conservatory of Music (CCM) offering free patio home
rent to graduate students in return for them giving recital programs at least once a month. We have an
opera singer, pianist, saxaphonist, & harpist in residence here now offering fantastic professional music.
One lady here said “OH! You still ‘go out’?!” when I mentioned going to the Cin. Symphony. Ha. Thanks
to Annette I still go to all the CSO concerts. She drives me to the door, and then parks. And I still drive to
daytime shows at Playhouse in the Park (10) and Drama Workshop (6). When I have to give up the car
and driving, those will have to stop. Even now, my night driving is severely curtailed for safety. I have also stopped going to Opera, May Festival & various other performances. Glaucoma has claimed most
of my left eye vision. I am on “Rolly” (my rollator) 90% of the time now, cane 8%, and just about
2% ‘free walking’ for safety, but Rolly lets me ‘stride walk’ almost normally, which is a wonderful
feeling. Annette takes me to the grocery and I ride the “toodle cart” (as I call it) there. But here at TT
in the halls—Look Out! We’ve got some real “old lady hot rodders” on their electric carts.
I have so enjoyed receiving cards and especially notes and letters from friends near and far. For those in
my age group there is a definite common Theme!! “I am so much slower (in movement & thought); I have trouble walking; trouble with my back (sciatica or whatever).” And so it is with me, as we are all afflicted with and struggle with the vagaries of old age. I am no longer the quick, efficient, organized
multitasker I used to be. But I don’t need to be anymore in this gentle, understanding and caring
community that is becoming my ‘family’. I manage my maladies & medication, & cherish and love the
companionship of my bulldogs Coco & Willa. Coco is 12 ½ — really old for bulldogs. So we are all old
ladies together.
I do hope your Christmas was merry and joyful, and that the new year will hold good things for
you going forward.