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December 31, 2024
Growing Up In Bandera
By Glenn Clark
The Bandera Prophet
Don't let anyone fool you into believing that these golden years are all that golden. It ain't for sissies. I can't believe I couldn't wait to hang up my tools and go live the life of Riley. To be honest, when retirement finally rolled around I had long since replaced my pipe wrenches with a laptop computer. I credit my granddaughter "one L" Michele and eBay for preparing me for the future in the hi-tech world.
Michele was at the age when girls usually started paying attention to boys as I struggled to find my way into the cyber world. She accused me of interfering in her social life every time I had to call her in from outside to show me how to do something on my computer. She had little interest in those eBay auctions where I was spending part of her inheritance on 100-year-old fishing lures. She thought the new boy in the neighborhood was much more interesting.
Work boots and wearing appropriate clothes were no longer a requirement as I gained the freedom of retirement. I took to wearing shoes I could put on or take off without bending over or bothering with shoe laces. That remains a primary goal when currently shopping for footwear. It seems my feet are a little more demanding and the shoe size I had used for 60-plus years no longer applies. Shoe brand differences now require me to try on anything I intend to buy. That was something I rarely did in earlier years. It's a different world out there now. Buyer beware!
It seems buying jeans has also become a modern day problem. What used to be my inseam is now closer to my waist size and vice versa. Luckily my cowboy hat size hasn't changed, but I have to be careful with anything marked one size fits all. Evidently I am not a member of the group known as “all."
Don't even get me started on buying belts by the size they are marked. I have never been a fan of removing my old belt to try a new one on in the store. Since my waistline has lowered over the years it has created a problem of keeping my pants up when uncinched. Add the thought of concealed carry and the fact that a lot of old men like myself lose their butt in old age and you can see my dilemma.
One thing that I haven't had a problem with is my socks. They seem to last forever. Heck when I'm dressing I won't throw one away unless it has more than one hole in it. It probably has more to do with not wanting to be inconvenienced by having to get up to find another pair than anything else. I know I have some socks and t-shirts that have been around for a least 20 of my Growing Up In Bandera years. Maybe more. Make that most definitely more.
It's a struggle sometimes as I search for happiness in retirement. God, family and friends is generally where I will find it.
#420 2024
Michele was at the age when girls usually started paying attention to boys as I struggled to find my way into the cyber world. She accused me of interfering in her social life every time I had to call her in from outside to show me how to do something on my computer. She had little interest in those eBay auctions where I was spending part of her inheritance on 100-year-old fishing lures. She thought the new boy in the neighborhood was much more interesting.
Work boots and wearing appropriate clothes were no longer a requirement as I gained the freedom of retirement. I took to wearing shoes I could put on or take off without bending over or bothering with shoe laces. That remains a primary goal when currently shopping for footwear. It seems my feet are a little more demanding and the shoe size I had used for 60-plus years no longer applies. Shoe brand differences now require me to try on anything I intend to buy. That was something I rarely did in earlier years. It's a different world out there now. Buyer beware!
It seems buying jeans has also become a modern day problem. What used to be my inseam is now closer to my waist size and vice versa. Luckily my cowboy hat size hasn't changed, but I have to be careful with anything marked one size fits all. Evidently I am not a member of the group known as “all."
Don't even get me started on buying belts by the size they are marked. I have never been a fan of removing my old belt to try a new one on in the store. Since my waistline has lowered over the years it has created a problem of keeping my pants up when uncinched. Add the thought of concealed carry and the fact that a lot of old men like myself lose their butt in old age and you can see my dilemma.
One thing that I haven't had a problem with is my socks. They seem to last forever. Heck when I'm dressing I won't throw one away unless it has more than one hole in it. It probably has more to do with not wanting to be inconvenienced by having to get up to find another pair than anything else. I know I have some socks and t-shirts that have been around for a least 20 of my Growing Up In Bandera years. Maybe more. Make that most definitely more.
It's a struggle sometimes as I search for happiness in retirement. God, family and friends is generally where I will find it.
#420 2024