November 1 2023

 I have long been concerned about Deanie's hearing. Quite often in the morning it sounds like one of the planes leaving the Regina airport is buzzing the tree tops in the back yard but it is only Deanie drying her hair. For years she has been doing her hair with her favorite hair dryer, it has two rolls of electrical tape wrapped around the cord to keep it safe enough to use. It might have been designed by one of Boeing's jet propulsion engineers. You get the idea, it's not as big as a jet engine but it sounds like one.

So I talked to a hearing specialist and she told me how to test Deanie's hearing without her knowing, I didn't want to upset her, people don't like to be told they have bad hearing. The test was simple. I stood at the front door while Deanie was at the stove making lunch, this would favor her left side. I know my voice is sometimes hard to hear so I spoke in a clear voice at a normal volume, "Hey Deanie, when will lunch be ready?" Hmmm. No reaction. I would cross to the other side of the kitchen, favoring her right ear. Same volume, "Deanie, when will lunch be ready?" A slight movement of her head, did she hear? No answer. Moving to the counter across from the stove, spoken at the same volume, after all I'm quite a bit closer. "Hey Deanie, when will lunch be ready?'' My heart sank, no reply. I stepped in right behind her, how was I going to tell her she was losing her hearing, or maybe she already suspected. I spoke clearly but a little softer this time. "Hey honey, when will lunch be ready?" She spun around. Boy if looks could kill. "Don't honey me, I told you three times already, it will be ready when it's ready!" I better check this lunch for poison.

Loved