BellaOnline Forums Family Senior Living Barefoot Banshee

Old folks should not run around barefoot - it is dangerous! Let me tell you my little story when I was pretending to be a Banshee.

During the night a wind storm hit us hard and the power went out early this morning. I usually get up early, before the sun, fix my coffee and sit out on the patio to watch the sun rise.

Well - since the power was out, I could not fix my coffee because I was not prepared with my candles and little "camp stove set up" that I make up with a large pot to put the candle in, a cookie rack to sit over the pot, and a smaller pot of water on the rack. It takes longer, but eventually the water does get hot enough to make a cup of instant coffee.

So - since I could not have my coffee I decided to go out and enjoy the last efforts of the storm without my usual cup of java. I love storms with a passion! Feeling all giddy and girlish, I grabbed my can of cashews and some juice, wrapped up in a blanket and sat on the patio munching cashews. I was still barefoot, like the child I used to be when sneaking around in the early morning looking for treats in the pantry before my folks got up.

The wind was howling like a Banshee and I was all excited! - cuddling up in my blankey and enjoying the sound of the wind, shivering with a little fear that a real Banshee might be out there, while munching on cashews instead of a good breakfast. Kind of like doing something you are not suposed to do - you know?

Then, taking a cue from my very imaginative childhood, I started imagining I was the Banshee and the howling wind was my voice and my blankey was my cape....so fun to imagine! Takes your mind off more serious matters. I floated around in my mind for several minutes.

Anyway - when I got up to come back inside, my heel stepped on a cashew that had escaped my little hand - it hurt! I quickly pulled my foot up, lost my balance, smacked my knee into the patio wall and immediately knew I had aggravated my knee cap. Since I have osteo-arthritis in both knees, any little mishap like this will start a round of pain and swelling that needs a lot of attention. This incident quickly brought me out of my giddy reverie and slapped me back to reality in a very rude manner!

Therefore - I spent the rest of the morning in bed with my hot/cold packs, aspirin, liniment for my knee, a book (which I could not read by the dim light from my window since the power was still out), and chagrin stemming from the knowledge that I was not a little child who could run around barefoot eating cashews while pretending to be a Banshee. I eventually fell asleep and dreamed about Banshees pelting my knee with cashews.

Later - after managing to limp to the kitchen and fix some lunch since the power was back on, I sat at the table and had a wholesome lunch of split-pea soup (which I had made the night before when I was being a sensible woman) with toast and typing out this little warning to other old folks.

Moral of story: Old folks should not go barefoot. Or at least not drop any cashews when playing pretend.