Elliott's New Tricks

October 8, 2014 – Elliott’s New Tricks

Just because Elliott is 102 years old doesn’t mean that he can’t add some new tricks to his repertoire.  Now that climbing (on chairs, ladders or anything else!) is on the forbidden list, he’s had to cultivate some new interests and activities.  First of all, he’s become an avid consumer of books.  I can’t call him a reader, because, for the past several years, as his eyesight deteriorated, he has done very little reading.  But the discovery of audio-books has given him access to a whole world of literature that he’d been missing.  Each day, he spends a few hours sitting contentedly in the family room, connected to his iPad.  We haven’t even had to purchase any audiobooks since so many are available for free download from the Fairfax County Public Library.  Elliott’s taste runs towards mysteries and legal thrillers, such as those by John Grisham.  However, his favorite recent book is a work of fiction entitled An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris.  The plot centers on a Parisian detective’s investigation into the cover-up surrounding the Dreyfus trial.  It uncovers corruption in the police force, military and up to the highest levels of government.  I read the novel earlier this year and recommended it to Elliott, and I’m delighted that he enjoyed it so much.  I have lots of other book suggestions for him, which I’ll share with everyone in another blog post. 

When a recent trip to the doctor’s office revealed that his weight had dropped below 140 pounds, Elliott decided it was time to get serious about reversing this weight loss trend.  He’s now following his doctor’s advice to improve his eating habits and to get more exercise.  This includes a daily walk in the neighborhood and an occasional session with 5-pound dumbbells to strengthen his upper body.  I’ve been helping him add more calories to his diet.  It was a challenge at first for him to eat more at breakfast, but he’s now packing away a fried egg and a slice of turkey bacon along with his usual banana-laced oatmeal, mini-croissant, and coffee.  Likewise, I’m encouraging him to consume more for lunch.  A slice of bread with peanut butter just isn’t sufficient, although he says it satisfies his hunger.  When I’m home at lunchtime, I fix him a well-balanced meal, including plenty of protein, a fresh vegetable and/or fruit, and a bowl of yogurt.  We’re both hoping he’ll put on a few pounds soon, and start rebuilding some of the muscle he’s lost. 

Earlier this week, I took Elliott and my mother out for lunch at Baja Fresh.  Elliott wasn’t sure he’d like the steak taco, even after I reassured him that it was just steak, tomatoes, lettuce and cheese on a flour tortilla.  Once he overcame his initial resistance, however, he was pleasantly surprised.  I was so glad to see him expanding his culinary horizons that I treated him to a dish of chocolate ice cream at Baskin Robbins afterwards.  

Elliott wasn't sure about trying the steak taco.

But it was pretty good!

Fortunately, Katie likes to eat everything. 

The wound on Elliott’s leg is healing slowly but surely.  Maybe when he’s feeling stronger, we’ll try another road trip.  We won’t have to go far.  The Shenandoah Valley is beautiful at this time of year.  At the moment, we have no travel plans, although part of me would love to hop on a plane and join my friends Joel (aka “The Idiot”) and Liz, who are walking the coastline of Turkey.  You can follow their adventures on Joel’s website, Follow the Idiot.