I'll be 41 in March which means, unfortunately, I have old eyeballs.
My eyes are one feature of mine I'm fairly proud of. They're green, like my dad's, and prettily-shaped, like my mom's. I get complimented on them frequently. I'm not bragging (well, OK, maybe I am), but I was stopped in the grocery store last year by a leather-clad biker-looking guy who asked me if anyone had told me that day how pretty I was, and didn't I have the most beautiful green eyes. (At least I know if anything happens to Steve, I've got a shot with the Harley Davidson crowd.)
But I have to face it. They're old. After decades of stitching on fine fabric in near-darkness, I started using an over-the-shoulder Ott-Lite recently. And this weekend, while working on the new Jenny Bean sampler (on 40 count), I said, "Hey, Graham, can I borrow your reading glasses for a sec?" And wouldn't you know it, it was EASIER to see the fabric. Go figure!
Steve gave me a little bit of a bad time. He said something like, "Ha ha, your eyes are old," and I stuck my 40-count linen in his face. "Well," I said, "can YOU see these holes?" "Hey, I WEAR glasses," he said. Steve's about as blind as a potato.
A sweet potato.
I know the feeling. My youngest son got glasses a while back because he was having trouble seeing the board from a distance at grad school. After he got them, I tried them on and became very depressed as I could see a whole lot better, but it is always nice, despite your old eyeballs, to receive an unsolicited compliment!
ReplyDeleteYep, the vision going is a tough reality. Luckily, even if you can't see, your eyes are still beautiful!
ReplyDeleteEyes are definitely going south for me right now but I'm going to slide with it and taking good care of the ones I have right now.
ReplyDeleteI gave up on 40 count this year. Even with glasses.
I only urge anyone over 40 to go to a eye doc for an exam to rule out glaucoma as the reason as it's irreversible and something I'm facing now.
Stay warm.
Jennifer
Apparently my eyeballs were born old because at 25, I have TERRIBLE eyesight and the last two visits to the eye doc have yielded similar comments: 'Mmmm, you must do a lot of reading or something...' to which I just shrug unhappily and say a little prayer that I have many more good years of stitching ahead of me!
ReplyDeleteYou know what? Give your "old" eyeballs a break and pick up a set of Mag-Eyes. I love 'em in combo with my daylight lamp. They come with two strengths, and I'm still on the first. I just thought, these may be so exciting to me because I already wear progressive lens, and they fit over my glasses. Nevermind - you can pick yours up at the drug store, Target, or just about anywhere! But do get some - no need to have eye strain headaches. And no need to wear Steve's either -- yours will be prettier!
ReplyDeleteWell, join the club full of 40 plus stitchers! You should see the various combinations of glasses, lights and magnifiers that our stitching group uses. Most of us start with our regular glasses and add a pair of "cheaters" from the drug store...plus assorted lights, magnifiers, etc. But...we're older than 42!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry...there are very attractive glasses available. You have to do what's needed to get those stitches in the right places.
Bobbi
When I first saw the title of this post, I thought it said "odd" eyes. And then when I read the first sentence, I thought, "why on earth does she think she has odd eyeballs?" So I reread the sentence. Looks like I have "old" eyeballs too!
ReplyDeleteWould it make you feel better to know you are in good company?? I too dont like to wear my "peepers", but I like to stitch well so I do!!
ReplyDeleteYes, you do have pretty eyes~~ Faye
When you can't see the giant E on the wall during the eye exam, we'll talk! I can see great upclose with my naked eyes, but even with bifocal contacts I need cheaters so stitch.
ReplyDeleteYou are still a baby with babies!!!
ReplyDeleteI turned 43 a couple of months ago - and I think I've cheated the opthamologist as long as I could. I need to make an appointment and go get my first glasses :( But I did beat the family record - my dad got his first pair at 33, so I did him a decade better :) I need to do it before my PTP FotM in 36ct starts showing up!
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