ears to eyes

I worked in the testing center with Sarge on Saturday. Once we got people settled in with their tests, a conversation ensued.

Sarge: can I ask you a personal question?

Me: okay?

Sarge: Do I talk too loud?

Me: (oh, personal about him, whew) Uhm... no.

Sarge: or too softly?

Me: No. Why, did someone complain about you being loud?

Sarge: No. It's just... I got hearing aids yesterday, and everything seems so loud, including me!

Me: Really? Welp, you sound like yourself.

Then he commenced to letting me have a look-see at the tiny devices in each of his ears. Very discreet, I would've never known. 

Alas, Sarge. He's a "youngster" in his mid-40's. Gets injections in his knees, has a bad back, and now hearing aids. He's a military vet, hence his blog name. And hence his maladies. The VA pays his medical bills, rightfully so.

He mentioned all the shooting and exploding he encountered with lack of proper hearing protection. 

"It seemed fun at the time..."

It got me wondering, how does one know when one isn't hearing well? Seems it's like when eyesight starts to go bad. We start noticing that we can't see things others can. In Sarge's case, he told me he mentioned tinnitus to his doctor, seeking a remedy. A hearing test was ordered, and there he is, hearing impaired in his 40's and everything now being so loud.

But I think my hearing's okay. I've not been involved in much shoot-em-up and was generally too poor to attend many live concerts in my youth. I don't think I've had a hearing test since high school - back when all synapses were firing perfectly. 

In other news, fall has arrived, although temps were mild last week, and we were needing moisture again. I decided to clean the floors over the weekend to use Murphy's Law to our advantage. It worked, and we got a decent drenching. Better than washing the car. If only I could teach the dogs to wipe their feet.

Remember George? the Maple we brought home as a baby those years ago?

He's getting big and doing his Autumnal thing.

And if you're thinking that it looks like Neighbor Guy's Cybertruck has googly eyes, you would be correct.