Miss good old days

From what I’ve read from readers about our printed newspaper being changed over, the iPad seems to be very agreeable to them and some had said it’s actually better than the paper and, of course, you can use it for other purposes. Plus, it’s free.

Nothing I’ve read has said on how this change will affect a retired couple like myself and my husband. My husband retired in 1985 and so our mornings turned into leisure time. We are both early risers and so is our newspaper carrier. The coffee would be perking and the paper would arrive. Time for our new weekday togetherness. Our kitchen is at the back of the house. We have a large bay window with an oversized kitchen table almost butted up to it. No need for a chair there. The coffee is poured and we each take our favorite section of the paper to spread out before us.

Pondering and discussions may arise. Sometimes a little temper too. As we read, we also watch the sun rising and comment on how beautiful the colors are. Back to reading. We intermittently lift our heads to see who’s showing up for breakfast. The darling downy woodpeckers and others in the winter to feast on suet, and the hummers, and yes, the downys who love the sweet sugar water in the summer. Comments are made, sections are traded and, of course, more coffee, please.

Sometimes I’d say, Honey, did you read about such and such and he may say, no, I must have missed it. I’d put it aside or read it to him. I’d sometimes cut out articles for other people, recipes, and the daily crossword puzzle was a must. We’d both work on it during the day and the next morning we’d check it to see who always screwed it up. It was always him, honest Tonto.

I understand the changeover, but just thinking about how different our mornings will be after 30-plus years saddens me. There’s something said about missing the good old days, and this will be, for me, one of those times.

DONNA DAUGHERTY Gravel Ridge