Grandma's Glasses

These are Grandma's glasses.

This is Grandma's hat.

This is how she folds her hands and

Puts them in her lap.

For eleven years I worked as an office manager for a couple of different Optometrists. Although my uncorrected eyesight has always been sufficient to pass my driving test I still occasionally wore glasses to improve distance vision until about eight years ago. One of the perks of those positions was free eyewear. I collected lots of glasses as well as contact lenses, the kind that somehow turned my dark brown eyes a light blue, deep green or the creepy gray.

Fast forward a few years. I no longer need distance correction. However, after reaching the magical mid-forties I became painfully aware of my shortened arm length. Reading glasses became my friend. With no astigmatism correction it was possible to bypass an expensive RX and go directly to the dollar store.

Ten years later I have two, three or four pairs of reading glasses in every room of my home, car and camera bags. (Top photo shows a few of them.) The computer glasses are a different strength so they have their own special places at my desk. Because I only pay $1 for each instead of the $100 or $200 per pair of prescription lenses my little readers are abused, scratched and generally ready for the trash can. I don't panic when one breaks or gets yanked by little ones.

In my collection of eyewear is one that stands out. It is the pair (above) that my maternal grandmother wore. This photo below shows her and my grandfather in the early 50's with similar glasses, the style that she wore until she passed away in the 80's. I don't have the glasses that my grandfather wore although I do have some that are identical to them. For a long time I wore one made with my own RX. They are made of 14kt gold will probably always be my favorites. The case that they are kept in is well over 100 years old.


Zeus was my favorite patient of all time. I put his first set of bifocals on him. He asked me out on a date while we were chatting at the fitting table. That was a good day at work.

$2.57
(Went out for a four-mile run this morning. I love it when it rains while the sun is shining.)