Thursday Tidbits

Posted on April 11, 2019 under Thursday Tidbits with one comment

Getting an oil change

There’s a first time for everything.

First date. First kiss. First job. First airplane flight. Life is full of firsts and though we think we’ve seen it all as we pass through life, there are still many unique experiences. I remember my first date and my first kiss. I doubt that the young woman on the receiving end of my attention and affection has even the foggiest recollection. My first job was mowing the grass in the graveyard under the guidance of Joe “Mike”. The only time I got a break from mowing “between the crosses, row on row” was when there was a committal or burial. My very first plane flight was to Newfoundland to represent Nova Scotia in a junior golf tournament. The return trip was easily the scariest flight I have ever been on.

I was attending a birthday party last weekend and most of the attendees were north of 60. Every discussion I had with other guests revolved around health. Quelle surprise. Let’s face it, the clock is ticking and the warranty on our bodies is fast approaching. That is not to say that we don’t still have many good miles on us, but the wear and tear of life are telling.

I was engaged in a spirited discussion about pain and pain management, a subject that I have discussed here before on more than one occasion. I was telling a friend at the party about my journey of pain and my elusive search for some kind of remedy. After going through a long list of treatments, including legalized marijuana, she suggested that I go to the NSLC and try some CBD oil. Cannabidiol oil or CBD (I always thought CBD stood for Cape Breton Diesel!) contains extracts from cannabis plants. Some people use CBD oil to relieve pain associated with chronic conditions such as arthritis.

I had been thinking about CBD oil for some time. I left the party, walked through campus and Liquor Lane and found myself in the legalized marijuana dispensary at the NSLC. It was a quiet evening and I had the undivided attention of two young men who gave me a primer on CBD products. The oil comes in varying strengths and some contain THC the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. I gather that in some cases, the THC can give a person a mild “buzz” but most old farts like me want pain relief and not the high.

One of the clerks told me that his mom has suffered from arthritis for years and that CBD oil has been a game changer for her. We discussed options and $36 later, I walked out carrying a bag containing 30ml of cannabis oil.

The regulators of legalized marijuana are taking the sale of these products very seriously. There are lots of warning signs in the store as well as on the labelling of the products. But it is the packaging of these goods that leaves me scratching my head. In attempt to child proof my CBD oil purchase, the authorities also “senior proofed” it. I was easily able to remove the package from a small brown paper bag. Years of practice removing bottles of rum from NSLC bags were my training ground.

The outer cardboard packaging was the first layer. By the time I extricated the actual bottle of oil, I felt as if I had received a gift of Matryoshka dolls. You know. Those Russian nesting dolls which stack one inside the other. Once you remove the outer shell, there is a tiny box resembling a coffin for a grasshopper (pun intended). And inside this container is the 30ml bottle of CBD oil. And this is where the fun begins. If I had happened to have arthritis in my hands, I would have had to call a neighbour, a nurse, a paramedic, a continuing care worker or possible a welder with a blow torch to remove the hermetic seal from the bottle. I have never seen plastic wrapped so impossibly tight around an entire bottle. I chiseled away at the plastic with a sharp paring knife. I am also certain that I uttered some expletives heard only by our plant collection. Seriously, while I appreciate the intent of the regulators, I think the packaging is a little over the top, not to mention more waste in the landfill.

I’ll let you know how this experiment goes.

It is National Volunteer Week across Canada. Volunteers keep our economy going, especially in small town Canada. I realize that some of my readers are still in the trenches, raising a family and working full time. Volunteering is not an option when exhaustion is your constant companion. But for all you seniors and retirees moping around, bored out of your skull, why not do a shift at the Food Bank or help peel potatoes for a lobster dinner fundraiser? You’ll meet lovely people, you’ll stop thinking about your aches and pains and you’ll feel good having made a contribution to the well-being of your community. Put the remote control down, turn off Facebook and do something positive. Good for your body and soul.

Have a great weekend.