A hiatus, a grandmother and a teak shower seat

So I'm fresh off a one-week hiatus from work and all things HME.

Well, not exactly.

I've found out that there is getting away from work (especially when you're out of county and checking your email on your iPhone will cost billions of dollars—thanks AT&T!), but there is no getting away from HME.

Which is a good thing. It speaks to the necessity and value of HME.

While I was waiting for a shuttle at the airport, I couldn't help but crack a smile when the woman sitting next to me phoned in an order for CPAP supplies from her cell phone. She was your typical grandmother getting back from Disney World. Or that's my guess based on the appearance of her two grandsons, who were wearing Mickey Mouse ears. She knew her stuff, too. She knew what she was supposed to get (like nasal pillows) and how often.

Then on Sunday, I sat down on the couch with a stack of magazines that had filled up my mailbox while I was gone. When I was flipping through This Old House Magazine (disclaimer: My dad is a carpenter and I live in a house built in 1900, so it's not as geeky as it sounds), I came across the "Best New Home Products of 2011." On the list: A line of bath safety items from Moen, including a teak fold-down shower seat and designer grab bars. TOH writes: "Thanks to baby boomers' clamoring to age in place, universal design is starting to look pretty sharp." I'll say. That bathroom looks way better than mine!

Now I'm back back to work and all things HME, including unanswered emails and phone calls (sorry!) and all things competitive bidding.

I think I'd rather be on vacation, when I keep my iPhone off and all I see and hear about are people who are living the good life thanks to HME!

Liz Beaulieu