and not expecting an intelligent response. this does not trouble me because a lot of stuff people are saying is not worth hearing anyway. what many people want is just an ear to speak into, not a conversation.
my hearing loss comes in handy also when the neighbors’ dogs are barking. i can hardly hear them now. and when my older friends complain about how loud the music is at church, i just smile because it sounds about right to me.
i do miss hearing the birds sing. they seem silent now. however, the clock someone gave us meets that need. this clock has different birds that sing on the hour, so 