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Happy Mother’s Day! May 14, 2023

Posted by nrhatch in Blogging, Happiness, Humor, Life Balance.
18 comments

In organizing some archival documents this week, I came across a handmade Mother’s Day Card written by my older brother in 1964, when he was 7 1/2 years old:

Dear Mommy,

I love your mink coat.  I also love you more then [sic] the mink coat.

Signed

10-1-13-5-19

He must have been feeling especially prolific that year, because I came across a second handmade Mother’s Day Card written by him the same year:

Dear Mother,

I hope you will have the best Mother day [sic] anyboby [sic] ever had before!!

Signed

10-1-13-5-19

Here, I will echo his sentiments:

To all the wonderful Moms, Mothers, and Mommies out there ~

I hope you will have the best Mother’s Day anybody ever had!!

Signed

14-1-14-3-25

Aah . . . that’s better! 

 

A Step In The Right Direction March 26, 2023

Posted by nrhatch in Exercise & Fitness, Health & Wellness, Life Balance.
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I tend to steer clear of controversial topics here on SLTW.  Most of the time, anyway.

In point of fact, even a charitable observer might point out that I have steered clear of any and all topics here on SLTW.  Since January, anyway.

Point taken.

Anyway, I hope that what I say here will not anger my readers unduly, but I feel it must be said:

Getting Old . . . isn’t always a step in the right direction.

Yesterday, I was prepping salad fixings in the kitchen when I noticed that the back of my left heel was complaining vociferously each time I shifted positions.

The pain had materialized out of the blue with no warning shot fired.

It was as if my body had commanded:

Let there be pain.

And there was pain, and it was NOT good.

I scanned my activities of the previous day to see if I had over-used or abused my Achilles Tendon in any way, shape, or form and saw nothing that would explain the pain.

At first.

I had engaged in normal ADL’s all day ~ rising ablutions, a light break fast, brain games, paying bills, checking e-mails, fresh fruit for lunch, biking to the clubhouse to play Bridge, shelving books in the communal library . . .

Something niggled at the edges of my admittedly aged memory.

Had I over-stretched my reach when reshelving books on the top shelves?

Perhaps.

Could I have stretched my Achilles Tendon to the breaking point?

Perhaps.

Ach!  What to do with an aching Achilles Tendon?

To stretch, or not to stretch, that was my next question.

Instead of racing to the Bat Cave for answers, I hobbled from the kitchen to my office to confer with that sage giver of advice . . .

Google.

Google advised me that IF it was torn or ruptured, I was going to be side-lined for some time.

I decided to take it easy for the rest of the weekend to see if there was any improvement before contacting an approved medical provider for assistance.

In short, I listened to my body.

And . . . when I arose this morning, it felt somewhat better.  I’ll continue not to overstretch my reach for a few more days, but it appears that I may already be on the road to recovery.

Aah . . . a step in the right direction!

Have any of you noticed as you traveled again and again around the sun that unexplained injuries arise with increasing frequency?

Or that even normal ADL’s conspire to produce lumps, bumps, bruises, contusions, sprains, pains?

Or that conversations with fellow agers tend to gravitate to current health ailments more often than when in our 20’s and 30’s?

If you are still in your 20’s and 30’s, feel free to share something hip and happening with us Golden Oldies.  We like to live vicariously!

Practice Makes Perfect January 24, 2023

Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, Life Balance, Mindfulness.
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Hearts, like eggs, are fragile.

However, once broken open, infinite possibilities await.

We can collapse into a pool of tears, become hard-boiled (or scrambled) by the ways of the world, or emerge sunny-side up.

Just remember, even a master chef can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs:

Aah . . . that’s better!

Baby, It’s C~O~L~D Outside! December 23, 2022

Posted by nrhatch in Health & Wellness, Life Balance, Nature.
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Hope that Elliot doesn’t wreak havoc with your Christmas plans and that you devise ways to stay warm amid this windy wintry weather.

We are under a wind chill advisory for tonight.  That doesn’t happen often around here.  Here’s hoping that warmer weather returns in due course.

In the meantime, have a Hot Toddy!

Aah . . . that’s better!

La Bella Luna November 7, 2022

Posted by nrhatch in Life Balance, Nature.
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Total Lunar Eclipse tonight:

A lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth and moon align. During a full lunar eclipse, the moon falls completely in the Earth’s shadow. The phenomenon causes the moon to appear red, often nicknamed a “blood moon.”

When to watch:

The real show begins at totality, when the entire moon enters Earths’ umbra. On Nov. 8, this will occur at 5:17 a.m. EST (1017 GMT) and will last about 85 minutes, ending at 6:42 a.m. EST (1142 GMT), according to NASA. “The moon will turn a coppery-red. Try binoculars or a telescope for a better view,” NASA wrote.

Where to watch:

As long as skies are clear, the Nov. 8 lunar eclipse will be visible from anywhere across the United States and the rest of North America, according to TimeAndDate.com. People in Asia, Australia, most of South America and parts of northern and eastern Europe also will be able to see this eclipse.

Aah . . . that’s bella!

The next full lunar eclipse will occur on March 14, 2025, but there will be partial lunar eclipses before then, according to NASA.

My Long Term Care Plan October 24, 2022

Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Less IS More, Life Balance, Sustainable Living.
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No nursing home for me.  I’ll be checking into a MARRIOTT!

With the average cost for nursing home care being min. $275.00 per day, there is a better way when we get old and gray.

Check in to The FAIRFIELD:

For a combined long-term stay discount and senior discount, it’s $79.00 per night.

Breakfast is included, and some have happy hours In the afternoon.  That leaves $196.00 or more a day for lunch and dinner in any restaurant we want, or room service, laundry, gratuities and special TV movies.

Plus, they provide a spa, swimming pool, a workout room, a lounge and washer dryer, etc.  And most have free toothpaste and razors, and all have free shampoo and soap.  Spread around $10 worth of tips a day and you’ll have the entire staff scrambling to help you.    They’ll treat you like a customer, not a patient.

There’s a city bus stop out front, and seniors ride free.  The handicap bus will also pick you up (if you fake a decent limp).  To meet other nice people, call a church bus on Sundays.

For a change of scenery, take the airport shuttle bus and eat at one of the nice restaurants there.  While you’re at the airport, fly somewhere . . . to keep the cash from building up.

It takes months to get into decent nursing homes.  Marriott will take your reservation . . . today!

And you’re not stuck in one place forever ~ you can move from Marriott to Marriott, or even from city to city.

Want to see Hawaii? They have COURTYARD there too.

TV broken?  Light bulbs need changing?  Need a mattress replaced?  No problem ~ they fix everything, and apologize for the inconvenience.

The Marriott has a night security person and daily room service. The maid checks to see if you are OK.  If not, they’ll call an ambulance . . . or the undertaker!

If you fall and break a hip, Medicare will pay for the hip, and Marriott will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.

And no worries about visits from family. They will always be glad to find you, and probably check in for a few days mini-vacation.

And the grandkids can use the pool.

What more could you ask for?

So, when I reach that golden age,
I’ll face it with a grin.

Aah . . . that’s the ticket!

Source:  E-mail from unknown author (sent by Joan M.)

 

Not Sure Where To Retire? September 15, 2022

Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Humor, Joke, Life Balance.
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Not sure where to retire?

Let the stars be your guide:

The City You Should Retire in Based on your Zodiac Sign

Well, I’ll be jiggered . . .

Who knew that retirement planning should include consultation with an astrologer as well as a financial planner?

Not me.

While I often find horoscopes amusing and entertaining, I have never made a major change in the trajectory of my life based upon a daily, weekly, or monthly horoscope.

But there is a first time for everything, right?

If not now, then when?

Caveat:  I have no idea whether your astrology sign will align with the stars’ prediction of a perfect retirement spot for your given predilections, but this article suggests that my decision to retire to the Gulf Coast of Florida was the right move for me.

More specifically, the article encourages those of us born under the sign of Cancer to consider Boca Raton, Florida:

baco raton
iStock / 6381380

Forget what everyone says about you being too emotional or dramatic, Cancer. You’re actually one of the more laid-back signs of the zodiac and have a natural ability to adapt to every phase of life. When it comes to choosing the perfect retirement spot, all you need is a view of the ocean, some nice weather, and delicious food. If spending your golden years reading romance novels on the beach sounds like a dream come true, Boca Raton is the place for you. The laidback Florida city has a go-with-the-flow social scene that’s sure to hit just the right note.

Even though I don’t live in Boca Raton, Sarasota and the surrounding area offers many of the same amenities ~ ocean views, lovely weather, delicious food, and excellent libraries for Beach Reads!

So that’s the good news ~ I located to the best retirement destination for me.

Huzzah!

Now for the bad news:

BFF is a Scorpio and the Stars are sending him to South America.

I hope our long distance romance survives the separation.

Aah . . . that’s better!

Goats Have The Right Idea September 11, 2022

Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Joke, Life Balance, Mindfulness.
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I choked on a carrot this afternoon and as my life flashed before my eyes, I thought, “I bet a donut wouldn’t have done this to me.”

***

I don’t want to adult anymore.  I don’t even want to human.  I want to goat.

No, not gloat . . . goat.

I want to eat all day and head butt anyone who annoys me.

***

Brain:  I can see you’re trying to sleep.

Can I offer you a selection of your worst memories from the last 20 years?

***

If you wait long enough to cook dinner, everyone will just eat cereal.

That’s the first thing we learned in Home Economics.

***

People will stop asking you stupid questions if you answer back in interpretive dance.

You can thank me later.

***

A giraffe’s coffee would be cold by the time it reached the bottom of its throat.  Every think about that?

***

My son asked if a punch bowl is where you keep the names of people you want to punch.

I told him, “I usually keep them in my head, but storing them in a decorative bowl seems really classy.”

IMGP3155b

***

My kids laugh because they think I’m crazy.  I laugh because it’s apt to be hereditary.

catlady

Aah . . . that’s better!

Source:  E-mail from unknown author (sent by Joan M.)

Keeping Up With Technology September 9, 2022

Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Joke, Life Balance, Mindfulness.
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Remember the Good Old Days, when you would take a photo of your dinner, mail the film in for processing (after you finished the whole roll), wait for the photos to be developed, and then run around to all your friends’ homes to show them photos of what you had for dinner?

No.

Me neither.

***

Have you ever been in parking lot watching someone haplessly look for their car because they didn’t pay attention to where they parked it? Want to have a little fun with them?

Every time you see them hoist the key fob into the air, honk your horn and flash your lights.

***

Aren’t you glad you were young and stupid BEFORE there were camera phones?

***

I like to make lists.  On paper.  I also like to leave them on my desk so that I can guess what’s on the list when I get to the store.

Fun game.

IMGP2776b

***

I don’t know how to use TikTok . . . but I do know how to write in cursive, do long division, and tell time on clocks with hands.

So I’ve got that going for me.

Image result for we're all here because we're not all there

***

You think you know stress.  When I was a kid, if you missed your favorite TV program, you just missed it.

Forever.

***

These days, we have SMART phones, SMART TVs, SMART refrigerators, SMART thermostats, but our smoke detectors are still dumb.

We need a smoke detector that shuts off when you yell:

I’m Just Cooking!

Aah . . . that’s better!

Source:  E-mail from unknown author (sent by Joan M.)

Over The Gorge We Go September 3, 2022

Posted by nrhatch in Life Balance, Mindfulness, Nature, Travel & Leisure.
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Are you a sleepwalker?

This is NOT the Airbnb for you.

Do you like to cook on vacation . . . bringing bags and bags of groceries with you?

Ditto.

Afraid of heights?

Do NOT, under any circumstance, rent this place for your next weekend get-away.

On the other hand, this place is PERFECT for those who are physically fit, in good health, and light packers.

Light as in backpacks NOT steamer trunks.

Some experience with flying, base jumping, and skydiving would be helpful.

Ready?

Over the Gorge we go . . .

This Kentucky Airbnb, a one-bedroom, one-bath property suspended high above the Red River Gorge, is an acrophobe’s nightmare.

Reaching your rental requires climbing suspended stairs hundreds of steps long, with more climbing to retire for the evening

Personally, I’d love to spend the night . . . as long as I’ve got a sherpa to schlep my gear!

If you click on any of the links, you be able to see more amazing, cringe-worthy photos.

Aah . . . a September to Remember!