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!!
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!
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.
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.)
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:
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.
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.
***
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.
***
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.)
I tend to steer clear of controversial topics here on SLTW. Most of the time, anyway.
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.
Had I over-stretched my reach when reshelving books on the top shelves?
Google advised me that IF it was torn or ruptured, I was going to be side-lined for some time.
Have any of you noticed as you traveled again and again around the sun that unexplained injuries arise with increasing frequency?
Hearts, like eggs, are fragile.
No nursing home for me. I’ll be checking into a MARRIOTT!
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.
And the grandkids can use the pool.
Not sure where to retire?
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.
BFF is a Scorpio and the Stars are sending him to South America.
Are you a sleepwalker?
On the other hand, this place is PERFECT for those who are physically fit, in good health, and light packers.
Spirit Lights The Way 