A VISIT TO A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
This past week I spoke to someone who I haven't been in touch with for a very long time.

I knew she had sold her home and moved into a condo with her husband. As time went on she saw changes in him and realized it was time to make another move. Their choice was an Erickson Community on the North Shore.


Image: Courtesy Ericson Living

Two years after their move her husband passed away. By this time she was settled in a community that provided much support for her. She is a very outgoing and down-to-earth person and has made many friends and life is good.

This past Saturday a concert was being held at her community and she invited me and my friends to attend. I accepted her invitation not so much because of the program but because it would give me an opportunity to see "the place" again.

A few years ago I attended promotional lunches and ice cream parties there but was not ready to make the move.

Recently I was thinking "I'm too old to make the move."

Well, when I saw the residents that attended the concert, I don't think I'm too old!

Maybe they are younger than me but they looked older.

My friend introduced me to a few of her friends and they were all very enthusiastic about their lifestyle. Others that I spoke with felt the same way, they love it!

I told them that I think the kitchen must be putting "happy pills in the food."

Two of the ladies invited me to see their apartments. Wasn't that nice of them?


Image: Courtesy Ericson Living

One apartment was a one bedroom and the other was a very large two bedroom.

To quote my friend, she says, "Millie run don't walk, Do it."

Maybe?

posted by Unknown @ 9:18 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 12 comments

 
Observations on Growing Older
I saw this one a while ago.

Wanted to take the easy way out today - nothing special to write about - this is a goodie.

Observations on Growing Older



Your kids are becoming you...and you don't like them...but your grandchildren are perfect!

Going out is good..
Coming home is better!

When people say you look "Great"... they add "for your age!"

When you needed the discount, you paid full price.
Now you get discounts on everything... movies, hotels, flights, but you're too tired to use them.

You forget names.... but it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!

The 5 pounds you wanted to lose is now 15 and you have a better chance of losing your keys than the 15 pounds.

You realize you're never going to be really good at anything.... especially golf.

Your spouse is counting on you to remember things you don't remember.

The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore.

Your spouse sleeps better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than he or she does in bed.It's called their "pre-sleep".

Remember when your mother said, "Wear clean underwear in case you GET in an accident"?
Now you bring clean underwear in case you HAVE an accident!

You used to say, "I hope my kids GET married...
Now, "I hope they STAY married!"

You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch..

When GOOGLE, ipod, email, modem....
were unheard of, and a mouse was something that made you climb on a table

You tend to use more 4 letter words ....
"what?"..."when?".... ???

Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere.

Your husband/wife has a night out with the guys or gals but is home by 9:00 P.M. Next week it will be 8:30 P.M.

You read 100 pages into a book before you realize you've read it.

Notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!!

What used to be freckles are now liver spots.

Everybody whispers.

Now that your spouse has retired ...
you'd give anything if he/she would find a job!

You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet ...
2 of which you will never wear.

But old is good in some things:
old songs,
old movies,
And best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!

Which one's rings a bell with you?

For me, most of them hit home!

posted by Steve Garfield @ 6:36 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 13 comments

 
AN ENJOYABLE VISIT WITH THE DENTIST
I'm sure the first thing you are going to think is, how could she have an enjoyable visit with the dentist?

I'll tell you!



The reason I made an appointment with the dentist was that I wanted him to take a look at one of my back molars that felt scratchy when I ran my tongue over it. I suspected that I would need a crown and sure enough that was the diagnosis, a good part of the tooth was broken.

"Did I want to take care of it then and there?" Yes, I was there, had the time and wanted to get it taken care of.

It's been a long time since I had that type of work done and remembered that it took a few visits, was expensive, I experienced some pain and found the procedure uncomfortable.

Well, it was a totally different experience! There are new methods now and it's all done in one office visit. It did take 2 1/2 hours but let me tell how I spent that time.

The dentist has a setup where you can watch a movie while "all the work is being done." He pulled up Netflix - foreign films - I spotted "The Gods Must Be Crazy."



I remember seeing that movie in the 80' and loved it - Time to see it again!

I didn't need goggles, just a headset. He started his work and I concentrated on the film.

Loved the beginning of the film where the elephants, lions, tigers and giraffes were prancing around in the desert.

As the film proceeded I kept looking for the "big" moment in the movie where the African bushman finds a coke bottle that was thrown from a plane and causes all kinds of problems for the bushmen who think that it was dropped from the heavens by God.

Never saw that scene in this film.

I finally figured out that the movie I was watching was a sequel.



It was not as good as the original film but it was funny, had many slapstick scenes and some touching moments.

Sometimes I laughed out loud while I had all the stuff in my mouth!

All's well that ends well. The dentist did his job and I saw an enjoyable film.

Now I want to tell you why I was so responsive to my visit to the dentist.

For the past month I've visited three friends in assisted living facilities,
attended a memorial service for a friend, and attended a funeral for a relative.

So, that's why I can say I had an enjoyable visit with the dentist. At least no one was sick.

The only pain I experienced on that day was "a pain in the checkbook!"

posted by Unknown @ 6:00 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 16 comments

 
THE WINNER
In Massachusetts we have all kinds of winners. This season "The Boston Bruins" won the Stanley cup after 19 years! We were very excited and happy about that.


Image via 7News

That's one kind of winner - today I want to tell you about a totally different kind of winner.

The Boston Globe has been conducting a Recipe Box Project where readers are asked to share their favorite recipes.

Years ago the Globe had a column "Confidential Chat" were readers sent in their favorite recipes. As a matter of fact I have a scrapbook containing many of their wonderful dishes.

Recently they had a blueberry cake contest and it was discovered that the original recipe appeared in the Chat column decades ago sent in by "Cakes and Cookies." I have many recipes by her, she was my favorite lady!

Here's the winning recipe:


(Food styling/Sheryl Julian & Janine Sciarappa; Photo by John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Courtesy Boston Globe)

Blueberry cake with streusel topping

TOPPING

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) cold butter, cut up
1. In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter.

2. Work the mixture with your fingertips until well blended; refrigerate.

CAKE

Butter (for the pan)
Flour (for the pan)
1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries, picked over
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1. Set the oven at 375 degrees. Butter an 8-inch-square metal baking pan. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

2. In a bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour.

3. In another bowl, whisk the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt to blend them.

4. In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until soft and light. Beat in the egg and vanilla until soft and light. With the mixer set to its lowest speed, blend in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour.

5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a rubber spatula, fold in blueberries. Transfer the batter to the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the topping over the cake.

6. Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is brown.

Read more on this story: This winning blueberry recipe sure has gotten around.

Well, this little cake has really been around. Apparently it appeared in the Globe’s Confidential Chat column decades ago. “You should give credit to ‘Cakes and Cookies,’ ’’ wrote Roberta Berenson of Falmouth in an e-mail. “The recipe was printed with three others under the heading ‘Blueberry Basket.’ I have given this recipe to all my friends because it got rave reviews every time I made it. I always used to cut out her recipes because they were just wonderful.’’ Berenson does not know who “Cakes and Cookies’’ really is. (If you do, please tell us.)

posted by Unknown @ 5:14 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 8 comments

 
MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE
There is only one TV show that I make it my business to watch, "Men of a Certain Age."

It's on Wednesday nights at 10/9c on TNT.

What makes "Men of a Certain Age" so interesting to me is that it's about three middle aged guys who each have their individual problems. They are guys just trying to deal with life in their mid fifties.


Image: Ray Romano Courtesy TNT

Joe, played by Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) is an easy going guy who is divorced, owns a party store, and is trying to control his gambling addiction. He's finding life as a single person at this time of life is not to his liking.


Image: Scott Bakula Courtesy TNT

Terry, played by Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap) is a single guy who is still playing the field, no longer trying to have a career as an actor, and working as a car salesman. His heart is really not in it.


Image: Andre Braugher Courtesy TNT

Owen, played by Andre Braugher (Homicide: Life on the Street) is a happily married man. His father retired from the Chevy dealership that he owned and put his son in charge of the business. Dad does not approve of anything the son does.

The performances are so real, I feel like I'm peeking in on their private lives.

They are not bad guys, they are just guys trying to find their way through some difficult times.

Sometimes there are laughs to be had, but mostly "it's serious business."

There have been a few episodes where I have come close to tears!

I have read that the show has been struggling in the ratings, and it may lose the battle.

Have you heard about the show? Have you watched it?

If you haven't looked in on it, try it you might like it!

More:
Men of a Certain Age on Facebook
Men of a Certain Age on Twitter

posted by Unknown @ 8:41 AM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 11 comments