I HAVE A GOOD BAD MEMORY PROBLEM
Perhaps you have heard this old joke before, it goes something like this:

An elderly couple is shopping in a large Florida supermarket. Some time goes by when the wife realizes that her husband is nowhere in sight What to do!

She is very upset until she sees a store clerk and starts telling the clerk about her missing husband.

The clerk is not unfamiliar with handling upset customers, suggests the lady calm down and describe what her mate looks like.

"He's short, wears glasses, has thinning gray hair and has a pot belly."

"Lady, every man in this store looks like that!"

I thought of this old joke because I have a situation that is somewhat similar.

It's been five months since I have been a resident at Brooksby Village and I keep meeting new people. That's a good thing!!!

My problem is, I have trouble remembering their names or recognizing them. Most ladies are not too tall, some are skinny, some are not so skinny, most have short white hair and wear glasses.


Images: Betty White Google Image Search

Everyone is very friendly and when I pass someone in the hall they say "hello." I don't know whether I have met them before or they are just plain friendly.

For example the other day a lady said, "Hello, Millie."

She really knew me - who's that lady, I thought until she said, "how did the slacks fit?"

Oh, then I realized she's the dressmaker that came to my house to alter a pair of pants!

When I meet a small group of women I try to connect their name with something. If her name is Dorothy, I think of a dot, if her name is Sue, I think of a lawsuit.

The other night I met six women at dinner. Wow, I'll be lucky to be able to recognize them when I see them again.

After dinner I spoke to one of the ladies privately.

I told her how I felt about "not remembering." Her response was, "don't beat yourself up, it takes at least six times after meeting someone new to remember their name. I'll remember her!

How do you remember the names of new people that you meet?

posted by millie garfield @ 4:45 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 10 comments

 
Setting Up A New Computer

Image: Millie and Steve

Hi,

Steve here setting up my Mom's new computer.

Lots to do when setting up a new system.

Email addresses. Web sites. Taking a break for a muffin and hot chocolate.

I'm sure my mom will have more to say soon.

--Steve

posted by millie garfield @ 4:09 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 14 comments

 
A BOOK FOR PEOPLE OF ANY AGE
When I first picked up the book Amazing Things Will Happen: A Real-World Guide on Achieving Success and Happiness (Affiliate Link) I thought, "what an interesting title. It's only 175 pages and has short chapters." 

Good.

I love a book with short chapters.



Then I thought, what could the author, C.C. Chapman, who I met at a blogger conference back in 2007 , write about that  a lady of a "certain age" could find rewarding?

Well, what happened was, certain chapter titles were appealing, so I started by jumping around and started reading, "Success of all Sizes," "The Magic of Turkey Pot Pie," and "Life is too Short for Bad Wine."

By the time I finished "jumping" I had read most of the book!

The next day I finished the whole book and reread the chapters that made the most impression on me.

I 've read a lot of self help books in my day. 

C.C.'s book gave me a fresh perspective on "how to."

My favorite chapter was the one entitled "The Power of Writing it Down."

I have always made it a point to carry a small notebook and a pen in my purse for the times when I need to write down a piece of information.

Well, in this chapter the author takes that idea to a much higher level.

"You never know when an idea might hit you, and it's always better to write it down than to forget it."

Boy, at this age that is the greatest suggestion!

C.C.  - If I'm ever at a book reading of yours, or at another event with you, I'll hold up my notebook and show it to you and we'll smile. ;-)





posted by millie garfield @ 3:26 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 3 comments

 
ALL THOSE HATS - WENT TO OUR HEADS!
For many years when Hanukkah came around, one of the traditional things my family and I did to  celebrate the holiday was to share a meal together and exchange gifts.

This season, instead of gift giving, I thought it was time for something different. 

At this point in time I wondered, "what do you give your children?"  Instead of buying something, I had the greatest idea! 

"How about going to the Peabody Essex Museum and seeing their current exhibition - "Hats" and then out to dinner?

Yes, they'd love that.





We spent a wonderful day touring the four sections of the exhibition.  Each hat was clearly marked with the date they were created.  We had fun trying to guess the date - sometimes we were right, sometimes way off.

There was one area where the visitors were allowed to TRY ON the hats and take photos. 



Was that ever fun!!

Another area was set up so you could choose a hat on a computer screen, and then place the hat however you pleased on your head and then press a button and get that photo taken.



And then, lo and behold the photo was framed and shown on the wall as a piece of art!!??

After all that excitement we went to the gift shop and Steve became the proud owner of a handsome wool hat.



Don't you think he looks like a cast member of "Mad Men?"

The day wasn't over yet - it was off to dinner at Legal Sea Foods.



Food is always good there.

What kind of hat do you wear?  I only wear one when I really have to - just something to kept the head warm!

posted by millie garfield @ 5:42 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 15 comments

 
A FAMILY JOKE
There are a few things I could blog about today but "first things first!"

There are many things I like about The Boston Globe, local and world news; movie, TV and theater reviews; health updates, business news and even the comic section.

The other day my favorite comic "Zits" gave me the biggest laugh!  Why?  Because it was the Garfield's very favorite joke.  I think  it came to pass as a real exchange between father and son.

This is it:



After that first time it was a funny line that was used time and time again!

Do you read the funnies? - they are very adult these days- sometimes I don't understand them!!!



posted by Unknown @ 8:54 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 5 comments