It's Never Too Late

Although you may be in your 60's, 70's or even 80's, that's no excuse for not living your life to the fullest. Many seniors seem to have issues with taking chances. What if I get sick? There are doctors and hospital across the country. What if our money runs out? You can live within your budget away from home. Can the kids get along without us? Well,duh! The time will come when you'll be gone permanently and nothing will matter one iota. Don't sit home worrying about your future; get out and live it!

Whatever Happened to Mrs. Happybottom?

Now that we're back in camp, things are taking up where they ended last spring. Men are standing around chatting, women are comparing their summers, friendships are rekindled. The park owner (Mrs. Happybottom) is still the main topic of conversation---it seems that there has been no improvement in her attitude. She's hired a group of young men to trim palm trees and generally clean up the park and they are digging holes in the desert to bury the vegetation. One wishful resident wondered if they could accidentally add her to the pile! The DH has decided to build a permanent roof over the patio---with her permission, of course--- and guys are coming out of the woodwork with offers to help. That's another good thing about being seniors; there's plenty of willing manpower.

On Our Last Leg

Tomorrow morning we will leave Payson for the last leg of our winter journey. We're anxious to arrive in Yuma and get set up before evening. It will take at least 2 days to have things arranged the way I want, but the important chores will be done tomorrow. I don't know why we put ourselves through this every year. Wait a minute. Yes, I do---winter friends, Mexico and sunshine, sunshine, sunshine!!

Whistler's Grandmother

My 16 year old granddaughter surprised me by skillfully whistling complicated tunes, reminding me of my grandmother, her great-great grandmother. It seems that she was also a whistler but her mother considered it to be inappropriate behavior for a young girl. She loved relating the story of her mother stating that, "Whistling girls and setting hens will come to no good end." I can't even imagine her reaction to the tight jeans, low-cut shirts, excessive makeup and behavior of our modern girls!

Launch Date

Tomorrow morning we will be launching the van on a trip to the southwest. It's exciting to think about another new adventure but a lot of work getting ready for the trip. Stress starts building and nerves are frayed, so the DH gets crabby and I get snippy---normal behavior, I guess. As soon as we hit the road, we'll return to our old happy selves. We need to add packing to the list of things couples should not do together!

Sick, Sick, Sick

My son informed me that three of his four children are down with the flu. Of course, this started a stream of motherly advice---take their temps, keep them warm, push fluids, watch their breathing, etc, etc, etc. After listening to my advice for awhile, he said, "Mom, I have the world wide web." Darn! It seems that mothers are becoming obsolete!

Respect for Life

Every week we hear a news story of a teenager being shot while riding his bike, murdered on the way home from school, set on fire over a video game and even having her throat slit while attending class. This past week it happened to our family. My 20 year old grandson is a Junior at the University of Arizona in Tucson. Last weekend he and his friends were returning home way too late and came upon a group of kids having an altercation. Instead of turning away, they went to see what was going on and he was beaten in the face with a baseball bat. As a result he has broken bones in his forehead, cheek and nose along with a dislocated tooth and is facing surgery next Monday. Somebody deserves an "F" for failing to teach our children the value of human life. Is it the parents? Is it the schools? Is it the church? Or is it all three? Do you know what your children are doing after hours?

The Flu

Our computer was down for awhile with the swine flu---some pig sent us a virus! Unfortunately, the PC doctor charges as much as the medical doctor, but the good news is that the patient recovered! Needless to say, we were having intense withdrawal symptoms at our house. It's amazing how we depend on the computer for communication and entertainment. I don't know how we survived all those years without one. Thanks to my daughter who kept my farm and cafe going during my absence.

Three Amigos

There's nothing better than getting together with old friends. From the way we carry on, you'd think we were a group of teenagers. We reminisce about past experiences, tell amusing stories about our lives, just have a good time. There's one thing about seniors---they aren't afraid to make fun of themselves and it's nice to know you're not the only one that's losing it! Laughing about the aches and pains and memory loss is good medicine.

The Demise of the Flowers

We need to enjoy the last blooms of summer because they will soon be gone---frost is imminent. It makes me a little sad to gaze out the kitchen window and realize that the remaining flowers are breathing their last fragrant breath. The one consolation is that they will be reincarnated next spring to bloom again. Since God is so good to the plants, it only stands to reason that He'll do the same for us!

Don't Fly Away

We've all had times when we've felt like saying the heck with it all and flying off into the wild blue yonder. Unfortunately, most of us have to stay and face the consequences. Problems were never solved by running away. The bottom line is that we are all on this earth to learn love, patience and tolerance. Each difficulty is a test of our coping ability. Are you passing the test?

Keep It Zipped, Boys!

I can't imagine why there's so much hype over H1N1 when the real epidemic is horny old men! Half the politicians have been caught with their pants down, either with employees or prostitutes. It's high time they realize their moral obligations and start having some respect for their wives. Young men are expected to be obsessed with sex due to raging hormones but men over 50 don't have that excuse---their hormones wound down years ago and evidently their morals eroded at the same time! Now, David Letterman has joined the ranks of the unfaithful, for Pete's sake. At least he had the decency to admit his failings but that's still no excuse for flagrant irresponsibility. I propose that each pair of men's pants come with a padlock on the zipper and only the wife has the combination!

Size Does Matter

It seems that some people believe they need a bigger car, a bigger house, a bigger bank account than their friends and family. In my opinion that's what's wrong with our country. All we really need is ENOUGH. Enough bedrooms to sleep our kids, enough income to pay our bills, enough gas in a moderately priced car. Who needs millions of dollars in the bank? It just gets people in trouble. It's the size of your heart that counts---how you treat others, if you support them during the tough times, if you help when able. Yes, size does matter but sometimes smaller is enough!