Aging Well in the Gorge August 1st 2018

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When do you decide to give it up: to give up the car keys, or the house you have lived in for over forty years, or to give up taking care of yourself and hiring in-home care?
We’ve been told from an early age to “never give up!” and as we get older many of us still carry that sound bite in our heads. We believe if we put out enough effort we can accomplish anything or at least delay the inevitable. But age takes its toll. We can no longer move as quickly, bend down as far, or think as fast. With proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, and mental stimulation we can often slow the process of aging but until someone discovers the fountain of youth this is our future.
Many people believe that never giving up means never changing – continuing to do what they have always done. They believe that giving up means they can’t handle the challenges aging has brought and they are less of the person they once were. 
But sometimes this stubbornness can be selfish and dangerous. If the result of your “never give up” attitude is you keep driving, putting yourself and others at risk – that isn’t noble, but foolish.
Instead of never changing, “not giving up” can mean changing direction, working to find an alternative that still meets your needs and what you want. But it’s not easy. What do you do when you want to live on your ten acres in the country when your doctor tells you to stop driving? And before your adult children force the issue?
We accepted all the changes while growing up – moving from childhood to adolescence to adulthood. And now as we move through this next level of maturity, there are changes we can’t ignore.
We know change will always happen – and we can adapt and find different options. It may be hard, full of loss and regret, but don’t give up! Find that new path that brings fulfillment during these later years. Maybe the Gambler, Kenny Rogers said it best, “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em.”
This Saturday August 4th through the 5th it’s Shaniko Days! On Saturday, the parade starts at 10am, the Mud Springs Gospel Band starts at 11am, and the Sunshine Exchange Cloggers will do their thing at 1:00 and 2:30pm. There will be ragtime and vintage music in Stagecoach Station; bluegrass music in the late afternoon; and a street dance from 7:00 – 10:00 PM. Plus there will be bake sales, raffles, kiddie train rides and Black Powder Gunfights throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. And most importantly, cooler temperatures.
The costar and comedian famous for his impressions of Burt Lancaster, James Cagney and Kirk Douglas; played the Riddler in the TV series Batman; and who stopped in at the Shamrock while filming Movin On was Frank Gorshin. (Since I now finish my column on Saturdays, I have missed the correct answers from Sharon Hull, Sandy Haechrel, and Jo Smith who will all receive a free quilt raffle ticket. But this week’s correct answers were sent in by Lana Tepfer and this week’s winner, Bob Earls, who remembers Frank Goshin playing a creepy villain in the movie “Ring of Fire” which was filmed in Vernonia in the 60’s.)
This question might be familiar to anyone who was an office worker during the 60’s and 70’s. In the 1960’s Remington was one of the two top typewriter manufactures in the US, but in 1961 the Selectric was introduce with a radical “typeball” about the size of a golf ball that replaced the typebar which would often get entangled causing the keys to get stuck. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what company manufactured the Selectric – the typewriter that dominated the market for two decades? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with a refurbished Selectric typewriter which you can find on eBay for $479.
Well it’s been another week constantly checking the temperature. Until we meet again, even though it is as hot as a blast furnace outside, it’s still probably a good idea to keep your clothes on.
“You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing. You back up, but you don’t give up.” ―Chuck Yeager

Aging Well in the Gorge July 25th 2018

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How is it my wife and I can watch a British mystery and six months later watch the same show and still can’t remember who’s the villain until the last five minutes. It’s a little disconcerting – but it does give us a chance to enjoy the same show more than once!
The same can be said about brainteasers such as the ones I shared several years ago from a post by Holly Green on the Forbes Magazine website. For me these brainteasers are a test to see how well I can stretch my mind, but also to see if I can still remember the answers. Unfortunately, I usually fail at both.
But let’s see how well you do by either solving the brainteasers or remembering the answers from several years ago.
1. A clerk at a butcher shop stands five feet ten inches tall and wears size 13 sneakers. What does he weigh? 2. How much dirt is there in a hole that measures two feet by three feet by four feet? 3. What word in the English language is always spelled incorrectly? 4. Before Mt. Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain in the world? 5. A man stands on one side of a river, his dog on the other. The man calls his dog, who immediately crosses the river without getting wet and without using a bridge or a boat. How did the dog do it?
Now these next five I found more difficult – at least that’s what my brain told me.
5. Johnny’s mother had three children. The first child was named April. The second child was named May. What was the third child’s name? 6. If you were running a race and you passed the person in 2nd place, what place would you be in now? 8. Two boxers are in a match scheduled for 12 rounds. One of the boxers gets knocked out after only six rounds, yet no man throws a punch. How is this possible? 9. What is unusual about the following words: revive, banana, grammar, voodoo, assess, potato, dresser, uneven? 10. What makes this number unique — 8,549,176,320?
How did you do? Whether you answered the questions correctly or not is not as important as stimulating your brain by just trying to answer them. But remember, brain stimulation is just one component of good brain health. The other five are: physical exercise, social engagement, good nutrition, stress management, and a good night’s sleep.
The name of the hit song that told the story of a shy girl wearing a new kind of swim suit was “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini”. I received correct answers from Kim Birge, Lana Tepfer and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket, Dan Ross who will be performing at his 50th LaGrande High School Reunion in August with the same rock-n-roll band he played in while attending LHS.
If you have lived in the Dalles for more than 30 years, you probably remember the Shamrock – described by Claude Akins on the Tonight Show as a Chinese Restaurant with an Irish name where you could listen to live country music. Akins was in The Dalles filming an episode of the 1974-1976 TV series Movin’ On and one of his costars also ate at the Shamrock. (Jeanne Pesicka has an autographed coaster to prove it.) For this weeks “Remember When” question, who was this costar and comedian famous for his impressions of Burt Lancaster, James Cagney and Kirk Douglas. Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with a picture of the Riddler from the TV series Batman.
Well it’s been another week trying to think ahead but getting further behind. Until we meet again, keep the lid on and the kettle warm.
“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Dumbledore from Harry Potter

Aging Well in the Gorge July 18th 2018

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Once the temperature reaches the inevitable 100 degrees, it’s a good time to be reminded about how to stay safe in the heat. And since it’s not like you haven’t heard it all before, this year here is a short test to see what you still remember.
#1. The heat should be taken seriously because: A.) It is the number one weather related killer causing more deaths than hurricanes, tornadoes, lightening, and floods combined. B.) The heat can be obnoxious with no sense of humor.
#2 According to Medline Plus, several reasons older adults are at greater risk for heat related illness are: A.) They do not adjust as well to sudden changes in temperature. B.) They are more likely to have chronic medical conditions that changes normal body responses to heat. C.) They are more likely to take prescription medicines that impair the body’s ability to regulate its temperature or that inhibit perspiration. D.) Older adults are naturally grouchy, and the heat just makes it worse.
#3 The warning signs for heat stroke (when the body’s temperature rises rapidly and loses its ability to sweat) include: A. Extremely high body temperature (above 103°F). B.) Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating). C.) Rapid, strong pulse; throbbing headache; dizziness and nausea. D.) Altered mental state or behavior. E.) An irresistible desire to jump into a bathtub of ice.
#4. According to the American Red Cross, ways to stay cool are: A.) If you do need to go outside during extreme heat conditions, early morning or later evening are the best times. B.) Avoid sun exposure between 11 am – 5 pm. C.) Wear light-weight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothes that cover your skin. D.) Wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat. E.) Slow down – additional activity can put extra strain on the heart. F.) Try ice packs, cool showers or sponge baths. G.) Wear the latest summer fashions so even if you don’t feel cool, you can look cool.
#5. Things to consider when trying to stay hydrated are: A.) Drink plenty of fluids regardless of your level of activity even if you are not thirsty. B.) Drink enough to have to urinate every four hours. C.) The color of your urine is an indicator of whether you are hydrated. D.) A bottle of Chardonnay in not the best choice to stay hydrated.
#6 To avoid heat related illness stay connected by: A.) Being aware of local heat advisories, B.) Having someone check in on you. C. Playing bingo in the Center’s airconditioned dining room on Thursday and Saturday nights.
(As you probably figured out, all the answers are correct except the last one for each question.)
During these hot summer days, it is important to remember to do what we know we should do: stay cool, hydrated and informed to avoid any heat related illnesses. Because as Dinah Shore once sang, “Baby, it’s HOT outside” – or something close to that.
The names of the rock and roll star and his bride who he first met when she was only 14 years old – and were married seven years later on May 1st, 1967 were Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu. I received correct answers from Jess Birge, Lana Tepfer, Lucile – with one L – Stephens, Virginia McClain (who just finished reading Elvis and Me by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley) and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket, Louise Wooderson.
There are many songs that bring back memories of summers past: “Can’t Wait for Summer” – Steve Lawrence, “The Theme from ‘A Summer Place’” – Percy Faith and His Orchestra, “Palisades Park” – Freddy Cannon, and “California Girls” – The Beach Boys. But a song which reached number one on August 8th, 1960, told the story of a shy girl wearing for the first time a type of swim suit described by its inventor as a “two-piece bathing suit which reveals everything about a girl except for her mother’s maiden name.”
For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this hit song – the first for Brian Hyland?  Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with a picture of Ursula Andress, appearing in the 1962 James Bond film, Dr. No.
Well it’s been another week reminiscing about past summers of fun. Until we meet again, keep the torch lit, but the water bucket nearby.
“The trick to accomplishing anything is to avoid the obstacles that are not in your way.” Robert Brault