It’s been warm this past week – Mother Nature’s reminder of what we missed during this mild summer. But next Monday is Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer and the traditional beginning of a new school year: a time to get back to business – no more sandy swimsuits, cocoa butter from head to toe, and late nights looking for action in all the wrong places. (Or at least that is what I remember.)

But these days are quieter – at times just as unpredictable, but a whole lot saner. And a time in our lives when we decide what we want to learn – whether it’s pottery painting at the Art Center, Bill and Neva’s Monday night dance classes at the Civic or one of the many opportunities offered at the Center such as the Young-at-Heart Serenaders with Phyliss Farner at the helm meeting every Wednesday from 10:00 – 11:30 starting on the 14th. Or Tai Chi meeting at its regular time – every Tuesday from 1:00 – 1:45 starting the 13th and again lead by Corlis Marsh (except when she is traveling the globe). Or the Bridge group which is back meeting every Friday from 1:00 – 3:00 and is always looking for new players while offering an opportunity to learn or improve your bridge skills in a low pressure, friendly environment.

Also two Do-It-Yourself Learning Circles are scheduled for September. These are not your traditional classes with prepared curriculums and paid instructors but small groups exploring together a particular subject. The first is “Digging up Bones: An introduction to Genealogy” and will be guided by Edna Miller. It will meet twice a month on the second and fourth Tuesdays from 1:00 – 2:00 starting on September 13^th. The second is “All things iOS” – from iPhone to iPad”. This Learning Circle will meet from 1:30 – 2:30 on the second and fourth Wednesdays starting September 14th. And the rest of the Center’s activities – from Chair Yoga to Pinochle and everything in between – are still going strong. So check with your guidance counselor or call the Center at 541-298-4788 for more information.

The 11:00 Tuesday Lectures are returning for a fourth season and the starting lineup for September has already been set. On the 6th I will be discussing the trend in education towards self directed learning – the concept behind the Center’s DIY Learning Circles. And then on the 13^th Lynette Black from OSU Extension will explain how to prepare for emergencies, followed by Isabel Allen from Oregon Employment Department on the 20^th discussing employer responsibilities when hiring an in-home caregiver. And then batting clean-up on the last Tuesday of the month, Joyce Powell Morin will prep you for MCMC’s Health and Wellness Fair at Water’s Edge on October 1st.

Thanks to Barb Pashek, the Center is sponsoring a Community Parking Lot Sale on Saturday, September 24th from 8:00 – 1:00 PM. This is your chance to rid you closet, basement, or garage of those unwanted items. Spaces are only $25 but you need to reserve your spot before September 10th. You can pick up an application at the Center.

At 7:00 tonight the Dufur Boys will be playing for your listening and dancing pleasure. And next Tuesday on the 6^th the Strawberry Alarm Clock – oops, wrong band! Must have been a temporary flashback to the psychedelic 60’s. (Does anyone else remember “Incense and Peppermint”?) So let me back up. Next Tuesday on the 6^th the Strawberry Mountain Band will be a rippin’ and a roarin’. Everyone is welcome no matter your height, weight or girth. And donations are always appreciated.

I admit last week’s question was pretty easy because who else in August of 1965 could pack the Memorial Coliseum with 20,000 screaming fans – but the Beatles. (And I am still looking for someone who attended the concert.) This week’s “Remember When” question I hope is a little more challenging – unless you listened to Al Wynn’s Coffeebreak last Thursday. On this 40’s radio comedy show which was adapted to television in the 50’s, what was the name of the character who often exclaimed “What a revoltin’ development, this is!” E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or mail it with an original autograph from William Bendix.

Well it has been another week, wondering why the sky is blue, the grass is green and why I don’t have a clue. Until we meet again, for every question there is an answer; we just might not find it in our own lifetime.

“Toss your dashed hopes not into a trash bin but into a drawer where you are likely to rummage some bright morning.” Robert Brault at robertbrault.com