Many of us in our generation are concerned about our memories. Why can’t I remember that brilliant idea I just had, the name of a friend I saw last week, or my oldest son’s birthday – it’s sometime in August! But we may not be the only generation.

There is growing evidence that millennials are experiencing memory problems. Some reasons may be technology overload: constant exposure to information and distractions from devices; high levels of stress often associated with millennial life; and irregular sleep patterns, all of which can negatively affect cognitive abilities.

So whether someone is an over-stimulated, stressed out, and sleep-challenged millennial or a boomer experiencing the normal cognitive changes that occur with aging,  incorporating the Alzheimer’s Association’s “10 Healthy Habits for Your Brain” into your life can help you maintain a healthy brain.

1.) Challenge your mind. Be curious! Learn a new skill. And if you enjoy puzzles, you don’t always have to find the answer. It’s the mental effort that counts.

2.) Take classes. Encourage your grandkids to stay in school and pursue the highest level of training possible. Continue your own education by taking a class at your local library, senior center, or online.

3.) Get moving. Engage in any of the different types of exercise I mentioned last week. Find ways to build more movement into your day — walking, dancing, gardening — whatever works for you! What is good for your heart is good for your brain.

4.) Protect your head. Most of us are smart enough to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle or wear our seatbelt while driving, but our greatest risk is falling. Don’t take chances. Hold on to the railing, watch for ice, and don’t hurry.

5.) Be smoke-free. Quitting smoking can lower the risk of cognitive decline back to levels similar to those who have not smoked. It’s never too late to stop.

6.) Control your blood pressure. Healthy eating habits, physical activity, and medications can help. Work with a healthcare provider to control your blood pressure.

7.) Manage diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or controlled by eating healthier, increasing physical activity, and taking medications, if necessary.

8.) Eat right. Eating healthier foods can help reduce your risk of cognitive decline. This includes more vegetables and leaner meats/proteins, along with foods that are less processed and lower in fat. A Mediterranean diet is the diet most recommended.

9.) Sleep well. Stay off screens before bed and make your sleep space as comfortable as possible. Do all you can to minimize disruptions. If you have any sleep-related problems, such as sleep apnea, talk to a healthcare provider.

10.) Maintain a healthy weight. Talk to your healthcare provider about the weight that is healthy for you. Other healthy habits on this list — eating right, exercising and sleeping well — can help with maintaining a healthy weight.

All of these healthy habits reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. So take charge of your brain health today. It’s never too late, or for your millennial children, never too early to start.

Brain Tease. On the website Braingle, I found this exercise that helps improve your ability to form concrete impressions from memory. So close your eyes and try to recreate the following smells.

1. A rotten egg; 2. Pumpkin pie; 3. Wet dog; 4. Freshly cut grass; 5. A new car.

How well did you do recreating the smells? For more of these exercises, search for Mental Smells on the Braingle website.

The names of the pair of magpies created by Terrytunes studios who were always causing problems were Heckle and Jeckle. I received correct answers from Judy Kiser, Donna Mollet, Lana Tepfer, Bruce Johnson, and Keith and Marlene Clymer, who were close but no cigar for remembering two Looney Tunes cartoon crows you may also remember: Jose and Manuel. But this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket is Rose Schulz. And last week I missed Pat Evenson-Brady, Elaine Kirby, Julya Hoffman, and Donna Mollet who, as I have often done, forgot to hit the send key.

The Beatles were two years into Beatlemania when they recorded the album Rubber Soul. One of the songs was a love ballad with some of the lyrics sung in French. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the title of this song that has become one of the most widely recorded Beatles songs? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with the Grammy trophy for the 1967 Song of the Year.

Well, it has been another week, holding on to whatever I can find to hang on to. Until we meet again, don’t let the dinner bell catch you napping.

“What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner.” Colette

It’s winter. You haven’t been getting out much, spending time inside and staying warm. But you feel it’s time to start exercising to get in shape for spring. But what types of exercises should you do?

There are four primary types of exercises to consider. All are important but you may want to focus on one category more than another depending on your current physical condition and what goals you want to achieve.

1.) Endurance exercise. Also known as aerobic exercise, endurance activities are prolonged, repetitive exercises that get your heart beating faster which over time will strengthen your cardiovascular system. Some examples of endurance activities include walking, biking, hiking in a park, or swimming laps in a pool – which I can tell you has limited visual excitement!

2.) Strength exercise. Strength or resistance training builds muscle and supports joint health. This type of training involves working against resistance such as using dumbbells or resistance bands. As I mentioned several weeks ago, you can also use your body weight to do push-ups, planks, or squats at home with little to no equipment.

3.) Flexibility and joint mobility training. Flexibility refers to a muscle’s ability to lengthen, while joint mobility refers to the joint’s ability to move freely. Both types of training go hand in hand because they allow you to move with less restriction. Lack of flexibility and joint mobility can limit your ability to participate in everyday activities – like picking a piece of paper off the floor – or yourself.

Some examples of flexibility and joint mobility activities include participating in yoga, doing a stretching routine in the morning or before bedtime, and warming up before a workout by moving your joints comfortably.

4.) Balance training. Balance training is often overlooked but is an essential part of independent movement and confidence. Without adequate balance, you feel uncoordinated and awkward leaving you vulnerable to falls and injury.

You can find a variety of exercise classes in the Gorge but two that incorporate many different types of exercise are the Strong People classes and Tai Chi.

A Strong People class can improve your strength, balance, flexibility, sleep, mood, social connections, and more. There are nine locations in the Gorge. Visit the OSU Extension Strong People website for locations and times or contact Lauren Kraemer at 541-386-3343 or Lauren.Kraemer@oregonstate.edu.

The second is Tai Chi classes that aim to improve strength, flexibility, balance, and body awareness, as well as increase concentration and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress. You can attend a Tai Chi class at the Hood River Valley Adult Center, Pioneer Center in White Salmon, and at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center.

The key is to do something. Start small, doing what you enjoy and that gets you moving. And exercising with friends is a great motivator. Eventually, you’ll no longer feel exercising is something you should do, but something you want to do.

You can learn more about the types of exercise and how to stay active during cold weather at https://www.ncoa.org/adviser/medical-alert-systems/staying-active-cold-weather/

Brain Tease. What comes next? 1,4,9,3,6,11,5, 8, 13,7,  ?

The name of the brother and sister in the reading series named after them are Dick and Jane. And for the bonus question, their dog’s name was Spot. “See spot run.” “See Spot jump.” “See Spot – no, not there Spot!”

I received correct answers from Judy Kiser and Debbie Medina. Those who also mentioned Spot were Doug Nelson, Rhonda Spies, Linda Frizzell, Lana Tepfer, Kim Birge, Eva Summers, Marny Weting, Craig Terry, Marlene, but not Keith, Clymer. And then Kim Birge also remembered their little sister Sally and thus is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Eva Summers.

You may remember Terrytoons, an animation studio active from 1929 through 1972 that created many cartoon characters, including Fanny Zilch, Mighty Mouse, and Gandy Goose. The studio also created a pair of identical, yellow-billed talking magpies cartoon characters who starred in their Saturday morning television series from 1956 through 1966.

For this week’s “Remember When” question, what were the names of the pair of magpies who were always causing problems with their crazy antics? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with The Talking Magpies released January 4, 1946.

Well, it has been another week, trying to keep my body moving in the direction my head wants to go. Until we meet again, there are times when you just have to go with the flow, because as they say in Arabic “The wind does not blow at the ship’s desire.”

“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” A.A. Milne

Answer: ˙9 ʇɔɐɹʇqns ‘ϛ ppɐ ‘Ɛ ppɐ sᴉ uɹǝʇʇɐd ǝɥʇ ǝsnɐɔǝq 0Ɩ

As we age we encounter many different life stages. Last week, I mentioned three when planning your retirement: New Freedom, New Horizons, and New Simplicity.

But there is another stage many of us will reach that isn’t as appealing. A time when the mind may be willing, but the body isn’t. Your world seems to shrink and your options appear to evaporate. Because this stage can feel terrifying and intimidating, we often ignore it and avoid preparing for that time when we must make some very difficult decisions.

In an article for Next Avenue, PBS’s website for those 50+, Debbie Reslock urges us to understand what we fear and take responsibility for our lives. We can then discover options that alleviate those fears, so we can make decisions that create a future we can accept and enjoy – and do so before someone else makes those decisions for us.

There are three aging decisions she thinks we should start considering.

1.)   Continue to drive or hang up the keys. Most of us fear the day we can no longer drive. Ever since we were young, the car was a sign of our independence: our ability to be in control of our lives. We don’t want to lose that independence and become a burden for someone else.

2.)   Stay in your home or move. Your home may now be more than you can handle, but it is familiar and full of memories. Do you modify your home, move into an accessible apartment, a retirement or assisted living community or move near your children?

3.)   Continue caring for yourself or ask for help. Struggling with daily life on your own not only presents challenges as we age but can contribute to depression and isolation. But no longer being self-reliant is hard to accept.

These are difficult decisions, and the answers are unique for everyone. But it’s not too early to be proactive. Start imagining your future life while understanding all the options and consequences, so if you do have to give something up, you can do it on your own terms. The ultimate loss of independence is when others, often well-intentioned, start making decisions for you.

Random thought. I often read predictions of what will occur in 2030 and I often ignore them because 2030 seems so far away until I realize it’s only five years from now!

Brain Tease. Here are three more lateral thinking puzzles where you need to look at the situation from a different perspective and not assume anything. I’ve heard these teasers many times, but still can’t solve them. I guess I’m still stuck in my assumptions.

1.)   Two girls are born to the same mother, on the same day, at the same time, in the same year and yet they’re not twins. How can this be?

2.) If you put a small coin into an empty wine bottle and replace the cork, how would you get the coin out of the bottle without taking out the cork or breaking the bottle?

3.) A man rode into town on Monday. He stayed for three nights and then left on Monday. How come?

The film in which a decorated war veteran was sentenced to two years on a chain gang and included one of the most memorable movie lines – which many of you remember – “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate” is Cool Hand Luke. I received correct answers from Tina Castanares, Judy Kiser, Donna Mollet, David Liberty, Dave Lutgens, Kathy Bullack, Lana Tepfer, Rose Schulz, Doug Nelson, Jess Birge, Keith Clymer, Elaine Kirby, Nancy Higgins, and Richard Shaw who is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

I’m sure I’ve missed several folks since I submitted this column last Thursday, but next week I’ll include everyone I missed.

When learning to read in our grade school days in the 50s, 80% percent of first-grade students in the United States used this common reading series. For this week’s “Remember When” question, in this reading primer, what was the name of the brother and sister that became cultural icons? And for the bonus question, what was the name of their dog? E-mail your answers to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send your answers with your first-grade report card.

Until we meet again, when the icy roads come again – and they surely will – drive safely because as Paul Newman once said, “It’s useless to put on your brakes when you are upside down.”

“If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate you are bound to wake up somebody.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Answers:

1.)  ˙sʇǝldᴉɹʇ ǝɹɐ ʎǝɥ┴ 2.)   ˙uᴉoɔ ǝɥʇ ʇno ǝʞɐɥs puɐ ‘ǝlʇʇoq ǝɥʇ oʇuᴉ ʞɹoɔ ǝɥʇ ɥsnԀ 3.) ˙ǝsɹoɥ sᴉɥ ɟo ǝɯɐu ǝɥʇ sᴉ ʎɐpuoW

For many of us, 50 is a faint distant memory – okay, maybe that’s just me! But looking back, have the years since middle age been what you expected? Retirement and years of nonstop leisure? And is there anything you wish you had known to prepare for your later years and that you would want to share with your adult children when they reach 50?

George H. Schofield, Ph.D. in his book How Do I Get There From Here? Planning for Retirement When the Old Rules No Longer Apply describes three overlapping life stages between 50 and old age that are not defined by age, but defined by the life situations each person experiences. By knowing these life stages, Schofield believes it can make it easier to deal with the expected and unexpected changes that will undoubtedly occur.

The first stage is New Freedom. Often this stage starts when you become an “empty nester”: the kids have moved out, and you have extra time, now that your life no longer revolves around the kids.

Or you have been at your job for some time and have met most of your career goals. You then realize there is more to life than your career, triggering a re-evaluation of your life’s priorities. But it can be disorienting and confusing, not knowing what to do with the extra discretionary time.

The second stage is New Horizons. You start feeling comfortable with the new freedom and begin to realize what you want to do with the extra time by learning more about yourself. What are you curious about? What do you want to learn? What do you want to be good at during this stage in your life? It could be starting a new career, working part-time doing something you truly enjoy, acquiring a new hobby, or returning to a hobby you had once enjoyed.

The third and final stage is New Simplicity. You’re tired of all the competing demands and have decided you no longer want to or no longer can handle all the complications in your life. It is just too much: too much house, too much yard, too much clutter, too many volunteer commitments, and too many dreams and goals that will never be realized. You start to take time to scale back.

Have you experienced any, or maybe all of these stages? Or are you like me, bouncing around in the third stage wondering if there is even a fourth stage: New Questions – “What is life all about?”

Brain Tease. One of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Healthy Habits for your brain is to challenge your mind. Last week I suggested using your non-dominant hand to do simple tasks. If you found that too easy, here is another challenge Try to carry on a conversation with a friend while saying every sentence backward and see if your friend can understand you. For example, instead of “How are you” you ask, “You are how”. Or “Do you think I’m crazy?” becomes “Crazy I’m think you do.” Your short-term memory can generally hold seven items, so keep your sentences short. And if they start walking away, shaking their heads, yell out “Brain your challenge also can this.”

The name of the Broadway musical based on T. H. White’s novel The Once and Future King is Camelot. It included a lyric President Kennedy was especially fond of, “Don’t ever let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was Camelot” which was written by Alan Jay Lerner, JFK’s classmate at Harvard. I received correct answers from Ken Jernstedt, Donna Mollet, Kathy Bullack, Judy Kiser, Bruce Johnson, David Liberty, Pat Evenson-Brady, Lana Tepfer, Dave Lutgens, Debbie Medina, Jess Birge, Kathy Smith, Rhonda Spies, Doug Nelson, Linda Frizzell, Eva Summers, Craig Terry, Ken Jernstedt, Nancy Higgins, and Jonnie Anderson this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

This week let’s shift from Broadway to a 1967 anti-establishment film starring Paul Newman and George Kennedy. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the film in which a decorated war veteran is arrested for cutting down parking meters one drunken night and sentenced to two years on a chain gang where he clashed with the “Captain”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or return your answer with a carton of fifty eggs.

Well, it’s been another week talking too loud so I can hear what I’m saying to make sure it’s what I meant.  Until we meet again, as the writer Dashiell Hammett once said, “You got to look on the bright side, even if there ain’t one.”

“The thing that’s important to know is that you never know. You’re always sort of feeling your way.” Diane Arbus, Photographer

During this time of the year when all the excitement of the holidays is over and the sun becomes that friend who runs off to spend the winter in Arizona, there may be days when you feel a bit down.

These winter blues are fairly common and usually clear up in a short amount of time. But if you find yourself singing the blues, there are tips you can follow to help you sing a different tune.

First is simple: open all the curtains in your house and “Let the Sunshine In”! Also, if you can, spend time outdoors: take a morning walk to increase your natural light exposure.

Some tips don’t depend on the weather: getting plenty of sleep, staying connected with loved ones, practicing relaxation exercises, and I would add, watching your favorite comedies – even for the third time!

Also, find ways to stay social. You can participate in activities at your local senior center. Or you can invite friends over to play cards, discuss a favorite book, or enjoy a glass of wine while discussing your favorite book.

And how about starting your own exercise group? On the living room floor, you and your friends can do stomach crunches, leg lifts, and push-ups just like in your high school P.E. class – except now you have to figure out how to get back up off the floor! (On second thought, a chair yoga class is a much better alternative.)

You may want to skip the stomach crunches with friends, but staying physically active is important if you want to beat the winter blues. There are simple exercises you can do by yourself at home that don’t require a large space or special equipment: wall push-ups, stair climbs, sit-to-stands from a dining room chair, bicep curls with full water bottles or jugs, and plank holds from your counter or couch. (You can find videos of these exercises on YouTube.)

And If you find it hard to get motivated, try rewarding yourself. Maybe a bowl of Tillamook Udderly Chocolate Ice Cream?  Although that probably isn’t the best idea for your waistline.

There is one caution. Even though experiencing random days when you feel down, drained, and even depressed is normal, when you are feeling down, hopeless, unmotivated, and discouraged for days, you may be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD which is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons. If you experience these symptoms, you should reach out to your primary care provider or a mental health professional because there are treatments available.

During these often dreary winter days, it is easy to get stuck inside with the winter blues. But these tips can help you enjoy these winter months as you wait until the summer when we will all wish it was January.

Brain Tease. Instead of a tease here is a challenge. Identify a common task: drinking your coffee, brushing your teeth, or eating a salad, and use only your non-dominant hand.

It will probably feel awkward and frustrating, but that is a positive sign. Using your non-dominant hand engages your brain in entirely new ways by forcing your brain out of auto-pilot and making it think more about your movements. But you might want to practice in private before you embarrass yourself in public.

The name of the fictional teenage girl amateur detective in the book series first published in 1930 was Nancy Drew. I received correct answers from Donna Mollet, Judy Kiser, Dave Lutgens, Kathy Hannen-Smith who still has 26 of the books, Eva Summers, Rhonda Spies, Lana Tepfer, Paul Armerding, Barb Blair, Marny Weting, Marlene Clymer, Rose Schulz, Nancy Higgins, Darlien France, Doug Nelson, and Kathy Bullack. (And I learned from Pat Evenson-Brady that Hillary Clinton, Sonia Sotomayor, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Laura Bush have said Nancy Drew was a formative influence when they were growing up.) For this week, the winner of a quilt raffle ticket is Joy Ingalls.

During the 1960s several Broadway musicals reflected the idealism of the times. One of the most popular was based on T. H. White’s novel The Once and Future King and ran on Broadway from 1960 to 1963 starring Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, and Robert Goulet. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this musical which after JFK’s death became associated with his administration? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or return it with the original cast album which was the top-selling album for 60 weeks.

Well, it’s been another week living a life where everything takes a little bit longer. Until we meet again, what if the hokey pokey is really what it’s all about?

“Always leave them laughing when you say good-bye.” George M. Cohen

After a wonderful trip visiting our children in California, Rita and I are back in the Gorge gradually returning to our regular routines and fighting the urge to fly back to San Diego whenever the temperature drops below 40.

Besides hanging out with our children, I learned a couple of things on this trip.

I didn’t know when scanning your carry-ons while going through airport security you don’t have to take your shoes off if you are seventy-five or older. That was a pleasant surprise until I thought, how did they know I was over 75? Was it that obvious?

But what was most valuable is I gained a better understanding of how the sometimes complicated relationship with your children can evolve over time.

During the trip while staying with my son and his wife, we would take short trips, and every time I sat in the back seat. When it was time to get out of the car, my son would run around and offer to help me extricate myself out of the back seat.

My response each time? “No, I can do it!” as I struggled to bend my knees to my chest, twist around to get out the door, and stand up.

But later I realized that simple gesture was a way to say he cared and instead of pushing him away with my “can do” attitude, I should have accepted his help. Why should I disregard his sense of caring that is important to him? And I did need the help!

So the lesson I learned is when your children want to help, let them and show your appreciation. Now don’t get me wrong, there are limits. If they start to tell me where I should live, someplace safe with more care, then I’ll have to tell them lovingly, No, way!

Now that we have seen the streets and hills painted white, it’s time for that annual reminder to “walk like a penguin”: pointing your feet out slightly; bending your knees and keeping them loose; extending your arms out to your side and hands out of your pockets; and taking short steps or waddling.

It’s also helpful to assume all wet and dark areas on the pavement are icy – especially around snowbanks where the melt–off freezes overnight.

Whether it’s icy or not, it’s a good time to remember falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults. So, if you need to go outside in the ice and snow, don’t rush, stay focused, and “walk like a penguin”!

Brain Tease. This should be a simple one. What does this mean, T RN?

For the last three weeks of the “Remember When” questions, let’s see if I can get it right.

For December 18^th, the answer was Matchbox Toys. I received correct answers from Katherine Smith, Rebecca Abrams, Rhonda Spies, Debbie Medina, Eva Summers, Craig Terry, and Donna Mollet. I also received other answers you may remember. Kathy Bullack answered Tonka Toys (the Winifred Museum in Winifred, Montana, has a collection of more than 3,000 Tonka Toys!); Craig Terry preferred Dinky toys; Judy Kiser remembered Tootsietoy, and Donna Mollet remembered there were Corgi Toys before Matchbox.

For December 25^th, Donna Mollet’s favorite Christmas present was a bicycle she named Jamie, for Marny Weting it was “Robert the Robot” and for Becky Podvent it was a large Davy Crocket doll she received when she was five.

For January 1st, the name of the group of entertainers including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford was the Rat Pack. I received correct answers from Debbie Medina, Craig Terry, Bruce Johnson, Lana Tepfer, Judy Kiser, Steven Woolpert, Nancy Higgins, Pat Evenson-Brady, Linda Frizzell, Keith Clymer, Melissa Hayes, Rhonda Spies, Dave Lutgens, Mike Yarnell, Rebecca Abrams, Ken Jernstedt, Donna Mollet, and Doug Nelson.

The winners of the quilt raffle tickets for the last three weeks are Katherine Smith, Becky Podvent, and Craig Terry.

Many of the books we read as children were created in the early 1900s by Edward Stratemeyer: The Bobbsey Twins, Tom Swift, and my favorite The Hardy Boys. With the success of the Hardy Boys, Stratemeyer created another mystery series about a fictional teenage girl amateur detective.

For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the heroine in that book series first published in 1930? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or mail it with the first book in the series The Secret of the Old Clock.

Well, it’s been another week, wondering what I should expect iduring this new year. Until we meet again, walk carefully, stay warm, and keep smiling.

“We do not remember days; we remember moments.” Cesare Pavese

Answer: uɹn┴ ∩ oN

December is always a busy month: wrapping gifts, mailing Christmas cards, baking cookies, and visiting family you didn’t see over Thanksgiving. So at the beginning of each year, to make my life a little easier during the busy month of December, I have repeated the lessons I’ve learned over the years from listening to older adults who are much wiser than I am.

One of those older adults is Gary Young and instead of sharing my annual list of lessons learned, I thought I would share some of Gary’s 100-plus thoughts he has collected over the years. And it was not easy to reduce the list to 30.

1. Giving a young person something of yours creates a treasure and reduces clutter.
2. Death is too serious of a topic not to make fun of.
3. The James Webb telescope reveals creation and faith beyond my comprehension.
4. I’d put on a good face, but I like this one.
5. Death ends suffering, but not sorrow.
6. Being happy takes practice. Daily – perhaps hourly.
7. People seldom die on their own terms.
8. I have nothing left to be embarrassed about; just ask my nurse.
9. I am overburdened with alone time.
10. I’ve been wrong about many things, right about a few, and it’s hard to tell the difference.
11. Serious thoughts demand laughter.
12. Not everyone has the opportunity to grow old.
13. “If I donate my body to science, does that mean I’m finally going to medical school?
14. There’s no sense taking things to the grave; there’s no room.
15. Most things mean something else.
16. It’s best to face the music, you can hear better.
17. Would it really matter if my left hand knew what my right hand was doing?
18. Too often we don’t know the pain of others.
19. Being elderly, you can get people’s eyes to glaze over by saying, “When I was young…”
20. Always look for someone to take your place.
21. I don’t want to know the answer to: “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”
22. Keeping your nose to the grindstone and your shoulder to the wheel, is painful.
23. In Kindergarten my favorite time was afternoon nap. Being old, not much has changed.
24. The trouble with laughter is that we don’t do it enough.
25. When the phone was on a cord I could always find it.
26.      There are things I can’t remember, but I wish I could.
27. There are things I can’t forget, but I wish I could.
28. It’s always good to know where the nearest restroom is located.
29. Live as long you can, as well as you can, not a moment less, or a moment more.
30. If I sit on my porch and wave, a parade might just go by.

Now are there any life lessons you would add?

Brain Tease: All the letters have been advertently mixed! See if you can decipher these quotes taken from famous Missourians.

1. Ni awtkr am- Tpy geni revira tsu jtni ala ined. –
2. Namu rtsyr rah- Go date g not g nihs aw nid neir fat nawu oyfi.
3. Ar rebig oy- esl eere hwem osp ud nell i wuo ye rasecn ahc gni og eru oy ere hwwo nktn odu oyfi.

In the early 1960s, a group of entertainers including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford often appeared together in Las Vegas and in films. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name given to this group of entertainers? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or mail it with a DVD of the 1960s movie Ocean’s 11.

Well, it’s been another week, wondering now that 2024 is over, what’s next? Until we meet again, have a safe and happy New Year!

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” –Oprah Winfrey

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Wednesdays with music on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; Hood River Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center (541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333).

For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services: Goldendale office

(509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: ˙ǝɯɐu suosɹǝd ǝɥʇ ɥʇᴉʍ ƃuᴉʇɹɐʇs ‘spɹɐʍʞɔɐq pǝllǝds ʎldɯᴉs ǝɹǝʍ sǝɔuǝʇuǝs ǝɥ┴

1. uᴉɐʍ┴ ʞɹɐW- ˙ʇdʎƃƎ uᴉ ɹǝʌᴉɹ ɐ ʇsnɾ ʇ,uᴉɐ lɐᴉuǝp
2. uɐɯnɹ┴ ˙S ʎɹɹɐH- ˙ƃop ɐ ʇǝƃ ‘uoʇƃuᴉɥsɐM uᴉ puǝᴉɹɟ ɐ ʇuɐʍ noʎ ɟI
3. ɐɹɹǝq ᴉƃo⅄- ˙ǝslǝ ǝɹǝɥʍǝɯos dn puǝ llᴉʍ noʎ ǝɹɐ sǝɔuɐɥɔ ‘ƃuᴉoƃ ǝɹ,noʎ ǝɹǝɥʍ ʍouʞ ʇ,uop noʎ ɟI

During this season of peace and goodwill, it is a good time to reflect on the importance of being connected in caring relationships with others, because even though we often hear of “independent living” we never are independent – nor should we be.

The African word Ubuntu which means “I am what I am because of who we all are” describes the relationship we have with others: the natural interconnectedness where we both give and receive, as we help others while others help us. This interconnectedness makes us more complete human beings and stronger communities as we share our strengths and talents to offset our weaknesses.

As we age we tend to move more towards a dependency on others: opening doors, needing a ride or help with daily bathing. But as we learn to accept more help, we can also continue to find ways to give back and stay interconnected with life’s give and take.

For example, we can volunteer for one of the many local non-profits. Or we can give back in more subtle ways: offering a word of encouragement, a friendly smile to a haggard cashier, or being an example of how to live with dignity and grace during difficult times.

As Joni Mitchell once sang, we have seen life “from both sides, now”. We know the ups and downs; the successes and failures; the loves and losses. And with that perspective, we all have much to offer.

Since this column is the last one of the year, I want to thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to read this column. It’s been a privilege starting back in 2008 writing for The Dalles Chronicle and now with the Columbia Gorge News. There will come a time to “let go”, but as long as I can find something to steal – oops, I mean to share – I will keep writing. I must admit it has gotten harder to find the right word or phrase. But I’ve found one of the benefits of writing is that you have time – and often it takes way too much time – to arrange these marks on the page to appear halfway intelligent or at least coherent. 

I’ve also discovered writing is like a form of meditation: you aren’t worrying about your next doctor’s appointment, what to prepare for dinner, or those scattered papers on the floor. You’re focused just on your writing – and hours later you’re wondering, when did it get dark outside?

Writing is a true pleasure, so why don’t you pick up a pen or tap those keys on the keyboard and start writing – whether it’s a daily journal, or your “soul portrait”? Or how about your life story – and don’t be afraid to embellish it. Who’s going to know? 

When you write don’t worry about what others think. Jump in. Be fearless. And start writing that gripping soap opera for cats with steamy cat scenes. It could be the next Netflix series.

Brain Tease: All the letters have been advertently mixed! See if you can decipher these quotes taken from famous Missourians.

1. Ni awtkr am- Tpy geni revira tsu jtni ala ined. – 
2. Namu rtsyr rah- Go date g not g nihs aw nid neir fat nawu oyfi.
3. Ar rebig oy- esl eere hwem osp ud nell i wuo ye rasecn ahc gni og eru oy ere hwwo nktn odu oyfi.

The brand of small die-cast toys first introduced in the 1950s and designed for the co-owner’s daughter because her school only allowed children to bring toys that could fit inside a matchbox was, you guessed it, Matchbox Toys. 

Well, it’s the holidays and I’ll be surfing the California waves – in my daydreams, and I needed to submit this and the next week’s columns early. So, as I have done in the past, in three weeks I will share the names of everyone who sent in the correct answers. 

This week’s” Remember When” question has no wrong answer. What was your favorite Christmas present when you were young? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or mail it with a 1950s Lionel Train Set.

Well, it’s been another week, remembering what is truly important. Until we meet again, have a Very Merry Christmas!

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince

Answer: ˙ǝɯɐu suosɹǝd ǝɥʇ ɥʇᴉʍ ƃuᴉʇɹɐʇs ‘spɹɐʍʞɔɐq pǝllǝds ʎldɯᴉs ǝɹǝʍ sǝɔuǝʇuǝs ǝɥ┴

1. uᴉɐʍ┴ ʞɹɐW- ˙ʇdʎƃƎ uᴉ ɹǝʌᴉɹ ɐ ʇsnɾ ʇ,uᴉɐ lɐᴉuǝp
2. uɐɯnɹ┴ ˙S ʎɹɹɐH- ˙ƃop ɐ ʇǝƃ ‘uoʇƃuᴉɥsɐM uᴉ puǝᴉɹɟ ɐ ʇuɐʍ noʎ ɟI
3. ɐɹɹǝq ᴉƃo⅄– ˙ǝslǝ ǝɹǝɥʍǝɯos dn puǝ llᴉʍ noʎ ǝɹɐ sǝɔuɐɥɔ ‘ƃuᴉoƃ ǝɹ,noʎ ǝɹǝɥʍ ʍouʞ ʇ,uop noʎ ɟI

In two weeks, it will be a new year: the traditional time to make your New Year’s resolutions that are full of optimism and hope.

But do any of you make New Year’s resolutions anymore? And do you really need to? I mean at our age, we’ve experienced enough that we should have it all figured out, right?

Some of you may think New Year’s resolutions are just a waste of time setting us up for disappointment, but New Year’s resolutions can be an opportunity to imagine what new goals you want to accomplish in the upcoming year: walking a new trail in the Gorge, finishing reading that book you were given two Christmases ago, or getting in shape so you can spend more time with your grandkids!

There is much we can’t control: medical emergencies, the size of our social security check, or whether it is going to rain or snow. But there are many aspects of our lives we can at least influence.

So here we are, about to enter a new year, when we can look ahead and decide what we want to do to make our lives the best they can be.

What is important to you this coming year? What are your New Year’s resolutions?

If you can’t think of any resolutions, consider these suggestions from the Medium website.

1. Become a Mystery Pineapple Giver: Secretly leave pineapples at neighbors’ doors to spread tropical cheer all year.
2. Hold Daily Conversations with Houseplants: Provide motivational speeches to boost their growth and document their responses in a journal.
3. Write a Soap Opera for Cats: Script dramatic adventures for feline actors, complete with love triangles and cliffhangers.
4. Hold Weekly Disco Parties for Houseplants: Play “groovy” music and use disco lights to create a fun atmosphere for plants.
5. Train to become a Professional Cloud Interpreter: Develop skills to interpret and narrate the stories behind cloud formations.
6. Start a Band Using Only Kitchen Utensils: Form a musical group that uses pots, pans, and spoons as instruments.
7. Start a Collection of Invisible Art: Curate an impressive gallery of art that only you can see and describe.
8. Build a Time Machine from Cardboard Boxes: Attempt to visit the past or future from the comfort of your living room.

So, take out a pencil and paper. And hurry, you don’t have much time. Sooner than you think, it will be December 18^th, 2025.

Brain Tease: You are on your way to visit your grandchild who lives at the end of the valley. It’s her birthday, and you want to give her the cakes you’ve made.

Between your house and her house, you have to cross 7 bridges, and as it goes in the land of make-believe, there is a troll under every bridge! Each troll, quite rightly, insists that you pay a troll toll. Before you can cross their bridge, you have to give them half of the cakes you are carrying, but as they are kind trolls, they each give you back a single cake.

How many cakes do you have to leave home with to make sure that when you arrive to visit your grandchild you have exactly 2 cakes?

The American musician, singer, and actor who recorded the Christmas classic “A Holly, Jolly Christmas” was Burl Ives. I received correct answers from Steven Woolpert, Mike McFarlane, Judy Kiser, Dave Lutgens, Rhonda Spies, Jim Tindall, Rebecca Abrams, Paul and Maria Kollas, Donna Mollet, Rose Schulz, Lana Tepfer, Craig Terry, Doug Nelson, Bruce Johnson, Keith Clymer, Eva Summers, Kathy Bullack, Becky Podvent, and this week we had two folks join the “Remember When” family for the first time: Kathy Hannen-Smith and Paul Amerding. And being it’s the “Holly, Jolly Christmas” season, they both receive a free quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Donna Mollet

This toy brand was first introduced in the 1950s and because it was inexpensive enough for children to afford, it became the household word for small model toy cars. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the biggest-selling brand of small diecast model cars and trucks until Mattel introduced the Hot Wheels series in 1968? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or mail it with a Superfast No 9 AMX Javelin in Blue.

Well, it’s been another week, wondering which way is ahead. Until we meet again, when it’s slippery outside don’t forget to walk like a penguin!

“There are three stages of man: he believes in Santa Claus; he does not believe in Santa Claus; he is Santa Claus.” –Bob Phillips

Answer: ˙ǝƃpᴉɹq ʎɹǝʌǝ ɹǝʇɟɐ sǝʞɐɔ ᄅ ɥʇᴉʍ noʎ sǝʌɐǝl ɥɔᴉɥM ˙ʞɔɐq ǝuo ǝʌᴉǝɔǝɹ noʎ puɐ ‘sǝʞɐɔ ɹnoʎ ɟo ɟlɐɥ ǝʌᴉƃ oʇ pǝɹᴉnbǝɹ ǝɹɐ noʎ ǝƃpᴉɹq ɥɔɐǝ ʇ∀ ˙oʍ┴

In less than two weeks, Rita and I will fly to California for our annual Christmas visit with our son and daughter – hearing about their adventures and hopes, how they are managing life’s changes and challenges, and exchanging gifts.

And every year I realize how different our lives are. They have good paying jobs – although working too many hours; one is living alone and the other is married and supporting a family of one dog, and they have attended concerts in L.A. and traveled abroad. 

And my wife and I? We are working half-time – certainly not full-time, and have become comfortable in our everyday ways: same house, same friends, same meals, same interests – and maybe an occasional trip to the coast. But all familiar – maybe too familiar. 

Then at some point, our lives will change, whether we want to or not, and we will shift from what is familiar to the unfamiliar, maybe moving into a retirement community – our children will insist it is for our own safety, or no longer able to enjoy our hobbies because of chronic pain. Or worse yet, losing lifelong friends because they have moved or passed away.

Moving from what’s familiar to the unfamiliar can be uncomfortable and confusing. You may wonder how to deal with things you don’t want to experience; how do you adjust and cope with what you feel you cannot endure? But cope you must, because there is no alternative. You either cope well or badly.

Joan Chittister in her book The Gift of Years eloquently discusses how adjustment is a part of aging and it is up to us to decide whether to live our later years with despair and anger or with joy and anticipation.

For instance, you can decide to fight the inevitable changes, blaming others and destroying good relationships when you may need them the most. Or you can passively accept your new situation, but emotionally refuse to adjust – living in the shadow of what once was but no longer can be and making life a struggle.

Or you can cope with the stress of change with courage, experiencing the losses, but also seeing the new gifts surrounding you while anticipating the joys of the daily small blessings.

Joan Chittister believes the challenge of these years is “that we must consciously decide how we will live, what kind of person we will become now, what kind of personality and spirituality we will bring into every group, how alive we intend to be”.

The blessing “is being able to live so openheartedly, and to adjust so well, that others can look to us and see what being old can bring in terms of life, of holiness, of goodness to make the world new again”.

When we were young, we constantly adjusted to new situations: marriage, children, and careers; then as we grew older we became comfortable with the familiar and anxious about the unfamiliar changes. But once again as we enter a new year, living life as it comes to us not as we insist it to be, may be our greatest opportunity.

Brain Tease: Two quotes with all the vowels removed. (Hint: Each quote starts with “I”.)

1.” knw tht thr r ppl wh d nt lv thr fllw mn, nd ht ppl lk tht!” Tom Lehrer

2. “lv Mck Ms mr thn n wmn ‘v vr knwn.” Walt Disney

The comedy duo that starred in the 1934 version of Babes in Toyland and who were famous for their slapstick comedy were Stan Laurel and Ollie Hardy. I received correct answers from Bruce Johnson, Judy Kiser, Eva Summers, Jess Birge, Dave Lutgens, Rhonda Spies, Doug Nelson, Keith and Marlene Clymer, Rebecca Abrams, and Nancy Higgins this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Dave Lutgens and Pat Evenson-Brady, 

The song “A Holly Jolly Christmas” was featured in the 1964 Christmas special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and was re-recorded and released in 1964 as a single. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the American musician, singer, and actor with a career that spanned more than six decades who recorded this Christmas classic? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or send it with a picture of Sam the Snowman.  

Well, it’s been another week, wondering if the sun will shine today or not. Until we meet again, enjoy the quiet evenings of winter.

“Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.” –John Boswell

Answers: 1.)  ¡ʇɐɥʇ ǝʞᴉl ǝldoǝd ǝʇɐɥ I puɐ ‘uɐɯ ʍollǝɟ ɹᴉǝɥʇ ǝʌol ʇou op oɥʍ ǝldoǝd ǝɹɐ ǝɹǝɥʇ ʇɐɥʇ ʍouʞ I

2.) ˙uʍuʞ ɹʌ ʌ, uɯʍ u uɥʇ ɹɯ sW ʞɔW ʌl