We often talk about living to 100 but there’s a time when you realize it is not the years in your life that’s important but the life in the years. But how can you make the most of your remaining years? Travel to far-a-way lands? Attend classes at CGCC? Hit the pubs on the weekend?
I have found from talking to older adults at the Center the main ingredient for living a happier life in your later years is attitude – particularly in the following three ways.
First, be open to change and avoid hanging on to what isn’t possible anymore. I’m not going to run a marathon again – I can hardly jog across the street! Second, be creative by finding new ways to enjoy what you once did. If you can no longer eat your favorite foods, experiment in the kitchen, and create new dishes. And third, focus on what you can still do and don’t go down the long dark alley of always complaining about what you can’t.
By keeping a positive attitude and learning to accept and adapt, when life throws you a curve, you’ll find that you can still hit the ball out of the park.
Last week’s lesson from the Blue Zones was to eat less – which these days is easier for me. (Just as its quicker for my bladder to feel full, it seems to be the same for my stomach.) But this week’s lesson may be harder. Lesson five from the “Power of Nine” is “Plant Slant”.
Like many of you, I was raised on hamburger, fried chicken, bacon and sausage. But according to Dan Beuttner, the inhabitants of the Blue Zones kept their meat consumption to a minimum and ate mostly plant based foods: beans, greens, fruits, nuts and whole grains. So during these wintry months, why not experiment and try some new healthy recipes with less meat. You can find some tasty recipes at Oregon State University’s website www.foodhero.org.
As you consider all the holiday activities, don’t forget the local Habitat for Humanity Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, December 2, 2017 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the United Church of Christ 111, East Fifth Street. There will be craft vendors and baked goods. But what makes it a stop you don’t want to miss is the delicious homemade soup lunch with rolls, beverages, and a slice of pie for only $5.00!
December 7th is the last day for Medicare open enrollment. To compare Medicare plans, you can go online at Medicare.gov. But the easiest and most convenient way to compare plans and have your questions answered is to call the Center and schedule an appointment with a trained SHIBA volunteer who can guide you through the Medicare jungle.
The Center’s Holiday Breakfast is December 9th from 8:00 – 9:30. And you can’t beat the menu: all-you-can-eat pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit, juice and coffee – all for $6 per person and $3.00 for those 12 and under. It will also be your last chance to purchase a quilt raffle ticket before the drawing at 9:00 am. The sponsors are Dennis Morgan and Dean Dollarhide – who were the sponsors for last year’s holiday breakfast which was cancelled because of snow. But don’t worry. There won’t be snow this year. Santa promised!
The name of the Saturday morning cartoon canine hero in the episode “Simon Says, No Thanksgiving” was Underdog as in “There’s no need to fear, Underdog is here!” (It was a tough question, but I did receive correct answers from Jess Birge and this week’s winner of a free quilt raffle ticket Diana Weston.)
This one hit wonder was recorded in 1969 after the singer heard Porter Wagner singing a gospel song on TV and thought “Yeah, I could do that”. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the song, an innovative combination of gospel and psychedelic rock sounds, sung by Norman Greenbaum? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with a Fender Telecaster guitar with a fuzz box.
Well, it’s been another week, trying to remember to keep my shoulders back and my head up. Until we meet again, we take better care of ourselves by taking good care of each other.
“Grief is like the ocean, it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn how to swim.” Vicki Harrison
