I’m trying to hold back the slow, methodical footsteps of time. I do all the right things. I exercise five days a week; I keep mentally stimulated by playing brain games and working the online NYT crossword puzzles (I use autocorrect!); I keep my sodium intake low and eat a daily variety of vegetables; and I stay socially active by working parttime and volunteering. But then I realize, I’m no longer the young whipper-snapper I used to be.

How do I know? Friends start giving me tissues when my nose, without informing me, starts dripping like an old pipe; I mention Ma Bell to my adult children and they want to know who she is; and among my younger friends, I’m the only one who knows how to spell Alzheimer’s! I can now empathize with the woman who was looking for someone with younger legs to mow her yard because at 87 she had finally reached the age when she couldn’t “cut the mustard, let alone the grass!”

I can’t stop the quickening passage of time. (Well, I can but I don’t like that alternative!) Instead, I will learn to embrace my age with humor and determination while enjoying this precious life adventure.

Which leads to this month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder” a monthly column where over the past three years, a diverse set of “eyes” have shared their touching and moving examples of how to embrace your age. The column is made possible thanks to Columbia Gorge News and the efforts and vision of Tina Castanares and the Aging in the Gorge Alliance. Please check out this month’s column “It is never too late – or too early – to ‘Talk About Aging’”.

AGE+ is a non-profit supporting older adults, particularly in rural Oregon. In 2019, AGE+ established Circles of Care in The Dalles and is now active in the Hood River Valley through a partnership with Hood River Valley Adult Center and Providence Hood River.

Another initiative of AGE+ is the Ageless Awards to be held on April 20^th which recognizes Oregonians 75 years or older who have lived their lives making significant contributions to their communities. These honorees are examples of the many individuals in our communities who defy ageist stereotypes, demonstrate the positive impact of older adults, and inspire others to do more in their communities. This year one of the five honorees has Gorge connections: Ed Edmo, a tribal member, poet, and storyteller, who grew up at Celilo Village and has spoken many times in the Gorge.

You can watch the Ageless Awards and hear the honorees’ inspiring stories by registering online at ageplus.org. Or you can attend a Watch Party at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center on April 20^th from 11:45 to 1:00.

Brain Tease: See if you can read this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson while walking backward. Actually, walking backward may not be a good idea.

.yleneres dna llew ti nigeb llahs uoy ;yad wen a si worromoT .nac uoy sa noos sa meht tegrof ;ni tperc tbuod on seitidrusba dna srednulb emoS .dluoc uoy tahw enod evah uoY .ti htiw enod eb dna yad hcae hsiniF

The name of the song Henry Mancini composed with lyrics by Johnny Mercer for the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s was “Moon River”. I received correct answers from Tina Castanares, Donna Mollet, Bruce Johnson, Kim Birge, Marny Weting, Rhonda Spies, Debbie Medina, Dave Lutgens, Pat Everson-Brady, Linda Frizzell, Doug Nelson, Lana Tepfer, Kirk Taylor, and Nancy Higgins who wins a quilt raffle ticket because I’ve missed her not once but twice! And last week I also missed Mary Pierce, Rebecca Abrams, and Rose Schulz.

In the 60s the makers of Vitalis launched an advertising campaign ridiculing grown men who still used that “greasy kid stuff.” For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of that “greasy” hair gel that used the tag lines, “a little dab will do ya! Use more only if you dare but watch out! The gals will all pursue ya! They’ll love to run their fingers through your hair.”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with the original TV commercial.

Well, it has been another week peeking around the corner. Until we meet again, keep an open mind but don’t let your brains fall out.

“Never test the depth of the water with both feet.” African Proverb

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

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; 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); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

In her February 16^th opinion piece in the Washington Post titled “Gen Z might not want to drive. Gen Old shouldn’t”, 84-year-old Elaine Soloway, urges her generation to “Please STOP driving!”

That may be a little extreme and stereotyping older adults – although she lives in Chicago and who would want to drive in any large city? But even around here, we’ve probably known someone we think should stay off the roads, hang up the keys, and sell the car.

But when to stop driving is one of the most agonizing decisions we make as we get older. Driving is a sign of independence. It allows us to visit friends, attend our favorite activities, and buy groceries on our own and when we want.

There are excellent door-to-door transportation options in the Gorge if you decide not to drive. I’m not there yet. But if I’m going to continue driving, I need to learn how to drive smarter. My automatic pilot isn’t as dependable as it once was. And the best way to learn to drive smarter is to complete the AARP Smart Driver Course.

Over 16 million drivers have completed the course and ninety-two percent of the participants say they’d recommend the AARP Smart Driver course to a friend. The course teaches proven driving techniques to help keep you and your loved ones safe on the road. You’ll learn about the effects of medication on driving; how to maintain the proper following distance; handling left turns, right-of-way, and roundabouts; and the proper use of safety belts, airbags, and new technology found in cars today.

You’ll also learn techniques for how to adjust your driving to compensate for the age-related physical and cognitive changes many of us experience such as how to reduce driver distractions. And after completing the course, when one of your children is driving, you’ll have the confidence to gently scream, “YOU’RE DRIVING TOO CLOSE!”

The AARP Smart Driver course will be held at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center on April 26^th from 1:00 – 4:30 and April 27^th from 11:30 – 3:00. You’ll need to attend both sessions to receive your certificate. The cost is $25 per person or $20 for AARP members and you should bring your driver’s license and a pen. Call the Center at 541-296-4788 to sign up. It is open to all Oregon residents.

For those of you who are unable to attend the course, you can take it online by logging on to the AARP Smart Driver Course website. You don’t experience the interaction you find in an in-person class, but it’s convenient and self-paced with sixty days to complete the course.

Brain Tease: This week see if you can solve this ‘series teaser’ where you try to complete the following sequence of numbers. Ready, set, go!

What number comes next? 35, 79, 1113, 1517, ?

The name of the frightening 1968 psychological horror film about a story of Satanism and a young wife’s pregnancy was Rosemary’s Baby. I received correct answers from Lana Tepfer, Bruce Johnson, Rhonda Spies, Dave Lutgens, Deborah Medina, Steven Woolpert, Maria Kollas, who pointed out Rosemary’s Baby is pretty tame compared to horror films nowadays, and Sharon Mounsey this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Linda Frizzell.

Henry Mancini, one of the greatest film composers of all time, wrote the scores for the Peter Gunn television series, the Pink Panther films, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s which included this song described as a “romantic song in which the romantic partner is the idea of romance.”

For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the song Henry Mancini composed with lyrics by Johnny Mercer for Breakfast at Tiffany’s and became Andy Williams’ theme song? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with the iconic black Givenchy dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the film. (It’s for my wife!)

Well, it’s been another week, trying to keep my mind on the road. Until we meet again, as Robert J. Sawyer once said  “Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.”

“Why is it that our memory is good enough to retain the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person?” Francois de La Rochefoucauld

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

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; 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); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: 1921…just keep adding two, 3…5…7…9…11…13…15…17…19…21

When you listen to a favorite old song, smell a certain perfume, or browse through a picture album, does it trigger images and emotions long forgotten? This nostalgia, the emotions caused by remembering something from the past, has been described by Angela Carter as the vice of the aged. “We watch so many old movies our memories come in monochrome”. And John Thorn uses the Greek description to define nostalgia as the pain of not being able to return to one’s home and family.

Nostalgia is often considered detrimental to your emotional well-being. If you are constantly comparing your current situation to the past and wishing you could return to the “good old days”, it can create a sense of loss, isolation and a corresponding disconnect from the present.

But according to the 2013 New York Times article written by John Tierney “What is Nostalgia Good For? Quite a Bit Research Shows”, nostalgia has many positive benefits. It can provide psychological comfort and support – counteracting feelings of boredom, loneliness, and anxiety. It can raise self-esteem, increase optimism, and bring couples closer together when sharing common nostalgic experiences. And it can bring back memories that remind us that our lives do have meaning.

We can’t go back – time moves in only one direction, and we shouldn’t live in the past. But we can benefit from looking back and recalling the many fond and often embarrassing memories: listening to the Indianapolis 500 in the backyard with all the aunts and uncles; making a basket for the opposing team in a grade school basketball game (But I did get the sportsmanship award that year!); and driving my high school steady home in my grandmother’s ’63 Buick Skylark convertible.

Cherish the memories, but don’t get stuck. The comforting memories of the “good old days” can provide the confidence and strength to look forward to new adventures – and future memories.

Several weeks ago, I mentioned the Klickitat County Newsletter but I don’t want to ignore the folks in Skamania County. The Skamania Senior Services in Stevenson offers a variety of community-based services including their Swiftwater Senior Newsletter. The March/April newsletter is posted online and includes information about the Medicare Savings Program; calendars with activities and menus for March and April; and a Nutrition Tip by Sally Munoz, Nutrition Manager. You can also check out the Skamania County Senior Services Facebook page for the latest.

Brain Tease: Last week’s puzzler was a Dr. Seuss quote which was relatively simple to decipher if you knew that all the letters in the words were strung together and then separated into indistinguishable words. For those who didn’t figure it out, here is the Dr. Seuss quote from last week.

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.” – Dr. Seuss

The name of the game show where a panel tried to guess contestants’ occupations and also featured a “mystery guest” where the panelists while blindfolded would attempt to determine a celebrity guest’s identity was What’s My Line. I received correct answers from Steven Woolpert, Mary Pierce, Chuck Rice, Rebecca Abrams, Bruce Johnson, Dave Lutgens, Kim Birge, Lana Tepfer, Donna Mollet, Keith Clymer, and Marny Weting this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I didn’t miss anyone – at least that I know of.

In January I asked a question about the 1954 movie Godzilla which scared me out of my childhood pajamas. But years later I saw another movie that I found even more terrifying.

For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the frightening 1968 psychological horror film about a story of Satanism and a young wife’s pregnancy starring Mia Farrow, Ruth Gordon, and John Cassavetes and written and directed by Roman Polanski? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a copy of the book of the same title written by Ira Levin

Well, it’s been another week, looking under the couch for that word I’ve forgotten. Until we meet again, only a real friend will tell you when your zipper is unzipped.

“No matter how chaotic it is, wildflowers will still spring up in the middle of nowhere.” – Sheryl Crow

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

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; 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); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Have you fallen in the last year? If so, you are not alone. More than one in four people aged 65 years or older fall each year – and the risk of falling increases with age.

But why? Are they unavoidable, unfortunate accidents? Sometimes. But even if we can’t totally eliminate the risk of falling, there are common sense ways we all know to reduce the risk, but we often just don’t do them.

As a reminder some of those ways are:

1. Remove clutter in your home, and walk carefully when there are potential hazards, such as throw rugs. Pets are wonderful companions, but they can also get under your feet and cause a fall.
2. Never stand on chairs to get to something you can’t reach – which may not be your first reaction when the kitchen fire alarm starts blaring. (Yes dear, I know I need to clean the oven!)
3. Make sure whatever you use for support such as a shower grab bar is secure and stable.
4. Immediately wipe spills off the floor and use a rubber-backed bathmat to prevent the bathroom floor from getting wet. Even a small amount of water can lead to a slip.
5. Wear sensible shoes such as properly fitting, sturdy, flat shoes with nonskid soles Avoid floppy slippers, shoes with slick soles, and high heels. (And tell me, why do women wear high heels?)

Besides fall-proofing your home, fall prevention is also a matter of attitude. Consider the following.

Keep moving. Consider activities that improve your strength, balance, coordination, and flexibility such as tai chi or a StrongPeople class. And don’t let an unnecessary fear of falling keep you from being active!

Talk with your primary care provider about any of your medications or health conditions that could increase your risk of falling. And if you fall make sure you tell her.

Use assistive devices if necessary. Many won’t use devices such as a cane or walker because they don’t want to be seen as frail or dependent. But assistive devices allow us to continue the many activities we care about.

Know your limitations. We aren’t the same physically as we were years ago – maybe even last year, but we are wiser. So, if there’s a task you can’t easily complete, don’t do it! Wait and ask for help.

Remember a fall can happen to you – and it can happen again. But by fall-proofing your home, staying active, using assistive devices if necessary, talking with your doctor, and knowing your limitations, you can reduce the risk of falling and avoid serious and costly consequences.

Brain Tease: From last week, do you still remember the three items I used as an example of creating visual images to remember things? If you’ve forgotten, they’re listed at the end.

In the 1968 epic science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey the name of the 9000 supercomputer with a human personality was HAL. I received correct answers from Bruce Johnson, Patrick Cadwell, Steve Woolpert, Linda Frizzell, Dave Lutgens, Mike Nagle, Rebecca Abrams, Lana Tepfer, Donna Mollet, and Mary Pierce who is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I must have been asleep because I missed Lana Tepfer, Linda Frizzell, Donna Mollet, and Rebecca Abrams.

There were many game shows during TV’s first golden age including I’ve Got a Secret (1952–1967), To Tell the Truth (1956–1968), You Bet Your Life (1950–1961), and a game show that ran on CBS from 1950-1967. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this game show where a panel tried to guess contestants’ occupations, and also featured a “mystery guest” round, where the panelists while blindfolded attempted to determine a celebrity guest’s identity? (You can find many of the classic episodes on YouTube featuring such stars as Julie Andrews and Alfred Hitchcock) Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a group picture of Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf, Arlene Francis, Hal Block, and host John Daly.

Well, it’s been another week, waiting for the birds to return from their winter vacations. Until we meet again, never walk with your hands in your pockets.

“Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!'” — Robin Williams

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

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; 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); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: Potato, Piano, Umbrella. Mr. Potato Head dancing on the top of a piano waving an umbrella over his head.

In high school did you have to memorize the Gettysburg Address or Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll? Today we can rely on gadgets outside our brains, so why memorize a poem or practically anything when we can look it up at our fingertips?

But I’ve found there is one thing I do need to memorize: my grocery list. And that has become my weekly memory test.

How? I usually start by writing the list of grocery items on the back of the closest piece of paper. Then at the store, when I check my pockets, I realize I left the list on the kitchen table! And the test begins. How many of the items can I remember? I don’t usually do too bad – around a B-, although I do get an F for forgetting the list!

But I’ve learned I can improve my grade by using a memory palace. In a 2011 New York Times article adapted from Joshua Foer’s “Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything,” Foerexplains “…just about anything could be imprinted upon our memories, and kept in good order, simply by constructing a building in the imagination and filling it with imagery of what needed to be recalled. This imagined edifice could then be walked through at any time in the future. Such a building would later come to be called a memory palace.”

Another tip. When creating your memory palace, use images that are bizarre, unbelievable, or even lewd, because we don’t generally remember the ordinary.

So, let’s say at your Medicare Wellness Exam, your doctor tests your memory by asking you to remember three items: potato, umbrella, piano. You don’t want the doctor to know how bad your memory really is, so you create a mental picture of Mr. Potato Head waving an open umbrella while dancing on the top of a piano in the corner of the living room. Pretty ridiculous, right? But memorable! (Next week I’ll ask if you still remember the three items.)

Creating a memory palace is one way that can help us remember things. But as we worry about our forgetfulness, Joshua Foer reminds us that “our biggest failing may be that we forget how rarely we forget.”

The Klickitat County Senior Newsletter is an informative resource for those of you living in Klickitat County. In this month’s newsletter, you’ll learn about the Volunteer Connection Program seeking volunteers, (call 509-493-3068 or 509-773-3757), Veterans Service Office, the monthly Grief Group, AARP Tax-Aide, utility senior discounts, and more. You can view the newsletter online by searching for Klickitat County Senior Newsletter. To be added to their mailing list call 509-493-3068 or 1-800-447-7858.

Brain Tease: A man is asked what his daughters look like. He answers, “They are all blondes but two, all brunettes but two, and all redheads but two.” How many daughters did he have?

The name of the innovative and supportive bed that was invented in the late 1960s and was a rage in the 70s and 80s was a waterbed. I received correct answers from Diana Weston, Doug Nelson, Melissa Hayes, Dave Lutgens, Marlene and Keith Clymer, Jeannie Pesicka, Rhonda Spies, Rose Schulz, Mary Pierce – who I missed last week, and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket Bruce Johnson who shared his story of his cat thinking the new waterbed was a scratching pad. It did not end well, but the cat won!

With all the talk about the advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it will save or destroy civilization, it reminds me of the 1968 science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey which follows the voyage by astronauts and scientists on a spacecraft whose operations are controlled by a 9000 supercomputer with a human personality. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this supercomputer? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a recording of Richard Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra.

Well, it’s been another week, trying to pay attention to what I’m doing and not to what I’m not. Until we meet again, just because you’re slower doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enter the race.

“Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.” Kurt Vonnegut

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

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; 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); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: He has 3 daughters. One blonde, one brunette, and one redhead.

When March arrives, I expect winter to be over. Okay, as my wife reminded me, winter doesn’t officially end until March 18th, but I’m talking unofficially or maybe more accurately wishfully. But it looks like this year my wish has not come true – with the ten-day forecast predicting daytime highs not getting above the mid-forties.

But soon, maybe not around the corner but at least not far down the road, spring will arrive, and the once dormant yard and garden will burst out of their hibernation waiting for some tender loving care. But that’s my wife’s love.

For myself, it’s time to start taking walks again: to get out of the house and explore the town I’ve lived in for over forty years and rediscover the hidden and not-so-hidden treasures I’ve ignored because I was just too busy or in a rush.

And this spring, I’ve found some help! Several weeks ago, Scott Stephenson, director of The Dalles Art Center, spoke at The Dalles Rotary, and during his presentation, he demonstrated a fascinating app you can use on your smartphone. It’s called OtoCast. The beauty of the app is it shows the location, photos, and a brief description of various sites in The Dalles or Hood River. It’s like a walking tour guide in your pocket – and it doesn’t cost a thing! On the app, you can find different historical sites featured in “Altogether The Dalles” a city-wide art collaboration. In Hood River, you can find twenty-five pieces of public art from the “Art of Community” artistic collaboration which turns ordinary spaces into community landmarks.

You can download OtoCast at Apple’s App Store or Google Play. Then while taking a walk and enjoying the fresh spring air, you can also enjoy the unique treasures in The Dalles and Hood River.

I’ve written about how the Powerful Tools for Caregivers class can help caregivers take care of themselves by reducing stress, improving self-confidence, better communicating their feelings, making tough decisions, and locating helpful resources so they can care for others.

But there can’t be any Powerful Tools for Caregivers without class leaders.

If you are a Washington resident and want to lead a Powerful Tools for Caregivers class, there is a virtual training over Zoom on April 3rd through the 7th from 1pm to 4pm. There’s no cost but space is limited so you need to register soon by emailing AgePrideCenter@uw.edu. And you’ll find it also beneficial because as John C. Maxwell said, “You never really know something until you teach it to someone else.”

This month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder” is beautifully written by Susan Hess sharing her conversations with five women living in two cultures; working to preserve their traditional culture and language for future generations.

Brain Tease: Farmer Smith owns three pink pigs, four brown pigs, and one black pig. How many of Smith’s pigs can say that it is the same color as another pig on Smith’s farm?

The one-time teen idol who performed at the Shamrock in The Dalles five months before his tragic death was Ricky Nelson. I received correct answers from Emmitt Sampson, Sandy Haechrel, Diana Weston, Anna O’Donnell, Steve Woolpert – who I missed last week, Donna Mollet, Doug Nelson, Rhonda Spies, Lana Tepfer, Dave Lutgens, Deborah Medina, Katherine Schlick Noe, Bruce Johnson, Jess Birge, Pat Evenson-Brady who will send you a copy of the “Travelin Man” if you ask nicely, and Nancy Higgins who saw him at the Oregon State Fair in 1978 and is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

This type of bed was invented in the late 1960s, was a rage in the 1970s, and in the mid-1980s was 22% of all bedding purchases. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this innovative and supportive bed that was supposed to offer a sound night’s sleep, but for some it just made them seasick? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send your answer with your favorite story of owning this type of bed.

Well, it’s been another week, thinking too much about this and not enough about that. Until we meet again, if you are going to leap before you look be prepared for a wild ride down.

“Spring is when you feel like whistling, even with a shoe full of slush.” — Doug Larson

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

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; 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); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: None. Pigs don’t talk.

How many times do we tell ourselves “That’s too much effort”; “I’m too tired tonight”; or “Oh, I’ve never done that before, and I’m not going to start now.” I certainly have.

Joan Chittister in her book, The Gift of Years, points out that one of the challenges we face in old age is that we start acting like what society tells us is old – limiting ourselves by creating justifications for our complacency so we stop living to the fullest and stop having fun.  As Lowell Thomas once said, “The secret of my vigor and activity is that I have managed to have a lot of fun.”

But aren’t we told we are supposed to act our age? When we were young, we were expected to study and get an education; and when we finished school, we were expected to start a career and raise a family.

But after sixty-five what is expected now – napping every day? (Okay, I do enjoy a good quick nap!) staying home watching TV? complaining about everything? But how about hiking trails in the Gorge, dyeing your hair crimson red, volunteering for your favorite non-profit, taking your grandkids to the coast, or learning how to make video calls? The possibilities are limitless.

Joan Chittister believes that living fully depends more on your attitude than your physical condition. And even though we may not have as much energy, or have difficulty seeing or hearing, if we have an attitude that keeps us from taking that next step to begin something new, “We fail to go on becoming. We stop in our tracks with years ahead of us. And wait. We take the gift of life and return it unopened.”

As a friend once suggested, the opposite of old is not young, but new. And if we can still discover new adventures, no matter how small, or hone new skills, no matter how ordinary, we can still experience life to the fullest so we don’t allow ourselves “to become less than what we are able to be, more quickly than we ever should”.

I have a little extra space, so I want to finally thank you: thank you for reading this column and the Columbia Gorge News. With so many local newspapers struggling, we are fortunate to have the Columbia Gorge News – a local independent newspaper that serves all the Gorge communities with a caring staff that is invested in the community. And from my little experience writing this weekly column, I know it’s not easy reporting the news accurately and within a deadline.

Brain Tease: I never heard this one before, so as you can imagine I couldn’t solve it. But now it is your turn! “Six drinking glasses stand in a row, with the first three full of juice and the next three empty. By moving only one glass can you arrange them so empty and full glasses alternate?”

The icon of silent film who starred in City Lights: a silent romantic comedy of a tramp falling in love with a blind girl was Charlie Chaplin. I received correct answers from Anna Bolton, Lana Tepfer, Rebecca Abrams, Bruce Johnson, Maria Kollas, Chuck Rice from Goldendale, Rhonda Spies, Dave Lutgens, Donna Mollet, Melissa Hayes, and both Bruce Johnson and Pat Evenson-Brady who sent in pictures of Paulette Goddard. (I think I’m in love!) and are this week’s winners of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Linda Frizzell.

This one-time teen idol performed in The Dalles six months before his tragic death on December 31, 1985. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was this recording artist that starred with his family in a long-running television series and in 1957 began his successful recording career including his last hit “Garden Party” in 1972. Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a DVD of the 1959 film Rio Bravo.

Well, it’s been another week, always neglecting to ask why. Until we meet again, don’t take for granted what you can because there may be a day you can’t.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” Dr. Seuss

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

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; 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); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: Pour the second glass into the fifth glass.

I should’ve mentioned this last week, but who wants to talk about taxes when you have a chance to talk about love and romance? Not me.

So, this week I’ll write about what people have been complaining about since they were first established in Egypt around 3000 B.C. But I’m always reminded without the income tax, we wouldn’t have critical services for millions of older adults: meal programs, senior housing, transportation, and particularly long-term and in-home care services (which can be expensive!) all of which help older adults live with dignity and as independently as possible. As Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. said, “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society”.

But paying your income taxes can be complicated. Albert Einstein felt the hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax. And that was in the 1940s!

But there is help.

There are many excellent tax preparers in the Mid-Columbia region, which many of you may use, but if your returns are not complicated there are several other options.

1) Commercial software programs such as TurboTax, H&R Block, and TaxSlayer will guide you step by step and then file your tax return electronically. But they do cost – up to $89 for some programs.

2) If your adjusted gross income is $73,000 or less, IRS Free File lets you prepare and file your federal income tax online using guided tax preparation at an IRS partner site such as TaxSlayer or TaxAct. Log on to the IRS.gov website and click on “File Your Taxes for Free”. The IRS also offers Free File Fillable Forms you can complete and file electronically. For free filing a state tax return electronically, check the Department of Revenue in your state.

3) If you don’t feel comfortable going online, Gorge AARP Tax-Aide will complete and file your tax return electronically for free. All tax preparation is by appointment with two options: in person or you can drop off your tax documents and pick up your completed tax return later. To book an appointment, which are filling up fast, go online at https://gorgetaxaide.simplybook.me/v2/#book or for any questions call your local senior center.

4.) Or if you’re old school, you can file a paper return. Paper tax forms are scarce, so you’ll probably need to go online to download a copy of any tax forms.

A couple of reminders.

If you go online don’t confuse “Free File” commercial sites with IRS government sites. The address for all government sites always ends with .gov.

And if you want your tax refund quickly, file your tax return electronically and you should be issued your tax refund in less than three weeks. If you file a paper return, your refund should be issued in about six to eight weeks after the IRS receives your return.

As F. J. Raymond said, “Next to being shot at and missed, nothing is really quite as satisfying as an income tax refund.”

Brain Tease: Last of this series. Thirty years ago, this was more difficult, but thankfully times have changed.

“A man and his son are in a car crash. The father is killed and the child is taken to the hospital, but the surgeon says, ‘I can’t operate on this boy – for he is my son!!!” How can this be?

The childhood illness where your parents often had you stay in a darkened room was measles. I received correct answers from Ruth Radcliffe, Nancy Higgins, Rebecca Abrams, Rhonda Spies, Keith and Marlene Clymer, Doug Nelson, and Lana Tepfer this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Beverly Thompson.

While in college, because I must have been a young sentimental romantic, I saw City Lights: a beautiful and touching 1931 American silent film, considered by some as the number one romantic comedy. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who wrote, produced, directed, and starred in City Lights as the Tramp? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a publicity photo of Paulette Goddard.

“Just because it pops into your head, it does NOT mean it should come out of your mouth.” Or posted on Facebook!

Well, it’s been another week, feeling spring is just down the block. Until we meet again, I don’t know which is worse: worrying you’re losing your memory or your wife thinking you have!

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

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; 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); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: The surgeon is his mother.

Senior Living February 8^th, 2023

I’ve found that Valentine’s Day just isn’t as thrilling as it was when I was in grade school trying to decipher the meaning of the Valentine’s card from the cute girl in the second row. Does she really like me? And what do I do if she does?!

Well, you may feel the same way.

But even if you have lost your spouse, as many of you have, Valentine’s Day can be a time to remember the days of courtship and love at first sight; thumbing through pictures of your life together and the joy you both shared.

Or if you are married, and your relationship has become familiar and routine, Valentine’s Day can be a time to reconsider the romance in your relationship which many of us never think about.

How do you keep the romance alive on Valentine’s Day and every day? Terri Orbuch, Ph.D. has a few suggestions.

1. Communicate expectations. Don’t worry about what your partner is expecting or that you’ll disappoint. Be direct. You are both much more likely to be happy if you know what your partner likes and wants.
2. Make it genuine and personal. A simple handwritten note expressing your love instead of the usual Hallmark card. And to make it special slip it under the pillow.
3. Make it “touching.” Saying “I love you” is nice, but how about making out on the couch? (Wow that brings back memories!) Or something more age-appropriate: cuddling up to watch a movie — or a walk holding hands.
4. Give the gift of time. Consider spending quality time with your loved one. Something that’s not the same old same old.
5. Talk it up. Maybe the most romantic thing is to have a 10-minute (or longer) conversation about anything besides money, kids, or politics.  It has been found that a “10 Minute Rule” practiced daily, increases intimacy and happiness within couples.

But having a healthy conversation with your spouse or with anyone is not easy. If you find it difficult, consider some of these tips from Working Caregiver.

1. Breathe. Start with a deep breath to relax and give yourself time to pull your thoughts together. If you can find those thoughts!
2. Ask questions. Find out what is really going on. Don’t take anything for granted. You know what happens when you assume.
3. Really listen. Hear and understand their experiences and opinions and listen for any fears driving their responses that they may not even realize. And don’t argue.
4. Slow down and speak distinctly and clearly. Take your time and think before you respond. Silence can be golden.
5. Laugh. When appropriate, humor can help ease tense situations.

Often, we take our loved ones for granted and romance is a distant memory. But celebrating Valentine’s Day every day and truly communicating can strengthen the love and romance in anyone’s relationship.

Brain Tease: When I first heard this one, I couldn’t figure it out. And the second time I couldn’t remember the answer from the first time. See if you can do better. “There are six eggs in the basket. Six people each take one of the eggs. How can it be that one egg is left in the basket?”

The name of the library classification system is the Dewey Decimal System. I received correct answers from Nancy Higgins, who I missed last week, Dave Lutgens, Lana Tepfer, Rhonda Spies, Linda Frizzell, Jess Birge, Chuck Rice, Mike McFarlane, Emmett Sampson, Donna Mollet, Deborah Medina, and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket, Marny Weting.

I was discussing Shingles with a friend, and he recalled getting a disease where his mother made him stay in a dark room for days. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was this highly contagious childhood illness, over 500,000 cases annually during the 1950s, which at the time was commonly thought that light could increase the chances of losing your vision? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with your memory of this childhood disease.

 “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place”. George Bernard Shaw

Well, it’s been another week, trying to make the winning shot before the game’s final buzzer. Until we meet again, creativity is often discovering the answer inside the box.

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

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; 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); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: The last person took the basket with the last egg still inside.

When I was picking up my latest prescription, the pharmacist asked if I wanted to get the shingles shot. Since it has been on my mind for years, I agreed, thinking I was going to make an appointment. When I was asked to fill out a questionnaire, I realized this is more than just making an appointment. And I was right. Fifteen minutes later I received my first of the two-dose shingles shot! And even though it wasn’t what I had planned, I’m glad I finally did.

Shingles is not a walk in the park. It’s a viral infection that causes a painful rash anywhere on your body caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you’ve had chickenpox, and if you were born before 1980 you have a greater than 99% chance of having had chickenpox, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles.

Early signs of shingles include mild to severe burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching. One to 14 days later, you will get a rash that consists of blisters that typically scab over in 7 to 10 days.

So how can you prevent shingles, especially for us who are older and have a greater risk of developing shingles?

As you may know, there is a more recent shingles vaccine. The first vaccine, Zostavax, was approved in 2006 which reduced the risk of shingles by 51%. Many of you may have received that vaccine. But in 2017 the two-dose recombinant zoster vaccine Shingrix was approved and is more than 90% effective. Even if you’ve already received the Zostavax vaccine or if you had shingles in the past, it is recommended that you receive the Shingrix vaccine. But if you’ve had an allergic reaction to a vaccine or have a weakened immune system, you should talk to your doctor first.

While some people may have a very sore arm, fatigue, and low-grade fever after the vaccine, most people experience only mild side effects. In my case, my shoulder was just sore for several days.

So don’t procrastinate. The highly effective Shingrix shingles vaccine is the best defense against shingles and is recommended for anyone over 50. But you may want to check your Medicare drug plan first to make sure it is covered.

A beautifully written article by Mike Ballenger about Bob Kenyon and his sense of adventure at any age is this month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder”. It is an inspiring story – although not inspiring enough for me to want to swim the cold Columbia. Read, enjoy, and learn what Bob feels it means to live a fulfilling life.

Caring for someone with a chronic condition is rewarding, but it can also be challenging. To learn how to take of yourself so you can better care for your loved one, there is Powerful Tools for Caregivers – a free, six-session class that will be held on Mondays, Feb 27 – April 3, 11am – 12:30pm via Zoom. To sign up or ask questions contact Roni Hyde at rhyde@gobhi.org or 541-705-4870. Space is limited and registration is required.

Brain Tease: Some months have 31 days and some 30 days. How many months have 28 days?

The television game show host for Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975 and The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007 was Bob Baker who is alive and well at 99. I received correct answers from Keith and Marlene Clymer, Lana Tepfer, Donna Mollett, Melissa Hayes, Jeannie Pesicka, Emmett Sampson, Bruce Johnson, Doug Nelson, Rhonda Spies, and Sharon Mounsey this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

This week’s question may bring back memories of thumbing through the library’s wooden card catalog searching for a book for your class assignment. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the library classification system used to categorize non-fiction books?  Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a copy of the classification system.

Well, it’s been another week, writing down ideas before they are forgotten. Until we meet again, don’t sleep too long with your clothes on.

“Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops… at all.” Emily Dickinson

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

Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; 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); Skamania County Senior

Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: Every month has 28 days.