Whether it is painting a sunset illuminating the Columbia Gorge, writing a poem expressing the indescribable joys of grandchildren, or creating a walking stick out of a hand carved handle attached to a discarded pole, these are all creative acts: fashioning something unique and personal out of the ordinary.

As part of the human race, we are meant to create – evident by young children building forts out of discarded boxes or our prehistoric ancestors drawing on cave walls. It is who we are. But many of us have been told verbally and silently – we aren’t good enough. And we got the message. We lost interest in the creative arts and the creative process and spent our time pursuing careers, raising families and rooting for our favorite basketball teams – Go Blazers!

But as older adults, we are finally able to free ourselves from those internalized constraints learned over so many years and start exploring new forms of self-expression. We can start enjoying what we once lost, stumbling toward new personal discoveries by trying, testing, and trying again. It can start today or next week in art classes, at home or in the workshop – whether you are 65 or 95.

And just maybe, as an added benefit, while absorbed in these creative pursuits, the aches and pains and daily challenges we all face might just be forgotten – at least for a while.

In this month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder” Antonia Rojas shares her story of how she found her creative spark as a young child and nurtured it, turning that small spark into an enduring flame. She writes about how she now sees that “life is art”, how “dreams are the stuff real life is made of” and that you can express yourself “where no one sees”. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read Antonia’s beautiful story of how she found her passion and still pursues it to this day.

I know Amy Mollett at the Center in Hood River and myself in The Dalles have been receiving a tremendous number of calls regarding AARP Tax Aide Program. They have been working hard but are very limited in the number of volunteers and resources, so please be patient. (Patience seems to be a theme during this pandemic!) Next week I will share the latest information, or you can skip the middleman and email Tax Aide at gorgetaxaide@gmail.com.

Some advice from the “all-knowing” Internet.

1. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice. 2. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target. And my favorite, 3. You’re never too old to learn something stupid. 

The female singer who recorded “I Fall to Pieces”, “She’s Got You,” and “Crazy.” before her untimely death in a 1963 plane crash was Patsy Cline. And there are plenty of Patsy Cline fans out there because I received correct answers from John McEwen, Anna O’Donnell, Steven Wolpert, Barbara Cadwell, Candy Armstrong, Tina Castanares, Jim Ayers, Lana Tepfer, Anne Saxby, Sandra Fritz, Diana Weston, Sandy Haechrel, Dave Lutgens, Vern Johnson, Margo Dameier, Kim Birge, Keith Clymer, Verna Browne, Pat Evenson-Brady, Lou Gehrig, Gene Uczen, Nona Moore and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket, Sandra Fritz who believes Patsy may still be “Out Walk‘n After Midnight”. And last week I missed Jim Ayers.

This book is often referenced in political discussions because of its themes of nationalism, surveillance, and censorship. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what is the title of this classic literary example of political fiction published in 1949 that popularized commonly use terms such as “Big Brother”, “doublethink”, “Thought Police”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with a poster of the Party’s three slogans.

Well, it has been another week, wondering “Why?” Until we meet again, there are many older adults who could learn the new technologies but just refuse to – and there are days when I think they made the right decision. 

“In retrospect, it becomes clear that hindsight is definitely overrated!” Quote from Alfred E Neuman, the “What, me worry?” kid.

Nutritious Home delivered meals and pick-ups for anyone over 60.

Hood River Valley Adult Center – Call 541-386-2060.

The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels – Call 541-298-8333.

The Sherman County Senior and Community Center – Call 541-565-3191 by 10:30 AM and leave a message with the number of meals needed and names of each person.

Klickitat County Senior Services – Goldendale office call the 509-773-3757 or the White Salmon office call 509-493-306.

Skamania County Senior Services – Call 509-427-3990.

Seniors of Mosier Valley – Call 541-503-5660 or 541-980-1157 at least one day in advance to order a Grab-N-Go meal. Monday and Wednesdays from 11-11:30.

Do ever feel you’re not as sharp in conversations, or you can’t complete a hike with friends, or you don’t want to take a trip because of how many times you’ll have to stop (and we know the reasons why!) You feel you’ve lost the confidence to meet any challenge and you avoid doing the things that have made life worth living.

You are not alone. According to an article in the June 2019 issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch, it’s not uncommon to lose confidence as we age because of the life changes we face: retirement, health issues and loss of a loved one. Self-esteem generally peaks at the age of 60 and then starts to decline.

The reason is during midlife we typically are working, involved in relationships, and more adventurous. In contrast, as older adults we often lose these roles as we enter the later stages of life.

The best way to regain confidence is to remind yourself of your capabilities, focus on what you can do and build from there while addressing what keeps you from feeling confident.

Here are five strategies that can help you gain greater confidence and realize that your best days lie ahead.

1. Look good. When you look good, you feel good – which my wife often reminds me when she buys that nice outfit.  

2. Challenge yourself physically. Set a goal you can realistically meet and create a plan to achieve it. Besides improving your physical and mental health, it can build confidence in your ability to be active. But I’ve always found the first month is the hardest.

3. Learn something. Activities like learning to paint or playing an instrument; or studying a foreign language can show that you can accomplish new things – although for me it takes a little longer to learn something new – okay, a lot longer! And if you make mistakes, it doesn’t really matter.

4. Stay connected. Lack of confidence can make socializing a challenge. Try volunteering where you can meet new people, use your skills, and you find rewarding.

5. Seek help. If you feel down or anxious or you’ve found other obstacles to feeling more confidant, help is always a good thing.  

Finally, don’t believe the age stereotypes. Age does not determine whether you have the ability to be successful at a given task. Often we fall into the trap believing we can’t do something when there are many reasons we can.

It’s true you can’t do everything you once did but with confidence you can still live an active and satisfying life – just stay off that ladder!

“This morning I saw a neighbor talking to her dog.  It was obvious she thought her dog understood her. I came into my house and told my cat. We laughed a lot.”

The name of the parking valet in the television series 77 Sunset Strip who was constantly combing his “piled-high, greasy-styled teen hair” was Edd “Kookie” Byrnes.

I received correct answers from Diana Weston, Sandy Haechrel, Lana Tepfer, Julie Carter, Sandra Fritz, Kim Birge, Tina Castanares, Carol Earl, Gene Uczen, Rose Shultz, and Ed Stager this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

I was more into soul music, but I know there are a lot of country and western music fans out there. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the female singer who recorded “I Fall to Pieces”, “She’s Got You,” and “Crazy.” before her untimely death in a 1963 plane crash? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with a DVD of the 1985 motion picture Sweet Dreams.

Well, it has been another week, wondering “Have I said that before?”. Until we meet again, I can now look forward to spring guilt-free having had our winter snowstorm.  

“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” Elbert Hubbard

Nutritious Home delivered meals and pick-ups for anyone over 60.

Hood River Valley Adult Center – For Meals-on-Wheels call 541-386-2060. Pick up a drive-thru meal from 11:30 AM until 12:45 PM.

The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels – Call 541-298-8333 to sign up for home-delivered meals. Call before 10:30 AM to pick up a meal at noon at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center.

The Sherman County Senior and Community Center – Call 541-565-3191 by 10:30 AM and leave a message with the number of meals needed and names of each person.

Klickitat County Senior Services – Call the Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-306).

Skamania County Senior Services – Call 509-427-3990.

Seniors of Mosier Valley – Call 541-503-5660 or 541-980-1157 at least one day in advance to order a Grab-N-Go meal. Monday and Wednesdays from 11-11:30. Pick-up at the Mosier Senior Center. Delivery is also available. 

As vaccinations for older adults begin, patience is the word. Manufacturing of the vaccines is becoming more efficient, producing a continuously increasing number of doses every day. But for now, the vaccines remain scarce. And although every older adult who wants the COVID vaccine will receive one. most older adults will not get their vaccine shots as soon as they are eligible.

As we wait, many have read about the side effects particularly after the second dose and are asking, “Should I take a pain-reliever before the shot?” 

The short answer is no. The preliminary studies, although limited, have found taking over-the-counter pain-relieving medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) before getting your shot decreased the immune response. The pain-relievers might interfere with the very thing the vaccine is trying to do: generate a strong immune system response.

“How about taking a pain-reliever after the shot?”

Opinions are mixed, but to play it safe probably not unless you feel you can’t tolerate the side effects. But it is always good to talk to your doctor.

“What can I do to reduce the side effects other than a pain-reliever?

For arm soreness, if the pain is uncomfortable, apply a clean, cool, wet washcloth over the area where you received the shot – and it can help to use or exercise your arm. For a fever you can reduce the discomfort by drinking plenty of fluids and dressing lightly. And if you’re tired you can use my favorite answer to any problem: take a nap – and a brisk walk could help.

In most cases, discomfort from fever or pain is normal. But call your primary care provider if the redness or tenderness where you got the shot increases after 24 hours; or if your side effects do not seem to be going away after a few days.

If you don’t need to take a pain-reliever, don’t. But for those of you who regularly take one talk to your doctor. Since adults fifty-five and older typically have fewer side effects than younger people. most likely you won’t experience any significant side effects. And all you’ll remember is the peace-of-mind knowing you are better protected.

A short diversion. There are two customers complaining at a restaurant. One woman says, “This food is terrible”. The other replies, “I know, and such small portions!”

The award-winning AARP Smart Driver course helps refresh your driving skills, learn new skills, latest traffic laws and proven safe-driving strategies – and by completing the class you could receive a multiyear discount on your auto insurance!

Even though you can’t take the class in person, you can still enroll in the class online. If you register online by April 1^st, 2021, you will have a full 60 days to complete the course at home at your own pace. Register at aarpdriversafety.org and use the promo code: DRIVINGSKILLS to receive a 25% discount.

The American artist famously known for his screen-prints of Campbell’s Soup Cans was Andy Warhol. I received correct answers from Sandy Haechrel, Jeannie Pesicka, Barbara Cadwell, Julie Carter, Lana Tepfer, Rhonda Spies, Sandy Lutgens, Liz Nichols, Margo Dameier, Tiiu Vahtel, and Steven Woolpert this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Keith Clymer.

In the late 50’s youth culture was beginning to be depicted on national television: Dobie Gillis, Maynard G. Krebs, and this teen sensation. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the parking valet in the television series 77 Sunset Strip who was constantly combing his “piled-high, greasy-styled teen hair”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with a picture of Dino’s Lodge.

Well, it has been another week, forgetting that I can’t eat a banana with my mask on! Until we meet again, enjoy the winter – spring is just over a month away.

“Art is what you can get away with.” Andy Warhol

Nutritious Home delivered meals and pick-ups for anyone over 60.

Hood River Valley Adult Center – For Meals-on-Wheels call 541-386-2060. Pick up a drive-thru meal from 11:30 AM until 12:45 PM.

The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels – Call 541-298-8333 to sign up for home-delivered meals. Call before 10:30 AM to pick up a meal at noon at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center.

The Sherman County Senior and Community Center – Call 541-565-3191 by 10:30 AM and leave a message with the number of meals needed and names of each person.

Klickitat County Senior Services – Call the Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-306).

Skamania County Senior Services – Call 509-427-3990.

Seniors of Mosier Valley – Call 541-503-5660 or 541-980-1157 at least one day in advance to order a Grab-N-Go meal. Monday and Wednesdays from 11-11:30. Pick-up at the Mosier Senior Center. Delivery is also available. 

Over the past eleven months the pandemic has turned our lives upside down: were staying home more and seeing friends less. But many folks are coping by engaging in this hundred-year-old, low-tech activity: jigsaw puzzles. You can work on a puzzle for days or even weeks; they’re fun; and what may not be surprising, particularly if you are a puzzler, is that they are good for your brain.

Our brain health can take a beating during the pandemic; affecting many of the key habits that keep our brain healthy: physical activity, healthy diet, quality sleep, meaningful social interactions, stress reduction, and mentally stimulating activities.

But studies have shown jigsaw puzzles benefit your brain in several ways: reduces stress by totally immersing yourself in a puzzle (But dear, just one more piece and then I’ll come to bed!); improves your attention span, mental speed and problem-solving skills – as any puzzler will tell you when struggling to find that last edge piece.

So, if during the pandemic you have friends wondering why you are wasting your time working on jigsaw puzzles, just tell them it’s good for your brain – and then hand them a puzzle so they can also enjoy the benefits of a healthier brain.

Now if you want a high tech challenge for your brain, I suggest the two online programs I am currently using: AARP’s Staying Sharp and Brain HQ. Both have free activities, but if you want the full benefit you will have to pay. I just started subscribing to Brain HQ and in a month, I’ll tell you if I’m smarter, quicker and better looking. (I’m not sure about that third benefit.)

Since we’re talking about puzzles and mental challenges, how about four quick riddles that made me think.

1) If two’s company, and three’s a crowd, what are four and five?

2) There’s a one-story house in which everything is yellow. Yellow walls, yellow doors, yellow furniture. What color are the stairs?

3) What five-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?

4) If there are three apples and you take away two, how many apples do you have?

Providence Volunteers in Action is excited to team up with OATS (Older Adults Technology Services) and Senior Planet to bring to the Gorge the FREE online 5-week course, “Virtual Essentials”. These ten 75 minute lectures cover a variety of topics to help you use technology including “All Things Zoom”, “Protecting Your Personal Information Online”, “Telemedicine” and more. If you’re interested, you can register for the upcoming classes by calling 541-387-6404 or emailing brittany.willson@providence.org.

The teenager in the 1959 sitcom who “aspired to have popularity, money, and the attention of beautiful and unattainable girls” was Dobie Gillis. I received correct answers from Bob Sampson, Julie Carter, Dave Lutgens, Kim Birge, Rhonda Spies, Lana Tepfer, Tina Castanares, Margo Dameier, Patty Burnet, Susan Ronning, Jim Ayers, and Mike Nichols this week’s winner of a free quilt raffle ticket.

Kerry Cobb, former director of the Columbia Center for the Arts, has offered classes at the Center and senior living facilities in the area. Since that opportunity is no longer possible, she has created a highly recommended monthly newsletter “Art News and Activities”.  You can find it online at www.midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com under the Art Appreciation Tab.

And that leads me to this week’s art inspired “Remember When” question. Who was the American artist, an icon of the “Pop Art” visual arts movement and famously known for his screen-prints of Campbell’s Soup Cans? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.comleave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with the album The Velvet Underground & Nico.

Well, it has been another week, trying to solve the puzzle of life with so many missing pieces. Until we meet again, when it’s sunny – pull back the curtains.

Answers: 1) Nine, 2) There aren’t any – it’s a one-story house. 3) Short, 4) Two

Nutritious Home delivered meals and pick-ups for anyone over 60.

Hood River Valley Adult Center – For Meals-on-Wheels call 541-386-2060. Pick up a drive-thru meal from 11:30 AM until 12:45 PM.

The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels – Call 541-298-8333 to sign up for home-delivered meals. Call before 10:30 AM to pick up a meal at noon at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center.

The Sherman County Senior and Community Center – Call 541-565-3191 by 10:30 AM and leave a message with the number of meals needed and names of each person.

Klickitat County Senior Services – Call the Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-306).

Skamania County Senior Services – Call 509-427-3990.

Seniors of Mosier Valley – Call 541-503-5660 or 541-980-1157 at least one day in advance to order a Grab-N-Go meal. Monday and Wednesdays from 11-11:30. Pick-up at the Mosier Senior Center. Delivery is also available.  

 In “Through the Eyes of an Elder” Bonnie New highlights the challenges facing older adults looking for affordable housing options when their home no longer meets their needs.

But what if you are not yet ready to move and would like to stay in your own home. How can you adapt your home to your current life experiences: safer and more accessible? 

AARP has published a HomeFit Guide that examines what makes a home aging-friendly. It illustrates different designs and modifications for exits, kitchens, living rooms, stairs, bedrooms, bathrooms and more that can make a home a better “fit”.

In addition, the HomeFit Guide offers many simple and inexpensive solutions that can make your home safer and more efficient. See if you have incorporated these five suggestions in your home. 

1. Add stick-on battery-operated motion sensor lights in your closet, kitchen and along your steps and stairs – which I have just started doing. (At night you can entertain yourself watching your cat activate each light as she climbs the stairs.) 

2. Place fire extinguishers in accessible locations throughout the home, especially in the kitchen and in any rooms that are far from an exit. (Added to my to-do list.)

3. Store flashlights throughout the home in case of a power outage. (Checked)

4. Carry or keep a cell phone nearby. (Unfortunately, that is not a problem.)

5. If a stool or ladder is needed to reach any fixtures, ask someone to serve as a spotter. (I always hold my wife’s hand when she climbs the step stool!) 

8. Install an outside address number that will be visible to first responders, especially at night. (A blinking address number like the new four way stop signs?)

You can find many more ways to make your house “fit” by going online to AARP HomeFit Guide.  

There is help if you own your home and earn less than $42,700 as a couple. Columbia Cascade Housing offers a home repair program in Oregon and Washington that does more than just repair homes. The program offers zero interest loans repayable when you sell your home. 

While the program normally repairs and replaces things like roofs, windows, and plumbing, it can assist older adults with needed modifications to improve accessibility: ramps, widening doors; replacing bathtubs with showers, or other changes needed to allow access with a wheelchair. 

Columbia Cascade Housing can also assist homeowners in applying to a similar program run through the USDA Rural Development. It is like the home repair program, but the first $7,500 can be a grant.

For additional information and applications contact David Peters at 541-296-3397 X118. 

The words spoken along with the Vulcan salute were “Live long and prosper” or as Rose Schulz, this week’s winner of a free quilt raffle ticket, pointed out “Dif-tor heh smusma”. I also received correct answers from Emmett Sampson, Sandy Haechrel, Barbara Cadwell, Linda Frizzell, Darlene Marick, Lana Tepfer, and Tim Annala.

And last week I missed Sandy Haechrel, Sam Bilyeu, Elaine Lee and I think that is all, but I wouldn’t bet my “sweet bippy” on it. 

In 1959 this sitcom was the first television program produced to feature teenagers as leading characters. For this week’s “Remember When” question what was the name of the teenager who “aspired to have popularity, money, and the attention of beautiful and unattainable girls”? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with a photo of his “beatnik” sidekick Maynard G. Krebs.

Well, it has been another week, and my body continues to act in strange and mysterious ways. Until we meet again, when you need to move the most is when you don’t feel like it – which doesn’t seem fair does it?

“Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence.

Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance.

Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence.

Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance.” – Yoko Ono

Nutritious Home delivered meals and pick-ups for anyone over 60. 

Hood River Valley Adult Center – For Meals-on-Wheels call 541-386-2060. Pick up a drive-thru meal from 11:30 AM until 12:45 PM.

The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels – Call 541-298-8333 to sign up for home-delivered meals. Call before 10:30 AM to pick up a meal at noon at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center. 

The Sherman County Senior and Community Center – Call 541-565-3191 by 10:30 AM and leave a message with the number of meals needed and names of each person.

Klickitat County Senior Services – Call the Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-306).

Skamania County Senior Services – Call 509-427-3990.

Seniors of Mosier Valley – Call 541-503-5660 or 541-980-1157 at least one day in advance to order a Grab-N-Go meal. Monday and Wednesdays from 11-11:30. Pick-up at the Mosier Senior Center. Delivery is also available.  

An end to this nightmare is in sight, but it will just be a mirage unless enough of the population is immune to the virus to make the spread from person to person unlikely. This is called community immunity or herd immunity and can be accomplished by people either being exposed to the virus or protected from the virus. Now which one would you choose?  

 Today we are inundated with information especially with the advent of social media – where any one can share their cat pictures, thoughts, and suspicions. With all this noise it is our responsibility to know what is accurate and what isn’t. 

It seems as if once or twice a year I feel I need to write about the latest scams from Medicare scams to sweepstakes and lottery scams. So, just as sugar ants return in the spring (well at least in my kitchen!), vaccine scams are beginning to circulate. So here are just a few reminders.

There is no cost for the COVID-19 vaccine. Medicare covers it.

You can’t pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine.

You can’t pay to get early access to a vaccine.

If someone calls, texts, or emails you promising access to the vaccine for a fee, as with all scams, don’t share your personal or financial information. Medicare will never contact you for your Medicare number or other personal information unless you’ve given them permission in advance; will never call to sell you anything or enroll you over the phone unless you called first, and will never visit you at your home. And remember, guard your Medicare card as if it was a credit card.

If the scammers get your Medicare number or personal information, they can commit Medicare fraud which results in higher health care costs and taxes for everyone. If you encounter anything suspicious, call the Medicare Fraud line at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Volunteers in Action is pursuing a pilot program in partnership with Senior Planet to offer Technology classes locally to help older adults access technology to enhance their lives. Because of COVID-19 the classes will start out with online-only classes converted from the Senior Planet in-person curriculum and will move to in-person classes when it’s safe to do so. The Technology classes are available to residents of Hood River, Klickitat and Wasco Counties and will be held twice a week from 2/22/21 – 3/26/21 but the days of the week and times have not yet been determined.

But first they need to find and train the volunteer Technology Trainers. If you feel you have a proficiency in common software applications and devices, the ability to effectively communicate the relevancy of technology to seniors’ lives, and reliable internet connectivity, this may be the exciting volunteer opportunity for you. But don’t dillydally. (Do people still say dillydally or am I showing my age once again?). The Train the Trainer classes are from 1/19/21 to 2/18/21 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00am – 12:15pm.

If you are interested in being a trainer or want to learn how to access technology in a supportive environment, call Britta Willson, Program Coordinator, Volunteers in Action Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital at 541-387-6404

 Now a little humor. “Strange new trend at the office. People are putting names on food in the company fridge. Today I had a tuna sandwich named ‘Linda’.”

The saying children used to convince someone they were telling the absolute truth was “Cross my heart and hope to die. Stick a needle in my eye.” I received correct answers from Jeanne Pesicka, Barbara Cadwell, Lana Tepfer, Jess Birge, Clare Zumalt, Keith and Marlene Clymer, Joan Chantler, Margo Dameier, Susan Ronning and Shirley Colf this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Margo Dameier.

The Miss America Pageant has changed dramatically over the years, but we can all remember watching it during the early 1960s when it was the highest-rated television program. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the host for the Miss America telecast from 1955 through 1979 when each pageant ended with him singing “There She Is, Miss America” as the winner was crowned? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with a recording of the television show Stop the Music that aired in the 1950s.

Well, it has been another week looking up my sleeve for the unexpected. Until we meet again, remember the adage that’s fitting for these times, “Better be safe than sorry”.

“You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely.” Ogden Nash

2020 has been quite a ride. And with all the stay at home orders and cancellations. you may be thinking, “I’m not adding this year to my age – I didn’t use it!” But we’re tough and resilient knowing from every experience there is something to learn.

For this first column of 2021, I thought I would again share some lessons I have learned over the years listening to the amazing “elders” that I encounter daily. I have learned more than I could ever have imagined, and yet, I still feel like a rookie.

As I am often reminded this journey of ours is not about living longer. It is about taking care of ourselves and others so we can gracefully live the rest of our lives with courage, compassion and meaning. Tell me if any of these lessons speak to you.

1. What is good for your heart is good for your brain.
2. Learn a new skill without worrying how good you’ll be.
3. First steps to improve your memory: pay attention and focus.
4. Most things don’t really matter, but a few really do.
5. The goal is not to get faster but to keep from slowing down.
6. Getting older beats the alternative, but it is hard work.
7. Accept what you can’t control – and then adapt.
8. Live in the “now”.
9. Know what you want and let others know – particularly your adult children!
10. “Dream as if you will live forever and live as if you will die tomorrow.” James Dean
11. Age is in your attitude.
12. Adeline’s five “S” to avoid: Sugar, Salt, Seconds, Soda and Shortening.
13. Add color to your meals – meaning eat your vegetables!
14. Isolation kills. Stay connected.
15. Keep moving – at least 30 minutes a day.
16. Breathe from your belly.
17. See the world with virgin eyes and you’ll find the extraordinary in the ordinary.
18. Relationships are more important than things (although I do have an unhealthy relationship with my iPhone).
 19. Grey hair is cool.
 20. And as Carl Kramer once said, “Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out and before you know it you are 100 years old!”

If you haven’t already, you must read this month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder” by Colleen Ballinger’s in today’s edition. She shares her experience of becoming a hospice nurse and through that experience what dying has taught her about living.

For those who live in The Dalles area, the Center is having a book and puzzle sale on Saturday, January 9^th from 10:00 – 1:00 PM. Books $3.00 a bag and puzzles $1.00 apiece.

The bandleader for the Royal Canadians that for fifty years at the stroke of midnight played “Auld Lang Syne” was Guy Lombardo. I received correct answers from Tina Castanares, Jeannie Pesicka, Kim Birge, Barbara Cadwell, Jim Ayers, Rose Schulz, and Dave Lutgens this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

And those who sent in last week’s answer, White Christmas, were Cheri Brent, Jeanne Pesicka, Rhonda Spies, Cindy Winfield, Rose Schulz, Jim and Betsy Ayers, Barbara Cadwell, Dave Lutgens and Margo Dameier who is a White Christmas aficionado and last week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

“Step on a crack and break your mother’s back” was a childhood saying I still remember – and I still walk carefully down the sidewalk!  For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the saying children used to convince someone they were telling the absolute truth? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with a handmade wooden cross.

Well, it has been another week looking for the sun on a cloudy day. Until we meet again, during the holidays my routines were so scrambled, I had to look at my pill box to know what day it was!

“Life is about change, sometimes it’s painful, sometimes it’s beautiful, but most of the time it’s both.” —Kristin Kreuk

Nutritious Home delivered meals and pick-ups for anyone over 60.

The Sherman County Senior and Community Center – Call 541-565-3191 by 10:30 AM and leave a message with the number of meals needed and the names of each person.

The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels – Call 541-298-8333 to sign up for home delivered meals. Call before 10:30 AM, to pick up a meal at noon at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center.

Hood River Valley Adult Center – To sign up for Meals-on-Wheels call 541-386-2060 and ask for Eric. You can also pick up a drive-thru meal from 11:30 AM until 12:45 PM.

Skamania County Senior Services – Call 509-427-3990.

Klickitat County Senior Services – For home-delivered meals call the Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-306).

Pioneer Potlatch meal sites in Wasco and Sherman Counties call 541-298-4354.

This is the time of the year for new beginnings (and to leave 2020 behind!) and the tradition of making resolutions for a new year. Now hold on. Don’t turn the page! You might believe resolutions are just a waste of time: you’ve lived this long, so why change now.

But think about it. There might be some new habits you want to make or some old ones you want to break. What was your doctor telling you? Maybe join an exercise class when they return or start walking with a friend? Or eat better – by reducing your salt and fat intake? Things you never worried about before, but are now realizing how important they are.

If you decide that New Year’s resolutions might not be such a bad idea, here are nine tips to help from the book Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

 1. Write your resolution down and be specific. Instead of “make new friends” describe how – such as “start a movie group” or “join an exercise class”.
 2. Review your resolution constantly so you won’t forget.
 3. Hold yourself accountable. Don’t make excuses.
 4. Think big. Make your resolution inspiring and exciting.
 5. Or think small. Something simple and doable.
 6. Separate your resolution, no matter how small, into manageable tasks.
 7. Work on your resolution every day. It is easier to do something consistently than to skip days
8. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. The best exercise is the one you will actually do.
 9. As mentioned before, don’t make excuses, BUT if you keep breaking your resolution, no use constantly beating yourself up. Try a different approach that will get you to the same goal.

These are some suggestions to help you set and achieve your goals for a new year. Because as Carl Bard said, “Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending”.

And now a fable you may find appropriate for the end of this challenging year.

A Middle Eastern potentate called a meeting of the wise men in his kingdom and he said, ‘I want you to gather all the world’s knowledge together in one place so that my sons can read it and learn.’ The wise men went off, and after a year, they came back with twenty-five volumes of knowledge. The potentate looked at it and he said, ‘No. It’s too long. Make it shorter.’ So the wise men went off for another year and they came back with one single volume. The potentate looked at it and said, ‘No. Still too long.’ So the wise men went off for another year. When they came back, they gave the potentate a piece of paper with one sentence on it. The single sentence was: ‘This too shall pass.’

Since I’m finishing this week’s column early because of the Christmas holiday, next week I will mention all those who correctly answered last week’s “Remember When” question. But I do know that last week I missed Patty Burnet, Ruth Radcliffe, Alan Winans, and Jerry Phillips.

In 1974 Dick Clark became the host of New Year’s Rockin’ Eve – a younger focused competitor to the popular and long-running New Year’s Eve big band broadcasts on CBS. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the bandleader for the Royal Canadians that for fifty years at the stroke of midnight played Auld Lang Syne from the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with an album of “the sweetest music this side of Heaven.” 

Well, it has been another week looking for the funny side of the street. Until we meet again, be safe, be kind and be amazing.

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” Michael Altshuler

(But Michael, where are the flight controls!!)

Nutritious Home delivered meals and pick-ups for anyone over 60.

The Sherman County Senior and Community Center – Call 541-565-3191 by 10:30 AM and leave a message with the number of meals needed and the names of each person.

The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels – Call 541-298-8333 to sign up for home delivered meals. Call before 10:30 AM, to pick up a meal at noon at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center.

Hood River Valley Adult Center – To sign up for Meals-on-Wheels call 541-386-2060 and ask for Eric. You can also pick up a drive-thru meal from 11:30 AM until 12:45 PM.

Skamania County Senior Services – Call 509-427-3990.

Klickitat County Senior Services – For home-delivered meals call the Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-306).

Pioneer Potlatch meal sites in Wasco and Sherman Counties call 541-298-4354.