Author Archives: mcseniorcenter

AGING WELL May 6th

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Today it is a little bit of this and a little bit of that: something that just might tickle your fancy. So let’s start by getting our hands dirty with a little bit of gardening news.
“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul.” Alfred Austin
If you enjoy working in the garden, and I know there are many of you because I’ve been hearing stories of stiff joints and tired bodies, the Spring 2014 edition of the excellent “Garden Highlights” is now available by email. The Garden Highlights is produced by Marty Miller, an OSU Lifetime Master Gardener™, and includes all the local gardening tips and news that you need to know including water-wise gardening, plant clinics and raised beds. It is in full color, at no cost and emailed quarterly. If you are interested, all you have to do is email Marty at gardenhighlights@hrecn.net and he will put you on the email list. And if you don’t have access to email, we can make a copy of “Garden Highlights” for you at the Center.
And if you enjoy fine and unique gardens, Lauren Kraemer, who among her many responsibilities at OSU Extension is an instructor for Family and Community Health, sent me a notice for the Mid-Columbia Family and Community Education Study Groups’ 2014 Spring Tour, “Portland’s Glorious Gardens Tour”. I’ll just whet your appetite by sharing some snippets from the spring tour flyer: “stunning”, “Lan Su Chinese Garden, Rose Garden, and Japanese Garden”, “touring and shopping”, “lunch in the Pearl District”, “VooDoo doughnuts” and “detailed information about the horticulture, history, and other facets of each garden”. Sounds like a lot of fun, doesn’t it. It costs $55 for FCE Members and $60 for non-FCE members which includes all costs for transportation, entry fees, lunch, gratuity, & membership for non-FCE members. The trip is on Thursday May 22nd, 2014 and you will need to arrive at the Best Western Hood River Inn by 8:00 AM to be picked up and you will return by 5:00 PM. Pre-paid registration is required and must be received by May 15th For more information and to register contact the Hood River County Extension Office at 541-386-3343. But if you are interested, don’t dilly-dally. There is only 16 spots available and I am not sure how many are left.
If you missed Julie Reynolds’ presentation in February at the Original Wasco County Courthouse titled “Close Encounters: Wasco County Residents Remember the Rajneeshees” this is your lucky day. Actually, next Tuesday will be your lucky day because that is when she will again share what she learned from her interviews with a wide range of folks who were touched by the Bhagwan saga. See you next Tuesday May 13th at 11:00 at the Center for this fascinating presentation about a unique piece of Wasco County history.
Now if I remember correctly, I let you off easy the last two weeks – no head scratching trying to decipher the Center’s music announcement.  So this week it is back to exercising your prefrontal cortex (that part of your brain used for problem solving, emotions and complex thought.)
Ta eht Retnec no Yadseut, Yam ht31, Nitram dna Sdneirf lliw eb gniyalp rieht yrtnuoc dna nretsew skcil rof ruoy gnicnad dna gninetsil tnemyojne. Ereht lliw eb eip dna Eci maerc rof elas dna gnirb a wef skcub ot troppus eht dnab. Cisum strats ta 7:00, sdne yb 9:00 dna enoyreve si emoclew.
The answers to last week’s “Double your Pleasure” questions were the Rebel Without a Cause star James Dean and “Big Bad John” Jimmy Dean. (And the winner of five quilt tickets is Vicki Fricano.) But was that too easy?
If so this week’s Remember When question should be a little more difficult.  Who was one of America’s best-known gossip columnists; who started working for the Los Angeles Times in 1938 and was considered much more vicious and unforgiving than her arch rival Louella Parsons, with whom she competed with for the title “Queen of Hollywood”? For five free Quilt Raffle tickets, e-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or drop it off with a large showy women’s hat of your choice.
Well, it has been another week trying to remember to pick up my feet. Until we meet again, if you learn to see without fear, you will find incredible opportunities.  

“A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows.” Doug Larson

Aging Well April 29th 2014

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Senior Living April 29th 2014
I think most of us have realized that we won’t live forever. But do your loved ones and health care providers know what kind of care you want at the end of your life? Because according to the National Institute on Aging “more than one out of four older Americans face questions about medical treatment near the end of life but are not capable of making those decisions.”
Two tools that you can use to express your wishes and have better control over your care and treatment in medical situations when you are unable to communicate are an Advance Directive and a POLST. I will give a quick explanation of each but for more information, PK Swartz will discuss both as well as organ and tissue donations at the Center’s next 11:00 Tuesday Lecture on May 6th. Or you can go online by googling Oregon Advance Directives or Oregon POLST.
The POLST and Advance Directive are not the same thing but complement each other. Both are voluntary, and both give you control over your advance care planning if you are unable to speak for yourself.
But there are several differences.
Advance Directive is recommended for anyone 18 and older; is a legal document that goes into effect only if you are incapacitated and unable to speak for yourself; and guides inpatient treatment decisions by telling the health care team at the hospital what you generally want or don’t want.
Advance Directive allows you to appoint a Health Care Representative who can make decisions for you such as whether to withhold or remove life support, food, or hydration.
But it does not guide Emergency Medical Personnel. And should not be confused with a general Durable Power of Attorney, which is for financial affairs, and does not include authority to make health care decisions.
A POLST (Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) is not for everyone, but for persons with serious illness — at any age; is a medical order completed with and signed by your health care professional to assure you receive the care you want; and when it is made available, a POLST guides actions by emergency medical personal and inpatient treatment decisions. And since a POLST is a medical order, a copy is kept in your medical records so it is easily located during an emergency.
In addition to helping you make decisions in advance to insure you receive the treatment and care you want, another important benefit that you should not be overlooked is an Advance Directive and POLST may take some of the burden off of your loved ones during difficult medical situations.
The Center will hold its annual Rummage Sale on the third weekend in June, but in the meantime the Center needs to make room to store all the donated items – which means BAG SALE! The Center will be selling nice used clothing, fabric and craft yarn by the bag on Saturday May 3rd from 9:00 to 2:00 in the downstairs of the Center.
During the month of May at the Center’s Tuesday Night Music, there will be pie and ice cream for sale to satisfy your sweet tooth and help support the Center. And on the 6th of May starting at the top of the batting order is Andre and the Strawberry Mountain Band. And as regular as the sun setting in the west, music starts at 7:00 and wraps up by 9:00. And everyone is welcome.
The answer to last week’s “Remember When” questions are two Gales: Gale Storm, star of My Little Margie and her own show; and Gale Gordon who played Principal Osgood Conklin on Our Miss Brooks. (And the winner of Saturday Breakfast is Nadine McCracken.)
This week how about one more “double your pleasure” set of questions where the answers have something in common. Who was the American actor and cultural icon born in 1933 and starred in only three films including the 1955 movie Rebel without a Cause? And who was a country music singer born in 1928, recorded the hit “Big Bad John”, and hosted his own variety show from 1963- 66 that helped bring country music into the mainstream? For five free Quilt Raffle tickets, e-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or drop it off in a 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder with a pound of premium pork sausage.    
Well, it has been another week trying to stay grounded while the wind blows. Until we meet again, there comes a time when you realize you no longer need to keep score. 
“You’ll never find a rainbow if you’re looking down.” Charlie Chaplin 
Wednesday (30) Roasted Pork and Gravy
Thursday (1) Spaghetti with Meat Sauce 
Friday (2) Lemon Pepper White Fish 
Monday (5) Salisbury Steak
Tuesday (6) Meat Loaf with Au-Gratin Potatoes

Aging Well April 22nd 2014

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What do you want? Have you really thought about it? After the 2007 movie “Bucket List” was released, many folks made their own list of things they wanted to accomplish before they died. And that is a start. But there is much more to consider than what you want to do. How do you want to live and where? Near friends, family, someplace warm in the winters? How do you want to be treated by your health care providers? Who do you want to make health decisions for you if you are unable? What do you want your loved ones to know?
Often we are too busy taking care of our own immediate concerns – like trying to maintain our own bodies; or helping others such as loved ones, friends or volunteering in the community, to seriously consider these kinds of questions.
If you haven’t started considering what you want in this broader sense, the next two 11:00 Tuesday Lectures can help. On the 29th, I will show a video produced by the SCAN Foundation with Dr. Bruce Chernof discussing the “Ten Things You Should Know about Aging with Dignity and Independence”. Topics that will be covered include how to initiate conversations with your family about your wishes, questions for your doctor, knowing when to ask for help and much more. Then on the following Tuesday, May 6th, Dr. PK Swartz will explain Advance Directives, POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) and Organ and Tissue Donations.  .
From these two presentations you will learn more about some of the tools to help you maintain control of your own life, improve the quality of your care, and live with greater independence and dignity as you age.
Here’s another scam you can put in your long term memory bank. Helen Lynch, who seems to be a magnet for telephone scams, shared with me the latest one she just received. She was called by an alleged computer company (often they mention Windows or Microsoft) asking her to turn on her computer to make a correction. But she can smell a scam ten call centers away, and after she played along for a while, she hung up. As Helen did, never allow anyone access to your computer. As the Better Business Bureau points out, allowing a stranger access to your computer is like inviting a stranger into your house, letting them snoop around and take whatever they want before they leave. To learn more about this scam and others, go to the Center’s website www.midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com and click on the tab Scam Alerts.
As part of the Cherry Festival activities, the Center will again host a Cherry Festival Breakfast on the 26th sponsored by the Center’s good neighbors to the north – Cherry Heights Retirement Community. Breakfast will be served a half hour early starting at 7:30 – for the early risers preparing for the parade, and will stay open until the parade starts at 10:00. The menu includes pancakes, scrambled eggs and sausage along with fruit and your favorite morning beverage. On a busy parade day, why bother making breakfast when it can be waiting and ready for you at the Center. $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children 12 and under.
The Dufur Boys aren’t in the Center’s regular rotation of bands, but we try to schedule them for the fifth Tuesdays which fortunately will be this coming Tuesday on the 29th. As usual the music starts at 7:00 PM and concludes by 9:00 PM. Everyone is welcome and donations are always appreciated.  
“We do not live in this world alone, but in a thousand other worlds,” was announced at the opening of the soap opera Another World which ran on NBC for 35 years. (And the winner of a Cherry Festival Breakfast on April 26th is Alice Mattox.)  
For this week, here’s another “double your pleasure” set of “Remember When” questions with the two answers having something in common. What actress and singer starred in two television series, My Little Margie as well as her own show; and what actor started his career in radio and then appeared on television in Our Miss Brooks and The Lucy Show? E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or mail it with a 45 recording of the 1955 hit song “I Hear You Knocking”.   
Well, it has been another week making the best of what I got. Until we meet again, don’t let what you can’t do nothing about, bother you.

 “Trust that little voice in your head that says “Wouldn’t it be interesting if …” And then do it.” Duane Michals – Photographer

Aging Well April 15th 2014

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Over the last six year since I turned sixty, I have found getting older is a series of adventures: never knowing what to expect next. And I never knew how many of those adventures would have to do with this body of mine: the occasional broken hip, incapacitating dizzy spells; hearing loss (my hearing in one ear is so bad it doesn’t need a hearing aid so hearing aids are half the price!), a nose that springs a leak without any warning – foretelling things to come?, anxiety dreams about forgetting words during conversations – do I need to go on?
And even though the body isn’t always cooperative, there are advantages to growing older. Really. I can take a mid-day nap without anyone raising an eyebrow; I feel entitled and sometimes even compelled to give unsolicited advice about life to fortysomethings; if I forget or misplace something, I am excused because, you know, older folks are like that; and I have learned so much about health problems I could start my own medical practice.
I am sure there are still many more adventures left – some good and some I wish I could avoid. But with the many role models I see every day who are my guides showing me the cliffs to avoid and the mountains to climb, I am looking forward to the making the best of the many years ahead. 
The Center hasn’t scheduled any trips yet, but most every month, Community Education Services of the Hood River School District offers a Mystery Trip usually on the third Wednesday of the month. The mystery and the fun is that no one except the bus driver knows where you are going. But the trip always includes some kind of adventure plus lunch for only $40.00. The bus leaves from the LDS Church parking lot in Hood River at 9:00 and returns by 4:00. The next trip is scheduled for May 21st. To register call Hood River Community Ed at 541-386-2055 or email them at community.ed@hoodriver.k12.or.us. 
At every one of the 11:00 Tuesday Lecture at the Center, I guarantee you will learn something new and useful. For example, last Tuesday, Ann Stanley from Gorge Spine and Sports Medicine explained that in order to reduce your risk of falling you need to not only work on balance, but also improve your strength, flexibility and endurance. There are many places where you can do that such as The Fitness and Court Club, Water’s Edge, and at the Center which offers the Chair Yoga, Seniorcise, Tai Chi and Strong Women classes.  
As a part of the Tuesday Lectures, the Center with the help of Joyce Powell Morin and MCMC, has lined up a Fourth Tuesday Spring Lecture Series called “You and Your Health” focusing on health issues facing older adults. On April 22nd, Nicole Clark, an Acupuncturist at Water’s Edge, will explain the many ways acupuncture can improve your health; on May 27th, Andy Roof, physical therapist, will discuss how to manage living with persistent pain; and on June 23rd James Petrusich, audiologist, will explain what you can do about hearing loss.  
Okay, you had a week’s break so now it is time to start working out again at the cerebral gym. See if you can decipher this week’s music announcement for the Center.  
.detaicerppa syawla era snoitanod ,no sthgil eht dna def snaicisum eht peek ot dnA .00:9 ta sdne gnicnad eht dna 00:7 ta strats cisum ,00:6 ta nepo srood ehT .neewteb ni erehwemos ro dlo ro gnuoy era uoy rehtehw – detivni si enoyrevE .setirovaf yrtnuoc rieht gniyalp kcab eb lliw syoB eocmiS eht dn22 lirpA yadseuT no retneC eht tA 
The name of the automobile that was every young man’s dream fifty years ago was the Ford Mustang. (And the winner of a Cherry Festival Breakfast on April 26th is Lyn Dalton.)  
For this week’s “Remember When” question let’s again go back fifty years to May of 1964 when this daytime soap opera debuted on NBC and ran through 1999. What was the name of the show that for fifteen years  was NBC’s highest rated soap opera, and included the plot line of a love triangle with  businessman Steve Frame, schemer Rachel Davis and the more sophisticated Alice Mathews. E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or mail it with a stamped envelope postmarked from the town of Bay City.   
Well, it has been another week realizing once again, I don’t really have a clue. Until we meet again, laugh, love and enjoy every sandwich.   

“You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.” Warren Buffett 

Aging Well April 8th

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How many times do you hear of new products or research findings that will help you live longer? Take this pill or that, eat less fat and more fiber, hit the gym, and lift those weights.
But many folks ignore it all because they believe when their time is up, there ain’t nothing you can do about it. So why change old habits. “Que Sera, Sera. Whatever will be, will be”.
But in many ways the focus on living longer is not really the point. More importantly, the reason you should consider eating better, moving and stretching more, and exploring new possibilities is to enjoy the years you have left – no matter how many there are. Or to paraphrase “It’s not to add years to your life, but to enjoy the life in your years”.
These latter years are not a mere holding pattern – riding an antique Piper Cub going nowhere as it circles for its last and final landing. But a time to play with the grandchildren, write your life history, learn to use a smartphone, or even meet a new love and dance the night away. So consider what you can do to stay as healthy and active as possible in order to enjoy “the life in your years”.
I often mention the various activities and programs at the Center, but there are other services the Center offers that are often overlooked.

At the top of the list is the Center’s loan closet: used medical equipment to borrow for any length of time for a small donation. But we can only lend what has been donated. And currently the Center is in need of wheelchairs, commodes, and transfer benches. But we do have walkers, crutches, canes (including quad canes), and a few toilet seat risers.

You may be thinking of downsizing or “de-cluttering” and that often includes confidential documents. Gorge Security Shred (541-490-7078) will be happy to make arrangements to pick up your documents. But if you have smaller amounts, less than twenty pounds, you can drop them off in the secure container at the Center for a donation of forty cents a pound. Or you can catch Gorge Security Shred around noon, most every Friday when they stop by the Center.
The Center also received a donation of large print books that are now available to borrow. And the Center has a collection of old classic movies to loan – mostly VHS from John Wayne to the Marx Brothers.  

And lastly, if you have any questions about services for older adults from phone numbers for Legal Aid to in-home care options, give the Center a call. I won’t guarantee we will have all the answers, but if we don’t, we will do our best to direct you to the right place.

With the Uplifting Elevator fundraising campaign in full swing, I was asked what happened to the donations made during the previous fundraising campaign in ‘08 to build the more expansive addition. I can report all of those donations, totaling nearly $35,000, have been saved. And with the approximately $10,000 raised in the new Uplifting Elevator campaign, we are almost halfway to the $100,000 needed for the local match requested by foundations to show community support for the project. Thanks to everyone who has contributed over the years to help make it possible to install an elevator at the Center.

As I promised, the Center’s music announcement is straight with no chaser. At the Center on Tuesday April 15th, Truman will be playing his Country Gold, Silver and Bronze. The doors open at 6:00, music starts at 7:00 and you can be in your car with your gal leaving for the drive-in by 9:00. Open to everyone and donations are always appreciated.
The comedian who was a child actor, a radio show regular during the 30’s and 40’s, and known as Mr. Television was (Uncle Miltie) Milton Berle. (And the winner of a Cherry Festival Breakfast is Evelyn Uhalde.) 
Okay, this may be another easy one, but it’s timely. What was the name of the automobile, first of its kind introduced 50 years ago in April of 1964, that was affordable (base price $2368), and compact with a sporty image. E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send it with the James Bond movie Goldfinger in which the car appeared.
Well, it has been another week trying to make heads or tails of the ups and downs of life. Until we meet again, keep searching for the new and novel, while savoring the old and reliable.

“There is only one alternative to getting older, so suck it up.”m Whoopi Goldberg                                                                                                  

Aging Well April 1st 2014

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Being active in your community is both good for the community and good for your health and well-being. This community involvement is often called Civic Engagement – April’s theme in your Passport to Happiness Calendar. An example is represented by the photo for April: The Dalles Floozies on the Queen of the West – a group of local individuals with a flair for the dramatic and the comical, having fun greeting the cruise ship tourists to make their visit to The Dalles a memorable one.

Voting is another example of civic engagement and your next opportunity is the primary election on May 20th. And because it is a mail in ballot you need to make sure to update your registration when your residence or mailing address changes – even if you are only changing rooms in a senior living facility. You can update your registration by going online at www.sos.oregon.gov or stopping by the Clerk’s Office in your county.

No matter your age, you can still contribute, whether by volunteering, working on a political campaign or joining the Floozies. There is no better time than now to make a difference.

Now several weeks into spring, I see more folks out walking and enjoying the warmer weather – although I can’t say drier. Walking is one of the best and simplest movement exercises, much better than sitting on the couch watching TV, and is an essential activity for independent living. But while I haven’t seen anyone fall off a couch, falling is a definite concern when walking – whether you are walking the dog or walking to the bathroom. At the Center’s next 11:00 Tuesday Lecture on April 8th, Ann Stanley will discuss “Walking and Aging: How to keep moving and prevent falls”, and will demonstrate a simple test to help determine your risk of falling.

I promised Betty and Martha I wouldn’t forget to mention that the Nu-2-U Shop is now restocked with fine used spring clothes. The shop is open from 9:00 – 3:00 Monday through Friday. And although the shop is small, what it lacks in size, it makes up in quality.

This is the last week for the Where in The Dalles is the Elevator? contest. You can find all four sets of clues for the five elevators (well, there aren’t exactly five, but you’ll figure that out.) on the Center’s website at www.midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com. Or you can pick up the clues at the Center. And whether you identify all five or only one, email, snail mail or send them by carrier pigeon – I don’t care, as long as you get your answers to the Center by 5:00 on Friday April 4th.

Last week I reversed the letters in the words and the week before I reversed the words in the sentence, so what’s up this week? A double whammy. I’m doing both. But don’t just skip over the music announcement. Novel challenges are good for the grey matter in that skull of yours.

.detaicerppa syawla era snoitanod Dna .nwod edispu ro pu edis thgir ,sdrawkcab ro drawrof emoc uoy rehtehw emoclew si Enoyreve .erusaelp gninetsil dna gnicnad ruoy rof gniyalp niaga kcab eb lliw Sdneirf dna Nitram ht8 Lirpa no Dna .MP 00:9 – 00:7 morf thgin Yadseut yreve Retnec eht ta cisum si Ereht

It wasn’t Ralph Miller, but Slats Gill who was the Oregon State University coach during their three consecutive trips to the NCAA Basketball Tournament from 1962 – 1964. And the top scorer in the 1963 NCAA tournament was Mel Counts – who Don McAllister remembers seeing in Wallowa County sometime in the 70’s-80’s sitting in the Cowboy Bar in Joseph, Oregon. You can’t miss someone who is 7’3” in Joseph. (And the winner of a Cherry Festival Breakfast is Rayburn Parker.)

This week’s “Remember When” question is about a comedian who was a child actor in many movies including the Perils of Pauline; was a regular on various radio shows during the 30’s and 40’s; and then moved to television to host the Texaco Star Theater. Who is considered by many the first star of television and was known as Mr. Television? E-mail your answers to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send your answers with a tape of the 1939 radio comedy show Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One.

Well, it has been another week trying to see what I can learn from this body of mine. Until we meet again, seek the wind that will fill your sails, but watch out for those sandbars.

“Almost half of all people over 40 believe they look younger than they are. This says something important about older Americans: We have terrible eyesight.” Dave Barry

Aging Well March 25th 2014

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We are all learning how to navigate this digital age: email addresses, numerous passwords, Facebook friends, and online banking. (Okay, not all of us. I know several folks who have resisted the temptation and after spending hours trying to remember my passwords, they just may have the right idea!)
But knowing that you can’t really turn back the hands of time, the Center is trying to keep up with its own website at www.midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com. If you have any questions about Center activities, I would encourage you to visit it. It is updated every week, usually by Wednesday morning, and has plenty of information including a Resource Guide for Older Adults, clues for the “Where in The Dalles is the Elevator” contest plus the Center’s weekly newsletter. I have to admit the site is not fancy, but like an old John Deere tractor, it gets the job done.
What do you get when you add “Barley Draught” with an Elevator on St. Patrick’s Day? Good music, great fun and over $1000 raised for the UpLifting Elevator Fund! Thanks to Barley Draught for donating their time to rock the Center with their high energy Irish music. I also want to thank all the folks who helped make the evening such a success: Mary Murray, Kevin Ryan, Edna Chandler and Colleen Ballinger; Spookys, Papa Murphys and Pizza Hut for donating pizzas, the band members for donating their delicious Irish Soda Bread and Mark Powell at Clock Tower Ale for setting up the keg of Guinness Beer – because I didn’t have a clue. After the rousing St. Patrick’s Day concert, I am looking forward to inviting “Barley Draught” back in the not too distant future to celebrate the addition of the new elevator.
The Center is expanding its Creative Arts program by adding two new offerings this spring. The first is a Dynamic Drawing Class where you can learn how to draw or expand your knowledge of drawing. Former university art professor, Joy Kloman, will teach old-master drawing techniques to create a lively composition. The cost is $50 for the four classes, plus $11.00 to purchase the supplies – available at the first class. The classes are on May 9th, May 23rd, May 30th, and June 6thfrom 1:00 – 3:30 downstairs at the Center. To register call the Center at 541-296-4788.
The second offering is a Writer’s Tertulia. (Tertulia is a Spanish word meaning an informal gathering to talk about common interests.) In this Writer’s Tertulia, you will have a chance to explore a variety of writing experiences: stories from your life, short fictional stories, Haiku and poetry, chapbooks and 10-minute plays. So whether you have been writing all your life, have always wanted to write or just want to explore a new talent, consider joining this Writer’s Tertulia. It will be facilitated by Robert Griswold and takes place downstairs at the Center on Fridays from 10:00 – 11:00 starting April 4th.
A quick reminder: the speaker for the 11:00 Tuesday Lecture on April 1st will be Taylor Haag from GREEN HOME Construction discussing the advantages of weatherizing your home.
I’ve upped the difficulty for the Center’s April 1st music announcement. See if you can decipher it. .
Ereht si cisum ta eht Retnec yreve Yadseut morf 7:00 – 9:00 MP. Dna no Lirpa ts1, Eht Yrrebwarts Niatnuom Dnab lliw eb gnimrofrep. Dna sa a laiceps taert rof siht laiceps yad, Erdna lliw eb gniwohs rehtona edis fo sih lacisum stnelat yb gniyalp a edulerp, na edute dna neht na edutrenni rof eht lacissalc ratiug. Dna rebmemer enoyreve si emoclew dna snoitanod era syawla detaicerppa.
The brother and sister in the popular reading primers of the 40’s and 50’s were Dick and Jane along with their dog “See Spot run.” (And the winner of a Cherry Festival Breakfast is Gwenna McCarger.)  
If you are sports fan, you know we are in the midst of basketball’s March Madness. So this week’s “Remember When” question is from the NCAA Basketball Championships long, long ago. From 1962 through 1964, Oregon State University played in the NCAA Basketball Tournament making it to the final four in 1963. Who was the OSU coach? And for bonus points who, according to Wikipedia, was the top scorer of the 1963 tournament? E-mail your answers to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send your answers with two OSU 2014-2015 basketball season tickets.
Well, it has been another week enjoying the slow slide towards spring. Until we meet again, live without fear and with imagination.
“Children are often spoiled because no one will spank Grandma.” Seen on a wooden sign in The Breezeway Antiques and Gifts store on 2nd Street in The Dalles.

Aging Well March 18th 2014

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Is there anything you want to learn or better understand – something to sink your teeth in? It could be learning how to stitch, playing a ukulele, trying your hand at poetry, or since you always doodled as a child, learning how to draw. Or how about learning how to use a new iPad, or smart phone? Or even better, how to set up that blankety-blank new flat screen TV with what seems like a thousand different channels. (Remember when there were only three television networks and the only show you could watch after midnight was the test pattern!)

All through our lives we have been learning – from how to read in grade school to on the job training in our professional careers. And now after retirement, there is no reason to stop. In your Passport to Happiness calendar for the month of March you will find, besides a healthy recipe for a Chicken and Dumpling Casserole, and a picture of Pauline Westover reading in the library at Flagstone Senior Living (she was once a school librarian), several tips about how to continue on your own path of lifelong learning.
For example, you can enroll in a class at the Columbia Gorge Community College; or register for the spring Mastery on Aging Classes offered by OSU Extension at the CGCC campus in Hood River (The first class is April 14th on Memory Difficulties. For more information call OSU Extension 541-506-6011.) And at the Center there are the Creative Arts Classes which I’ve mentioned before. But next week I will provide more information about two new opportunities: a Dynamic Drawing Class taught by Joy Kloman and a Writer’s Tertulia (you can look that word up later!) facilitated by Robert Griswold.
In addition, there are Lectures at the Center every Tuesday except the third Tuesdays. Some of the upcoming speakers are Taylor Haag from GREEN HOME Construction on April 1st discussing the advantages of weatherizing your home; Ann Stanley on April 8th discussing the value of walking and particularly what you can do to prevent falls. And then in May, PK Swartz will discuss Advance Directives, POLST and Organ and Tissue Donations on the 6th; and on the 13th, Julie Reynolds will reprise the talk she gave in February at the Original Wasco County Courthouse on “Close Encounters: Wasco County Residents Remember the Rajneeshees”.
Thanks to Meadow Advertising and Katie Cordrey, you can now donate to the “UpLifting Elevator Fund-Raiser” online at www.seniorelevator.com. And by using your credit card you can earn more reward points on your favorite credit card for that trip to London? New York? Portland? Or just a nice overnight stay at the Balch Hotel in Dufur.
And while you have your credit card out, you can also go to the Civic Auditorium’s website at CIVIC27.com and donate $27 or more to support the operation and maintenance of this community asset and living memorial to local veterans. It is easy, simple and you receive your receipt by email which you can print out for your tax records.
Now it is once again time to challenge your cranium by mixing up the words and letters in this week’s Center’s music announcement. So here goes.
.appreciated always are donations and invited are ages All .enjoyment dancing and listening your for tunes country some playing be will Boys Simcoe the 25th March on And .PM 00:9 – 00:7 from Tuesday every Center the at music is There
The sixteen B-25s, each with a five member crew, that flew the first air raid strike over Japan in April of 1942 was led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle and called the Doolittle’s Raiders. And the Hollywood movie based on the air raid was called “30 Seconds over Tokyo” starring Spencer Tracy, Van Johnson and Scott McKay – really! (And the winner of a Cherry Festival Breakfast is Ron Sutherland.)
This week’s “Remember When” question is from the 40’s and 50’s when many of first learned to read using this common reading series. In this reading primer, what were the names 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. 

Well, it has been another week when if it ain’t one thing, it’s another. Until we meet again, keep your head up, eyes open and your imagination free.

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

Aging Well March 11th 2014

Aging Well in the Gorge No Comments

Is it beginning to feel like spring? Because we are getting closer with the first day of spring (or the vernal equinox as the say in the more educated circles) arriving on March 20th. And just like flowers sprouting in the gardens and ants climbing on the kitchen counters, the Center is busy with activity. So stay with me as I share with you many of the spring activities at the Center.

 Another sign of spring is the return of the Center’s Saturday Breakfast from its two month winter hiatus. We’ll still working on the menu but the serving line opens at 8:00 but you better get up by 9:30 to enjoy a delicious breakfast for only $5.00. And remember, as Jack always said “Breakfast tastes better when someone else cooks it!”

 It’s also time for the Center’s Spring Membership drive. With the UpLifting Elevator Fundraiser picking up steam, one of the ways the Center can show community support when applying for grants for the elevator is by the number of Center memberships. So the Center has raised the bar for 2014 to a goal of 500 members: an increase of 100 members over last year. And we are about half way there. The cost is still $35 per person or $60 per couple; and then there is the Super Duper membership for $50 per person. In addition, this year we added the convenience of buying your membership online. Go to the Center’s website and click on the “Buy Now” button under membership.

 Debra Jones is continually growing the creative arts program at the Center and her latest is the Creative Arts Spring Series – two Tuesday classes in each of the months of March, April and May. You can choose which classes you want to attend, but you need to call the Center to register for each because space is limited. The next class on drawing with watercolors and pen and ink is from 1:00 – 2:30 March 25th. This class is open to all skill levels; particularly a great way for beginners to learn to use watercolors. Debra Jones is the instructor and the cost is $2.00. For more information you can contact Debra at 541- 298-2131 or visit the Center’s website at midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com for a full listing of all the creative arts classes.

 The good news is that “Barley Draught” will be playing at the Center on St. Patrick’s Day starting at 7:00 PM to raise funds for the Center’s Elevator. It is an over 21 event with Irish Beer, Irish pizza and Irish Soda Bread.

 But the bad news is that you will have to make a choice, because also on Monday folks will be celebrating St. Pat’s Day at Old St. Pete’s with the Cascade Singers, a Children’s Choir, and the Almost-All-Irish – Almost – All – Brass – Band. Music starts at 7:00 at the St. Peter’s Landmark. Admission is a free-will offering to benefit the St. Peter’s Landmark.

 And there is always music at the Center every Tuesday from 7:00 – 9:00 PM. Truman will be playing his Country Gold on the 18th. And on Sunday the 16th, the Pie and Music Jam will be making its monthly stop at the Center from 2:00 – 5:00. And it is free.

 The answer to last week’s question is Mad Magazine whose mission has been described as “being ever ready to pounce on the illogical, hypocritical, self-serious and ludicrous”. And the goofy looking boy often found on the cover? It’s “What – Me Worry!” Alfred E Neuman. (And the winner of a free breakfast this coming Saturday is Mad Man (Dennis) Morgan.)

 This week’s “Remember When” question was inspired by an email from Marv Elsberry reminding readers not to forget these famous flyers of WW II. To send a message to Japan and to boost American morale after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, in April of 1942 sixteen B-25s, each with a five member crew, took off from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to bomb Tokyo and five Japanese industrial centers: What was the name given to these eighty WWII heroes? And for bonus points, what was the name of the 1944 Hollywood movie based on the raid? E-mail your answers to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send your answers with a picture of the B-25 nicknamed “The Ruptured Duck”.

 Well, it has been another week feeling good until I don’t. Until we meet again, as Paul Newman once said “It is useless to put on your brakes when you’re upside down”.

 “In retrospect it becomes clear that hindsight is definitely overrated!” Alfred E Neuman

Aging Well March 4th 2014

Aging Well in the Gorge No Comments

Life can be broadly defined by three stages: the years preparing for work and family – when you were told what you had to do, followed by years of working and raising a family – when you did what you thought you should do.

And now this third chapter when you are no longer working, or at least working less, and watching your grandchildren grow – a time to do what you have always wanted to do, no longer constrain by time or self-imposed limitations. You can now discover or rediscover your passions and interests while reevaluating what you are currently doing to see if it is time to let go of old habits and thought patterns, so you can take advantage of the many opportunities around you to pursue your “want tos”. And don’t worry if your “want tos” seem immature or irrational. This is the time in your life to follow the adage “Dance first and think later”.

There are many folks who have taken that leap: pursuing an interest in drawing or painting through Debra Jones’ creative arts classes at the Center or classes at The Dalles Art Center; or learning more about their family history through the Columbia Gorge Genealogy Society, or purchasing a ukulele at Columbia River Music and learning to play.

But we know it isn’t always going to be easy. As we have more time to spare, we seem to have less energy; and with fewer responsibilities, there are often fewer goals and dreams to challenge us. And I won’t mention the difficulties living on a modest income that gets more modest every year. It takes guts to age successfully; to take responsibility for your life and not just let life happen; to finally pursue what you have always wanted to do. But as long as you have the energy and the courage, there is still much to accomplish in the years ahead.

My apologies to all the Saturday Night Bingo players. We cancelled Bingo thinking the snow and possible freezing rain was going to come sooner than later. But I don’t suspect there will be any more winter weather advisories, so we should be good for the rest of the year. And as a reminder, because of the fantastic volunteers, every penny from Thursday and Saturday Night Bingo goes to either the players or the operation of Meals-on-Wheels on Thursday night or the Center on Saturday night. And although there may not be the large pay outs as some of the big city bingo halls, over $1000 is paid out each night – and that’s no small potatoes.

The turnout for the Nehemiah Brown Concert last Friday night at the Center was even larger than last year with over 70 people in attendance. A big thank-you goes to Danette Utley from Flagstone who was responsible for bringing Nehemiah to The Dalles. And you might want to write down May 23rd on your Passport to Happiness Calendar– Nehemiah’s next performance at the Center.

There is always music at the Center from 7:00 – 9:00 PM on Tuesday nights. And next Tuesday on the 11th, Martin and Friends will be playing their country best. All ages are welcome and donations are appreciated. 

Many people, including myself, remember seeing news clips of Nikita Khrushchev banging his shoe on his desk at the United Nations General Assembly. But it may be another example of how our minds can create their own memories, because even though everyone agrees he banged his fist, there is no recorded video or pictures of him banging a shoe. (And by the way, the winner of a free Saturday Breakfast on March 15th is Bob Thouvenel.)

Before there were the Simpsons, Jon Stewart’s Daily Show and the Onion, there was a magazine, first published as a comic book in 1952, that satirized all aspects of American society from the media and big business to hippies and the Vietnam War. For this week’s “Remember When” questions what was the name of the magazine and the name of the boy with the gap-toothed smile often found on the cover? E-mail your answers to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788 or send in a vanilla envelope the first edition of the comic book Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad.

Well, it has been another week learning that problems never cease, they just change. Until we meet again, tell me I’m not the only one who when learning of the symptoms for a serious illness, imagines having each one of them.

“Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.” Anonymous