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.

Recently I’ve been on a hot streak seeing a doctor or a primary care provider once every month, and each time I go fearing what they’ll discover. And I’ll tell you, it doesn’t help when I hear, “We’ll, I’ve never seen that before.” or “Oh, that doesn’t look good!”

When you see a doctor as often as many of us, good communication is critically important – particularly for us older adults who often have more serious health conditions. If your doctor doesn’t know what you are experiencing, how is she going to treat you effectively? And if you don’t understand the hows, whats, and whys of your diagnosis and treatment, how are you going to follow your doctor’s advice?

So how best can you communicate with your doctor? Here are a few tips provided by the National Institute on Aging.

1.) Be honest. Don’t just say what you want the doctor to hear – that you have been exercising even when you haven’t. Tell it like it is so she’ll have accurate information for your diagnosis and treatment.

2.) Decide which three or four questions you’ll ask and state them at the beginning of the appointment, so they aren’t overlooked. You can start by listing all your concerns and prioritizing them before your visit. And if you don’t understand the answers, ask your doctor to clarify.

3.) Stick to the point. I always enjoy the friendly small-town chats but keep it short and get to the reason you’re there. Briefly state your symptoms, when they started, how often they happen, and if they are getting worse or better.

4.) Share your feelings about the visit. Tell your doctor if you feel rushed, worried, or uncomfortable.

And I’ll add one more from my own experience.

5) Consider bringing another set of ears – especially if you have difficulty hearing. They may catch something important you missed.

You can learn more by picking up a copy of the National Institute on Aging’s “A Guide for Older People – Talking with Your Doctor” or you can go to their website www.nia.nih.gov/health.

I have to give a plug for the upcoming theater production of Ripcord by Big Britches Productions. You won’t find many plays that feature older adults. But this comic drama by David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by Joe Garoutte “explores adversarial relationships between two older women in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility: cantankerous Abby forced to share her sunny room with newly arrived and infuriatingly chipper Marilyn”.

The plot involves a seemingly harmless bet which quickly escalates into a dangerous game of one-upmanship revealing not just the tenacity of these worthy opponents, but also the deeper truths they would prefer to remain hidden.

Ripcord plays at The Bingen Theater, 210 Oak St. Bingen with shows on January 27th, 28th, February 3rd, 4th, 10th, and 11th at 7:30 PM and January 29th, February 5th at 2:00 pm. Admission is $25 for adults and $23 for seniors. For more information, visit bigbritches.org or email info@bigbritches.org.

The name of the prehistoric reptilian monster that debuted in the 1954 film and has been called the “King of the Monsters” is Godzilla. I received correct answers from Emmett Sampson, Lana Tepfer, Deloris Schrader, Kim Birge, Dave Lutgens, Donna Mollet, Maria Kollas, and Melissa Hayes who sent me a picture of Godzilla fighting King Kong and is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

Game shows have been a staple of daytime television since the 1950s and we all had our favorites – What’s My Line?, I’ve Got A Secret, or To Tell the Truth. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the television game show host for Truth or Consequences from 1956 to 1975 and The Price Is Right from 1972 to 2007? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a donation to your favorite animal rights organization.

Brain Tease: Another test of your grey matter. How many pennies can you put into an empty piggy bank?

Well, it’s been another week, looking for the prize in the cereal box. Until we meet again, as I often have to remind myself, there is a reason we have two ears and only one mouth.

“If a man loses anything and goes back and looks carefully for it, he will find it.” Sitting Bull

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: Just one – after that it won’t be empty.

Most of us imagine we will always be living unassisted in our homes, happy and content, with our arm around our loved one watching the setting sun. But then over time, that idyllic picture is shattered. You fall and break your hip, or your sight becomes so poor it’s no longer safe to drive, or you can’t remember to turn off the gas stove. Then what do you do?

In those situations, you can still live a meaningful life, but you may need some level of long-term care to keep doing what you like to do.

Long-term care (LTC) is a range of services and supports to meet your personal care needs: helping you get to appointments, cooking meals, bathing, and dressing from a paid caregiver but more often from a spouse or close family member – who often neglect their own health needs. Or it could mean moving to an assisted living facility or nursing home.

Very few people have thought about long-term care or even want to talk about it. They are difficult conversations triggering many emotions; not something you discuss around the dining room table during Thanksgiving with your adult children.

But we should. Why?

Someone turning 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and supports in their remaining years whether at home or in a care facility.

And it can be expensive. Medicare provides only very limited coverage for long-term care. Thankfully there is Medicaid which pays for the bulk of long-term care services, but it is based on an older adult’s income and assets, often requiring “spending down” to qualify.

Since most of us will need long-term care, we should plan. But we seldom do.

To start you can learn the basics about LTC services at the U.S. government’s LongTermCare.gov website: how to pay for them and how to prepare. The site includes tips for anyone, healthy or not, over age 50.

In Oregon, you can also call the local Area Agency on Aging at 541-506-3512. They offer Options Counseling where trained Options Counselors can work with you and your family to identify your long-term goals and help create an action plan to achieve them. And for anyone over 55 who needs periodic support such as a friendly visit or a ride to the grocery store, you can call Circles of Care at 541-397-0724.

We don’t plan for life with an aging body. But as Jennifer Crowley author of Seven Steps to Long-Term Care Planning points out, if we can move from denial to action, it can relieve a lot of anxiety. “There’s a peace of mind that comes from getting your affairs in order. … There’s never a wrong time to get started. But there’s always a right time. We can’t avoid certain adversities such as illness or injury, but we can prepare for them.”

Brain Tease: Another often-heard challenge for your brain.

Mom and Dad have four daughters, and each daughter has one brother. How many people are in the family?

The quarterback from Oregon State University who won the Heisman Trophy in 1962 was Terry Baker. I received correct answers from Nancy Higgins, Doug Nelson, Dave Lutgens, Lee Kaseberg, Jess Birge, and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket Keith Clymer who got to watch Terry Baker play when his high school football team played WyEast back in 1960. And last week I missed Richard Shaw and Shelley Baxter.

When watching this science fiction movie as a child, I ran out of the living room scared and embarrassed in front of my friends. (I still shut my eyes during scary scenes. I only saw half of Jaws!)

For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the prehistoric reptilian monster that debuted in the 1954 film directed and co-written by Ishirō Honda and has been called the “King of the Monsters”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a picture of this monster battling King Kong.

Well, it’s been another week, looking for the silver lining on a cloudy day. Until we meet again, keep busy but don’t rush.

“Age is only a number, a cipher for the records. A man can’t retire his experience. He must use it.” Bernard Baruch

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: Seven. The four daughters have only one brother, making five children, plus mom and dad.

Do any of you make New Year’s resolutions anymore? As Mark Twain wrote on news years day in 1863, “Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink, and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever. We shall also reflect pleasantly upon how we did the same old thing last year about this time.”

It may be surprising but fifty percent of those who make New Year’s resolutions actually keep at least one of them. And a little hint. You are more likely to keep a resolution if it is about adopting a new habit and not about avoiding one – such as that bowl of ice cream every night.

And do we really need them? I mean, at our age we’ve experienced enough that we should have it all figured out, right? And what do we really want to change?

But New Year’s resolutions are an opportunity to imagine what changes we would like to experience this year: walking with friends every day, finishing that book you’ve been meaning to read, or mailing out the Christmas cards! (Is it too late?)

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

So here we are, in a new year. We can keep doing the same old same old – and there is nothing wrong with that. But we can also branch out; take this opportunity to contemplate other ways to make our lives worth living – so we won’t miss what is truly important.

Brain Tease

I couldn’t answer several of the past Brain Teases since I’m not the sharpest bulb in the drawer but hoped you could. But for the next several weeks I’ll provide a little respite and share teases which I think you’ll find easier – maybe too easy!

1) How can a woman pass three cars going 70 miles-per-hour, while going 60 miles per hour?

It’s time to catch up on all of you who responded to the last three weeks of “Remember When” questions. And as you know each winner will have a ticket entered in a quilt raffle drawing.

December 21^st – The name of the popular toy invented in 1943 that can travel down a flight of stairs, end over end and land upright was a Slinky. I received responses from

Donna Mollett, Jay Waterbury, Rhonda Spies, Doug Nelson, Barb Blair, Pat Evenson-Brady, Lana Tepfer, Maria and Paul Kollas, Patty Burnet, Jess and Kim Birge, Keith Clymer, Jim Tindall, Tina Castanares, Bruce Johnson, Robert Mobley, Stephen Woolpert, and this week’s winner Melissa Hayes who sent a Slinky Commercial she found on YouTube.

December 28^th – The name of the 1957 tearjerker starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr was An Affair to Remember. I received correct answers from these romantics: Kim Birge, Debbie Medina, Doug Nelson, Rebecca Abrams, Tina Castanares, and Bob Johnson the week’s winner.

January 4^th – The name of the automobile manufacturer that built the Lark and the stylistic Avanti was Studebaker. I receive correct answers from Jay Waterbury, Dave Lutgens, Donna Mollet, Doug Nelson, Bruce Johnson, Steven Woolpert, Marlene and Keith Clymer, and Emmett Sampson this week’s winner.

The national college football championship game is over and to acknowledge the end of the season, I’m going to ask a college football question that has Oregon roots. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the quarterback that won the Heisman Trophy in 1962 and surprisingly also helped lead his school to the NCAA Basketball Tournament Final Four in 1963? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with the January 7^th, 1963 edition of Sports Illustrated where he was named “Sportsman of the Year”.

“Many years ago, I made a New Year’s resolution to never make New Year’s resolutions. Hell, it’s been the only resolution I’ve ever kept!” D.S. Mixell

Well, it’s been another week, trying to remember to write 2023 and not that other year.

Until we meet again, may you have more laughs than tears this new year.

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 cars she passed were going in the opposite direction.

My wife and I should be back from California having visited the children and being enlightened about what we should be doing! (We stop that conversation quickly by asking which one of them will be taking us in when we get to that age.) 

Even though our children would like us to live forever (They haven’t really thought that through!), I know 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. 

For this first column of 2023, I thought I would again share lessons I have learned over the last fifteen years of my journey from the many older adults I have had the fortune of meeting. (Although my wife just asked, “Are we supposed to be learning lessons?”) Each year I will keep revising the list because although I don’t know what the years ahead will bring, I know there are more lessons to learn. 

1. What is good for your heart is good for your brain.
2. Learn a new skill without worrying about 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. Stay current with friends. There may not be a tomorrow.
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. Tiredness causes tiredness. Do something.
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. 
19. Grey hair is cool – and beautiful.
20. Living is aging. Embrace your age.
21. We all depend on each other, so there is no shame in asking for help.
22. Everybody has a story to tell – if we listen.
23. “Dream as if you will live forever and live as if you will die tomorrow.” James Dean 

This month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder” is about Sally Ann Kortge. On my way to work, I often would see her walking in her colorful clothing and wondering “Who is this woman?” I finally had the pleasure of meeting her and viewing her imaginative and original artwork during the opening of her exhibit at The Dalles Art Center. I found her to be an amazing woman! 

Brain Tease: Try to guess the next number in each sequence using the simplest mathematical operations or ideas. 

1, 2, 6, 24, 120, …

31, 94, 47, 142, 71, 214, 107, 322, 161, …

4, 7, 15, 29, 59, 117, …

The name of the 1957 American romantic film starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr who were engaged to others but planned to meet six months later which didn’t go as planned was An Affair to Remember. As I haven’t returned from sunny San Diego by the time I had to submit this column, I will mention next week everyone who submitted correct answers for this week and last.

During the 1950s a massive price war between Ford and General Motors affected many of the independent car companies such as Nash, Packard and this automobile manufacturer who operated a plant in South Bend, Indiana until 1963. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this automobile manufacturer that built the Lark one of the first compacts, and the stylistic Avanti called “the fastest production car in the world” at the time? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a restored 1960 Hawk.

“I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.” Lily Tomlin

Well, it’s been another week, trying to tip-toe across the stage without being noticed. Until we meet again, even in doubt, there is a time to act.

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: 720 (×2, ×3, ×4, ×5, ×6, …)

484 (×3+1, /2, ×3+1, /2, …)

235 (×2-1, ×2+1, ×2-1, …)

Once again, my wife and I are driving to California to visit the children and enjoy a respite from the cold. So I’d like to keep it simple by sharing a humorous story I have enjoyed and hope you will also. But first. 

Laughing is good for your health – stimulating your brain and reducing stress are just two of the many benefits. Amusing stories are also beneficial as we age by acknowledging the incongruities and absurdities of life and reminding us of our shared experiences. As Robert Fulton puts it “It is a matter of laughing with ourselves, not at ourselves.” 

Although there are many blessings as we get older, laughter can also help us deal with the accompanying challenges. Bob Newhart once said, “Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it, and then move on.” So here we are, still alive and kicking – or at least moving.

Now it’s time for the story about a tired senior and an arrogant and persistent lawyer who to his regret believes the stereotypes of older adults. 

A lawyer and a senior are sitting next to each other on a long flight. The lawyer is thinking that seniors are so dumb that he could get one over on them easily. So, the lawyer asks if the senior would like to play a fun game.

The senior is tired and just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and tries to catch a few winks. The lawyer persists, saying that the game is a lot of fun.

“I ask you a question, and if you don’t know the answer, you pay me only $5.00. Then, you ask me one, and if I don’t know the answer, I will pay you $500.00,” he says.

This catches the senior’s attention and, to keep the lawyer quiet, he agrees to play the game with him.

The lawyer asks the first question. “What’s the distance from the Earth to the Moon?”

“The senior doesn’t say a word, but reaches into his pocket, pulls out a five-dollar bill, and hands it to the lawyer.

Now, it’s the senior’s turn. He asks the lawyer, “What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?”

The lawyer uses his laptop to search all references and he can’t find it on the Internet.

He sends E-mails to all the smart friends he knows; and all to no avail. After an hour of searching, he finally gives up.

He wakes the senior and hands him $500.00. The senior pockets the $500.00 and goes right back to sleep. The lawyer is going nuts now, not knowing the answer.

He wakes the senior up again and asks, “Well, so what goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four??”

The senior reaches into his pocket, hands the lawyer $5.00 and goes back to sleep. 

Brain Tease: This one turned my head into a pretzel. See if you can do better. The day before yesterday, Chris was 7 years old. Next year, she’ll turn 10. How is this possible?

The name of the popular toy invented in 1943 that can travel down a flight of stairs, end over end and land upright was a Slinky. Since my wife and I are on our annual road trip I will name those who submitted correct answers in two weeks. 

This is a tough one. We’ll see how many romantics there are in the audience. This film is considered one of the most romantic films of all time and it started with a New Year’s Eve kiss. For this week’s “Remember When’ question what’s the name of the 1957 tearjerker starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in which both were engaged to others but decided to meet six months later which doesn’t go as planned. Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne. 

“Look to the future, because that is where you’ll spend the rest of your life.” George Burns.

Well, it’s been another week, waiting to turn the page. Until we meet again, may the new year be all you hope for. 

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: Today is Jan. 1st. Yesterday, December 31, was Chris’s 8th birthday. On December 30, she was still 7. This year she will turn 9, and next year, she’ll turn 10.