When I wrote last week’s column, I thought the winter storm weather was over. Boy was I wrong! It wasn’t until Saturday morning that I could shovel out my car, and I might add without the help of my neighbor – although I certainly could have used him! 

I don’t enjoy slipping and sliding on snow-covered streets. But what I dislike just as much is driving at night. There are more dark nights than snowy days, and in the snow, I can at least see what I’m sliding into.

So, what should we know about driving at night? Tom Vanderbilt in his article “Why People Have Difficulty Driving at Night” on the AARP website offers some thoughts.

It’s not surprising that as we grow older our eyes change: vision in daylight may be just fine, but our night vision becomes less acute; our pupils shrink with age, so we become less sensitive to changes in contrast and less able to distinguish objects from their background; and most annoying, the glare from the bright lights of oncoming headlights which after seeing takes us longer for our visual acuity to return to normal.

Consequently, many of us try to avoid driving at night, but often we can’t: the night drive back from Portland, an evening meeting, or going to dinner with a friend.  

So here are a few tips. 

1. Stick to the roads you know and are more confident driving. 
2. Be cautious when approaching unfamiliar Intersections or changes in the traffic patterns.  
3. Don’t rush and allow yourself extra travel time when driving at night – although it is unsettling when semis are passing me on I-84! 
4. Keep ample space between yourself and other drivers so you have more time to react.
5. Make sure all your windows and mirrors are clean. Dirty windows tend to fog up more often at night. 
6. Make sure your headlights are aligned properly. You don’t want to throw too much light toward oncoming traffic and less on the road ahead.
7. Set the illumination levels of your dashboard lights and any in-car screens to low. Bright light inside makes it harder to see outside.
8. Use your brights at night in almost all cases when there are no oncoming cars. High beams give you the best chance of reacting fast enough to an unexpected hazard. Even on dark, rural roads without much traffic, some three-quarters of drivers typically use their low beams, causing drivers to overdrive their headlights.
9. Take a driving course such as the AARP Smart Driver online class or in-person class when available in the Gorge. 
10. See a physician regularly for eye exams to be sure your eyes are still fit for driving at night. 

The snow-covered roads will be gone soon, but we will still have long winter nights for a while. So, when you drive after dark, consider these tips to make sure you reach your destination safely.

Brain Tease. See if you can decipher this quote by Elbert Hubbard?

“evila ti fo tuo teg reven lliw uoY .ylsuoires oot efil ekat ton oD “

The name of the 1930s animated cartoon character and famous sex symbol was “Boop-Oop-a-Doop” Betty Boop – a favorite of many. I received correct answers from Sandy Haechrel, Donna Mollet, Bruce Johnson, Lana Tepfer, Judy Kiser, Tina Castanares, Rebecca Abrams, Dave Lutgens, Pat Evenson-Brady, Keith Clymer, Kathy Gay, Deborah Medina, Nancy Higgins, Linda Frizzell, Marny Weting and Stephen Woolpert this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. 

This comedian was a regular on the Smothers Brothers Show and ran for President in 1968 with the campaign slogan, “Just a common, ordinary, simple savior of America’s destiny”. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what is the name of this comedian who announced during his campaign, “It is time to forget the petty bickering and settle down to an old-fashioned mudslinging campaign”? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with the 1968 movie about his run for president on the “Straight-Talking American Government” ticket.

Well, it’s been another week, staying warm under the covers. Until we meet again, keep those home fires burning.

“The art of living lies in the fine mingling of letting go and holding on.” Havelock Ellis

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; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; 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), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

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

Well, how about that for a wild Wintry Mix? I hope everyone survived – safe and warm with no broken bones, spoiled food, or frayed relationships from too much time too close together. But at least we don’t live in Minnesota where I’m told they have four seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction!

What’s distressing is even when we get past this first winter storm with temperatures that were much too cold, there are still sixty-six days until the start of spring. I think there should be some meteorological law that states the colder the winter, the quicker spring arrives!

But I don’t think that will happen, so a few winter safety tips could still be helpful. But what don’t you already know about staying safe during the winter? I mean you have made it this far – and you’ve probably seen much worse.

I’m not sure there’s much, but maybe a few of the many tips from “Tip Sheet: Winter Safety for Older Adults” found at HealthinAging.org might help prevent injuries during the winter months.

Fires and carbon monoxide: If you use a wood or gas stove, make sure it is properly used, vented, and cleaned. You can even install carbon monoxide detectors in your house.

Space heaters: Make sure they are at least three feet away from anything that might catch fire; place the heater on the floor surface, not a table, that is hard, level, and nonflammable; and turn it off when you leave the room or go to bed.

Shoveling snow: This can put added stress on your old ticker when it is already working double time to keep warm in the cold weather. So, don’t push it – or hire someone. (Before I had a chance, a young neighbor without asking shoveled our steps which was very considerate, but offended my I-can-still-do-that! self-image.)

Slipping and falling: Every winter I hear of someone breaking a leg, arm, or hip. So be particularly careful of icy steps and pavement that appears just wet but is iced over; wear boots with non-skid soles; use a cane or ski pole when walking; and don’t forget to “walk like a penguin”.

But you knew all of that, right?

So maybe the best advice is just to stay alert and take your time. We may not be as quick or flexible, but our years of experience should make us smarter and wiser so we are safe during these winter months.

Brain Tease. Each pair of hints below relates to two words. One of the words is the other one spelled backward. What are the five word pairs? 1. married, moisture; 2. retain, sneaking look; 3. weapons, tight fit; 4. portion, catching device; 5. prize, furniture compartment.

The duplicating machine often found in schools, libraries, and churches in the 50s, 60s, and 70s was the mimeograph machine, or ditto machine (spirit duplicator), or a hectograph which apparently all coexisted at the same time. I received correct answers from Jonnie Anderson, Debra from Lyle, Bruce Johnson, Tina Castanares, Judy Kiser, Melanie Perkins, Sandy Haechrel and Rhonda Spies who neither one liked the icky smell, Donna Mollet, Rebecca Abrams, Dave Lutgens, Linda Frizzell, Lana Tepfer, Kim Birge, Elaine Kirby, Pat Evenson Brady, and Melanie Perkins who is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

Max Fleisher brought to the movie screen such comic characters Popeye, Superman, and this caricature of a Jazz Age flapper. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this 1930s animated cartoon character and famous sex symbol (if a cartoon character can be considered a sex symbol, but it was the 30s!)?  E-mail your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or drop it off with the Talkartoon “Minnie the Moocher” with Cab Calloway that’s considered one of the greatest cartoons of all time.

Well, it’s been another week, ducking and dodging – which isn’t getting any easier. Until we meet again, as Hal Borland, once said “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”

“One can follow the sun, of course, but I have always thought that it is best to know some winter, too, so that the summer, when it arrives, is the more gratefully received.” Beatriz Williams

Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through Friday unless otherwise noted.

Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) – Mondays and Wednesdays; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; 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), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

Answers: 1. wed, dew; 2. keep, peek; 3. guns, snug; 4. part, trap; 5. reward, drawer.

After my wife and I spent nine nights visiting our children in San Diego and San Luis Obispo, it was nice to come back home. Back to my regular routines where I know what to expect each day: waking up, getting dressed, eating my Cheerios for breakfast, working; then exercising, eating dinner, watching a comedy, and going to sleep. Not the most exciting, but familiar.

And not every day is the same. There are meetings, visits with friends, and doctor’s appointments, but I can control those changes in my routine – except the doctor’s appointments!  I’ve found, as you may have also, that regular routines can make life simpler and less stressful.

Now I’m not complaining. It was a wonderful visit: assembling my daughter’s new Ikea bed – which was an all-day endeavor that tested both my brawn and brain; watching The Muppets Christmas Carol on Christmas Day; and spending time walking on the beach in coat and scarf – it was a cold blustery wind! And I can’t forget the casual scenic 20 mph drives along the L.A. freeways.

We had fun hanging out with our children, although we’re still waiting for grandchildren, and are looking forward to visiting them again next December. But I’ve found after being away for nine nights, it felt good to be back home and my daily routines – although, if the temperatures drop down into the low teens, I just might have the urge to take the next flight to San Diego!

But it’s time to catch up on all of you who sent in answers for the last three “Remember When” questions.

The child actor who was Hollywood’s top box-office attraction from 1935 through 1938 was Shirley Temple. I received correct answers from Sandy Haechrel, Nancy Higgins, Judy Kiser, Rhonda Spies, Dave Lutgens, Rebecca Abrams, Bruce Johnson, Debbie Medina, Eva Summers, Donna Mollet, Linda Frizzell, Lana Tepfer, Kim Birge, Keith and Marlene Clymer, Mike Nagle, Anne Saxby, Craig Terry, and Judy Hanson.

The prolific American author and former lawyer, best known for the Perry Mason series of legal detective stories was Earle Stanley Gardner. I received correct answers from Jay Waterbury, Rebecca Abrams, Jess Birge, Judy Kiser, Rhonda Spies, Lana Tepfer, Dave Lutgens, Donna Mollet, Anne Saxby, and Pat Evenson-Brady.

And from last week, the name of the comedy trio active from 1922 until 1970 and who were known for their eye-pokes, face slaps, hollow head knocks, and knuckle cracks were the Three Stooges: Larry Fine, Moe Howard, and the third stooge played by brothers Shemp Howard and then Curly Howard. I received correct answers from Jay Waterbury, Judy Kiser, Keith and Marlene Clymer, “Nyuk, Nyuk” Jess Birge, and those who also answered the bonus question: Marny Wetting, Donna Mollet, Dave Lutgens, Lana Tepfer, Bruce Johnson, Elaine Kirby, Rebecca Abrams, Eva Summers, Rhonda Spies, and Rose Shultz.

And winners of a quilt raffle ticket for the last three weeks are Craig Terry, Anne Saxby, and Eva Summers.

I remember using this duplicating device, often found in schools, libraries, and churches, that printed multiple copies of images in light purple ink but fell victim to the Xerox copier. (I particularly remember in grade school wanting to smell the sweet chemical aroma of the damp newly produced copies.) For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this machine that was easy to use, inexpensive to purchase, and produced many pop quizzes for young school children? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, call 541-296-4788, or send it with a box of two-ply spirit masters.

And quickly before the lights go dark, here is this week’s Brain Tease. Which number is next in the sequence: 11, 22, 43, 74, 115, 76, 137, ___?

Well, it has been another week trying to face the music without losing the beat. Until we meet again, enjoy the present because as a friend once reminded me, “Today is the oldest you have ever been – and the youngest you will ever be.”

“We don’t know all the answers. If we knew all the answers we’d be bored, wouldn’t we? We keep looking, searching, trying to get more knowledge.” Jack LaLanne

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; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; 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), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

Answer:

118. The last digit in each number is simply increasing by one each time. Add all the digits of each number to get the first digit(s) of the next number.

For the past several years, in my first column, I have shared lessons I’ve learned from my own experiences navigating this thing called aging, and most importantly from talking with older adults who are much wiser than I am.

I know this journey of ours is not about living longer – even though our children may want us to live forever. It is about caring for ourselves and others, so we can gracefully live the rest of our lives with courage, compassion, and meaning.

Every year I’ll revise the list: dropping some lessons and adding a few additional ones I have gleaned from the past year. And since none of these lessons are my original thoughts, this year I’m acknowledging those teachers from whom I learned the lesson – at least the teachers I can remember.

So, here are this year’s “25 Lessons Learned”. You’ve probably heard them all before – but for me, it always helps to hear them again.

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 matter, but a few really do.
5. Stay current with friends. There may not be a tomorrow. (Jerry Tanquist)
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. Add color to your meals – meaning eat your vegetables!
12. Isolation kills. Stay connected.
13. Keep moving – at least 30 minutes a day.
14. “See the world with virgin eyes and you’ll find the extraordinary in the ordinary.” (Dewitt Jones)
15. Relationships are more important than things.
16. Grey hair is cool – and beautiful.
17. Living is aging. Embrace your age.
18. We all depend on each other, so there is no shame in asking for help.
19. Everybody has a story to tell – if we listen.
20. Five “S’s” to avoid: Sugar, Salt, Seconds, Soda, and Shortening. (Adeline Knorr)
21. “Dream as if you will live forever and live as if you will die tomorrow.” (James Dean)
22. Three rules to live a long and healthy life: Don’t fall, Don’t fall, Don’t fall. (Bea Dick)
23. Stay busy, but don’t rush. (Bill Noonan)
24. “Dementia does not rob someone of their dignity, it’s our reaction to them that does.” (Teepa Snow)
25. “If you sit on your porch and wave a parade might just come by.” (Gary Young)

Brain Tease: See if you can find out what the animals are! For example, “To run away or escape” could be a “flea”.

1. hair control foam. 2. very exposed. 3. a lamenting cry. 4. a dull person. 5. a precious or loved one. 6. first you get a parking ticket, then you get this. 7. these make up a chain.

The prolific American author and former lawyer, best known for the Perry Mason series of legal detective stories was Earle Stanley Gardner. Since I’m submitting this column early because of my trip to California to visit my children, next week I’ll mention all of you who sent in correct answers.

Most of you probably have memories of watching this comedy team that was active from 1922 until 1970 and starred in 190 short subject films. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the comedy trio who were known for their eye-pokes, face slaps, hollow head knocks, and knuckle cracks? And for bonus points, what were the names of the three characters that composed the trio? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or send it with the twenty-disc collection of their short films.

Well, it’s been another week, forgetting what year it is. Until we meet again, stay warm and enjoy the slow motion of winter nights.

“It is utterly false and cruelly arbitrary to put all the play and learning into childhood, all the work into middle age, and all the regrets into old age.” Margaret Mead

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; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; 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), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: 1. Moose (Mousse). 2. Bear (Bare). 3. Whale (Wail). 4. Boar (Bore). 5. Deer (Dear). 6. Toad (Towed). 7. Lynx (Links).

Since we’ll be starting a new year, isn’t it time to make your New Year’s resolution? Now hold on! You may feel New Year’s 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? Join an exercise class or start walking with a friend? Or eat better by reducing your salt and fat intake? Things you never worried about but now realize how important they are.

If you decide 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 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 suggestions can help you set and achieve your goal for the 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”.

If you must go outside when there’s ice and snow on the ground, don’t forget to “walk like a penguin”: pointing your feet out slightly; bending your knees and keeping them loose; extending your arms out to your side and hands out of your pockets; and taking short steps or waddling. Wear shoes or boots with traction. And try some defensive walking: assume all wet and dark areas on the pavement are icy – especially around snowbanks where the melt–off freezes overnight.

Whether it’s icy or not, this is a good time to remember falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults. So, don’t rush, stay focused, and “walk like a penguin”!

Brain Tease: See if you can read this New Year’s quote.

.rettiuq a sekil ydobon taht derebmemer I ,nehT .raeY weN eht ni stibah dab ym fo lla pots ot gniog saw I

The child actor who was Hollywood’s top box-office attraction from 1935 through 1938 was Shirley Temple.

When you read this, I’ll be lying on the beach in my Speedo swimsuit covered with baby oil getting that perfect tan to impress the girls when I get back home! Wait a minute! Sorry, I was reliving a memory from too many years ago. Let me start again. When you read this, I’ll be sitting at a picnic table with my wife with any bare skin covered with SPF 160 sunscreen; watching all the bronzed young surfers in water that’s much too cold. So when I get back, I’ll mention all of you who sent in the correct answers for this week and next.

This prolific American author and former lawyer was best known for the Perry Mason series of legal detective stories. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this author who at the time of his death was the best-selling American writer of the 20th century? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or send it with his first Perry Mason novel, The Case of the Velvet Claws, published in 1933.

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

“Lighten up, just enjoy life, smile more, laugh more, and don’t get so worked up about things.” Kenneth Branagh

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; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; 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), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: “I was going to stop all of my bad habits in the New Year. Then, I remembered that nobody likes a quitter.”

Tis the Christmas Season: a time for memories that stir our senses: cookies baking in the oven, houses sparkling with Christmas lights, and bells ringing at local grocery stores. It’s also a time to remember how we have been blessed in our chronologically advantaged age.

But sometimes it is hard, particularly at this time of the year when we would give anything to share memories of Christmas pasts with friends and loved ones who are no longer with us. It’s not always easy to stay upbeat and positive, but Shawn Achor, who researches and teaches positive psychology, describes three steps that can help us recognize the positive instead of mindlessly absorbing the negative.

First, for twenty-one days in a row, take two minutes a day and write down three things you are grateful for.

Second, start a journal and each day write about one positive experience you encountered.

Third, do one positive random act of kindness each day – whether it’s complimenting the salesperson during a hectic Christmas shopping day or buying a bottle of Martinelli’s sparkling juice for your local senior center director.

But I would also suggest two more steps.

Fourth, each day give at least one person a big hug – the human touch is an essential nutritional requirement for the spirit.

And last, if there has been something you have been meaning to tell someone, tell them. Don’t wait and regret missing the opportunity.

Whether your glasses are rose-colored, broken, or you can’t find them, during this season of hope, love, and possibilities, consider these five steps to better appreciate all that is good and right – and the bountiful banquet spread before us.

This is a late reminder for those of you who live in Oregon. Before the end of this tax year, you have an opportunity to donate to a qualifying nonprofit and the Oregon Cultural Trust to receive a matching Oregon tax credit. All you do is donate to any of Oregon’s arts, heritage, and humanities nonprofits which includes forty in Hood River, Sherman, and Wasco counties (listed at www.culturaltrust.org). Then make a matching gift to the Cultural Trust to claim your contribution to the Cultural Trust as a tax credit – which means your Cultural Trust donation won’t cost you a thing! The Oregon Cultural Trust supports local communities by funding county Cultural Trust Coalitions that annually distribute grants to area schools and non-profits.

Brain Tease: This one turned my brain into a plate of spaghetti noodles. See how you do. “An old man said to a young man, ‘I have a daughter. She has as many brothers as she has sisters. Each one of her brothers has twice as many sisters as he has brothers. How many sons and daughters do I have?’”

If you couldn’t answer that one, here is one I found much easier. “What occurs once in June, once in July, and twice in August?”

The name of the TV Western that ran from 1965 through 1969 and followed Secret Service agents James West and Artemus Gordon was the Wild Wild West. I received correct answers from Judy Kiser, Liz Nichols, Jess Birge, Dave Lutgens, Paul Nagy, Eva Summers, Rose Schulz, Rhonda Spies, Bruce Johnson, Julie Carter, Nancy Higgins, Mike Nagle, Keith Clymer, and Donna Mollet this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Anne Saxby.

You may not have been alive when she was at the top of her popularity, but most of us have seen reruns of her movies when we were children. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what actor was Hollywood’s top box-office attraction from 1935 through 1938 during which time she starred in such hits as The Little Colonel – the first of several musicals featuring dancer Bill Robinson, Curly Top, and Heidi; and was so overwhelmingly popular, a nonalcoholic beverage was named after her? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or send it with a recording of “On the Good Ship Lollipop”.

Well, it has been another week discovering what you think doesn’t matter often does. Until we meet again, don’t let your angels pass by without saying thank you.

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” Norman Vincent Peale

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; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; 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), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

Answers: 3 sons and 4 daughters; the letter ‘u’.

It’s Christmas time: the annual rite of exchanging gifts with my adult children; trying to decide what I should buy for them. Should I buy clothes – but will they be the right style and size? Or I could buy a trendy gadget – but will it just be stored away with all the other unused gadgets? Or I could again go to my fallback position: an Amazon gift card! I have no idea. My kids don’t make Christmas lists anymore!

As I struggle to find that perfect gift, I am reminded of a class Lucille Torgerson taught many years ago. She passionately felt at her age the best gift she could give her children was to have all her affairs in order for when she passed away.

That may sound morbid during this holiday season: death is not something I like to talk about or even think about. I’m hoping it won’t happen to me in my lifetime! But knowing that it won’t just disappear even if I wish on a shooting star or do everything right, it is something I should prepare for.

But how do we prepare?

One resource is “Getting Your Affairs in Order Checklist: Documents to Prepare for the Future” a website by the National Institute on Aging. You can even sign up for a weekly email series on advance care planning.

Another helpful resource that I learned about at the Aging Mastery book club that meets at the Hood River Valley Adult Center is the book, I’m Dead. Now What. Now don’t be turned off by the title! It is a practical book with tabbed pages to gather and record the details someone, most likely your spouse or your children, will have to manage when you die: medical and financial information, personal property, insurance, what accounts to pay, close or cancel, your usernames and passwords, and even how to take care of your pets for example.

When you leave this earth, it should be a time to celebrate your life, a time to share favorite memories, a time to laugh, and a time to cry – not a time for your children to worry about how to take care of your affairs.

I hope you see that having your affairs in order makes sense and would be a wonderful gift for your children. But if you also believe it just might not be a suitable Christmas gift this year, when you do go shopping for that perfect gift, don’t forget to Shop Local!

Brain Tease: Another silly Christmas riddle which may be waaaay too easy.

Can you decipher this: Christmasdaydaydaydaydaydaydaydaydaydaydayday

The name of this weekly educational newspaper that described current events was My Weekly Reader. I received correct answers from Steven Woolpert, Ruth Tsu, Jim Kirby, Judy Kiser, Doug Nelson, Dave Lutgens, Pat Evenson Brady, Jay Waterbury, Bruce Johnson, Kim Birge, Donna Mollet, Rose Schulz, Nancy Higgins, Eileen White, Lana Tepfer – who remembers reading National Scholastic in California, and this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket Sara Ballingson. And last week I missed Craig Terry.

I want to thank everyone who sent in names of other stamp brands they remembered: Blue Chip Stamps, Plaid Stamps, and Gold Stamps – the stamps I had forgotten.

In one of our discussions around the breakfast table, my wife mentioned this TV western which she said was one of her favorites, but I couldn’t remember. See if you can.

For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of the TV series that ran from 1965 through 1969, conceived as “James Bond on horseback” that followed Secret Service agents, the fearless and handsome James West (Robert Conrad), and Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin), a brilliant gadgeteer and master of disguise?  Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or send it with an exploding pocket watch or a blow torch disguised as a cigar.

Well, it’s been another week looking for the silver lining in that old winter coat of mine. Until we meet again, life isn’t fun if you think you’re too clever to appreciate the simple things.

“I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way (s)he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.”  Maya Angelou

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; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; 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), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

Answers: The 12 Days of Christmas

How old do you see yourself? Ten years younger? Twenty years younger? Or have you lost touch with reality and see yourself 40 years younger?

Every time I try to pick up something – which includes myself – off the floor, I know I’m not the same person I once was. And yet in my mind, I’m often “writing checks my body can’t cash”. But is that really a problem, seeing myself as that younger person I once was?

In her Jun 20, 2023 article for Forbes Magazine “In Denial About Aging? Making Bad Decisions? You’re Not Alone”, Sara Zeff Geber believes many of us in our 60s, 70s, and 80s still believe we are the same person we once were. And by denying our age many of us are blind to or at least ignore the changes in our bodies and the need to modify our lifestyles, thus making life unnecessarily more difficult.

For example, when I go to The Dalles Athletic Club I must remind myself I am not exercising the body I once had, or even the body I think I have, but the body I do have which I have learned to accept – so I can walk out of the gym without my wife’s help!

To help make appropriate decisions, Sara Zeff Geber suggests you consider these four questions.

1.) How will your current house work for you if you or your partner encounter mobility issues, permanent or temporary? In other words, how “accessible and adaptable” is your current house?

2.) What aches and pains or other changes (vision, hearing, etc.) are you starting to experience that you are ignoring?

3.) What changes are you noticing in your partner or a friend that they are ignoring or refusing to discuss?

4.) Are there some changes you have been contemplating, but continue to postpone for one reason or another?

I don’t need to tell you we are all aging. But there is a difference between smart aging: staying socially engaged, exercising, eating well, and accepting change and adapting; and not-so-smart aging: denying the changes that have occurred and making poor lifestyle decisions.

While we strive to embrace the “art” of aging gracefully, Sharon Johnson, Director of Age-Friendly Innovators, believes, it also means fully embracing the inevitable changes that occur with aging; seeing our “older self” to make smart decisions so we can live well now and into the future.

Brain Tease. Since it’s that time of the year, I thought I would continue providing more teases with a Christmas theme.

1.) What do you call an old snowman? 2.) How many presents can Santa fit in an empty sack? 3.) What goes “Oh, oh, oh?”

The name of the line of trading stamps founded in 1896 by Thomas Sperry and Shelley Byron Hutchinson which you could collect and paste into collector books to redeem for different products was S&H Green Stamps. (I seem to recall a competing brand of stamps, but I can’t remember what they were. Anyone know?) I received correct answers from Barb (Blair) Weiford, Jay Waterbury, Donna Mollet, Judy Kiser, Doug Nelson, Rhonda Spies, Dave Lutgens, Rose Schulz, Eva Summers, Jess Birge, Pat Evenson-Brady, and Millie Baumgartner who is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Linda Frizzell.

While in grade school, I looked forward to my teacher distributing this 4-8 page weekly children’s newspaper to discuss in class or read for homework. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this weekly educational newspaper first published in 1928 that described current events in the United States and around the world – and that an estimated two-thirds of American adults grew up reading in grade school? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or send it with the edition that includes a chat with Alan “A-Okay” Shepard, Jr. the first American in space.

Well, it’s been another week, bundling up to go outside even when the temperature is in the forties! Until we meet again, remember if plan A doesn’t work there are 25 more letters in the alphabet.

“What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.” Phyllis Diller

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; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; 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), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

Answers: 1.)  Water. 2.) Only one — after that, it’s not empty anymore! 3.) Santa walking backward.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving whether gathering around the dining room table with friends and family, celebrating with others at a Community Thanksgiving Dinner, or enjoying a home-delivered turkey dinner.

Now as we’ve entered the holiday season, it’s a good time to slow down, take a deep breath, and just offer that simple prayer – “Thank you”. Thank you for the many blessings that are visible, but often out of focus as we are distracted by all the daily noise and our own self-absorption.

Thankful for our friends and family who are still with us and for the comforting memories of those we have lost. Thankful for the neighbors who keep an eye on us and offer help even when we think we can do it ourselves. And thankful that each morning we can wake up, touch our feet to the floor, and start a new day – although I’ve found it takes a while to loosen up the old joints.

And maybe we should also be thankful for our misfortunes that remind us not to take anything for granted and to cherish each day – knowing that in a flash our lives could turn upside down.

This holiday season is a time to appreciate and savor our blessings, and ask ourselves the question Charlie Brown posed “What if, today, we were grateful for everything?”

Since choosing the right plan during Medicare Open Enrollment is an important once-a-year decision, here’s just a reminder that Open Enrollment ends on December 7th, so you still have time to determine if your Medicare plan is the best option for you. To help decide, review your plan’s “Annual Notice of Change” (ANOC) and ask yourself three questions. 1.) Does my plan allow me to go to the providers I want, including my pharmacy? 2.) Are my prescription drugs covered? 3.) How much does the plan cost?

You can compare plans by visiting www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan; studying the “Medicare & You” handbook you received in the mail; or calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) where help is available 24/7. For in-person help, you can schedule an appointment with a SHIBA volunteer counselor. In Oregon call 541-288-8341, Goldendale 509-773-3757, White Salmon 509-493-3068, and in Stevenson call 509-427-3990.

Brain Tease: How about a little fun deciphering these common Christmas Carols?

1.) Happiness to the Global Ecosystem; 2.) Small male percussionist; 3.) I am experiencing nocturnal visions of a colorless holiday; 4.) Festoon the Corridors; 5.) A Non-summer fairytale area; 6.) Oh holiday conifer; 7.) Ten plus two twenty-four-hour periods of holiday festivity; 8.) Hey tiny city in Israel; 9.) In a remote location in a barn stall

The actor who played Charles Lindberg in the 1957 aviation biography film, The Spirit of St. Louis and had a lifelong passion for aviation was Jimmy Stewart. I received correct answers from Ron Nelson, Bruce Johnson, Judy Kiser, Rebecca Abrams, Kim Birge, Deborah Medina, and Dave Lutgens this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.

I remember my mother going to the grocery store and collecting these trading stamps which I would lick and paste into 24-page collector books which she would redeem for different products. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what is the name of this line of trading stamps founded in 1896 by Thomas Sperry and Shelley Byron Hutchinson? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or send it with one of the 35 million catalogs distributed each year during the 1960s.

Well, it’s been another week, and once again completing only half of my to-do list. Until we meet again, as Danny Kaye once said, “Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint on it you can.”

“What’s wrong with knowing what you know now and not knowing what you don’t know until later?” – Winnie the Pooh

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; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; 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), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

Answers for this week:

1.) Joy to the World; 2.) Little Drummer Boy; 3.) I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas; 4.) Deck the Halls; 5.) Winter Wonderland; 6.) Oh Christmas Tree; 7.) 12 Days of Christmas; 8.) Oh Little Town of Bethlehem; 9.) Away in a Manger.

And here are the answers for those who didn’t decipher last week’s quotes.

“An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day.”

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

Well, it’s the beginning of the holiday season when we enjoy the company of family – and gain seven pounds before the start of the New Year. But while visiting with parents, children, grandchildren, or all three, it can be difficult navigating around and through past hurts and slights brought to family gatherings along with gifts and holiday treats.

However, to help avoid the traps and difficulties often encountered at family gatherings, I found this advice from the website Next Avenue (http://www.nextavenue.org/), a nonprofit, online publication for people over fifty produced by Twin Cities PBS.

First, bury the hatchet (and although tempted – not in someone’s back!). You may not forget past wrongs but try to maintain a spirit of forgiveness.

Second, keep your mouth shut! Well, not exactly. But hold your tongue – even when they have it all wrong! Follow the advice of Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet and philosopher, who suggested before you speak let your words pass through three gates. “At the first gate, ask yourself, ‘Is it true?’ At the second ask, ‘Is it necessary?’ At the third gate ask, ‘Is it kind?’”

Third, simplify and reduce stress. Don’t be totally worn out when guests arrive. Determine ahead of time what is essential and what is not. And consider skipping what is not.

Fourth, sneak in a few breaks to relax before, during, and after the gathering.

Fifth, reinvent your traditions. Find a new location for the gathering. Or go as a family to help volunteer at a community event. Think outside the turkey roll.

Sixth, rethink your gift-giving. Donate on behalf of your loved one to a non-profit. Or give “experience” gifts: tickets to the theater or a gift card to a restaurant they would not normally visit. As Jana Webb once told me, “I don’t need more things!”

Families are our support system in times of hardship and adversity; our connections to the past and future. And when families are so scattered and often disconnected, being together is a special time to be enjoyed and treasured.

One of the strengths of our communities is our local businesses, and many small retail businesses depend on the holiday season. By shopping locally, you not only support those businesses, but you can ask questions in person; see what you’re buying – avoiding “It looked so different online!”; and discover those unique special gifts. So, during this holiday season don’t forget to shop local!

Brain Tease: Last week you identified the names of animals without the vowels. This week, see if you can read the following Thanksgiving quotes also without the vowels.

“A_ _pt_m_st _ s _ p_rs_n wh_ st_rts _ n_w d_ _ t _n Th_nksg_v_ng D_y.” Irv Kupcinet

“F- – ling gr- t-t-d- -nd n-t -xpr-ss-ng -t -s l-k- wr-pp-ng – pr-s-nt -nd n-t g-v-ng -t.” William Arthur Ward

The broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, and who ended his news program with the words, “And that’s the way it is” was Walter Cronkite. I received correct answers from Ron Nelson, Nancy Higgins, Stephen Woolpert, Jay Waterbury, Jess Birge, Dave Lutgens, Lana Tepfer, Eva Summers, Donna Mollet, Rhonda Spies, Keith Clymer, Diana Weston, Doug Nelson, Bruce Johnson, Deborah Medina, and Katherine Schlick Noe this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. And last week I missed Rebecca Abrams and Lana Tepfer.

In 1927 Charles Lindberg, while flying alone, made the first nonstop flight from New York City to Paris, becoming a national hero. For this week’s “Remember When” question, who was the actor who played Charles Lindberg in the 1957 aviation biography film The Spirit of St. Louis, and who said Lindbergh’s famous flight was among the most significant events of his youth? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or send it with a U.S. “Lindbergh Air Mail” Postage Stamp issued on June 11, 1927.

Well, it’s been another week, trying to make it work without reading the instructions. Until we meet again, have a wonderful Thanksgiving – and make sure you don’t spill the gravy!

“To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.” Johannes A. Gaertner

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; Mt. Hood Townhall (541-308-5997) – Tuesdays; 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), and in Skamania County call Senior Services (509-427-3990).

Answer: If you couldn’t read the two Thanksgiving quotes, I’ll share them with you next week.