Life in Geezerville: Playing Edition

We are going to take a little vacation from the hood. We're going to play for a couple of days. There's a break in our schedule where we are not seeing doctors for 3 days in a row, so NOW is the time. Yes, I did say "No doctors?" I was beginning to think that was impossible.

Nowadays, the calendar revolves around our various conditions. And, of course, we have a doctor for each of those conditions (and each doctor has a portal that is different from all the other medical portals we have access to, so they do not talk to each other so I get to input information a gazillion times--and this is easier??) But, I digress. We're going to take a little road trip to a place I'll disclose later today, when we get there. 

The suitcases are on the bed, diligently over-packed, because you never know exactly what to bring--so we are prepared for just about any type of weather. Since we will be home Sunday night, we have to make sure we have enough with us? 

The bottom line, we are going away for a couple of days. We've been scheming on this little vacay for over a year! It's time to have some fun. It's time to get away from the doctors. It's time to enjoy the fresh cool wintertime air away from it all. I hope y'all can take some time to get away too. It's important to remember that even though we are geezers, we still know how to play. Remember, we're in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Saying Goodbye to Friends

Today the 'hood is having a going away party for one of our neighbors. Sadly, they are leaving our beautiful little place in the world to be closer to their family, which moved far, faraway. We will miss our neighbors--our friends--a lot, even though we know why they are leaving, and we think it's a good idea.

I saw this quote somewhere on the 'net...and it felt right. What do you think?

    Friends are the people in life 

who make you laugh a little louder;

 smile a little brighter; 

and life a little better!

That's what this neighborhood is about. Friends who are family. We are community. We are related. We are there for each other. Now we get to introduce some poor unsuspecting souls to our 'hood. We have not met our new neighbors but I believe they are going to be in for a surprise. A happy surprise.

We will miss our old neighbors more than they will ever know. They have helped make this 'hood as wonderful as it is...and I wish them a 'hood like this wherever they hang their hat next. There's nothing like a good 'hood with friends. Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Snowbirds are Back, Edition

In our little winter community, there are 2 types of residents: Full-timers and Snowbirds. We are snowbirds. We travel from north to south to enjoy "good weather" all year long. When we first retired, we promised ourselves that we would follow the sun...and after many years of retirement, we are still keeping that promise. Wintertime in the desert; summertime in the mountains. This way we do not have to deal with really cold or really hot weather--we get Goldilocks weather all the time.

Right now, the snowbirds are back to town. After Christmas and New Year with their friends and family in the north, they are moving to the warmer climes in the south. There are snowbirds everywhere. We come in cars, trucks with trailers, and motorhomes. That means there are a lot of big vehicles in town taking up precious space. Our little town is trying to digest a big blob of people. Our streets and stores are more crowded; as are our services. Today my manicurist proclaimed that the city was actually getting traffic jams. We are NOT used to traffic jams. I told her I was sorry, as I was part of the group that brought that change about.

For the most part, I think the community likes us 'birds. While we bring traffic and congestion (everywhere) we also bring custom. Stores plan for us to arrive as we bolster the economy. Just like migrating birds, we bring more color and life to the greater community. We have new stories to tell to our old friends. We also dream of more adventures to come. If you are snowbird, enjoy your time in your winter community. If you are a full timer, know that the 'birds will leave in a few months and your peaceful little town will get back to normal. Remember, we're all in this together. 

Life in Geezerville: President #47 Edition

On Monday a new President of the United States was inaugurated. A change of government happened. As you know, I do not write a political blog but I do pay attention to the news. With a change of government we have a beginning. According to the book, Dune, a "beginning is a delicate time." I believe that all Americans want this "delicate time" to go smoothly, no matter what their political persuasion. You can call me a Pollyanna, but that's what I believe. Some things will be done the same; some things will be done differently. I know things will be done, and I hope that they will be done the "best way possible" for the American people. Good Luck Mr. President, #47. Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Fire Edition

 

That picture was taken 6 years ago, about noon, from my house, after the Camp Fire in Northern California destroyed the town of Paradise and killed 86 people. The air was dense with orange smoke...houses and barns and schools and businesses were burned to the ground. Cars couldn't move as their tires had melted. The place smelled of smoke and despair. The town of Paradise pulsed with sadness and desperation.

Given that, I might feel the fires in Southern California with more intensity than other folks. We survived the Camp Fire. Our house did not burn. The fire stopped at my 499 gallon propane tank which was close to my home.

Our home was on 12 acres of land. It had 3 fire breaks. It was a stucco house with a tile roof. We had a cement apron around the house acting as yet another fire break. The fire broke through one of the fire breaks, but the others held. We had planned that house to withstand fire, and for the most part we succeeded. There was NO way to plan for smoke damage or the impossible air quality--air quality so bad we could not breathe without gasping for air. There was no way to plan for the loses that every local resident took.

I think of surviving that fire, with a house intact, and my heart goes out to the thousands of folks in SoCal who cannot say that. I have no idea what they are going to do? What their children are going to do? How are they going to get back to "normal" or when they will see "normal" again. I have so many questions that no one has started to answer.

It took us awhile to "get back on our feet" and we had minimal damage compared to the people in Paradise. We had a house, but we couldn't live in it as it was too smoky inside. Lucky for us, we had an RV that did not sustain much smoke damage from the fire (the fire stopped before it reached our barn where the RV was stored). We moved the RV to a non-smoky location and waited it out...then we moved the RV to our home RV space on the property and cleaned up the home. 

In the meantime, an army of FEMA folks were in town helping everyone out. FEMA did an excellent job. Six years later, Paradise is making a small comeback. Folks are moving back to their mountain home. It takes time. It takes healing. We left the area.

So, when I see pictures of the fires in SoCal my heart weeps for the survivors who are left with the aftermath. There's so much to do and a billion decisions to make. It's not political...it's human. The community in and around Paradise came together and helped each other...I hope that will happen in SoCal. The greater human community can help out too. We need to band together to help our fellow man. I wish them help; hope; humanity. I hope you do too. Remember, we're all in this together. 

Life in Geezerville: YAGO Edition

 YAGO in case you don't know, stands for You Are Getting Old. It fits in with that other famous acronym--YOLO (you only live once). My sister sent me a bunch of quotes from famous people that explain geezer-hood fairly well. I'm reprinting it here. None of this is my original work. I hope you have a laugh or two. Here goes:

Old age comes at a bad time." (Ed Sullivan)

"Old age is like a plane flying through a storm.  Once you are aboard, there is nothing you can do about it."  (Golda Meir)

"The older I get, the more clearly I remember things that never happened.  (Mark Twain)

"I'm at that age where my back goes out more than I do."  (Phyllis Diller)

"Nice to be here?  At my age, it's nice to be anywhere."  (George Burns)

"First you forget names, then you forget faces, then you forget to pull your zipper up; then, you forget to pull your zipper down."  (Rob Reiner)

"You spend 90 percent of your adult life hoping for a long rest and the last 10 percent trying to convince the Lord that you're actually not THAT tired."  (Princess Grace)

"Old people shouldn't eat healthy foods.  They need all the preservatives they can get."  (Bob Hope)

"At my age, flowers scare me."  (George Burns)

"It's like you trade the virility of the body for the agility of the spirit."  (Ed Sullivan)

"The years between 55 and 75 are the hardest.  You are always being asked to do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down."  (T.S Elliot)

"At age 20, we worry about what others think of us.. at age 40, we don't care what they think of us... at age 60, we discover they haven't been thinking of us at all."  (Ann Landers)

"When I was young, I was called a rugged individualist.  When I was in my fifties, I was considered eccentric.  Here I am doing and saying the same things I did then, and I'm labeled senile."  (Milton Berle)

"The important thing to remember is that I'm probably going to forget."  (Martin Scorsese)

"We don't grow older, we grow riper."  (Pablo Picasso)

"It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone." (Andy Rooney)

"The older I get, the better I used to be."  (Lee Trevino)

"I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a lot more as they get older, and then it dawned on me — they're cramming for their final exam."  (George Carlin)

"Everything seems to slow down with age, except the time it takes cake and ice cream to reach your hips."  (Elizabeth Taylor)

"You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks."  (Dennis Quaid)

"There are three stages in man's Life: he believes in Santa Claus, he does not believe in Santa Claus, he is Santa Claus."  (Leon Phillips)

"Looking fifty is great — if you're sixty."  (Joan Rivers)

"Time may be a great Healer, but it's a lousy Beautician."  (Zsa Zsa Gabor)

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid sideways, totally used up and worn out, shouting "Man, what a ride!"  (Hunter Thompson)

 

“...inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened.”

― Terry Pratchett, Moving Pictures

 So, my fellow geezers...are there any quotes you can relate to? I can relate to the back comment made by Phyllis Diller. The idea is to remember to laugh every now and again. Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Pocket Princess Edition

I've been crocheting little dollies for a few months now. Each one is a bit different, even though they are made the same way. The other day, I was talking to my neighbor JoAnn, and she showed me a critter that she had purchased that had a story....and I started thinking, why not create stories for my little dollies. To that end, I renamed the dollies "Pocket Princesses" because they all fit inside a pocket and every little dolly wants to be a treated like a Princess. Below is the story for my latest dolly, who I named Bethany Blue. Please tell me what you think about Pocket Princesses.

Meet Bethany Blue

Hi, I'm Bethany Blue. I'm a Pocket Princess because I want to live in your pocket and I want to be treated like a Princess. Right now, I'm only a make-believe Princess, but if you love me, I'll become a real Princess just for you. 

I like to do a lot of things, as long as I'm in your pocket, keeping you company. If you like to walk along a beach, I like to walk along the beach. If you like to travel to faraway places, I like to travel too. Just put me in your pocket and let's have some fun together. Let's have an adventure.

I have one magical power. I keep secrets. I'm the best secret keeper in the world. You can tell me anything and I promise, I will never tell anyone else. Your secrets are safe forever and ever. 

You might have noticed that I'm blue. My body is blue, my hair is blue, my dress is blue, my bloomers are blue--even my hat is blue. I like blue. I'm so happy I'm blue, because blue is the prettiest color of them all. Now, put me in your pocket and let's have an adventure. I'm ready, are you?

So, that's my newest outlet for escape. Should I continue down this path? I like to write. I like to crochet. Why not put the two skills together? The creative process is fun. It keeps me engaged with the world of whimsy. When there's so much "stuff" going on in the outside world, I feel we all need a bit of whimsy to keep us "grounded" and protected from the slings and arrows of reality. To that end, why not gardening? Why not escaping to a work of fiction? Why not a Pocket Princess? I know we all need a time/place/space where we can get away for "it all" if only for a few minutes. What is yours?  Remember, we're all in this together.

Life in Geezerville: Sunday Breakfast Edition

Today we celebrated a time honored tradition of going to breakfast after church on Sunday. This has happened for as long as I can remember. As kids, we'd go to church, then hop in the car and have breakfast or brunch. We were all dressed up in our Sunday best and we'd go to a real restaurant and we had to use our good manners. It was a big deal. Sometimes, after breakfast, we'd go home and quickly change clothes, and my dad would take us on a Sunday drive. I used to love the "Sunday Drive" as dad loved local history and told stories and took us to "fun" places.

Nowadays, it's about the same only I don't need someone to remind me of my manners. After church we go to breakfast. We want to leave church as soon as we can so we can don't have to wait too long to get a table. Some places get really busy about 9:30 and we want to miss crush.

We see lots of folks from all the churches in town. We stop to talk to them, but we're all in the same hurry to get a table before they're all gone. It's strange/funny that way.

Now that the "snowbirds" are back (of which I am one), there's more folks in town and I'm told the breakfast places are busier than they are in the summer when the desert is burning hot. There are more cars with license plates from Montana, Wyoming or Idaho around town. Yesterday I saw a plate from Minnesota and another one from Alberta. The snowbirds drive many hundreds of miles to escape from the colder climes. The rest of the snowbirds will be trickling in during January. Our little town transforms to a bigger "little" town when we're all back.

The bottomline, we are returning to our winter-home where we have friends. We see our friends at church and then we do the next logical thing--break bread with them at a local restaurant. In Geezerville, that restaurant is usually associated with a golf course (we have a lot of them in town) so the surroundings are green and pretty. It's a good time to renew faith and friendship at the same time. Some might even go on a "Sunday Drive" after breakfast. If we don't go on the Sunday Drive, it is always in the back of my mind as a fond memory of my youth. Remember, we're all in this together.  

Life in Geezerville: Day Spa Edition

Today was "my day" to get pampered. I had a mani-pedi. For those of you who don't know what that is--it's a manicure and a pedicure. It's the ultimate "me" thing to do. For 3 glorious hours I was treated as a very special person. I did not have a worry in my head. I'm in the day spa and I am getting spoiled, complemented, pampered, and rejuvenated. What's wrong with that? As far as I'm concerned, nothing!

Going to the day spa is more than a mani-pedi. It's time to spend with other women who are also enjoying the same experience. I see my neighbors in the 'hood and we talk and hug each other. It's a time to find out local gossip and news. OR, if you're not in the mood, it's the place to zone out and enjoy the pampering. No matter what, spending time at the day spa is always a good thing.

The nail techs and hair-dressers listen to a LOT of stuff. They KNOW what is going on in the community. The beauty-techs know the movers and shakers. They know the best sales. They know the "latest" everything. They hear it all. All you have to do to get some of this primo information is to ask: What's going on? And the info comes about. If you don't want to ask, all you have to do is listen to conversations going on around you. It doesn't matter, as it is all good.

Is this important? Absolutely. It's one more way to stay connected with each other. It's part of life in Geezerville. It's not malicious. It's FUN. If we find out that Sammie's daughter's daughter is having a hard time, we can give Sammie a call when we get home. We can give her a break from the difficulty of the time...and if Sammie does not want to talk then at least she can take her mind off the matter for a bit of time. That's a good thing. It's touching base with our friends. It's part of the network of threads that keep our community together. It's important. We all need friends and the day spa is a good way to re-connect--with our friends, with our community, with our beauty-tech, with each other. Remember, we're all in this together.

 

Life in Geezerville: Happy 2025 Edition

 

A new year arrived at midnight and all the Geezers in Geezerville were sound asleep. We hugged and kissed the arrival of 2025 a bit early and we were happy. At midnight we were sound asleep in our comfy beds with visions of sugarplums swirling in our heads.

Remember when we could stay up late? I can remember those days. Sometimes I lay awake at midnight, but that's only because I can't get to sleep. It's all good though. We all saw glittery ball drop in NYC. 2025 made an entrance on our continent so it's all good? Right? Yes--all is good.

Now it's time to think what 2025 will bring. If you want, you can make New Year's Resolutions. I don't make them. To me a resolution is something to break. If I resolve to do something that I was not able to do last year, why do I think I will be able to do it this year? Instead, I like to think about New Year Wishes. 

To that end, I wish you peace and joy for you, your family and friends. I wish you health and happiness. I wish your finances to increase while your pains lessen. Lastly, I wish that your worries disappear. Happy 2025! Remember, we're all in this together.