Just a few more days, and I will be back in Eleuthera! Christmas is over, Sarah left today to head back to Washington, and I am slowly taking down the decorations. Think I’ll drop a few of the unused candle holders off at Goodwill: I seem to be subscribing to the ‘less is more’ philosphy even in my holiday décor.

Or maybe I’m just getting ready for a return to Eleuthera. I am looking forward to even more simplification in my life—after all, what is my island home if I take the complications of my Northern Michigan existence with me? In Tarpum Bay I don’t need a snow shovel, lots of fancy food, or even a car. In fact, I’ve packed my two new possessions: a new coffee pot and a beach chair, and those—along with my laptop, my iTouch and some art supplies—will bring me three months of pleasure and creativity.

Yet in a way I am almost reluctant to leave. This morning I listened to naturalist Max Old Bear talk about winter: how snow insulates and protects, how ice warms the lakes and keeps them alive, how the creatures of the Northern woods survive these long months. “Snow birds”, said Old Bear, “are the most amazing. Those chickadees: they feed voraciously, mysteriously hide somewhere during the stormy cold nights, and return again to greet each new day. THEY are the snow birds, living with courage and daring. The others, the white-skinned Michigan residents who head to Florida, are the ’snow fleas’.

And so I am a snow flea. I am fleeing Michigan’s grey skies, crowded closets, unwanted telephone solicitations, junk mail, and my heavy overcoat and ugly boots. Or maybe it’s a migration. Like the Red Knot sandpiper that Max Old Bear described today, I will travel long distances to find the place that renews and restores me.

Whatever it’s called, I know it’s time to go.

(This was actually reported by a teacher)

After Christmas, a teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their holiday away from school.

One child wrote the following:

We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa.

They used to live in a big brick house but Grandpa got retarded and they moved to Arizona…

Now they live in a tin box and have rocks painted green to look like grass. They ride around on their bicycles and wear name tags because they don’t know who they are anymore.

They go to a building called a wreck center, but they must have got it fixed because it is all okay now, they do exercises there, but they don’t do them very well.

There is a swimming pool too, but they all jump up and down in it with hats on.

At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it… He watches all day so nobody can escape.

Sometimes they sneak out, and go cruising in their golf carts.

Nobody there cooks, they just eat out.

And, they eat the same thing every night — early birds.

Some of the people can’t get out past the man in the doll house.

The ones who do get out, bring food back to the wrecked center for pot luck.

My Grandma says that Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment and says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too…

When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house.

Then I will let people out, so they can visit their grandchildren.

PRICELESS….
Forward to all your “retarded grandparent” friends

Snowbirds are flocking … and have been for about 2 months now. Oh my, these folks are truly special to me.

Sign welcoming snowbirds (next to the chief of security)

High Plains Camping works diligently to know its customers. We host approximately 10,000 people per year so we can’t possibly remember everything about all of them, but with special care and special tools we try our darnedest!

Snowbirds are the folks who tend to live up north during the summer and live down south for the winter (smart people, eh!). Those who choose to travel by RV tend to stay at the same overnight RV parks each direction every each year.

They differ greatly from the vacationing campers we cater to during the summer. They tend to:

• be empty-nesters (only 1 or 2 people per site), 
• not shop the store (they brought what they need to get them to their destination down south),
• arrive just before dusk and depart about the time the rooster crows (no, we don’t really have a rooster),
• not do laundry (they just left home 1 – 3 days ago),
• not desire amenities (no hot tubs or mini-golf for them).

In other words, they are looking for a safe and quiet place to pull in, hook up (sometimes not even that), eat, and sleep. Nothing more. They also already know about the park itself, needing to know just what’s new since their last visit.

They also differ in that their faces are somewhat familiar. They are about as close to ”regulars” as we get at this overnight facility.

As of Jan. 2009, High Plains Camping uses a front-office computer program (Hercules). It’s now my “memory.” The  registration information was recorded on each snowbird when the Spring flock headed north earlier this year, and they were tagged as VIPs. The Notes section now clues me in to the unique things about them. As Fall unfolded, I began jotting notes to help jar my memory. For example, a record might show:

• the dog’s name,
• that they sent me a Christmas card
• when a spouse passed away, or
• that the guest tends to drive this way only in the Spring (so I can say something thoughtful like, “I hope to see you again next Spring” rather than sounding foolish by suggesting I’ll see them again in a few months).

The regular snowbirds at High Plains Camping  stay here at a special rate. How do we know if they’re snowbirds. It’s part of our customary chit chat we strive to create during the welcoming process. Why else would I record such notes? I want them to feel welcomed and appreciated. Afterall, they are staying at my home. This RV park is my home too, and where they hook up is essentially my yard. If you had guests coming to stay where you live, wouldn’t you like to share some friendly dialog?

If these snowbirds can choose to put us in their plans over and over again, I can choose to let them know they are special!

Part II

The following day, we  each took our turns at the wheel. But there was lots of free time on our hands.  I like to be doing something most of the time, so I would clean anything I could.  We  also took turns at cooking the meals.  Everyone else had either a gadget to mess with or a book to read.  I could never slow down enough in the past to read so I didn’t even bring a book.  Then the issue came up of Felicia.  She was only able to pull one of her shifts and was down sick the rest of the time.  When she felt a bit better she would come up on deck, with blanket and pillow, and lay down on one side of the cockpit which would force four of us to sit on one side.  At this point Michael decided that we would continue on all night all the way to Jacksonville, FL..  Michael and I took the 2 am to 6 am shift.  I took the first two hours and Michael took the next.  Everyone else had retreated to their cabins for the night, so I grabbed my pillow and blanket and layed down beside him.  There were lots of stars out that night.  It was so very dark.  The wind was on the port quarter and we were sailing at a good clip.  All you could hear was the sound of  splashing on the side of the boat as we made way thru the water. I was almost a sleep when out of the blue Michael yells “Oh my God, What is that?” I jumped up (out of my skin) looked in the direction he was looking, behind the boat, and there were two tubular shaped figures coming up very fast.  He thought they were torpedoes.  He explained later that we were passing Kings Island where the U.S. has a big submarine base.  We were also 20 miles off the coast which is where the subs like to come to the surface and he was watching for them.  With all this going through his mind in the middle of the black ocean, torpedoes seemed logical.   But as they got closer, we realized they were dolphin approaching the boat at a high rate of speed and the phosphorous  was lighting them up as they went along.  So they glowed.  It was wild looking. The excitement was enough to keep him awake until the end of the shift.  I knotted off until the sun was in my eyes and noticed the humidity had risen substantially.

As I sat up and looked around the sun was extremely bright, and the strong scent of salt was in the air.  Over to our port side was a huge ocean liner headed in the opposite direction. The difference in size between our boat, the Flying Dutchman, and the ocean liner was immense.  It took my breath away.  I thought “If he hit us, he’d never know it”.  We were approaching Jacksonville, Florida Inlet .  The ocean liner was one of many huge vessels moving up and down the inlet that morning.  As we approached Florida, our quiet stretches of sailing would be few and far between.  The term “snow birds” started to make sence to me.  Florida had a “hum” to it.  There were people, and every kind of boat you could imagine on the water.  This seemed to be the dividing line from cold weather to warm, each had a price.  Navigating on the Intercostal Waterway (ICW) was similar to I95 or I75 on a Sunday afternoon.  Up till now, Michael would be doing maintenance on the lines or the engine or studying the charts down below.  Now, he stayed close by and kept the charts up top.  With all of the commotion of life going on, he had to stay on his toes at all times.

A couple of days passed, now it is Thanksgiving Day.  Thinking that it was a family holiday, there may not be as many boats on the water.  Our location is still the ICW and we were approaching Juno Beach, Fl.  The waterways characteristics started to change from here south.  It had the appearance of a suburban neighborhood.  Houses were lined along the waterway with canals that fed into it like fingers or streets that fed into a main road.  The smell of turkey dinners permeated the air.  We hadn’t planned for a turkey dinner that day and hot dogs were on the menu.  Needless to say I was salivating for homemade bread, baked turkey, dressing, green beans, cranberry salad and pecan pie.  I failed to mention earlier, spending time on the water had a way of keeping me hungry.  I spent lots of time thinking of “what would be good right now”.  Especially when I had no way of getting it.  This frame of mind drove Michael crazy.  He barked at me once “keep your thoughts to yourself”.  As the day wore on, the number of boats on the water increased.  The wake from the “fast boats” churned the water up and had the “fishbowl” effect.  It was very uncomfortable with the constant up and down motion of the boat.  If anyone was drinking anything, they had to keep it in their hand, otherwise it would be knocked over.

To date each of us were still taking our turn on the wheel, all except Falicia.  She had stayed in the parallel position most of the way .  She seemed mostly tired all the time.  It put Michael in an awkward position, due to the fact that “her spot” was intended to be a “paying position”.  And she had not payed her way nor was she able to work.  After discussing the sensitive topic with her husband Bruce, Michael realized they had no intention of paying and expected meals as well. As the boat approached Fort Lauderdale, it was determined that the boat needed some maintenance work.  We docked at a Marriot where Michael gave Bruce and Falicia the proverbial “boot”.   It was then that Michael announced the alternator wasn’t working and needed replaced. He was a good mechanic and needed someone to pick up the part while he worked on the boat.   I volunteered and headed down the docks, thru the Marriott and out to the street where there were several taxi cabs sitting waiting for business.   The first one that approached me was a tall young dirty blond guy.  He opened my door for me, ran around and got back in the car, turned and asked me where I was headed.  I told him the Napa and he started driving.  It was then that I noticed the naked Barbi Doll leg hanging from a chain on his rear view mirror.  All I could think of was “Oh God, If I get to where I’m going and back to the boat, it will be a wonder.”  He tried to drum up conversation, but I was a little “weirded”  out to talk.  Fort Lauderdale turned out to be an interesting/wide open town.  We passed several strip clubs along the way and the people were very interesting.  Thankfully, I got the part I needed and was back on the boat safely.  Michael fixed the problems and we were off and sailing again.

Snow Bird.

Sex Drive.

Sex Drive.

I believe the missing license plate in that sequence would be:

Cialis*

I found the juxtaposition of these quite funny. Even funnier, the fact that Sex Drive had to be repeated. Was it for reasons of hearing, eyesight or poor memory?

*if you have an erection for more than 4 hours, call your doctor (favorite disclaimer/tagline of all times).

Haven’t had enough of me yet? You can also read me at 50-Something Moms Blog. For photo enthusiasts, visitLeaving the zip code, photos from outside the comfort zone.

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Thursday Travel Thoughts

The weather forecast for today was a change of snow amounting to 2 -10 inches.  Thankfully we didn’t get it.

Every year it seems I dread winter more and more.  I just don’t have the patience to deal with or see the need for snow.  I personally would like to see snow just two weeks a year, from December 20th to January 3rd.  Then wrap it up, send it off, no need for it any more.  Perhaps I feel this way because we lived in Wisconsin for 10 years where the seasons are Summer and Crap-load of Snow.  Seriously, in Wisconsin you don’t see the ground between October and April, just snow.  Snow almost everyday. Or maybe it’s the 3 blizzards we’ve lived through here in Colorado that’s soured me.

All this had me thinking that my husband and I need to make plans to travel after retirement to snow-free areas  or at least move somewhere where there isn’t snow. I’m sure once we get to retirement age, I’ll be ready to go, go, go!

What about you, do you love the snow?  When your kids are gone and/or you’ve retired do you plan to move somewhere warm?

While the East is buckling down for rain, mud, snow and general grumbling, here in the Southwest, we are welcoming back our snowbirds–people who live here to avoid the winter in other parts of the country.

Families feel the rise in house guests starting in September and peaking around February. I love showing people the area, but for the sanity of all, let’s just review some facts:

1. We do have seasons. We love the weather, that’s why we live here. But we also have searing summers where the temperatures go over 115 and the air-conditioning bill is often over $400. That’s the price we pay for not having snow. It does balance out. The apple you leave in the car in the morning is a baked apple when you come back. So let’s not rush to judgment that we have “no worries.” We have to paint our house trim, replace outdoor furniture and struggle with pool chemistry instead of shoveling snow.

2. We don’t have drifting sand dunes. The Phoenix area is in the Sonoran Desert. This is not to be confused with the Sahara. It’s a different kind of desert. Phoenix is surrounded by mountains, and we don’t have sand dunes and drifts. We have lots of small granite rocks. This area was formed by volcanic action millions of years ago. The vegetation is scrub-trees: acacia, blue and green palo verde, desert willow. Yes, we have trees.

3. All of Arizona is not Sonoran desert. Less than half the state is desert. The rest of it, from about 100 miles North of Phoenix to the border, is mountainous. That area gets snow. People ski at Arizona ski areas. There are more Ponderosa Pines in that area of Arizona than in the entire state of Maine. The road to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is often closed with snow drifts between November and May. If you visit Sedona in March, bring a coat and gloves.

4. Yes, the Grand Canyon is in Arizona. Even if the Colorado River made it, it’s still in Arizona.

5. There are many different kinds of Indians in this area. And they prefer to be called Indians, not Native Americans. They do not live in teepees, they live in houses. They do not wear feather war bonnets, those are the Plains Indians. Each tribe has different customs and a different language. Apaches did not speak Navajo. The Hopi and Navajo share some words, but the same word often has different meanings. “Pretty woman” in one language means “meat” in another. You can’t sling your words around haphazardly.

That covers a few misconceptions about the area. Now, how to get invited back as a house guest:

1. Ask before you come. Be honest about how long you want to stay, and let your host guide you. Last year, I actually took one house guest to the airport and swung around to the next terminal to pick up the nest one.

2. You are on vacation. Your host is not. Please do not expect your host to take time off work and create the perfect vacation for you. Plan what you want to do, rent a car, and be independent. Even if we work at home, we still have to work. Every day.

3. Adjust your morning routine to your host’s schedule. You might rise and shine and want to chat and eat a big breakfast, but if your host has an early meeting, stay in your bedroom till the house is empty. Listen very carefully for hints about the routine.

4. If you are a high-maintenance person (you know who you are), please stay in a hotel. The people you are visiting have a busy life and need to keep living it while you are there. If you need special medicines, certain times you must do certain things, have many food allergies, pet dislikes, and schedules with odd times, don’t inflict them on your host. Be your high-maintenance self in a place that will cater to your whims. That place is called a hotel,  not the house of your host.

5. You do not have to bring a hostess gift. Really, we don’t mind. Particularly if it requires dusting. Taking us out to supper is a much better idea. We really love that, and it always matches.

6. On your last night, ask what to do with the linens. Some people want them in the hamper, some in the washing machine. My last guest made up the bed back into a futon and I had to unfold and unmake it before I dashed off to pick up the next guest.

We love guests, and we love showing off our beautiful scenery. A guest who helps out and is funny is a guest who will be welcomed back with open futon!

–Quinn McDonald is looking forward to her passel of house guests. She is a life- and certified creativity coach. She teaches people how to write and give presentations. She also  teaches people who can’t draw how to keep an art journal.

San Carlos is a wonderful Sea of Cortes bay located 15 km to the north of Guaymas in the state of Sonora Mexico, only 320 miles south of Tucson Arizona USA and at the centre of the Escalera Nautica.

San Carlos Bay is a cosmopolitan and secure Town with beautiful Beaches & Attractions, cosies Hotels , Condos , RV Parks & Marinas , great Fishing , Diving , Water Sports , Golf , Tennis & other Sports , nice Art Galleries , Gift Shops, Boutiques, Groceries, Beer & Wine stores, Restaurants , Bars & Discos , full availability of Services , reliable Realty Services & great sunsets.

See Sonora & San Carlos Maps. History Facts. The San Carlos Bay resort was founded just 37 years ago as a “Commissariat” of Guaymas Since those years visionary investors from Sonora and the USA started the development of one of the most beautiful & modern resorts in Mexico.

Marina San Carlos, Hotel La Posada, Trailer Park Shangri-La, Las 4 Milpas, Bahia and Caracol sectors, the Catholic Church and Motel Creston were some of the early developments in town.

Living in San Carlos The Early Years. Since its foundation, the San Carlos Bay population had been integrated mostly by american and canadians citizens (68% of current population are americans and canadians, 4% european and 28% mexican).

The beautiful beaches, the quiet & international atmosphere, the sports & fishing facilities, the beautiful handmade crafts & curios and the spectacular sunsets were good enough reasons for the early visitors to build a house or buy a real estate property in this mexican paradise.

On those early days the RV Parks facilities were enjoyed by 100´s of “snow birds” coming on the winter season from all around US and Canada.

Also dozens of international fishing and sports tournaments had been a excellent source of touristic promotion for the last years.

The beauty of San Carlos had been also an special attraction for the Hollywood motion picture industry as a location site.

Good exemples are Catch 22, Lucky Lady (Liza Minelli, Gene Hackman & Burt Reynolds) and recently The Mask of Zorro (Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta Jones) San Carlos Today.

Currently the town population is calculated in around 1,800, but on spring breaks, winter and summer vacations 1000´s of people enjoy the magic of the San Carlos Bay paradise.

See the Town Map San Carlos has a nice weather almost all the year. The avarage temperature in our white sand beaches ranges from 87F (30C) in the spring season to 67F (20C) in the winter.

Guaymas At just 15 km from San Carlos Bay you can visit one of the oldest ports of Mexico (f. 1769).

This historic town was discovered by spanish explorers in 1539 when the area was occupied by the fierce Guaimas indian tribe.

Today is the third largest city of Sonora state and you´ll able to find plenty of business, services and touristic attractions.

Waking up to 17″ inches of snow is an exciting event in my world. First off, I have NEVER experienced this much snow in a long time. Other than the requisite, “let’s-go-drive-out-to-the-mountains-and-see-snow” trips, snow is virtually a foreign matter to me. Having spent half my life growing up in a tropical country and then living in Southern California and Las Vegas had turned me into a warm blooded creature. But I think thats changed as of this week.

I went out with my son John Andrew this morning to watch him work on (in his own words) “the biggest snow horse that have ever existed”. Of course, he was going to do all the work since it was supposedly a BIG surprise for me. And so, with camera in my big bulky gloved hands, I set about on a journey to document the beautiful winter morning.

The eagle was too quick for me today and just didn’t want his photo taken but I found some cute little winged critters flying around from branch to branch out in the raspberry fields.

Here’s a sweet little snowbird who managed to stay still long enough for me to capture him. The beauty of God’s little creatures never ceases to amaze me.

Yes, it’s been quite a change. Journeying from the East Coast, (Southern Connecticut) to the West Coast (Southern California). We have happily joined for now, the ranks of the all too wise “Snow Birds”

Wet to dry. Green to brown. But the world is special in all of it’s locations. And I am discovering all of these special nooks and crannies and how to adjust to desert living.

Well 1st of all it’s moisturize, moisturize, and then sunblock! To prevent the desert’s high winds, sunny climate and winters fireplaces/heaters that suck out all of your precious water, your body has, you must start with the basics, moisturizing.

1.  Oil up on Jojoba Oil (pronounced “ho-HO-bah”) after showering or bath to lock in moisture.

Jojoba is THEE IDEAL moisturizer.  Jojoba is a shrub native to California, Arizona and Northern Mexico’s deserts.  It can be found in health stores or the natural or organic section in any good market. It is a golden magical elixir ideal for  moisturizing  every part on your body. Since it is similar to human sebum, it is soaked in by our skin, instead of  laying on top like baby oil. It balances the skin. Moisturizing dry skin and easing oil production in oily skin. Since it is a natural product you needn’t worry about chemicals and additives and it goes a  along way, so it is also economical! It cleans and “luxes” up every part on your poor water parched body. Hydrating Lips, Eyelashes, Hair, Bellies, Arms, Legs and feet. Oh the Relief!   So how do you say it?

Oh! Jojoba! (ho HO bah)!

We who live in the West Valley are right in the migration path. It starts in October, when the first frail ones arrive from a long, hot stay in the rugged mountains, where they have had to provide shelter and food through the busy Spring and Summer. They come into driveways and yards, protected by familiar surroundings.

Protected by friend

It is not unusual to see them stop in the streets, exhausted from the trip. They need some water and care before they can take off again.

Safe in the backyard

Some who come through our migration path are aquatic. They often travel in pairs, although it’s unlikely they stay together for life. It’s more of a lifestyle, one more casual, one for speed and grace.

Aquatic dwellers

Some of the travelers are exhausted when they arrive. They hide in backyards, keeping their age hidden. It is amazing to think that they have been making the trip for 30 years or more, back and forth each Spring and Autumn.

hiding behind the fence

There are small ones, too, on their first trip. They are bright and colorful, still to feel the push of adventure.

Small, but tough

–Quinn McDonald is a writer and coach who helps people see different perspectives. See her work at QuinnCreative.com

In a move designed to free up cash for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s election campaign, the Department of National Defence has been directed to cut 3.6 billion dollars from the 2008/2009 budget. Public Affairs Officer Boat-Major Katherine Bickford detailed some of the immediate cuts that the Canadian Air Force was making.

“Effective as of midnight 10 September 2008, the operational budget for the Canadian Armed Forces aerial demonstration team Snow Birds has been reduced by 50%. As part of the  mandated budget reduction the Snowbirds have cut 56 of the 112 scheduled shows, will achieve decreased fuel consumption during shows by means of lowering flying speeds from 500 knots to 250 knots and the maximum show altitude from 10,000 feet to 5,000 feet. Further cuts will include reducing the number of aircraft in each show and cutting the airplanes in half.”

I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like in Paris 1944 during World War 2. During the Canadian International Air Show which is held annually over the Labour Day weekend I managed to snag an awesome vantage point to capture these amazing pilots dazzle the crowds. Here is my modern day interpretation of Paris 1944.

Traditionally people shoot the Canadian Snowbird Flight Squadron in colour, but since I had a mock Eiffel Tower structure I decided to go my own road and paint them black The fact that these pilots fly at almost 600 km/h during a performance I am happy that I was able to trail them to this composition.

Enjoy,

I almost had myself a heap of trouble.  My 4 yr. old almost successfully pulled one over on me.  This morning, after I got out of the shower and was blow drying my hair, ‘E’ came in several times to ask me a question.  Each time he came in the room he would ask me something unintelligible over the sound of the hair dryer.  Each time, I would turn off the hair dryer and say, “What?”  ”Can I draw a picture?”  “Yes.”  A few minutes later he was back, “Can I cut out my picture?”  “Yes, as long as you are careful.”  Pretty soon he’s back, “Can I cut it up into little pieces?”  “Yes, as long as you are careful and you clean up your mess when you are done.”  This time he’s only gone a minute or two.  I’m never going to get my hair dry at this rate so I keep the hair dryer on and yell, “What?!”  He says something that I can’t understand.  Just wanting to get him to leave, I yell, “yes!”  He grins really big and takes off down the hallway.  Ok, my internal alarms are going off.  The hair dryer goes off.  “Wait!  ‘E’ get back here!”  He pops back around the corner with an innocent, “what?”  I say, “What did you just ask me?”  He mumbles something.  Try again, buddy.  Finally, he says, “I asked if I can do anything that I want to do.”  No way, buddy!  Nice try.  You almost got away with it.  Images of the possible havoc that could have resulted from that one little word, yes, flashed across my mind.  “No, ‘E’!  You know better than that.”  He shrugged and went back down the hallway.  I know he was thinking that it was worth a try.  Whew, that was a close one!  Lesson learned:  Always know the question that you are answering.  Especially to a mischievous little boy.

Yesterday was my birthday.  Yes, it’s on Valentine’s Day.  All my life I’ve heard, “Oh, a Valentine’s Day baby!”  Um, not anymore.  I haven’t been a baby for many years!  Well, the boys wanted to take me out to dinner for my birthday.  I knew it would be tough since every Manny, Mo and Jack would be taking their honeys out to dinner.  So I thought we would beat the crowd and have an early dinner.  Well, I wasn’t thinking clearly.  We live in a community that Snow Birds flock to in the winter.  They clog up our streets, they fill up our hospital, and they like to go out to eat early.  I guess they have nothing better to do, so they go eat an early dinner.  Well, last night I get to The Olive Garden well before the dinner hour.  I can tell as I drive in the parking lot that they are lined up outside the door.  I park and start walking up to the door (my father is meeting me here with the boys) planning to put my name in.  I reached the sidewalk and I can hear footsteps coming up rapidly behind me.  I picked up my pace a little bit to avoid slowing them down.  They got faster.  As I reached the corner of the sidewalk, where it turns to the door, this little old lady rushes past me, literally running through the flower beds to beat me to the door.  She barely made it.  The people lined up outside looked like they were very entertained.  We must have presented quite a little scenario.  Unknowingly, I was racing this little old lady to get our names put on the list.  I stopped in shock, and just started to laugh.  She never even looked over her shoulder at me.  She just continued up to the desk and got her name in.   I thought with age comes maturity and wisdom and the real meaning of life.  I guess the real meaning to her life at that moment was beating me to the door of The Olive Garden so she could eat her dinner and hurry home to watch QVC.  She certainly earned it. 

We didn’t eat there after all anyway.  The wait was at least 2 hrs. so we went over to my dad’s and made pizza.  It was a nice evening after all, spent with my family.  And I still got my dinner at The Olive Garden.  We ate there tonight at a normal dinner hour and only had to wait a few minutes.  It was very good, too!

It's that time of year again - we're seeing a lot of growth in rental inventory at Sublet.com. Property mangers, rental owners and lease holders alike are posting their listings as the warmer weather creeps every closer.
It's hard to say why inventory increases this time of year - maybe it's the snow birds, maybe its just a pleasent time of year to move, maybe it's the college students... who knows!
While lots of listings are getting posted, it's important for us to remind everyone of the basic tips: post pictures with your rental! It makes the online experience much better for everyone. It's also important to supply as much information as you can about your rental - the surrounding area, like parks, shopping and mass transportation. And it really helps if you can renew your listing often - this way, potential tenants know your listing is available and it gets sent back up to the top of the list of availablilites.
Thanks for checking in with us! Give us as call at 1-877-367-7368 (1-877-FOR-RENT) or visit us at Sublet.com!

by Jeanne Hambleton  © 2008

NFA Leader Against Pain-Advocate  

In these days when our UK newspapers are full of stories about the lack of respect for the elderly starved of their dignity – mixed hospital wards, underfed folk in care homes, dirty bed linen, people dying with no-one to go to their funeral, it makes me very sad and dread growing old.

Before the world became so small, with people taking a flight to go to Paris for dinner,  generations lived in the same village or town. This meant there was always someone younger nearby to look after grandma or grandpa and they could stay in their homes.  In some countries families lived in properties of three storeys with the elderly on the ground floor, their children on the next, and grandchildren on the top floor. As the grandparents die so the families move down a storey. I may be wrong (fibro fog and all that) but I believe this might happen in Egypt. This seems like a pretty sensible idea, considering young people today cannot afford to buy their first house.  If you are a young person with fibromyalgia, this might not be such a good idea….all those stairs.  It takes me half a day to get up one flight and then I never want to come down again.

But today young folk have itchy feet and cannot wait to leave their home town and sew a few wild oats abroad or elsewhere. I have a  friend with family in Australia. They keep in touch by webcams over the Internet and enjoy Sunday breakfast together. Not quite the same as getting a good warm hug from a little one (even though you know it is just cupboard love) but you have to make the best of what is on offer.

What is cupboard love? I like to think of it as a show of affection (usually from a youngster) in the hope of gaining access to something nice, maybe sweets or cake, which is kept in the cupboard. I can definitely confirm it is not related to any affection for furniture or cupboards.

Have you seen these supposedly funny stickers that talk about looking after your children for they will choose your care home but that is no joke. It can happen to any of us – a sad thought but however well intentioned the children may be (with all their own family commitments) if we have an  illness which really cannot be treated at home the children may have no alternative but to find somewhere a parent can be cared for.

Today I read in a national newspaper that you should all have a meal at the chosen care home before finally deciding – and I would hasten to add look for  rooms with en suite. As people get older they do value their privacy and some really need to have easy access to their own toilet.

This raises two points. The first is unless we are especially unfortunate,  we will all grow old and possibly become infirmed.  Hearing, eyesight, and mobility are just three of the obvious abilities that become troublesome with age.  If you also have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome you will have even more problems.

Secondly if your parents are still alive, cherish them.  If their hearing is bad, they may miss out on family chatter. If their eyesight  is poor they may not be able to read a paper or watch TV.  So they may already feel isolated – just as many fibromites do.

As someone who has lost both parents, I can tell you, most definitely, you will miss them. I am constantly thinking of days gone-by and questions I should have asked – about their childhood, sweethearts, their teenage years, the town where they grew up – the list is endless.

Given a second chance and the opportunity I would buy a digital voice recorder and ask my parents these questions I wish I knew the answers to. I would record the answers for the next generation. If you seize the opportunity while you can, your parents will feel useful and this will provide a big insight into the family history.

I had this funny email a long time ago and was reminded of it today.

THE ULTIMATE CRUISE

A couple on a cruise got talking to an elderly lady who said she was on her fourth cruise on this ship. Thinking she must be tired of traveling to the same places all the time the couple asked her why she stayed on board. The old lady replied it was cheaper than a nursing home. She said when she got old and feeble she would cruise on the Princess Cruise ship. The average cost of nursing home would be 200 dollars a day, gratuities 10 dollars a day. She could enjoy as many a 10 meals a day if she can walk to the restaurant or she can have room service, with breakfast in  bed every day of the week.

The Princess has 3 swimming pools, a workout room, free washers and dryers and shows on every night. The ship provides free toothpaste, soap, shampoo and razors. Clean sheets and towels  are available every day – they come without asking. If the TV or light bulb is broken they fix it. Need a new mattress, they replace it. They fix everything and apologise for the inconvenience. No problems!

You are treated like a customer and not a patient. If you fall while living in a nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare. If you fall and break a hip on the Princess they will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.

An extra 5 dollars will have the entire staff scrambling to help you and you get to meet new people every 7 or 14 days. But the best! Do you want to see South America, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, or Asia? The Princess Cruise Line will have a ship ready to go where you want.  So the old lady said, “Do not look for me in a nursing home. Just call shore to ship”.

Her final words were, “Don’t forget when you die they dump you over the side at no charge!”

She also suggested the couple should tell everybody who dreamt of a luxurious old age.

Now I have got to the end of this story I see it was written by JM.  Thanks for the smiles.

That is what I call be independence and adventurous – a good idea I think if you don’t get sea sick and have the funds. Of course the costs may be a little different today but is it worth comparing prices in case it is a good deal? Just think you could be dining at the Captain’s table and dancing with the First Officer, as one of their best customers.

Have your looked at the price of cruises lately? It must have something to do with the price of oil. Yes I know they are no longer ‘steam’ ships – they use diesel. (They must have had quite a few bags of coal in the good old days?)  But if you are looking for a bit of comfort with maybe a balcony and not an enlarged shoebox, we are talking ‘mega bucks’ for one trip.  I suppose if your capital is limited you should leave it as late as you can before you start cruising. It is one solution to the inheritance tax and you certainly cannot take it with you. 

Before you book your long term cruising if you are interested I found a good website  called Portcities Southampton – home of some of the biggest cruise ships. It is worth a look to see how the cruise ships have changed over the years.  Look at  www.plimsoll.org and on the left hand menu at the bottom click the “diversity of ships”.  This will lead you to ships of steam age, and how  the ocean liners developed.

SNOW BIRDS AND WOODEN BOWLS

I am told in the States when some folk retire they buy themselves a luxurious large mobile home and become ‘Snow Birds’, leaving the bad weather behind them and moving always with the sun and good weather.  When I was in the States in 2006 we saw lots of special offers for Snow Birds at the convenience shops attached to  ‘gas’ stations. I am sure I could not get all my ‘must haves’ in even a very large luxury mobile home but I like the idea.

Next I must thank Mary, who is not a fibromite, for sending me this other story which is at the  other end of the spectrum. I am unsure if it is true but I can imagine there must be some truth in it. Either way there is a moral in this think piece. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I am sure you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. ‘We must do something about father,’ said the son. ‘I’ve had enough of his spilt milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.’

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl!

When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence. One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, ‘What are you making?’

Just as sweetly, the boy responded, ‘Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.’ The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken. Both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal  with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

On a positive note, I’ve learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things: a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I’ve learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you will miss them when they are gone from your life.

I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life..’

I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

I’ve learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch, holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn!

 How true – words we should all remember! Jeanne

It snowed here. Now this is a big event. It doesn’t often snow here. The trees are sparkling with ice, the ground is white and my birds are going crazy! Yes, I feed the local birds. I wake everyday to the songs of Cardinals, finches, Blue Jays, sparrows, Dark eyed Juncos, titmice, chickadees, and one lone squirrel from time to time. Today I seem to have more than normal. It seems that I am the only person in town who feeds the birds. I know this isn’t true. I have seen a few other houses with one or two feeders out. I looked out my window to see 11 male Cardinals. Imagine, big blots of red fluttering amongst a white and green background. It makes you wonder why they couldn’t do this in December. I’ll take snow any time I can get it!

I feed the birds for purely selfish reasons. I can see the change of seasons with the change of birds. Dark eyed Juncos are here in winter. The Robins start to show in spring. In summer the hummingbirds buzz by my head. I can tell when it will be cold again, just by them leaving. I plant certain flowers just to insure that I will see one or two every year. Hummingbirds are my grandmothers favorite bird. Every time I see them, I think of her. She lives a few hours away so I don’t see her as much as I would like. This way I feel close to her more often.

They are calling for another storm on Saturday. I hope to see more birds than usual again. Doting my white world with a rainbow of color.