Celebrating Life

Deborah Ladd, Guest Blogger I heard a someone say that, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union..." must come together. How many ways can we do this in a seemingly graceless time? Sometimes it’s in the work place.  On the very last day I walked towards  the final closing of the door behind me. I was moving more towards my future in front of me, rather than the memories behind me. But I was holding on in that moment. Then I realized that I would miss the more perfect “unions” of the people and their lives …bittersweet. Maya Angelou once said that, ”…you remember the way people make you feel.” Yes, you see I remembered how I felt  right at the intersection of those in between moments I guess you can call it a “union”. We unite in those in between spaces,  that fall in and out if time. It was in the stories told about the weekends and vacations. It was in the soft wave of a hello or in a simple sm

Al Turnbull  Guest Blogger                                       (An Old Man's Guide to Advan ced Age)   You are old Father William and your hair has become very white... Lewis Carroll We are constantly told in the daily news reports that our population is aging.  An advertisement in a popular magazine proclaims that 10,000 people turn 65 every day.  They don't cite their research, but anyhow, it is evident that there are a lot of children and a lot of old people around; also, there is evidence when you read obituaries in the newspaper that many people are living long lives.  As one of the elder eldest (I am 89), I feel that I am in a position to expound on old age as an expert on how to exist in a hostile environment.  At least I have some ideas and suggestions to those of you who are in your middle seventies and are going to have to be canny and realize that you are going to have to re-learn many things as time rushes by, and you become among the old older.

I have collected cookbooks for years. I've even created my own cookbook cutting out interesting and unique recipes from newspaper and magazines.   One evening, I decided to make spinach quiche for dinner and began searching through my collection to find one without too many ingredients and not too difficult to make.   While going through my cookbooks, my head buried behind the pile, my niece walked into the room. "Auntie, what are you doing?"   I looked up at her and down at her hand in which she held her cellphone. an appendage attached to her hand as she seldom puts it down.   When I told her, she said simply, "Why don't you just goggle it." "Google it?" I asked. She peered down at her phone while tapping on the screen. Within seconds, she pulled up several recipes for spinach quiche and showed them to me.   I was impressed.   In response to many questions I have about anything and everything, her response is always "just goggle it.&qu