65 Degrees and I'm Cold

It only got up to around 65 degrees today and the wind was horribly strong. It began to feel like winter to me so I bundled up on the sofa and slept half the afternoon away, just as I'd do back home when we had a blizzard. It's so silly because I would be thrilled to have 65 degree weather back home in April but here it feels different somehow.

Sylvia, Joann, and I went over to the clubhouse and played both "31" and Rummicubes tonight. We had a lot of fun as usual but soon it will only be me and Joann unless some of the others join us because Sylvia leaves for home on Thursday. I'm really going to miss our card nights because we enjoy ourselves so much and laugh over the silliest things. We all agree that life in the real world of our main homes in the north is dreary compared to what we do here. I guess our play time has to come to an end sometime, though.

It's 9:30 P.M. and Anna and Lisa are still at Disney and I'm still dogsitting. Rusty is a miniature poodle and one of the sweetest, gentlest dogs I've ever seen. He's no trouble at all and gives me a chance to talk to myself while pretending I'm talking to him. You can tell he misses his real Mommy and Daddy (Ron & Gerry) because he keeps going to the door and looking toward his own house. He's nice company but I'm definitely not getting a dog of my own.

Well, it's time to turn off the computer and watch a little T.V. I wish there was a program so good that I'd make it a point to watch it but, since T.V. is only a short term option for me, none are that good.

Dog Sitting

Anna and Lisa arrived yesterday and we initiated them into our park family last night. Mark and Charlotte brought the horse race game over to the little clubhouse where we played for a few hours in the evening. Lisa and Anna both won a couple of bucks and I think they did have fun. My friends here are so darned nice that you can't help but like them.

Today L&A went off to Epcot with Ron and Gerry and I'm dogsitting Rusty. We're experiencing another weird spell of darned cold weather for a few days so they're all wearing sweatshirts. I'm going to stay home with Rusty and work on my Swedish weaving. One of the ladies I taught left early this morning for home in Nova Scotia but she presented me with a large bottle of my favorite wine in thanks for teaching her the craft. It wasn't necessary but it is very much appreciated.

I spoke with one of my friends yesterday about how well we all seem to blend together here. We don't have simply American or Canadian groups of friends because it doesn't matter where a person's northern home happens to be. We chum around with people whose company we enjoy. My very closest buddies happen to be Canadian but that was just by chance.

Anyway, today is a stay at home day with the dog. I've had to teach him not to sleep on the furniture just as I have to reteach Baker and Bailey (Kim's dogs) every time they visit. What's with these people who allow their animals on the furniture?? The dogs learn quickly what is not allowed so it's pretty easy to train them but maybe I'm too fussy.

I Never Learn

Joann and I went yard saleing yesterday and I spent $20 on a load of Nascar trading cards, old programs, and old magazines. I know nothing about Nascar but I have hopes that this stuff will sell on Ebay next fall (I'm not taking it home). Why do I do this to myself? In analyzing my actions I've decided that my brain goes into the same neverneverland that it does when I eat something I shouldn't.

A part of me is saying, "you don't need this", but a part of me is greedy. Sometimes the greed part wins. Yesterday the greedy part won and now I have to figure out how to store this stuff in a hot and humid trailer for the summer.

My poor children must be hoping I don't die before I get rid of all the crap I've accumulated over the years but the problem is that I'm always tempted by new crap.

Today I'm going to a huge flea market with Joann and her husband. The good news is that I won't have much money with me.

Another Senseless Massacre

Once more we see in the news another mass murder. Why can't we, as human beings, find out how some can be driven to commit atrocities like this? The overwhelming reason seems to be a deep seated hatred, either hatred of themselves or in blaming others for their own misery.

I can rationalize a person hating another so intensely that they allow themselves to stoop low enough to kill but that's the point. They are "allowing" themselves to act on a feeling. We all have choices and we can give in to deep feelings or we can control ourselves.

Killing indiscriminately or opening fire on people they don't even know is another thing entirely. Is it self hatred or egomania? They must be incredibly stupid because there are only two outcomes in their future...death or imprisonment...and neither will exalt them. They will be pariahs for all time.

I remember back in the years when I suffered from depression and couldn't read the newspaper without crying. Reading about so much senseless carnage was just too much to bear. I guess I'll go to my grave wondering why we humans are so flawed that some of us can commit such devastating crimes against each other.

Michelle Hugs Liz

So Michelle Obama gave an extra little affectionate hug to Queen Elizabeth and the whole stuffy world of protocol and politics goes berserk. How very sad that politicians have to follow such rigid rules that a genuine and innocent show of affection should make the headlines.

I like the Obamas so much that they might just draw me back to the voting booth. If they are as good as they appear then maybe we just might have a politician or two in Canada that is honest and has the public's interests at heart. I don't know, though, because that's very difficult to accept.

When it comes to presidents or premiers, I usually like the accompanying wife better than the main figure but with the Obamas I like them both. I'm too old to make another u-turn in how I view politicians so I hope these two are the genuine article. If I lose faith again it will be permanent.

My "Computer People"

I don't understand computers but I think I need a new laptop. I bought this one 3 1/2 years ago because it's easier to tote a laptop to Florida than to take my desk top one apart. My husband always did that but all those wires and cords overwhelm me.

This is an Acer with minimum capacity and I keep getting those popups that tell me my memory is low. When I went alone to the Future Shop they didn't even have a record of this laptop in their system to know what kind of memory it would take. It makes me feel helpless to try to explain my computer needs to these geeks. I usually have my personal "computer people" do it for me (Lisa and Anna at home...Bob in Florida). Computer illiterates like me need our own "people".

Anna and Lisa will be here on Monday so I'll get them to take a look at it and maybe even help me buy a new one down here. I'm pretty sure they're cheaper in the States but I'll let my "computer people" make the decision for me.

Getting Quieter and Quieter

My trailer is on a busy corner in the park and just across the road from the clubhouse so there is lots and lots of both motor and foot traffic. After the end of March when most of the snowbirds go home the world around me becomes quieter and quieter. I don't like this.

We played Rummoli last night (7 of us) and even our game time was quiet. So quiet that a few of the other card players in the room came over and commented on it. It's as though all the fun has gone out of the game because we are winding down our winter and getting ready to face the world back home.

My young neighbors, Anna and Lisa, who are coming down to drive back with me will never know the true nature of this park in high season. It is usually a roiling organism full of enthusiastic seniors busily enjoying their retirement but today it's more like a boring and almost empty neighborhood. I know Anna and Lisa love to shop so they probably won't care how quiet it is in the park. Lisa likes to sleep, too, so she won't mind that half a dozen people aren't knocking on my door in the morning. I think I will, though.

Life at home is so different from here. This is my socializing ground and I have so many really nice and fun people to hang out with here daily. When I'm home I do keep myself busy with whatever interests I have and there is family (mostly working) and friends but it's not the constant clamor of activity that I enjoy in this park. I joke about needing the rest when I go home but I'd really like to live in a place just like this during the summer. Life is too short to rest too often.

In any case, today will find me going to the grocery store for water, doing some Swedish weaving, and then working Bingo tonight. It's not over till it's over.

Overtrained

I was at Publix grocery store the other day and as I was checking out the young male cashier said, "And how was your shopping experience today?".

How was my shopping experience?

Some numbnut vice president of the company has probably forced this poor man to ask that asinine question stupidly thinking that I, the shopper, would be impressed in some way. I couldn't help but reply, "It was an experience I'll never forget".

The cashier, never missing a beat, replied, "I bet it was earth shattering".

I hope the dumb vice president gets demoted. And I hope the cashier gets his job.

Blackmail or Just a Promise

Every time something especially interesting happens whether here in the park or at home, I yelp, "that's a blog!". It really is true that truth is stranger than fiction.

Last week a cute incident happened that I threatened to put in my blog but never got around to doing it but here it is today.

Chris and Candy are 2 ladies who I've just taught how to do Swedish weaving and they've taken to it like ducks to water. Their very first projects were absolutely lovely and, now that they're hooked on the craft, they are busy buying up more monk's cloth to take home with them when they leave Florida this month.

Joann's Fabrics put 40% off coupons in the local newspaper and some of my ladies were thrilled to death to use them for buying monk's cloth. So thrilled, in fact, that they went dumpster diving to find discarded newspapers with those coupons. It's not as bad as it sounds because we apparently have one dumpster with only newspapers in it, thank heavens.

Chris is a little taller than Candy so she got the job of hanging into the dumpster to gather up the newspapers. As a result, her underarms are bruised black and blue. I'm so proud of their dedication!

Another part of the story is that Candy's husband, Tom, broke his leg just recently and has been very short tempered because of it. When people saw Chris and Candy heading to the dumpster with a shovel it was joked that they were going to bury Tom. As far as I know, they only went for coupons.

Saying Goodbyes

It's that time of year again when so many of the people I hang out with or just see daily are packing up and leaving for their real homes. Usually I feel a deep sense of loss as I see the park empty out but this year is a little different for me.

I always have lots of chores and activities to do when I get home myself but this year I have a greatgrandbaby to look forward to. Little no-name will arrive in July. When I arrive back home around April 20th, I'll still have a few months to join in the joyful wait.

Last night we played "31" at the clubhouse expecting few at our table because some had gone home and 2 had gone to the airport to pick up a relative but 2 others joined us and we had a full table again. We have a large circle of friends here who all get along very well and we float between groups (not cliques) with ease and comfort. This is the way it should be and why I love it here so very much.

Each day it will become quieter and emptier in the park but a lot of us will come together again this summer at our park reunion in Ohio. We'll have 4 days to reacquaint, talk about winter 2008/2009, and make plans for winter 2009/2010. Many of us have become as close as family over the past years because we spend so much time together.

I've enjoyed this winter immensely and it's hard to see it end but there are wonderful things back home, too. There's more family and friends and also little no-name. I'm looking forward to it all.

Recognizing a Gift

Most of us have such busy, hectic lives that we fail to recognize the gifts we've been allowed in this life. School time is filled to the brim with classes, studying, flirting, and part-time jobs. It's easy to miss the gift of youth you've been given. Adulthood carries it's own burdens with demanding jobs and wondering how you can afford to raise the babies you bring into the world. Again, it's easy to miss the beauty around you when your mind is too full of worry.

Each day on earth is a gift that you can appreciate or ignore. Is it worth making an extra buck at your job if you miss precious moments with your child? Is it worth fretting about a bad hair day when you have a strong and beautiful young body to live inside? Just open your eyes to what is real and important in your allotted years.

As a senior I feel I wasted too many of my younger years worrying about the negative aspects of my life instead of glorying in the positive. I really do greet the morning sun with a smile these days and marvel at the intricate beauty of nature. My life isn't perfect but I've been teaching myself to put aside that which I can do nothing about and to concentrate on making good what I can.

I can say with certainty that taking the time to draw your family and friends closer together is of the utmost importance. Time spent together is a gift beyond gold and one that you will never regret. When you're on your deathbed you won't regret making more money during your lifetime but you will regret missed opportunities to be with your loved ones.

My first gift today was waking up to the rising sun in my little Florida trailer. A few friends are coming over later this morning and that will be my second gift of the day. Come to think of it, my day will be full of gifts. I'm a rich woman.

Lessons Some CEOs Never Learned

When I was a very little girl a friend and I went into our very first business venture. We thought that selling lemonade would provide us with a lucrative income because we'd seen it done in movies. It made perfect sense to us that there was a lot of foot traffic past our house (it was about 1945 when there were fewer cars on the road) and everyone likes lemonade, right?

Well, we put a few large cardboard boxes together and wrote *LEMONADE 5 cents" on it with our crayons and then persuaded my grandmother to make a big pitcher of lemonade for us. I can't remember what we used for glasses. We sat our little chairs behind the cardboard boxes and sold a few drinks to kindly passersby.

When we'd earned a little bit of money we closed the stand temporarily and ran up to the local variety store to buy a notepad, pencil, and also some candy because those coins were burning a hole in our pockets.

We returned to the lemonade stand but failed to sell any more lemonade that day. We went out of business because we'd spent the money we earned on unnecessary supplies and perks.

I'll bet that the CEOs of these big conglomerates who are begging for public funds never had a lemonade stand in their youth or they would have known not to waste their earnings.

Just a thought.

Rainy Monday Coffee Time

We've been getting so many people to our Monday morning coffee time that I've had to borrow one of the huge percs from the clubhouse. My little 12 cup one needs to be refilled too many times and just isn't convenient anymore. It will do just fine for the smaller group we get before January.

It rained pretty heavily overnight and then just settled into a mild spit for the rest of the morning. I didn't expect many coffee drinkers so I gathered about 6 chairs under my front awning figuring that if more ladies came we could go inside. Well, it wasn't long before about a dozen showed up and inside we went.

Today was our day to vote on the name we'd put on our t-shirts in next year's park parade. We had a suggestion list of 19 names and the one we chose by overwhelming vote was "Dipsy Chicks". The ladies are really getting into the spirit of this and now want us to wear chicken hats. Linda, the lady who made the turd king hats, has a lot of ideas and we'll probably follow the craziest of them. It's all in fun and no need for our children and grandchildren to worry about us!

I had bought something really wild to use as my hat at our crazy hat at the pool day but it was too cool today so I modeled it for the coffee ladies instead. I'll post a picture when I remember to get someone to take it for me.

By the way, some of you know I harrass my local newspaper at home with letters to the editor and one will be published tomorrow (I think). A very nice lady from the newspaper phoned me to let me know but I forget which day she said it would be in. We discussed the weather and while I complained about 75 F here, she said it was 4 celcius at home (about 38 F). Whoever would have thought it years ago that today I'd be lazing in the Florida sun while someone from my local newspaper called to let me know they were publishing my comments. Hmmm! Life is full of surprises.

Well, this is my vegetating night at home. No games for me tonight, just T.V. I need the rest.

Yard Saleing

I'm really having a problem with my sleep pattern. Last night, or should I say this morning, I woke up at 1:30 A.M. and couldn't get back to sleep. It makes me nervous to take Tylenol P.M. too often but I'm taking it again tonight. My days are too full and busy to try to get by on just 3 hours sleep.

Joann and I left for a morning of yard saleing at 7:30 A.M. and hit pay dirt at our first stop. Get ready, Kim, because I got a Mickey Mouse tuxedo for baby boo!! We had a lot of fun, as usual, stalking the various yard sales and we both came home with quite a few goodies. I was very careful to keep my purchases to a minimum but Joann got a bit carried away and now her husband is mad at her. He can't understand why she'd buy 2 golf bags full of clubs when she doesn't play golf. Silly man. I'm sure she has reasonable and profitable plans for them.

Sheila, Agnes, Gail, and Vicky stopped by when we got home and we spent a while sitting on the patio and gabbing. We do it well. Sheila and I went out for dinner (I had a 2 for 1 coupon from Ruby Tuesday) and then a gang of us went over to the clubhouse in the evening to play Rummoli. We had 1 too many people so Sheila and Joann played Rummicubes.

An interesting note: a few people mentioned how noisy we were but they weren't mad....at least I hope they weren't. I'm sure some of them think we're drinking booze at our table but we never do (at games). We're just naturally enjoying each other's company and having fun. Rummoli is not a staid and serious game like Bridge.

We straggled home at our witching hour of 9 P.M. and I immediately came in and took a Tylenol P.M. I have to be up at 7:30 A.M. tomorrow morning because a bunch of us are going out for our regular Sunday breakfast and if I don't get a decent sleep tonight it might make me sick. I'm not sure why my sleep is so badly disturbed but this is the worse patch of insomnia I've had since I got here in the fall.

Wish me a good night.

Old Vs. Young

Our Red Hat Society ladies went out for our monthly lunch today and there was a gift shop in the restaurant. I bought this sign to hang on the side of my trailer.

2009 Turd Toss Kitty Litter Cake

More 2009 Turd Toss Pictures

2009 Turd Toss Pictures

Dog Races and Turd Tosses

I believe old age is our reward for a mispent youth. We finally get to have all the fun we ever wanted without the need to impress the opposite sex.

On Wednesday a busload of us went to the dog races in Tampa. I'd rather bet on the dogs than go to the casino because it costs less money and the dogs are so pretty. Most of us choose our dogs by their names and then bet $2 to show. That's because most of us have no idea how to pick a winning dog. We stay for 10 races so I bet on all my races at the same time. I'm not going to learn anything new about dog racing from the time I get there until I leave so I save myself standing in line 10 times by doing it all at once. I ended up winning $12.60 of the $20 I originally bet so the day was a huge success as far as I was concerned.

After the races we went to a regular stopover where we got ice cream and strawberry concoctions and then bought a few items in their market. I forgot to mention that we started out the day by boarding the bus at 7:45 so we could get to a terrific buffet breakfast by 9:00. Most of our outings seem to revolve strongly around food.

We got back to the park by 6 P.M. and I had to race over to Bingo because I was working it. Bingo was a lot of fun last night because we ladies handling the money refused to take any winnings out to the "porch monkeys". They had to come to us for anything they won. Then they demanded hugs along with their money so we all had a lot of laughs over that. Silly stuff but happy stuff.

Thursday was the annual "Turd Toss". One of our new ladies had made up crowns for the king and queen and she even made one up for Mark (he started the whole thing). His says "Head Turd".

I've mentioned our turd toss before but here is how it works. Everyone takes their lawn chairs and lines either side of "Easy Street". Mark and Char have 2 "potties" (never used) that sit in the middle of the road. Each contestant is handed a turd (it used to be wet noodles inside a piece of pantihose but this year they were dry) and has to stand behind a predesignated line. They then attempt to toss the turd into the potty. The one who gets the most turds in the pot wins the crown. They will be celebrities in the park parade next year.

Believe it or not, I sunk the first turd for the ladies but lost out to my good friend, Sheila, who tossed in 4 out of 5. She is our new Queen Turd. Dick, one of our new park members, claimed Turd King. They were ceremoniously photographed sitting on the potties. The official turnout for our Turd Toss Day was about 100 people. Seniors do have a lot of time on their hands, don't they.

Linda, Chris, and Candy presented our Head Turd, Mark, with a kitty litter cake at the end of the contest. It's all made from food materials but set in a kitty litter pan. The kitty turds are melted tootsie rolls. He looked a little dubious when he saw it but it really was delicious.

In the evening we had our bi-monthly hamburger supper at the clubhouse and it was followed by entertainment provided by a gentleman who played the guitar and sang.

Lovely day!

Party or Nap

I'm not sleeping well these days but there's too much going on around here for me to take a nap. I don't want to miss any of the fun. I finally crashed yesterday afternoon and slept for 2 hours. I then went to bed around 10 P.M. and slept soundly until 2:30 A.M. and have been awake ever since. I knew this would happen!

I've been walking around like a zombie all day but still managed to get in some birthday present shopping, some casino (I won $60), a huge St. Patrick's Day party at a friend's house here in the park, and then Rummoli at the clubhouse this evening. I'm so very, very tired but I know if I go to bed too early I won't sleep through the night and tomorrow I have to be at the bus for the dog races at 7:30 A.M. I swear all this fun just might kill me.

All winter I do this to myself because I know how quiet my summer will be. Sure, I do the odd thing but here at the park it's all day and all evening...every day and every evening.

I've gotten some good news about my buddies here lately. Some that I thought wouldn't be back have changed their minds and a couple who rent every year never knowing what will be available has just negotiated a 4 month deal for next winter. Winter 2009/2010 may be a little different but it's starting to look more promising.

Back to my insomnia...I took a Tylenol P.M. (not available in Canada) and will climb into my bed by 10 P.M. tonight and can count on getting a good night's sleep.

Crazy Hat Monday in March

************************This is the second Monday of our "crazy hat at the pool" month.

Picture #1 shows a few of the saner ones.

Picture #3 shows a very nice man wearing dreadlocks who is having his afternoon nap.

The rest are just a few of the crazy people who help make my winters so much fun.

Putting Up With

Sylvia and I sat at the pool yesterday after having a swim and then waiting for our card buddies to show up. Part of the discussion was about things we "put up with" and why we do.

For instance, we put up with slow service at a restaurant because the food is great. We put up with a friend who always shows up late because they're a hoot when they do arrive. We put up with an abusive mate because we love them. Etc., etc., etc.

But there sometimes comes a time when we have no interest in "putting up with" poor behaviour anymore. That is the point when the good isn't worth the bad. I often think that many celebrities behave so badly because they are surrounded by adorers who put up with their horrid behaviour long after they should have been shunted aside.

There are two celebrities in the news these days who are involved in a physically abusive relationship which has become known to the public. The man beat up his girlfriend and then it's rumored she married him. Good old Oprah said it all. If he hits you once, he'll hit you again. The poor young lady in this case apparently believes her beautiful young man has learned his lesson but this is not likely to happen.

People learn what they can get away with fairly early in life. I watched a young mother and her 4 year old daughter in the pool yesterday and the future of that little girl is already plain to see. She mouths off at her mother and refuses to do as her mother meekly asks. When I heard her grossly overweight mother trying to bribe her vastly overweight child with food, I wondered why we're all so often blind to what we're doing wrong in our lives.

My "putting up with" meter has changed over the years. At my age now I put up with very little and I'm amazed at how liberating that is. It's easier for me to walk away from crap than it was when I was younger and it's easier to speak up about things I think I can change. Maybe it's because I have less to lose now but I've tried to instill my newfound ethics in my grandchildren. My own children are at a time in their lives when they're redeveloping their own "putting up with" meters.

We put up with what we have to but there is a lot we don't have to put up with.

Overdone

I knew I had to be careful about what I bought in Florida to take home this year because Anna and Lisa are coming down to have a little vacation and then drive back with me. There is only so much room in my little Honda and every year I have to burden friends to take stuff back for me. I was careful until a few weeks ago.

First I bought 6 huge wooden masks for my backyard fence. Then I bought a huge load of baby clothes for my upcoming greatgrandson. I was expressing my worry about car space last week to some people and a friend took pity on me and offered to take them home in her trailer. I honestly wasn't talking to drum up a taker but her offer was instantly accepted.

Then I did something even worse. I bought an EZ-UP tent. I'm not sure it will even fit in my car once I'm home but I'll worry about that later. Anyway, I wrapped my arms around Norma and begged her to consider taking it home, too (she and Charlie live about 20 minutes from me back home). Her eyes glazed over and the smile froze on her face but she said they'd take it if it was less than 6' long. Bless her, it is.

If I keep this up I'm going to lose a lot of friends in March of every year because they'll be afraid to come near me. I think I'm finished buying now, though.

Vegas Day

Every March we have a day of Vegas like gambling in the clubhouse but with play money. There are always plenty of poker tables but we also have the color wheel, a horse race game, darts, and a boring game called "over and under" where you bet whether the throw of the dice will be either over or under 7. I prefer the horse race game over all.

At 5 P.M. we were served a humungous portion of excellent beef stew and then were entertained by an auction. The co-ordinators of Vegas Day either buy or find donations of items that are auctioned off after dinner. We purchase with our play money so the amounts bid for each item can reach $50,000. To obtain funds like that you have to have good friends who will donate their play money to your pile.

The only thing I wanted was a group of frog light reflectors to put in my garden. They had a lot of them so I thought I might have a chance with my piddly $4,000 but ended up pooling my friends' money to pay the $12,000 price tag.

It was a lovely warm evening when all the festivities were over so a group of us went over to the pool with drinks in hand. Only one went in swimming but we sat and gabbed for an hour or so.

No question...another wonderful day in paradise.

Note: The people who donated the frog light reflectors told me they found them in the dumpster behind Dollarama. $12,000!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful People

One of the important things I've learned in my life is that truly beautiful people are not necessarily photogenic people. Some people have a goodness that just shines out of them and draws you in like a moth to a flame. If you tried to analyze their attraction, the shape of their face or body would never come to mind.

I know a lot of good, decent people but very few have this unique asset. You know it when you see it, though. Like Jack Nicholson said in one of his movies...it makes you want to be a better person.

Just a thought.

Crowded, But Fun

Yesterday was our Monday morning coffee and we've finally reached the saturation point. We had 17 coffee drinkers and gabbers and only 16 chairs (Norma brought 2) so Sheila and I dragged my picnic table across the yard so we could use that for seating.

I love the fact that so many ladies enjoy our Monday morning get-together but I think the time has come to enlarge the patio to accommodate them all. Mickey, Sylvia's husband, is going to help me enlarge it with patio stones because that's probably the cheapest way to go. One of the ladies has offered me a few of the plastic stacking chairs, too. I've been trying to find more folding chairs at yard sales but with no luck.

We've also been trying to decide on a name for our group so we can have t-shirts made up. Someone got the bright idea that we should march together in next year's park parade so now we're on a hunt for a suitable name for ourselves.

After lunch I went over to the pool and discovered a pool full of people wearing crazy hats. I'd forgotten that someone had suggested we all wear some sort of wild hat to the pool on Mondays in March. There was Delores with a toy dragon on her head, Carol with a decorated lampshade on her head, Linda and Dick with crowns, Bill with a court jester's hat, and many more just as silly and just as much fun. I'll take my camera next Monday and post some pictures on the blog.

It's interesting to analyze why we seniors have so much innocent fun together and I think it's because we're out of the competetive world...we don't need to impress anyone. We're not afraid to look foolish, especially in front of each other.

Oh, another lovely thing happened yesterday. Gail came over to the pool to look for me and she had a bag in her hands. Naturally I assumed it was her Swedish weaving that she needed help with but she said no and asked when I'd be back at the trailer. I told her 4 P.M. and that's when she came over with the bag. She'd crocheted a gorgeous afghan for my new greatgrandson (that's Gail in the picture with the afghan). How kind and thoughtful of her! It's blue and white and so soft that I can't wait to cuddle baby boo in it. It would be nice if his Mommy and Daddy could decide on a name soon, too.

After supper I phoned Kim to find out if any of the drama at home has settled down. She made me laugh by saying that our wild and crazy Matthew seems to be more stable and settled than anyone else right now. He's working full time at Canadian Tire and we're all keeping our fingers crossed that he has finally matured. Do you suppose??

There's still plenty of drama back home but there is also great hope for the future. I have no doubt that things will work out for everyone given a bit of time.

I stayed home in the evening for a change and did absolutely nothing but watch T.V.

Double Dipping

I think it's a lot more common among the executives of large corporations to participate in double dipping than we commoners know. They retire with huge buyouts and pensions and then are rehired. How incredibly greedy of them!

They don't do this on their own. They have to have the complicity of board members to carry out their plans and it's ridiculous to hear the reasoning of the board when they're caught. The members of the board will swear up and down that no-one else on earth can do the job except the person who they just retired with an exorbitant payout. Funny, he/she chose to leave the job but only decided they still wanted it after pocketing a very large sum of money. Where is their conscience?

It's just another game where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Say Please

An idiot in British Columbia tried to cross the border into the States and refused to turn off his car motor unless the border guard said "please". He got maced for his stupidity.

Some people have an inflated idea of their own importance in this world and it's bound to get them into trouble now and again. People like the B.C. idiot won't learn from his mistake, though, and will err again in the future. Maybe the next time he'll get punched in the face. You can almost see it coming!

The Luau

Every March we have our luau party, sort of a goodbye to the winter season. Actually, we're having another goodbye but that's later in the month. The luau last night was the biggest success ever and it's all due to the incredibly hard work of a small group of people who have been instrumental in preparing a lot of our special days this winter. Most of those particular people will not be back next year but new ones have stepped forth and volunteered to take on the job.

For a $7.50 ticket we had the hall decorated in a Hawaiian theme, were served pina coladas either with or without alcohol, had a lovely ham dinner complete with dessert, were entertained by a lady who sang and joked with the crowd, danced to terrific music, and got to have 5 hours of darned good fun. The crew who decorated, cooked, and served also did the cleanup. I love this park!

Nothing goes on too late here, though, and I was home by 10:30 P.M. It had been a long and busy day for me...yardsaleing and then the pool...so I didn't mind the party breaking up early. This is the life, and I wish it could go on forever but the winter is almost over and it will soon be time to face the reality of the world outside our retirement community.

But that's still 5 weeks away so I'm going to enjoy this as long as I can.

Laughter at Rummoli

I truly think that if all senior citizens had the opportunity to spend the winters in sunny Florida at a campground with a clubhouse where there were lots of activities they would live longer and healthier lives.

Last night our little group of 8 met at usual in the clubhouse at 7 P.M. We rolled out one of the round tables to use because that's the most comfortable for us. There are quite a few already set up but they were in use by the large group of people who play Bid Euchre.

At some point in the game we all forgot who had dealt last (this is a common problem with our other games but never with Rummoli). We almost had one of the ladies convinced she'd lost her memory but we were all so confused (who had sold the spare hand?, who had the person who bought it paid their money to?) about what had transpired just a few short minutes previous that we never did know for sure.

This produced such a clatter and laughter from our single table in that clubhouse that I'm sure the other people there couldn't hear themselves think. We usually forget that we're not alone and often get just a tad noisy. I wish I had a tape of the yakking and laughing around that table as we tried in vain to figure it all out.

It must have taken us 5 minutes of "rolling in our seats" laughter to get the game going again and we all agreed that you couldn't have this much fun anywhere else in the world. I think we all added a few years to our lifespan last night.

Fashion Show 2009

We had our park fashion show today and it was great. Bonworth was the sponsor so that's where all the clothes come from. Many, if not most, of the ladies in the park shop at Bonworth and we couldn't wait to see the new items. The clubhouse was packed, the food was good, and the models lively.

3 of the men from the park dressed up in female clothing and danced around the clubhouse. It was a hoot!

Bonworth is a U.S. franchise only but I sure wish they were in Canada. We ladies of a certain age don't want to dress like centenarians or teenagers so we're thrilled with what we find at Bonworth. The clothes are lovely, mostly casual, well made, and reasonably priced. I should write their ads!!

Theresa organized the first fashion show last year but didn't participate much this year. She's a lovely lady who deserves a lot of credit for her terrific ideas in bringing the show to our park. I hope she continues to have a hand in it every year.

State of the Economy

Bad news again today. I'm beginning to wonder if anything will bring us out of this depression...yes, depression, because it is too disastrous to be called a recession so don't be fooled.

A newsperson said this morning that there will be a bottom point but no-one can predict how low we'll go before we reach it and start to recover. Anyone over 60 who had their retirement funds solely in the stock market probably won't live long enough to see their investment returned and that's a terrifying thought. My one and only mutual fund has now reached it's all time low and it represents a 1/3 loss. I'm not expecting to live long enough to see it get back to it's original value.

Ever since my husband retired I've resisted attempts by bank personnel to put our retirement money into supposedly high interest mutual funds (stock market) and insisted on the safer course of GIC's (guaranteed) which paid significantly lower rates. I knew we couldn't take chances and it turns out I did the right thing. Unless Scotiabank folds I'll be okay and maybe even leave $1.50 for my children to inherit.

My advice to the young. Don't take great chances with your hard earned dollar. First, invest in real estate such as your home. Pay it off as quickly as you are able. Next, invest in GIC's because they're about as safe as is possible in this world. Consider starting your own home based business on a small scale. It would be something to fall back on if your real job disappears. Don't spend large amounts of money on things you don't really need like toys and gadgets that will be obsolete within months. I know politicians are telling you that to renew the economy we need to start spending again but there will be plenty of dopes who will do just that. You be the smart one and conserve your funds.

When the economy picks up, and it will, pay off your bills first and then take a small percentage of your savings and play with it in the market. Don't ever take chances with the bulk of your money because what's happening today can happen again 10 years down the line.

I am your free financial adviser so take advantage of the wisdom of my years. LOL!

Grabbing the Baby

Kim, my daughter and the future grandmother of Nick's baby, and I have had a short discussion about my decision to hold myself in check where the baby is concerned. Kim told me to jump in and not hold back but I don't think she realizes just how I feel about this little fetus. I adore him already.

When Nick was a baby I could barely control myself from wanting to grab him and hold onto him forever. I hated to see anyone else holding him because I felt they were using up my time with him. Kim seems to have forgotten that.

When our new baby arrives in July someone is going to have to politely put me in my place or I'm going to monopolise that sweet thing. I'm already imagining how soft his skin will feel on my cheek and how mesmerizing his breath will feel on my neck when I cuddle him. I know I'll want to look at him for hours and search for all the similarities he has with his daddy, my Nicky.

So you see, Kim, you might want to set me straight before I get completely out of hand.

Cold Coffee Morning in Florida

I can't believe the Florida weather this winter. It's been up and down like a toilet seat and even the first of March hasn't been predictable. A horribly cold northern wind brought us temperatures so low last night I had to turn the furnace on. The problem is that my propane tank is now empty and won't be filled until tomorrow. I have a little ceramic heater which helps while I'm awake but I don't leave it on all night. Tomorrow morning is going to be a rough one for climbing out of my nice warm bed.

I've been forcing my poor Monday morning coffee group to bundle up and sit outside on the patio through some very cool mornings but I couldn't do that to them today. I cleaned the lawn chairs off and carted them inside. If everyone showed up we were going to be sitting on each other's laps but so be it. As it turned out, only 10 ladies came over and we were very comfortable. I told them how proud I was of them for taking the chance we'd be freezing outside on the patio. Having them make the effort to come this morning reinforced my belief that we all enjoy these get-togethers a lot.

Gail, who didn't make it this morning because she and her husband went to the internet casino instead, came over after lunch so I could help her with her Swedish weaving. She also brought a bag full of creamers she'd taken from Burger King. I've encouraged my Monday morning coffee ladies to avail themselves of a few extra coffee creamers whenever and wherever they can and bring them on Mondays. Do you suppose this is a crime??

Tonight is Pokeno night and I think I'll go for a change. I probably haven't been for over a month because I like to have one night a week to do absolutely nothing at all except play on the computer and watch a little T.V. It's going to cost me $1.50 in pennies but I'll be with good friends and have a lot of fun. Soon I'll be back home for the summer and have every night to vegetate so why do it now?

Double Entendre

The Scene: The clubhouse where multiple tables are filled with people playing various card or board games, one of which is called "Screw Your Neighbor".

Overheard: "I've been screwed 3 times already and I didn't even enjoy it!".

Laughter all around the room!!

Last Sarurday Coffee Morning

Sheila, Sylvia, and I (Faye, too, but she's not here this year) prepare coffee for the park every Saturday morning in February and today is our last kick at the cat. We've started getting out the huge urns on Friday night after Bingo so all that's needed to do on Saturday morning is to turn them on at 7:15 A.M. and put out the toasters (for bagels), sugars, creamers, stir sticks, napkins, etc. Sheila and I take turns picking up the donuts. Today is my turn to plug in the coffee urns.

I don't like going over to an empty and dark clubhouse because I'm afraid I'll run into a cockroach. Remember that this is Florida and, even though the clubhouse is sprayed regularly, cockroaches are wily and ever present creatures.

Residents will start filling the clubhouse around 8 A.M. even though the coffee isn't put out till 8:30. It's a nice meeting place to come down and talk with your neighbors. Bagels, jam, butter, and cream cheese is put out slightly early so that people can prepare their bagel their way. We start filling the carafes at 8:30 with both regular and decaf coffee and they're quickly picked up and taken to a table. The noise level of many conversations fill the room along with the wonderful aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

Then we fill huge platters with 8-10 dozen donuts and carry them to the buffet tables at 9 A.M. on the dot. There are "donation" cans set out for both bagels and donuts and most of our residents slip in a dollar each. A few are cheap and take what they want for nothing.

When the activities panel starts giving their announcements, we take the leftover donuts around to the tables to try to get rid of them and don't have any problems. Then it's clean up time and we are a well oiled machine. We wash, clean, and put away in no time at all and then take the dirty dish cloths and towels home to put in our own laundry.

This is our last Saturday coffee morning forever. We've done it for 6 years and decided to pack it in. Sylvia might not be here next year, both Faye and Sheila are not positive they'll be able to come, and I'm not doing it with a new group.

Changes. There's nothing we can do about them. Right now it's light enough outside for me to head over to the clubhouse for my last shift.

Unwanted Changes

As I sat around our games table last night I sadly realized that most, if not all, of the ladies sitting there wouldn't be back to the park next year. For some it's the state of the economy, for some it's health reasons, and some are just ready to try somewhere new. I've come to care very much for these ladies and always look forward to seeing them when I get to Florida. Most live a little too far away from my home in Canada for us to keep in close contact.

One of my best friends here has just listed her trailer for sale and will probably be moving about 50 miles further south. Sylvia has been a treat to know and hang out with and I'm going to miss her terribly. She's a Canadian but lives in Nova Scotia, about 1000 miles or more away from my place in Ontario so we don't see each other in the summer. It's going to be a tearful goodbye when she sells her trailer. I know her new place will only be 50 miles away but sometimes that's all it takes to change the closeness of a friendship. She'll find new friends and so will I but I'll never forget her because she's one of those special people you seldom come across in your life.

I came to this park for the first time in 1998 and have since gathered a group of friends that are great to be around. They're people you can count on to always have a good time with. It's so depressing to know that this year is the last we'll all be together.

I hate change. I like permanence and I want foreverness with my family and friends. It's unrealistic and impossible but that's what I want. I'll just have to tough it out, won't I?

Hate Crimes

I have a problem with a crime being designated a "hate crime" because it involves an attack against a gay or person of color. I also have a problem with the description "person of color" because I am sort of pinky/beige and that's a color as far as I'm concerned.

Is it any less a hate crime if the person battered, raped or murdered is a straight Scandinavian? How about the woman beaten to death by her crazed husband just because she wants to leave him? Did he murder her because he felt love or hate at the time? And what about a straight but homeless man beaten savagely just because he's helpless. I don't see that as anything but a hate crime. Seniors are also chosen victims because of their frailty. Do the attackers feel love or hate when they kill them? I think it must be hate.

We have to be careful about giving preferential treatment to specific victims. If one of my relatives was killed during a robbery I wouldn't want the criminal to receive a second less in jail just because the robbery wasn't motivated by racism or intolerance. All crimes carry an element of hate or there wouldn't be any crimes committed.

Often a person is victimized simply because they're in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's just too easy to say that the victim was chosen because they happen to be gay or a "person of color". Some of the animals who prey on the defenseless will use any excuse to attack.

Criminals deserve punishment but the punishment should be the same whether the victim was a gay teacher or a straight waitress.

Swedish Weaving Class

I learned how to do Swedish weaving a few years ago and have enjoyed it immensely ever since. I've found it to be the most relaxing, satisfying, and pleasurable craft I've ever taken up and, although it looks difficult, it's so darned easy to do. I've taught quite a few people how to do it and they never believe me when I tell them they only need to do 2 rows of weaving and then they can do anything.

We use monk's cloth (1/2 yard for a table runner or 2 1/2 yards for an afghan). The cheapest place to buy the fabric is at Walmart in the States (about $6 a yard) and then zigzag stitch the ends, leaving a few rows for a fringe. The cotton fabric is then washed in hot water and put in the dryer to shrink before starting the weaving design. 4 ply polyester yarn is used and the colors and combinations are endless.

I usually teach at my trailer but this year started teaching at our craft class in the clubhouse every Wednesday in February. After only 1 class, one of the students had finished her table runner on her own and started her afghan. Everyone learns at a slightly different rate and another student is not too far behind. The craft really is simple to do and addictive because of it's simplicity and beauty.

Today I'll teach #1 student how to do the lattice work which fills up the center of the afghan...the weaving is done on the ends and the center so the lattice work joins the 2 most detailed designs. #2 student will have finished a few rows of her table runner and be thrilled to realize she now knows it all. #3 student is doing fine even though she started out a little shakily on her own. #4 student sort of started on her own and now needs just a bit of touch up help. #5 student will be dubious but willing to learn and learn she will.

What fun!

Honest, With a Fault

I consider myself to be a very honest person. I tell the absolute truth when I describe the things I sell on Ebay. I never accept the wrong change from a small business person or a teller at the bank (big stores like Sears or Walmart are exempt). I never, ever take something that doesn't belong to me.

Yesterday I went to our local internet casino and spent a pleasant afternoon playing on a machine that wasn't working properly. It only malfunctioned on the bonus so I didn't realize it for a while. At one point I won 100 points on the bonus and was shocked to see 2000 points rack up on my winnings. I thought I must have missed something and that I really had won the 2000 points.

Shortly after I won the bonus again and damned if it didn't malfunction again...another 2000 points!! Now, how honest would a person have to be to run up to the casino staff and tell them one of their machines was paying too much?

They'd have to be a lot more honest than I am.

As I said before, I had a lovely afternoon and lost very little money for a change.

Pet Peeve

I do some volunteering here in my Florida park and there's something that's always bugged me. I can't tell you the number of times I've handed people their winnings at Bingo, their dinner or soda at lunch or their coffee at our Saturday morning park coffe time and the person hasn't said a polite "thank you". I thought my generation had been raised to be polite but I'm finding out that way too many people have no respect for the volunteers who make their winter stay a bit nicer.

A few years back a lady (unknown) paid for a hotdog only to discover when she got out to the barbecue that all the hotdogs were gone. She took chicken on a bun instead and angrily came back inside to the cashier and threw another 25 cents at her. We were all so much in shock that no-one said a word but the bitter memory has lingered on.

I've heard complaints about slow service and poor food from many people who have never gotten up off their ass to volunteer for anything. They are the first people up and running out the door after consuming food prepared by volunteers and it's volunteers who will clean up after everyone leaves.

One of the men who has given tons of his time to organize day trips from the park took a nasty blow the other day. The bus departure time of 8 A.M. was listed on the sign up sheet and mentioned often at our Saturday morning coffee time. One couple missed the bus and had to drive their own car. When the husband approached the organizer of the trip and blasted him, he was informed that the 8 A.M. departure time has been on the list since it was first put up and everyone else had made it in time. The man viciously told the trip organizer that he was a "f....n liar!". Where does someone get the idea they have the right to talk to people like that?

There are volunteers here who spend many hours cooking, shopping, cleaning, serving, teaching, and organizing. They don't do it for praise but a simple, "thank you" would go a long way in making them want to continue volunteering.

To the foul mouthed man who missed the bus...stay home!

Pretend Baby

A while back I saw a program on T.V. that was about grown (some even middle aged) women who purchase extremely lifelike baby dolls and pamper them like real life babies. A lady brought one of those dolls to the clubhouse today and I'm still amazed at how creepily lifelike it really was. I have never seen anything like it in my life. The doll, wrapped in a baby blanket, looked so real you almost expected it to breathe.

The dolls are terribly expensive and not aimed at the child market but at adult women. Some of these women actually have baby showers for each other to show off their new acquisitions. Pardon me but I think this is bizarre.

I can understand women purchasing these exquisite dolls as an investment but, on the T.V. show I saw, some of the ladies take their dolls out for walks hoping an unsuspecting admirer will stop to coo at it. Then they're disappointed if no-one does.

There's no question that whoever makes the dolls is an artist of the first order. I just wonder about the mental health of the women who buy them and then treat them like they're alive.

It's a Boy!!!

My precious first born grandson and his wife are going to have a baby boy. I am so thrilled for them and for our families that I can hardly express myself. I spoke to Nick tonight and told him that he and Natasha have no real idea of how the love you feel for your very own child is so all-consuming. There is nothing comparable.

This is the first grandchild on both sides of their families and it's my first great grandchild. It sort of makes me feel old but, at the same time, I can't wait to see this little treasure who carries some of my DNA.

I told Nick that I'm going shopping for baby boy stuff tomorrow. I've held off buying much for the baby because I wanted to know the sex first. Now I can do some major league shopping!

Already I've worried about how I'll be able to leave this little guy when I return to Florida in October and he's 3 months old and becoming really interesting. I'll miss those glorious months of 4-9. I'll miss his first words, his sitting up by himself, his ability to crawl and maybe even stand alone. Sigh!

One thing I do know and that is that this tiny creature is being born into the most loving family in the world. He's one lucky little boy and I love him already.

Friends

A friend dropped by for coffee this morning and we discussed a few problem people in our lives. It turns out that some people have such unacceptable behaviour that they can never be close friends but that doesn't mean they can't be casual acquaintances.

The way I see it is that we meet someone new and consciously assess them as immediately unacceptable or as someone we'd like to know better. We base our judgement on whether or not the person has visible faults we can or can not live with.

As time goes on, we discover flaws in that person and the assessment goes on to either accept or decide to keep our distance. Since none of us are perfect there will be flaws but most will be a "so what!".

Lifelong friendships fascinate me because you can look at such a friend and see all the imperfections but love them anyway. Over time you have learned to weigh the good with the bad and as long as the bad isn't really horrible you can still be great friends.

The people I'm most comfortable with are those who are very open and not one thing on the outside and completely different on the inside. I know we all have an inner personality that we don't always show but it's usually just a slightly shadier version of what we present to the world.

My closest friends have probably seen me at my worst and still think I'm okay, just as I have them. We don't argue about it but just accept the differences as normal. Friendship can only become strong if we can accept those imperfections and not try to change them.

The same theory applies to family members. Some we want to be around all the time and a few we'd rather not run into but, if we do, we can be polite and have a good time. There will probably never be a person in your life that you dislike enough to not speak to unless you happen to be 6 years old.

I guess I got caught up on this tangent because of my early morning discussion but human behaviour is always interesting and it's fun to figure out why we do what we do. It tickles me that so many of us ladies in the park can chum around together constantly (more often even than friends back home) and never have an argument. We are all vastly different but seem to blend well when together and that's the key. Consideration!

You just have to be considerate of the feelings of your friends and relatives and sometimes that means going the extra mile. There's an old saying, "What goes around, comes around", and I believe that to be true.

Good family, good friends, good health, good food=good life.

Another Dumb Decision

I can't see to drive in the dark because I see haloes around oncoming headlights. This is a basic truth about me. Another truth about me is that I hate to leave the slot machine when I still have money to lose.

It was kind of cool out today (just the wind, really) and I had a whole day ahead of me after 11 A.M. when I could get a few things taken care of...like a pedicure, fill the car with gas, get the car washed and waxed, and then go to the local internet casino. I got there about 1 P.M. and didn't leave until 7 P.M. I still had some money left but I know that Sheila (who was playing Pokeno and must have seen my car gone when she went past my trailer at 6 P.M.) would have a fit if she didn't see my car when she left Pokeno around 8 P.M. She knows I don't go out at night and she also knows I can't see to drive in the dark.

Anyway, I left the casino at 7 P.M. and started my approximately 20 minute drive home...first on a major highway and then on 2 small ones. I couldn't see at all well and I was kicking myself for being so foolish. It was a scary ride home and I only hope I've learned my lesson.

Getting older doesn't necessarily mean getting wiser. That's another sad truth.

Yard Salers Beware

Veteran yard salers have usually seen it all in their travels. I've seen little children screeching while they tried to hold on to a suddenly treasured toy that their parents decided should go out in the yard sale. I've seen a shoplifter at a yard sale. I've had things snatched out of my hands and I've raved too much about a certain item before paying for it and accidently persuaded the seller to keep it. I've also nearly walked up to a house that I thought was having a yard sale but it was just a messy house.

Yesterday one of the ladies here came over to the pool to tell us about an interesting yard sale that she'd been to and it was also going to be held on Sunday. The entire contents of the house were being sold and everything was inside. A few of us ladies in the pool were very interested and asked directions to this great sale. One of us didn't listen carefully.

Ginnie and Al headed out for the yard sale today mainly following the directions but sort of lapsed in their judgement once they arrived on the street where it was held. They saw a man in front of a rather full garage and assumed this was the garage sale. They looked around the garage and found nothing to their liking so they went inside the house where they'd been told were rooms full of antiques and glassware.

Finding nothing but a messy house, they continued on to the bedroom which they'd also been told was filled with lovely items for sale. Inside the bedroom was a lady sleeping in her bed. About this time Ginnie began to think they might be in the wrong house...and they were. I don't know how they made their exit because I was laughing too hard when she told us the story.

The moral of this story is to listen carefully for directions, follow signs, and don't enter anyone's house without asking first if it's okay.

I wonder what the man of the house thought as these strangers walked into his house...and why didn't he stop them? And did the woman awaken and see the two strangers staring at her as she lay in her bed? I need to hear more of this story when I can control my giggling.

Postscript: It turns out there was a yard sale sign at this house but it was only for the things in the garage. When Ginnie and Al made their hasty, and embarrassed, retreat from the man's house, he only said goodbye to them so we have no idea what he was thinking.

Senior Talent

Last night we enjoyed the "Komedy Kutups", a comedy group who entertained us at the clubhouse after pizza. I'm not sure but I think there were about 8 of them and they were darned funny, despite the hokey name. One lady sang a few songs and she was wonderful, almost operatic and out of place with a comedy team, but we don't stand on ceremony. I congratulated her after the show and she said, "Isn't it wonderful what we can do at this age?". It got me thinking that there doesn't have to be a cutting off point for talent. This lady hit only a few weak (not sour) notes but, for the most part, her voice was clear and strong. She said she'd been married for 58 years and then sang a love song to her husband. How wonderful!

I'm 68 years old and, unless I look in the mirror, forget my age. It's actually a shock sometimes to see myself in the mirror because I momentarily wonder who that old lady is. I often say I now look like my mother on her worst day (my Mom was cute). Pain and depression are what makes you feel old but continuing to live a busy and fruitful life truly does make you forget your age.

I love to see the loving old couples in the park. They walk hand in hand and seem to dance together as if they were one person. They've continued to connect as a couple despite, or maybe because of, their years. The other night at Bingo, one of our ladies mentioned that she felt a chill but that was all she said. Her husband disappeared and returned a while later with her sweater. All without her asking for it! They were a connected couple and he didn't want his beloved to be cold. That touched me so deeply because of it's simplicity and I wondered why all marriages can't turn out like that.

I guess I've gotten off the subject of senior talent but so be it. Anyway, those talented seniors in last night's show made a whole lot of people very happy.