Age is an interesting thing. Only children use fractions to tell their age. "I'm four and a half." You're never twenty three and a half or thirty six and a half.
You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You JUMP to the next number, or even a few ahead.
"How old are you?" "I'm going to be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16." and then, the greatest day of your life... you BECOME 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony...You BECOME 21! YES!!!
But then you TURN 30. Ooooh, what happened. there? He TURNED. We had to throw him out. There's no fun now. You're just a sour dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?
You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then your PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes. It's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.
But wait!! - You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would.
So, you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.
You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it is a day-to-day thing. You HIT Wednesday.
You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into your 90's, you start going backwards. "I was JUST 92."
Then a strange thing happens. You make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Friday, November 15, 2013
SHAVING CAN BE A PAIN!
I can understand why young men today are opting to have facial hair. Shaving can be a pain. I personally like the clean shaven look but in talking to my family, the majority like the new style of having facial hair.
I have seen amazing changes in the tools that men use to shave. When I was a boy, my father used a straight edge razor. These were truly weapons! Dad would sharpen it with a razor strap (that also could be used as a tool to discipline bad behavior.) He would expertly run the straight edge up and down the strap or strop until it was extremely sharp. It was very easy to cut yourself by just touching your face with the razor so you had to be very careful. You would frequently see men with little wads of dampened toilet paper on a cut to stop the bleeding.
Then something very significant occurred. A gentleman named KING GILLETTE saw the mayhem caused by the straight edge and invented what he called the "Safety Razor." This was about 1901 but it took some time to wean men away from the straight edge. Gillette had a very limited range of products until 1934 when he introduced the "Aristocrat" model. This the one I saw my father transition to. Gillette had a great idea. He would practically give the safety razor away for free. He knew he would make his money by selling the razor blades that had a very limited use life. They would have to be replaced after one or two usages.
I would frequently go to the store to buy my father his needed blades. There were two styles offered. The Gillette Blue Blades were the best. They were sharper and would last for maybe three shaves. The Gillette Red Blades were cheaper. As I recall the Blue Blades sold for five for a quarter. The Red Blades were ten cents for five but they were painful to use and lasted for one usage,
Those prices seem very, very cheap but keep in mind this was 70 years ago. What a contrast to the blades I use today. I use the Fusion ProGlide Power razor. The blades last for 20-30 shaves (or more) and have eliminated "razor burn". They are also very expensive! My ProGlide is a special model and has a AA battery in the handle that causes vibration to the blades and produces a very excellent final result.
Yes. I have seen major changes in many products in my long life. Its amazing the giant strides in technology and creative thinking and innovation.
Life is so much easier today and I see dramatic improvement in so many facets of life. Shaving and razors is just one of many improvements but was brought to mind this morning when I discovered I had used my last Fusion cartridge and need to go to the store and get a new supply. (I hope I won't need to get a mortgage on my home to make the purchase.) King Gillette was absolutely right. Get the razor in mass distribution and make oodles of money selling the much needed replacement blades.
I have seen amazing changes in the tools that men use to shave. When I was a boy, my father used a straight edge razor. These were truly weapons! Dad would sharpen it with a razor strap (that also could be used as a tool to discipline bad behavior.) He would expertly run the straight edge up and down the strap or strop until it was extremely sharp. It was very easy to cut yourself by just touching your face with the razor so you had to be very careful. You would frequently see men with little wads of dampened toilet paper on a cut to stop the bleeding.
Then something very significant occurred. A gentleman named KING GILLETTE saw the mayhem caused by the straight edge and invented what he called the "Safety Razor." This was about 1901 but it took some time to wean men away from the straight edge. Gillette had a very limited range of products until 1934 when he introduced the "Aristocrat" model. This the one I saw my father transition to. Gillette had a great idea. He would practically give the safety razor away for free. He knew he would make his money by selling the razor blades that had a very limited use life. They would have to be replaced after one or two usages.
I would frequently go to the store to buy my father his needed blades. There were two styles offered. The Gillette Blue Blades were the best. They were sharper and would last for maybe three shaves. The Gillette Red Blades were cheaper. As I recall the Blue Blades sold for five for a quarter. The Red Blades were ten cents for five but they were painful to use and lasted for one usage,
Those prices seem very, very cheap but keep in mind this was 70 years ago. What a contrast to the blades I use today. I use the Fusion ProGlide Power razor. The blades last for 20-30 shaves (or more) and have eliminated "razor burn". They are also very expensive! My ProGlide is a special model and has a AA battery in the handle that causes vibration to the blades and produces a very excellent final result.
Yes. I have seen major changes in many products in my long life. Its amazing the giant strides in technology and creative thinking and innovation.
Life is so much easier today and I see dramatic improvement in so many facets of life. Shaving and razors is just one of many improvements but was brought to mind this morning when I discovered I had used my last Fusion cartridge and need to go to the store and get a new supply. (I hope I won't need to get a mortgage on my home to make the purchase.) King Gillette was absolutely right. Get the razor in mass distribution and make oodles of money selling the much needed replacement blades.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
HEALTH IS SUCH A BLESSING
Health is such a blessing. I have not been blessed with great health. For the past fifteen years it seems I have battled one ailment after the other. I haven't complained because I appreciate the fact that I am still vertical and still functioning and many of my friends and associated are no longer here.
It was fifteen years ago that I was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. This is such an insidious disease. So frequently, it is a death sentence. The doctors told me that I was to undergo a Whipple operation. This was, at the time, a comparatively new procedure developed by a doctor in Finland. I was told that there was a one in five chance to die on the operating table. Twenty percent chance that I would die not from the cancer but from the procedure. Frightening!
I was then told that I would have a 3% chance of living three months and a 1% chance of living for one year. I was also told that the procedure would remove my pancreas except for the stem, the gall bladder, most of my stomach and most of my lower or small intestine. It would ten take several weeks for my body to train itself to again function.
Well, it didn't take several weeks. It took six and one half months. I went 196 days with nothing to eat of drink. Not even a sip of water. I had tubes and hoses out of my body with input feeding tubes and drainage tubes for waste. I was given shots into my stomach each day.
BUT, I survived the surgery and became known as "The Miracle Man" for living longer than anyone previously lived after the Pancreatic Cancer procedures. That was 15 years ago and I'm still moving on.
As a result of the Whipple operation and the removal of so many of my internal organs, I was rushed to the hospital three years ago after experiencing severe stomach pains. The doctors discovered that due to the removal of so much of my small intestine, that I needed more major surgery. The average man has about 26 feet of small intestine/bowel. I had only eight inches remaining in my body and it had "died". A famed surgeon was going to attempt salvaging the little bit that still showed some color and function. After a very lengthy procedure my wife, daughters and grandchildren were summoned and told that the procedure failed and I would not survive. The family gathered around the bed to tell me goodbye. I was till unconscious but somehow felt their presence and knew the dire consequences.
Suddenly, a nurse quickly exclaimed, "Its turning pink. It's turning pink!" The few inches of bowel/intestine began to function and again I was blessed. It was and exceedingly traumatic experience for my family but great jubilation and happiness replaced the tears and trembling chins.
I now have Celiac Spru disease because I have no small intestine to absorb gluten. So - no wheat, grain or barley in my diet. No bread, pastry, pasta, gravies or sauces, donuts, cookies or cereals. Nothing with flour. That is not an easy diet to maintain and takes great training and will power to keep.
In between these two major ailments, I have had a total knee replacement, a hip replacement and other much smaller ailments and procedures. Needless to say, I am weary of hospitals, doctors offices, MRI's, CAT scans, Lab procedures and countless prescriptions. (I take 31 pills each day.)
My sweet wife has been practically a full-time care given but never complains.
Well, with the above recounting of my ailments, let me say I feel surprisingly good. I am active, involved and surprise many people when they see me. They expect to see someone who is feeble, wan, and weary. I'm not. I'm told I look good and I know that I feel good.
I'll be 81 years old in two weeks. I never thought I would reach 65 at the time of my cancer. Every day is a blessing and I am enjoying every day. Each day is a blessing. I am loving life.
It was fifteen years ago that I was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. This is such an insidious disease. So frequently, it is a death sentence. The doctors told me that I was to undergo a Whipple operation. This was, at the time, a comparatively new procedure developed by a doctor in Finland. I was told that there was a one in five chance to die on the operating table. Twenty percent chance that I would die not from the cancer but from the procedure. Frightening!
I was then told that I would have a 3% chance of living three months and a 1% chance of living for one year. I was also told that the procedure would remove my pancreas except for the stem, the gall bladder, most of my stomach and most of my lower or small intestine. It would ten take several weeks for my body to train itself to again function.
Well, it didn't take several weeks. It took six and one half months. I went 196 days with nothing to eat of drink. Not even a sip of water. I had tubes and hoses out of my body with input feeding tubes and drainage tubes for waste. I was given shots into my stomach each day.
BUT, I survived the surgery and became known as "The Miracle Man" for living longer than anyone previously lived after the Pancreatic Cancer procedures. That was 15 years ago and I'm still moving on.
As a result of the Whipple operation and the removal of so many of my internal organs, I was rushed to the hospital three years ago after experiencing severe stomach pains. The doctors discovered that due to the removal of so much of my small intestine, that I needed more major surgery. The average man has about 26 feet of small intestine/bowel. I had only eight inches remaining in my body and it had "died". A famed surgeon was going to attempt salvaging the little bit that still showed some color and function. After a very lengthy procedure my wife, daughters and grandchildren were summoned and told that the procedure failed and I would not survive. The family gathered around the bed to tell me goodbye. I was till unconscious but somehow felt their presence and knew the dire consequences.
Suddenly, a nurse quickly exclaimed, "Its turning pink. It's turning pink!" The few inches of bowel/intestine began to function and again I was blessed. It was and exceedingly traumatic experience for my family but great jubilation and happiness replaced the tears and trembling chins.
I now have Celiac Spru disease because I have no small intestine to absorb gluten. So - no wheat, grain or barley in my diet. No bread, pastry, pasta, gravies or sauces, donuts, cookies or cereals. Nothing with flour. That is not an easy diet to maintain and takes great training and will power to keep.
In between these two major ailments, I have had a total knee replacement, a hip replacement and other much smaller ailments and procedures. Needless to say, I am weary of hospitals, doctors offices, MRI's, CAT scans, Lab procedures and countless prescriptions. (I take 31 pills each day.)
My sweet wife has been practically a full-time care given but never complains.
Well, with the above recounting of my ailments, let me say I feel surprisingly good. I am active, involved and surprise many people when they see me. They expect to see someone who is feeble, wan, and weary. I'm not. I'm told I look good and I know that I feel good.
I'll be 81 years old in two weeks. I never thought I would reach 65 at the time of my cancer. Every day is a blessing and I am enjoying every day. Each day is a blessing. I am loving life.
Monday, August 5, 2013
THEN IT WAS WINTER
You know, time has a way of moving quickly and catch you unaware of the passing years. It seem just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.
But here it is, the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise. How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth do? I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like,
But, here its is... my friends are retired and have gone grey. They move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better shape and some worse shape than I am...but, I see the great change. Not like the ones I remember who were young and vibrant... but, like me, their age is showing and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we would be.
And so... now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done, and never did. Yes, I have regrets. But as Frank Sinatra sang, "Regrets, I have a few but then again too few to mention." I have led a full and happy life.
So, if you're not in your winter yet, let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. Whatever you would like to accomplish in your life, do it quickly. Don't put off things too lone. Life goes quickly. Do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not. You have no promise that you will see all the season of your life... so, live for today and say all the things you want your loved ones to remember. Hope that they appreciate and love you for the things that you have done for them in all the years past. Life is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one. Live it well! Enjoy today. So something fun. Be happy. Have a great day. It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold or silver.
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN. YET, THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE. So, enjoy this day while it lasts.
Going out is good. Coming home is better. Yes, sometimes, OLD sucks. But OLD is good in some things: Old Songs. Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS.
Stay well, Old friend.
But here it is, the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise. How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth do? I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like,
But, here its is... my friends are retired and have gone grey. They move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better shape and some worse shape than I am...but, I see the great change. Not like the ones I remember who were young and vibrant... but, like me, their age is showing and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we would be.
And so... now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done, and never did. Yes, I have regrets. But as Frank Sinatra sang, "Regrets, I have a few but then again too few to mention." I have led a full and happy life.
So, if you're not in your winter yet, let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. Whatever you would like to accomplish in your life, do it quickly. Don't put off things too lone. Life goes quickly. Do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not. You have no promise that you will see all the season of your life... so, live for today and say all the things you want your loved ones to remember. Hope that they appreciate and love you for the things that you have done for them in all the years past. Life is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one. Live it well! Enjoy today. So something fun. Be happy. Have a great day. It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold or silver.
TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN. YET, THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE. So, enjoy this day while it lasts.
Going out is good. Coming home is better. Yes, sometimes, OLD sucks. But OLD is good in some things: Old Songs. Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS.
Stay well, Old friend.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
BUSY? OH YES!
I must confess. I was worried when I retired. Would I have enough to do? Could I keep busy?
Well, I needn't have been concerned. I was 78 years old - many years beyond the normal retirement age. I really didn't want to retire and still loved my work and my activities. But, health issues made the decision for me and retire I did.
I'm not bored. I'm not having withdrawal symptoms. I'm not finding too much time on my hands. In fact, I'm busy and happy. I decided to keep busy and ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
I don't miss the early morning breakfast meetings. For over 25 years I had a breakfast and lunch meeting practically every day. I then had three or four evening dinner meetings each week. Those make for LONG days. Now, I enjoy lingering over my morning paper and doing the daily crossword puzzles before I venture into the shower.
I know too many friends who retire, go home and die. Life is full and satisfying if you decide to make it so. A positive life and an enthusiastic outlook helps a great deal.
I needn't worry about keeping busy this summer. I have many family events and activities on the agenda. Three grandchildren all graduate from college this season. Kate Van Wagoner from the University of Utah; Matthew Van Wagoner from Westminster College and Olivia Diederich from Brigham Young University.
I have two Great Grandchildren expected this summer. Baby boys for both Oliver and Lisa Dibblee and to Beau and Sarah Boren. This will make five great grandchildren for me and Joyce.
I have two weddings this summer for grandchildren. Emma Dahlstrom and Steve Panos will wed in August and Olivia Diederich and Wil Gochner.
The Ball Family, (The Thundering Herd) is expanding! There will be 31 of us after the weddings and births. Wow. It's amazing how two young kids 59 years ago got married and now their posterity is huge. What a blessing.
I look forward to new experiences and trips. I will not venture out of the country any more. Travel is just hard work and the days of me traveling across oceans and sitting in an airplane for 20 hours are over. We will go to Las Vegas in July for our anniversary. We will go to Snowmass,, Colorado in July for the Utah State Bar conventions. Trips to Scottsdale, Arizona and San Francisco are in the planning stages. Notice that these trips are less than two hour in the air?
And, we look forward to our spending three months in the desert and avoiding the Utah winters. We will arrive in Palm Desert right after Christmas and come home in early April.
Busy? Yes. I am. It's a good kind of busy. No worry or pressure.
My life is good. Yep. The Golden Years can be golden.
Well, I needn't have been concerned. I was 78 years old - many years beyond the normal retirement age. I really didn't want to retire and still loved my work and my activities. But, health issues made the decision for me and retire I did.
I'm not bored. I'm not having withdrawal symptoms. I'm not finding too much time on my hands. In fact, I'm busy and happy. I decided to keep busy and ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
I don't miss the early morning breakfast meetings. For over 25 years I had a breakfast and lunch meeting practically every day. I then had three or four evening dinner meetings each week. Those make for LONG days. Now, I enjoy lingering over my morning paper and doing the daily crossword puzzles before I venture into the shower.
I know too many friends who retire, go home and die. Life is full and satisfying if you decide to make it so. A positive life and an enthusiastic outlook helps a great deal.
I needn't worry about keeping busy this summer. I have many family events and activities on the agenda. Three grandchildren all graduate from college this season. Kate Van Wagoner from the University of Utah; Matthew Van Wagoner from Westminster College and Olivia Diederich from Brigham Young University.
I have two Great Grandchildren expected this summer. Baby boys for both Oliver and Lisa Dibblee and to Beau and Sarah Boren. This will make five great grandchildren for me and Joyce.
I have two weddings this summer for grandchildren. Emma Dahlstrom and Steve Panos will wed in August and Olivia Diederich and Wil Gochner.
The Ball Family, (The Thundering Herd) is expanding! There will be 31 of us after the weddings and births. Wow. It's amazing how two young kids 59 years ago got married and now their posterity is huge. What a blessing.
I look forward to new experiences and trips. I will not venture out of the country any more. Travel is just hard work and the days of me traveling across oceans and sitting in an airplane for 20 hours are over. We will go to Las Vegas in July for our anniversary. We will go to Snowmass,, Colorado in July for the Utah State Bar conventions. Trips to Scottsdale, Arizona and San Francisco are in the planning stages. Notice that these trips are less than two hour in the air?
And, we look forward to our spending three months in the desert and avoiding the Utah winters. We will arrive in Palm Desert right after Christmas and come home in early April.
Busy? Yes. I am. It's a good kind of busy. No worry or pressure.
My life is good. Yep. The Golden Years can be golden.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
FOR THE SHAPE I'M IN
There's nothing whatever the matter with me,
I'm just as healthy as I can be
I have arthritis in both my knees
And when I talk, I talk with a wheeze
My pulse is weak and my blood is thin
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
My teeth will eventually have to come out,
And my diet I hate to think about
I'm underweight and I'm much too thin
My appetite's such that it's sure to win
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
Arch supports I have for my feet
Or I wouldn't be able to go on the street
Sleep is denied me night after night
And every morning I am such a sight
My memories failing; my head's is a spin
I'm practically living on aspirin
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
The moral is, as this tale we unfold
That for you and me who are growing old
It's better to say "I'm fine" with a grin
Than to let them know the shape we're in.
How do I know my youth as been spent?
Because my "get up and go" got up- and went,
But in spite of all that, I'm able to grin
Then think of where my "get up and go" has been.
I'm just as healthy as I can be
I have arthritis in both my knees
And when I talk, I talk with a wheeze
My pulse is weak and my blood is thin
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
My teeth will eventually have to come out,
And my diet I hate to think about
I'm underweight and I'm much too thin
My appetite's such that it's sure to win
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
Arch supports I have for my feet
Or I wouldn't be able to go on the street
Sleep is denied me night after night
And every morning I am such a sight
My memories failing; my head's is a spin
I'm practically living on aspirin
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
The moral is, as this tale we unfold
That for you and me who are growing old
It's better to say "I'm fine" with a grin
Than to let them know the shape we're in.
How do I know my youth as been spent?
Because my "get up and go" got up- and went,
But in spite of all that, I'm able to grin
Then think of where my "get up and go" has been.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
I DONT WINTER WELL.
January has been a brutal weather month in Salt Lake City. My family reports that it startin snowing on January One and hasn't quit and today is January 31. One solid month of snow, cold and dirty air. The temperature neared zero on many nights and the Highway Patrol has been busy with hundreds of snow caused accidents.
And here I am. Today I swam in a 91 degree heated pool with the temperature out of the pool at a pleasant 76 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The seven day forecast is in the high seventies and clear skies.
I just don't winter well anymore. For the past four years I have spent the winter in Palm Desert or Puerto Vallarta. I do miss my home and my family but I encourage visitors and today I have granddaughters Amanda Dibblee and Grace Van Wagoner visiting and giving me welcome company.
I at one time welcomed winter. It was when I was an avid skier and enjoyed winter sports. After multiple ski accidents and surgeries, I don't look forward to the snow. People my age just can't afford falls. Three years ago I fell and broke my hip. You DO NOT want to be operated on in Mexico. I had a fine, young doctor but the facilities were less than desirable and the food and room were bad!
So, I worry about falling in the winter time. A family friend fell last week while putting ice melt on her driveway. She is in very bad condition in the hospital for what is feared to be a broken back.
The main effect of my age is the fact that I know I am weaker and more feeble. I have a hard time getting out of low, soft chairs. I don't move like I once did. I wobble a bit and am tentative in my actions. I try to resolve to stand erect, have good posture and move as I once did. But, I am not like I once was. I must be cautious. I must be careful.
So, I leave the comfort and happiness on my Salt Lake home and seek out the warmth and sun of places that cater to my generation. Great food. Fine lodging. Abundant golf courses and sweet, sweet sun.
So... here I am for a least one more month. Home sometime in March.
And here I am. Today I swam in a 91 degree heated pool with the temperature out of the pool at a pleasant 76 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The seven day forecast is in the high seventies and clear skies.
I just don't winter well anymore. For the past four years I have spent the winter in Palm Desert or Puerto Vallarta. I do miss my home and my family but I encourage visitors and today I have granddaughters Amanda Dibblee and Grace Van Wagoner visiting and giving me welcome company.
I at one time welcomed winter. It was when I was an avid skier and enjoyed winter sports. After multiple ski accidents and surgeries, I don't look forward to the snow. People my age just can't afford falls. Three years ago I fell and broke my hip. You DO NOT want to be operated on in Mexico. I had a fine, young doctor but the facilities were less than desirable and the food and room were bad!
So, I worry about falling in the winter time. A family friend fell last week while putting ice melt on her driveway. She is in very bad condition in the hospital for what is feared to be a broken back.
The main effect of my age is the fact that I know I am weaker and more feeble. I have a hard time getting out of low, soft chairs. I don't move like I once did. I wobble a bit and am tentative in my actions. I try to resolve to stand erect, have good posture and move as I once did. But, I am not like I once was. I must be cautious. I must be careful.
So, I leave the comfort and happiness on my Salt Lake home and seek out the warmth and sun of places that cater to my generation. Great food. Fine lodging. Abundant golf courses and sweet, sweet sun.
So... here I am for a least one more month. Home sometime in March.
BUYING MEMORIES
Old age is an interesting time. You recognize that the days grow short and time is fleeting. You study your finances and calculate how much you can spend of your assets in a reasonable way. But, it is difficult because no one knows when their sojuurn here upon earth will end.
One friend said he wants his last check to bounce on the day he dies. Another told me how much he saves and scrimps because he wants to leave as much as possible to his children and grandchildren.
I personally am spending my money is a way that I think will please my posterity and at the same time provide pleasure for me and Joyce.
Last evening we had a delightful dinner with a granddaughter and her husband. It was rather expensive but I wanted to go a a fine resautarnt, enjoy a great meal and visit one on one with a special member of our family. Joyce said we "are buying memories." It's wonderful that our childrena and grandchildren want to be with us. We relish the oportunity to visit, reminise, plan the future and share feelings with our posterity.
"BUYING MEMORIES" is a good way to spend money. We established a family tradition of the entire family -32 of us- spending Thanksgiving at a beautiful mountain resort. I started hosting the gathering when we were few in number. As the size of our family has increased, the expense and costs have also increased. But, I can't stop this tradition. My family looks forward to being with aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, mom and dad in a setting that promotes conversation and togetherness. Our Thanksgiving gatherings are memories my family will always treasure and look back upon with quickened thoughts and quiet memories.
We have begun spending time in warmer climates during the Utah winters. I don't "winter" very well. I have never been too hot. I have been too cold many times. It's fun to see our daughters and their children line-up to establish dates when they can visit us in the Palm Springs area. We shop, we eat, and visit, we play games. we create lasting MEMORIES. Next winter we will extend our stay in the desert to accommodate more visits from the family. Isn't it great that they want to be with us?
Recently, Joyce and I were sitting in a restaurant and couldn't help over-hearing a gentleman at the next able telling how he hardly knows his grandchildren and can't remember the last time he saw them. How sad! We commented how fortunate we are to be so very close to each member of our thundering herd and how each family member loves the others and how they all enjoy each others company.
Yesterday, a granddaughter called and wanted to know if she could come over for a visit. She wanted us to become better acquainted with her boyfriend. They sat and visited with us for over two hours and upon leaving, they asked if they could take us to dinner on Wednesday. They wanted to continue the visit. I love that they want to be with the old man and his wife.
Yes. It will be nice if the opportunity and fate allows us to bequeth an inheritance to our loved ones. But, we will not scrimp and sacrifice pleasures whilie we are still here. We will continue to look for opportunities to BUY MEMORIES for our children and grandchilren to look back upon and perhaps someday say, "remember when Nana and Poppy took us here?" "Remember when all of our family did this?"
One friend said he wants his last check to bounce on the day he dies. Another told me how much he saves and scrimps because he wants to leave as much as possible to his children and grandchildren.
I personally am spending my money is a way that I think will please my posterity and at the same time provide pleasure for me and Joyce.
Last evening we had a delightful dinner with a granddaughter and her husband. It was rather expensive but I wanted to go a a fine resautarnt, enjoy a great meal and visit one on one with a special member of our family. Joyce said we "are buying memories." It's wonderful that our childrena and grandchildren want to be with us. We relish the oportunity to visit, reminise, plan the future and share feelings with our posterity.
"BUYING MEMORIES" is a good way to spend money. We established a family tradition of the entire family -32 of us- spending Thanksgiving at a beautiful mountain resort. I started hosting the gathering when we were few in number. As the size of our family has increased, the expense and costs have also increased. But, I can't stop this tradition. My family looks forward to being with aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, mom and dad in a setting that promotes conversation and togetherness. Our Thanksgiving gatherings are memories my family will always treasure and look back upon with quickened thoughts and quiet memories.
We have begun spending time in warmer climates during the Utah winters. I don't "winter" very well. I have never been too hot. I have been too cold many times. It's fun to see our daughters and their children line-up to establish dates when they can visit us in the Palm Springs area. We shop, we eat, and visit, we play games. we create lasting MEMORIES. Next winter we will extend our stay in the desert to accommodate more visits from the family. Isn't it great that they want to be with us?
Recently, Joyce and I were sitting in a restaurant and couldn't help over-hearing a gentleman at the next able telling how he hardly knows his grandchildren and can't remember the last time he saw them. How sad! We commented how fortunate we are to be so very close to each member of our thundering herd and how each family member loves the others and how they all enjoy each others company.
Yesterday, a granddaughter called and wanted to know if she could come over for a visit. She wanted us to become better acquainted with her boyfriend. They sat and visited with us for over two hours and upon leaving, they asked if they could take us to dinner on Wednesday. They wanted to continue the visit. I love that they want to be with the old man and his wife.
Yes. It will be nice if the opportunity and fate allows us to bequeth an inheritance to our loved ones. But, we will not scrimp and sacrifice pleasures whilie we are still here. We will continue to look for opportunities to BUY MEMORIES for our children and grandchilren to look back upon and perhaps someday say, "remember when Nana and Poppy took us here?" "Remember when all of our family did this?"
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
PACKAGING IS A PAIN!
Is it just me? Am I the only one who questions "packaging" of products?
I just left a fast food place that gives you the little packages of mustard, Ketchup, Relish in those little cellophane individual servings. How do you open the blasted things? I pulled, tore, swore, yanked and the packages wouldn't budge. Finally, I resorted to my teeth and attempted to chew my way into the confounding little container. Someone, some day is going to break a tooth but it appears that is the only way to open the little critters.
I recently bought a three pack of scissors. They were encased in a hard plastic shell with no visible means of opening the container. What I really needed was a pair of scissors to open the packet. However, if I had a handy pair of scissors I wouldn't have bought the new scissors. I pulled, ripped, sawed with a serrated knife and finally after ten frustrating minutes got a corner free that enabled me to pull with all of my strength to get at the containers contents.
Ever tried to open a CD or a DVR? Honestly, it's easier to get at the gold in Fort Knox. What is so precious inside those hard plastic shells that you need prying tools and a degree in engineering to open the blasted things?
I could go on but I'll bet you can come up with your own experiences with the frustrations of getting at items you have bought and wish you hadn't just because of the anguish at getting at your purchase. My frustration is not caused by my advanced age. I just queered three grandchildren to see if they too might have the same problem with opening certain packaging. Eureka! I'm not alone. They all smiled, and reaffirmed my contention. It's not only difficult but is some cases downright stupid to work so hard at opening purchased containers.
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