http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php Talk of The Villages Discussion Forums en Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:11:46 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=406 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:20:29 GMT First let me say that it's true, people of The Villages really are the friendliest. Although as Southerners we are accustomed to having neighbors and even strangers wave and say good morning. We consider it normal to take a bottle of wine or plate of food to welcome a new neighbor to our small community, but these people have us beat.

As soon as the couple next door met us in our soon-to-be new front yard and found out we had a contract and would close in a week they offered to have us over to meet a few neighbors. We expected 2 or 3 couples. There were 20-30 people (everyone in the culdesac). We ate, drank, laughed, and totally enjoyed ourselves while allowing them to convince us that we had indeed chosen the best Village.

Since that time one neighbor has enlightened us about the brown spots on our lawn, another rescued us when we had set our sprinklers wrong and left town, mistakenly leaving them to run double what we intended and quadruple what was needed. He turned it off then ran it only when needed. During this season of summer thunder storms we really couldn't predict when we needed them on, even if we'd known how to set them properly.

Other neighbors have offered us an extra bedroom when both our grown daughters with husbands and 2 kids came to visit at the same time, overflowing our cute 2 bedroom cottage. (We refused because we wanted to preserve the friendship).

That same dear neighbor also offered the use of his golf cart while he was at work and ours was still being modified to become a 30 mile per hour "dream machine". We've been through so many "boy's toy's" that I know a man's vehicle is sacred property, so we passed on that offer, too. ]]> wilsonem http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=406 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=405 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:17:04 GMT Coming to TV for the month of August. Have rented a house in the Village of Woodbury. I like to swim and play cards (canasta, hand and foot,... Coming to TV for the month of August. Have rented a house in the Village of Woodbury. I like to swim and play cards (canasta, hand and foot, spades) and board games. Have meet one gentleman on this site who has graciously agreed to show me around. Am a tad concerned about what I am going to do for a month, My only transportation will be a golf cart; which is fine. If you have any suggestions on how to fill my days, yell!

Lynn ]]> Lynn222 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=405 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=377 Sun, 09 May 2010 04:36:51 GMT Time passes at a pace that astounds me, Summer is here already, and I love the heat! People ask if it is too hot here in Florida in the summer and... Time passes at a pace that astounds me, Summer is here already, and I love the heat! People ask if it is too hot here in Florida in the summer and the only response is: Hell yeah it’s HOT! You want cool Summers; try Alaska.

Mom is doing so much better. She healed quickly from her skin cancer surgery and we finally have her meds under control. Thank god for her VA doctor, who recognized her need for a different type of drug and her mood has improved 1000 per cent. She is enjoying life and getting around much better. She is no longer sad, and her dizzy spells have all but disappeared.

I have told my kids that if they ever see me slipping into that dark place to up my meds until I start to drool, and then back them off just a little. I see no reason to avoid medication that improves quality of life. Why extend life then not allow us the help needed to enjoy that gift. I say: Bring on the Pharmaceuticals/ Better living through chemicals! It’s funny that was a slogan that also appealed to me many years ago.

We have still been busy having fun here this Winter. We saw many concerts including Paul McCartney & Jimmy Buffet (with a parrot on my head), went to Disney numerous times, and happily entertained throngs of visitors (you all know who you are). We traveled to several sporting events,went to the Keys, and to St Augustine, baked on the sunny beaches, and attended Lockport days. The weather was as cold here as anyone remembers, but the guys never missed an opportunity to play golf. Bike week in Daytona was rainy but the report came back that those in attendance “made the best of it”, and stayed inside, if you get my drift.

The girls (Erika, Briana & Stephanie) got certified to scuba dive, and swam with the Manatees. Briana did very well in school, Erika has several exciting opportunities ahead of her and my artist/welder Steph is going down a path that I am sure will bring her great things.

We have just entered the Month of Birthdays for my posse’. We had many great parties over the winter but May/June brings so many my liver hurts just thinking about it. It began with RC’s, followed by Mark, Yours truly, Joe, Molly, Ricky & Ron all within that short span of time Ouch!

Sadly: I’m starting a JOB Monday working on the Census. My lady of leisure lifestyle is going to be interrupted for a few weeks. Do not fear it is a short time assignment and I will soon return to my self absorbed, hedonistic lifestyle with a little extra ching in my pockets to fund future adventures.

Whew: All in all things are going great, and we are still living the good life! ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=377 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=364 Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:41:23 GMT We just got back from a great weekend in South Florida. Paul McCartney concert was beyond description! The guy is an icon, and in his late 60’s... We just got back from a great weekend in South Florida. Paul McCartney concert was beyond description! The guy is an icon, and in his late 60’s ROCKED the place. He played a nice mix of old Beatles, New McCartney, and Wings. He did a nice tribute to John and George and was worth every cent we paid to sit 30 rows away from a Legend. We saw him take off in his Helicopter. This by far was the best concert I have ever attended!

Easter Sunday we got a chance to see some of my favorite family. We drove to Marathon Key and had Easter dinner with Uncle Ron, Aunt Jonnie, Lori B and friends. It felt like going home and I realize how much I miss them as soon as I see them! I need to make a better effort to get down there more often.

Wayne had to stay home to watch Mom. She had a spot of cancer removed from her nose and looks like a bruised boxer. She is sad some days, and the disease plays evil tricks with her mind. The bad tapes play over and over and she gets scared and confused. I wish that I could replace them with good “dreams”. I am trying a strategy of writing good thoughts on the dry erase board in the kitchen. I told her when she gets sad to check the board and think about what we wrote on it. We started with “You are surrounded by people that love you.” the first day and “The sun is shinning” on the second day. The third day it read “Give a hug to everyone that walks through these doors”. It helps a little, but she forgets to look at the board and then slips back into sadness for a while.

It seems that the busier we keep her, the better she is. We took her to the Tiki bar for Cheeseburger in paradise last night and solitaire on the computer keeps her mind active. Bri is her constant companion and has so much patience with her it is amazing. She has some trouble coping when “Evil Grandmu “emerges, but somehow always finds a way to help her get through it.

Erika is going home tomorrow and Stephanie has found a metal artist to mentor her and is settling in nicely. It sure does take a village, I am glad that we have one. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=364 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=362 Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:09:56 GMT We have visitors this week. My niece Stephanie and her friend Jessie are here. Steph is staying for a few months to intern with an artist/metalworker... We have visitors this week. My niece Stephanie and her friend Jessie are here. Steph is staying for a few months to intern with an artist/metalworker in Leesburg. He has agreed to teach her a trick or two in exchange for some help with his work. She brought her cats and they are having a ball here. They are inside cats and we have an enclosed lanai that they think is outside. The girls are going out in the evenings and staying up way later than we are used to; look out Margareta ville!

Jessie is only here for a week but I think she likes it here because she is pitching the virtues of TV to her grand parents. We got them a sales package, and you know how we feel; the more the merrier!

We have had some fun with RC’s mom. We took her to St Augustine, and to the Golf Hall of Fame. The next field trip is to Miami to see Paul McCartney. I can’t wait. It is one of the things that Erika and I have both put on our Bucket lists is to see a Beatle!

Burt has gone back up North and calm has been restored. I hate to speak badly about him so I will only say I am glad his disruptive behavior will be inflicted elsewhere. Mom is more settled when he is gone. When he’s here he makes her mad, and when he’s gone he makes her sad. I’ll take sad for the time being! I think we have a good handle on her medicines, finally, but as is often the case for the octogenarians, something else complicates the Health landscape. The Doctor found cancer on her nose. We are having the spot removed at the end of the month, and look forward to her physical health continuing to improve.

Her mental health seems to stay about the same. Some days are better than others. She enjoys the warm weather and the kids and cats running around. She likes to be pampered a little like getting her nails done, and loves to shop. When the dark days come she has “dreams” that taunt her and she will often get stuck on a subject that makes her very sad. She is at the point in the disease where she realizes her memory is going, but is not ready to accept the extent to which loosing ground. Alzheimer’s disease is a cruel thief. I hope we are giving her more good days here in TV than she would have had up North. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=362 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=350 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:07:17 GMT This weekend we celebrated the return of the Sun. I now know what the Pagans felt like! Elaine, Bri and I had lunch outside at a rustic little place... This weekend we celebrated the return of the Sun. I now know what the Pagans felt like! Elaine, Bri and I had lunch outside at a rustic little place on the water and went to Lake Ridge Winery for a Music and craft festival and winery tour. Florida produces a nice array of wines and I found a few that I really liked.

Lake Ridge winery is right on rt 27, only a few minutes from TV, but I had never found the time to visit. It is worth the trip and has events of some sort every month. Next month is Wine and Seafood, sounds delish! For more info check out their website: http://www.lakeridgewinery.com/aboutus-events.php

Our trip to Southern Florida was nice. RC and his mom, Ann and I ventured out of the bubble for two days. The weather was a bit more Florida-like, and we got the opportunity to see the Seminole museum, had some luck at the casino and drove to Key Largo for lunch. Whew…..it is tough keeping up with those octogenarians. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=350 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=347 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:25:04 GMT "All that serves labor serves the nation. All that harms is treason. If a man tells you he trusts America, yet fears labor, he is a fool. There is no America without labor, and to fleece the one is to rob the other." --* Abraham Lincoln

It has been very un-Florida-like cold this winter. They say it’s ElNino, I say its BS. My only consolation is that this week all 50 states have reported snow on the ground. Hawaii even reported snow on a Mountain top. My grass is brown(er) and half of my plants are dead. The good news is that it will again be in the 70’s by the weekend.

Despite the chilly weather, we went to an outdoor concert at Silver Springs Saturday, and saw the band America, who by the way, are natives of England. They rocked the house. Foreigner was two weeks earlier, and was probably in the top two bands that we have seen at Silver Springs.

I f you have not gotten your season pass to this “Old Florida” nature park you are missing out on the biggest entertainment bargain around. For the cost of less than one day at the big theme parks, all of the concerts and unlimited admittance to this quaint park are included. Starship and Loverboy are the next two rock shows on the calendar, with Neal McCoy, Aaron Tippin, and Randy Travis in between for you Country fans.

Briana is doing well in school and Erika has conflict of the best kind as she juggles multiple employment opportunities. She is still torn between politics and teaching. The daily drama continues between Grandpu and the rest of the family. We have to keep our sights on the task of keeping Grandmu safe and healthy and ignore his thoughtless behavior. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=347 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=342 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:13:07 GMT It has been a stressful couple of months since Grand-pu has arrived. He has disrupted our rhythm, needles and agitates Grand-mu, Wayne and Bri... It has been a stressful couple of months since Grand-pu has arrived. He has disrupted our rhythm, needles and agitates Grand-mu, Wayne and Bri constantly. He has made a difficult situation impossible with his insensitivity to everyone. He is demanding ungrateful, stingy, judgmental, rude and self absorbed, and those are his good qualities. He had reconstructive knee surgery (at 90) and the focus has been taken off our original task of helping Grand mu get well. We all want to help him but he makes it VERY difficult.

I am hanging on because he is only here for a few more weeks, but I do not do well living with all of this negativity and drama. I can not wait until the offending family members head back up North. I want my life back!

There, I feel better, no more complaining. Breathe………

Good news! Our dear friends Harry and Fran are considering retirement to TV, and we are psyched! They are perfect candidates for this place. Can't wait to see them! ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=342 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=323 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:37:42 GMT How Will The SGR Affect You? In 1997, Congress placed into law a measure attempting to reign in Medicare costs. The measure is known as the... How Will The SGR Affect You?
In 1997, Congress placed into law a measure attempting to reign in Medicare costs. The measure is known as the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, or SGR. The formula set forth annual reductions in Medicare payments to physicians for services rendered to patients. The problem is that the cost of delivering care increases annually as the costs of doing business rise (higher rents, utilities, malpractice premiums, supplies, equipment, staff salaries, etc.). So nearly each year since its enactment, public and physician outcry cause Congress to delay the cuts. Many of you may remember how the late Sen. Ted Kennedy rose from his sickbed last year to vote down one of those Medicare cuts. However, the planned cuts were not eliminated, but rather allowed to accrue, to a now staggering 21%. As of December 31, 2009, Congress refused to deal with this issue, which means that effective January 1, 2010; ALL physician reimbursements from Medicare would fall by 21%.
In areas with large retired populations, like The Villages, the impact of a severe reduction in Medicare reimbursement to doctors will be devastating.
I often hear people say “oh, doctors make too much money anyway”, a statement that reflects the gross misunderstanding of what doctors make and how much it costs to maintain a practice and deliver care. Take it a step further. How many of you could get by comfortably with a 10% reduction in your monthly pension? How about a 15% reduction? Now try 21% reduction. Many of you, like your physicians would possibly do a lot of hyperventilation as you ponder bankruptcy or severe cutbacks. To add insult to injury, many commercial insurance companies tie what they pay physicians to what Medicare pays. So now back to the previous question. How many of you could get by with a 40% reduction in your pension payments?
For the doctors, the biggest expenses of practice, the overhead, are not negotiable. Doctors have no leverage in getting more from insurance companies or cutting our rent, malpractice premiums, or cutting already meager staff salaries.
With an average reimbursement from Medicare and commercial insurers of $75 per visit, and a monthly overhead (excluding physician’s salary) of $20,000, it does not take a lot of effort to see how hard your doctor has to work to support his or her family.
I am not alone in my concerns. Some recent physician comments on an internet blog page read:
The medical profession has turned into a business. The days of doctors being able to concentrate strictly on the patient without worries about paying the bills are over. The fact that doctors are looking to spend their time in pursuits other than providing clinical care should concern society. The patient-physician relationship has been marginalized as doctors spend more time fulfilling documentation and administrative requirements and less time actually practicing medicine. The problem is that so many physicians feel trapped by the current environment. They are heavily in debt, their practices are getting squeezed more and more, the paperwork and regulations are increasing. Clinical medicine has changed so much and become so cumbersome that physicians feel overwhelmed and discouraged.
If Medicine becomes sufficiently undesirable so that talented individuals choose other paths and practicing physicians choose to spend their time doing other things, the quality of care will spiral down. To a substantial degree, it already has.

If you are also concerned about the direction of healthcare and Medicare, let your state and federal representatives know. ]]> Carrie Jones http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=323 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=321 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 03:55:15 GMT Back home.Wow those two words can change quickly.While thinking of what and how to write about my experience at Christmas the words "back home" really got confusing.If someone asked me in the days leading up to my leaving the villages what I was doing for Christmas my response was I'm going back home.Honestly I thought that's what I was doing .Going back to massachusetts to be with family and friends how could it be anything else?Except that something was missing.My wife was unable to come north with me because she found herself a job and couldn't get the time off.Though it was nice spending time with the people that raised me(thanks mom & dad),with my siblings and their spouses and offspring I was very lonely.This is when the realization of home is where your heart is hit me.That place is with my wife in our new HOME the villages.I was gone from december 21st to the 30th and when my wife picked me up at the airport it was nice to know that I was headed home!! ]]> Bosoxfan http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=321 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=319 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:55:34 GMT My blog entries are being moderated again (whatever that means). I still do not know what triggers this or why. I have asked the administrators in... My blog entries are being moderated again (whatever that means). I still do not know what triggers this or why. I have asked the administrators in the past and they act like I am crazy. They may be right. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=319 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=314 Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:16:16 GMT Molly hosted our Christmas Eve White Elephant/ Ugly Holiday Apparel Party. As usual she put out a great spread and the gift exchange was a hoot. Our... Molly hosted our Christmas Eve White Elephant/ Ugly Holiday Apparel Party. As usual she put out a great spread and the gift exchange was a hoot. Our caravan of 8 carts (that’s the beginning count) rode around the Villages wrapped in blankets last night looking at the Holiday displays and are looking forward to our New Years celebration. Beth’s brother Bob is here as well as Ron’s sister and friend. RC has his mother, Grand daughter and friend Al, all in residence this year. Wow!

The in-laws continue to improve. Dad is up and getting around in a walker. He is a bit better each day. Elaine’s whole clan is in, complete with 6 adults, 2 kids and three dogs. Dad is going out tonight for dinner at the newest of the clan to move to TV full time, Tom and Monica’s house for dinner. This is the first time since his knee surgery that he has ventured out, and I am sure he is getting a bit stir crazy. We got a very beautiful Christmas arraignment (and an Edible one for the Folks) from Gary and Carrie and Kelley. It reminds us that we miss them and hope they will be down for a visit soon.

Both of my girls being here for the holidays is a nice treat for me. They are seldom both in the same state let alone under the same roof. It has been nice to see them play WII and laugh and fight and enjoy each other’s company this year. We’ve had a lot of quiet down time together just playing cards, talking, and enjoying each other’s company. I know that may seem boring but it is a luxury that we did not often allow in our hectic lives.

We’ve survived another Christmas. This year has been a blur. I usually enjoy the holidays, but if the truth be known this cold that has settled into my chest has made me less than festive. I am going through the motions, but my heart is not quite in it. I’ll be better soon.

2010, Look out! ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=314 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=307 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:55:03 GMT Another calendar to discard! Wow this year ripped by. I am taking this opportunity to apologize for no holiday cards this year. This will be my... Another calendar to discard! Wow this year ripped by. I am taking this opportunity to apologize for no holiday cards this year. This will be my only indulgence to communicate my happy holidays to my friends and relatives! It hasn’t been since the girls were babies that I was too busy to sit down and write out my holiday cards. Both of my daughters are here this year helping out with the grandparents, and that is one of the best parts of this ordeal. Bri is living here and is Grandmu’s caregiver, and Erika is between political assignments and helping with the overflow now that grandpa also needs full time care.

This year my time has been filled with the care and feeding of my in-laws. A quick update (as I have not found the time to blog regularly): Moms recovery from the broken arms is going well, and she has adjusted well to her new home here in TV. Her Alzheimer’s seems a bit worse and each day is a new adventure with her. She has mixed emotions about Dad being here. She misses him terribly when he is out of sight, but he annoys her when he is here. I think that is what marriage eventually comes to.

Burt, my 90 year old father-in-law reluctantly arrived here in Florida a few weeks ago. He decided to have the full knee replacement that he has been putting off for 10 years since his first knee replacement. He found a surgeon that he was comfortable with and last week he had it done. He is a healthy 90 and we are hopeful that he will be able to get around unassisted again. He told the Doctor that his mother lived past 100 and he planned to live to 105. That means the new knee needs to last for at least 15 years. What an optimist! There have been a few complications after his surgery, and it is becoming obvious that he will not be escaping back up north by the first of the year, but our goal is to have him ready to ship off by the beginning of April.

Their convalescence has complicated our formerly narcissistic lives considerably. Between doctor appointments and nurse visits, Physical therapy, trips to the drug store, cooking meals for 6, personal hygiene for both and all the other running for their needs, it has taken almost all free time from four of us. I have resolved to keep some fun in the schedule and the girls and I snuck off to see the manatees on the gulf coast yesterday. It was a nice day and I think we’ll try the Orlando theme parks next week.

I am grateful to be able to help them get as many more good years as possible. Erika commented that she was learning a lot about how to be a responsible member of a family unit. That is good news as we will be in this situation too, someday. Good Karma all around for us. I have new respect for caregivers. It is a full time commitment.

Happy Holidays, and Peace in the New Year! ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=307 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=300 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:56:23 GMT Friday, December 4, 2009
Still Here And Lovin' It:D


Hi Everybody,
It's been a while since I last posted.Since then Ma & Dad were here for a week in November.It couldn't have been a better week weather wise.Also having them here was great!The thing I miss most being here is family so it was real special having them here.Hopefully they enjoyed themselves as much as it appeared.You never know!! Ma & dad i love you and glad you were here.
Three days after they left was Thanksgiving.Hopefully everybody had a good one!! Carol & I went out with three couples to a local restaurant.It was fun but we both agreed it wasn't the same without family.Also Carol missed the chaos of cooking and the noise of having people in our house enjoying the holiday.Next year will be different we' ll have people over and do the cooking here.
O.K.then what else is happening .Well I was drafted to play softball by a team on wednesday & friday mornings .The team is the cardinals and I was drafted to play left field with some time at third base.I've been playing as a sub for whoever needs me until the winter season starts in January.It's a blast to play ball with some really great guys.I' starting to remember some names.There are 16 teams with 12 players per team.Lots of names to try to remember.Like I say I have a great memory only its short.
Golf has been interesting.Dad & I went and played the Palmer Legends course.Very nice and I didn't play to bad either.Carol & I have been playing the executive courses at least 3 times a week.Also once a month we play 9 and dine with a group of people..lots of fun!!
Last but not least Christmas is coming.The tree lighting ceremony was this past Saturday.Quite the turnout at the square anything for a party!! I'll be flying home december 21st without Carol.It'll be nice to spend the holiday with family but without Carol it will be strange!
Well that's about it for this post.Looking forward to seeing everybody at Christmas time.For those I don't see Merry Christmas & Happy New Year ]]> Bosoxfan http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=300 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=299 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:53:08 GMT Saturday, November 14, 2009 Update From Paradise!! Ok.Here we go..give a little bit ..give a little bit of your love to me!! As you can tell... Saturday, November 14, 2009
Update From Paradise!!

Ok.Here we go..give a little bit ..give a little bit of your love to me!!


As you can tell this blogging thing really isn't my forte but I really like telling people about this place.It's Disney for adults.Let's see if I can remember what this week has been.Monday golf, the pool, line dancing
Tuesday: golf,went for a run,dancing at the square.
Wednesday: Softball,golf,the pool.
Thursday:was a cold day and rainy..didn't get to 65 degrees..just relaxed and didn't do much
Friday: softball,practice range,went for a run,played pitch at one of the rec centers
Saturday: softball,golf with 3 other couples then out to dinner with the golf group .

Tough life ey??

In a more serious note Carol got a job.It's the only one we found that advertised part-time seasonal work.She'll be putting in about 20 hours a week.She'll be greeting people at the sales office.The down side is she won't be with me when I travel north for Christmas.We'll be apart at christmas and that sucks!! It is what it is but...

Next week ma & dad will be here .They're flying in the 16th and will be flying home on the 23rd. ]]> Bosoxfan http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=299 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=298 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:34:41 GMT :pepper2:
Life..Someone has to live it!!!

Hi there,
This is my first attempt at this blogging stuff.Well as all that know me know I've moved to the villages in florida.My first days in early september were crazy busy.Unpacking ,figuring where to put things in our new house and figuring how to get around.We(Carol & I) went right out and bought a golf cart.It's really cool going everywhere in a golf cart.As you can see Bonyta really enjoys riding in it also.She's a celebrity here tooling around in her sunglasses on the floor of our golf cart.
On another note our activities here are nonstop.I'm playing softball 3 times a week.We're playing golf as often as we can.We're taking line dance classes and going to the town squares multiple nights a week.When we have a chance we go to the pool for a couple hours .Usually at least 3 days a week.

Well that's enough info for my first attempt at this.If anyone ever is looking for the perfect place to retire ...come on down. It's always a beautiful day in the villages ]]> Bosoxfan http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=298 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=294 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:11:33 GMT Boy do the months get by! I cannot believe that we have celebrated our 3rd Thanksgiving here in TV. Our table grows a little bigger each year. ... Boy do the months get by! I cannot believe that we have celebrated our 3rd Thanksgiving here in TV. Our table grows a little bigger each year. This year we had 18 for dinner. The generational split was interesting to me. We had 5-20 somthings, 4 over 85, and 9 of us boomers. No little ones! I don’t know exactly what this all means; I’m just making an observation. As usual we had too much food and will exist on leftovers until we cannot stand anymore. The featured drink of the day was White Russians. We missed Beth and Ron this year, but welcomed Ricky and Debbie and her family.

We adopted a cat for Burt and Carol. They miss the barn cats that he fed at the back door every morning up North. He would have a fit if he knew that Sambo cost $85. Cats were routinely dropped off at the farm, and took up the job as mouse catchers for free. He asked Bri if the cat needed to be walked twice a day. We are really surprised at how narrow his knowledge of the world is for being a resident on the planet for 90 years. Some of the things he just doesn’t seem to grasp are a result of his age, but sometimes it is due to the communication limitations that his generation has experienced.

Communication and the media are things that are viewed very differently across generations. I think that we have not yet come to grasp the seminal change, or paradigm switch, in communication that the internet has immersed us in without us noticing. I see this change as pretty exciting and scary at the same time. It still amazes me that anything that you need to know can be found on the internet if you have the will and the patience to search.

The information available on the internet in incredible and has made research, and information validation as we knew it a thing of the past. The twenty-something’s and down, know that what is reported is to be viewed with a skeptical eye. Because anyone can now publish unconfirmed information, sources can be vague or unsubstantiated, and information need not be corroborated or validated. Wikepedia is an on line encyclopedia that virtually anyone can update. The responsibility to get the truth is now up to the seeker, not the provider. That alone is monumental.

The invention of the printing press was obviously one of those moments that changed everything we knew about communication, but the invasion of the internet, and tabloid news into our homes has been a little more insidious. I am still trying to wrap my head around this, without turning into a Ted Kiminski (uni-bomber), but it scares me to realize that there are at least two generations of people out there that believe everything they read is confirmed, validated truth. The opportunity to promote propaganda and spread lies is an incredibly important outcome that has yet to be fully examined. I am watching this happen with the health care reform debate. The insurance companies are preying on the fear of seniors, and scaring them with misinformation to protect their obscene profits generated by the current system. This is only one small example.

Stay tuned as this hypothesis (manifesto?) of mine on the quiet revolution takes shape. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=294 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=287 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:06:28 GMT My mother-in-law Carol is glad to see Burt, her partner of 60 plus years, and his being here has relieved her worries that she did something wrong... My mother-in-law Carol is glad to see Burt, her partner of 60 plus years, and his being here has relieved her worries that she did something wrong and she was being punished for it. They have a marriage from the ancient past and sometimes it is hard for us from the next generations to watch.

He is frustrated that she can’t remember which way to turn to get to their bedroom, and that she tells the same stories over and over. What we find the hardest to watch is how much he pushes for her to wait on him like a servant, and to do the household chores that she has done in the past. He says she has fun doing chores; I say have some fun yourself and get up off your butt and get your own coffee. After she almost started the coffeemaker on fire, folded and put Bri’s clothes in the wrong dresser and cried because he yelled at her for the unmade bed, we had a “talk”.

We tried to explain to him that she will never be like she was before she got Alzheimer’s, and we cannot, for safety reasons, let her use any appliances. No she will not iron your clothes because here in Florida we throw out clothing that needs to be ironed! We asked him if it would be fair for us to get mad at him for moving at a snails pace due to his bad knees, or to get frustrated when he cannot hear us because his hearing is going bad. Same concept, rounding the corner towards 100 has its obvious pitfalls, but we are all going to approach this time in their lives with compassion and patience, if it kills us!

We have asked him to gently direct her to the right bedroom, without judgment, and to allow us to manage the bulk of the household chores. He is trying, but old habits die hard. I have to remind myself that the dynamics of their relationship have emerged over nearly three quarters of a century and their interactions and the bickering are something they both contribute to, although she is no longer as able to keep up her end of the banter. I am sure that my relationship with his son was just as questionable to him throughout the years. He never understood why Wayne changed diapers, washed clothes, and got his own coffee.

Briana is a saint with them, but has to be talked of the ledge about once a day. I try to help her see a point of view that is often hard for me to see. She handles them both like a pro, and I am very proud of her.

Next chapter: He wants to go back up North after Thanks giving. Stay tuned as a 90 year old man with bad knees, tries to convince me why he has to go back and fight the snow in Western NY. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=287 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=278 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:34:30 GMT Lady McBeth is my ten year old lab. She started failing last week and I thought for sure we would have to put her down. She couldn’t get up by... Lady McBeth is my ten year old lab. She started failing last week and I thought for sure we would have to put her down. She couldn’t get up by herself and she was getting weaker by the day. We took her to the vet expecting the worst, but found out that she was diabetic, and very dehydrated. I cried for 3 days straight hoping that she would get better one more time and she is sure trying to oblige me. She spent the last 2 days on IV at the vets and is now on insulin. She seems better, but could use some good thoughts sent to her like Tinkerbell got in Peter Pan.

Carol, or Grandmu to my girls, is settling in nicely in her new home in the Villages. We brought a truck load of her antiques, sewing stuff, and whatever else we thought might make her feel at home and it seems to be helping. She gets a bit confused and has some bad tapes playing over and over in her head, but she seems to feel better when she talks about what is bothering her. She does not quite remember falling and breaking her arms, and wonders why they hurt sometimes. She had a similar fall many years ago, when the dog brought a skunk into the yard, and she thinks that is what happened recently. She also misses grandpa and forgets that he is coming down next week.

The bright side is that every day she amazes us. It has only been 6 weeks since her fall and she is doing just about everything for herself that she did before the accident. She has better card skills than most of us, and beats her opponents soundly at Euchre nightly, even if she forgets mid-game and starts playing a similar game (bid/pitch). She still remembers more about sewing than most of us will ever know. She is helping us make our Halloween costumes, and is going to Molly’s party with us Tomorrow night. She asked me if anyone there will know her, because if not she could just go as herself and no one would recognize her. Her sense of humor is sharp as a tack!

She is ready to go anywhere, anytime. She went out to lunch with us at Katie Bells this afternoon, and to Oktoberfest in the Square this evening. She was pretty tired when she got home but so was everyone else. I hope I can come close to keeping up that pace long into my eighties.

Elaine is here for three weeks, to help her settle in and Briana is her constant companion. It is a full time job for the four of us, but I can see her getting less anxious everyday. I am glad to be able to help her with her best chance for many more years of fun in the sun! ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=278 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=269 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:26:22 GMT My mother-in-law is arriving today. At 87 years old, 5 week her recovery from a fall breaking both of her arms just below the shoulder has been... My mother-in-law is arriving today. At 87 years old, 5 week her recovery from a fall breaking both of her arms just below the shoulder has been nothing short of miraculous! She is such a trooper. The day after the accident she was taking only Tylenol for the pain and not complaining one bit. She continues to amaze us all.

The topic of this blog is going to change a bit. I am hoping to chronicle the joys and pains of helping an aging parent, with many challenges. We are beginning a life phase that many others of our generation find themselves in. We are taking this new situation on filled with optimism, but tempered with realism. We know that some days will be better than others for Mom. She is facing big changes, some good some not so good. We hope this course we are on will allow her to have many more years of good life here in the sunshine.

I welcome anyone else who is or has been in this situation to share your stories and advice with us. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=269 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=264 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:57:26 GMT I have read everyone's blogs and I wish I was in TV now. My husband retired last year. I have a few more years to go but I may be talked into retiring early as I know I would Love it in Tv :2excited: It sounds like paradise and I want some of it. We live in the upper part of Michigan and it is allready 50 deg. burr.... it is cold.:yuck::: Also everyone seems to be very nice;) ]]> babspadget http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=264 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=263 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:56:32 GMT Sometimes I feel so in control of my life, and other times it is like I am being swooped away in a downstream current. I am swooping right now. I... Sometimes I feel so in control of my life, and other times it is like I am being swooped away in a downstream current. I am swooping right now. I stole away and was happily retired in happy land, when my life caught up with me. Don’t get me wrong, I am not opposed to change or to meeting my obligations, but… wow! It just goes to show; just when you think east is the best direction, north comes calling. I am OK with the direction that we are headed in, but it sure is not the planned route.

Mom’s recovery is going well. She has an unbelievably strong will, and is determined to get better. For 87 years old, she continues to amaze us all. I am not kidding myself, Briana is going to have her hands full, but she seems ready to take on the responsibility of Mu’s recuperation and care for a while.

They call us the sandwich generation, because just as we think we are done raising our family, the previous generation needs our help. This economy further complicates things as many of our kids are returning to the nest. I just heard on the news tonight that the 19-25 year unemployment rate is over 17 percent.

I hope for the best, and will deal with the rest! ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=263 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=253 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:23:11 GMT Well our worst fears for Wayne’s mom came true last week. A few days before their 62nd wedding anniversary she fell and broke both arms below the... Well our worst fears for Wayne’s mom came true last week. A few days before their 62nd wedding anniversary she fell and broke both arms below the shoulder, bumped her head and skinned her knees. The good news/bad news thing about reaching the octogenarian decade is: Good news, you made it! Bad news is inevitably crappy stuff begins to happen. We start forgetting things, we can’t physically do some of things we used to enjoy, we spend too much time at the Doctor’s office, and our reflexes and balance are not what they used to be.

Dad is going to be 90 this year and he has been doing his best to take care of mom up to this point. Her rehabilitation from this accident will defiantly be beyond his ability. So….. thanks to the generosity of Elaine and her husband and the fortunate timing of my youngest, Bri, being down here and available to help with her care, we are moving them to TV.

Our hope is that her recovery will go smoother without the harsh winter weather to contend with. She and dad will also have the benefit of most of their family nearby for company and support. We are hoping that they can relax and enjoy lots more good years here in the bubble. I know the transition will be difficult for her to understand, and for him to get used to, but we hope we are making a decision that will turn a bad situation, at least for now, into a not so bad one. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=253 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=252 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:05:17 GMT :click::bowdown:My husband and I just sold our house and we are very excited and nervous about the move. Alot of things to think about... :click::bowdown:My husband and I just sold our house and we are very excited and nervous about the move.

Alot of things to think about especially when you lived in your home many, many years.

We are looking forward to this chapter in our life.

We will be coming to the Villages in about a month to buy a home. We are going to stay in our motorhome until we can move in.

Alot of good changes. Hope to meet alot of wonderful new friends!!!!

Marian & Joe
Patchogue,NY ]]> maran tusso http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=252 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=251 Sat, 12 Sep 2009 00:54:44 GMT This is my first ever blog...
I didn't really get a chance to get really involved when I was right there, and now that I'm further South I find I want to be a part of it all. How odd. Someone asked me once if I honestly loved it there - of if I loved it because I thougth I should. I think it was a bit of both, but when we first got there I was too young to appreciate all of that. ]]> dwluvs2fish http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=251 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=250 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:08:41 GMT "There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow men. There is no greater contribution than to help the weak. There is no greater satisfaction than to have done it well."
Walter Reuther

Happy Labor Day everyone! God bless the UAW! ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=250 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=245 Thu, 03 Sep 2009 02:44:11 GMT My youngest, Briana, has returned to the nest to go back to school. She has decided that the health care business is where the future is. I look... My youngest, Briana, has returned to the nest to go back to school. She has decided that the health care business is where the future is. I look around TV and can’t fault her logic. We are a population going grey. We spend more time at the Doctors, than anywhere else lately.

I look around the neighborhood and notice that she is not the only chick back in the coop. RC’s granddaughter is also attending community college for Nursing, three houses to the right another friend has his son camped out on his side porch, and the house four houses to the left also has a kid on a laptop doing homework on the lanai. All of these new Villagers are over 19 of course (refer to our convent), but the face of this community is changing a bit. This difficult economy has had an unexpected side effect. Families are again extending.

My great-great grandmother had a large house next to the rail road tracks in Tonawanda, NY. It had two apartments upstairs and everyone in the family lived there at one time or another. During the great depression, all of the kids lived there because it was easier to keep them fed and warm under one roof. Grandma cared for all of them while their parents worked at what ever was available while trying to stay out of the poor house. First and second cousins, three and four generations, all under one roof. The stories they all told about living at Grandma Holler’s always made me yearn again for that kind of extended family. They never talked about the hardships, but of the love and fun they shared. They remembered ice skating on Ives pond, and climbing the apple trees. They remembered the hobo’s from the tracks out back, that Grandma would give soup in exchange for work on the fence. Life was measured by how you lived and laughed, not by what you did or had.

My parents generation also found comfort at Grandma’s (now owned by the next generation my great Aunt Margaret). Job losses, illness, death and divorce were some of the reasons we passed through those loving doors. Aunt Margaret welcomed any of us that needed a home, or just an apron covered lap to cry on. We still skated on Ives pond and loved to cross that field to have some of the piping hot chocolate that was always waiting. She’d sit us down and cut our bangs (I have pictures to prove the results of this torture). Colleen, Connie, Susan, Cindy? Sometimes she couldn’t get our names right the first time, but we knew who was getting “hollered at”. She and her sister Rose sold real estate. They dragged us around to the “appointments”, pointing out this house that they could have bought for a song, or that place that went cheep because his wife was running around.

Aunt Margaret died in that house quite a few years ago, and it was sold. I was sad at first that no one in our generation had an interest in the old place, but we were wrapped up in our own lives, and the next thing I knew it was gone.

I have tried to carry on the “open door” tradition in the way our generation has adapted. The first house I bought was a four family that still provides a home for the people I care about. My daughter Erika and nice Stephanie live in the apartments downstairs and I think my nephew Brian is moving in soon. My sister, sister in law, brother in law and a whole flock of friends have lived on “Niagara St.” Later, we made sure our family home had an in-law apartment and when my mother’s health began to fail she moved in and lived there until she died. That apartment became the spring board to independence for my kids, and extended our family to many others during the 20 years we lived there. Our home was the gathering place for all of the neighborhood kids, and where all of the best parties were held.

When we made the difficult decision to sell Tonawanda Creek (the “Ponderosa”) and move to TV, quite a few voices cried foul. They must have felt what I felt when Grandma’s house was sold. The lesson here, however, is that home is wherever the Welcome Mat is. It is not about the bricks and mortar around you but the welcoming arms that bring you into the safe place. I am glad to welcome Briana back to the “safe place”, until she’s ready to fly again.

I know that the circle will eventually come back around. My kids, hopefully have learned to keep their hearts and homes open to those in need, and won’t put me prematurely into a bad smelling nursing home. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=245 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=244 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:07:22 GMT Wednesday, May 13, 2009 It’s been quite awhile since I’ve updated my blog and I think, after reading several references to blogging in my... Wednesday, May 13, 2009

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve updated my blog and I think, after reading several references to blogging in my newspapers and other fairly serious publications, this form of communication is now going the way of the Hummer. It’s now “tweet tweet” and I’ve started to do a bit of it myself, although I have to say that being someone who, on occasion, had (or has) “diarrhea of the brain,” I find it extremely restrictive.

The last eight months have been very busy for me – teaching digital photography and watercolor on several cruises. Rena and I have had many great times revisiting places we had already been on prior vacations – but this time without having to pack and unpack a hundred times. The economy didn’t seem to affect the passengers on our cruises – because, dear reader, you would think you were part of the “Bataan Death March.” These people were ancient. Since I manage, with a lot of cunning, to avoid looking at myself in a mirror, it’s very easy for me to say that. I swear the best entertainment would have been to have all the people with walkers run against those with canes, wheelchairs, and battery operated self-propelled gizmos. The winner would have won a free burial at sea. You were in perpetual danger of having your toes squashed. It reminds me of the time they interviewed a couple in The Villages. The husband and wife were both legally blind and had, by law, to surrender their licenses. Their quote was: “Thank God we moved to The Villages, where we can get around in our golf carts!”

I gave up two things in the last eight months – golf and painting. After 65 years of playing golf it’s finito. After my last hip operation it was just too painful to play (both physically and psychologically). I’m surprised – I don’t miss it too much - my brain plays little tricks on me telling me that tiddly winks is a lot better for me. Lots of good memories but it’s all in the past. I can pass a golf course without a flinch!

Watercolor painting is a different story entirely. I’ve done a lot of painting and have been reasonably satisfied with what I had accomplished. There isn’t a technique I haven’t mastered – up to a point that is. I’ve painted with brushes, knives, razor blades, cardboard, etc. etc. I think most people have liked what I’ve done – and I stuck to one principle – that I would only paint what I wanted to paint, and that I would never sell one of my paintings. That way no one could dictate what I wanted to do. Eventually I ran into a brick wall – I love abstracts and I’ve seen so many I loved that I wanted to paint abstracts. I found out that I can’t paint what I envision in abstract– it’s that plain and simple, and so I’ve given up entirely. My brain just doesn’t let me see anything other than what I can see – too bad but c’est la vie as they say in Poland. I'm just an opinionated are lover now. I packed up all my equipment and delivered all of it to my daughter in Atlanta. She has shown an interest in Acrylics and watercolors – so the baton is hers – tadaa. I have no regrets – “if at first you don’t succeed try something else.” I’m now devoting time to my my photography, cooking, and working as a cashier at Ye Olde Thrift Shop – three pleasing pastimes.

If you want to see some of my waterdcolors you can visit:

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/568107651OvYVjt

Au revoir for now (sorry but my German is not so gud) ]]> donmarchand http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=244 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=243 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:48:03 GMT Saturday, May 17, 2008


"Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened."

- Winston Churchill


I was just thinking of life in general, and mine in particular.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ve been climbing the “mountain of life” for 75 years, and now I’m at the very top and ready to go down. Seventy-five years and when I look at the bottom it’s only 10 feet down! All that energy to have gone almost 10 feet high is pretty stupid. Somehow the meaning of life escapes me – thank you Monty Python.

But (never start a sentence with a preposition, or is that a conjunction?), now that I’m at the top I just don’t want to look back at a 76 year-old road. Why? I just don’t want to be reminded of all the thousands of stupid things I’ve done. Now, at the “twilight” of life, I’m given the opportunity of thinking of lots of "claptrap" I’ve learned – and believe me most of it has been the hard way (read lots and lots of mistakes), and lots of good things too, of course.

At this point I think I’ve earned the right to be called a “sage.” I have been given that great honor by “ME!” As a sage I am now able to simplify life by giving you simplistic rules on “living.” Here are a quick few to start with:

PHILOSOPHY:

A few years ago I bought a book on “The World’s Greatest Philosophers.” Did you know that most of them committed suicide? Well, they did. So the best advice here is not to think if you can help it. The more you think the more the black and white of life becomes all gray. You then begin to think that there are really problems we aren’t smart enough to find solutions for. Example: Lots of people in the world are starving and dying for lack of food. Find a solution to grow and distribute more food, and soon all these people are now procreating, bringing forth more and more children, and then there will not be enough food to feed these new people. There are thousands of these conundrums. Avoid frying your brain - stop thinking!

War:

There will always be war – and there will never be world peace – so don’t sweat it. There is a very small part of the male brain that forces us to fight first – and if you're lucky enough to survive the fight - you just might be able to talk later . Since the beginning of time men have fought (read war) for everything.

Two Neanderthals meet for the first time – and obviously one of them has stepped into the territory of the other. They both carry big sticks.

“Hello, my name is Org. I’m sorry to bother you, but I thought I might borrow some fire, since the rain put my fire out. I’ve traveled fifty moons and suns, and you’re the first person I’ve run into.”

“Up yours, Org, you stepped into my territory – WHACK!”

And to this day men haven’t learned to talk or negotiate first! WHACK! But we’re lucky now – no more big sticks – nuclear wars are much better. One of these days we will elect some jerk who inadvertently lies on the red button while doing something with an intern and blows up the world. Don’t laugh, it could happen. Cuban cigar anyone?

Luck (good and bad):

Except for the fact that I know how to use a screwdriver and hammer, a computer, a TV remote, know where the nearest Starbucks is, and drive a car without killing myself, all those supposed skills would be pretty useless if I had I been born as part of some nomadic tribe on the Serengeti Plain. It’s just dumb luck that I’m white, born to good parents, and lived when I did. I don’t think I have any greater skills than others who have been born in the wrong place. I can think of hundreds of places where I might have been born and ended up in some place in the world picking up spilled poop behind a “Honey Wagon.” So if you think you’re brighter and smarter than others think again – it’s just dumb luck that you're where you are. You could have a higher IQ than Einstein, but ended up tending a flock of Sacred Cows on some god-awful street in some remote town in India. What kind of luck is that, my friend?

Men and Woman:

Men and women are different animals – period! I’m convinced that if women ruled the world there wouldn’t be any wars. Read “Men are from Mars, Women are from Hell" (oops, I mean Venus) by Dr. John Gray. If you read and believe what's said in this book most of your problems with women (or men) will disappear (not all – but lots).

Politics:

Believe it or not someone has to run things. It’s the way it’s been done since civilization began, and not everything has to be Democratic. Give a million uneducated people guns and liquor without some political structure and you will have anarchy, and no one will survive. (Hell, I think I’ve been describing West Virginia). I honestly believe in politics, but only if I get involved. How, you say? For starters how about reading and understanding the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. How will you ever know what rights are being taken away from you if you don’t know what your rights are? My suggestion is that you vote – it’s that simple. If your candidate wins – all well and good, and if he or she loses you can moan and groan – but regardless you are part of the process.

Religion:

Most people laugh at the concept that early man idolized fire. Well, at least they could see what they were idolizing – and while they were seeing “spirits” in the fire they could at least roast marshmallows or dead rodents on a stick. A million years later we are now so sophisticated that we build huge temples where people gather to worship something they can’t see; looking up to the ceiling or down at their shoes for someone who they say is everywhere. My view is that you would be much better off sitting on the toilet – where there is some modicum of quiet – and contemplate what you can’t see. I think I’m going to start a new religion – Toileterians (tax exempt of course). There are obvious advantages to being a Toileterian - you can contemplate your navel or big toe – since it’s only between you and God – and don’t you think that God picks his nose while waiting at a stop sign? He’s a guy, for Pete’s sake! There are many more advantages to being a Toileterian, but for the time being I’ll let you contemplate them. Please - if you're religious have a sense of humor - I just might be right. If I'm wrong I'll be a hot dog in your barbecue.

Art:

I think there are several types of Art. Here are three of my favorites:

Stupid

?????? (Also known as "what the hell is that?"

Commercial

and I Like It.

Stupid Art: There are people who actually buy and display art done by elephants, worms, and the latest I’ve seen is Tiger Woods hitting paint balls onto a canvass wall – and someone will buy it! Stupid art for stupid people (except of course if you really like paint ball art - whose to say?).

What the hell is that art: A few years ago I walked into the Museum of Modern Art in Chicago and before me was a large wall – and hung on the wall was a canvass about 10 feet by 40 feet. ???? . It was all white - the only thing not white was the artist's signature! Incredible - and some art expert had taken the time to explain this painting in some esoteric way. Wow. Although I like most art, and many of the abstracts were interesting – if any of these were displayed at a garage sale you wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot Pollock (that's Jason Pollock in case you didn't know).

Commercial art: There is a world of art dealers and critics who do nothing except take mediocre or crap art and through writing and marketing convince people that the art is “priceless.” Rich people buy this “art”, but because its “priceless” they have copies made and put the originals away. This junk is not art – just investments to be bought and sold. I'm absolutely enamored with a painting of 40 Campbell soup cans. You can buy the original for 48 trillion dollars.

My last category is "I Like It": Don’t let anyone tell you that what you like in art isn’t art – that’s bunk. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If it’s dog residue on top of a bunch of grapes and you like it – that’s all that matters – period. Enjoy!

Money:

Money is neat stuff. Before money you had to drag around bags full of cabbages, lettuce, cod pieces, live and dead chickens, pigs feet, etc. to barter with. With money you can pay people to drag these things around for you. Nice to have money isn’t it?

Well, that’s if for now – but let the “Sage” know what you would like me to comment on and I’ll put them in my next blog.

Ciao (that’s goodbye in Eskimo) ]]> donmarchand http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=243 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=242 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:23:12 GMT Monday, February 4, 2008 Good morning class. What a nice group we have – all eager to study economics – usually a very dull subject replete with... Monday, February 4, 2008


Good morning class. What a nice group we have – all eager to study economics – usually a very dull subject replete with charts, graphs, and lots of math. But, the next few classes are going to be fun! Using GSL, we strip economics down to its basic structure. Like all good economics courses we’re going to use case studies to illustrate the concepts of GSL.

Our first discussion is on “Recession” because that’s what we are in today. We rate a recession, not as a word, but as a simple little chart:

Chart 1:

Degrees of recession:

1 is very very mild . > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >10 is catastrophic.

(See depression on Wikipedia)

(End of chart)

We are now in phase 5 (which means you should be reasonably afraid – but do not have to change your pants just yet.) Phase 5 means hundreds of thousands will lose their homes, millions will be in credit card default, the housing industry and U.S. car industry will poop in their beds, and as many small business will go “poof.”

Let me try to splain. In the very old days (about 15 years ago) – when you wanted to buy a house or a car, you usually marched (or slumped hat in hand) to your local bank and asked for a loan. The bank, because it was their money (or if you were a depositor it was partly your money), did a background check on you to make sure your employment history was solid, and you could afford to make the payments. They also wanted you to put some of your money down so that if you defaulted it would hurt you as well as the bank, and probably a lot more since you would have to declare bankruptcy, which was a stigma you didn’t want on your record. They checked every reference, and if they could would have taken your child as collateral.

Chart 2 (word chart}:

“No money – not funny – No house you louse”

shorted to “No Mon – No Fun”

(End of chart)

One magical day Wall Street decided there was lots of money to be made in the mortgage business! The “brains,” in their infinite wisdom, went into the mens room and came out with a marvelous plan.

“Hello, Mr. Banker, do we have a sure-fire money-making venture for you. We know that you are not normally greedy, but how about this?”

“When a customer walks into your bank you fill out the paperwork, you charge all sorts of fees and closing costs. The neat part of this is that you don’t have to lend your money! You become a processor of paperwork – and no risk for you - you keep all the closing costs you can think of - pots of money of you for very little work.. How’s that for a great idea bunky!”

“Oh, by the way, you will also be pleased to know that we also devised another great plan (see scheme in Chapter 3 of “How to get people to spend – no money needed)” in the Wall Street publication “How to Make More and More Money from the Unwary.” For every person who signs up for a credit card, you get a percentage of what we charge. We take it out of fees we charge businesses and usurious fees to people who buy but don’t pay right away; great for you, great for us.”

“The Street” took these mortgages, millions of them, and put them in piles, Then they took each pile, put it together in million dollar (or more) investments, and sold each pile to really big investors. These “investments” were guaranteed to return a steady stream of money. What a deal! You couldn’t find out who had your mortgage – "none of your business.” The banks, of course, also gave credit cards to everyone – including your dog!

Well, I won’t belabor the point – you’re all pretty smart anyway – since the banks and mortgage companies didn’t lend their own money – they didn’t give a (what’s another word for really stinky manure?), about checking the information on the applications; money flowed from the font of love, prices sky rocketed for housing, your house was worth so much more than what you paid for it, and banks were more than happy to lend you money on your equity. What a deal!

Then the housing market crashed and little by little people couldn’t pay – and the housing bubble went “boom!” but the boom sounded like air out of this enormous tire (pssssssit). In the proverbial words of Corn Furious the “Fit hit the Shan” and we are in Phase 5. It’s a little more complicated than that of course – but you get the gist. From the immortal words from me:

Chart 3:

“Every Bubble must break”

(End of chart)

Chart 4:

* Buy House for $150,000 with $10,000 down. You owe bank $140,000with easy payments based on prime rate – 2% - your payments were based on the 2% plus another 3% = 5%
* Two years later house worth $300,000 (yippee)
* You borrow $50,000 from equity. Bank happy to lend you money. You now owe bank $190,000 (interest still cheap)
* You buy new car, take vacation, HDTV, and braces for kid. Housing boom go psssssssit – prime rate now 6% - your payments 9% - House value back to $150,000. You continue to spend on credit cards so you meet payments on other stuff. You no can pay house payments - you no can sell house – bye bye house. Bye bye credit score.
*

Buy curtains for car – you may have to live in it.

(end simple chart)



Oh oh, there goes the bell – we’ll continue this tomorrow, when we talk about

“The Government to the Rescue - DUH” ]]> donmarchand http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=242 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=241 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:15:11 GMT Saturday, February 2, 2008 Through the years, and especially recently, I’ve started to seriously wonder how much of ME is really me. If you... Saturday, February 2, 2008


Through the years, and especially recently, I’ve started to seriously wonder how much of ME is really me. If you think that’s a strange thought hear me out – then make up your own mind as to your own uniqueness.

I’ll lead up to my premise slowly.

My father came from a large family (13 children). All of them were short; my father was 4’10” in his stocking feet, and I think as he got older he got shorter and shorter. The men were bald and the women were, to be frank, on the cusp of ugly. All of the children looked exactly like my great-grandfather except one aunt – who fortunately looked and acted like my grandmother. She was the only daughter who got married!

All of the boys were intelligent, fiery, loved to argue, had a booze gene (my grandfather was a binge drinker), and hard workers. But here’s something about them that is perhaps more interesting, they were all kind, protective, strong family men, argumentative, and above all never bore a grudge against anyone. It seemed as if they were dumped into the world with the same wiring. “Yes Otto, connect that part with the loose wire, believe me, I’ve done this family at least 12 times. We have to be consistent.”

When I was born I came out of the void looking just like my father (fortunately is few up to be much taller). I have to tell you I was a pretty ugly baby – a miniature Mahatma Gandhi. Not that my dad looked like Gandhi (just a metaphor).

Somehow Otto was still working in the same old job when he connected me up. He connected all the loose wires and came up with ME – a pretty close clone of my dad. I look at my hands and I see my father, and look into the mirror and I see his eyes, and when I get passionate or angry I feel his temperament. I’m not certain what percentage of me is not really me, but genetics from the old family tree are there for all to see.

Then, there is environment. I’m not absolutely certain, but I don’t think Otto connected many mommy wires to me. I’m not a bit like my mother in a genetic sense, nor have any of her family traits. None of her family had much in the way of humor genes; very straight-laced. My mother, in her defense, was the most honest and the most loving parent that ever lived (except of course your own mother; one side note here - she could carry a grudge to her grave). Not that my father didn’t have wonderful traits, just that mom's beliefs were so much stronger. My mother was not, in any sense, a religious fanatic, but was a deeply religious Catholic – to her very last breath. So, a lot of me today is also based on my environment in my formative years. Interestingly enough, I don't bear grudges - must be my extremely short memory.

Just a wild guess at this point, but I feel that 40% of me is genetic (don’t sweat the figures, just a guess); would also fathom that another 30% is early environment. (By the way, if you don’t believe that environment plays a part in your makeup, just read about the Hitler Youth movement or today’s Muslim schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan). “Get them while they’re young!”

And now for the last 30%. Perhaps 10% of that is my personality based on years and years of fighting my genetics and environment. From Catholic to agnostic – long and hard fight; “Your country right or wrong” to “Love democracy but don’t trust your government;” “Live Free or Die!” to “Hold on there pardner, can we talk about this?”; “If you’re against the war, your un-American!” to “Hold on Cheney, put one finger in your ear and one in your tochas, then switch! (oops, sorry Dick – that was un-American).

My flossaphy is quite simple – You can love your friends or family, but perhaps not like some of the things they do - isn't that normal? If that’s true, then why can’t I love my country but not like some of the things it does? ("it’s Guantanamo for you – jerk-off"); am I getting too political here?

I would venture to guess that the remaining 20% of me is influenced of by my environment after my childhood. It’s your guess as to whether that 20% is good or bad – don’t ask me – I haven’t a clue.

So, dear one, if you don’t like my religious views, take it up with mom (she didn't approve of them either; my politics?, (dad was a Democrat and mom was a Republican) – see dad; my cynicism, see me. But please remember, there isn’t a lot of me that’s Me!

BTW - my dad and mom are in the spirit world now, so if you need to speak to them just dial 1-800-OHI-ICGOD.

Keep smiling.

Don ]]> donmarchand http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=241 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=239 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:32:23 GMT (Originally written January 2008) prior the the Health Care debacle: For those of you who don’t know, I live in a place far far away . . . in a... (Originally written January 2008) prior the the Health Care debacle:

For those of you who don’t know, I live in a place far far away . . . in a magic place for geezers called The Villages, Fl. It’s a great place to live, honestly.

Seventy-thousand older people with at least 90 percent over the age of “nearer my god to thee.” Almost everyone here owns their home outright, almost as many golf carts as cars (or maybe more). What is so wonderful is that some outrageous number of them are Republicans (read conservative), and many watch Fox News and a lot of radios tuned to Rush Limbaugh. A great deal of them don’t cook (restaurants galore), and they have (for the most part) money to spend.
I have four children who live in the "real" world - believe me the Villages if not the real world - not by a long shot.

I’ve lived here for over seven years and haven’t regretted a day of it – up in the morning to sunshine – almost everyone waves at you (the village wave) – which signals “have a nice day!”) There is one funeral homes here (and no children) and I believe no one wants to be reminded that the “spirit world” will be upon them sooner than later. The only reality of that is probably Sunday morning when the churches here are filled to the brim – I assume that since there is very little they can do to break the commandments at their age, forgiveness from the Almighty is ezeeee to get. Of course it’s much more difficult for an agnostic to seek forgiveness since the only ones who can absolve them are real people and they are a tough bunch to satisfy – a crown of thorns is not enough.

A few generalizations about people in The Villages: Most of them have led productive lives, many of them as blue collar workers. They raised families, paid taxes, and had the normal problems – financial and otherwise. Most of them never complained about taxes as long as they were for schools, roads, and wars . . . good, upstanding, giving Americans - more liberal than conservative.

And then the two magic pills appeared that transformed them into conservatives!

Pill #1 – Social Security

The day your first Social Security check arrives is the first milestone. If you weren't interested in your government or voting it struck you over the head that you now had a stake in the government – and now became part of the “poof heads on social security.” Your theme now becomes “Don’t screw with Social Security.” If you’re not old enough to remember there was a presidential candidate named Goldwater – who, while running for president – said that Social Security had to be fixed. The electorate hung him up to dry – and Goldie is now with his maker – and a lesson learned by others running for office – don’t fool around with my SocSec.

Pill #2

Your 65th birthday has arrived. Medicare is here!!!!!!!

This is the best, most wonderful program ever invented by politicians – bar none.

Never mind, please, that between the Iraq war and Medicare, this nation will be broke before you can say Rumpel . . . Rumplesk . . . oh never mind.

I think it’s wonderful that I (we) get such a great gift from working Americans (if you’re not working you’re not paying taxes, right?) Am I bitching about this wonderful gift – no and yes. No because I’ve had two major operations in the last eight years and have had to pay almost nothing. I was able, thanks to Medicare, to be able to keep my house, wife, dog, car, golf cart, SocSec, and my Ira. What could be better? So, mister politician – don’t you dare do anything to my Medicare! And now listen here – I paid taxes for schools etc. while I was working and had kids – but now it’s different – my new battle cry is “No more taxes!”

What am I complaining about then?

How about the family whose husband (or wife) or both become unemployed? Do I have to be a liberal to feel that a family who is in desperate straights has to make decisions to buy food, pay rent, or buy medical insurance? Hmmmmmmmm . . . “well darling, we just won’t buy as much beer this month.” Our conservative approach seems to have punched a large hole in this safety net. They’ll just have to wait until they get old to get that extra money to survive. Am I pushing for Universal Health Care? Of course I am. Will people cheat to beat the system? Of course they will? Will you hear stories about those who cheat? You bet. Will you hear stories about people who don’t cheat and absolutely need health care? Of course not!

I have tons and tons of stories I could tell you about welfare cheaters – all second hand of course. So and so “saw” someone on their cell phone while cashing out with food stamps at Pulbix, and then she got into a nice convertible and drove off! Or, “I heard of a guy who actually sold the family food stamps to buy drugs! Can you imagine that?”

For you ordinary taxpayers, wait for the pills.

Oooops – I just saw smoke coming out of my ears – have to call the fire department.

Have a nice day! ]]> donmarchand http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=239 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=234 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:03:49 GMT May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be ever at your back May the sun shine warm upon your face And the rain fall softly on your fields And... May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be ever at your back May the sun shine warm upon your face And the rain fall softly on your fields And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

Raise a glass to the Lion of the Senate. May his soul rest in Peace. He will be missed. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=234 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=224 Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:59:17 GMT I have never blogged before, so I am going to give this a try. My husband and I plan on moving to the Villages, when, depends on the sale of our... I have never blogged before, so I am going to give this a try.

My husband and I plan on moving to the Villages, when, depends on the sale of our home. We will have one more winter in CT and then will be Florida bound.

I am both excited and scared about the drastic change this will entail; but hopefully all will go smooth.

We did a preview last March and fell in love with the people and the life style. I have decided the Courtyard Patio Villa is what I like.

Hoping to chat soon

Kathleen ]]> Kathleen 44 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=224 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=219 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:11:51 GMT I understand the concept of Siesta. Northerners don’t nap. They work right through the afternoon and don’t think twice about it. They (we) harshly... I understand the concept of Siesta. Northerners don’t nap. They work right through the afternoon and don’t think twice about it. They (we) harshly judge those with their hats pulled over their eyes and their chair rocked back against the wall in the middle of the work day. I now understand that this kind of unrelenting heat sucks the life out of you unless you pace yourself.

I have been thinking about how I used to work in the plant when the temperature rose to the high 80’s outside, inside near the ovens it was often over 100 degrees. We were supposed to be sent home if the temperature got over 110, but if you were caught with a thermometer on site, you got walked out. Our plant had no air conditioning, but those days of sweltering heat could be counted on one hand most summers. This summer in Florida has been HOT, day after day. I am not complaining. I still have the luxury of air conditioning and siesta if I choose.

The devilish uncertainty of a career in the auto industry has reared its ugly head again this week. Just when we thought that the worst was behind us, the rug gets pulled out again. General Motors has just emerged from bankruptcy, only to announce that they will not keep their promise to take the retirees back from ailing Delphi. We worked for GM for over 28 of the 30 years of our careers, but still may not receive a pension from GM.

This atmosphere of eminent doom is not new to us. When we were hired, we endured threats that we would not make our 90 days (often GM would lay workers off on their 89th day to avoid paying holiday pay). We then struggled through the years of the oil embargo. I spent my 5th and most of my 6th year on lay off. The spin off of the component divisions to the new Delphi Corporation was unsettling. It was especially hard to watch as the mother corporation squeezed all of the profits out of her orphaned plants, while developing off shore strategies, and duel sources (planned obsolescence). Four years ago our struggling corporation was forced by its parent company into bankruptcy and we all were sent off to an early retirement, with the promise that if we went, GM would take care of the pension obligation.

Last week my benefits were slashed and my pension was taken over by the government. Whoopee! Here we go again. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=219 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=212 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:09:57 GMT "We endanger the democracy by our failure to understand and carry out our responsibility."

Walter Cronkite

You will be missed! ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=212 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=205 Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:49:20 GMT *The July 4th week is always a busy one here in TV. Guests, picnics, parades etc. All of the kids flew in. A storm of changes are in the wind for... The July 4th week is always a busy one here in TV. Guests, picnics, parades etc. All of the kids flew in. A storm of changes are in the wind for all of them. This economy has brought upheaval to so many peoples lives, and the burden seems especially heavy on the generation that is entering the workforce today. Erika is safely home and rested after her trip, and my youngest is getting ready for a complete change of lifestyle. The cousins (Steph and Brian) also came in to visit and it looks like change is in the cards for them too.

Erika has recently completed her teaching degree. She is going to work on a City council race in NYC for the election season. She cannot find a teaching job here in Florida, (or anywhere else) as there is a moratorium on hiring right now. She sees this as a good thing, for now, as it allows her to follow some long time dreams. She has always wanted to live in NYC and about to do it, and she has been interested in the Peace Corps and is looking into that option. She has a good friend that has taken a job in southern California, and she may get a chance to spend some time with her on the West coast. When you get lemons, make lemonade.

My youngest, Briana has been living in Ohio and driving the big rigs. She has made the difficult decision to leave the job and go back to school. Although the money was good the job was very hard and involved long hours and her health was already beginning to suffer. She was also away from family and friends and that has become too much for her to tolerate. She has a year of college completed in criminal justice but has decided to try the health care profession for a change. She will be moving back in with us and that will be an adjustment for all of us. I look forward to having her here with me but am also aware of the challenges moving an adult child back into her parent’s home will bring.

My Niece, Stephanie is a victim of the auto industry collapse. She worked at the same plant that we are retired from. This plant supported Lockport, a small town in western NY, and employed over 11,000 people when we started in 1976. It is now down to around 1500 employees and her job is gone. She would like to move down here to Florida because she feels like Lockport is dying. Steph has noticed that crime is up and it seems like something new is being boarded up everyday. She has qualified for retraining under the stimulus plan and is going to welding school next month. I worry about where this generation will be if manufacturing does not rebound.

Her brother, Brian, recently landed an entry level job at a bank and has given up his dream of going to St Bonaventure to study Forensic Science. Fortunately, the bank offers an opportunity to go to business school. That is not what he intended to do but in this economy sometimes you have to do the practical thing, and sadly let a dream go for now.

If there was historically an upside to war it was the economic prosperity that followed. In the past, a war time economy was fueled by steel and weapons production, but now those industries are all off shore. We should all be worried about the larger implications of this dependency on tentative relationships with foreign producers (like China). If these relationships sour, where will we turn? Remember Rosie the Riveter? Where will she work? ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=205 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=193 Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:21:35 GMT *Paris* Last leg of the trip. We have been finishing the Paris attractions; Erika pouted all through France the last time we were here because she... Paris

Last leg of the trip. We have been finishing the Paris attractions; Erika pouted all through France the last time we were here because she didn’t see the Mona Lisa. We should not judge her too harshly as she was only 12 years old. We visited the Louvre this trip and she no longer has reason to pout. We sat in Cafes and drank Champagne and judged the people on the street. This seems to be a sport second only to Football (Soccer).

We traveled to Versailles today and it was too much walking for me. We are packing and on our way back to the bubble. It has been a great trip; my only regret is that I didn’t get to see Claudia and her family. I relentlessly tried right up until today with no success. It is much harder to get around here than I thought it would be.

Back Over the Atlantic

One of my favorite parts of traveling is reflection of the trip. The plane trip home was grueling, but it allows time for reflection. European life is very different in many ways. The sights were awesome, and the history mind blowing. The depths of the roots that define the culture make me feel like a newborn transient. I was amazed by the churches that were built before the birth of Christ. The casual manner that the guides commented on buildings and parks that were designed thousands of years ago challenged my perspective of time and space. You see, in my world nothing is more than a few decades old, even our most historic places go back only a couple of hundred years.

The best way to appreciate what you have is to leave it for a bit. As much as I enjoy travel it only serves to prove how conveniently we live here in TV. My whole life is set up for me. Selfish as that sounds it is nice to return to a lifestyle that is extremely easy. We Americans love conveniences. The simple things that I enjoy taking for granted were difficult to come by over seas. Cold water or iced drinks of any kind were simply unavailable. Affordable shopping for everything in one store is a concept that is absent. Public bathrooms were not available or you had to pay to use a unisex hole in the floor on a very busy street corner. I found myself descending narrow winding staircases in restaurants, into centuries old stone basements to find tiny storage rooms that doubled for WC’s (water closets).

If you can imagine, no golf carts! Everyone walked. Parking would have been impossible so we relied on trains, busses, and taxis. Public transportation was confusing and expensive.

I enjoyed the leisurely way people lingered in cafés for hours. It is a luxury that we Americans seldom allow ourselves. A cup of espresso or a glass of wine could buy you a choice viewing spot for literally hours of conversation and people watching. Drinking, smoking and judging passersby’s was Erika’s take on the past time. I read somewhere the average time for a meal in France is 1 hour and 20 minutes: that same meal in the US averaged 11 minutes.

Erika will continue the journey on her own. She is a big history aficionado (geek), and will go on to visit Switzerland, Germany, Amsterdam and England. I envy her courage to travel to such unfamiliar places alone, but will breathe a sigh of relief when she touches down at Orlando International. She reminds me often that she is a “big girl”, but I still find it hard to let the birdies fly on their own. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=193 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=192 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:25:16 GMT *_Livorno _* This is the stop for Florence and Pisa. Erika took a bus to Pisa and Elaine went into Livorno to shop. This small coastal city had... Livorno

This is the stop for Florence and Pisa. Erika took a bus to Pisa and Elaine went into Livorno to shop. This small coastal city had good bargain shopping and Gelato to die for.

Free style cruising is true if by that you mean that nothing is free. We are feeling “Nickel and dimed” by the NCL line, every time you turn around there is an up charge. This is turning an affordable vacation into a costly one.

I had a talk with myself to not let that ruin our good time so today we are doing our best to get some of it back, by doing everything offered on board. We talked the cruise director into buying our dinner at the Specialty Restaurant of our choice (we were sworn to secrecy on this so don’t tell), ate four times, smuggled a bottle of Vodka into the Ship, saw two shows, one by an international star (loved by millions), played the Quest game, and brought a spa robe back to the room. So there!

Canes, France

We are back in France for the last stop at Canes. The famous film festival has just ended. The French Rivera is beautiful and much cleaner than the stops in Italy. Monte Carlo was also this stop but the ship left Port at 3PM, and we got a late start (cause we’re late night people now).

We stopped for lunch at a street side café’ called the melting pot. I thought I’d try a French dish called pasta and sausage. It turned out to plain spaghetti (no sauce), and two hot dogs. I got thinking about the starving guys back home. We sort of, had the same thing as you yesterday, ravioli, ours with goat cheese and a nice cream sauce and yours out of a can by chef Boyardee. I’ll be home soon.

This is our last night on the Ship. We are going to Paris for three nights and then back home. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=192 http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=190 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:20:14 GMT *_Napoli _* We visited Naples today. The city is densely populated and chaotic. It sits at the base of Mt Vesuvius, and the views of the Seacoast... Napoli
We visited Naples today. The city is densely populated and chaotic. It sits at the base of Mt Vesuvius, and the views of the Seacoast are breathtaking. The tour bus company was unorganized and frustrating, and the first bus route that we took sat mostly in uptown traffic and smelled of smog. The second loop, however, took us on a trip with views I will always remember.

We are having a great time on board. I gambled a bit and made a deal with Erika that she could have the $100 dollar bill or let me take it into the casino and she could keep whatever I won. She chose the casino, and came away with a cool $180. We are all pretty amazed at the late nights we are keeping. We found an acoustic guitar player doing a Beatles night at the Star Bar and stayed out until nearly midnight. Wow! Erika has so far resisted our suggestions that she attend the single functions on the ship, and she seems totally unaware of how the beautiful Italian men are enamored by her.

The weather is perfect, and the Internet still is terrible. Over half done with our trip, see you all soon! On to Rome.


Rome

I stayed at the Spa all day, and had the place to myself. Erika and Elaine went into Rome “on their own”. The cruise ship excursions are expensive but they allow you to cut through long lines to see the sights. They covered a lot of ground but it only served to wet Erika’s interest in going back for a better look. They teamed up with a nice couple from Pennsylvania, and only got ripped off by one cabbie.

The entertainment on the ship has been first class. The magician tonight was Vegas caliber, and the Second City Touring Company was a hoot. We have seen a variety of great dancers and musicians to suit any taste. From string quartets to marimba phone players, one was better than the next. ]]> cglenhar http://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/blog.php?b=190