November 2017

M a n o r   P l a c e   P o s t S c r i p t

Your village blog ...

Thanks for stopping by the PostScript, your village blog. 

This month we take a look at some sage advice for retirees, GRANDkids coming to visit and a website that can save us all some money and who doesn't like to save a little money.  Check out the Retiree Advice, things to do when your grandkids come to visit and 'thriftyfun'!  Some good ideas, suggestions and fun reading!  

I hope you take a minute to view the Manor Place PostScript.  As always, please let me know if you have suggestions or ideas that you would like me to post information about that would pertain to our village and its' residents. This is your Village Blog!  

REMINDER - Manor Place Village ongoing Charity

Save your pull tabs from soda and other cans then deliver them to Brian and Judy Neville's home located at 2386 Portmarnoch Ln.  There is a collection box at the front door. After the tabs are weighed, the money is given to Ronald McDonald House.  This is a year-round endeavor. Thank you to our residents for continued support of this fundraising venture!

Cheers,

~ Gayle Luth 

The thriftyfun website @ www.thrifty fun.com 
provides lots of ways to save a little money.  Click on the link and it will take you to the site. There is interesting information for Holidays and Parties.  There is something for everyone including Food and Recipes, Make Your Own, Photos, Weddings, Home and Garden, tips for saving money and so much more at Thriftyfun! 

Advice for retirees ...

A friend sent me this excellent list for aging and retirement. . . and I have to agree it's good advice to follow.  I think we will all find some benefit reading this list!

 1. It’s time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it.  Don’t just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard-earned capital. Warning: This is also a bad time for investments, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries. This is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

2. Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad spending your money on yourself. You’ve taken care of them for many years, and you’ve taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

3. Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well and get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed.

4. Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together.

5. Don’t stress over the little things. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.

6. Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: “A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.”

7. Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.

8. Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. There’s nothing worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.

9. ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You’ll be surprised what old friends you’ll meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with the people you know is important at any age.

10. Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but they are the future, and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday’s wisdom still applies today.

11. Never use the phrase: “In my time.” Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.

12. Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it’ll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you older and harder to be around.

13. Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. If you’ve lost your partner (our deepest condolences), then find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live alone.

14. Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf. You can paint, volunteer or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real time having fun with it.

15. Even if you don’t feel like it, try to accept invitations. Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings, conferences. Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). But don’t get upset when you’re not invited. Some events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a field. Get out there.

16. Be a conversationalist. Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on about the past, not caring if their listeners are really interested. That’s a great way of reducing their desire to speak with you. Listen first and answer questions, but don’t go off into long stories unless asked to. Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are. Everyone is going through the same things, and people have a low tolerance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as well.

17. Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not who you are, they are something that life added to you. If they become your entire focus, you lose sight of the person you used to be.

18. If you’ve been offended by someone – forgive them. If you’ve offended someone - apologize. Don’t drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn’t matter who was right. Someone once said: “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Don’t take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life.

19. If you have a strong belief, savor it. But don’t waste your time trying to convince others. They will make their own choices no matter what you tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live your faith and set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.

20. Laugh. Laugh A LOT. Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life. But you did. So what’s not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.

21. Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking. They’ll do it anyway, and you should have pride in yourself and what you’ve achieved. Let them talk and don’t worry. They have no idea about your history, your memories and the life you’ve lived so far. There’s still much to be written, so get busy writing and don’t waste time thinking about what others might think. Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be!

Fun with GRANDkids

 21 FUN 
(AND NEARLY FREE) 
ACTIVITIES

Have the "there's nothing to do" doldrums ever invaded your family? I've known it to strike, without warning, on cloudy days, rainy days, holidays, and weekends.
What's a grandparent to do without sacrificing next week's grocery budget for a good time?
Here are some time-and-kid-tested fun and nearly free possibilities. Your only "rule" is that kids do the work and you participate, not as a grandparent, however, but as one of the kids. (Of course you'll need to keep a watchful eye on the little ones.) Not only will you be encouraging creativity, you'll be making memories.

1. Go on a nature scavenger hunt (or nature sighting) in the backyard, the park or seashore. With list in hand (which you'll need to make challenging enough for each child), seek out animal paw prints in the dirt, a pine cone, a pink pebble, or an acorn.
2. Take a walk in a new part of town. Stop in a park for lunch or a snack.
3. Teach the kids a dance you did as a teenager. Disco? The twist? The hokey-pokey?
4. Make mud pies and decorate them with expendable twigs, flowers and leaves. 
5. Plant a garden, even if you're using pots on the window sill.
6. Clone each other. (You might want to call this "making paper angels.) Tape sheets of newspaper (or paper from a large art pad) and make the length of each child. Have each child lie down on the paper (the kitchen floor will work best) and using a washable marker, trace the child's outline. Cut out the "angel" and then using newsprint color and design faces, clothing and jewelry that is then taped to the angel. If you like, include those angel wings, too. Tape the finished art to the wall. Everyone will be amazed at their "real" size.
7. Place kitchen chairs in a line and create a train. Go for a magical ride.
8. Look over old photo albums and talk about when Nana, Pops, Mommy or Daddy were just married or the kids were babies. Share stories of "back then." Have the kids share their oldest memories.
9. Collect all the "junk" jewelry you can find in your jewelry box or acquire more from garage sales (discarding those things with sharp edges, points or small parts). Put on the jewelry and tell magical tales of brave women and men, all with enchanted abilities, of course.
10. Get out blankets and make a tent over kitchen chairs. Eat lunch or a snack inside. This is especially fun at night when you can turn off the lights and take flash lights inside.
11. Cook or try an ethnic food. Talk about it's history and the culture from which it comes.
12. Learn a bit of sign language and talk with your hands. Boys and girls love to know "secret" hand signals. Your library has books for adults and children on American Sign Language.
13. Learn some foreign phrases.
14. Get a simple book on astronomy and study the stars. The skies are alive with magic heros and mythical creatures.
15. Re-tell a favorite book or story with a child as the main character.
16. Ask about children/parent volunteer possibilities in your community. Participate in an activity that is age appropriate for your grandchild/children.
17. Have a tea party. Make tiny sandwiches (peanut butter and jelly works, cucumber does too). Be sure to remove the crusts, get out the china and serve "tea" (juice, hot chocolate and hot apple cider are perfect substitutes). Make sure the table includes flowers and special napkins. When everything is ready, change into dress up clothes or tea party costumes; old hats with ribbons tied on the brim increase the fun. Pretend you're all at a fancy tea party.
18. Pretend to be a tourist and visit the cultural or notable places in your town. Ask your librarian for a book on the area before hand so you and the grandkids can "study up."
19. Lying on a blanket or the grass, look up at the clouds. Tell stories about the clouds.
20. Take a long car ride with no expectations or particular destinations. Do it at sunrise, twilight or at night. Swap stories, jokes and secrets. Listen to music. Be together.
21. Be sure to share with your grandkids the free-and-fun activities that your parents and grandparents shared with you.

Eva Shaw, Ph.D., is a mother, grandmother, educator and author of the acclaimed book, For the Love of Children. The book is a treasure trove of quotes, quips, and practical advice celebrating children and the people who love them. Shaw's book is easy to read, quotable, uplifting, and fun. $11.95. Copyright ©1998 by Eva Shaw. Available in bookstores or order from the publisher Health Communications, Inc.