The new rage on how to age with grace.

Who can touch their toes?

As you are on the way down traveling south past your new hip, you might bypass the pins and screws in your knee or perhaps an ankle. 

Destination our newly coiffed toe nails. We stopped at “Dr. You Nailed This,” before we picked up six bialys to freeze from The Boys.

We change our shirt, put on some lipstick and get ready to meet our canasta group at Poppies for the early bird dinner/lunch for tomorrow.

 We ask to have our table changed  a few times as the A/C was  blowing right on us. We put on our new cardigan sweater we got at the Flea Market on Sample Rd. 

After we pool our medical updates and order a cocktail we ask for the bread to be heated. We then wait for 20 minutes until we see our waiter again. Ok then, the conversation ensues with a new pill for this, a new procedure for that. As long as our “funny bone” is intact- we got this. A tennis game, a round of golf a pilates class or two. 

We acclimate to the “back nine” with our new cataract less foresight, becoming our new hindsight. 

So just for today we will put on our prescription less rose colored glasses. We will go to the we got lucky dept. at Bloomingdales and be grateful when we get a text that a table opened up at the new Mediterranean restaurant on Federal Highway. They give us all the hummus and Baba ganoush we can eat as we watch the belly dancer shake her age appropriate belly fat from table to table. 😎 Next stop fro-yo to claim our free ( after ten times punched on the card) dessert.

Have a great Thursday– aka senior discount day at Publix.

As the days are getting shorter and our time is approaching November 5th with rapid fire speed, help keep our Democracy together and go out and Vote.

It is June 2025 and I am getting ready for my high school graduation. I am graduating with honors and excelled at the top of my class in creative writing. I was bestowed the honor of delivering a speech on my take away of the Covid-19 virus that plagued the world in 2020.

It is 5 years later and although it took the better part of 2 plus years until the eye of the storm subsided, we were left with a brave new world. The last five years have defined our world and my youth in ways that could never have been believed with no preparation in site. We were human shock absorbers. In guinea pig fashion we were isolated in our own boats navigating a storm flooded with fear, rage and no real answers. The virus knew no limits and left its mark on millions of innocent bystanders. We never knew if it was our turn to suffer on the front line of battle. We spent time dodging bullets, while baking blueberry pound cake with our siblings in lockdown mode. There were months on end where no expiration date was just that. As 13 year olds while forming friendships was top of mind, we were concurrently learning to fight an enemy that could come from around any corner, on any block. The streets crowded with people wearing masks was a clear visual of the enemy at hand. As lucky kids, the worst we knew was strep or a wrist sling from breaking a fall on the basketball court. Yet, we came to understand we were now dealing with deregulating the rules of the health cards as we knew them. Belly aches, scrapped knees and irritated gums from braces were mere annoyances compared to what we were up against.

Fast forward and with no braces in sight, I am dressing in a new suit and sporting a tie decorated with happy faces. We survived and are thriving as a vaccine and maintenance program is in place. While overcoming an act of G-d, and a human disaster that has left us with emotional scars, I will address my graduating class today with honor. I will look in the eyes of my friends and know we developed strong friendships in spite of the scariest of times. My take away dear friends is if anyone one of us falls a little behind, we will wait till you catch up. We all started behind the starting line and emerged stronger and knowing together is “hashtag” better.

A chip with a schtickl of cheese,
a dollop of sour cream onion dip yes please.
Come sip a glass of an 8 ounce pour an olive filled with blue cheese.

A martini glass with chilled vodka- what could be bad?

A flat bread a.k.a. bread and cheese -is quite a popular fad.-

So when shifting gears in a community unknown, there is an overwhelming push not to feel alone.
We sign up for some courses, grap a burger at the “bar”.
Fitting into a groove and playing a card game couldn’t be too far.
We sign up for Pilates, practice long and straight with our eye on the ball.

A real who knew as we are waiting -for that “come play a game “call.

We need a fourth for canasta, our mj game needs one more.
We grab our card and mojo and dash quickly out the door.

A brand new group of people, a daunting part of life.
With popularity throughout a lifetime and now another slice.
So we set the alarm for 7:00.
Grab our gear to play 9 holes.
They need a 5th for mah jongg, our calling could be close.
So as we recalibrate priorities and add grateful to the mix.
Woke up and smelled the coffee, refilled our bag of tricks.
Flipped our myopic vision.
Cause a game is just a game.
Yet all in all it’s social.
Acceptance leads the way.
We want to be included cause we are here to stay.
Have a good Monday.

This is just for the moment when we take our eyes off the screen, pick our head up from the daily News and wipe the fear and horror off our faces.

Then one day the sky fell down.
No chicken little warning- the house fell on the witches legs and just like that the emperor had no clothes.

Cinderella lost more than her slipper and the three blind mice could no longer run. Mother Goose stopped singing nursery rhymes and stood by as prisoners exercised around the “mulberry bush.” There were no rainbows and we waited for happier days to be here again-hit it Barbra with an A.

Severus Snape knew that “the dark arts are varied, ever changing and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and more clever than before.”

Even though Tom (Tom and Jerry) was the antagonist, all of us felt for Tom. “After all what good is a cat if he can’t get the better of a rat.” From our own little corner in our own little chair- uh, oh! we spied with our little eye a black cat crossing our path.

And to quote Elmer Fudd in his garden of evil- “Shhh. Be vewy, vewy quiet. I’m hunting wabbits.” Only in that case, the hunter gets hunted always.

Then we ran into Mary Poppins who offered us a spoon full of sugar. It helped the medicine go down. We began to believe again and just like we know pruning flowers helps new ones grow bigger and brighter, alas the Prince of Tides helped our ship sail in.

We turned the beat around, stopped playing victim and got behind the wheel to claim our power back.

If you believe in magic, follow toto down the yellow brick road and know that somewhere between the curtain and the wizard is a place called Home.

Shall we Play? Tra la la.

We’ve just been introduced.

I do not know you well.

But when the cards were shuffled.

Something drew me to your side.

I sensed we could be friends.

Share a joke or two.

It made me think we might be— Similarly occupied.

Shall we play? Tra la la

Shall we still sit together,

And depend upon each other?

On a clear understanding that we signal with the 7’s? remember to count aces.

Shall we play?

Shall we play- shall we play?

Shall we play? Tra la la

Shall we turn on the music,

Shall we try?

Shall we go down with four jokers and hope our partner matches.

And just go for a mere per chance.

With a clear understanding that this kind of thing can happen, shall we try and then try and then try.

When the last little 3 has left the deck.

Shall we still play together,

Staying tethered to the table.

And show up with a poker face?

Cause we know we are better.

For engaging one another

So we played and we played and we tried.

You charmed the husk right off of the corn Mame.
As Jessica Fletcher, with your basket perched in front of your bicycle you did the same.
In Sweeney your meat pies, put Nellie Lovett on the map and attracted the attention of Mr. Todd.
Louise sang out as Mama called from the sidelines.
A shout out -a big prod.
You knew everything would be coming up roses.
With a push, a shout the ultimate nod.
We added a madcap moment,
And knew we’d always be Alice Toklas to your Gertrude Stein.
“If life should reject you, you had us to protect you-
Friends sisters and Pals.”
7 decades of acting glory,
The consummate actress, a mother and wife, the all around gal.
Known for voicing Mrs. Potts.
Your tone so recognizable,
“As a tale as old as time.
Song as old as rhyme,
Beauty and the Beast.”
You left us a library of work.
“Ever a surprise,
Ever as before.”
RIP Dame Lansbury.
“That’s all she Wrote.”

Hang around someone’s laughter.
Your days will carry a bounty worth the price.
Without much effort, in the absence of strife.
We only live once, not sure about twice.
As adventures roll out 10 for a dollar.
Make them work the the first time, it doesn’t take a scholar.
Visit arcades, take pictures, ice skate galore.
Days filled with penny candy.
You can’t ask for more.
Go bowling, have parties, Dream Big, and sing songs.
Play 9 holes with precision.
Hit the ball straight and long.
As life marches forward add some lyrics to your song.
Pick daises, make wishes, play kick the can.
Have malteds, ice cream sundaes,
Salted pretzels galore.
Kale chips and oat bars are really quite the bore.
Play mah jongg, canasta, bid the Baron
3 clubs.
Be daring, add some lyrics, double down, take a stand.
A Grand Life worth living – Dancing as fast as you can.
Have a Fun Friday.

The longest 6 years of our lives.

Pestilence, War, Famine, Hamas devastation, election year, the “D” word, Helene, Milton.
Cut to a little Levity.

“Desmond has his barrow in the marketplace.

 Molly is the singer in the band.

  Desmond says to Molly, “Girl I like  your face.”

  And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand…

Oct 9, 1949- Liverpool

Happy b-day John Lennon

Dear Prudence, won’t you come out and play and greet the brand new day. Who knows how long I’ve loved you, you know I love you still, will I wait a lonely lifetime, if you want me to I will. 

I think I’m gonna be sad, I think it’s today. The girl that’s driving me mad is going away.

Cause one day you’ll look to see I’ve gone but tomorrow may rain so I’ll follow the sun –

So as I see it you gotta pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues cause –

There is music they tell me in sweet fragrant meadows of dawn and dew,

there is love all around but I never heard it playing no I never heard it at all till there was you.

I wanna hold your hand as we cross Abbey Road, so don’t let me down-love me do.

Please don’t twist and shout because she says she loves you and you know that can’t be bad. Anytime at all, all you got to do is call and I’ll be there.

Cause when I’m home, everything seems to be right, when I’m home feeling you holding me tight. And if you want some fun try Ob-la-di, ob la-da – Life goes on!