A Little Bird Told Me...

Not every senior who heads toward warmer climates for the winter is seeking the South Beach dirty martini and floor show high life. Some of my good friends leave every Christmas Eve, and after stopping a few miles away to spend the holiday with local family, continue on with their two little dogs for a simple stay on Florida's gulf coast in a quaint, circa 1960 mobile home park with clean, cozy fully furnished units. They swim, stroll, window shop, go to church and just relax from a great, affordable all inclusive rental far from the frozen, windswept lake where they have their Ohio homestead. They report that three months in Florida each winter comes in at about the same cost they used to pay for just two weeks away in Italy. Florida abounds with such mobile parks, campgrounds and private condo/efficiency residences off the beaten path but still under the sun.

For seniors living in the northeastern U.S., the snowbird destination seems to follow the eastern coast from the Carolinas through to the number one destination: Florida. “Many snowbirds enjoy the cost-efficiency of staying in one place all winter long. A number of southern RV parks that cater to snowbirds offer special winter rates for campsites that are rented by the month or by the season. Because most of the guests are there for the entire season, these parks have active social scenes with regular activities like potluck suppers and ice cream socials. Some snowbirds make such great friends, they agree to rendez-vous in the same spot again the following year to keep the gang together,” according to the article, Snow birding : Snowbird Destinations at Camping.com. Those who hail from the mid-western states often winter near the Gulf of Mexico in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, while Westerners head toward Arizona, southern California and Mexico. Every winter get away spot that offers glitz and glamour “on the strip” seems to offer also a chance to tap into real communities and the opportunity for accommodation bargains as well as local color and a less resort/more “down home” experience just a block or two off the interstates. .

Cleveland Magazine did an informative and relevant series about snow birding in 2007 in which they caution first-timers . “Novices should take it slow: Rent first, or stay with friends.” It can be helpful to explore residential options in steps.” “Many start with visiting friends, later become snowbirds, rent for a while and then purchase a condo or home.” If you’re looking for a one- to three-month rental in the formal market, “contact a real estate agent in your target location six months prior to your planned departure date to find the best selection,” advises Leslene Sharpe of Keller Williams Realty of the Palm Beaches, Florida. Experienced snowbirds also remind “newbies” that “last minute” off the grid deals might be available at some RV or condo sites when some snowbird owners decide not to use their unit that winter and will lease it out. Calling around to locations found on an Internet search of local venues and asking can bring out the bargains. Also placing ads in the newspaper and other outlets at home that read something to the effect of “Local couple wish to rent your unused snowbird housing this winter...” have garnered productive results.

Warm sunshine, sandy beaches and calm waters all abound in the lands of the snowbirds...usually available at no charge. Joining in for the season doesn't have to break the bank. Read more at: http://camping.com/community/camp-styles/ and

http://www.clevelandmagazine.com

Happy holidays?

    Negative energy can dispirit and dismay almost any person from time to time. That it does even has a name: situational depression. “... life changes may also cause bouts of depression such as retirement, death of the spouse, unresolved family disputes or extreme isolation and loneliness,” according to the ehow.com's platform regarding senior citizen health. At the holidays, the changes that have occurred over time can seem overwhelming. “For many seniors, the holiday season can trigger melancholy as they think about lost loved ones, struggle with health issues or worry about money problems, according to the American Geriatrics Society,” reports wellsphere.com.

    Marian Eure in her about.com article, Holiday Blues and Seniors, discusses strategies that seniors can use to lighten their mood and be more forward thinking around the holidays. She advises to avoid isolation, go out and interact with people. And if getting out is hard, invite people in. If there is no close family or friend circle near, try volunteering at holiday events to meet new people. Use moderation when celebrating with spirits or rich foods, particularly with medications or medical nutrition issues, when spending for holiday gifts or other obligations and in feeling the need to be constantly joyful and festive. Relax and take a break from good cheer anytime it begins to feel forced or too intense.

    Included here are links to the full text of these informative and timely articles. Retooling Retirements wishes you all the holiday season you want and deserve. Best wishes!

http://www.ehow.com/about_5086866_causes-depression-senior-citizens.html

http://www.wellsphere.com/women-s-health-article/some-senior-citizens-have-holiday-depression-and-might-need-help/897801 

http://seniorhealth.about.com/od/mentalemotionalhealth/a/holiday_blues.htm 

The 2012 Purpose Prize

"Encore.org, a nonprofit that promotes second acts for the greater good, selected five Americans 60 and older to each win a $100,000 Purpose Prize for changing lives in new and creative ways. Wow. Encore.org  has made it a mission to encourage those whose work gives them a sense of meaning and a feeling of accomplishment. This financial bonanza is the holy grail,”according to Forbes magazine in its article, Changing Lives: How Five Americans Won $100,000 Purpose Prize, written by Kerry Hannon on 12/06/2012.

Marc Freedman, founder and CEO of Encore.org, when he announced the winners, said, “Each of them identified a significant, seemingly intractable social problem. Guided by experience, drawing on creativity and anchored in pragmatism, they set out to find solutions. In their 60s, they are changing the world – and with it perceptions of what is possible for millions of others flooding into the second half of life.” All five recipients have used their life experience as much as their academic preparation or specific job skills to make an impact on an ill that they dedicated themselves to help heal. A woman who reaches out of addiction to help others in prison, an attorney who takes on predatory lenders and a founder of a foster grandparents program all offer personal journeys of self discovery and public service that worked toward the greatest good and brought them the accolade of the Purpose Prize.

Its worth the read to learn more at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryhannon/2012/12/06/changing-lives-how-five-americans-won-100000-purpose-prize/

In regard to giving thanks...

   On April 15, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was murdered in America by Americans. He was slain by a politically motivated gunman who wanted this country to veer away from its path as a democracy embracing the importance of equal participation in citizenship for all toward a more narrowly defined idea of what and who were constitutionally equal and how that definition would carry the nation. That President Lincoln at the time was conflicted about those definitions himself, was a man of his time and socialization and really didn't know how the whole thing would play out in a “liberal” future, but was gunned down for what his murderer believed was a departure from conservative vision is a great irony of the American 19^th century.

   On November 22, 1963, President John. F. Kennedy was murdered in America by an American. If one subscribes to the “single gunman theory,” the President was slain by a politically motivated assassin who wanted this country to veer away from its experiment in an unfettered democracy toward a controlled communist system of government. That President Kennedy at the time was conflicted about and being criticized at home for his “liberal” agenda regarding civil rights and universal suffrage but was gunned down for what his murderer believed was a very conservative anti-communist stance is a great irony of the American 20^th century.

   Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It is the first Thanksgiving since the nation has emerged from another overly heated election cycle where ideas about what is democracy, what is communism, what is liberal, what is conservative, what is “America” and who is “American” have been, some 200 years later, addressed again. We have much to be thankful for as our mission was accomplished without murder and in the knowledge that whether it be perfected or flawed, our America, although tested, remains true to the democratic principles and procedures we hold up to the world as what makes us the greatest human experiment of all time. This year we can give thanks that we have served our fallen heroes and ourselves well and in the spirit of the promise of our future, are not, so far, the great irony of the 21^st century.

“Its In the Bag” Roast Turkey Recipe

because some of you asked...

Turkey (fresh or thawed) 16 to 18 pounds

1 Medium peeled onion

1 Medium unpeeled washed apple

1 stick butter/margarine

scant salt and pepper to taste

1 2 liter ginger ale

1 heavy brown paper grocery bag

roasting pan

Preparation: Fresh turkeys should remain refrigerated until preparation time, and frozen turkeys should be thawed in the refrigerator taking up to three days, so plan ahead. The metal binding that keeps the turkey legs together is MUCH easier to remove when the turkey is thawed. Rinse the turkey inside and out and remove the giblet package. Use the stick of butter/margarine so the short, snub end is touching the bird, rub the stick all over the outside using most of the stick discarding the rest.

Placing the bird BREAST SIDE DOWN (chubby part on the bottom), place the onion and apple inside the bird. Unwrap the giblets and put them inside the bird also. Then put the upside down bird in the brown paper bag, wrap the leg ends with foil and place it all in the roaster. Pour 1/2 the ginger ale over the bird and close the bag loosely by rolling the open edges together.

Cooking: Roast in a preheated 375 degree oven a total of 7 hours which means if it goes in at 8:00 A.M., it should be ready around 3:00 P.M. . (Ovens vary: learn yours!) The brown bag WILL NOT catch fire, but will become brittle so use care when reopening it. At the 3 hour mark, slide the bird carefully half way out of the oven, open the bag, pour the rest of the ginger ale on it, close the bag and return it to the oven.

At the 6 and ½ hour mark, slide the bird half way out of the oven again, rip the bag down the center to allow the bird to really brown up if desired and return it to the oven. At 7 hours, remove the bird and let it sit and rest for 20 minutes. Then attempt to remove the onion and apple (they may be cooked away), lift the turkey and flip it over onto your serving platter. Do not be alarmed if its so done and ready that it falls apart into big, juicy servings without any carving necessary.

Making a Move...

Anticipating a change in living arrangement is often a part of the retooling parcel. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers a comprehensive and easy to digest web page entitled simply “Information for Senior Citizens.” There is content linked to the page for those that wish to remain in the home they currently occupy. One timely topic found there discusses reverse mortgages. Another consideration treated is finding apartments and other more communal options. Topics regarding 55 and older communities and information on facility assessment and care are among many included on the page.

The Department explains, “ Looking for housing options for yourself, an aging parent, relative, or friend? Do some research first to determine what kind of assistance or living arrangement you need; what your health insurance might cover; and what you can afford. Then check here for financial assistance resources and guides for making the right choice.” They even offer a link to “talk to a HUD-approved housing counselor if you have questions about your situation.”

Check out the page at:

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUDsrc=/topics/information_for_senior_citizens

Sunday, November 11, 2012

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  Courtesy of:      http://www.inquisitr.com/tag/veterans

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Thank you for your service.