End of this trail.

You see, I opened this blog when my main blog was hijacked.
Now that I have my main blog back, this blog seems superflous. I end up talking about the same things.

So, if you are still interested in how old age will affect you, come on over to my main spot and settle in with me to learn more about aging and thriving in our new surroundings.
See you there, hopefully.

Follow this link: Rosaria/Lakeviewer

or go to: http://sixtyfivewhatnow.blogspot.com/

If you are a fiction writer, you may want to check out my other blog:
http://schoolnotes-rosaria.blogspot.com/

If you like to get really comfortable in the kitchen:
http://lovingrealfood.blogspot.com/

Hope to see you at any one of these places.

Thank you so much for visiting with me here.

We're all on the same path.

No matter where you live, how big your house is, how much income you have, how old you are today, you and I are bobbing on the ocean of life in the same way, looking to land at  comfortable ports-of-call where the food is great, the accomodations are cheap, and the natives are friendly.

Everyone of us will reach old age, will acquire old-age spots, will become grey and feeble-minded.
The difference between those of us who have a wonderful retirement or a lousy end of life situation will be luck and preparation.

We have no control over luck.
We do have some control over preparations.

The  preparations for this journey are the same as for other journey:
1. Find out what will be expected.
2. Purchase the necessary tools and safety items.
3. Prepare yourself physically and mentally for the new circumstances.

If you have never talked to old people, never visited them, never cared for them, you have a long way to go to understand what's required of you.
I began reading the AARP Mmagazine a few years  before I retired. While the writers did their best to acquaint me with the situations I'd encounter, I had nothing in my past to truly attach the information to.  I had no context.

So, my advice today is to begin to venture out and visit a senior center in your neighborhood and then come back and read my next posts.  They will make more sense to you; they will inspire you to continue learning about this last journey of yours.

(to be continued...)

Games everyone can play.

'Chess' is Chess in any language.
Here in Santa Monica, right at the beach, young and old play chess across from each other.
No conversation is required.
No vocabulary explained.

For the price of parking, one can be entertained for hours on this boardwalk. Characters for all seasons.

If my friends could see me now..

Since I dropped out of the rat race, life has slowed down to a pleasant pace. Somehow, Hubby and I know when we need to throw a party, reconnect with those we don't see often, when we need to join a work party to get things done, when we need to leave town and indulge in city sights.

The point is that now we go or stay, work or play at our own pace.  Whatever we like to do, we do.

When was the last time you said that?

We have an easy routine. I wake up around 7:00, prepare coffee and breakfast, and return to bed.  There, I drink my coffee while sitting up, enjoying the views, waiting for Hubby to wake.  From our bedroom door/windows we see the lake, the ocean, the dunes, the hills on the side.  Ducks and birds and deer roam, swim, fly by. Sometimes, they get really close and we can hear them as well. 

By 8:30, we are up, at our computers, each writing and researching independently.   Our meetings and committments are usually set for  afternoons, or evenings, so our mornings are mostly ours with a couple of exceptions. I attend a writers' group on Monday mornings, and Hubby takes a painting class on Thursday mornings.  Sometimes, medical and dental appointments can change this routine.

By noon, we are hungry and ready to change to some other thing. We eat,  take walks,  catch up with our neighbors also walking, and then get to some household chores.

My committments and Hubby's committments are usually on different days now that we are down to one car. We also try to do things together whenever possible.

When sunny days reappear, we'll be spending time in the gardens, mowing and weeding and planting. There is a lot to do, and we enjoy the physical exercise gardening provides.

What if we want to sit and read all day? It can happen.
What if we want to leave town and spend the day golfing or shopping? It does happen.
What if we have company? The visitors do change our routine just a bit, I must admit. But, we are happy to have changes at this age.  Change brings new stimulation and lots of new interpretations.

Having a pleasant routine, identified committments, interests and social outlets are all important to our quality of life.  Also, living in a town where old people are not isolated from other age groups helps all of us live fruitful and rewarding lives.