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ANIMAL
SANCTUARY SUCCESSFUL THANKS TO VOLUNTEERS
Hudson Valley Mature Life, March 2004
It
was the coldest day of the new year - wind-chills were about 10
below zero but I was not about to disappoint Lorraine Roscino, so
off I went (in my long underwear, scarf, hat, gloves, two pairs of
socks, etc.!) with my patient and understanding husband to
Saugerties to visit the Catskill Animal Sanctuary (CAS). Lorraine
had fascinated me with stories about the sanctuary and the animals
that had become her friends: Peepers the Peking Duck who follows her
around the barn and likes his head rubbed; Rambo the Ram who loves
to be petted, Bobo the blind horse who recognizes Lorraine’s voice
and comes for a treat when she is called; Sampson the bull who had
recently passed away; Henry the chicken who fell off a truck that
was heading to the slaughter house; and Charlie and Petunia, the pot
bellied pigs (among many others).
CHANGING
CAREERS, CHANGING OUR LIVES
Hudson Valley Mature Life, October, 2003
It
was my 56th birthday and I had finally made the decision
that it was time to retire from my job as a public relations
coordinator for a statewide labor union. I was working 50 or more
hours a week, I was traveling constantly and was plain tired.
“What
will you do with your time?” my friends asked.
I
remember smiling smugly and saying (with my usual resolve) “I will
do whatever I want to do.”
Although
my plans to devote time to working out at the gym, taking back my
health and freelance writing and photography were slightly derailed
for nearly a year because of a diagnosis of breast cancer, I got
back on track as soon as my last chemotherapy treatment was over.
While
many workers plan their retirement for years, some of us wake up one
day and say “enough is enough”.
CREATIVITY
NOURISHES OUR SOULS
Hudson Valley Mature Life, December 2003
Two
years ago, Julia Cameron, author of “The Artist’s Way”, told
me it was okay to want to write. I was fortunate to meet Cameron at
the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck where I signed up for her workshop
when I feared that my writers muse had deserted me. The workshop
gave me the jumpstart that I needed, the tools to begin to create
again and the confidence that I could tell a story that was coherent
and inspirational. Others in the workshop included painters,
dancers, cartoonists, singers, actors - all in need of a vision.
Cameron helped us realize that we only needed to jump in and work
each day at what we wanted to do and we would be successful. Like
Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”, my goal was always there; it was
just waiting for me to grasp it.
ROMANCE
NOT JUST FOR THE YOUNG
Hudson Valley Mature Life, June 2003
Whoever
said romance is just for the young hasn’t looked in on the singles
scene lately. As more folks in their 50's, 60's and yes, 70's and
80's, are getting together and ‘tying the knot’, even dating
services are catering to older clients.
Judith
Quinn founded the state’s very first electronic matchmaker, a
video dating service, in 1974, called Visual Preference, Ltd.
These days, she sees many clients over 50 years of age who
are seeking a ‘soul-mate’.
“We
call it the ‘Nana and Papa boom’,” she said.
Quinn
says not every client is looking to get married.
“Most
of them are looking for companionship,” she said. “They are
financially in a good place and don’t want to marry.”
Quinn interviews each client and has them fill out an
individual profile before she matches them up with a prospective
mate. Nature takes it’s course from there and hopefully the result
is a new meaningful friendship and/or marriage and the couple lives
happily ever after.
PAINLESS
FACELIFT MAKES FOR AN ALMOST PAINLESS BIRTHDAY
Hudson Valley Mature Life,
February, 2004
So
there I was facing my 60th birthday and wondering if I
really looked like I was nearing that magical milestone. As I stared
at myself in the mirror, I thought about my every morning routine:
putting on make-up, putting in my teeth (just a couple, not the
whole mouth!), putting on my glasses and putting on my padded bra.
(And this is the real me?)
Okay,
I admit it - I watched that new television show “Extreme
Makeovers” and actually entertained the idea of sending in an
application, but after watching some of the subjects recuperating
from their procedures (ah, the painful reality of it all), I decided
my flabby skin (I still call it baby fat, even though my youngest
“baby is 34 years old!) and a few facial wrinkles weren’t all
that bad after all. (Thank you Playtex and Clinique!) But the people
on the show sure looked good. For a while, I pictured myself getting
the works (8 hours or more of surgery - OY), working with a personal
trainer, a wardrobe stylist (who would toss my sweats and jeans in
the trash and insist I wear designer clothes), and hair and make-up
specialists who would make me look so dazzling that no one would
recognize me. Oh, the thought of it all.......Cinderella, eat your
heart out!
GRANDPARENTS
AS PARENTS
Hudson Valley Mature Life, April 2003
I remember when my mother’s cousin and his wife became
parents the second time around. They were both in their late 50's
when they adopted their grand-daughter, four year old Julie. It
could not have been easy for them, but it was a situation where the
grandparents had to step up to the plate or the child would have
been placed in foster care and eventually put up for adoption by
strangers. Julie, who had some serious emotional problems at the
time, grew up to become a fine productive young woman. Her adoptive
parents are now in their 80's. It occurred to me that I never
thought about what they must have faced raising Julie during the
years that they should have been relaxing and planning vacations.
BIKERS
ENJOY ADVENTURE AT ANY AGE
Hudson Valley Mature Life, January 2003
When
I was a teenager, I thought anyone who owned a motorcycle was a
hoodlum. Of course, I didn’t know anyone personally who owned a
bike. I do recall a cousin of mine who had a boyfriend who rode a
motorcycle. This leather clad, dark-haired, mysterious young man
made for wonderful fodder - and fantasy - for family gossip.
(Actually, his name was Greg and he ended up going to college and
becoming a stock broker.)
What I didn’t realize was that once they take off their
helmets and their leather jackets, most bikers are just like you and
me. Even more surprising, many of them are over 50 years old!
TAKING
BACK YOUR HEALTH – IT CAN BE DONE!
Hudson Valley Mature Life, March, 2003
It
was the proverbial “last straw” for both me and my husband.
“You
have diabetes”, my doctor informed me. “You have to lose weight
or take medication for the rest of your life.”
I
was devastated. It had just been one year since I was diagnosed with
Breast Cancer. Following a mastectomy and chemotherapy, I was
finally getting my strength - and my appetite - back. I knew all
about diabetes - my father had ignored his doctor’s warnings and
had died from complications of the disease.
I
had been overweight for years. The pounds seemed to creep on until
the scale told me what I didn’t want to acknowledge. Now I had to
deal with it, but how could I give up all my favorite foods?
My husband meanwhile had received his own disturbing news. He
could no longer take his cholesterol lowering medication because it
was affecting his liver. After just a month off the drug, his
cholesterol numbers rose alarmingly. We both knew at that point that
it was time to take charge of our health.
NEWBURGH
MAN CHASES STORMS
Giant
hail stones, horizontal lightning, storm cell clouds that resemble
giant mushrooms and tornadoes - not your idea of perfect vacation
conditions unless your name is Peter Neuman and you have a passion
for extreme weather.
“I
love a good storm” said Neuman, a retired Newburgh attorney who
spent 13 days with professional storm chasers in one of the most
violent places on earth. Nicknamed Tornado Alley, the mid-west area
of the United States from Texas to the Canadian border has more
tornadoes and destructive storms than anywhere on the planet.
“I’m the
kind of person who goes outside to watch a storm when it starts to
thunder and lightning,” said Neuman. “I’m fascinated with
extreme weather.”
VOLUNTEERS
ARE THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY
Hudson
Valley Mature Life, September
2002
If volunteerism is the heart of a community, then the pulse
of the Hudson Valley beats vigorously thanks to local older adults
who donate their skills and talents.
Ask anyone who volunteers their time and they will agree that
giving of ones self is more than beneficial to the receiver - it
also nourishes the soul of the giver.
Town of Newburgh resident Hazel Yannone looks forward to
Christmas time. Yannone, who is also known in certain circles as
Mrs. Santa Claus, said she loves to see the faces of the children
when she dons her red and white costume and accompanies Santa on his
rounds to holiday parties in the Newburgh area. Yannone also helps
with the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the City of Newburgh,
bakes cookies, hands out gifts and leads the kids in singing holiday
music. |
