I live in Pennsylvania and my mother lives in Colorado, so we don’t visit often. But I call her once a week and I look forward to those calls. Yesterday I called her and she thanked me for her Mother’s Day card, commenting about the picture I’d enclosed (my son’s school picture), and we discussed our mundane lives and the weather. We never talk long, just a few moments, and we don’t talk about serious stuff like politics or religions. I usually ask if she’s heard from any of my siblings and, if she has, we discuss that, but usually the call is just: “Hi, how are you, you feeling okay, I love you, bye…”

I have a brother who disappears from our lives for years at a time. Every once in a while we hear from him, usually when he needs money, and then he’ll disappear again until the next time. His life is something we’ve accepted. We don’t understand it but we accept it.

Last night Mom called me. After an absence of only a few months, she’d heard from my brother. He’s in the hospital with stomach cancer. He’s in a lot of pain, and the doctors don’t have much hope.

Like my mother, my brother lives in Colorado. So, today, on Mother’s Day, she will visit him in the hospital. When she gets home, she’ll call me with an update. And, if he wants to talk to me, she’ll give me his phone number.

Mothers and their children. Sons and daughters. Brothers and sisters. Such complicated relationships.

Happy Mother’s Day.

But, I was about to self-publish my first novel, WINDFALL, and part of that venture was releasing an electronic version of my book. I thought if I was going to ask e-readers to buy my book, then I should at least understand their experience.

So, in July or August of 2011, when I was 59, I bought a Kindle. It didn’t take long to become hooked.

Now, remember, when I opened my Kindle I had 50+ years experience turning pages. I was immediately struck by the Kindle’s small size. It wasn’t as thick as most books I read, and it was light. I had known Kindles weighed very little but, for someone with arthritis in their thumb joints, to experience is to comprehend.

I found the Kindle “user friendly” and, in no time at all, I had downloaded a couple of “free” books from Amazon.com. I was amazed at the plethora of free or almost-free titles available.

I have terrible vision. One eye is nearsighted and the other eyes is farsighted and I need bifocals. Therefore, when I discovered I could adjust the font size (the size of the letters) on my Kindle, I was ecstatic.

Sometimes while I read, I find a phrase I’d like to remember. If I’m reading a book and don’t have a notepad with me, the phrase is usually lost in the deep recesses of my  brain. But, the Kindle makes it easy to record memorable passages with a feature that allows you to copy into a file called “my clippings.” As a writer, this feature alone makes the price of the Kindle worth its price.

When I read, there are time come across a word I don’t know. The Kindle helps me out with this, too. I just highlight the word and “presto”, the definition pops up.

Now, I love to take hot bubble baths, especially in cold weather, and read while I soak. With a book I could do this. But, I wasn’t so sure with a Kindle. Lord, what would happen if I dropped my Kindle in the water? What I’ve discovered is that my Kindle fits nicely in a one-quart zip-lock freezer bag and, even with the Kindle in the bag the buttons work as intended.

I can borrow e-books for my Kindle through the library. This is great if your book budget is small like mine. Not only is it free to borrow a book but I don’t have to make a physical trip to the library. And with the price of gas, that is important.

However, I still go to the library.

Last week, my son and I went to our library and I noticed a new book by one of my favorite authors. This book could be purchased on Amazon.com but my budget didn’t include its purchase. So I was waiting for it to be offered electronically through the library. (It usually it takes a while for new titles to be offered electronically through the library.)

Anyway, I checked out the physical book. And I was grateful to get it and I’m enjoying the read. But, I was reminded of how difficult it is to read fine print. And I was reminded of how heavy hard back books are, especially when I’m reading in bed. And I found myself wishing I could read the book on my Kindle.

I love my Kindle.

But it makes me wonder how long physical books are going to be around in the future.

All my life I’ve been physically active. But, arthritis had taken its toll on my body. I could walk but not fast. And, since I have arthritis in my back, riding a regular bike was difficult.

 I hoped a recumbent bike would work because without exercise I’d lost all my energy. I always felt tired and sluggish.

I liked the bike and talked the family into letting me keep it in the living room. The alternative was the basement and I knew I’d ride it more if it was convenient. So I have a bike in my living room. It looks silly, but it gets ridden.

There are many shows I watch on television while I ride my bike… everything from the News and the History Channel to Survivor and NCIS and The Good Wife. Exercising while watching t.v. works for me. No, I don’t play tennis while I bike!

On Sunday, January 21^st, I began to record my exercise. I’m pleased to announce that most days I ride for 45 minutes, 20 minutes in the morning and 25 minutes at night. On week-ends I try to do 45 minutes at one sitting.

And, since January 21^st, I’ve ridden over six-hundred miles.

(To be exact, 613.4 miles!)

I don’t have a scale in my house so I don’t know if I’ve lost weight. (When I visit my doctor I’ll find out.) But, my clothes aren’t as tight so, if I haven’t lost weight, I’ve at least developed some muscle tone.

But, the important thing is I FEEL BETTER. I am more energetic, which means I’m happier.

I think it’s important, especially as we age (I’m 60), to exercise. I know I’ll never wear a bikini again. I know I’ll never do the splits or twirl a baton in a parade. But, exercise helps! Our bodies AND our minds.

If you don’t believe me, give it a try. It doesn’t have to be biking. Find an exercise that works for you.

Back in the early 1970s, when I was eighteen, I got married. I know, too young to get married, but at the time no one would have been able to talk me out of it. The marriage barely lasted a year. But, what I remember about the marriage was Easter. My mother managed to sneak an EASTER BASKET into our home. It made me feel good. Loved. And I think Jesus would have smiled at what my mother did that year.

So, my son will get his Easter basket, though, it will look different from the one he received when he was a toddler. Instead of hot wheels, there will be a gift card. Instead of chocolate bunnies, he will find breath mints and gum. But, the basket will be given with love.

And, if I have anything to say about it… When he gets married, he and his wife will get an Easter basket from his parents on their first Easter celebration!

A friend sent me this obituary.

I thought it important enough to include in this blog.

An Obituary printed in the London Times…

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.

No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: – Knowing when to come in out of the rain; – Why the early bird gets the worm; – Life isn’t always fair; – And maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. He declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, I’m A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

As we age, our minds tend to slow down. I read an article once where the author compared the brain to a computer. Apparently, as we age, our brain is so stuffed with information (both useful and not so useful) that it just slows down. The same thing happens with computers except, with a computer, information can be deleted and data defragged.

Modern technology makes it easy for us to quit thinking. Instead of reading, we watch television. Instead of playing games, we watch movies. Instead of writing a letter, we talk on the telephone.  Instead of going to the library, we surf the internet.

My mother told me a few months ago that she doesn’t read much anymore because she can’t concentrate that long.

Now, I’m not a doctor. In fact, I’ll admit it, I am far from an expert on what we can do to keep our minds running at full, or almost full, capacity. But, I am reminded of an old saying: “if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.”

I will repeat: “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.” Now, I don’t think this saying was supposed to be about our minds but, if you think about it, it is apropos.

In my opinion, as we age, it is important to continue to challenge our brains. And there are many things that we can do to accomplish this.

Here are a few things that come to mind.

READ. And when you read, challenge yourself to really think about what you are reading. Don’t accept what you are reading as the gospel truth. If you’re reading a novel, consider how you might have changed the story. Or imagine yourself as one of the characters. If the story occurred in the future, imagine your life in the future. If it was set during medieval times, imagine living back then

.

 Use GAMES AND PUZZLES to challenge your brain.  Examples: word games such as crossword puzzles, number games like Soduko, jigsaw puzzles for shapes and colors. Games and puzzles are not only for children. Adults can benefit from them, too.

CREATE something: write a book, paint a picture, make jewelry, build a birdhouse, learn to whittle, build a collection (stamps, butterflies, leaves), take photographs, spin a pottery wheel…

Challenge yourself to LEARN as much as you can about a specific subject. You don’t have to go back to school to become an expert and you don’t even have to go to the library. With the internet, knowledge is at your fingertips. And, when you’ve learned all you can learn about a given subject, write a book and share your knowledge.

Don’t tell me there is nothing that interests you because there are too many things out there to choose from. Expand your knowledge base and share! And remember, if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it!

But, you know what surprised me about this story? The center was not able to accept the donation because the city told them there was too much salt in the food. I guess it was better for the homeless to starve than get some salt with their supper.

This incident reminded me of another recent news story…

In this second story, a mother sent her preschooler to school with a lunch. And that lunch was taken away by a state employee because the lunch did not include vegetables. What was in this lunch? How does a turkey and cheese sandwich, a banana, potato chips, and apple juice sound?

A great lunch as far as I’m concerned. But, it didn’t have any vegetables so it was confiscated.

Yes, the student was given another lunch but that’s not the point.

The point is this: When did we give the government the power to tell us what we can or can not eat?

I can’t speak for anyone but myself but recent price increases are driving me bonkers. They are playing havoc with my family’s budget. Not only is gas going up but everything else is, too.

The price of gas effects everything because it takes gas to get products to market. I don’t care if you’re talking about bubble gum or wedding dresses, prices are going up because it costs more to get those products into the stores.

I keep hearing our country is only experiencing minimal inflation.

Huh?

I read the other day that economists think inflation won’t exceed 1.5 percent this year.

Huh?

How can that be? We all know that food and gas prices are going up faster than that? And food and gas are a big part of our personal budgets…

It’s a bunch of baloney. The thing is, when economists figure out the inflation rate, they do not include gas and groceries in their statistics.

I’ll say it again…  gas and grocery prices are climbing. Why don’t the economists understand that food and gas are a part of the inflation rate?

As we age, we worry about a lot of things: falling and losing our ability to walk, becoming senile, having a heart attack, losing our friends…  There are many things to worry about.

STOP.   DON’T WORRY ANYMORE. What is going to happen is going to happen, so enjoy your life, and enjoy it today. Be grateful for what you have.  If you have all five of your senses, consider yourself blessed.

My next door neighbor is a woman who can’t see anymore. But being blind doesn’t stop her. She lives alone and she’s OVER NINETY. She reads books by listening to them. She takes a helper when she goes to the grocery store. She no longer drives but she gets around town just fine.

 A woman who used to live across the street was almost deaf. She was well into her eighties when she died but, until then, she got along just fine, too.

In fact, these two women used to joke that someday they were going to travel together. They’d laugh as they envisioned themselves, one blind and one deaf, traveling the world! They never got around to their trip but I’ve often thought the premise would make a great comedy! And, I truly believe, if they’d ever taken that trip they would have gotten along just fine!

I used to have a hard time smelling but when I quit smoking my sense of smell returned. My life is definitely better being able to smell but there are drawbacks. Think about it… how many times do you get to smell things that you’d really rather not smell? If you couldn’t smell anymore, there are still things that can help you. Like smoke detectors!  All you’d have to do is remember to change the batteries.

The sense of taste is valuable because our taste buds let us know when food has gone bad. But, if your taste buds don’t work, your sense of smell will usually become sharper and warn you if something has spoiled. Losing our sense of taste would be sad (I love the taste of chicken, chocolate, peppermint, coffee, etc.) but we’d get along fine without it.

When we touch things, our brains tell us if if they are too hot or cold, too sharp, etc. If we couldn’t feel things anymore, we would have to learn to rely on other things. Such as our sight.

So don’t worry. Be happy. If something happens, we’ll adjust. Or we won’t. But the thing is this, what is going to happen is going to happen so enjoy your life, and enjoy it today.

Did you know a car is considered a deadly weapon?

I do have full confidence in him. He will be able to learn how to be a safe driver.

Afterall, he learned how to tie his shoes, and he learned how to read and write.

It’s sort of the same thing. Isn’t it?

Actually he has lots of experience driving on the highway…

So, why am I so nervous?

I’m not nervous.

No, nothing like that… I’m petrified.

What is he going to do when he’s behind the wheel and he comes across something like this?

Talk about information overload.

This kind of things makes me crazy, and I’ve been driving for over forty years.

And, what if he looks in the rear view mirror and sees this?

I know, police are our friends but…

It could mean, in a few minutes he could be looking at…

Remember when we learned how to drive?

I keep going back to those days because if I survived, then he will too.  Forget air bags… I mean, when I was sixteen, the cars I learned how to drive in didn’t even have seat belts.

I remember once my parents were drinking. They ran out of booze but they were smart enough to know they shouldn’t drive to the liquor store to get more. So they let me drive. Everything was fine until we returned and I pulled into the driveway and hit my father’s car with my mother’s car.

We’re giving our son my husband’s old car. It’s 18 years old. I wish we could give him something newer but…

You know, the cars I drove when I was young  weren’t all that great. I drove my dad’s old El Camino a lot. Unfortunately the back window leaked. When it rained the wheel well (behind the driver) filled up with water and when I slammed on the brakes, this wave of water would splash forward and my feet would get soaked. To this day I hate wet shoes…

And then there was the clunker my dad bought me for college. The only door that opened was the driver’s door. I might have six friends in that car with me, but we’d all have to get in and out of the car through that one door.

And, I had to make sure I parked it on top of a hill because it needed to coast a bit before it would start.

So, what am I worried about?

I guess I better start praying…

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