40th, 50th, 60th, 70th,80th Birthday Behind You? There Are Still Perks to Enjoy!

 

If you thought the best years were behind you, think again!

 

The Perks of Being 40 and Older 

Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.

No one expects you to run into a burning building.

People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

Things you buy now won't wear out.

You can eat dinner at 4 PM.

You can live without sex but not without glasses.

You enjoy hearing arguments about pension plans. 

You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.

You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

 
You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.

You sing along with elevator music.

 
Your eyes won't get much worse

.
Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

 
Your joints are a more accurate meteorologist than the national weather service.

Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.

Your supply of brain cells is finally down to manageable size.

 

http://www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/grandparents.htm

Humor like this one for Grandparents, Parents, and Kids can be found at the Butlerwebs.com.

 

Summer in the USA, Yes? Island Vacation, No? What About This Idea?

This trip could be the answer to your summer vacation plans.  Whether you are flying, driving, biking, hiking or touring with grandchildren, children, nieces, nephews, or friends, you could travel through this itinerary in one, two, or three weeks.

Fly into Phoenix.  Travel up Interstate 17, stopping at Montezuma's Castle

(Montezuma's Castle Photo by Dick Bevevino)

and  then on to Sedona.(Driving time from Sky Harbor Airport=2 to 3 hours

Continue to Flagstaff(less than an hour from Sedona)

(Grand Canyon Photo by Dick Bevevino)

 turning west to the Grand Canyon(Flagstaff to the Southern Rim=2 hours).

Or turn right and drive to Walnut Canyon National Monument(30 minutes from Flagstaff at I-17).

Then continue to Page, AZ and visit Upper Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell(2 hours from Flagstaff).

(Upper Anteloope Canyon Photo by Dick Bevevino)

You can also decide to turn east from Page to Monument Valley(2.5 hour drive).

Or continue north from Page, AZ and visit Zion National Park in Utah(1 hour 45 min.)

Want to end up in Las Vegas?  Travel from Page north and west to the Valley of Fire, NV(4 hr. drive)
and then on to Las Vegas on Interstate 15 (1 hr.)

So much to see depending of the length of time you want to spend on your southwestern vacation.  Now, it's time to explore the possibilities!

(Thanks to Dick B for sharing his photos.)

The Best Singles Ad Ever.

Granted that this has been shared by many of us, but it's so cute that it bears reposting.

  Single Black Female
This has to be one of the best singles ads ever printed. It is reported to have been listed in the Atlanta Journal.
Love the response this ad got!!

SINGLE BLACK FEMALE seeks male companionship, ethnicity unimportant. I'm a very good girl who LOVES to play. I love long walks in the woods, riding in your pickup truck, hunting, camping and fishing trips, cozy winter nights lying by the fire. Candlelight dinners will have me eating out of your hand. I'll be at the front door when you get home from work, wearing only what nature gave me.... Call (404) 875-6420 and ask for Annie, I'll be waiting.....

Over 150 men found themselves talking to the Atlanta Humane Society   Over 150 men called the Atlanta Humane Society!  So cute.  Let's hope one of them adopted this pup.   (Thanks to Joan H, Ken A, and Tom Z for forwarding this to us.)

Are You Dreaming of A Vacation Near the Water This Summer? If You Prefer to Stay in the USA, There Are Great Islands to Explore.

(Photo by Dick Bevevino)

True, three of the islands are not on the mainland, but we all know friends who have said that vacations on any of the three are outstanding choices:

• Maui, Hawaii
• Oahu, Hawaii
• Island of Hawaii

But if you want to stay in the continental USA, there are 7 other islands designated  as "Top 10 US Islands, According to TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards":

• Key West, Florida
• Mount Desert Island, Maine
• Hilton Head, South Carolina
• Amelia Island, Florida
• Marco Island, Florida
• Chincoteague Island, Virginia
• Macinac Island, Michigan

Pick the area for your travel and have fun exploring the possibilities of an island vacation  here at home.

(Vanessa Wilkins, ABC's Good Morning America, April 19, 2016

Have We Had A Negative Vibe About Someone, or Are We Turning People Off? This Might Be Why.

Tons of very nice people can create negative vibes without intending to do so. Hard to believe, I know, but we might have done these unconscious things ourselves.  Here are some of our actions that might turn people off.

 Dr. Travis Bradberry, co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 and co-founder of TalentSmart, shares his research with us.

He describes a study (UCLA) of "500 descriptions of people based on their perceived significance to likeability. The top-rated descriptors had nothing to do with being gregarious, intelligent, or attractive...Instead, the top descriptors were sincerity, transparency, and capable of understanding (another person)."

He continues, "TalentSmart research data from more than a million people shows that people who possess these skills aren't just highly likeable; they outperform those who don't by a large margin."

Dr.Travis Bradberry says these habits might be the culprits.

• Humble-Bragging
• Being Too Serious
• Not Asking Enough Questions
• Emotional Highjacking
• Whipping Out Your Phone
• Name-Dropping
• Gossiping
• Having a Closed Mind
• Sharing Too Much, Too Early
• Sharing Too Much on Social Media

Hmmm...I'm thinking I see some I've done on this list. Sigh!

To read Dr. Bradberry's complete explanation and to see the examples given, just click on the link below.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/silly-things-you-do-make-less-likeable-dr-travis-bradberry?trk=v-feed

Happiness, Better Health, and Fun At the Same Time?

Photo by Dick Bevevino
Anthem Community Park
Anthem, AZ

That's right.  If we want the benefits of increasing stamina, whole body strength, and endurance while sharpening reflexes, boosting eye-hand coordination, losing a little weight painlessly AND having fun with family and/or old or new friends at the same time, the go-to sport is pickleball.

It started as a way for a family to lower the boredom factor for their children while on vacation. That was in the 1960's.  Now it's a sport for all age groups, including the 80-year-old who beats some of us every time he walks onto the court. And then there are the six and seven-year-olds who learned to serve the ball after two times out with their grandparents. Plus, it is a growing middle-school extracurricular activity and has been added to  the high-school phys. ed. curriculum in many schools. The USA Pickleball Association promotes the sport through its 1000+ volunteers who are ambassadors throughout the world;  they recruit and teach all age groups to play

If you've played tennis, handball, racquetball, table tennis or badminton, you have an advantage.  But many of us have never played any sport and yet have learned because of so many willing people on the courts.  Local YMCAs have added pickleball, and many municipal parks and recreation departments have converted tennis courts to pickleball across the country. Leslee Komaiko of the LA Times calls the sport "beginner friendly"("Pickleball:  a little bit ping-pong, a little bit badminton, a lot of momentum," August 8, 2015).

Interested?  Start by yourself. There will be plenty of people waiting to help you.  Or take a friend  or family member.  Children, tweens and teens,  adults, and people in their 70s, 80s, 90s can play. Go to USAPA.org and search "Places to Play." For example there are 84 places and contact people listed for PA and many that aren't listed, like the Edinboro, PA,  YMCA and Warren, PA,  YMCA. Texas lists 121 places to play, and Kentucky has 20 although cities like Richmond aren't yet on the list. Florida has 320, and Ontario has 155.  Canadian sites are listed by provinces, and international sites are listed in 10 countries. places to play pickleball 

Oh! And one more benefit- we need to do stretches before pickleball play so that we don't invite unnecessary injuries to muscles or joints.  And best of all, the stretches increase flexibility AND we end up able to touch our toes again.   Nice, right?

( Thanks to Pickleball Ambassador, Walt Schlittenhard for lessons and info that inform this post. And also to Dick Bevevino for the photos and  to Joan H for the news article)

And You Worried That Your Best Years Were Behind You? Not Even Close!

Look at these inspiring elders and reconsider what you want in life.




(growingbolder.com)

(growingbolder.com)

(growingbolder.com)

(growingbolder.com)

 

Go to www.growingbolder.com/inspiration  to see what those older than you are may be doing with this stage of their lives.

 

(Thanks to Joan H for sending this site to us.)

 

Looking for a Book in Your Favorite Genre?

(Clipartonline)

A free online site called BookBub.com is a great source for titles and authors in the categories that interest you.

The site doesn't sell books; instead it gives you a daily email of limited-time deals based on your preferences. The choices come from major publishers and widely-known authors. The prices range from free to a very small charge. One reader recently paid $1.99 for Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy. Once you choose the book you want, a list comes up of places for you to buy the book. You may choose to buy it on your kindle, your nook, your Apple ibook, or others. The prices are only available for a short time.

How are theses low prices possible? Sites like BookBub.com contract with and receive offers from publishers who want to promote certain selections. BookBub decides whether the selection should be listed. If you have indicated that you like to read the category of book sent by a publisher, BookBub will email you that offer and others you might enjoy.

To sign up, you give your email address and indicate the types of books you enjoy. For example, you might list fiction, biography, historical fiction, cooking, fashion and sports. There's no limit as to the types you check. It's easy to join and has become a go-to site for some of our readers already.

Just click on www.BookBub.com to get started.

(Thanks to John C for suggesting BookBub to us.)

Have You Ever Wondered Why?

(Randy Glasbergen, Cartoonist)

There might be a reason that the glass of wine at the end of the day looks appealing, but for teachers who teach and grade exams, the reasons are many.  Fortunately, there are many serious students whose answers make life better for the teacher reading the responses of some students below.

" The following questions were set in last year's GED examination. These are genuine answers (from 16 year olds)."

 NOTE: Snopes.com indicates, however, that the responses are a mix of urban legends.  In any case, reading the answers might cause us to reach for a wineglass or our own! Enjoy.

Q. Name the four seasons.
A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

Q. How is dew formed?
A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?
A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed.

Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections?
A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election.

Q. What are steroids ?
A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.

(Shoot yourself now, there is little hope).

Q. What happens to your body as you age?
A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.

Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery. (So true).

Q. Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A. Premature death.

Q. What is artificial insemination?
A. When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow.

Q. How can you delay milk turning sour?
A. Keep it in the cow. (Simple, but brilliant)

Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorised (e.g. The abdomen)?
A. The body is consisted into 3 parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels: A,E,I,O,U .

Q. What is the fibula?
A. A small lie.

Q. What does 'varicose' mean?
A. Nearby.

Q. What is the most common form of birth control?
A.. Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium.

 (Randy Glasbergen, Cartoonist)

(Our thanks to Joan H for forwarding this gem to us.)

Seeing That Stray Gray Hair in Those Beautiful Eyebrows? Try One of These.

(ClipArt Online)

For those of us who color our hair, or those who don't but see gray in our eyebrows, there are solutions.  One of our readers asked her colorist to also tint her brows, but she didn't feel the tinting really covered the gray.  Another plucked that interloper out immediately, but then there's the worry that eyebrows will become very thin as a result of that overzealous approach.

Here are 4 that one of our readers has tried and has deemed all 4 as effective and cost-conscious:

These 3 are gels and come with a mascara-like want for easy use.

1.)  Revlon Brow Fantasy by Colorstay-Opinion?  This does a good job of grooming brows.  It also has a brow pencil on the other end in the same shade.

2.)  Maybelline Brow Drama- Opinion?  Also a good choice. It covers grays well and sculpts nicely.

3.)  Rimmel Brow This Way-Opinion?  A winner, too.

The 4th  has been tried by our reader and deemed effective.

4.)  Godefroy 28 Day Mascara Permanent Eyelash and Eyebrow Tint Kit-Opinion?  Our reader will never try to do the eyelash tint even though the product has "no hydrogen peroxide or synthetic dyes" as listed on the packaging.  BUT, this does a great job on brows, and it is both waterproof and non-fading for about 4 weeks.  The application time is 2 minutes.  It is $19.95 but it lasts for at least 6 applications or 6 months.  It can be purchased on line by googling Godefroy 28 Day Mascara.

Her final opinion?  All 4 work better than any tinting she has done in the stylist's salon.

Is It True? Are Men Really Happier Than We Are?

 

(Microsoft ClipArt)

MEN ARE JUST HAPPIER PEOPLE Needs no explanation...and is fun to read no matter your gender.  Men Are Just Happier People --

   
 What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park.

  Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks.

   A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Two pairs of shoes are more than enough.. You almost never have strap problems in public You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color.. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck. 

     You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.. You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a moustache. You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives On December 24 in 25 minutes. No wonder men are happier.

   NICKNAMES   
· If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.

· If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Bubba and Wildman.

EATING OUT   
· When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.   
· When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY
· A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.   
· A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.

   BATHROOMS   

· A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel.   
· The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS   
· A woman has the last word in any argument.   
· Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE
· A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
· A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

MARRIAGE   
· A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
· A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

   DRESSING UP   

· A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone read a book, and get the mail.

· A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.   

NATURAL   
· Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.   
· Women somehow deteriorate during the night.    

   OFFSPRING   
· Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite  foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.

· A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing. 

 (Thanks to Tom Z, Bob A and Mary F for sending this post.) 

 

Holidays=Photos of Friends and Family. Make Sure Pictures of You Show You at Your Best!

This article comes from www.whowhatwear.com/the-worst-poses-to-strike-in-photos/

 

Warning!!  The photos are of professional models/actresses.  So we're not advocating that the fantastic outfits would look great on all of us or that we should go out and splurge on what we see.  But the tips ARE great!

 

 

"The Worst Poses to Strike in Photos (and How to Make Them Better)"
 October 12, 2015

 We’ve shown you several ways to look better in photos—squinching, anyone? But what should you avoid in order to look your absolute best and the most photogenic? Well, we tapped photographer Mike Coppola from Getty Images (which has a talented team of expert photo specialists led by VP of entertainment Roxanne Motamedi) photographer Mike Coppola—who constantly snaps celebrities and knows what works and what doesn’t—to spill on the worst poses you can strike in photos, along with what you should do instead

   by Bobby Schuessler .

Keep scrolling for your dos and don’ts to make your next snaps that much better.

“Do put one or both hands on your waist like Gigi to create negative space between your body and your arms. This also creates a beautiful line up to the face. You can choose to put one hand on your hip or both if you are taking a photo solo.”

1 / 5

Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images

On Hadid: Michael Kors jumpsuit; Atelier Swarovski by Ye Mingzi ring. 

 

“Do like Chrissy and have great posture. By rolling your shoulders back,
you will look more confident. This will also naturally elongate the neck.”

2 / 5

Photo: John Sciulli/Getty Images for go90

On Teigen: Hayley Paige suit.

 

 

3 / 5

“Do like Mindy and keep your feet close together to create a narrow base. You can achieve this look by crossing your feet or just putting them close together. This position elongates the body.”

4 / 5
                                

 

Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

On Kaling: Diane von Furstenberg dress; Vita Fede jewelry. 

 “Do like Kendall and nail a power pose with your weight on your back foot. If you are wearing a long dress with a slit, this pose works even better because your weightless front leg can peep out the slit,  creating a long, vertical line.  Make sure to add a slight bend to the front knee so the leg looks relaxed.”

5 / 5

Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows

On Jenner: Calvin Klein Chenille and Leather Sleeveless Keyhole Tunic ($2995); Stuart Weitzman Nudist Sandals ($415).

Want more ideas?  Here are two more articles from www.whowhatwear.com

         Is Squinching the Secret to Looking Photogenic? See the Photos

A Great Place in the USA to Visit if You Can Convince the Owners to Guide You to Fly Geyser.

AMAZING...by Justin Majeczky

 

In the early twentieth century, a farmer decided that he needed to improve the agriculture on his  ranch in Nevada. He figured that a well needed to be dug to bring water and nutrients to the soil  above. He lived in a barren desert and the water stored deep beneath the Earth’s crust would have  provided a more sustainable crop for this harsh and dry area. He knew that a well with ample water  was needed to supply bountiful crops. What he didn't know was what was waiting for him deep below the soil . He began to dig a deep well when problems soon arose. After digging deep into the Earth searching for water, he found what he was looking for. The problem was that the water  was incredibly hot. Over 200 degrees in fact, making it impossible to create a well at the time. He capped off his ventures and was forced to forget about supplying the area with a sustainable water source.       A team came to the area with better drilling technology in 1964, in order to create a successful well. Their plans didn’t go as expected as the water was still too hot for them to deal with. The  drilling operation was immediately suspended and abandoned. The team that came in 1964 didn’t  cap their drilling ventures properly and they created a small geyser. Under extreme pressure and at extreme temperatures, gasses, water, minerals, and nutrients flooded to the surface. This small geyser has grown at an incredible rate creating something that nobody expected. It is not a typical geyser at all. This type of geyser is actually called a fly geyser and it pumps the nutrient rich water above ground where these nutrients and minerals have collected, creating a colorful mountain that continues to grow to this day.       The fly geyser in Nevada started out as an attempt to create a well but the drillers got much more than they bargained for when they were faced with scolding hot water. After the operations were abandoned, a beautiful monument created by nature was formed and it has taken on a life of its own, continuously growing and changing. The mineral-rich water has created a mountain of colorful formations that have stunned the world.         The fly geyser in Nevada has created its own unique ecosystem in and around the water.       If you get close enough, you’re able to see small fish swimming in the hot spring waters and many birds flying around feeding on the organisms that have come to call this magical fantasy land, home.         The different nutrients, gasses, and minerals that are expelled from this fly geyser in Nevada react differently to the sun, as well as the oxygen in the air. This reaction creates some magnificent  colors that are constantly changing. The longer this geyser flows, the more beautiful it becomes.  Look out Yellowstone. It looks like you have some serious competition in Nevada.                    The fly geyser in Nevada is located on private land so you would need permission to see the rare sight. Many people have contacted the land owners with offers to purchase the land in order to transform this desert oasis into a tourist attraction. The land owners have no intent of letting that happen. This is their own private oasis and they are happy with keeping it that way. They have refused all offers and keep their property fenced in to prevent the hoards of people that flock to this area to see the geyser from ruining their land. Few people, family and friends, even a few photographers have been allowed access, but this is someone’s land. I can understand the owners not wanting too many strangers trampling the beautiful rural area.       The land owners will give you a guided tour if you can get a hold of them. The price varies on their mood and the time of year, so if you want to make plans to see this place you better be nice to the owner and his family.                Check out this amazing aerial video of the fly geyser in Nevada   Aerial View... Text, photos and video by Justin Majeczky.  See Majeczky's website at justinmajeczky@varient.com   (Thanks to Bob A for giving us a fantastic place to visit n the USA ...if we can convince the owners to guide us to the site.)

Summer's Over. Now What?

(Photo by Dick Bevevino)

OK, we've had our morning coffee.  It's time to face reality.  Summer is almost a memory, and if we've been lucky, we've been able to spend time with those we love best, both at home and on vacation.

So what now?  It's time to think about one of our favorite topics again:  VACATIONS !  Last summer we had some great advice on river cruises from Pam and Alan, Carol and Ray, and Ruthanne and Ted.  Now let's consider other ways to enjoy getaways, both close to home and abroad.

Our friend Terry has just returned from a trip to France, Italy, and Switzerland.  On a tour?  In a manner of speaking.  Terry and friends booked a guided walking tour with www.northwestwalks.co. Their hike covered 112 miles in 10 days.  But wait!  Before you scream, "Yikes, who can do that?" remember that the group hiked 12 miles a day with the following schedule:  Hike/break/hike/lunch/hike/break/hike/dinner with ice-cold beer.  Terry's advice?  Add squats and lunges to your exercise routine for 6 months before the trip. That strengthens your legs for those inclines.  Take your hiking sticks with you, too. A side benefit?  Using those hiking sticks makes the hike more doable and also burns more calories at the same time.   And best of all, enjoy the magnificent vistas all along the way.

Would you rather walk this winter or spring instead of in the summer months?  www.macsadventures.com offers walks in places like Southern Spain and Portugal as well as trips through the British Isles, their base of operations.  You can explore the site by putting in your level of ability (Whew!  There is an "easy" category.), the dates of interest, and other info that will aid in showing you their offerings.

Microsoft ClipArt

Many of us like to stay closer to home.  If you would, consider this.  Bob A. has just returned from a bike trip starting in  Burlington,Vermont and ending in Quebec City. Bob was on a Sojourn tour. And they offer a number of different bike tours to various locations within the USA. The Sojourn tours are in Canada and the USA are ranked:Bob's was an "intermediate tour" covering an average of 55 miles per day. Bob felt the tour guides were very knowledgable, both from a historical standpoint and also about cycling tips. Starting on Sunday, the riders experienced some "rather easy flat ride days along Lake Champlain on lightly traveled roads and some scenic area as well as lots of very green pastures and farm land.  Most breakfasts, a few lunches and several dinners were included in the trip fee. The tour ended in Quebec City, and on Thursday, we had a day off the bike and all of us participated in a Walking Tour of Quebec City with an interesting guide." On Thursday, Bob joined 4 others on he optional  long ride:  85-90 miles."  Since it was Bob's 16th tour, he was well able to finish, but he cautions that this option was "arduous."  There are loads of US bike tours for all levels of riders so there's no need to shy away because of the challenges of his trip.

Other tours?  Walking?  Camping?  Kayaking?  For families?  For couples?  For singles?  Many tour companies serving the USA offer these.  http://grandamericanadventures.com/tourtypes There are even tours for those of us who prefer to amble along at a slower pace.  Now, that sounds great to me!

(Our thanks to Terry and Bob A for sharing their amazing adventures.)



You Think You've Had a Bad Day? Think Again!

Your day hasn't been as bad as this...AND your hair definitely looks better!

(The Chicken Chick)

Living Our Lives Well and Brightening Every Day

                    6 Little stories 

(Microsoft ClipArt)

 

1. Once all the villagers decided to pray for rain.  On the day of the prayer all the people gathered, but only one boy came with an umbrella. That's faith. 

 

2.  When you throw a baby in the air, she laughs because she knows you will catch her. That's trust. 

 

3.  Every night we go to bed, without any assurance of being alive the next morning but still we set the alarms to wake up. That's hope. 

 

4.  We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future. That's confidence. 

 

5.  We see the world suffering, but still we get married and have children. That's love. 

 

6.  On an old man's shirt was written a sentence, "I am not 60 years old...I am sweet 16 with 44 years of experience." That's attitude. 

 

Have a happy day and live your life like these 6 stories!

 

(Thanks to Cheryl who forwarded these six stories from her cousin, Jane.)

On the Road...With Caution

(Microsoft ClipArt)

Sometimes we need to post information on the recent ploys by criminals to stop us on the highway.  Sadly, we all need to be even more aware now.  Careless drivers, inattentive drivers, and impaired travelers are already on our radar, but the three situations below definitely deserve our attention, no matter where we drive.  This applies to drivers in all 50 states and is taken from a message by the Office of Attorney General:  State of Michigan.

Ploy I:  A child's car seat covered with a baby blanket is placed on the side of the highway-usually in a secluded area of the highway.  Thieves hope you will stop.  If you do, the consequences could range from robbery to physical assault to death.  Instead of stopping, call 911 and tell the operator about the car seat.  Do not stop and do not even slow down.  The police will send someone to investigate.

Ploy II:  Thieves will throw eggs at the windshield of a car, hoping the motorist will activate the wiper solution.  That coats the windshield with a smear that can keep you from seeing virtually 100% of what's ahead.   They wait for you to pull over so that you can clear the window.  If it happens to you, don't try to use the wipers/wiper fluid.  Drive carefully, but do not stop.

Ploy III:  Many of us are already aware that thieves are using the unmarked car/flashing lights ploy to make drivers think they are being asked to pull over by a policeman.  The rule is to never pull over for an unmarked car with lights flashing.  Instead, the traveler should keep driving until he or she is able to pull in to a gas station or similar safe place.  But many of us aren't aware that we should use our cell phones to call 112. This number reaches a police dispatcher.  Tell the police dispatcher about the unmarked car with lights flashing and explain that you will not pull over until you find a safe place to do so.  This emergency operator will check to find out if a valid unmarked police car is in the area.  Most of us are unaware that police must respect the motorist's right to continue driving until a safe place like a gas station appears.  The number 112 is a "direct link to state trooper information" and applies to every state.

(Thanks to Joan & Len H for sending this valuable  and potentially life-saving information.)