How to Reach 80

I’M FAMOUS!


Well ... not famous famous ... but more famous than I was before.


Before what? you ask.


Let me explain. I’m not saying that I’m the talk of the town ... nothing like that. Nor have I achieved something that others may only dream of achieving ... nothing like that, either.


But I was certainly surprised when I got an e-mail from a friend at the Dayton Metro Library, advising me that my picture was in the library’s 2009 annual report.


WHAT? What might I have done to merit that?  


Nothing, of course. Still, there I am, on one of the inside pages of the annual report ... standing at a speaker’s stand in the Huber Heights Branch Library ... wearing my corduroy shirt, freshly-pressed trousers, pedometer on my belt, pen in my shirt pocket ... that’s certainly me ... and I appear to be reading my entry in the annual poetry contest, sponsored by Friends of the Library.


Whoa! It doesn’t get more famous than that.


-S&G-


MEANWHILE, I’m still trying not to sneeze while writing this (I’ve been battling a rotten cold ... for ages it seems) ... I’m afraid that cold germs may have found a way to travel electronically ... and I certainly don’t want any “Squiggles” followers to be coughing and sneezing ... like I’ve been. Phyllis, too.


Even Professor Squigglee has been giving me wide berth while I engage in hand-to-hand combat with this blankety-blank malady.


Just as a precaution, I’d advise that you not sit too close to the screen ... and don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly after scrolling up ... or is it down?


-S&G-


REMEMBER Little Red? Everybody seems to have some particular recollection of an adventure we’ve had with The Little Red Car.


There have been a lot of them over the thirteen years we’ve shared with Little Red. 


That’s right ... Little Red has entered the teen years ... and, naturally, I think, has developed a few quirks ... a certain mind set ... but we needn’t go into all that.


We’ve racked up a lot of fun times ... a few trouble spots, too, I must admit ... but mostly fun as Phyllis and I ... and Little Red ... have gone exploring together ... in the main avoiding the Interstates ... but enjoying the scenery along the quieter routes.


I think I may have mentioned recently that we were considering letting Little Red go put-putting off to wherever teen-aged cars go ... and, by the time you read this, that likely will have happened.


Little Red is being replaced ... with a mixture of emotions on my part ... by a younger, less red model, a teeny bit smaller (for a better fit in our ancient garage).


Actually, Little Red’s replacement is a white model with a lot of gadgets that Little Red ... and I ... never dreamed of. I may share some of that ... when I figure out what they’re for.


We did take the replacement for a test run ... and to be sure ... absolutely sure ... that it would fit in our garage. It did!


Don’t tell Little Red that I said this, but this other vehicle is a lot peppier than Little Red ... a lot quieter ... so easy to steer that I found myself tending to over-steer a couple of times ... and so smooth riding that I noticed the speedometer tending to creep up past that LIMIT I’ve preached so much about.


Oh, and the good news is that I expect to have it paid off by the time I’m 100 ... 102 at the most. 


And now I’ve got to find a name for it.


-S&G-


LET’S HEAR IT ... for LOREE (Kansas), who recently celebrated her ... um, well, her birthday (never mind which one). 

She says she made out like a bandit without a weapon ... and I can believe that. Some of the highlights:


Ladder and leaf blower ... a new can opener that doesn't open the 'inside' top of a can, but rather cuts all around, beneath the rim ...  long sleeve western shirt  that has a lot of glitter in the floral designs sprinkled on it (makes her look like she should be Dolly Parton) ... down-filled vest to wear over the shirt ... check for $100 from a very special friend ... supper out Friday evening ... breakfast brought in Sunday morning (actual date of big event) ... and supper then, (same day) at a place called  'The Little Hooker'.  


Loree explains: "Before anyone makes a rash judgment as to why it is called that, I think I KNOW first hand ... for a much too high price, you can get a small steak, either a baked potato or mashed potatoes (a pile the size of a small ice cream dipper) with a 'bit' of gravy, and one slice of Texas toast.  NO salad, NO soup, NO hot rolls ... NO reason to even ASK for a doggie box ... I was still hungry when I got home, so hit a box of Russell Stover chocolates on the sly ... "


-S&G-


ALL OF WHICH leaves Loree wondering ... “how many days of waiting, before I can casually say I have a birthday coming up ALL OVER AGAIN?  After all, most of the guests are like me ... their memories are not nearly what they were 20 or 30 years ago!”

-S&G-


TODAY’S POEM ... Let me hasten to point out that Loree is NOT 80 years old ... not even near it! But this poem came to mind as I enjoyed the details of Loree’s celebration.


I was reminded of the lady ... who also wrote great poetry ... and invited us to her birthday party on a cold winter day a few years ago. 


As I say in the poem, we were all keenly interested in the secret she said she was going to share with us.


The poem:


HOW TO REACH 80


We ate Cajun food,
savored the singing,
all the memories
of this tiny lady
celebrating and
being celebrated
for her active life
as mother, fellow
worker, confidante,
for bringing us
sunshine on cloudy
days. And we all
leaned forward
to catch every
word as she stood,
she said, to share
her secret: "Just
keep breathing."


(Originally published in Capper’s)


-S&G-




COMMENT? Feel free ... below, if you like. 


Or if you prefer e-mail, that's fine, too ... especially for more detailed observations, to


 rbrimm@peoplepc.com


... and it helps if you put "Squiggles" or "S&G" ... something like that ... in the subject line (just remember, no religion or politics ... please!)


-S&G-


If you’d like to see what’s up with my other, DAILY blog (no, this is not my “Home Page”),  here’s a link to it:


http://rbrimm.blogspot.com/


Thanks for paying a visit.


-S&G-


UNTIL NEXT TIME ... take care ... see ya!


-S&G-


©  2010