The day before Thanksgiving I came down with a really bad head cold. I had looked forward to my daughter’s turkey dinner for weeks; instead I spent the day with my head hardly leaving my pillow. When I could finally lift my head, I turned on the TV and turned on one of my favorite […]

Sure, bring your favorite dish — that special pie or casserole. But don’t forget to bring a story of Thanksgiving past to share. The memories of your stories will last much longer than anything they eat this year! My favorite part about Thanksgiving is of course getting to see the kids, the grandkids, the aunts, uncles […]

Laughter is good for the soul. As it turns out, it’s also good for your health! So have you had your dose of laughter today? This is the time of year when we have a lot less sunlight and people tend to get a little moody and down. Well, there is a cure for that. […]

The holidays used to be pretty easy to plan. I’m an only child, so even when my kids were little it was off to my parents for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Now that my kids are married with kids of their own and my parents are in their 80’s, the holidays are a lot harder to […]

Today I turned 62 years old and like always my daddy asked, “What do you want for your birthday?” I said, “Nothing, Daddy. I have everything I need. I feel very blessed.” What I wished I would have told him is that he gave me everything, not only for my birthday but for every minute […]

About 71.6 million people received benefits from programs administered by the Social Security Administration in 2023, including income for former workers, their dependents, and many disabled people. More than 50 million beneficiaries are older adults who receive monthly Social Security retirement benefits. As many have complained, the rules for how and when to claim benefits […]

I have so much gratitude for the men and women who gave themselves for our country. Since the very beginning of this brave land, the women also gave of themselves to make this country great and to keep us all free. Two weeks ago, I met an extraordinary woman named Kay Sherman, age 92. I […]

Seniors, too often the targets of cyber-savvy or fast-talking scammers, are again being singled out — this time by admittedly ingenious “spoofers” masquerading as representatives of the Social Security Administration (SSA). Typically, the newest spoofing scam works like this: Aware that most people now screen their phone calls by checking the caller’s number before they pick […]

Updated April 2025 While lamenting the losses, limitations, and inevitable aches and pains that come with aging, many people are also quick to put a half-positive spin on it. “Well, it beats the alternative,” they’ll say. Or as nicely-aging actor George Clooney recently said, more forthrightly: “I’m kind of comfortable with getting older because it’s […]

This Tuesday, my parents celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. Every year they celebrate a birthday or their anniversary becomes a lot more special to me. It just seems like the older I get, the more I appreciate my parents. I know there will come a day when these memories will see me through. Mama was […]