HOMELESS MAN & DOG AT LIBRARY

The man was sitting in a chair, reading a Stuart Woods novel. A thought flickered through my mind: it’s odd he isn’t taking it home to read. He was thin, middle aged, and wore a sweater and jeans. A stubble of beard was no different than many who wear them. I went on to the stacks, taking my time to find something my husband would enjoy. Every once in awhile, I sat down and looked over my choices. Finally, I found 4 good ones, checked them out. It was raining; I hurried to my car and sat for a few moments to catch my breath. That’s when I saw a homeless man & his dog at the library.

Should a homeless person own a dog? — A dog can provide a homeless person companionship and protection.

I recognized the Stuart Woods fan, now wearing a jacket and stocking cap. At first, I thought he’d probably left his dog in the car, and was taking it for a little walk. But they were standing behind some bushes, under an alcove. He huddled in a corner of the building, shielding the dog with an umbrella. That’s when I saw his telltale black backpack, and realized he probably didn’t have a car at all. Or a home.

I sat there for a few minutes, feeling confused. . How could a homeless man care for a dog? And why would he want one in the first place? Where were they going? How long would they stand out in the rain? The questions piled up in my head.

It’s hard for me to see a homeless person without wanting to fix things. Since I couldn’t do that, I wanted to understand the situation. As soon as I got in the house, I turned on my computer and keyed in the question: Should a homeless person own a dog? I was sure the search would turn up empty. And yet, there were several links to the topic.

Statistically, 5% of all homeless people own a pet. At first, it seems wrong. Why keep an animal outside all day and night? . And what if you can’t afford to feed it? Where does it poop? If I were an animal, would I want my owner to be a homeless person?

Apparently, there are many positives. An animal gives his owner love and companionship. There are cases where a dog has given a homeless person enough hope to work their way back into normal society. Animals can easily adapt to living outside in the elements. It’s their nature. Dogs also provide protection on the streets and in tents and other places where the homeless congregate. And so, the next time you see a homeless person with a dog, you might say a prayer that they find their way home..

October 23, 2019October 23, 2019

DO VOTERS CARE ABOUT KURDS OR BENGHAZI?

A Marine Reserve Center, directly across the street from our house, is a daily reminder of our brave Americans. There’s a plaque near the building with the names of those in that battalion who recently lost their lives in the Middle East. We’ve watched these fine men and women come and go over the years. They seem like our own kin . Would I like to see a few more names on the plaque because we’re defending the Kurds? Actually, no. And, will our retreat influence the next election? Do voters care about the Kurds or our mission in Benghazi?

This Marine Reserve Unit is directly across the street from our house — A plaque at the Marine Reserve Center has the names of four who gave their lives in the Middle East.

The 2012 attack on the American embassy in Libya brought about a two year investigation in 2014. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, was criticized for not coming to the rescue of the four American citizens who died in Benghazi. Because the US ambassador was gay, he was singled out for extreme torture. You might have thought this would affect Hillary Clinton’s support from the LGBT community, But obviously, it didn’t. She easily won the popular vote in the 2016 election.

If we had stayed in Syria to defend the Kurds, how many of our men would have died? — If our troops had stayed to defend the Kurds, many of our soldiers would have lost their lives,

Now, we have the President’s decision to pull out of the Kurdish held territory in Syria, Apparently, the Turks informed the President a massive invasion was about to take place. If our troops were to stay, many of our men would die 7,000 miles from home. Questions about the wisdom and integrity of this decision will drag on until the next presidential election.

But do these events influence the way Americans vote? In our modest, middle class neighborhood, yard signs supporting various political candidates proliferate . From the looks of it, we’re fairly divided as to political party leanings. In 2020 , will my Republican neighbors vote against Trump–or Pence– because he decided not to stay and fight a losing battle? Will it be a deal breaker? If we go on past history, I would doubt it.

October 21, 2019October 21, 2019

WHY SHOULDN’T YOU BUY A HALLOWEEN COSTUME?

As a kid growing up in the forties, we had never heard of “store bought” Halloween costumes. Making your own costume was half the fun of Halloween, and the ultimate recycling project. Why shouldn’t you buy a Halloween costume? Because, with a little imagination, you don’t have to.

Recycling an old sheet made a good ghost costume in the old days — In the old days, people used to recycle old sheets instead of buying a ghost costume

The most popular :homemade costume at that time was a ghost. Take an old sheet(most people had white sheets then), drape it over your head, cut out a hole for eyes. Then take a black crayon or ink and draw a mouth and nose. Boo!

Second in popularity and ease of construction was a witch. Again, an old sheet or tablecloth dyed black (Black dye cost a dime). With scissors and safety pins you could make some sleeves. Then, a belt around the waist.. Or ,you might wear some grown-up’s black dress. A pointy hat was the most important, , made by. rolling up some black poster paper, with the aid of glue and scotch tape, Mom’s makeup for the face:. Mascara around the eyes. A gaudy red mouth with lipstick. . Eyebrow pencil lines and wrinkles drawn over your forehead. There was no end to where a little imagination would lead. All you had to do was cackle.

Cowboys were also popular. They still sold cap guns and cowboy hats at Woolworths’, and most every kid had some. Black masks cost a nickel. Put on one of your dad’s old shirts, a pair of jeans, a red bandana across your face, and there you had it. The Lone Ranger!

No one had ever heard of Disney Princess Costumes from Walmart. If you wanted to be a princess, there was usually an old taffeta dress or skirt in your mom or big sister’s clothes closet. Someone who could sew might help make a few ruffles or sew on some sequins . You could make a crown by stapling a strip of cardboard into a circle and decorating it with broken costume jewelry or sequins. Ballet slippers completed the costume. Cinderella!

By the time I had children, you could buy cheap, flimsy, throwaway Halloween costumes at every discount store. . a minimalist nightmare. The industry itself is worth 9.8 billion dollars. The average person spends $86 on Halloween. What a waste of material and creativity!

That’s why you shouldn’t buy a Halloween costume.

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019

BUTTIGIEG VS. PENCE 2020?

Last week, this may have sounded crazy. Mayor Pete’s chances of winning the presidential nomination were very slim. But this latest debate might have been a deal breaker. Buttigieg came across as the only candidate who seemed authentic. He challenged Elizabeth Warren’s pie- in- the-sky promises as to the real cost of Medicare for all. He calmly spoke with the voice of experience on the US withdrawal from Syria. Now, there’s a real possibility that Trump will be impeached. Therefore, it’s not a pipe dream to imagine a presidential election with two Hoosiers on the ballet . Buttigieg vs Pence 2020? It could happen.

There's a possiblity that two Hoosier will be on the ballot in 2020 — Two Hoosiers could be on the ballot during the 2020 election

Of course, I’m not at all biased (: However, I believe our country would be well served if we had a POTUS who brings some good old Hoosier Values to the table.

What are HOOSIER VALUES? The very phrase brings to mind a dull, penny pinching, religious fanatic who’s never traveled more than 100 miles from his home town. I’ve surfed the internet and found that there are no clearly defined Hoosier Values. Different sources say the following character traits define an Indiana native: Patriotic, Honest, Responsible, Faithful, Humble. Others claim that the typical Hoosier has a strong work ethic, family values and a sense of community.

Wow! That’s a lot of good stuff. Does that mean that no one in my state is cruel, vulgar, promiscuous, dishonest or rude? Hardly.

When I think of Hoosier Values, I envision someone who doesn’t brag, or make false promises, and behaves with dignity in public. In other words, someone with just plain old common sense.

Buttigieg vs Pence in the 2020 presidential election would be a win-win situation for Indiana. . No matter which party prevailed at the polls, we could rest assured that Hoosier Values are well represented in Washington DC.

October 16, 2019October 18, 2019

WEEDING OUT THE CLOSET

The day I’ve dreaded since the temperature dropped has arrived. I’ve sorted through a jumbled up closet full of light and heavy clothes for a couple of weeks, because I live in a century old house with no walk in closets. It was built in the day when people had smaller wardrobes. Consequently, they rotated what few clothes they owned from side to side in the same small space. But now, weeding out the closet at the end of each season is a chore.

As I yank clothes from drawers and closets, I curse myself for succumbing to so many summer sales. I have culottes, shorts, blouses, tops, pants and dresses that I’d forgotten I even owned. I start by making 3 piles.

1. Goodwill bound: This is the toughest one of all. How can I part with my Mexican outfits, and T shirts from all the places I’ve visited in the last few years? And that lovely jacket from Italy? They’re all faded, and even though t I hate to admit it, too tight. Other clothes that I loved and paid too much for have gone out of style. Maybe they won’t even sell at the Goodwill store. No excuses here! The pile grows.

2.: T-shirts. I live in them all summer, often changing a couple of times a day. Many are stained and faded. And yet, I keep them for years on end for something to “wear around the house.” These cannot be given to a recycling store. No one would want them, except maybe for rags. T shirt rags are great for washing windows, so that will be their destiny. And then, one day, my husband will observe that our broom closet is overflowing with rags.

3.: Summer clothes: Which ones go to the Goodwill and what shall I keep? I fold many of them to put in storage boxes. The rest I put on hangers.

Luckily, this old house has a basement, with shelves and closets for storage. I load my arms with summer clothes and head downstairs, replacing them with heavier winter clothes to be hauled upstairs.

The bedroom is littered with empty hangers. Where will I put them all?

Okay, I’m almost finished. But next Spring, I’ll have to do this all over again, in reverse. Now, if I can just resist those end of season sales!

October 14, 2019November 14, 2019

10 Elements Make Best Sellers Boring

My husband and I are avid readers. Because he’s handicapped, it’s my job to pick out his library books. His taste is different from mine. I go for biographies and literary fiction while he favors mysteries. I’ve gotten pretty good at finding books he will like. He enjoys best selling authors , while I avoid them like the plague. If I see twenty books on the shelf by the same writer, I know I won’t like any of them. Most people read only a few books a year, so that’s fine for them. But when you read a few books a week, your tastes become more refined. The characters and plot of the average mystery are stereotypical. 90 % of best sellers are boring because of these 10 common, predictable elements.

Most best selling mysteries have stereotypical characters and plots — BEST SELLING MYSTERIES OFTEN HAVE STEREOTYPICAL PLOTS AND CHARACTERS

1. Protagonist has lost a parent, spouse or sibling. Female is strong and beautiful. Male is handsome, tough and may have military background.

2. One character owns an animal–usually a dog or a horse.

3. Set in large coastal city like New York, California, or a resort area like Nantucket Island. Also, ranches are popular.

4. Several explicit, gratuitous sex scenes. The formula used to be one or two but that’s increased, probably due to Netflix streaming series. Take any novel; ; eliminate these scenes, and see how well the novel sells. In fact, best selling books today are thinly veiled porn. Tolstoy probably wouldn’t make it.

5. One good cop, detective, lawyer or judge

6. One bad guy.

7. Blood and guts. Excruciating pain. As an example, character is bound, gagged and tortured.

8. Perpetrator introduced in first chapter is usually false friend or spouse.

9. Story starts out fairly believable but soon develops numerous implausible twists and turns. (This is where I skip to the back of the book.)

10. Someone has a serious medical condition. If they don’t die, they come close to it.

As the saying goes, ” if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.” When it comes to most best sellers, I’ve been there done that.

October 11, 2019October 11, 2019

WHAT SHOULD A BIRTHDAY CARD COST?

If you are anyway near my age, you will remember when ordinary people sent greeting cards for every occasion. In the post Depression years of hand-me-down-clothes and bean dinners, my parents still managed to pay for printed Christmas cards. I’m pretty sure they addressed and stamped about 50 every year. And received just as many in return. I can’t remember what they cost, but certainly not the going price of greeting cards today, in the range of $5 or $6. What should a birthday card cost?

Greeting cards are way too expensive — GREETING CARDS HAVE GOTTEN SO EXPENSIVE THAT THEY’RE MORE LIKE A GIFT

Grocery stores and pharmacies have racks full of expensive cards. Most recipients glance at a card, quickly scan the message, then turn it over to see how much the card cost. If someone paid a lot , we’re flattered. The sender thinks that much of us. We go back and reread the message. We may stand our card up on a desk or coffee table for a day or two because it seems a waste to discard it right away. Some people save all of their cards, but most don’t.

The cost of big name greeting cards has escalated so rapidly that you wonder why anyone buys them. The Dollar Stores began selling cards a while back. At first, they looked like they’d been run off on a copy machine. But lately, the quality of those cards has improved vastly. They’re no longer so impersonal. They have his and her cards for every type of relative imaginable. And the truth is, my children and grandchildren are more interested in the size of the enclosed check than the cost of the card. .

Recently, rather than pay $6 for a printed greeting, I decided to write a personal note on a modestly priced card. Doesn’t it mean more to think a person sat down, picked up a pen, and took the time to send us a few special thoughts?

A few years back, I heard an old friend had suffered a stroke. Instead of rushing to the store for a get well card, I found a small note card in my drawer and took the time to write her a personal letter, encouraging her to stay strong, and to let her know I was thinking about her. When I saw her a few months later, she thanked me profusely. Clearly, that note meant more to her than an expensive, printed card.

Younger people don’t spend the time and money to send greeting cards. They text or email or send a Facebook message. But I still think it means a lot to get a handwritten greeting in the mail.

LIVING WELL AFTER 80

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