55 Plus CNY, #98: April – May 2022

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD! EATING UPSTATE NEW YORK FOOD

Issue 98 – April / May 2022 For Active Adults in the Central New York Area

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STARTING A BUSINESS

AFTER 55 Hastings resident Lisa Stevenson, 64, started “Rent The Chicken” after retiring from her job of 37 years.

She’s part of a national trend of retirees starting their own businesses. We profile five of them. P. 28

SHARE WITH A FRIEND!

Rent me!

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55 PLUS | contents

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD! EATING UPSTATE NEW YORK FOOD

April / May 2022 Do you have story ideas, or would you like to advertise in 55 Plus?

Send an email to editor@cny55.com or call 315-342-1182.

Issue 98 – April / May 2022 For Active Adults in the Central New York Area

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STARTING A BUSINESS

AFTER 55 Hastings resident Lisa Stevenson, 64, started “Rent The Chicken” after retiring from her job of 37 years.

She’s part of a national trend of retirees starting their own businesses. We profile five of them. P. 28

ON THE COVER Rent me!

SHARE WITH A FRIEND!

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Hastings resident Lisa Stevenson, 64, is owner of Rent The Chicken.

Photographed by Chuck Wainwright.

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SAVVY SENIOR 6 15 SPIRITS GARDENING 8 DINING OUT 10

• Chris Uyehara of Last Shot Distillery in Skaneateles recently won a Discovery Channel competition for his whiskey.

MY TURN 26 18 ADVENTURE AGING 36 • Molly Fulton of Marcellus has logged GOLDEN YEARS 39 LIFE AFTER 55 44 DRUGER’S ZOO 46

LAST PAGE

55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

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48

38 MONEY • An AARP study finds only 9% of older women feel confident in their retirement finances; experts weigh in.

40 GARDENING

thousands of miles by air and sea, having visited an estimated 100 countries.

• Local landscapers offer tips to add beauty to your lawn this spring, and trends for 2022.

22 PETS

43 CLEANING

• Bringing home a pet can add warmth to your home and enjoyment to your day.

• It’s time to start thinking about spring cleaning. Here’s how to make your efforts more effective.

24 DENTISTRY

• Dental implants can replace lost teeth Linda Llewellyn, and last a lifetime.

65, is a Meals on Wheels volunteer 28 COVER • Many CNYers over 55 are part of the who finds her national trend of retiring from life-long work “incredibly careers to start new businesses. We chat rewarding and with five starting this new chapter. important.”

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www.cny55.com

48 VISITS • Food, glorious food! Ten popular foods that originated in New York state.

Lee Gatta & Joe Reddick at Syracuse University.

Joe and I feel blessed by the support we have received over the years from Syracuse and Central New York. It was the community’s support that inspired us to establish a charitable giving plan through the Community Foundation.

Our life insurance proceeds will fund the Lee M. Gatta and Joe Reddick Fund, which will provide support for the causes within the community that are of primary importance to us: the support of women and girls through the work of the Women’s Fund, eldercare and cancer care coordination and caregiver support.

We hope to leave a lasting legacy that changes lives and inspires others in our community to do the same.

CARE-FILLED GIVING: LEE GATTA & JOE REDDICK Read more of Joe & Lee’s story at cnycf.org/Gatta

315.422.9538 | C N YC F. O R G

savvy senior

By Jim Miller

Home Modification Tips for ‘Aging-in-Place’

M

any older adults want to stay in their own home for as long as possible. But being able to do so will depend on how easy it is to maneuver your living space as you get older.

Here are some helpful resources you can turn to, to get an idea of the different types of features and improvements that will make your house safer and more convenient as you grow older.

In addition, they also offer videos and a HomeFit AR app (available for iPhone and iPad) that can scan a room and suggest improvements to help turn your house into a “lifelong home,” free from safety and mobility risks.

Visit AARP.org/HomeFit to order or download a free copy of this guide, or to watch their videos.

Home Evaluation

If you want some personalized help, you can get a professional inhome assessment with an occupational therapist.

An occupational therapist, or OT, can evaluate the challenges and shortcomings of your home for aging in place, recommend design and modification solutions, and introduce you to products and services to help you make improvements.

To find an OT in your area, check with your physician, health insurance provider or local hospital, or seek recommendations from family and friends. Many health insurance providers, including Medicare, will pay for a home assessment by an OT if prescribed by your doctor.

However, they will not cover the physical upgrades to the home.

Another option is to contact a builder who’s a certified aging in place specialist (CAPS). CAPS are home remodelers and design-build professionals that are knowledgeable about aging in place home modifications and can suggest ways to modify or remodel your home that will fit your needs and budget. CAPS are generally paid by the hour or receive a flat fee per visit or project.

To find a CAPS in your area visit the National Association of Home Builders website at NAHB.org/ capsdirectory where you can search by state and city.

A good first step in making your home more age-friendly is to do an assessment. Go through your house, room-by-room, looking for problem areas like potential tripping or slipping hazards, as well as areas that are hard to access and difficult to maintain.

To help with this, there are several organizations that have aging-in-place checklists that point out potential problems in each area of the home, along with modification and solutions.

For example, Rebuild Together has a two-page “Safe at Home Checklist” that’s created in partnership with the Administration on Aging and the American Occupational Therapy Association. Go to AOTA.org and search for “Rebuilding Together Safe at Home Checklist.”

You also need to get a copy of AARP’s “HomeFit Guide.” This excellent 36-page guide has more than 100 aging-in-place tips and suggestions that can be made to an existing house or apartment or incorporated into designs for a new residence.

It explains how a smartly designed or modified home can meet the varied and changing needs of its older residents. It also features easy-to-do, low-cost and no-cost fixes that lessen the risk of trip hazards and increase the safety of high-use areas like the bathroom, kitchen and stairway.

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In-Home Assessments

cny55.com Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto Associate Editor Steve Yablonski Writers & Contributors Deborah J. Sergeant Mary Beth Roach Christopher Malone Margaret McCormick Columnists Bruce Frassinelli, Marilyn Pinsky, Harold Miller Jim Sollecito, Marvin Druger Michelle Reed Advertising Amy Gagliano Cassandra Lawson Office Manager Kate Honebein Layout & Design Joey Sweener Cover Photo Chuck Wainwright 55 Plus: A Magazine for Active Adults in Central New York is published six times a year by Local News, Inc. at 185 E. Seneca St. PO Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126.

Subscription: $21 a year; $35 for two years © 2022 by 55 Plus: A Magazine for Active Adults in Central New York.

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gardening

By Jim Sollecito

Make This the Year of Flying Flowers

A vibrant butterfly can really improve your view.

T

he longer I live, the more beautiful planting becomes.

Next to prayer, it is one of the more faithful, optimistic, deeply personal relationships we can experience.

It is a way of showing belief in the future.

I didn’t want to be 60; now I aspire to be 70. And since I am constantly evolving, so does my landscape and the wildlife I aim to attract. Let’s talk about our most delightful, tranquil, hard-working guests.

Butterflies add a moving, breathing dynamic to the landscape. Sometimes called “flying flowers” for the fleeting, flamboyant role they play.

As a vibrant butterfly unexpectedly

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55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

enters my view, I feel my whole body respond with excitement. My wife Megan’s automatic response is to enthusiastically bounce into action and grab a photo. She nabbed this monarch feeding on a hydrangea. Megan tells me it’s easy to sneak up on a butterfly so this makes them pretty agreeable photography subjects.

Butterflies are attracted to red, yellow, orange, pink and purple blossoms that are flat topped and have short flower tubes. They are near-sighted which makes them more interested in masses of plants and flowers. The larger the numbers of flowers, the better the attraction.

These pollinators are most active midmorning through mid-afternoon so

they love plants that are in sunshine at that time of day. Look for the newer Proven Winners plant varieties found at boutique garden centers.

These improved flowering shrubs and perennials will grow to compact size and form, requiring little if any pruning. They don’t require any type of spray and by introducing multiple varieties, you can achieve months and months of continuous bloom.

Include some flat stones that will be welcome resting places for butterflies to warm their wings. Throw in a moist muddy spot with some puddling where they will drink and take in necessary minerals. You’ll amaze yourself with your newborn landscape. When I change the water in our dog’s dish, I like to empty it where I know the butterflies can collect for a nice butterfly cocktail at the end of a long butterfly workday.

Thankfully we live in Central New York so once again we’re celebrating another change of seasons. For decades of my life I haven’t had to set an alarm clock all through April and May. During those months my inner being can’t wait to leap out of bed. With the unfolding of spring, I look forward to expanding daylight so I can begin my day. The growing season just keeps getting better and better with every sunrise and sunset. Our senses sharpen, and life is just more lively.

Even hot coffee tastes better out on the deck as I watch the world wake up.

Spring is our reward for getting through another winter. Don’t let this one slip by. If some of your landscape plantings are underwhelming, weak, interfering or overgrown, it’s really easy to change them out for something more naturally impressive. Plus, the charm of planting is the pursuit of a very attainable and rewarding goal. It’s an occasion for another season of hope.

Some people don’t know where to start. If you need help with your vision, give a call. Let’s make one of your forgotten dreams come true this year.

Jim Sollecito is the first lifetime senior certified landscape professional in New York State. He operates Sollecito Landscaping Nursery in Syracuse. Contact him at 315-468-1142 or jim@sollecito.com.

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Inviting one bedroom apartments close to essential services and stores, as well as emergency and health services for Seniors (over 62) or receiving SS with a permanent mobility impairment within income guidelines APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

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At Otro Cinco, there are three sizes of paella to choose from — 11-, 13and 15-inch skillets.

Dining Out RESTAURANT GUIDE

By Christopher Malone

DOWN TO BRASS SNACKS

I

Otro Cinco finds the best of old worlds f there’s one thing to take away from the pandemic, it’s a good reset. This can be a personal, a creative and even a businessrelated pause and consideration.

When Otro Cinco, located at 206 S. Warren St. in Syracuse, hit the pause button in late 2020, who knew what to expect? There were many unknowns.

The younger sibling of Alto Cinco resurfaced, however, with a new approach.

Depending on familiarity with the cuisine of the restaurants and Otro’s popular pre-pandemic paella nights, it’s almost obvious the restaurant resurrected with a Spanish focus, shedding itself off the Mexican fare of tacos, burritos and the like.

Otro still boasts the homemade meals and fresh ingredients but focuses its attention now on paella, tapas and

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more. Getting ahead in the post — if you’re not into flavor, this is a good spot to stop reading. Otro is full of it.

The meal in the dimly lit restaurant was kicked off with a Ziggy Stardust ($12). The David Bowie alter ego was as colorful as the late musician’s creativity with plum-infused tequila, rosé aperitivo, lime, cava and sage bitters. The cocktail isn’t very sweet which is right up my alley.

First came the buñuelos de garbanzo (the menu is bilingual) or chickpea fritters ($8). For anyone who knows me, I love a good fritter. These hit the spot. The butternut squash and chickpea fritters came with a chai yogurt to dip into. Although these flavors may not sound like they’d go together, it’s all about the taste.

The crispy coated fritters with a soft interior paired well with the yogurt.

For small plates — veggies. The mushrooms or setas marinadas ($10) were marinated with sherry and fresh herbs. Stocky leek columns were placed around the plate as delectable and decorative additions. The mushrooms were sautéed perfectly, not slimy nor mushy.

The croquetas ($12) sat on a plate with a generous drizzle of saffron aioli. The small chicken, spinach and potato croquettes packed big flavor.

Sharing the aioli was a difficult part.

The artistic drizzle was unfortunately ruined in the process of enjoying the dish.

The calabacín frito or fried zucchini ($9) was presented in a way that defied expectation. The spiralized, coated and lightly fried zucchini was a webbed ball on the plate of greens. The construct was sprinkled with a citrus vinaigrette. Similar to the classic take on fried zucchini, the taste was the same but with a zesty pinch.

And then there was paella. The Spanish rice dish is pretty versatile and combined with a variety of ingredients.

That night we enjoyed the shrimp and scallop paella. The shellfish option felt

TOP Croquetas ($12) with a

generous drizzle of saffron aioli. The small chicken, spinach and potato croquettes packed big flavor.

LOWER RIGHT the calabacín frito or fried zucchini ($9): its presentation defied expectation.

LOWER LEFT the setas marinadas ($10) were marinated with sherry and fresh herbs. The mushrooms were sautéed perfectly, not slimy nor mushy.

right.

At Otro Cinco, there are three sizes of paella to choose from — 11-, 13- and 15-inch skillets all with different prices.

The prices are not universal for each option either. Respectively for the scallop and shrimp paella, the sizes were priced $34, $42, and $48. Being two people, we opted for the smallest option, which serves one to two people. In our opinion — especially when ordering tapas or other large plates — the small paella could serve three or maybe four people depending on appetite.

Finding the tender shellfish was a fun hunt. Occasionally, we’d come across one of the many artichoke hearts. We also found a fair amount of leftovers when the utensils were retired.

However, they didn’t stay down for too long. The St. James almond cake ($9) with blueberry compote was worth it. The cake, although it felt thick to cut into, was light when biting into it. The almond was definitely the most prominent flavor but it was backed up with a nice citrus zest.

Before tip, the feast came to $114.50.

Aside the food and atmosphere, a huge compliment has to be made to the hostess and our server. Both were incredibly welcoming and tentative, frequently stopping by the table and conversing beyond the typical checkin. Compliments, of course, go to the chef as well.

I know many people and have gotten into debates on weather they’re “Team Alto” or “Team Otro” — but it’s

entertaining and positive. With their current iteration, Otro distinctively stands out from its older sibling. It’s just as seasoned.

Otro Cinco 206 S. Warren St. Syracuse, NY 13202 315-741-3580 | www.altocinco.net facebook.com/otro5cinco instagram.com/otro5cinco Sun.: 4 – 10 p.m.

Mon.: Closed Tues. – Thurs.: 4 – 11 p.m.

Fri. – Sat.: 4 – midnight

APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

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Blair Frodelius at his Syracuse home kitchen: “Have fun with [cooking]. Not every recipe will wow you, but you’ll learn something from each one you make.’’

just by reading the ingredient list. I can usually spot where an ingredient will need to be increased or cut back.

As well, I’ve grown to know how my cookware works. I use a gas stove to achieve the best results. There are times when I forget to set a timer, but I always seem to sense when to stop the cooking process or flip a piece of meat.’’

What’s your favorite thing to cook on a weeknight? “Usually, a combination of a protein and a vegetable. Something fairly simple that can be done in 30 minutes or less is best, especially after a long day. Lately, I’ve been doing chicken, pork or shrimp sauteed with a light sauce, and roasted vegetables like broccoli or asparagus or an occasional starch like potatoes. If I know I’m going to be pressed for time, I will start a chili or stew in my Instant Pot earlier in the day.’’

Blair Frodelius, Syracuse

By Margaret McCormick | Photos courtesy of Kimberly Frodelius

B

lair Frodelius wears many hats. He’s a musician, music therapist, vocalist, awardwinning mixologist and professional blogger.

He’s a husband (he and his wife, Kimberly, have been married 37 years) and a father with six adult children.

He has lived in Central New York since 1968.

Frodelius plays acoustic and electric guitar, and over the years has served as lead singer and rhythm guitarist for several local bands. He typically plays more than 300 shows a year.

When he’s not working, you can often find him at his kitchen in his home on the east side of Syracuse.

Frodelius, 58, has been cooking for his family since 2009 and estimates he has made more than a thousand recipes in that time. Just as he performs various genres of music — from calypso and

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rhythm and blues to pop, jazz and country tunes — he experiments with different types of cooking.

“I especially enjoy making different foods from around the world and own about 50 cookbooks,’’ he says.

What do you like to cook when family/ friends come over? “Some of the favorites have been shepherd’s pie, Mediterranean fish stew, black bean chili, chicken Provençal and potato leek soup. Basically, something prepared in one pot that everyone can share easily.

I also suggest a beverage pairing to go with the meal. I keep a selection of beers, wines and spirits for cocktails available.”

How did you learn to cook? “After eating a lot of frozen, canned and boxed foods over the years — I grew up with it — I finally decided to make healthier dinners for our family. After doing some research on cookbooks, I decided to buy ‘The New Best Recipe’

by Cook’s Illustrated back in 2009. I started with the appetizers section and never looked back.”

What have you been cooking during the pandemic? “I’ve been trying to make less complicated meals since I am not always guaranteed to find the ingredients I might need at the store.

With the cost of groceries also going up, I’ve limited the amount of beef we have to a few times a month. We always buy organic meat, if possible, the difference in flavor is well worth the extra cost. As for experimenting, I have made a few things with what we have on hand in our pantry or freezer.

You can almost never go wrong with chili.’’

How would you describe your cooking style? “Intuitive. After making a few thousand different recipes, I can generally tell how a dish will taste

Favorite recipe resource? “Pretty much any of the America’s Test Kitchen or Cook’s Illustrated books. But I also have several keto, Mediterranean diet,

———

NOMINATE a 55+ home cook for this feature!

Email details, including contact information, to Margaret McCormick at mmccormickcny@gmail.com

vegan and place-specific cookbooks, such as Hawaiian, New Orleans and Japanese cuisines.”

Cubanos (Cuban Sandwiches)

Favorite place to shop? “Wegmans in DeWitt. Ninety-nine times out of 100 they will have what I’m looking for.

For Middle Eastern ingredients, I go to Oasis Mediterranean Market on Erie Boulevard.’’

If you can’t fit all four sandwiches in the skillet at once, cook them in batches and hold the first batch in a warm oven. (Or you can use a nonstick griddle or panini press.) —Blair Frodelius

Any advice for other cooks? “Have the proper cooking utensils. My necessary tools are a small chef’s knife, large chef’s knife, cutting board, tongs, nonstick pans, Dutch oven, and a vegetable chopper. Also, make sure to use quality oils, spices and vinegars. You generally pay for what you get. Lastly, have fun with it. Not every recipe will wow you, but you will learn something from each one you make.’’

For more information on Blair Frodelius and his music, go to http:// blairfrodelius.wordpress.com

4 (6-inch) soft submarine rolls, halved lengthwise 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 4 teaspoons spicy brown mustard ¼ pound sliced Black Forest ham 10 ounces thinly sliced roast pork 4 dill pickles sliced thin lengthwise 1/3 cup jarred banana peppers ¼ pound deli-sliced Swiss cheese 2 tablespoons butter, melted S p re a d t h e t o p e a c h ro l l w i t h mayonnaise and bottom half of each

half with mustard. On the bottom half of each roll, build the sandwiches, layering the cheese on top of the ham, pork, pickles and peppers. Place top halves of rolls on sandwiches and press down to flatten.

Heat both a 12-inch nonstick skillet and a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat for four minutes.

Brush tops of sandwiches with melted butter and place in skillet, top side down. Brush bottoms of sandwiches with remaining butter and, using preheated pot, press down on sandwiches for 15 to 20 seconds. Continue to cook with pot on sandwiches (but not pressing down), until first side is golden brown, four to five minutes. Remove pot, flip sandwiches over, and continue to cook with pot on sandwiches (but not pressing down) until second side is golden brown, three to four minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

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Chris Uyehara is the co-owner with John Menapace of the Last Shot Distillery. He recently won a Discovery Channel competition for the best whiskey.

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spirits A Master Distiller in Skaneateles Chris Uyehara is a chef, baker and college instructor. Since late last year he is also a master distiller, having won a Discovery Channel whiskey competition

By Mary Beth Roach

Q

uality is the first ingredient.

It’s a phrase that Chris Uyehara learned from his father, James Uyehara, a baker in Honolulu, and it’s been a phrase that he has adopted to all the various aspects of his culinary career, which has spanned more than four decades.

The 65-year-old Skaneateles resident is a chef, baker, college instructor, an award-winning ice carver and now a top distiller.

He was named as Discovery Channel’s “master distiller” on its Moonshiners: Master Distiller ’s “World War of Whiskey” episode, which aired in November.

Uyehara is the co-owner and distiller at the Last Shot Distillery, with fellow Skaneateles resident John

Menapace.

He began the business in 2015, because, he said, he wanted to have something when he finally decides to retire from teaching culinary classes at the Falk College at Syracuse University.

The site at 4022 Mill Road, Skaneateles, also houses the Skaneateles Brewery.

“I wanted something for retirement, where I could step out of the university and retire and do this full-time for the rest of my life,” he said.

Describing it as a passion and a hobby for him, Uyehara said, the operation has “grown way bigger than a hobby.”

To be sure.

He distributes to various liquor

Chris Uyehara is what he calls his playhouse among casks of his whiskey.

stores in the Central New York area, as well as in New York City and Sussex County. Arsenal Wine and Liquor in Watertown also handles shipping product for Uyehara. He plans on expanding into an adjacent space, which would increase the footprint to 6,000 square feet. His master distiller distinction has also increased his business.

Uyehara said that this passion of his is part of his DNA. About three years ago, while on the phone with his sister, he learned that his grandmother, Yoshi, used to make moonshine in Hawaii.

A c c o rd i n g t o U y e h a r a , h i s grandfather, Taro, was one of the men brought from Okinawa to Hawaii as an indentured worker on the sugar plantations there. He would eventually marry Yoshi, also from Okinawa. Yoshi would join her husband and start their family. One evening, Taro and some of his fellow workers were relaxing with some of Yoshi’s shine. A plantation supervisor came by and asked what they were drinking. Taro offered him a drink, and he was so impressed, he inquired about getting some on a regular basis. Taro said that they could provide the moonshine, if the supervisor promised to leave Taro and his friends alone in the fields.

Years later, Uyehara’s father would come to own a bakery in Honolulu, with the family, including Yoshi, living behind the store. Chris Uyehara and his siblings would spend a APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

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55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

TOP Uyehara stands beside a banner promoting the award-winning whiskey.

RIGHT “First

barreled whiskey in Onondaga County since Prohibition,” this barrel proudly proclaims on its top face.

Photos provided

lot of younger years in the bakery. It was here where Uyehara learned his culinary skills — baking from his dad, cooking from Yoshi.

Both were sticklers for quality, he said. He learned that being consistent in quality control was key. And when he became a chef, he said, “That’s what got me on the map.”

Over the years, Uyehara has worked at various restaurants, including Patisserie and Rosalie’s Cucina in Skaneateles and Savannah Dhu, a 3,900-acre retreat created by the late shopping mall developer Robert Congel. While working at the latter, he had been mentoring a new chef, whose father made apple brandy and Uyehara had the opportunity to check out his distillery.

From there, Uyehara started researching on Google, reading books and taking workshops with Cornell Cooperative Extension.

“When I started this, I wanted to go traditional, old-school just a straight whiskey, straight moonshine, good vodka, a good bourbon,” he said.

When asked about how he develops his creations, Uyehara said, “I just targeted whiskeys that are known for top quality,” and researches it. Books would give a hint of as to the recipes, but the wheat strain is under lock and key, he said.

“But guess what I’ve been doing for 45 years? I’ve been working with yeast, fermentation, sourdoughs. That helped me with my flavor profile.

Every yeast would give me a different strain, would give a different flavor profile,” he said.

With that quest for quality rooted in Uyehara, he said he buys his grain a month at a time so it’s fresh. Once it gets ground, the flavor starts going downhill.

“I want mine fresh as possible,” he said.

In doing the Moonshiners’ World War of Whiskey, he did a Japanesestyle whiskey because of his heritage.

One of his competitors, Lorna Conrad, who is part Scottish, did a Scotch-style whiskey. Ironically, a book on Conrad’s company was the first one Uyehara bought when starting his research into the industry. And now he was competing against her.

When he was on the show, he put a photo of his grandparents at the plantation house in Hawaii on the still and said, “Grandma, I’m dedicating

this competition to you.” Once he was given the honor, he told the judges and the TV audience, “I think she’s dancing in heaven.”

He’s also planning to dedicate a new bottle of liquor in honor of his grandmother, called “Yoshi’s Pineapple Sugar Shine.” He’s got the label set, featuring a photo of Yoshi.

But he hasn’t perfected the recipe yet.

He said he’s made a batch, and while it was good, he wasn’t completely satisfied. So he’s waiting on new ingredients.

Again, that attention to detail and quality.

Moving to CNY But how did this Hawaiian native end up in Central New York?

He met his wife, Kelly, while she was studying and teaching in Honolulu. Eventually, in1990, the two would come to Central New York, which is where Kelly is from.

While the cost of living is cheaper here than in Hawaii, Uyehara has joked that if he knew how to get to the airport back then, he would have gone back home.

It appears that Uyehara has become somewhat acclimated to the cold over the years.

About 15 years ago, fellow chef, Stan Kolonko, who also owns an ice carving business, had suffered an injury and asked Uyehara to help him with some carvings over the summer.

Uyehara had always wanted to learn this craft, so he joined in. With his skill in chocolate sculptures and sugar work, Uyehara became especially proficient in the finishing touches on the ice carvings. It wasn’t long before he joined Kolonko at several competitions, traveling to Alaska and China, for example, and taking the gold in the 2013 World Championship in Alaska and the International Championship in Harbin, China.

While he’s got the Last Shop Distillery in place as part of his retirement plan, he doesn’t plan on leaving his teaching position at Falk College anytime soon. He’s been on the faculty there since 2006. His classes include an introduction to culinary, professional baking and fine pastries.

“I still enjoy teaching,” he said.

“It’s a life skill. To me, what’s so important is teaching these kids a life skill.”

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APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

17

adventure

Molly Fulton — a World Traveler Marcellus woman has logged hundreds of thousands of miles by air and sea and estimates she has visited over 100 countries

By Margaret McCormick

M

olly Fulton has traveled around the world, quite literally.

She didn’t do it in 42 days (like the Frenchman who sailed into the record books in 2017). She didn’t do it in 80 days (as in the Jules Verne adventure novel, “Around the World in 80 Days’’).

It took her more than 70 years to complete her circumnavigation.

Fulton, 80, is delighted to say she has circled the globe by sea and share her travel experiences with others.

Last fall, she celebrated her achievement by hosting a party and a slideshow of her adventures for friends at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, where she is a longtime volunteer.

“Sailing around the world is not something I set out to do,’’ Fulton said.

“I was excited about it. I never thought

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55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

I would get it done.’’

Some circumnavigators circle the globe as part of one long, continuous trip. Fulton circled the world in her own time and in her own way. The first voyage in her journey, in 1950, took her from Brooklyn to Singapore via the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Suez Canal, Red Sea and Arabian Sea. The second leg took her from Penang (Malaysia) to Singapore to Hong Kong to Japan via the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea. The third leg, from Japan to San Francisco, across the Pacific Ocean, included no stops in other countries.

Both of those trips were in 1952.

In 2019, after many trips to all corners of the world, Fulton decided she wanted to complete her circumnavigation. She had one last leg to complete: San Francisco to New

York or vice versa. She invited her longtime travel companion, Pearl, who lives in Colorado, to join her. They’ve taken dozens of trips together and in January of 2020, they embarked on a cruise from New York to San Francisco via the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Panama Canal and Pacific Ocean. It was Fulton’s second trip through the Panama Canal.

She returned home to Central New York just as the pandemic hit in March of 2020. And she pretty much stayed put until September of 2021, when she traveled to Iceland. “I was getting restless,’’ Fulton said.

Fulton lives in Marcellus, in a house brimming with photographs, artwork and souvenirs from her travels. All her life has been a journey, in one way or another.

She was born in Scotland in 1941 to

a single mother and a father not listed on her birth certificate. Her mother later married her stepfather and died after giving birth to the youngest of her four half siblings. Her stepfather was unable to care for the children and they were separated and placed in orphanages. An American couple (he was a state department official stationed in Glasgow) wanted to adopt Molly, but foreign adoptions weren’t legal then. The couple was appointed her legal guardians.

In 1950, she left Scotland with her adoptive parents and sailed to the United States and later to Burma (now Myanmar). They lived in Burma for two years before returning to the U.S. Fulton grew up mostly in New Jersey and attended Bethany College, a small, liberal arts college in West Virginia. She met her future husband

there. His work as a United Methodist minister eventually brought them to Central New York. They lived in Barneveld and Chadwicks, in the Utica-Rome area, before moving to Marcellus. They had two children and eventually divorced.

Fulton volunteered at the Marcellus Library and at the elementary school library in Marcellus before joining the staff of Syracuse University’s Bird Library.

She spent 15 years there in several departments, including the area studies section, which introduced her to faculty and students from all over the world. Professors submitted special reserve lists of books they wanted students to read and Fulton’s job was to gather the books.

After leaving the library, Fulton spent more than 20 years as a caregiver

THIS PAGE Molly Fulton at her Marcellus

home in front of photos of birds. These days, she volunteers two days a week in the Diversity of Birds aviary at Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse.

THIS PAGE, INSET Molly Fulton rides a camel,

she is unsure of the location.

OPPOSITE PAGE, INSET Molly holds a falcon in the United Arab Emirates, date unknown.

APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

19

and companion, working both independently and for an agency. She had a knack for it, and helped clients with personal care, housekeeping, meal preparation, errands and appointments. She often found herself sharing her travel experiences.

“I enjoyed talking about it and they enjoyed hearing about it,’’ she recalled.

“It got them out of themselves. They would ask me a lot of questions.’’

Fulton’s early trips and vacations with her adoptive parents cemented her interest in travel, especially travel to off-the-beaten path destinations.

She has logged hundreds of thousands of miles by air and sea and estimates she has visited 100 countries. She has crossed the Tropic of Cancer (the most northern latitude on earth), the Tropic of Capricorn (its southern equivalent), the Equator, the Arctic Circle and Greenwich Mean Time (the Earth’s zero-degree line of longitude).

She counts among her most memorable trips two visits to China in the late 1980s and a trip to South Africa toward the end of the apartheid era.

These were small group trips with the Presbyterian Church and participants sometimes stayed with families. “After the first trip to China,’’ Fulton said, “I learned I really like to travel and learn things.’’

Fulton has taken more than 10 trips with Overseas Adventure Travel, a Boston-based company that specializes in small group tours, often less than 20 people, to destinations less traveled.

These are not big commercial cruise ships with amenities like casinos and clubs. They’re small ships, some of them former Russian research vessels being put to new use. “I’ve always been more interested in where I was going and what I was going to see than in accommodations,’’ Fulton said.

Why travel by water when you can get to your destination more quickly by plane? It’s more relaxing, for one thing. “Oh, I love to be on the water,’’ Fulton said. “If you stay on the deck, you can see so much.’’ On a small ship, passengers are often able to visit the bridge and learn how many miles they’ve traveled overnight and how many miles they’ll cover on a given day. You can sit on the deck and read a book (Fulton recommends a shady spot under the lifeboats) and take walks.

From the deck of ships, Fulton has seen whales, seals, sailfish, turtles, 20

55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

‘I’m not ready to give up travel yet. I think everyone should travel.

It gives you a whole different perspective on things.’

Molly Fulton of Marcellus

dolphins and many species of birds, including albatross and osprey. She has been seasick just once, tossed about her cabin while crossing the Drake Passage, the often-turbulent stretch of water between the southernmost tip of South America and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica.

Fulton has at times felt unsettled in life. Travel has helped her get through the rough patches. She has taken numerous trips to Scotland to find her siblings and bring them together.

One of her sisters was adopted and moved to California, near Los Angeles.

Two sisters are still in Scotland. A brother died in 1999. It bothers her to this day that she knows little about her birth father. “I’m still curious about my father,’’ she said. “There’s a blank there.’’

Later this year, Fulton will voyage to Georgia, Armenia and possibly Azerbaijan with Overseas Adventure Travel. The most challenging aspect of travel is managing heavy luggage, she said. She also must consider her health.

She has sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that affects her lungs and breathing, and sleep apnea, a disorder

in which breathing frequently stops and starts during sleep. She travels with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine for breathing assistance at night.

“I’m not ready to give up travel yet,’’ Fulton said. “I think everyone should travel. It gives you a whole different perspective on things.’’

A Love For Animals Molly Fulton has always loved animals. And, animals play a big part in her travel adventures and her life in Central New York.

In 1996, Fulton began service as a volunteer at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse. Initially she gave tours several days a week. But she needed a regular schedule. She started working in the bird department, where her supervisor was then Bird Collection Manager Ted Fox, now the zoo’s director. These days, she volunteers two days a week in the Diversity of Birds aviary, where she does everything from cleaning bird excrement off the floors to monitoring bird behavior to feeding birds. Some birds will eat from her hand.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Molly for many years.

She is exemplary in pretty much every aspect of the human condition,’’ Fox said in an email. “She is caring about conservation education and the welfare of every animal and she’s always someone I would want to have on hand to observe interactions between animals, such as the introduction of two new animals or a fledgling bird leaving the nest. And I appreciate her willingness to share her experiences with many people who might never experience the same things.”

Fulton’s most memorable trips and expeditions for seeing animals in the wild include Southern Africa, where she saw lions, leopards, elephants, wild dogs, snakes and lizards, and Australia, where she and her friend, Pearl, drove a third of the way across the vast country on a birding expedition with a guide who lives there.

“We prepared a lot of our own meals and stayed in caravan parks and at cattle stations,’’ Fulton recalled.

“You can’t pass up having someone who lives in the country show you around. We had a lot of interesting experiences.’’

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pets Bringing Home Bowser Take time to find the pet that’s right for you

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

P

erhaps your furry pal died years ago and you long for another pet. Or maybe you have not had a pet since the children moved out several years ago.

Bringing home a dog or cat can add warmth to your home and enjoyment to every day.

“There are a multitude of benefits of having a pet in your retirement years,” said Stefanie Heath, volunteer with Second Chance Canine Adoption Shelter in Jamesville. “There’s the companionship of having a pet. It can be comforting and offer someone support, especially if they’re widowed or single. Just having something in the home to care for is beneficial overall.”

She added that pets add routine to one’s life and that cuddling a pet has been associated with reducing blood pressure and stress.

“Petting releases oxytocin, the happy hormone,” Heath said. “For some people with dogs, it can offer a sense of protection and security. It can make you feel safer if the dog alerts you when someone’s there.

People who have pets tend to do more things and be more active. That in itself is important, especially when you get to a certain age.”

Plus, you can feel good knowing that one less pet is languishing in a shelter.

But getting a pet at 55-plus is a little different than when you were younger.

“Take a realistic view of your activity level and make sure you get a dog that matches that,” said Kathy Gilmour, executive director of Helping Hounds Dog Rescue in North Syracuse.

“If you’re entering retirement with the hope of slowing down and being a homebody, you should find a dog that will enjoy that lifestyle, not one that needs hikes and adventures to burn off sufficient energy.

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55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

Kathy Gilmour is executive director of Helping Hounds Dog Rescue in North Syracuse: “Take a realistic view of your activity level and make sure you get a dog that matches that.”

“There are people who don’t slow down in retirement and put younger people to shame because they are avid hikers. The lazy, couch potato dog won’t enjoy that.”

Gilmour said many older adults swoon over a cute puppy but have forgotten how much work puppies can be since they chew a lot and have a much higher energy level than a mature dog. She also encourages would-be adopters to look at dogs that tolerate children if they have their grandchildren visit often. Some dogs enjoy kids. Others don’t.

“We try to match the adopter with a dog that might fit,” said Heather Axtell, board member with Paws Across Oswego County in Oswego.

Working with a dog trainer can

also help you live more peaceably with a dog. More than size, the personality and breed also matter. Many working breed dogs require lots of exercise, but individual dogs within a breed vary, too.

Consider the kind of pet that would work well with your lifestyle now. For example, if you plan to travel in retirement, do you really want a pet that must stay at a boarding kennel for weeks on end? Or can you find a breed that travels well? Most dogs like traveling by car, but if you fly, your buddy will have to go in the cargo hold if he’s too large. Some cats enjoy traveling; many would rather stay at home and have a house sitter drop in to care for them each day.

“If you want one to travel with

you, don’t pick one that freaks out in the car or RV,” Axtell said.

If you have not owned a pet in a while, evaluate your ability to care for a pet, both now and for the next 15 years. While cat care is a little easier, you should be able to stoop to clean the litter and be capable of carrying containers of litter (although the newer lightweight litter can help solve this issue). You could also choose delivery from sites such as Amazon.com and Chewy.com so the litter, food and other supplies arrive on your doorstep.

A younger relative may be able to pitch in and dump the whole box occasionally if you can keep up with daily scooping.

Dark-colored pets are harder to see in dim lighting and could present a tripping hazard. A reflective collar can reduce this potential hazard.

Think about the costs associated with pet ownership: vet bills, food, toys, leash and pick-up bags or litter, and possibly grooming or kennel costs.

Just as people need more healthcare as they age, pets need more vet attention.

“Can you financially afford to address these issues or will you put them up or abandon them if they get kidney failure?” said Jackie Pitt, who represents Wayward Paws, Inc. in Syracuse. The Delphi Falls resident is 74.

The age of your pet also makes a difference. Young pets are very energetic and demand a lot of oneon-one attention. Equipment like a scratching post and claw caps for cats (groomers can apply these) and training crate for puppies can help.

Or consider older pets, which are past the chewing and climbing stage. (Cats should always have a scratching post, as that is how they trim their claws).

“Little kittens are so busy,” Pitt said. “They’re under your feet. They can trip you. They have a lot of kitten business. These are things I want people to consider.”

Having two animals together can also help calm pets, providing they get along. Pitt encourages adopters to consider a second cat or dog.

You should also make plans for if you should become unable to care for your pet because of an illness, surgery or change in living arrangements.

Among your emergency information, include two contacts for people who have agreed to care for your pets.

TOP Stefanie Heath, volunteer with Second Chance Canine Adoption Shelter in Jamesville: “There are a multitude of benefits of having a pet in your retirement years.”

RIGHT Heather

Axtell, board member with Paws Across Oswego County in Oswego: “We try to match the adopter with a dog that might fit.”

APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

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Implants Can Replace Lost Teeth Implants can last a lifetime if properly taken care of

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

I

f you have holes in your smile, dental implants offer an option for replacing lost teeth.

“Implants allow patients the ability to avoid removable dentures, as dentures can float all over the mouth,” said Tatyana Baranovsky, board certified prosthodontist at Specialized Dentistry in Syracuse.

“Using implants makes a lot of difference. If implants are properly planned by prosthodontist and an oral surgeon, the results are wonderful.”

The industry average is around $2,400 or more per tooth, plus more if other services are needed. The cost of dentures is about $2,500 for a full set. However, insurance typically offers some coverage, unlike implants.

Recent shortages for materials have caused prices to creep up for some providers.

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55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

“It’s affordable,” Baranovsky said.

“Every specialist charges different fees. There are different brands that specialists place. Some brands are inexpensive; some are very high end and more scientifically supported and are more expensive.”

Implants Baranovsky typically have no ongoing costs like dentures, which require adhesive, cleansing tablets, a d j u s t m e n t s a n d re p l a c e m e n t .

Dentures last five to 10 years for most patients.

Since dentures cover the roof of the mouth, they interfere with the taste and feel of food. Certain foods are off limits with dentures because they are too difficult to chew. Some patients feel

uncomfortable with an appliance in their mouths. Dentures, especially if illfitting, can wear down the bone from the friction while eating.

In addition to improving appearance, dental Zina Berry implants allow patients to chew and taste food normally. They also help prevent bone loss and help keep the adjacent teeth from shifting.

The process begins with visiting a dentist to review dental history, health history and receive X-rays.

Baranovsky said that contraindications include smoking.

“Even if you quit, it’s high risk,” she said.

Uncontrolled diabetes, previous gum disease, cancer treatments, and radiotherapy of the head and neck are also possible contraindications.

Any infections in the mouth will have to heal. If the bone in the jaw is not ideal, the patient will need to have

more work done such as bone grafts.

Most patients experience minimal pain.

Dentists can fit patients with a temporary tooth to fill in the gap cosmetically.

“It can look like a retainer or we build a bridge that clamps on the back of the teeth or a temporary tooth on the implant itself,” said Zina Berry, dentist and owner of Berry Good Dental Care, P.C. in Syracuse. Berry places implants.

These temporary measures will not have the same function as the permanent implanted tooth will.

“After you have an implant placed, it takes at least 90 days for the body to notice and accept it,” Berry said. “At that point, based on the sound bone integration, you can then restore it and put the prosthetic piece on to replace the missing tooth or teeth.”

The prosthetic piece, or crown, sits on the gumline.

One of the advantages that an implant has over a partial appliance is that the latter tends to torque the adjacent teeth, which can cause them to become loose.

Sol Weinstein, dentist with the

Weinstein Dental Group in Brockport. added that the presence of the appliance can also trap food debris, which contributes to decay. They can also irritate gums.

A fixed partial denture or bridge offers a more permanent option.

However, to fit it, the adjacent teeth must be filed down, which can raise the risk for decay.

The recovery time after implantation varies case by case.

The procedure is generally not painful unless the patient receives bone grafts. Many people feel fine to go back to work the next day. The implanted tooth can be installed and functioning after three months.

“Implants can last a lifetime if properly taken care of,” Berry said.

“You have to care for it like a natural tooth. The prosthetic pieces have plaque retention opportunities more than a natural tooth. You have to clean and floss that area regularly.”

During routine visits, dentists check the mouth for any bite changes in the rest of the mouth.

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APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

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my turn

By Bruce Frassinelli Email: bfrassinelli@ptd.net

The In-law Name Game

I

have three daughters-in-law. Two of them call me “Bruce’’; the third does not call me anything.

She and my son have been married for more than 32 years, so this has become more than a curiosity to me, especially since she beckoned my wife into a hushed-tone conversation about 13 years ago asking her whether she thought it would be OK with me if she were to call me “Dad.” My wife came to me shortly a f t e r w a rd s a n d d e s c r i b e d t h e conversation with our daughter-in-law.

I said “sure.” She can call me “Dad,” she can call me “Bruce.” It makes no difference to me. (Remember that old TV commercial for Natural Light Beer that started airing in 1978: “You can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay…’’)?

Some in-laws are offended if their daughters-in-law do not call them “Mom” or “Dad,” but the way I see it is that they already have parents, so it’s up to them whether they want to cause possible confusion, especially when both sets of parents are in the same room. To which one does a “Mom” or “Dad” refer?

The natural parents also might be offended if their child calls someone else “Mom” or “Dad,” so why stir the pot of discontent. Many feel these designations are reserved for their natural parents only, as a matter of respect.

I had no problem calling my inlaws “Mom” and “Dad,” but, of course, that was my personal choice, but only up to a point. Prior to that, I referred to them as “Mr.” or “Mrs.” Even up until our wedding day. I never once called them by their first name or presumed to start the “Mom’’ or “Dad’’ early.

Before I began calling them “Mom” and “Dad,” I had two conversations, one with my wife and one with my parents. I asked both what they thought of the idea. My wife thought it was perfect. It was fine with my 26

55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

father, but my mother was a bit less enthusiastic, but she told me to “do as you see fit.”

Two of my daughters-in-law routinely call me “Bruce.” The one I am referencing in this column has never called me any name — not “Bruce,” not “Dad,” not “Mr. Frassinelli,” not “hey, you,” or anything else.

In written communication, when I get a thank you note, it starts off “Dear Nonno.” (“Nonno” is the affectionate Italian word for “grandfather.”) The note’s signature carries the names of my son, his wife and their now 26-yearold daughter.

Now, my son has never called me “Nonno” to my face, but the way he

signs the note on behalf of him and his family members means that he is referring to me as “Nonno” on these occasions.

When I send a note to my sons and their wives, I sign it “Dad/Bruce.” In my oldest son’s case, the one who’s the subject of this column, I began signing it just “Dad,” based on the conversation my daughter-in-law had with my wife, because I expected at that point that she would be calling me “Dad.” After about 10 years, when that didn’t happen, I reverted to the “Dad/ Bruce” signature, which is what I continue to use today.

To be honest, I am conflicted. As

you may have deduced from my writings, I am a direct person and don’t like to beat around the bush.

On one hand, I would just like to have a conversation with my daughterin-law about this, reminding her that it was she who asked whether I would mind if she called me “Dad,” and I said I wouldn’t. Since she never did, what happened? Did she change her mind?

Could she just not pull the trigger to say the word “Dad” when it came to me? By the way, she never referred to my wife as “Mom” or by her first name or anything else.

My daughter-in-law is a sensitive person, and I fear even addressing the subject might be taken the wrong way and touch off undue tensions in our relationship, possibly even with my son, so I have just stewed about it inwardly and said nothing.

I have found in my research on this subject that I am not alone in this quandary. What to call parents-in-law apparently is a major issue because it carries emotional overtones and has such long-range repercussions.

Researchers have found that deciding what to call the parents-in-law can set the tone for the entire relationship that follows.

A friend calls her father-in-law “Pops,” which sends shivers down my back. And who can forget Archie Bunker’s reference to his son-in-law as “Meathead.” Names such as these should be avoided at all cost.

So what happens when the issue is not resolved? Well, you’re reading one example, where a father-in-law wonders what went wrong and why.

When we deal with someone who doesn’t address us by our correct name or who calls us by a name we don’t like, we feel devalued and insulted.

Researchers who have looked into this issue give this advice: If you haven’t settled on names for your parents-in-law, you’ll notice the situation becoming increasingly tense.

No one wants to be the one to say what everyone knows: If you never address your parents-in-law directly, most everyone else in the family will be aware of it and tiptoe around the issue.

Worst of all, if you don’t establish a name for your mother-in-law or fatherin-law, you’re all too likely to end up talking to your in-laws only when you are face-to-face with them, which, to say the least, becomes very awkward and very noticeable.

You’re not alone.

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cover

STARTING A BUSINESS

AFTER 55

Many Central New Yorkers over 55 are part of the national trend of retiring from or leaving long-time careers and starting a business.

BY MARY BETH ROACH

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55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

I

n 2019, 13%of Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 and 6% of those between the ages of 65 and 74 started new business, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, an annual assessment of the national level of entrepreneurial activity in multiple countries.

“We are seeing more people 55 and older looking at starting their own businesses,” said Joan Powers, Small Business Development Center regional director at SUNY Onondaga Community College.

“Some start a part-time business with the intention to grow it until they leave their ‘daytime’ jobs,” she said. “Some have been downsized or have chosen to leave their jobs early and follow their dreams of owning a business. Others have retired but still want to do something, so many become entrepreneurs. Many of the retired people have some money to invest in their businesses.

Also, people older than 50 are now finding it harder to find full-time jobs, so self-employment becomes an option.”

We talked with five individuals who have recently begun this new chapter in their lives.

LISA AND STEVE STEVENSON

She retired from Bristol-Myers Squibb; he, from Onondaga County’s wastewater plant division. Now they operate Rent The Chicken in Hastings

W

hen Lisa Stevenson first suggested to her husband, Steve, that they rent out chickens, he was surprised, to say the least.

“Who’s going to rent chickens?” he asked.

Now, just a couple of years into this business, Steve is surprised again — this time at the number of families who want to rent chickens.

The Stevensons rent close to 100 chickens per season and they can accommodate up to 30 renters.

Their standard rental is priced at $475 for a five-month period, usually late April–early May through October and includes two egg-laying hens, the coop, feed, water, a how-to-book, a chore sheet, phone support, and delivery and pick-up within a 50-mile radius of their home in Hastings.

While the typical rental season is five months, if a family decides that this isn’t for them, they can, what is called “chicken out,” and the Stevensons will pick everything up.

Also offered is a five-week Hatch The Chicken rental for $185, which includes fertilized eggs, an incubator, a candling light, and a cage where families can keep the baby chicks for two weeks after the 21-day hatching APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

29

period.

The Stevenson’s operation is an affiliate of the Rent The Chicken enterprise, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company has affiliates throughout the United States and Canada. The home office handles the paperwork and maintains the website, rentthechicken.com. Potential renters can either reach out to the Stevensons, visit the website or call the company’s 800 number.

The Stevensons, both animal lovers, have long had fowl, along with dogs, cats, rabbits and a goat.

Their interest in chickens started years ago when Steve brought two home that he found wandering around in the parking lot of the Central Square Medical Center. In addition to the 100 they rent out, Lisa has her own flock of 30.

The idea to get into this business was hatched about a year after Lisa, now 63, retired in 2014 from BristolMyers Squibb, where she worked in the toxicology and then the manufacturing departments for 37 years. She wanted to keep active, and a piece on television that she had seen years ago about renting chickens popped into her head, she said. Steve, 62, retired in 2016 from Onondaga County’s wastewater plant division after 30 years there.

Lisa started an online search, found two companies, emailed an Albany-based affiliate from one of the companies, who, in turn, sent it along to the Rent The Chicken owners.

She then spent 2018 preparing to open the following year. They needed to build the coops, according to the company’s specifications, and get new chickens. Lisa’s own chickens were too old. The rented chickens are eggproducing, so they’re anywhere from 6 months to 2 years.

They believe that families, especially those with young children, enjoy the adventure. It gets the kids outside and off their devices, Lisa said.

It’s also educational for the kids to see where one food source comes from.

Steve pointed out that chickens have their personalities.

“It’s just so much fun to just go out into your own backyard and get the freshest eggs you possibly can,” Lisa said.

Some families take such a liking to renting, that at the conclusion of one season, they return the chickens to the Stevensons, who care for them 30

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MIKE MOWINS

during the winter months, and they rent the same birds next year. For those Baldwinsville resident brought own interested in raising chickens, renting experience to start a manufacturing first teaches them how to get started operation that does 3D printing and allows them to test it out before investing in supplies only to learn t was only about seven months that it’s not for them. They don’t rent between when Mike Mowins retired roosters due to the noise. as president of Global Licensing “They don’t just crow in the for the Phillips Screw Company in morning. They crow all day,” Lisa said. May of 2019 and when he started The business, they said, helps to Vetted Tech Inc., a local additive keep them busy, gives them a little manufacturing operation that does extra spending money. And, they 3D printing of metal, composite and enjoy seeing the faces of the families polymer to produce parts for a variety when they bring the chickens and of industries. the equipment. All in keeping with He explained that they build parts company’s motto of “families helping in shapes and designs that can’t be families,” Lisa pointed out. done through standard machining “When we pull up with that trailer and which can function as soon as they and they know their chickens are come out of the machine. coming, they get so excited,” she said.

The business’ name, Vetted, And of course, it gives the stands for veteran enabled transition Stevensons a lot of great stories. technology enabled design and reflects “Everywhere we go, if people Mowins’ desire to give back to veterans. know what we do, that’s what we’re “We are a conduit for veterans talking about — chickens,” Lisa said. either coming out of the services,

I

joining the workforce or having been in the workforce and looking for a better way,” he said.

A service-disabled veteran from the U.S. Naval Academy, Mowins, 65, was never really able to serve, he said.

“It really was a way for me to take my business knowledge and experience and be able to give back to veterans,” he said.

Currently, Vetted Tech has one other veteran, but Mowins estimates that in the future, he’ll be able to grow the staff to five or six.

Mowins saw the potential for 3D printing years before starting his company.

While he was still with Phillips, the company was doing research and development, creating fastening solutions and licensing companies around the world “to make what we dreamed up,” he said. He decided the division needed a 3D printing machine back in 2004-05, to make prototypes. He said he got thinking

about 3D printing after process,” he said. successfully quickly He decided early Mike Mowins creating and delivering on to go with metal a prototype for a Rolls machines because retired as Royce project. the technology with A few years that material has president of later, he was on the somewhat matured, Aerospace Industry he pointed out. But Global Licensing Association’s Supplier on the plastics side, for the Phillips Management Council he said, they have a and was taking a tour machine that’s being Screw Company of a Honeywell facility. tweaked constantly.

That company’s vice The company in May of 2019. president of supply has become ISO9001/ chain mentioned AS9100 certified and About seven that he was going to ITAR (International months later, he need 2,000 additive Tr a f f i c i n A r m s manufacturing Regulations) registered started his new machines in his supply so it can help produce chain within five years. arms and aviation business.

A light went off parts and sell them for Mowins, when he globally under license. retired, that was the industry he A recent big job for the Department started looking at. He registered the of Energy helped to establish Vetted company in 2019, had an exhibit at the Tech within the government arena.

Innovation Summit in Rochester that He’s finalizing paperwork that would year to test the waters and determined allow them to sell through the General there was enough of a market in the Services Administration. A boon Central New York area. for the business, too, has been a He refers to his business, on Court partnership with Xometry, an online Street Road in Syracuse, as a “service company that markets a wide variety bureau.” of manufacturers, like Vetted Tech He explained, “An engineer or to clients, broadening the potential company will come to us and say, customer base immensely.

‘Here’s my idea, here’s my CAD file.

While working at Phillips, Mowins Build it.’ We don’t really do design had traveled all over the world. work. We may optimize the design Now, during this new chapter, the with what we know about how 3D Baldwinsville native and Phoenix printing actually works. We’re just resident can remain in Central New helping somebody else get the part York, keep active in business and stay that they want.” busy.

He officially started the company The difference between working in December of 2019, just a few months for a company and owning one, he before the pandemic hit. Attracting said, “is pride of ownership. It comes new clients has been a challenge since down to having skin in the game, and so many people are working remotely. really being ultimately responsible for “One of the biggest challenges we had everything that goes on.” was how do we establish ourselves and He’s hopeful to take on another our credibility very quickly,” he said. one or two employees before the end But Mowins also sees a silver lining. of 2022; push at $2 million in sales in With companies having problems 2023; $4 million by 2024 and eventually sourcing parts from overseas in some grow the business to five or six people instances, the additive manufacturing and $5 million to $6 million in sales. industry here can produce and deliver He’d also like to add two or three more products quickly. machines and become a key supplier For Mowins, he’s part of an to aerospace and medical industries. industry, the technology of which is ever-changing.

“It’s an interesting challenge as you get into an industry that’s going through its own evolutionary process while you’re trying to develop the customer base to understand the APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

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JANICE HARVEY

Retired from Upstate Medical University after 25 years of service, Liverpool resident embarks on life as a consultant

P

erseverance is a key word in describing Janice Harvey’s efforts to start her own business, JRR Strategies, which offers leadership and financial management consulting services.

She had worked for Upstate Medical University and in June of 2021, after 25 years of service, retired as an administrator for the emergency medicine physicians.

She explained that she oversaw a wide variety of the aspects of the business, including conducting financial analyses, budgeting, negotiating contracts, and benefits and incentive plans.

Her original retirement plan was to do consulting work in emergency medicine, but the pandemic had other plans. She said that emergency medicine visits had dropped in half in certain locales because people stayed home to avoid the possibility of getting the virus, and up until about the middle of 2021, those numbers had not bounced back.

“There wasn’t the need in that specialty, so I said, ‘Onto the next thing,’” she said.

The next thing for her was to develop her own company.

“That’s what I want to focus on, whether it’s health care or not. That’s what I think I can bring to the table,” Harvey, 69, said.

Potential clients could include nonprofits, colleges and universities and benefits corporations. For new start-ups, for example, she can assist in creating a business plan, checking out the markets, reviewing other financial documents they might have and collecting intel.

Currently, she is working to attract new clients, creating a network of contacts, participating in online lectures, building a website and finding resources through the local office of the Small Business Administration, the WISE (Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship) program and Small Business Development Center at Onondaga Community College.

She has also become a certified federal contractor, after learning that the federal government is one of the 32

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largest buyers of services in the world.

This will enable her to bid on federal contracts.

Most recently, she has been certified by the Small Business Administration as a woman-owned small business., which will open other opportunities for her business.

Another of her strategies is to research companies whose culture fits her, send a letter or email to the president of those businesses, introducing herself, attaching her resume and asking for the opportunity to speak with them.

“I keep up,” she said. “I just work on it every day.”

While the pandemic may have sidelined her original retirement plan to consult in the field of emergency medicine, Harvey sees a silver lining.

She is seeing a greater number of requests for remote workers, which fits the plans for the Liverpool resident.

When she retired, she said she established a set of goals for herself:

“to work; to volunteer, because I needed and wanted to give back; and to travel,” she said. “All that stuff feeds the soul.”

“I feel like I’m relevant. What I bring to the world of work is relevant.

Anytime there’s been a bump I look for either a detour or plow through. I feel like I had a lot to offer,” she said.

Starting one’s own business can have its share of ups and downs.

For Harvey, it appears that the “ups” outnumber the “downs.” Although it is taking a long time for her business to gain the momentum she’s looking for, she still finds it “exciting.”

“I love to learn new stuff. I love to do new things. I love to see how other people are trying to make it a better world as well,” she said.

She remains persistent.

“It’s going to work, because I’m not going to stop until it does,” she said.

BARBARA STONE

After a 25-year career in manufacturing, Baldwinsville resident now is a leadership development coach

B

arbara Stone left her 25-year career in manufacturing at the end of 2018 to, as she said, follow her passion. She launched her leadership development business, Build Your Own Path, in 2019.

As a leadership development coach, Stone works with individual clients, organizations and teams and serves as a business coach and counselor with the WISE Center. These three lanes of the business, she explained, allow the business to remain viable, if one lane is not performing well for a time.

“We are all leaders of ourselves,” she said, explaining that before individuals can lead an organization, they need to better understand themselves, which can be done by focusing on their values and strengths and defining their vision so that have a purpose.

“You have to point towards where the vision is going so you bring the other people along,” she added.

Her move to start up her company came at the result of a personal journey, she said.

“Three years before I left my job, I was on a road of discovery. What did I really want to do? Who was I? I had been in manufacturing for 25 years, did everything from director of finance to running production floors.

But is this really what it’s all about, to climb ladders and to make money? In the midst of my manufacturing career, after I finished my MBA, I lost myself in the process. I was always trying to be somebody else,” she said.

She began studying resiliency and positive psychology, which she explained is the study of happiness.

“If you’re happy, success will follow because you’re doing what you really want to do,” she said.

She began working with a coach and went on to take a coaching course.

“I truly believe that everybody needs a coach because we need some guidance, we need some support, we need somebody to question what’s going on,” she said.

Moving from being part of a company to owning one, she said she needed to determine how she was

going to her first clients and finding the confidence. One of her first steps was to join the Women’s Business Opportunity Connection (WBOC) and the WISE Center.

To get those first clients, she reached out to her network of friends, family, acquaintances and colleagues to let them know of her new plan. Calling herself “the queen of networking,” she said she loves “to meet people. I like to engage them, to better understand their story.” Most of her clients have been with her for two years because they have developed relationships with each other, but always looking for the next client can be a challenge.

However, one of the “ups” to owning her own business is that she can be flexible with her time. She said that her husband has commented that she works harder now than when she was working for someone else.

“It’s so true. I’m constantly working to develop things. I’m always learning.

The good thing is that I can continue to work on my development,” she said.

And one additional “up” is that she can bring her dog, Beau, to work with her, she said, with a chuckle.

APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

33

FRANK FOWLER

Former Syracuse police chief now full-time CEO of security, background investigation company

F

rank Fowler, 59, had joined the Syracuse Police Department in 1989, becoming chief of that department in December of 2009.

A y e a r l a t e r, h e w o u l d b e approached by a friend, now business partner, John St. Denis, about starting a background investigation company.

A requirement is that a private investigator be the principal of the business.

Fowler took the state PI exam, passed it and shortly thereafter, they formed the ABI Inc. (Accurate Background Investigations Inc.) At the time, however, having just been named police chief, Fowler said he had no involvement in the company whatsoever. “I didn’t want to be conflicted in any way on the job,” he explained. “Although I don’t believe I would have been, I didn’t want to take any chances.”

Upon his retirement in November 2018, Fowler transitioned to president and CEO of the company.

There are two components to the company; the primary one being is background investigations, with the 34

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training also enables everyone in the system to understand their roles. “An ambassador understands where he should hand off to security. Security understands where they should hand off to law enforcement or market management,” he pointed out.

While Fowler doesn’t not see a lot of similarities between running a company in the private sector and running a department in the public sector, there are transferable skills, one of those being the knowledge of technology and the vital role it can play.

“I left the police department at a point where we had started to utilize technology more and more. I lived through the beginning stages of shrinking resources in terms of police personnel. Through that phase, I had to look at force multipliers and the obvious one is technology. So we had started to move toward technology,” he said.

“In the police department, you’re always planning. You’re addressing situations from worst-case scenarios.

You’re, often times, you’re dealing with some serious safety issues. You’re dealing with some serious quality of other side being security. life issues. So, you’re addressing at “I do security consulting. If a the highest level of intervention or business wants to start from scratch interaction,” he explained. or change something they’re doing, While that ability to plan ahead is they would sit down with me and say key to success, it takes on a different ‘What is it that we need to do to give us perspective in a business setting. the best opportunity to be successful?’”

“From a business perspective, he explained. rather than looking at worse-case One example is the Salt City scenario in terms of problem-solving, Market downtown. Fowler met with you have to identify and align yourself the stakeholders of the project long with that business’ idea of success,” before it opened to discuss the concerns he said. they had, along with those others had He also has to weigh a potential suggested they might have. Fowler’s client’s expectations with reality. years with the police department also He won’t place security at a site enabled him to bring some other issues until he knows what it looks like. to light. They discussed bringing the Businesses, he said, can explain to him neighboring Rescue Mission into the what they want, but when he gets to project, creating an Ambassadors the location, he can better ascertain Program. what his company can realistically These ambassadors work along offer. with security officers that Fowler In addition to being president subcontracts with. and CEO at ABI, he’s also an adjunct T h e r e i s t r a i n i n g f o r t h e instructor for SUNY Educational ambassadors; giving them guidelines Opportunity Center in Syracuse, in how to interact successfully interact where he licenses and trains security with people. guards.

“You’re pulling a population of In the future, he’d like to bring folks who may not have even had a a security guard training school to job before. They may be coming from ABI, with an emphasis on in-service systems where their day-to-day social training and focus on his strategy for interactions with folks are different de-escalation as it relates to security from the setting that you’re now going guards. ■ to put them into,” he explained. The

Your personal financial goals deserve a personal approach.

Putting the needs of my clients first is the approach I believe in. I’ll work with you to find the right financial solutions to help you plan for your unique goals. And together, we’ll track your progress over time, adjusting your plan along the way to help get you where you want to go.

Randy L. Zeigler, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU® Private Wealth Advisor CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner 315.342.1227 97 W. Utica St. Oswego, NY 13126 randy.l.zeigler@ampf.com ameripriseadvisors.com/randy.l.zeigler

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP (with plaque design) in the U.S. Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. © 2021 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. (03/21)

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APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

35

aging

By Marilyn L. Pinsky

Let’s Talk Plumbing (Part 2) Can I get to the bathroom in time?

W

e are discussing the issue of leakage as we get older.

The first article with urologist Elizabeth Ferry, assistant professor of urology at SUNY Upstate Medical University, discussed that after ruling out infections and more serious concerns, the issue is usually muscle tension. This article looks at the three-tiered approach to treating muscle tension.

one is diet and physical ➽ Tier therapy. “We look for what

might be bladder irritants in your particular situation. Depending on what you eat, symptoms may be better or worse on different days. Not

36

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everything irritates everyone, so you have to find out your particular trigger through trial and error. For example, do you eat a lot of chocolate, coffee, soda, spicy foods, certain alcohols, tomato sauce or even bananas? The way to test it out is to stop eating one food at a time for a few days and see if it makes a difference.”

I can tell you from personal experience that tier one options take patience, but for me were worth doing.

Bye, bye chocolate.

Ferry added that in addition to diet, there are other health conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea or congestive heart failure, all of which can cause frequent urination at night.

two is doing physical ➽ Tier therapy (PT). That also takes patience as it is a learning process. I was referred to Upstate’s pelvic floor rehabilitation program, a specialized program that also deals with pain, urinary or bowel incontinence, frequency and urgency. I asked how people get into the program and learned that each situation is different.

Though you can go directly there without seeing a doctor first, Medicare and Medicaid still require a referral.

It typically takes between six to 10 sessions to complete the program and the visits needed are determined after the first evaluation. I spent eight

sessions with Rebecca Alexander Carey, senior physical therapist, learning how to exercise muscles I never even knew I had, let alone that they needed exercising.

Using a model of the pelvic floor, she explained how PT helps patients to retrain the muscles in this area.

“There are three layers of muscles that need to work effectively and they are very small muscles. Most of these small muscles function best as a group and some work individually. Though all these muscles can be voluntarily controlled, some actions like coughing and sneezing, voluntarily passing gas, and peeing, require more reflexive processes to take place; most of us don’t know how to control the specifics of those activities because our body does them automatically.

“How we proceed depends on the individual situation, making the evaluation that is done at the first session vitally important.”

Carey advised, “The sooner you recognize you have an issue and start to address it, the better off you will be, whether it is incontinence, pain on urinating or constipation.

“We often hear people say, ‘What can you expect at this age,’ whether discussing leakage or intimacy. Some older patients haven’t been intimate in years, and don’t know if they ever will be again. Maybe they just chalk it up to being married a long time. But one factor could be unaddressed pain, that gets worse to a point where you cannot be intimate anymore and that affects relationships. This is a big reason people see pelvic floor specialists.”

“For men who are having penile pain, scrotal pain, ejaculation pain or orgasm pain, treatment starts with an evaluation of the musculature with a physical therapist who specifically works with men. They evaluate the resting position of the muscles and muscle tone and can do both external and internal exams to determine the cause of the problem.

Possible remedies are behavioral modification, such as changing certain habits including adding belly breathing when urinating, avoiding bladder irritants, becoming more aware of muscle tension throughout the day and learning to relax the abdominal and gluteal (butt) muscles. If the issue is with tightness in the hips or lower back, there is guided physical therapy, such as trunk stabilization exercises or

Rebecca Alexander Carey, senior physical therapist at SUNY Upstate, holding a model of the pelvic floor. She says physical therapy helps patients to retrain certain muscles, which will help control urinary or bowel incontinence.

pelvic floor stretches,” said Carey.

Back to urologist Elizabeth Ferry.

“PT takes a while, so it depends on the road you want to take. Some people say, ‘I’ve had this situation for years and I just want to take medicine.’ In tier two there are a variety of medications to be used alone or in combinations that encourage relaxation of the bladder to enable it to stretch and hold more urine.” three: “If medicines don’t ➽ Tier get them where they want to be,

we go to tier three for Botox injections and nerve stimulators. The thought is if the bladder is overactive and spasms, these options act like white noise to mellow it out. An example would be acupuncture once a week for a few months, or an implant.”

I asked Ferry if most people follow through with the advice. “For some people, going through five briefs in a day doesn’t bother them and for

others, just one liner drives them crazy. Urologists are happy to be as aggressive to treat as it is bothersome to the individual.”

The takeaway is that incontinence is not something you have to live with.

There is a lot we can do to improve the quality of our lives.

On a personal note, the previous article on retiring my title as ‘Queen of CIGBOT’ totally destroyed my plans to be a sexy senior. Everyone who knows me and has read that issue feels they now have to inquire about my bladder. I just know they’re imagining me dribbling all over town. In spite of that, I hope these articles help us recognize we’re all in this together. I also hope I have contributed to more meaningful cocktail party discussion.

Though religion and politics are still out for polite conversation, leaking, constipation and ejaculation pain (who knew?) is now in.

Cheers!

APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

37

money

Many Older Women Face Financial Hardship AARP study shows only 9% of women feel very confident that they will retire comfortably.

Experts weight in

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

M

any women aged 50–64 face financial hardship, both for affording day-to-day needs and for retirement savings, according to a recent AARP study.

Two-thirds feel concern that prices are rising more quickly than their income. Nearly half scrimped on health expenses because of costs, including missing or reducing doses of prescriptions. For 42%, an unexpected expense of $1,000 would be a major financial setback. Only 9% feel very confident that they will retire comfortably.

The reasons are more complex than pointing at the issues arising from the pandemic.

Several factors may have placed these women on shaky ground financially, including domestic violence 38

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(which often includes financial abuse and is oriented towards women 97% of the time, according to the FBI), midlife divorce or widowhood, reduced earning potential because of childrearing, reduced earning potential because of providing elder care, and operating a family business or consulting business that has no retirement savings plans.

Short of a time machine to go back and make other choices, women do have options for getting into better financial shape.

Three experts suggest tips women can use to revert that trend.

——— • “Medicare is the Promised Land for retirees. If you’re 63 and in a position to retire, you’re looking at the better part of $1,000 a month for healthcare and that’s before the $5,000 deductible has been met. For women, it’s probably acute because the two

spouses working family structure is common. Oftentimes, in a typical couple, the husband may have the higher paying, more generous benefit.

The mother often takes part-time work that doesn’t have bennies. If things don’t work out, they don’t have access to those benefits.

• “To say there aren’t tough choices to be made is painting a rosy picture.

You must make difficult choices. She doesn’t have the privilege to help her children. She’s got to start making the choices that her survival must be her primary objective. She must look at her lifestyle and see how modestly she lives. She may need to look at a lowcost apartment. Rent isn’t the end of the world. You don’t need home equity when you die.

• “More and more of my clients have a mortgage in retirement.

• “To budget, start with a $0 and then begin adding in things you have to have. Everything else is extra. That’s the mindset people have to have.

You’re not doing your child any favors covering their cell phone bill.

• “Cohabitating can benefit everyone with cheaper childcare and cheaper living expenses.”

— Dean Ripley, wealth management adviser, certified financial planner and principal and founder of Garlock & Associates Financial Planning Group, Phoenix.

• “The first step is to get your affairs in order. Put together a list of assets and liabilities, review insurance policies, your estate plan (i.e. will, trusts, etc.), and create a budget. There are plenty of free apps available that can help you. Mint, Personal Capital and Truebill are a few or your bank may also have a service available to you.

• “There is a little-used strategy called a “reverse budget.” With a reverse budget, you fund your savings goals first then pay your bills. It sounds odd but this will essentially force you to prioritize every expense and cut out what is unneeded.

• “If your employer offers a retirement plan with a match, make sure you’re taking advantage of that and getting the maximum amount

golden years

allowed.

• “Everyone is different and if you need additional help, reach out to a professional for a more personalized plan.”

— Ryan York, president, investment adviser representative and portfolio manager at York Wealth Management, Syracuse.

• “Work longer. You can go to work if you haven’t been working and try to find an occupation you can do for a long time to supplement your other income sources. There is a fair amount of publicity about the number of retirees who’ve left the workforce because of the pandemic.

It’s making a fairly significant difference in the percent of the population that’s employed.

• “Look at ways to reduce expenses like reviewing your cell phone bill. Drop the landline if you don’t need it. Instead of cable TV, there are many more internet options that are more affordable.

You can always reconsider your housing and find something less expensive. A person who’s in a senior citizen age range over 60 might want to look at subsidized housing if their income is such that they don’t have a significant annual income.

• “Reverse mortgage can fit for very specific circumstance.

It’s for someone who really wants to remain in the home and has a lot of equity and is an expensive home. They need to understand how the structure works, as these are complex instruments and have a lot of details associated with them. It is not a good idea for a broad swath of the population.

• “In general, getting rid of debt is important but it depends on the person’s circumstances and the cost of the debt.

• “There are tax consequences of liquidating assets. You need to get to a point where you are earning interest on your money rather than paying interest on someone else’s money.”

— Randy L. Zeigler, certified financial planner and private wealth adviser with Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, Oswego

By Harold Miller Email: hmiller@mcsmms.com

Confessions of a 55Plus Columnist

Hal Miller and wife Janet of Auburn. They married in 1955.

T

he Kappa Epsilon Chapter for Syracuse held its annual dance at Hotel Syracuse for many years after World War II. America was coming alive after five grueling years of conflict and the “bobby soxers” were letting loose.

I attended one of these affairs in 1951, looking for a date. The girls assembled on one side of the beautiful ballroom and the wolves on the other. I walked across the floor (with butterflies in my stomach) and asked the one I had my eyes on for a dance.

To say that she was beautiful was an understatement with her blue-green eyes and chestnut hair that would charm the devil himself. We fell into conversation easily and before parting I obtained her telephone number and address.

From that time on Janet Hirsh (later to be Mrs. Harold Miller) and I would spend the rest of our life together. Janet was from a large family and very dedicated to her clan.

Courting was a serious situation

in those days. I was carefully vetted

by Janet’s family and Father O’Brien, pastor of St. Matthews Church in East Syracuse. It would be better if our society followed these guidelines today. As it is, half of all marriages end in divorce or the children are brought up in single parent families.

We married in August of 1955 and daughter Jeanne Marie was born nine months later. Marcia, Ronald, and Stephen came along regimentally at 18 months apart and we paused about a year after that for Christopher.

At this juncture, there were seven mouths to feed and I had to work three jobs to keep food on the table; selling air conditioning systems for a local manufacture’s representative, working as a disc jockey for a local radio station and doing a bi-monthly column for different publications. I paid the bills by selling air conditioning systems but enjoyed flipping records the most.

Bless the people who love their work!

APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

39

gardening

Hostas in a flower bed, still a classic favorite for those improving their landscape.

Top Tips for ‘Brown Thumbs’ There are plenty of options to add beauty to your lawn

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

“M

ary, Mary, quite contrary/ in pots with new soil, this can ensure How does your garden that you have low weed pressure. grow?”

Always select the right type of soil If your answer is, “Not for what you want to grow. The seed so well,” you can improve your packet or, in the case of seedlings and growing techniques to help your shoots, the stake or tag, will indicate home’s landscaping look great this the ideal soil type and other growing conditions. season.

If you do not know your land’s If you want to grow plants from seed, start early. You can begin many soil type, you can have it tested plants indoors from seed if you start by Cornell Cooperative Extension them four to six weeks before the last (https://soilhealthlab.cals.cornell. frost. This gives them a head start on edu). Extension agents can also help weeds that compete for their light, troubleshoot other issues.

Av o i d f i n i c k y, n o n - n a t i v e nutrients and water. If you grow plants

40

55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

plantings. Instead, chose things wellsuited to the local climate. As one example, Juan Ramos, supervisor at Lorenzo’s Landscaping in Syracuse, recommended hostas and decorative grasses. Available in a variety of colors and sizes, decorative grass is easy to grow and can fill in a bare spot in the landscape without taking over the rest of the yard.

“These are lower maintenance,” Ramos said.

Instead of individual flowers (continued on pg. 42)

Backyard Trends for 2022 If your summer plans are like many others, it is likely you anticipate staying at home more as travel is still uncertain and some families are still recovering financially from losses incurred because of the pandemic.

Sprucing up your property makes sense.

“We did a lot of work last year,” said Juan Ramos, supervisor at Lorenzo’s Landscaping in Syracuse.

“People want a little of everything: new landscaping, retaining walls and walkways. They’re investing a lot of money in their houses.”

Like comfort foods in the kitchen, many clients choose classics for their landscaping, like hostas, roses and fountain grass.

Tried-and-true petunias, hydrangea, black-eyed Susans and weeping cherry trees are also popular for Ramos’ clients.

Jim Sollecito, owner, Sollecito Landscaping Nursery LLC in Syracuse, said that many people turned to vegetable gardening when the pandemic hit.

“That lasted a year because if you like to eat something, then so do the various animals that might get to the harvest, usually before you do,” he said. “Who wants to invest in an ugly fence around a vegetable garden unless it is large enough to justify a good harvest?”

For those who want to continue gardening, companion gardening with deterrent plants can help. For example, marigolds deter many garden-spoiling critters and provide beauty all season.

Many homeowners are investing in long-term features such as trees.

“With the blue spruce, patience for greatness might be required as they don’t grow as fast as deciduous plants, which actually is a nice feature,” Sollecito said. “But once they have been part of your home for a few years, their increasing value is paid with interest for decades to come.”

More clients are choosing the right kind of trees and shrubs for their space.

ABOVE Porch built by Peter Briggs, owner of Briggs Construction Landscaping & Design in

Auburn. He foresees a continued trend toward backyard improvements as more people are staying home to cook and entertain together as a family.

“When there are tight spaces, people often try to crowd in a columnar conifer,” Sollecito said. “That works, for a while, but in five years becomes too tall for the confined area.”

He recommends an upright weeping conifer such as weeping white spruce or weeping blue spruce.

Neither grows very tall, and both thrive in small spaces. Their hardiness makes them easy to grow.

“Plus, they really are neat to put seasonal lights on with painted clothespins,” Sollecito said. “By the way, if you have Christmas lights on anything your landscape, the deer simply will not chew on those shrubs.”

As for hardscaping, Peter Briggs, owner of Briggs Construction Landscaping & Design in Auburn, foresees a continued trend backyard improvements as more people are staying home to cook and entertain together as a family than prepandemic.

“There are more seawalls and

staircases near lake properties,” Briggs said. “You’re seeing more outdoor living environments like firepits, decks, decorative stamped concrete and updates. They are spending more time outside, since travel’s tough right now.

You can’t really go anywhere.”

Many of his homeowners are spending more for higher grade materials, viewing their projects as property investments. With that in mind, it is important to select what is popular.

Although pools are still popular— offering backyard “staycationers” something to do, water features like decorative fishponds and fountains are falling out of favor, as their upkeep yields less enjoyment for the homeowner.

“A pond is too much trouble to take care of with the goldfish,” Briggs said. “The younger people don’t want the upkeep.”

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

41

Ward W. O’Hara Agricultural & Country Living Museum Mon.–Sat., 10am–4pm, Sun., 11am–4pm Wednesdays in July & August open till 8:30pm

Come discover 1800’s America!

Jim Sollecito, owner of Sollecito Landscaping Nursery in Syracuse, recommends planting low-maintenance “flowering bushes” like hydrangeas.

“They start showing off the end of June and go right through October,” he says.

315-252-7644

6880 East Lake Road Rt. 38A Auburn, NY 13021

www.wardwoharaagriculturalmuseum.org

(continued from pg. 40)

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that will need plenty of weeding, “flowering bushes are nice,” Ramos said. “As they get big, they need trimming only twice a year.”

He offered hydrangeas as one example. Jim Sollecito, owner, Sollecito Landscaping Nursery LLC, is also a fan of them.

“The best floral bang for any buck would be the tried and true as well as new and compact varieties of Panicle Hydrangea,” he said. “They start showing off the end of June and go right through October, usually turning brighter and brighter red if we have cool evenings. Otherwise, a gently blush, which is also attractive.”

Planting flowering bushes and perennial flowers will save work next year. Many do not tend to retain their flowers as long as annuals. To add a punch of continuous color all season, add annuals.

Marigolds are also an easy-to-grow annual that reseeds itself. Planting one marigold in a bare portion of the flowerbed or in a planter can result in a bevy of blooms. Marigolds tend to shade out weeds, so it helps to start them early.

Wildflowers are also easy to grow and attract pollinators and butterflies. They can create a meadowlike ambiance to landscaping without requiring a lot of care.

“Depending on where you live, regarding deer damage potential, you still have many options,” Sollecito said. “If you are where deer tend to travel, stick with the newer varieties of Spirea, available in many flavors with the Proven Winners varieties. They’re worth the extra money.”

Like Ramos, he likes ornamental grasses, particularly the colorful smaller ornamental grasses.

“The pallet of smaller, ornamental grasses is just so lovely,” Sollecito said.

“Not only do we consider them ‘wind dancers’ with their graceful forms swaying in the breeze, but once they attain their maximum size they stop growing. Now and forever, so if you want to look over something while seated and never have to prune to maintain that height, ornamental grasses must be on your shopping list.”

He recommends planting three to five plants in groupings of calming colors. Planning for sequential blooms can ensure color all season, such as early, mid- and late-summer flowers.

Vegetable gardens are not the only places to grow edibles on your property. Sollecito likes to incorporate Jewel or Bristol Black Raspberries, Polana Red Raspberries, Juneberries or Elderberries.

“They grow with little care, provide ample fruit to enjoy and allow for the birds to have a place for lunch,” Sollecito added.

cleaning How to Make Spring Cleaning More Effective

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

T

he days are getting longer and warmer. It’s time to start thinking about spring cleaning—tackling those lessthan-routine household cleaning chores.

To make spring cleaning more effective, work from the top down, knocking down cobwebs up high before dusting mid-level areas and finally, vacuuming.

Janet Yuckel, owner of Done Right Cleaning in Brewerton, uses vacuuming as much as possible since this method removes dust instead of stirring it up with sweeping.

“We have extension pieces for vacuums and dusters,” she said.

That helps reach behind and under large pieces of furniture and appliances that are difficult to move and can prevent the need to climb on stepladders as often.

Yuckel emphasized the importance

Janet Yuckel is owner of Done Right Cleaning in Brewerton.

of following package directions.

For example, most products should be tested on an inconspicuous area before using them to avoid damaging surfaces and wiping it up too soon may mean that the product has insufficient time to work.

Cleaning Venetian blinds is tough for many people. Yuckel uses a cleaning cloth dampened with a solution of Pine-Sol and water or a degreasing cleaning if they have substantial buildup. She sometimes soaks blinds in the bathtub with hot water and a cleaning solution for stubborn gunk.

To clean out the windows, Yuckel vacuums out debris and dead bugs and scrubs the small areas with a toothbrush and Pine-Sol. “Vacuum your forced air heat vents-—you can get a good foot or so in the vents with the extensions—that way, it’s not blowing dust in when you switch to A/C,” Yuckel said.

If climbing and crouching to clean trim and baseboards has become challenging for you, follow Yuckel’s lead and use the vacuum wand with the brush, followed by a damp sponge mop.

Reach fly specks and other smudges on painted walls and ceilings with a lightweight Swiffer-style mop.

(Test an inconspicuous area first to ensure the disposable mop head will not damage the surface.)

Oftentimes, using the right product can make all the difference in tacking tough cleaning chores.

Zep, an acid bowl cleaner available at OfficeMax.com, lifts the most stubborn toilet rust and stains. For rust in a Fiberglas tub, use a damp Magic Eraser sponge. However, avoid over scrubbing, since it can be abrasive.

Another good stain remover, Amodex, sold at Lowe’s, is ideal for removing stains such as permanent marker, printer toner and ink. Use it first and without any water for the best results.

Shower doors and walls are often places where soap scum and hard water deposits build up. To deep clean these areas, Les Green, owner of L&L Green Residential Cleaning in Fulton, applies a light solution of Dawn dish soap—a few squirts in one gallon of water.

“Let it sit a few minutes, then take a low abrasive sponge and go over it,” Green said. “Then use the squeegee on it. Make sure it has a wet surface first. Handle the squeegee two inches from the glass to give you a better angle of the ‘cutting edge.’ Wipe off the squeegee and do it again.”

Few people like cleaning windows because every swipe seems to leave streaks instead of clean, clear glass.

Green again uses his trusty squeegee and a light vinegar solution, ½ cup of white vinegar to a gallon of water.

Erica Gray, general manager of The Maids in Syracuse, said that using newspaper or coffee filters to wipe away the glass cleaner will leave no streaks. Cloth rags and paper towels get wet quickly and cause streaks.

“You want absorbent materials,” she said. “Some cloths get tainted with other cleaners. That can leave streaks.”

To keep cleaning easier, she recommends assembling a caddy of the cleaning supplies you use the most.

“You can take it with you room to room and you won’t have to run around the house searching for everything,” Gray said.

She likes using Magic Erasers for wall scuffs and build-up on shower walls.

“They work great inside the fridge for that residual jelly that hardens in there,” Gray added.

If a deep spring-cleaning day seems overwhelming, ask family for help or enlist a cleaning service.

“We do a lot of one to two times a year cleaning appointments to help people get back on track,” Gray said.

“You don’t have to commit to a more frequent schedule.”

APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

43

life after 55

By Michele Bazan Reed Email: bazanreed@hotmail.com

test, half German shepherd dog and half dalmatian) is now 110 pounds and still growing. He has all the size of a German shepherd but a goofy, cartoondog personality. He has an endearing smile but is just likely to jump — all 110 pounds of him — into Mike’s lap, when he’s sitting in a computer chair, doing something online.

Multiple articles online tout the benefits of pet ownership for seniors: a chance for increased exercise out in the fresh air, more socialization, combatting loneliness, reduced stress, including lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and lower blood pressure. There’s even some evidence that it helps seniors stay sharp mentally.

Michele Reed has a short mystery Taking care of another living story, “Sweet Revenge,” featuring creature can give us a focus for those Sacha in a sweet caper (Literally nurturing tendencies we practiced sweet. It’s about maple syrup.) in as we raised our families or cared “The Big Fang,” an anthology of for spouses or other loved ones. The mystery stories featuring rescue routine care a pet needs can provide animals in pivotal roles. The book structure to our days after retirement, launches April 1, and all proceeds a reason to get up in the morning, and benefit Harbor Humane Society, they can help fill the void left in our Inc., a rescue group in Michigan. lives by an empty nest or the death of a spouse. All this applies, they say, to whatever pet fits your lifestyle, from dogs and cats to birds and fish. in Syracuse.

Rescue group volunteers say that Sacha is a purebred Plott hound, they welcome senior adopters because with a show dog’s stance and the they often have more time to spend tracking instincts this bear-hunting with a pet after retirement. Even if you breed is known for. Her first family cannot adopt a pet, there are plenty surrendered her because of her loud of ways to connect with the animals. and incessant barking, and two Foster homes are always needed, as are subsequent adoptive families returned volunteers to socialize the kittens or her to the shelter as well. No one, it walk the dogs. They need donations of appears, could stand her booming food or cash to take care of the animals, voice. Then along came Mike, with a and even welcome bequests in a will, house in the country, few neighbors to so you can leave a legacy of your love disturb, and plenty of animal trails to for animals. sniff on their walks. This “hard case,” So, if you need a little love in your that no one wanted, is still a Miss life — and who doesn’t? — you can’t Barksalot, but has grown into a loving go wrong by heading to your local companion, who, when not tracking animal shelter. You may just meet your something (on leash) is happy to claim new best friend. three-quarters of the bed and all the pillows as her own, as she watches OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The beautiful Sacha is a rescue Plott anime on TV. When Mike returned to the shelter hound, who found her forever home with to adopt a friend for Sacha, he found Mike, the author’s son; Max, Katie’s a puppy described as a border collie schnauzer/yorkie mix, enjoys a walk in mix, estimated to grow to 45 pounds. the California sunshine, at a local park; Perfect, he thought, and brought home Ever hear of a shepmatian? Meet Brit, a boy named Brittany, AKA Brit. This a German shepherd dog/dalmatian mix, “shepmatian” (according to his DNA Mike rescued from a shelter in Syracuse.

Rescued by Love

T

here’s an old song, “Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places.” I don’t know much about those kinds of places, but I do know one very good spot to look for love: the real, unconditional, forever kind. That’s at our local animal shelters.

My current roommate is Charlie, a rescue of the feline persuasion who came to me 11 years ago by way of my vet. He was a feral kitty, and it took weeks of luring with treats and a fishing pole toy just to get him to come out from under the bed. But once he emerged, he became a great family member and loyal friend. For a guy who started life alone in the woods, he has a strong empathy for human emotions, and knows just when somebody needs a gentle nudge and purring lap warmer to chase away the blues.

And then, there are my “granddogs.” Anybody who runs into me is likely to be subjected to the latest pictures of the Reed family pack, and stories of their antics.

When she landed her first job, teaching at a university in Utah, the first thing my daughter, Katie, did was head for the animal shelter in Salt Lake City. There she found her forever friend, a “schnorkie” (mix of schnauzer and Yorkshire terrier) named Max. He’s a gentleman with the kind of scruffy good looks that would have made him a good sidekick for the stars of a romantic comedy of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Katie, her husband, Greg, and Max live in Southern California, so instead of snuggles, I content myself with following Max’s adventures on Facebook and Instagram. Luckily, he’s quite a ham, and loves having his picture taken.

My son’s pack consists of the beautiful Sacha and goofy Brit, both of whom came from Helping Hounds 44

55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

SACHA

MAX

BRIT APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

45

druger’s zoo

By Marvin Druger Email: mdruger@syr.edu

TV Commercials

F

or many of us, the most annoying aspects of watching TV are the commercials.

Many of them seem insulting to our intelligence.

Just when the ball game or the news program reaches a critical point, there is a time out for commercials.

The commercials often seem designed to wake up the audience and the commercial sometimes has little to do with the product being advertised.

I won’t mention any specific commercials, for fear of being sued in our litigious society. Oftentimes, the commercial has some stupid scenario, many involving children, and then the product being advertised is mentioned briefly at the end.

TV commercials seem to be a nursery for child actors and actresses.

46

55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

Commercials come in clusters.

Just when we are enjoying a TV program most, we are bombarded by a conglomerate of unrelated commercials.

We l o s e s i g h t o f a n y o n e commercial’s message, since our vision and minds are directed in so many different directions in a brief span of time.

The hodge-podge of entirely different commercials only serves to encourage people not to think seriously about anything for any length of time.

Commercials about pharmaceutical products are particularly annoying.

By law, the companies must state the possible side effects of the drug. This is usually done very rapidly while the scene being shown is a pleasant and

peaceful one. I’m always listening carefully to see if one of the possible side effects of the drug is “death.”

Sometimes, diseases are mentioned that I never even heard of, and I start wondering whether or not I have that disease.

To be fair, we could not have the TV programming that we have without support from commercial advertising.

I love when a program is shown in its entirety, without interruption by commercials, but that is not frequent enough.

I don’t know the evidence for the effectiveness of any particular commercial, but I suspect that many do not cause the viewer to rush out to buy the product advertised. I’d like to see solid evidence that silly commercials are effective. If they are effective, what does this tell us about the maturity of the viewers?

Can anything be done to improve the situation?

I have some suggestions.

First, make sure that the designers of commercials have extensive training in psychology. Secondly, a commercial should be thoroughly tested on a targeted sample of individuals to assure its effectiveness. Third, commercials should be short and to the point. I don’t want to be startled by some irrelevant scene whose purpose I can’t figure out until the end.

Just tell it as it is.

Fourth, do commercials have to be so silly? Is the audience so immature that they can’t be talked to like adults? Fifth, the effectiveness of a commercial in selling the product should be thoroughly researched. Does the commercial really help sell the product? Sixth, do we need so many commercials? Perhaps TV can survive with fewer of them.

Maybe, my ignorance about the TV commercial industry is showing, but I’ll bet that many people grumble and groan when there is a commercial interruption to their favorite program.

Some commercial messages on TV do actually stick in your mind. When I was a teenager (many years ago), black-and-white TV was just making its debut. The TV set had a huge box and a tiny screen. My then girlfriend, Iris, had a wealthy family that could

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afford to buy a TV set. I recall sitting PLUS Top Winter Getaways in front of the tiny TV screen, holding PLUS hands with Iris and watching the PLUS Milton Berle Show. The commercial LUSthe still rings in my mind, “WePare Meet Juanita & men of Texaco, we work from Maine Matthew to Mexico, there’s nothing like this Texaco of ours.”

Down Not Slowing CQUES ls JA a ED Listening to the radio fixed other im n FR A AL Stick Maker Passion for The that slogans in my mind. I’m sure many readers recall, “Look, up in fre the sky. It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s free Superman;” or “Who knows what free evil lurks in the hearts of men. The e fre Shadow knows;” or “From out of the PLUS west come the thundering hoofbeats PLUS PLUS of the great horse, Silver. The Lone PLUS ick Roger Burd Ranger rides again. Hi ho Silver, Matt hy away;” or “Wheaties, the breakfast of Mulca champions.”

Maybe, modern TV commercials Up to the can accomplish the same longChallenge Overcoming term effect by providing a simple, Adversity meaningful slogan? Some commercials do this, and I think that makes them free more effective. Whenever I am driving my car, the slogan that comes into my P mind when I‘m tempted to step on the PLUS gas is, “Speed kills.” That’s enough to PLUS slow me down.

Subscribe today and celebrate life after 55 S U L P Great things can be accomplished The Athletic The Feature stories, local profiles and with us. by brevity. Abraham Lincoln’s Irresistible lly Ke Nancy Gettysburg Address that set the stage Still issues that concern 55-plussers awaits.

Way Leading the Rockin’ for civil rights was only 267 words.

The article by James Watson and rn to Run Bo315-342-1182 • cny55.com eck Stimulus Ch Francis Crick in the journal Nature that free free described the structure of DNA, the Walking genetic material, was only 953 words.

The article that described the HardyWeinberg Law which is the foundation for population genetics was a one-page PLUS letter by Hardy to the editor of the Hello.

I would like to subscribe to 55 Plus, the only magazine journal Science. There are countless PLUS in Central New York. Payment is enclosed.

S PLUactive serving adults other examples demonstrating that length of presentation is not necessary Lasting for an important contribution to About he New T ll A NAME (please print) Legacy humanity. Why can’t TV commercials zz... d the Chairwoman in Ja eh B follow the same pattern and eliminate free United Way extraneous content?

ADDRESS free Hardy’s article started with the free phrase, “I beg to intrude in a discussion free CITY/TOWN STATE ZIP concerning matters of which I have no expert knowledge, but it seems Clip and Mail to: obvious to me that…” I can say the same for my article, “I beg to intrude LUS 1 YEAR (6 ISSUES) P 2 YEARS (12 ISSUES)free upon an area that I know little about, S U L P but it seems obvious to me that…”

PLUS P.O. Box 276, First issue mails within 3 to 6 weeks. 55 Plus is published bimonthly by Local News, Oswego, NY 13126 Inc. dba. Oswego County Business Magazine. Find us online at www.cny55.com.

NEW SISTER I do not mean to insult anyone, but I believe this article may reflect E EICHORN Interested inDAV advertising?

Check here and please provide a phone number. the thinking of many TV viewers and KIM TOWNS GOING THE I hope that the corporations that pay free A Man CE for commercials will take heed and try OCTOR free DISTAN With the PR A CC BE RE l to make improvements in the future.

Crystal Bal

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For Active Adults l New York Area in the Centra

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For Active Adults l New York Area in the Centra

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INSIDE Meet thes: new book author , 89, Nancy Murray , 93 and Sally Wilbur

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APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

Year-O What Is a 79-

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visits them in cayenne hot sauce and a new favorite food was born. Chicken wings were, at that time, inexpensive and often discarded.

➋ THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD!

According to popular legend, the salad dressing originated in the 1000 Island area of New York state.

It seems Sophia LaLonde, the wife of a fishing guide, would use it in the salads of her shore dinners provided by her husband. George Boldt, who had Boldt Castle built, was the proprietor of NYC’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel. Boldt so enjoyed LaLonde’s salad dressing that he instructed the hotel’s chef to put it on the menu.

➌ SALT POTATOES

The area around Syracuse, “The Salt City,” was known for its salt springs. During the 1800s, Irish salt miners would bring a bag of small, unpeeled, substandard potatoes to work each day. At lunch time, they

By Sandra Scott boiled the potatoes in salt brine. The small potatoes were not marketable but deliciously eatable. In Central New as it is with Grandma Brown’s Baked York they are found at fairs, barbecues Beans, salt potatoes and spiedies. and many summer meals.

Stories about the origins of favorite New York state foods vary somewhat ➍ SPIEDIES but some stories have become many Spiedies, marinated cubes of meat, times told. originated in the Binghamton area and are popular throughout the Southern Tier. Cubes of lamb, beef, pork, or ➊ BUFFALO WINGS No, buffalo do not have wings, chicken are marinated overnight or an oft asked question. Buffalo wings longer, and then grilled on a spit over originated at the Anchor Bar in a charcoal fire. Traditionally the meat Buffalo. According to one story, Teresa is served on a soft Italian bread or Bellissimo owned the bar with her submarine roll. It can be eaten from the husband in 1964. Late one night her spit or served on a salad. The Spiedie Food, glorious food! We eat it every son, Dominic and several of his friends marinade included olive oil, vinegar, day. Often, we check the contents. Is it from college, showed Italian spices and fresh mint. organic? Is it gluten free? How many up hungry. Teresa Now it is sold by the bottle. calories? How many carbs? needed something There is a Spiedie Fest in But few ever check to see where quick and easy so she Binghamton in August. the food originated. Many popular deep fried the chicken food items originated in New York wings she planned to ➎ JELL-O state. Some become world famous use the next day to Jell-O has become while others are popular local favorites. make a soup stock. international and is now When people move away they often When the wings were a registered trademark of have the items shipped to them. Such crispy, she tossed the Kraft Heinz company, 48

55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

baked beans have become a summer staple in Central New York. During the early 1970s Grandma Brown’s baked bean sandwiches were sold at the New York State Fair for the original price of 5 cents to raise money so the Mexico High School Band could go to Italy.

but the gelatin dessert began in LeRoy, west of Rochester. In 1897, a carpenter, Pearle Wait, was making a cough remedy and laxative tea in his home.

While experimenting with gelatin he came up with a fruit-favored dessert, his wife called Jell-O. He marketed it by knocking on kitchen doors telling the wives that he had a quick and easy dessert. Today, LeRoy is home to the Jell-O museum.

originated in Utica. Credit for the recipe goes to Joe Morelle, chef at the Chesterfield Restaurant. The dish is made of sautéed greens (escarole), hot peppers, chicken stock, pecorino cheese, prosciutto and bread crumbs.

Utica greens go well when served with another Utica original, chicken riggies, a pasta dish of chicken, rigatoni, ➑ WALDORF SALAD The salad gets its name from the peppers (sweet or hot), in a spice cream New York City hotel, the Waldorf- or tomato sauce.

Astoria, where the salad originated.

On March 14, 1896, the hotel hosted a ➓ PEPPERMINT PIG charity ball for St. Mary’s Hospital for The peppermint pig is a hard Children. The hotel’s maitre d’hotel, candy that originated in Saratoga Oscar Tschirky, created the salad for Springs during the 19th century. The the event. The original recipe included eight-ounce pig comes in a velvet bag just apples, celery and mayonnaise, no with a little hammer. According to nuts. Today a Waldorf salad is made local tradition, the pig shows up at with apples, celery, walnuts, grapes, Christmas dinner. Each person takes a and mayonnaise served on a bed of turn breaking the pig with the hammer, lettuce. eats a piece of candy, which is said to bring good fortune in the coming year and then shares one example of good ➒ UTICA GREENS As the name suggests, Utica greens fortune in the past year.

➏ SARATOGA CHIPS

There are several versions of how and where the potato chip originated but one is closely associated with Saratoga. George Crum, a cook at Moon’s Lake House, was trying to please a customer (possibly Cornelius Vanderbilt) who kept sending back the French fries because they were too soggy and not salty enough. After several attempts to make the fries the customer was still complaining.

Frustrated, Crum sliced the potatoes very thin, fried them to a crisp and added extra salt. Guess what? No complaints. The customer loved them. One version claims the guest was Cornelius Vanderbilt.

➐ GRANDMA BROWN’S BAKED BEANS

In 1937, during the depression, LuLu Brown began making large pans of baked beans and selling them at the local grocery store. Her recipe was a no-nonsense way of making baked beans. It was not tomato based and the end result was not runny. Basically, just beans. The baked beans were so successful that a factory was built in Mexico, Oswego County. Lulu Brown’s APRIL / MAY 2022 – 55 PLUS

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By Mary Beth Roach Linda Llewellyn, who turned 65 in April, is one of about 350 volunteers for Syracuse Meals on Wheels, helping deliver about 192,000 meals to 400 clients annually.

or cold foods and cut down delivery days to three a week. People still got five days’ worth of food, but we did it on three days.

Q. How many clients do you yourself deliver to? Usually about 13-14.

Linda Llewellyn, 65 Meals on Wheels volunteer has a direct impact on people. It’s ‘incredibly rewarding and important’ Q. How long have you been volunteering for Meals on Wheels? I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t part of my life. But it’s only been 4 ½ years.

Q. What do you mean when you say that you can’t remember? Because it’s become so important to me. I retired from education. I was an administrator toward the end of my career. You’re not directly working with children. Here, you have a direct impact on people every day. I love that. It makes me very happy. I look forward to doing as many shifts as I can every week.

Q. How many [shifts] do you do? In the beginning I thought I’m only going to do two. Now I do doubles. I sign up for two or three days. If Tina (Casella, volunteer coordinator at MOW) calls and I don’t have something I can’t change, I’ll do it. I recently joined the board here. I’ve seen a part I didn’t see as a volunteer about how hard 50

55 PLUS – APRIL / MAY 2022

this group works to provide nutritious meals, how much they care about clients, how respectful people are all the time. It’s a privilege to be here.

Q. What prompted you to get involved in Meals on Wheels? When I retired, after being a workaholic, I identified organizations that I might like to get involved with. I had a short list.

Q. What is the best part of your work?

It’s absolutely seeing the clients every day. It makes my day. They trust us. I love seeing our people.

Q. How was it during the pandemic I went out of town in March 2020, right when things were getting bad. My son lived in South Florida. My son, his wife and their housemate got sick. Their housemate ultimately passed away. I didn’t get sick. I took care of them. I got back here; I was so proud Meals on Wheels was still trucking along. They made some changes, did only frozen

Q. How do you handle the weather?

I grew up in the south. I’ve been here since 1991. I still get very excited with a snowstorm. I think it’s quite fun to slog through the snow. I feel kind of like the post office — rain, sleet, snow or hail.

We provide clients with a “blizzard pack” so they’ve got spare meals. If the weather is really, really bad, we’ll close.

It doesn’t happen very often.

Q. You volunteer outside of MOW. Why is that important to you? Meals on Wheels is a very small commitment of hours a day, — two or less. For the rest of my day, when I am out in my neighborhood, I’m happy to pitch in and help when I see that something needs to be done. It’s my neighborhood. I’m proud of it. I’m happy to help with the upkeep and the beautification of where I live. It’s important, as a citizen, to take care of where we live.

Q. Is there anything you’d like to add? While I was enjoying my Meals on Wheels experience up to COVID, when it came around, I realized how food-insecure many of our neighbors are. This became important to me, food insecurity is huge. For some, this is it, all they get. Being a part of an organization that serves a need you can see, and at the end of the day, you know you fulfilled at least part of that need. I find it incredibly rewarding and important.

For those interested in volunteering or becoming a client, visit: www.meals.org or call 315-478-5948.

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