OCTOBER 2016 • $5.95 MESENIORS.COM
Ramsey: Our Connection with Pets
Inside: Publisher's Political Season Perspective A Look at Mr. Lincolnville Meet a Maine Ghostbuster Pumpkin Treats ...and more!
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Veteran's Issue!
Larry Willey has drafted the following for seniors: RE: Proposed Amendments to the Maine Improvident Transfer of Title Act, 33 M.R.S.A. §§1021, et seq., To Protect the Elderly Improvident Transfers of Title Act (33 M.R.S.A. §§1021, et seq.) 1) §1022-Undue Influence 1. Presumption – Expand the presumption to anyone the elderly person transfers any property, real or personal, by undue influence, trickery or falsehoods, involving a major transfer. [Point: This expansion is necessary to protect the elderly from predatory practices.] 2) Confidential or fiduciary relationship. Expand the confidentiality definition to include a new “J. Any other person who communicates with an elderly person, in any form of verbal, written, electronic or other communication, and obtains property, real or personal, from the elderly, including for personal, family or household purposes or ordinary living expenses” [Point: This expansion is necessary to protect the elderly from predatory practices.] 3)
§1023 Civil action Add the following: 4. Unfair Trade Practices-A violation of this statute shall be considered a violation of Maine’s Unfair Trade Practices Act, 5 M.R.S.A. §§205-A, et seq. 5. A violation of this statute shall result in treble damages for the willful or intentional or reckless violation of the statute, plus attorneys’ fees and costs.
4)
§1021-Definitions 5. Change to 5% or more of the elderly person’s estate, or a substantial part of the elderly person’s disposable income, whichever is less.
Larry Willey for State Senate
“A head for business, a heart for people.” “We need to restructure State Government, reduce spending and reduce taxes.” “See my plan at www.larrywilley.com.” “We need a business friendly climate, reduce regulations, and create new jobs.” “We need to protect our constitutional beliefs, 2nd Amendment Rights, and strong family values.” “We need to support a strong education system, including mandatory return to work, for those capable of working.”
lwilley@midmaine.com
N. Laurence Willey, Jr. Esq.
Paid for by the Willey for Senate Campaign, Gerald Thibodeau, Treasurer.
Publisher's Note
PUBLISHER
David. S. Nealley
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Ellen L. Spooner
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Ian J. Marquis
EDITORS
Catherine N. Zub Lois N. Nealley Mark D. Roth Clyde Tarr
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ian J. Marquis Victor Oboyski
SALES & DISTRIBUTION
Christine Parker Maren McGillicuddy George Holton Sam Rapaport Jim Gorham A. Peter Legendre Roseanne Bolduc Dale Overlock Fred Connell Shane Wilson Victor Oboyski
WRITERS
Paulette Oboyski Dr. Len Kaye Hunter Howe Jane Margesson Barbara Kent Lawrence Jane Margesson Brad Eden Fia Marquis Russ Van Arsdale Sheila D. Grant Chloe JonPaul
BUSINESS OFFICE
87 Hillside Avenue, Bangor, Maine 04401 Phone: (207) 299-5358
Maine Seniors Magazine is published in the State of Maine by Maine Seniors Magazine, L.L.C. in association with Maine Media Consulting, L.L.C. All information herein represents the views of individual writers and their understanding of the issues at hand, and may not represent the views of the Maine Seniors Magazine, its management, or editorial staff. For more information about Maine Seniors Magazine, visit www.meseniors.com.
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1 • MAINE SENIORS
Politically pragmatic publisher with his dogmatic alter ego
Political intensity is everywhere!
I
am sure that many of you agree that the cult-like adhesion to a political party or a “progressive” or “conservative” ideology can actually be a hindrance to good public policy.
In the frenzy of the political season, facts seem to be of little importance, even to the news media. President Obama will leave office with inner city poverty, crime and racial tensions as high as anytime in recent history. Truth or hype? Both leading Presidential candidates, Clinton and Trump, have poor rankings in likeability and trustworthiness… and even the news media has the lowest trustworthiness ratings ever. Now let’s put some of this in historical perspective.
Read about Jim McGregor, a reporter for United Press International in the 1960’s, who would get threatening phone calls late at night from the Ku Klux Clan about articles he had written about the Civil Rights struggle. While covering the Selma-to-Montgomery Civil Rights March, Jim had met Governor George C. Wallace of Alabama. Wallace called Jim “a lying left wing liberal”. In later years, Jim ran a successful campaign for Maine’s first Independent (and Irish Catholic) Governor James B. Longley. Also read about Richard and Helen Dudman. Richard worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as the Washington D.C. Chief correspondent and he managed to get himself on President Richard Nixon’s enemies list. He began his career cover-
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ing the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, and on his last day as bureau chief, he covered the assassination attempt of President Ronald Reagan. Richard’s wife Helen was the first female Editor at the Washington Post. She took her love of media and Richard and established media businesses in Maine.
To purchase a back copy of any issue,send $5.95/issue and $6.95 for shipping and handling to MAINE SENIORS Magazine 87 Hillside Ave, Bangor, ME 04401.
Another must read is our October “Special” story. It is both about the physical and metaphysical with a look at a gifted Maine psychic and “Ghostbuster”, Eddita Felt. Eddita is a spiritualist, psychic, medium and paranormal investigator. Now you know the answer to “Who are you going to call?” October would not be complete without a tasty pumpkin treat! Check out two pumpkin treats in our Food for Thought column. Thank you to all of our senior partners and please enjoy this issue of MAINE SENIORS Magazine.
Celebrate your special senior! Visit www.meseniors.com (or our Facebook page) and learn about our Senior Essay Contest. Enter and win a chance to see your favorite senior in the pages of Maine Seniors Magazine!
—David S. Nealley, Publisher OCTOBER 2016 • 2
MAINE SENIORS • Contributors
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Brad Eden
Paulette Oboyski
Jane Margesson
Barbara Kent Lawrence
Dr. Lenard W. Kaye
Glenn Adams
Fia Marquis
Hunter Howe
Chloe JonPaul
Russ Van Arsdale
Ian J. Marquis
HUNTER HOWE Hunter’s Maine roots run deep. He has written
PAULETTE OBOYSKI Paulette retired early at 45 to
for the Cape Courier and penned a column called Senior Moments for the Senior News, a publication of the Southern Maine Agency on Aging.
a farm in Washington, Maine, and edited ten fundraising cookbooks for non profits in town and cocompiled the book, Washington, Maine People and Places, for the town’s bicentennial. She now lives in Brunswick with her husband.
DR. LENARD W. KAYE Dr. Kaye is the Director and Professor for the Center on Aging at the University of Maine. He has been in the forefront of promoting and planning elder issues at the state level.
IAN J. MARQUIS Ian is an artist, designer, writer, musician, and creative director. An avid creator, he has released 9 albums and singles of original music, (available on the web at ianmarquismusic. com). Born and raised in the state of Maine, he currently lives in Portland with his wife, Fia, and their daughter, Lyric. FIA MARQUIS Fia is a food writer, recipe creator, and member of the Maine food scene. A Maine native and mother of one, she lives in Portland with her husband—Maine Seniors Magazine Creative Director Ian Marquis.
BRAD EDEN Brad Eden is an artist, writer, and registered Maine Master Guide. He has lived in Maine for three decades, and is an avid outdoorsman and sportsman.
JANE MARGESSON Jane Margesson has worked for AARP for over 20 years in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and now Maine. Jane appears frequently on Maine’s television and radio news programs and is a public speaker on scam and fraud prevention. 3 • MAINE SENIORS
BARBARA KENT LAWRENCE Barbara is a teacher, published author, active community member, and longtime lover of Maine. In 2015, she and her partner, Bob, moved to Camden, where her brother has lived since 1977. RUSS VAN ARSDALE Russ Van Arsdale may be familiar to many readers as a former television and radio news reporter in Maine. Recently retired, he lives in Brewer with his wife, Jane. GLENN ADAMS Glenn Adams is a freelance writer based in Augusta. A University of Maine graduate; he covered the Maine State House for The Associated Press for three decades and previously worked for newspapers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
CHLOE JONPAUL A longtime advocate for seniors and 2003 Ms. Maryland Senior America, Chloe has published four books including What Happens Next? A Family Guide to Nursing Home Visits . . . and More, and Entering the Age of Elegance - A Rite of Passage and Practical Guide for the Modern Maturing Woman. She has traveled all seven continents and is happy to be retired in Maine.
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Page 7
OCTOBER 2016 ISSUE 1 Publisher's Note
BY DAVID S. NEALLEY
Page 23
3 Contributors 7 Prime Mover: Jim McGregor
BY GLENN ADAMS
17 Prime Mover: Richard & Helen Dudman
BY RUS VAN ARSDALE
23 Prime Mover: Rosey Gerry
BY BARBARA KENT LAWRENCE
31 Sage Lens: On Losing Ramsey, our
Scottish Terrier • BY DR. LEN KAYE
36 Special: Who You Gonna Call?
BY PAULETTE OBOYSKI
43 Health Treasures: Arthritis, Biologics, and You
GUEST ARTICLE
47 The MAINE Point: Friends of Aroostook
Page 17
BY JANE MARGESSON
49 Just Pondering: Takin' Care of Business
BY WALDO CLARK
51 Legacy: Financial Planning in Retirement
GUEST ARTICLE
55 A Trail Less Traveled: Fool Hen or King of
Game Birds? • BY BRAD EDEN
57 Chloe's Corner: What Song are You
Singing Today? • BY CHLOE JONPAUL
59 Around the Home: Getting Your Garage
Page 55
Doors Ready for Winter • GUEST ARTICLE
63 Bridging Generations: Email Etiquette
BY JOAN CLARK
65 Food for Thought: Pumpkin: More than
Page 65
Just Pie • BY FIA MARQUIS
69 From the Porch: That Forest Feeling
BY HUNTER HOWE
OCTOBER 2016 • 6
PRIME MOVER • Jim McGregor
7 • MAINE SENIORS
Jim McGregor • PRIME MOVER
JIM McGregor Others from “away” will likely agree: It’s not always easy to fit in when you move to Maine.
M
y new neighbors seemed nice enough when I arrived in the small town of Coopers Mills, outside of Augusta, in 1973. But my Mississippi accent was an easy giveaway and it seemed they needed extra assurance I’d fit in up here. So one of my new acquaintances offered me a chance to prove my worthiness and offered me a chaw of Beech Nut chewing tobacco. I accepted as graciously as I could and chewed the stuff. Some time after I was deemed acceptable, however, I confided to a friend that where I come from, only sissies chew Beech Nut.
AS INTERVIEWED BY GLENN ADAMS
For me, it all started in Pontotoc County in northern Mississippi, about 30 miles from Tupelo, Elvis Presley’s hometown. A sharecropper’s son, I spent my early years picking cotton, pulling corn, stripping cane, milking cows, plowing behind a brown, oneeyed mule – and occasionally joining my Aunt Clara in a chaw of Day’s Work tobacco. Decades later, I would help to engineer a political campaign that would put Maine in the national spotlight by giving the state its first independent governor, and later serve as his executive assistant during a period of profound transition for the state. James B. Longley was also Maine’s first Irish Catholic governor, and the first independent governor in the United States in a half century, according to the Washington Post.
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PRIME MOVER • Jim McGregor
Longley isn’t the only governor I’ve known. Remember Alabama’s George C. Wallace? Maybe it was my rural Mississippi background that helped me to understand at a gut level what the civil rights struggle was all about when I began covering its historically groundbreaking events for United Press International in the 1960s. Chewing a piece of mediocre tobacco, I learned, was nothing compared to getting menacing phone calls in the middle of the night from the Ku Klux Klan complaining about stuff I’d written. A nosy neighbor once told me he couldn’t understand why anybody would work extra hard to make someone else famous.“Wasn’t that
kinda like being on the second team?”, he asked. Not at all. Time-tested reporters don’t look at it that way. I’ve encountered my share of famous and not-so-famous people because I held a press card, and could help make or break them, not that they always needed or wanted my help. I spent some time with country music legend Johnny Cash and his equally famous wife June Carter Cash and their son John Carter Cash at an afternoon tea arranged by then Governor Longley at the Governor’s Mansion in Augusta. I’ve met five presidents; countless members of the United States Congress; dozens of governors, All-American athletes, and so on. Even Roy Rogers.
he had been refused service because it was a whites-only restaurant. Bewildered and hurt, he told me he couldn’t understand why a man in a military uniform would be treated that way. I didn’t have a good answer. While working at the Montgomery Advertiser, I was asked to write a story about a young student who had won our newspaper-sponsored contest that tested math skills. It turned out that the winner was the first African American to win the contest. Her award: A set of encyclopedias. I went to the girl’s home with a photographer to present the award and interview her. She was dressed in her Sunday-best dress and appeared to be excited about our visit. But when we arrived, the girl’s mother appeared distraught and demanded to know who these white men were and what they wanted. She clearly distrusted our motives and told us to go away. Given the racial atmosphere of the ‘60s, it’s no puzzle why she felt that way. The girl did get her prize and newspaper writeup. Still, I am haunted to this day, wondering what ever became of her. Jimmy A.“Jim” McGregor at a glance: • Born December 17, 1939
A
lesson about discrimination came while I was in the Air Force. We were given holiday leave and we all headed for our hometowns to see our families. A fellow airman, a Native American, boarded a bus in Alabama so he could get home to Oklahoma. Along the way, the bus stopped at a restaurant in Jackson, Miss., so the passengers could eat. My friend later told me 9 • MAINE SENIORS
• Community College, Decatur, Mississippi • Served in Air Force 1961-65 • Reporter for Montgomery (Miss.) Advertiser, and later United Press International, covering the civil rights movement • Gubernatorial campaign director for Longley, 1974 • Executive Assistant to Governor Longley, 1975-79
Jim McGregor • PRIME
McGregor and Governor James Longley
I aimed for interviews and event coverage that were destined to appear in history books so I can tell the grandchildren and
great-grandchildren that I was there and wrote about the event. I’ve already been able to do that with the Selma-to-Montgomery Civil Rights March, the trial of a Ku Klux Klansman charged with killing a marcher, dozens of civil rights activities coordinated by the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., KKK gatherings and many others that are a part of history. Things hit a little too close to home at times, like the midnight phone call from the Klansman who complained that my story about the grand kleagle wasn’t nice. Of all those I’ve covered, three diverse newsmakers, who worked miles apart in Montgomery, Alabama, and Augusta, Maine, and who were light years apart philosophically, stand out. They were the grist for many of the hundreds of news reports I filed over my decades in the business.
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Chewing a piece of mediocre tobacco, I learned, was nothing compared to getting menacing phone calls in the middle of the night from the Ku Klux Klan. If I had treated myself to a retirement party and if they had all been alive, I would have invited them. One out of three might have attended. All three will have niches in history. First, there’s Gov. Wallace, who’s remembered for the words “Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”
OCTOBER 2016 • 1 0
PRIME MOVER • Jim McGregor
The man who delivered those inflammatory remarks was the same person who once called me a “lying, left-wing liberal reporter.” I had known Wallace almost from the time he arrived in Montgomery in the mid-60s to lay the foundation for what would become his political dynasty. He became a national lightning rod during a decade of profound social change. I had migrated to the Alabama capital after being Left to Right: Roy Rogers, McGregor, and an aid of Governor Wallace discharged from the Air Force, and begged my way into a job on the Montgomery Advertiser newspaper, editing obituaries and writing local briefs. I was later promoted to court reporter and at the same time was moved to the No. 2 spot on the political beat. The court beat changed almost overnight to one of the most active in the country as the civil rights advocates filled both federal and state courts with lawsuits and demands for equal rights. At the same time, Wallace was fanning flames of racial hatred. Actually, Wallace singled me out only a couple of times in his name calling; he usually blanketed an entire group such as reporters or lawyers with new names. When he was not berating me, he would slip into the familiar name for me, Mac, but he usually just grunted and looked the other way. Before I transferred to Augusta, Maine, to become a state bureau chief for UPI, I took a chance and asked Wallace’s staff if the governor might be up to a brief courtesy visit. The staff gained permission from the wounded chief executive, who was still suffering both physical and mental ailments caused by a 1972 assassination attempt. I decided to lighten things up and greeted the frowning, wheelchairbound governor with,“Bet you’re back in Montgomery so you can 11 • MAINE SENIORS
Jim McGregor • PRIME MOVER
Jim McGregor with President Carter
keep us liberal newsmen straight?” Without cracking a smile, he stared at me and said,“Bet you were hoping I would die. Then you would have really had something to write about.” I went off to Maine and didn’t see Wallace for about four years. I traveled with Maine Governor Longley to Washington for a National Governor’s Conference and encountered the Wallace entourage coming down the hall in the Mayflower Hotel. Wallace, in his wheelchair, stopped his group with a wave of his hand and said to me, “Hi, Mac. Heard you went up north and got mixed up with a Yankee Governor.” I confirmed that I had worked in Governor Longley’s successful campaign and in his administration after Longley’s surprise election. “I’d like to meet him,” said Wallace. Longley had just been elected as an independent and Wallace had always been intrigued by
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PRIME MOVER • Jim McGregor
Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. once summed McGregor's civil rights coverage by saying, “I suppose you helped some.
You told it pretty straight.”
independent and third-party political movements. They met briefly for what was described as a friendly chat and as far as I know never met again. Second, Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. He once summed my civil rights coverage by saying, “I suppose you helped some. You told it pretty straight.” McGregor at a press conference with Governor George Wallace
As I had tried to do with his adversary Wallace, on my final day in Montgomery before heading to Maine, I paid a visit to the
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JimRosey McGregor Gerry • PRIME MOVER
man tagged by Wallace as a “lying, left-wing liberal” federal judge. Aside from attending the University of Alabama at the same time as Wallace, the only noticeable traits they shared were opposite interpretations of the United States Constitution and reluctant acceptance of the media and their worlds. Wallace, however, took advantage of the press to keep the citizens riled up. The judge hated to see his complex human rights decisions misinterpreted. Wallace used most of his energy battling school integration by standing in school doors and fighting race-mixing at colleges and universities in Alabama. The judge and his family were threatened and assaulted but his cultural chess match with Wallace continued. While he and some civil rights activists concentrated on school integration, Judge Johnson took a bolder approach: removing barriers in most all public buildings, trying Ku Klux Klansmen for conspiracies, guaranteeing Rosa Parks her front row seat on Montgomery city buses, and allowing the Selma-to-Montgomery civil rights march to proceed over Wallace’s frantic efforts to stop it. Meanwhile, the judge earned the respect of lawyers and citizens of all persuasions for the way he treated the lawyers and their clients in his courtroom in Montgomery. He ran the courtroom like a temple. No talking, no chewing gum, no leaving your seat when witnesses were testifying. He had even less patience for lawyers’ dramatic antics. Common folks respected his fairness. Once during a court recess I overheard an overalls-clad farmer from north Alabama declare in the hallway,“If I had shot his kin and he was going to hear the case, I wouldn’t ask him to step down.” The last time I saw him, the stern-faced judge paid me the highest compliment I could expect from an official who will most likely have his own place in history. Saying I“told it pretty straight” meant a lot to me. Finally: James B. Longley. I departed UPI in Augusta in 1974 to direct the improbable gubernatorial campaign of insurance executive Jim Longley, who ultimately became Maine’s first independent governor and something of a political curiosity nationally.
McGregor at Longley for Governor Campaign Office
McGregor and Governor Longley
P
ortions of a Bangor Daily News story read into the Congressional Record on April 6, 1978 said,“Governor Longley is said to have only one advisor, James B. Longley.
“There is one man in the administration, though, who is closer to the governor than others. “He is not a Cabinet member. He attracts virtually no publicity. “Jimmy A. McGregor has been with Longley from the beginning. (He) managed Longley’s improbable 1974 election victory. He has worn a number of hats in the administration. “The press usually describes him as Longley’s ‘chief aide’.” In his book,“This Splendid Game, Maine Campaigns and Elections 1940-2002,” political scientist Christian P. Potholm says James B. Longley would not have been elected in 1974 had it not been for Jim McGregor’s expertise dealing with the media on the independent’s campaign. “Looking back on the press accounts of the 1974 race, I am struck with how successful Longley was in getting coverage … Much of the credit for this feat must rest with Longley’s intrepid press secretary … “Jim” McGregor. The results were truly stupendous,” Potholm’s book says. Potholm says that Longley “had no business” defeating Democrat George Mitchell and Republican James Erwin in 1974. “No doubt without his staff, the strength of his personality would have bled through and he would have made a credible showing on his own. But without Jim McGregor and (media consultant) Jack Havey, he would not have prevailed no matter how vibrant his charisma.”
OCTOBER 2016 • 1 4
PRIME MOVER • Jim McGregor
I’ve always believed the Bangor Daily News endorsement during Longley’s insurgent campaign was the turning point that pushed him over the top. One can also argue that his pledge to be a one-termer was the turning point in Longley’s one-in-a-million campaign. The agreement to endorse Longley came during a meeting at a campaign stop at Central Maine Power Co. in Augusta. A top editor at the Bangor Daily News told me,“If you can convince me that Longley has a chance of winning, I believe the Bangor News can be convinced to endorse him for governor.” I must have been persuasive. The political atmosphere in Augusta was light years away from that of Alabama. Instead of a governor who blocks school doorways, we had in Longley a governor who once took an ice cream cone to a woman who was trying to starve herself in a state mental facility. They talked for a while and the next day the patient began eating. Feedback we had received on Longley’s overall performance suggested that active voters liked what we were saying about taxes
In the end, the Bangor Daily News, which had stuck its neck out and broken its usual editorial stance,
praised Longley’s decision to keep his word and for his performance as a governor without a party
and spending, and defending Maine’s position in the Indian land claims case, in which the tribes were claiming roughly two-thirds of the state belonged to them. Independent polls showed Longley would have easily won reelection. This prompted his staff, the public and the media to debate whether the now-popular Longley should break his campaign promise to serve only one term. That was all staff department heads and the media were talking about with more than a year left in his first term. Like all good second stringers, I caught him alone and gave him my best advice: “The next time it comes up, just repeat that our plan to keep your campaign promise to be a one-termer … hesitate a few seconds and casually add: ‘but I reserve the right to change my mind’.”
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The “lame duck” label disappeared and he spent the final year finalizing programs and making important decisions positively affecting the complex Indian land claims case, and the huge but never-realized Dickey-Lincoln hydroelectric project in northern Maine. At my final meeting with him after he had left office, Longley confided that the suggested solution I offered on the “second term” issue was the best of all those I provided during his campaign and the four-year term in office, during which I was his executive assistant. In the end, the Bangor Daily News, which had stuck its neck out and broken its usual editorial stance, praised Longley’s decision to keep his word and for his performance as a governor without a party. MSM
Rosey Gerry • PRIME MOVER
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OCTOBER 2016 • 1 6
PRIME MOVER • Richard & Helen Dudman
Richard & Helen
DUDMAN
BY RUSS VAN ARSDALE
On the ride to Ellsworth, I wondered what to ask Richard and Helen Sloane Dudman. The obvious question—how their marriage had lasted nearly seven decades—seemed trite.
A
nswers to the one about the “biggest story” would have required several books; Richard had covered the assassination of President Kennedy, Watergate, war in Southeast Asia and much more. So I chose the collaborative route, inquiring about the single most meaningful event in their lives. There was barely a pause before
17 • MAINE SENIORS
they launched into the story of Richard’s 40 days of captivity in Southeast Asia and the family’s role in securing his release. The capture was a story in itself. It was 1970, and Cambodia was the scene of increased activity in the war in Southeast Asia. Richard and two other journalists, intent on getting a first-hand look, headed for Phnom Penh. On the way, they were surrounded by armed guerillas. As the three raised their hands in surrender, Richard remarked, “If we get out of this alive, we’re going to have one hell of a good story.” Almost immediately after his capture, Richard was given a chance to write dispatches. His captors said they would send whatever the
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Richard & Helen Dudman • PRIME MOVER
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STONEWOOD ROAD, ROCKLAND, ME 04841 207-593-2530 WWW.STONEWOODCOTTAGES.COM Then and now: Richard and Helen Dudman
OCTOBER 2016 • 1 8
PRIME MOVER • Richard & Helen Dudman
An amateur snapshot of John F. Kennedy as he walks through a crowd of admirers and fans. This photograph was taken in Texas one day before JFK was shot and killed at his assassination and murder in 1963
He covered the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, and on his last day as bureau chief for the paper, he covered the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan.
captives wrote to their news organizations for publication. Richard hesitated, believing that whatever he wrote would be tainted at least to some degree by the fact that he was a prisoner. Instead, he wrote a memorandum that would be translated before being sent on to his managing editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Richard wrote that he and the two other journalists were being well treated and trying earnestly to convince their captors that they were not CIA agents.
President Ronald Reagan
19 • MAINE SENIORS
After 40 days of captivity, it was determined that the three were in fact journalists. Richard’s family had been working with diplomats from several countries to secure the release of the three. After the journalists were freed, Richard wrote about their experiences in the book, 40 Days with the Enemy.
Richard & Helen Dudman • PRIME MOVER
Richard worked for 31 years for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, retiring in 1981. During much of that time he was chief Washington correspondent for the paper. He covered the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, and on his last day as bureau chief for the paper, he covered the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan. Another President, Richard Nixon, included Richard Dudman on his famous enemies list.“That was a point of pride for me,” Richard said. He keeps a framed copy of the list on a wall at his home. In addition to Southeast Asia, his travels took Richard–and sometimes Helen–to places around the world, including Africa, South America and China. “He was sometimes away more than he was home,” Helen said, acknowledging that extensive travel was both a cost and reward of the career that her husband loved. Richard was presented with the George Polk Career Award in 1993, an honor that its presenters say “focuses on the intrepid, bold, and influential work of the reporters themselves, placing a premium on investigative work that is original, resourceful, and
Richard with his daughters Iris and Martha and wife Helen
thought-provoking.” Recipients include Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, Diane Sawyer and others. In 2014 Richard was inducted into the Maine Press Association Hall of Fame. In his introduction, Bangor Daily News reporter Bill Trotter said, “He had a career that no journalist will ever have again.” At the time, Richard remarked that while most of his career
was spent in St. Louis and Washington,“I did a few things here.” After he retired as a full-time journalist, Richard said to his wife, “Now it’s your turn.” Helen had been the first-ever Executive Women’s Editor at the Washington Post. When the name of the section changed from Women’s to Style, Helen moved to PostNewsweek, the paper’s broadcast division. She nurtured her love of broadcasting there and it bloomed in Maine. OCTOBER 2016 • 2 0
PRIME MOVER • Richard & Helen Dudman
Helen and daughters Martha and Janet (who now goes by Iris) bought three radio stations. Helen managed them for 10 years, and Martha took the reins for another 10. The family sold WWMJFM, WEZQ-FM and WDEA-AM, all based in Ellsworth, in 1998. Soon after the purchase, Richard tried his hand at reading some of the radio newscasts. While he was the consummate journalist in the print world, Richard admitted that his style on the air“wasn’t so great.” Helen joked that he invented a few unique pronunciations for Maine place names during his brief radio career. The need to learn things and write about them ran deep with Richard. For about a dozen years he was senior contributing editor to the Bangor Daily News. He researched and wrote editorials, more than 1,000 in all. He and Helen still read several newspapers every day. With their working days behind them, Richard and Helen have focused their energies on ways to give back to their community
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Richard & Helen Dudman • PRIME MOVER
and state. Helen is an emeritus trustee of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network and has served in numerous civic roles. Both were honored in 2014 by the Katahdin Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, receiving the Golden Eagle Award for Hancock County in recognition of their contributions, both in journalism and civic work. While neither drives these days, neither Helen nor Richard seems to feel limited. Two friends do necessary driving, for shopping and appointments, and often to Acadia National Park for a favorite
walk. They also help out with chores, allowing the couple to continue to live at home. One of the few changes in their lives is a smaller number of chairs around the dining room table that Richard—a long-time carpenter—built. In the past, Helen cooked and entertained large numbers of friends, often to help raise money for charitable causes. Those days, she said, are over. “No more big dinner parties,” Helen said firmly. “They’re too much work.” MSM OCTOBER 2016 • 2 2
PRIME MOVER • Rosey Gerry
Rosey GERRY R
osendel Gerry, known as Rosey, has also been called a Renaissance man, Mr. Lincolnville, and its unofficial Mayor. The question Rosey asks of life is: “How much can I pack in?” A tall, lanky 67-year-old, Rosey has an eclectic resume: Selectman for Lincolnville for nine years, Notary Public who marries many couples a year, playwright whose work has been produced, dance-teacher (think swing and waltz), volunteer auctioneer, dowser, historian and story-teller, skilled singer, banjo and guitar player, race-car driver, woodsman, old car collector 23 • MAINE SENIORS
“What a piece of work is a man.” When William Shakespeare wrote that phrase, he wasn’t thinking of Rosey Gerry, but it fits.
BY BARBARA KENT LAWRENCE and restorer (Rosey’s Restorations), heavy-equipment operator, supporter of good causes, and a home town hero. What hasn’t Rosey done? He has not done anything with half his heart. His philosophy: “I don’t have to be great at anything I take on, but I want to be as good as I can get.” A Mainer whose ancestors came here by the late 1600’s, Rosey grew up in the woods around Lincolnvile near the Duck Trap River and Belmont Town Line. “My mother’s family, the Bartons,
Rosey Gerry • PRIME MOVER Rosey Gerry at an auction on May, 2016 for Children's Place, Camden
Bridgton Hospital Therapy Services was ‘from away’—Windsor Maine,” he points out with a wry smile. One of his mother’s ancestors was Clara Barton, who founded the American Red Cross. They were fishermen, and Rosey’s father’s family, originally from Ireland, worked the woods. Rosey remembers riding the large work horses that dragged logs his father cut to the sawmill where his grandfather waited. The horse knew where it was going, but needed human encouragement to keep pulling the heavy load. Rosey's father also built a small spud so Rosey could shave bark from the trees. He was four years old. The family was poor though Rosey’s parents always worked, and indoor plumbing and electricity were luxuries Rosey didn’t enjoy until they moved to Camden in 1965. His contribution always mattered to the family’s finances. After school, when he was six and seven, Rosey walked along the Youngstown Road carrying a canvas bag packed with chlorine salve, The Grit newspaper, like today’s Free Press, and ‘all-occasion’ cards, because “there was always something I could sell.” Being accountable, doing work that
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PRIME MOVER • Rosey Gerry
A cut-up at school, Rosey nevertheless attracted people who saw his potential as a smart and good kid. “Many people helped me by maneuvering obstacles out of my way.” mattered, taking on responsibilities, and living in a caring family and community were all powerful influences on Rosey. Rosey attended the Central School in Lincolnville. Like other boys, he brought along his single bolt-action .22 rifle during hunting season, which the principal stored in a cubicle. On his walk home Rosey would dig out the bullets he’d kept in his pants pocket and try to shoot a partridge, woodcock, or gray squirrel for supper. Often, what he brought home was the main source of food for the family. Rosey says he and his friends had great respect for guns, and there was never a problem having them in the school.
Gerry working the woods, just not with a horse
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Rosey Gerry • PRIME MOVER
Rosey wrote and directed this play, Bowtie Henry.
In his sophomore year, his family moved to Camden and Rosey started working at the YMCA from 4:00 am until the last bell announcing the start of school at 7:45 am. As a junior, he enrolled in the high school’s co-op program and also worked from noon until 4:30 pm for Wescott Auto Body shop, which he later owned. Then he would race over to Libby’s Drugstore to stock shelves, clean windows, and deliver prescriptions by bike.“It never occurred to me to open a package.” On weekends he worked on a farm owned by Episcopal Priest Father Nargesian. Rosey gave most of the money to his mother, who took what she needed. Unbeknown to Rosey, however, she saved it and gave it back when he was nineteen and home on leave from the service. A cut-up at school, Rosey nevertheless attracted people who saw his potential as a smart and good kid. “Many people helped me by maneuvering obstacles out of my way.” Charles Masalin, a Finnish mathematician who grew up in Camden and became commander of a nuclear sub, was such a mentor. Masalin managed 500 acres
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PRIME MOVER • Rosey Gerry
David Kinney, Town Administrator of Lincolnville says that Rosey is loved because “he can find the good in anyone, and knows the
pulse of the community.”
of woodland in Gore, Virginia, near Washington, D.C., and hired Rosey to work it for him. Other people helped Rosey and now he passes this help forward in an amazing variety of ways. Rosey serves as auctioneer for fundraisers. He’s not involved in politics—except as a Selectman, but he did an auction to raise money for Barack Obama. “If the Republicans had asked me, I would have done one for them.” He particularly likes local events such as the fundraiser for the Children’s House Montessori School in Camden, and Ronald MacDonald House because “100% of
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aptist minister William Miller preached on the field in Camden, present site of the Camden Library, and predicted that Jesus would return to the earth and the world would end on October 22, 1844. On the appointed day, hundreds of his followers trudged up the hills overlooking Lake Megunticook and waited. Many had sold their farms and released their animals, and were shattered financially and emotionally when the Second Coming didn’t occur.
the money raised goes to the house.” Rosey won’t do auctions for charities in which the money gets eaten up by overhead.
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David Kinney, Town Administrator of Lincolnville says that Rosey is loved because “he can find the good in anyone, and knows the pulse of the community.” He adds that Rosey puts the same“fervor” into a project, whether it’s one of his or someone else’s. As long as it is good for the Town, Rosey is there to help. Kinney adds that “Rosey’s fingerprints are all over this town—at the library, the renovation of the Town Office, the new park honoring veterans. When he finds a good project, his or anyone else’s, he dives in with
Gerry on the way to the site of the Great Disappointment, Lincolnville
OCTOBER 2016 • 2 8
PRIME MOVER • Rosey Gerry
Gerry teaching a new dowser
Harvey Curtis calls Rosey “a sweet engaging person, who is very knowledgeable, and easy to get to know. You’ll never have a quiet moment with Rosey.” both arms. No community event goes by that we don’t think of asking for his help.” Rosey enlisted in the Air Force soon after graduating from high school. He was never in combat, but respects and honors those who did go to war, and was a prime mover in the restoration of Lincolnville’s Roll of Honor. Using his skills and earth-moving equipment, he and other volunteers landscaped the area around the memorial and created a park for people to enjoy and think about the ways in which veterans have served us all. 29 • MAINE SENIORS
Rosey brings the same energy, enthusiasm, talent and skill to his music. Playing with one of his two bands, Rosey and the Wayfaring Strangers and the Route 17 Ramblers, he’s a delightful MC and a fine singer and musician. When Mac Economy and Harvey Curtis, owners of K-2 Music in Camden, told Rosey they were thinking of holding a traditional country music festival, according to Curtis, “Rosey lit up and took off with it. He did at least as much work as we did, and was full of ideas. He brought a flatbed trailer pulled by his 1948 Ford truck for the bands, an old tractor for display, and we had over 250 people attend. He helped make it a great success, so we held the festival again August 25th.” Rosey’s cellphone rings often. People call for advice and help, and to get his opinion. Rosey listens, and usually says he’ll stop by to see them later that day. David Kinney says, “I don’t know when the guy sleeps.” Harvey Curtis calls Rosey “a sweet engaging person, who is very knowledgeable, and easy to get to know. You’ll never have a quiet moment with Rosey.”
Rosey Gerry • PRIME MOVER
Rosey can also help you find water, and teach you the history of Midcoast Maine. I know from experiencing a day with Rosey in which we hiked the hills and blueberry fields overlooking Megunticook Lake, site of the Great Disappointment (see sidebar). He literally knows the area like the palm of his hand, and is often asked to speak at libraries and historical societies about ways in which people have written their histories onto this land. After hiking, we went to the oldest graveyard in Lincolnville and dowsed for graves. Who knew you could find graves as well as water with a branch twisted off a willow tree? Rosey learned he had the skill when he returned to Lincolnville from the service because life was, indeed, better in Maine. He was able to buy fourteen acres, but had no water. “Lil Hardy, a sweet old woman well-known in Lincolnville, was a dowser, who had lost one arm in a laundry wrangle. She found water for me, and showed me I had the ability as well.” Now Rosey helps other people locate water and even old cemeteries. Rosey has worked hard to become remarkably good at everything he does. He’s using his skill, love of learning, knowledge, and kindness to help his community, neighbors and friends. An extraordinarily generous person, he is living his life to the fullest. What a piece of work is this man! MSM
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On losing Ramsey, our Scottish Terrier BY DR. LEN KAYE
This past summer, Dyan and I said goodbye to Ramsey, our naughty, bossy, jealous, selfish, obstinate, not particularly loving, Scottish Terrier.
Y
ou would think that the demise of such a flawed animal would not have represented a particularly significant moment in my life. After all, he seemed to be a thorn in the sides of the other two animals in the house, Sebastian (a Miniature Schnauzer) and Olivia (a mixed breed cat) who I am convinced did not particularly like him. The fact is, Ramsey would regularly try to steal Sebastian’s dinner and force him out of his favorite resting spot on the living room couch every evening. If I ever made the mistake at breakfast of leaving a toasted English muffin unattended on the kitchen table or some cheese and crackers unmonitored on the living room coffee table, I knew I could kiss them goodbye. What’s more, Ramsey’s signature move was to brutally ambush
31 • MAINE SENIORS
Olivia at every opportunity when she made the mistake of moving too quickly or thought she had the right to walk by him on her way from one room to the next. Nor would Ramsey come when called. Ever! In fact, he made it a daily habit of looking at me with relative disdain when I summoned him and then simply sneer at me with a slight chuckle and saunter away in the opposite direction on those short little stubby legs of his. What’s more, when Dyan or I wanted to hug or scratch or pat his grossly oversized head, he predictably would run in the opposite direction. Why then, was his unexpected demise, due to renal failure, at the relatively young age of eight years, so devastating? After all, I have seen a number of dogs and cats come and go over the years—Fluffy
58 New Independent Living Apartments d
Yes, I’m one of those that rolls on the floor, wrestles with them, kisses their bellies, and talks to them even though they, no doubt, have no
rve
I have always been a dog lover.
Coming December 2016
the Miniature Collie, Tangerine the cat, Fletcher the Bouvier, Tessa and McKenzie, the English Mastiffs. Sure, I loved them all, but life went on for me after their deaths—almost, it seemed, without missing a beat. Why was Ramsey different? I have always been a dog lover. Yes, I’m one of those that rolls on the floor, wrestles with them, kisses their bellies, and talks to them even though they, no doubt, have no idea what I’m saying. It is not uncommon for me and my dogs to howl together and run like crazed lunatics through the house when a burst of energy unexpectedly strikes. But, I’ve done those things with all my dogs. What was different about Ramsey? Could it be not something about Ramsey that was different but maybe something about me? Could I be getting soft in my old age? Or, maybe at 65. am I beginning to feel my mortality and starting to grapple with one of the inevitabilities in later life—the gradual loss of those persons and things that are meaningful in our lives? Indeed, it has been a year of losses for me and my family. My mom died last winter, and the husband of my niece unexpectedly died earlier in the summer. And now Ramsey. Apparently I’m not alone as someone entering later life to be feeling the significant emotional impact of the loss of a pet. It will not be news to many readers that pets and older people can share deeply meaningful and special bonds. The emotional ties between humans and animals are undeniable. The role played by animals in offering companionship, reducing loneliness and even depression, lessening social isolation, and positively impacting cognitive impairment and other medical conditions is a rapidly growing field of research. There is evidence
Ov er
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Res e
idea what I’m saying.
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that having a pet can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, risk of heart disease and feelings of anxiety, promote a more active lifestyle, buttress your self-esteem, and give structure and meaning to your life. OK, so there is increasing evidence that underscores the important role played by companion animals and everyday household pets
33 • MAINE SENIORS
The emotional ties between humans and animals are undeniable.
in facilitating healthy human aging and improving overall quality of life. The big question remaining is ‌ should I be a glutton for punishment and inevitable heartache and allow yet another fourlegged creature to join the Kaye-Walsh household? And, if that happens, how much do you want to bet that it will be another naughty, bossy, jealous, selfish, obstinate, not particularly loving, Scottish Terrier? Do you think Sebastian and Olivia would ever forgive me? MSM
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SPECIAL • Eddita Felt Eddita at Captain Jeremiah Rogers' (1717 – 1803) Spiritual Grave in Freeport, Maine.
WHO YOU GONNA CALL? BY PAULETTE OBOYSKI PHOTOS BY VICTOR OBOYSKI
Eddita Felt is a Feminist Spiritualist. She is also a psychic, medium, shamanic practitioner and a paranormal investigator.
I
f you think that your home is haunted, she has a check-off list on her website to help you determine this. If you want to get rid of these spirits, she and her A-Team will come to your home and perform a paranormal investigation and intervention. Eddita describes, “Haunted houses have spirits that are stuck in our dimension but want to get out. Their spirits have not finished their sojourn.” She continues, “What makes our paranormal investigation team different from most? On every site we visit, we can send any ghosts, residual energies, and any earthbound spirits, over to the other side. We also do dowsing to identify issues of concern that might affect the home dweller’s energy or focus of concentration. Then, we remediate those issues of concern.” 35 • MAINE SENIORS
A Real Mainer
Eddita Felt is a 12th generation Mainer. She was born in Portland, Maine on May 19, 1952 in Mercy Hospital. Her mother is Barbara Mershon from Rahway New Jersey. Her father is Edward Felt Jr. from Portland, Maine. Since she was a young child, she has known that she had psychic abilities. Eddita states: “My grandparents—dad's parents, Edward and Muriel Felt Sr. —were both from Portland, Maine and had psychic gifts. They were confused and hush-hush about it because of their religion. They never talked about it while I was growing up, so I thought I was the weird one in our family. My siblings (all younger than I) thought I was weird because they did not experience their gifts in the same way that I did. However, as adults, some of my siblings have shown certain of these same highly sensitive and intuitive traits.” “My mother finally realized she had psychic gifts when I was a grownup. She and I joined the Spiritualist Church together. We are a four-generation Spiritualist family. Two of my three sons and
Eddita Felt • SPECIAL
my grandson also attended services regularly. My three sons are Erik, Ian and Dain Ross. Some of my grandchildren have come to an understanding of their gifts quite early. It is so helpful, when you have youngsters in the family with these kinds of gifts, to get them some mentoring and educate them in an age-appropriate context.” Education
Eddita graduated from Deering High School and attended the University of Maine. She is a Certified Nursing Assistant and a Certified Residential Medication Aide. She is Reiki 2 certified. Much of her esoteric training took place at Portland Spiritualist Church, Feminist Spiritual Community and with Doris Bell. She has been studying Mediumship and Shamanic psychic and spiritual healing for more than 40 years. All of these studies combined make her unique when she works with ill people, people with dementia and end of life healthcare. Eddita’s Expertise
“Everyone has psychic abilities,” Eddita relates. “I usually teach spiritualist classes in Pinpoint of Light Spiritualist Camp and Portland Spiritualist Camp a couple of times a year. I teach at Madison Spiritualist Camp every summer and from my home office. I offer classes for Psychic Families.”
Eddita & Reverend Penny
Eddita has been studying
Mediumship and Shamanic psychic and spiritual healing
for more than 40 years.
Hank Mosher with dowsing rod
OCTOBER 2016 • 3 6
SPECIAL • Eddita Felt
Eddita Felt and Mike Sangillo Sr.
Reverend Stephanie Frobese (Penny) has been a Spiritualist since the 1970’s and has been an ordained Spiritualist Minister since 2008. She is a board member of Pinpoint of Light Spiritualist Camp in Hartford, Maine. Reverend Penny declares, “Eddita is a bright light in the field of paranormal investigation. Her skill as an educator not only helps the people who experience paranormal activity to understand the unseen influences, she and her team also assist those in the spirit world to progress in their spiritual development.” A Team —Holistic “Ghost Busting”
Eddita can captivate you for hours with stories of her paranormal research. She is writing a book called Real Maine Ghosts, Real Maine People about the investigations that she has done individually and with her team. She is the Founder of Frontiers of the Mind and A-team Paranormal Investigations. There are seven members of her group. 37 • MAINE SENIORS
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Three on the team who work with troubled spirits are: Eddita, Michael Sangillo Sr., and Hank Mosher. Eddita instructs, “Do not provoke the spirits; just help them to go where they need to go.” Hank Mosher states,“Each one of us on the A-Team is sensitive in a different direction. My specialty is with the dowsing rod. I use two “L” rods with handles that help indicate energy lines to me. Many times this energy comes from multi-dimensional beings. Energy lines help to hold the earth together. There are positive and negative energy lines. I try to discover energy lines that go through a house. You do not want to sit or sleep within these energy lines —it is not healthy. Energy lines will move away if you ask them to. What we don’t see is so much more than what we can see…” Michael Sangillo Sr. is a Reiki Master, Shamanic Practitioner, a Medium and the technical expert on the team. He helps them use spirit boxes, digital audio/video recorders and Mel EMF meters as an alternate way to capture the same information that they all receive as mediums and shamanic practitioners. Mike attests, “Eddita is a talented and gifted spiritualist and has inspired me
Paranormal Investigation Tools The A-Team’s favorite tool is their Medium gifts but they also use other tools to assist them in their investigations. • Sage Mist & Sage Smudge—clears out psychic clutter at the beginning and the end of investigations • Shamanic Rattle—invokes assistance from “helping spirits” and directs positive energy • Pendulum—used to communicate with spirits via your higher self or spiritual guides • Flashlight with extra batteries because they drain fast during investigations • Mel meter (Mel-8704-R)—Electromagnetic Field Radiation and Temperature Tester - you can detect spirits through the lowering of temperatures and AC/DC EMF radiation fluctuations • Audio Recorder—for self-reporting during inspections and recording spirit activity • Spirit Box (P-SB7)—designed to use the space in-between AM/FM radio stations; scans white noise as energy.“Spirits use these electronic frequencies to make sound and produce words or sentences.”—Mike Sangillo (A-Team) • Digital Camera—for detecting spiritual energy and orbs (emanations from spiritual beings) • Echovox—a cellphone “spirit communication” app • Dowsing Rod—“helps detect unusual spirits and energy fields” – Hank Mosher (A-Team) • “Spirit Tobacco” for the end of the investigation—to give thanks to spirit guardians
OCTOBER 2016 • 3 8
SPECIAL • Eddita Felt
greatly. For our investigations, our A-Team gets to go to many cool places and we never know what we may encounter.” The team is often able to capture interesting photos of orbs and spirit energy such as the photos and video taken by them at the haunted Lakewood Theater in Madison, Maine. On Eddita’s website is a video of the former “Roller World” in Topsham, which was haunted by multiple spirits. The owners and the A-Team detected odors from spirits such as the “juicy fruit lady”. The “money ghost” left coins in various places after the areas had been cleaned and vacuumed by the staff. Eddita and the A-Team were able to help “redirect” these and several other spirits and entities that the former owners encountered. The new owners have renamed the place,“Seacoast United Soccer” and the manager, Karen Baker, says that they have not noticed any more paranormal activity in the building. Amy Mussman is the Maine State Music Theater Costume Rental Manager at Fort Andross Mill in Brunswick, Maine. It is a 6,000
The Roller World Clown
“Paranormal Investigations should always begin with Protective Prayers or Ceremony for protection of the individuals involved. One
should always end the Investigation by clearing out your energy field and releasing anything around you to the Light.”
square foot space that, before Eddita and the A-Team arrived, was haunted by various spirits. One spirit was a man who dove into the costumes whenever they saw him appear. The staff always felt watched and there was always a weird mist in front of their office space. Eddita and her team investigated and did a“redirection circle” to help escort the spirits into another world. She also taught the employees how to surround the space with “white light” and to use sage mist to clear away any bad energy from this building that has so much history in it. Amy Mussman at MSMT Costume Rentals 39 • MAINE SENIORS
Eddita Felt • SPECIAL Purple Spiritual Energy in Lakewood Theater
Eddita’s Forewarning
Eddita forewarns,“It is imperative to state that only people in stable emotional and mental condition should attempt Paranormal Investigations. Great care should be taken when bringing children on investigations. Unfortunately if someone—adult or child— thinks it would be kind of cool to have a ghost at home—you may do that! I have seen that on more than one occasion.” “I was called in to help in a haunted house in Auburn by the mother of a 13 year old boy. He was not mature enough or educated enough to know better.” As a result, he took a spirit home with him. Eddita recalls,“The ghost drove him out of his own bedroom before we finally got rid of it. I have seen grownups that were going on haunted tours for fun that didn't want to say protective words or use protective energy and brought home earth bound spirits with them too.“ “Paranormal Investigations should always begin with Protective Prayers or Ceremony for protection of the individuals involved.
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Eddita demonstrates Sage spray and smudge OCTOBER 2016 • 4 0
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One should always end the Investigation by clearing out your energy field and releasing anything around you to the Light.” A Happy Medium
Eddita states,“I like being a Maine Senior because of the quality of lifestyle, the outdoors, the nearness to the ocean, it is not wicked hot, and Maine people make good neighbors. I especially like it here because the people are much more open-minded. Most Maine people don’t tell me that I am crazy when I tell them that I am a Medium!” MSM
Happy Halloween! Detail of "The Medium" by Casey Johnson
41 • MAINE SENIORS
www.edditafelt.com is Eddita’s very informative website. Eddita’s group will be hosting the Sunday, October 16, 2016, “Real Maine Ghosts Paranormal Conference” at the Hilton Garden Inn, Freeport, Maine Town Hall Meeting Center from 10 AM to 4 PM. In conjunction with this conference, there will be a “Mind Body Spirit Festival” at the Hilton Garden Inn. You can find more information about both conferences on Eddita’s Frontiers of the Mind Facebook page. www.facebook.com/FrontiersoftheMind.
GEOFF GRATWICK
Your Maine State Senator • District 9 • Bangor • Hermon
“If We Work Together We Can Do Great Things.” In 2015, I lead the drive to restore $2.143 million to Bangor taxpayers and another $150,000 to Hermon taxpayers by blocking the potential cuts to municipal revenue sharing.
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Arthritis, Biologics, and You BY ASIA MUBASHIR, MD
If you watch TV, you’ve likely heard of such drugs as Xeljanz and Humira for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks healthy joint tissues.
N
umerous commercials show men and women experiencing relief from the pain and joint damage of RA and enjoying active lives. We see women traveling to visit a friend’s baby, braiding a child’s hair, and playing soccer with the kids. We see a man diving off a pier and fastening his wife’s necklace. Is this new class of drugs, called biologics (short for biologic response modifiers), the answer to living well with RA? Of course we expect commercials to paint a beautiful, enticing picture, but biologics may in fact be an important option if you are one of the 1.5 million Americans with RA. In this article, I will share with you some basic information about biologics so that you can make informed choices for your health and well-being. 43 • MAINE SENIORS
Unlike the more common osteoarthritis, which involves a wearing away of joint cartilage, RA causes inflammation in the joints, which leads to joint swelling, joint stiffness, joint pain, weakness, and fatigue. These symptoms can interfere with work and activities of daily living. Over time the joints can become permanently damaged and deformed, and range of motion can be affected. The average age of onset is between 30 and 50 years, and RA mostly affects women (70%). RA is a progressive disease, and permanent damage to joints can occur within 1 to 2 years of onset. It is very important to be diagnosed and treated by a rheumatologist promptly after symptoms occur. What treatment options exist for RA? Where do biologics fit in?
Options for treatment of RA include physical and occupational therapy, exercise, and medications. Keeping the joints flexible and
RA is a progressive disease, and
permanent damage to joints can occur within 1 to 2 years of onset. It is very important to be diagnosed and treated by a rheumatologist
promptly after symptoms occur.
learning how to perform tasks in a less painful way is important, but medications are required to lessen pain, reduce swelling, and slow the progression of the disease. A rheumatologist might prescribe the following: analgesics such as acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol), anti-inflammatories such as corticosteroids and NSAIDS (e.g., Advil, Aleve), and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, called DMARDs (e.g., methotrexate). Unlike analgesics and anti-inflammatories, which reduce pain and swelling, DMARDs actually slow or prevent the progression of RA. Conventional DMARDs have been in use since the 1920s, but a newer class of DMARDs called biologics was introduced in the late 1990s and is continuing to be developed. Unlike conventional DMARDs, which suppress the immune system in general, biologics—so-called because they are made from genetically engineered proteins—target a specific component of the immune system that is involved in RA. How are biologics administered?
In comparison to conventional DMARDs, biologics are more complex to administer. Right now, only one biologic drug comes as a pill. Most biologics are injected directly under the skin (intramuscular) or administered directly into a vein via a needle. Your doctor may use the term“infusion therapy”; this usually refers only to intravenous administration of medication, but sometimes can also include intramuscular injections. You or a caregiver can be taught how to administer prefilled syringes (called “auto-injectors”) at home, but for infusions, you may spend an hour or more at your doctor’s office or the hospital. Dosing OCTOBER 2016 • 4 4
frequency varies. Infusions are administered anywhere from every 4 weeks to every 6 months. Are biologics expensive? Does insurance cover this treatment option?
Biologics are more expensive than older drugs, but studies indicate that they are more effective and have fewer risks. Insurance companies do cover biologics, though generally only after you’ve tried conventional DMARDs. If cost is still a concern, you can apply to the drug manufacturer for copay assistance or, if you do not have insurance, for a reduction in price. Your doctor’s office should be able to guide you in this process. Are there any side effects of biologics?
Yes, there are some. Biologics delivered by injection may cause pain and rash at the injection site (seen in less than 30% of patients). Patients may experience an allergic reaction to infusions that feels
45 • MAINE SENIORS
Advances in biologics have helped people with RA live with less pain and more mobility by slowing the progression of joint damage.
like the flu, with fever, chills, nausea, and headache. Biologics may lessen ability to fight infections, and a dormant infection might become active again. This is why your doctor will likely have you take a tuberculosis test before starting one of these drugs. Certain biologics have also been shown to increase risk for certain types of cancers. In short, please ask your rheumatologist about the side effects of the particular biologic that is being recommended. Be sure to share any concerns that you might have so that your doctor can take them into consideration.
mean patients get the right treatment right away as well as save money spent on ineffective treatments. Researchers are also trying to determine ways of diagnosing RA earlier so that treatment can begin before much damage is done to joints. Advances over the past 20 years have vastly improved the lives of people with RA, and future discoveries will certainly lead to even better treatment options, if not a cure. MSM
Summing Up and Looking Forward
Advances in biologics have helped people with RA live with less pain and more mobility by slowing the progression of joint damage. Scientists are working to figure out how to know which DMARD will work best for each individual from the start. Being able to identify the right treatment via a genetic or blood marker would
Dr. Asia Mubashir is the Medical Director of St. Mary’s Rheumatology. Dr. Mubashir has trained under world leaders in the field of Rheumatology, specifically Rheumatoid Arthritis, SLE (Lupus), Scleroderma and Sjogren’s Syndrome. She has extensive clinical and research experience. St. Mary’s Rheumatology, located at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, is dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of people with rheumatic conditions. Dr. Mubashir is currently accepting new patients. For more information, please call 207-777-4459.
WARNING CHECK THE DATE ON YOUR LABELS If your magazine mailing label says "EXP" with a bygone date in smaller print, you are at risk of missing an issue of MAINE SENIORS Magazine.
DON'T DELAY, SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Mail your check for $34.95 $29.95! for 10 issues to MAINE SENIORS Magazine, 87 Hillside Avenue, Bangor, ME 04401
Give MSM a call at 207-299-5358 to find out how you can tell your story to our readers in your very own Guest Article.
OCTOBER 2016 • 4 6
Left to right: Japhet Els, Amy Gallant, Jeff Fowler, Donna Dachs, Lori Parham, Matthew Kennedy, Rich Livingston
Friends of Aroostook
BY JANE MARGESSON
Taking to the Fields to the Benefit of Older Mainers
Many of us enjoy giving back to others through community work, individual projects or general acts of kindness.
D
r. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that such acts are integral to the human spirit. “Everybody can be great,” he famously said,“because anybody can serve.”
One individual from Maine continues to astound and inspire us through his remarkable efforts to work with his entire community to help older residents who are at risk of going hungry. After selling his Houlton auto transmission business to his son a few years ago, Dale Flewelling recognized a need to help vulnerable older adults in the County. He founded Friends of Aroostook (FOA) in 2008. Working with local farmers who have donated, leased or sold some of their arable land to Dale, FOA has made a huge difference in the lives of thousands of older residents who would otherwise go hungry. With the help of a growing network of collaborative partners including local banks, the Sheriff’s department, seed 47 • MAINE SENIORS
supply stores and many others, FOA continues to serve as a shining example of how a community can touch the lives of others far beyond their county line. All summer long, staff and volunteers of Friends of Aroostook work their magic on the Houlton farm land, growing more than sixty tons of produce each year. Every ounce of fresh cucumbers, carrots, squash, potatoes and many other fruits and vegetables is donated to local and state-wide food pantries to help keep food on the table for some of Maine’s most vulnerable residents. This year, AARP Maine staff and volunteers traveled by car and mini-van from Portland to The County to lend a hand in the FOA fields for two days. They worked long hours, bent over row upon row of vegetables. Late summer and the fall are often the most critical for FOA as much of their produce can be lost if it isn’t harvested in a timely manner. Everyone who participated gained new appreciation for the commitment of FOA to help those in need. Donna Dachs, a member of Maine Educators Association-Retired (MEA-R) and an AARP member, was delighted to join the effort. She reported that “Early the second morning, we headed back to
THE MAINE POINT
Friends of Aroostook has made a huge difference in the lives of thousands of older residents who would otherwise go hungry. the farm and picked 85 large bags of potatoes! All of us had such a feeling of accomplishment; we picked at least one thousand pounds of vegetables! Working shoulder to shoulder with new friends, especially friends who care about the welfare of others was an incredible experience.” Amy Gallant, who formerly worked at Preble Street Maine Hunger Initiative before joining AARP Maine as Advocacy Director, agreed. “Coming all the way up to The County picking vegetables that are donated to Preble Street is really special for me. So many Mainers can't afford to go to the store and buy these beautiful vegetables, but Dale and his volunteers work with the Area Agencies on Aging
and the Good Shepherd Food Bank to determine the geographical needs for FOA’s produce and to allocate the food accordingly.” While Dale is always looking for volunteers of all ages to aid in this remarkable mission in the County, he is also happy to offer guidance to those who might want to start their own cooperative farming project. “Friends of Aroostook works well as an agricultural model,” he says. “Where you have farms, you have possibilities to address hunger.” If you would like to find out more about FOA or would like to volunteer, please visit www.friendsofaroostook.org for information. MSM
A Smoother Journey, from Ticket to Takeoff. Before you take off, take a moment to notice what’s new at Bangor International Airport, where things just keep getting better and better. You’ll love our light-filled terminal, modernized service counters, and state-of-the-art baggage handling — all designed to get your journey off to a great start. A better travel experience begins right here. Visit FlyBangor.com.
BGR_ME_Seniors_Sept16.indd 1
OCTOBER 2016 • 4 8
8/15/16 11:38 AM
TAKIN’ CARE OF
BUSINESS BY WALDO CLARK
M
aine Seniors sure need a loud laugh now and then. Well, I’ve got a humdinger, a tantalizing tickle, a real Waldo Whopper. But, it comes with a disclaimer—it may make you uncomfortable or even squeamish. Ready? Last week, I stopped by my favorite wine shop. While chatting with the owner Kim, her friend Anne Marie entered carrying a small brown box. She shot us a shy smile, then opened the flap, revealing a number of attractively packaged 1-ounce bottles.“It’s Poo-Pourri and it comes with a stink-free guarantee.” Kim said,“You mean potpourri.” “No, Poo-Pourri. You sprinkle a few drops in the toilet water before you do your business. It’s ingenious. It eliminates a foul odor. Just think, now you can enjoy reading the newspaper on the porcelain without bolting out the door. In addition, your guests will no longer open the window and grab the can of fir fragrance in full panic. And, no more embarrassing questions like,‘Hey Hal, you OK in there?’’
49 • MAINE SENIORS
I chimed in,“Remember these lyrics?” And, I’ll be takin’ care of business every day Takin’ care of business every way I’ve been takin’ care of business, it’s all mine … Kim and Ann Marie sure threw me blank stares. Anyway, with my interest now piqued, I couldn’t wait to get home—you know what a fastidious researcher I am. I immediately found this in the Huffington Post, “Poo-Pourri spray promises to take the stink out of public pooping.” Hmm, I wondered if towns might add it to their waste treatment plants; I’d like bicycling by mine without pinching my nose shut. In Glamour magazine (I am a fashion bug), I discovered,“After I flushed, a pleasant lemony scent filled the stall.”
I considered checking another standard go to source, The Guardian (Britain). No doubt, I’d find,“Put Poo in the Loo.”
with a natural herbal fragrance. Happy pooping!” Another said, “Don’t do the doo without it.”
Silly huh? But, stay with me here. After all, Actress Sandra Bullock once said,“Poop humor is fun.”
I backed up my research by checking the Amazon reviews. You guessed it, buyers rated it 4.7 of 5 stars. Impressive ‘eh. Let alone this stunning statement, “This product not only made pooping more exciting, it also rescued my marriage from the blaming and name calling.” Think about that, a product that cuts the divorce rate!
So, I decided to check the actual site. The company boasts, “We care about your health, your toilet, and the precious world we poop in.” In fact, they offer a variety of scents like Original Citrus and Lavender Vanilla; but this takes the cake, Trap-A-Crap. Best of all, the directions are a no brainer: Step 1: Spritz—3-5 sprays Step 2: Poo Step 3: Flush yeah! I uttered a sigh of relief—even I could do that. It reminded me of the vintage Brylcreem ad,“A little dab’ll do ya.”
Admit it, even if you keep the lid on your sense of humor, it’s hard to pooh-pooh the Poo-Pourri. By now, you’re thinking that old Waldo’s gone whacky, that he’s a real nincompoop. But remember folks, I warned you with my disclaimer. Hey, sometimes we just need a good laugh. That said, in the future, I promise to stay out of your business.
MSM
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• 295 KMD Plaza Unit 3, Waterville, ME 04901
OCTOBER 2016 • 5 0
LEGACY
3
Phases of Financial Planning in Retirement BY BRIAN BERNATCHEZ, CFP®
When I first started assisting clients in preparing for retirement nearly three decades ago, we generally planned for about 20 “Golden Years.”
L
ife expectancy has increased so much that for healthy retirees in their early 60’s we now plan for 30 to 40 years. Many experts now predict that with continued advances in treating chronic diseases and improved understanding of individual genetics, living to 100 will soon be almost commonplace.
As a result, we encourage clients to view retirement as a series of phases instead of just the final stage of life. This requires taking a fresh look at the progression of income and expenses and to consider new and creative withdrawal and estate planning strategies. Traditionally, retirement income planning has been a very linear projection of the same level of income needs annually with an annual adjustment for inflation. A phased approach to retirement income considers the impact of a more active lifestyle in the early retirement years and any “semi-retirement” working income. The desire to remain active in their 60’s and 70’s motivates many to “reinvent” themselves by working part-time in a new field, starting a 51 • MAINE SENIORS
business and finding a new balance between work and leisure. It can also be an opportunity to serve others by volunteering for worthy causes in the community. As a result, early retirees may need less portfolio income in the early years, with increased amounts in later phases. Others may choose to retire completely and immediately trigger income from all available sources. Many choose to focus on hobbies, adventurous travel and family vacations, requiring more portfolio income in the early years; and a scaling back of both income and lifestyle in the middle and late years. The Early Years: Income and Tax Planning
Early semi-retirees who continue to generate substantial employment earnings may bump themselves into a higher marginal tax bracket in 2016. Retirees who collect Social Security before the year of their full retirement age will see their benefits cut $1 for every $2 earned above $15,720 annually. They may also owe taxes on up to 85% of the Social Security benefit. Increased life expectancy and semi-retirement income may allow those with sufficient earnings and dividend income to delay taking a
LEGACY
Guest Article
Toward the end of the middle years, it is a good time to consider downsizing from your primary residence and potentially excluding up to $500,000 of gains from taxes on the sale. If your plan is to remain in your current home, consider improvements like downstairs bedrooms, walk-in showers and stair lifts which will make it easier physically for you to remain in the home.
If your income and investments
are substantially more than you will ever need, consider a focus on charitable and family gifts for your
grandchildren’s college or commit to funding a destination vacation for your family annually.
If your income and investments are substantially more than you will ever need, consider a focus on charitable and family gifts for your grandchildren’s college or commit to funding a destination vacation for your family annually. Later Years: Your Legacy
reduced Social Security benefit. For each year Social Security is delayed beyond full retirement age until age 70, filers will receive a benefit increase of 6% to 8%. Another strategy designed to stretch investments over an increased life expectancy is to delay withdrawals from pre-tax retirement accounts until required at age 70½ and instead spend investment portfolio dividends, interest and possibly even some or most of the capital from your non-retirement accounts. Conversions of Roth IRA’s from traditional IRA’s should also be considered if the current marginal tax bracket is substantially lower than what it is estimated to be after 70 ½ when the required distributions kick in. The Middle Years: Distributions and Lifestyle Changes
Required minimum distributions from traditional IRA’s and retirement plans must begin by April first of the year after you reach 70 ½. There is a steep 50% penalty for any amount not withdrawn. It is important to adjust other sources of income if possible once required distributions begin and withdrawal strategies should be revised annually. As you enter your 70’s it may be time to do a deep dive analysis of your portfolio allocation if you are still relatively healthy and active. Does it have enough growth potential to keep pace with inflation? Or, if you have experienced significant growth in the early phase of retirement, it may be time to dial back on risk assets to minimize the impact of a deep and sustained drop in the stock market on long term values.
We spend a lot of time consulting with our clients who are in their 80’s and 90’s discussing how they can have the greatest financial impact on their family and favorite charities. One of our favorite strategies is to make their favorite charities the beneficiaries of IRAs and retirement plans (charities pay no taxes, but family members will be subject to taxation) and have the family inherit real estate and non-retirement investment assets-- which receive a step-up in cost basis at death. In addition, many families choose to A RESOURCE FOR YOUR
Rehabilitation needs Memory loss can be worrisome. Having a community resource can make all of the difference. The path to wellness can be easier to navigate with the best resources, medical care, and education. This is especially true when confronted with memory-related health concerns.
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LEGACY
PROUDLY CARRYING
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gift their camp or cottage to their children or to a trust or limited liability company. Potential benefits are a reduction in estate taxes and the ability to keep the property in the family for generations. In your later years it's important to review all of your estate planning documents with your attorney and or financial advisor to ensure that all reflect your goals for distribution of your assets. It has been said that most people spend more time planning for a family vacation than they do planning for retirement. Retirement has in many ways become like a “phased” vacation…. which could last 40 years! If your goal is to have most of these years be golden ones, commit to working with your financial advisor to create, review and adjust your overall plan as you move through these different phases of retirement. MSM Brian Bernatchez, CFP® is an LPL Financial Advisor who works with Maine seniors and non-profit organizations. Brian is President and LPL Registered Principal of Golden Pond Wealth Management. He has
53 • MAINE SENIORS
specialized in building and managing sustainable investment portfolios for more than 20 years. Brian can be reached at 1-800-897-1338 or brian@goldenpondwealth.com. Golden Pond Wealth Management, 129 Silver Street, Waterville, ME 04901. www.goldenpondwealth.com. Securities and Financial Planning offered through LPL Financial, A Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC
Give MSM a call at 207-299-5358 to find out how you can tell your story to our readers in your very own Guest Article.
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HEALTHLess TREASURES A Trail Traveled
Fool Hen Kingof Game Birds? OR
STORY BY BRAD EDEN • PHOTO BY ALAN BRIERE No matter what you call them, this chicken-sized game bird elicits a lot of devotion.
S
omething stirs in the souls of hunters and gatherers both young and old starting with the emergence of the Harvest Moon in September, and on its heels by the Hunters Moon in October. No matter how civilized we humans become, a glimmer of our primitive past, an atavistic gene, dormant for most of the year emerges. Like squirrels storing nuts, we horde vegetables in our cellars, split and stack firewood, and batten down the hatches in preparation for a Maine winter. For upland bird hunters, the arrival of the celestial Hunters’ Moon rekindles a love affair that leads them back to the places they dream of all year.
Anyone who has spent any time in Maine has likely seen a chickensized bird pecking gravel on the edges of country roads. They may have been startled by a roaring flush while hiking, and caught sight of a fleeting blur of brown. That is the ruffed grouse, most often called a “Partridge” in Maine, although not a partridge by definition. This game bird is a member of the gallinaceous order of birds characterized by ground nesting, terrestrial wanderings (as opposed to long flights), and unmatched delectability on the dinner table. Known by ornithologists as Bonasa umbellus, you can find them from southern Canada to northern Georgia, across the Upper Midwest, up to the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. 55 • MAINE SENIORS
Particularly in the spring, you may hear a distant rumble like a thunderstorm approaching or more so a cranky lawn mower struggling to start. That is the ruffed grouse, perched upon his mossy log throne “drumming”. He steadies himself with his broad tail and flaps his wings so rapidly they create a mini sonic boom. Spring drumming asserts his dominance to rival males and entices lithe hen grouse to investigate and join him for a romp in the bushes. Typically, the ruffed grouse is a precocious and crafty bird that sports a rakish topknot when alert. It wears a collar or “ruff” of ebony or rich burgundy, and their body is plumed in a tapestry of earth tones, mimicking the boreal forests that conceal him. But his most prominent feature is his broad fanned tail with a distinct dark band along its outer edge. That tail acts as a rudder as the bird weaves and bobs through the woods at warp speed, offering what many consider the hardest shot on the wing of any game bird. And his near paranoid wildness enables him to outwit the most highly trained and experienced bird dogs; thus the term King of Game
A Trail Less Traveled
Something stirs in the souls of
hunters and gatherers both young and old starting with the emergence of the Harvest Moon in September, and on its heels by the Hunters Moon in October. Birds. But depending on where you find him he can be as dumb as a tree. Way up north where they don’t encounter many humans they can be as tame as barnyard poultry; thus the term Fool Hen. These northern birds are relatively easy pickings for the traditional Maine method of road hunting, or ground sluicing. Earnest grouse hunters’ homes become shrines to this game bird. Libraries are overflowing with tomes describing the birds’ habits down to the most miniscule detail. Shelves are lined with bird dog training manuals and books on the right shotgun, the right load, the right vehicle, even the right boots to wear that might better the chances a hunter will bag a grouse. Walls are festooned with sporting art with grouse as the subject matter and gun cabinets are filled with custom-made shotguns worth as much or more than the SUV parked in your driveway. Backyard kennels are filled with purebred bird dogs with pedigrees reaching back centuries to English aristocrats. Grouse hunters travel thousands of miles and spend ridiculous amounts of money on lodging and guides all for the opportunity to work their dogs and swing a shotgun on this game bird. Yet, in the final analysis, it isn’t about how many birds are brought to bag or even the ruffed grouse itself. It’s that this game bird draws us out of our comfy lives for a short spell, and we follow him into wild places we would never have explored otherwise–in a time of year that is brush stroked in glorious colors and pungent with the aroma of decaying leaves and fermenting apples. MSM
At Golden Pond, we have been handcrafting and managing sustainable investment portfolios which reect the values of Maine families and nonprots for over 20 years.
129 Silver Street Waterville, ME 04901 (207) 873‐2200 www.goldenpondwealth.com Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC OCTOBER 2016 • 5 6
CHLOE'S CORNER
What Song Are You Singing Today? BY CHLOE JONPAUL
For many years now, my sister Barbie has been calling me—sometimes as early as 6 AM—to sing her “tune for the day”.
T
It also prompted the question: What tune am I singing today? Is it upbeat and bouncy? Does it make me smile? Do the lyrics evoke fond memories? My tune for the day doesn’t have to be an aria from a tragic opera. I’ll stick with a Broadway hit or one of my favorite hymns because I’ve learned that the tune for the day sets the tone for the day.
he songs range from hit tunes as far back as the 40’s to songs related to a particular holiday. Sometimes her choice is based on the weather, a political scenario, or someone in the news.
The beginning of each new day presents us with choices. We can awaken and say “Good God! Morning!” or “Good morning, God!” We can choose to frown or smile. We can select serenity or agitation.
How she manages to remember the lyrics to all these songs is beyond me but each “tune for the day” has been a source of delight for me.
Daily events with their minor irritations or unexpected turmoil will inevitably occur. The first question to be answered is: Will I be reactive or proactive? The second question I’ll need to answer is: So what song am I singing today? MSM
57 • MAINE SENIORS
CHLOE'S CORNER
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Call 207-947-3300 for more information on WBGR
AROUND THE HOME
It won’t be long before the snow flies in the beautiful state of Maine.
Getting your
Garage Doors
W
hether you are a “snowbird” or live in Maine yearround, there are a few basic things that need to be done to get your garage doors ready for winter and ensure optimum performance through the cold and snowy months.
All garage doors require basic maintenance to maintain appearance, wear, and performance of the operator. Call a local garage door professional to perform maintenance at least once a year. Lubricate Hinges, Rollers, and Tracks
Garage doors need to be lubricated with a silicone-based spray at least annually. Spray the hinges, rollers, and tracks, being careful not to overspray as many lubes turn yellow over time and this won’t look good on the inside of your doors. Don’t use a heavy grease as this will harden up overtime and make the door run poorly. If you have chain drive electric operators, check to see if the chain is drooping and needs to be tightened. You probably need to tighten 59 • MAINE SENIORS
ready for winter
the chain if a faint black line has appeared down the middle on the outside of your garage. The line is the grease left by the chain lying on the door when it’s open. Check Reverse Function
Check to see if the doors reverse when you put something in front of the safety eyes. When a garage door tries to close on an object, it should reverse to avoid crushing someone or something. This can be checked by putting a 1 ½ - 2” board under the door and closing it. The door should reverse off the board. Conduct this particular test carefully so you avoid damaging the door. If the door does not reverse, the garage door opener needs to be adjusted or replaced as soon as possible so it does not pose a safety issue. Inspect Weather Stripping
Weather stripping also needs to be inspected. Ripped, torn, or missing weather seals will not keep out the rain, snow, cold, or little
Guest Article
AROUND THE HOME
All garage doors require basic maintenance to maintain appearance, wear, and performance. Call a local garage door professional to perform maintenance
at least once a year.
Top: Garage doors need to be lubricated with a silicone-based spray at least annually. Middle: Weather stripping also needs to be inspected. Ripped, torn, or missing weather seals cannot do their job correctly. Bottom: Spray the hinges, rollers, and tracks, being careful not to overspray
critters looking to get out of the cold. If your doors aren’t sealing tight to the floor, do not adjust your garage door openers to force it down. This puts a lot of pressure on the top section and can ruin it. In extreme cases, it can cause all of the sections of the door to split. Sometimes the bottom seal will lose its flexibility and flatten out. This can easily be replaced. If your floor is uneven or has cracks, you can try sliding the backer rod inside the bottom weather strip or going to a wider bottom seal. Weather seals on the jambs and header are just as important as the bottom seal. Doors used to be adjusted tight to the wooden jambs, but if you tighten them up too much you can rub the paint off the doors. Today, we normally set the door slightly off the jambs and header and let the weather seals do their job. Inspect Cables, Springs, and Pulleys
It’s important to visually inspect the cables, springs, and pulleys of your garage door and operator system. A cable that has a strand or two coming undone is a good indication that it needs to be replaced. The spring tension MUST be released before you try to remove the cables. Trying to remove them before releasing the tension is very dangerous. If you’re ever unsure, please call a garage door professional. A door that “shakes” or doesn’t seem to “track right” on its way up or down is an indication that your pulley and/or rollers are worn and need to be replaced. Springs that have gaps or are bunched up when at rest also indicate a problem. Always replace springs in pairs so the pull on the door is the same on both sides. Some doors come with torsion springs, which are springs mounted up on the header. Others come with extension springs, which stretch OCTOBER 2016 • 6 0
SPECIAL THE HOME AROUND
alongside the top tracks. This type of spring needs to have a safety cable run through the center of it so it is captured if it breaks. When an extension spring without a safety cable breaks, it can fly across your garage with a lot of force and embed itself in the wall of the garage or worse. The most tension is on a garage door spring when the door is closed, so if you hear a “bang” in your garage in the middle of the night, it might be the garage door spring. All springs can be dangerous and should be approached with caution. Remember that the tension must be released before you unhook them. Torsion springs should only be replaced or adjusted by garage door professionals. Keep Safety and Security in Mind
If you head south for the winter and have a caretaker to check in on your home, remind them to be cautious when opening the garage doors because of the potential that they could be frozen shut. It’s recommended to plan ahead and hire someone to plow regularly or remove any snow from in front of your garage doors to avoid snow drifts and prevent melting snow from seeping in. This is especially true if you have wooden doors, as snow left on the face of a wooden door will degrade the finish. If nobody needs to get into your garage doors throughout the winter months, you might consider unplugging them or engaging the “lockout switch” on your operator’s wall button if it has one.
Random operation of your garage door by someone else’s remote is very rare, but it’s important to protect yourself against that possibility, especially if you move away for the winter. Locking your doors by clamping them down does work, but it can cause serious damage to the door if you forget to remove the clamps when you return in the spring. Winter in Maine can be harsh, but keeping these simple steps in mind will help ensure the longevity of your garage door and operator system. MSM This information was furnished by Dave Plowman at PDQ Door- a locally owned and operated 20 year old business with 6 locations to serve you right here in Maine. For more information visit www.pdqdoor.com Give MSM a call at 207-299-5358 to find out how you can tell your story to our readers in your very own Guest Article.
Bridging Generations HEALTH TREASURES
Etiquette
BY JOAN CLARK
Snail mail from the U.S. Postal Service is always wonderful to receive.
M
any mature seniors like my father, Waldo Clark, are thoughtful enough to send thank you notes and letters through the mail. Email or texting with a cell phone are quicker and very useful if you would like to send a fast message and get a swift response. There are a few important things to know when sending and responding to emails: •
Include a polite salutation and conclusion.
•
Use a standard font like Cambria and format your fonts to a readable size of at least 12 or 14 point.
•
Do not write in all capitals because that is like SHOUTING in email culture.
•
Always spellcheck and read it out loud before you send it.
•
Acknowledge emails from those you know with a quick response. If you cannot respond promptly, email a confirmation that you have received the email and how soon the sender can receive a response.
63 • MAINE SENIORS
•
Never open an attachment from an unknown sender. It may cause harm to your computer.
•
Use “Bcc” (which is a blind copy) to hide your contact’s email address when sending a group email in order to protect their privacy.
•
When forwarding something to more than one person, put your email address in the “To” field and all others in the “Bcc” field for the sake of their privacy.
•
Many recipients do not appreciate political or controversial emails; try to avoid forwarding these messages.
•
Do not use email for last minute cancellations. A phone call or text message works best for this. MSM
Elliott Schwartz • PRIME MOVER
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OCTOBER 2016 • 6 4
Pumpkin: more than
just pie
BY FIA MARQUIS
These days, as soon as the first leaf starts to show a hint of turning color, every shop window and grocery store shelf is filled with pumpkin everything—from baking mixes to flavored coffees, scented candles, and every snack food imaginable.
S
ome people dread this season, and will complain loudly about it to anyone willing to listen (or simply unable to escape), but many of us embrace the trend—even as we mourn the passing of another beautiful Maine summer.
As you may have guessed, I am among the latter group. As much as I hate to rush the seasons (and though the heavily cinnamonscented pinecones packed into the foyer of every grocery and craft store I walk into from August until January makes me choke and wheeze), I love the flavors of pumpkin and pumpkin spice with a
65 • MAINE SENIORS
sort of abashed, childlike glee. As the trend picks up more steam each year, it’s less and less popular to admit that you enjoy it—but it’s much easier and more convenient to get your fix. What it’s not easy to do in a field of pumpkins, if you’re a pumpkin, is be noticed. That’s why you’ve really got to weed through a lot of mediocre attempts at capturing the essential flavor of autumn in order to find products and recipes that stand out. A friend of mine from Massachusetts who now lives in Florida—perhaps one of my most vocal pumpkin-loving friends—has often spoken highly of the Stonewall Kitchen pumpkin cheese ball mix, but I was disappointed to find that it had been discontinued some time ago; still, it inspired me to work out a couple of recipes of my own. The one biggest problem with pumpkin season is that most of the fare is sweet; a few rare gems like Trader Joe’s pumpkin ravioli pop up, but are given very little fanfare. I wanted to make a pumpkin cheddar cheese ball that would be fun to serve at parties with chips
Pumpkin, no matter what the format, is delicious.
PEPITAS VS. PUMPKIN SEEDS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
and crackers and even vegetables, so I reached for garlic and sage —two spices that, while not included in the typical pumpkin spice blend, are good friends to pumpkin and cheese—and crunchy roasted pepitas, for a pumpkin cheese ball that stands out from the crowd. Not to be ignored, I also made a pumpkin spice cheese ball, rolled in candied pecans, for the dessert table at your fall potluck gathering. I suggest bringing one of each and stepping out of the way while they disappear. MSM
Pumpkin seeds from your jack-o-lantern can be toasted in your oven and eaten, but they are covered in a thick, difficult to remove hull. The pepitas you can buy in the grocery store are not hulled, but come from particular types of pumpkins, and are hull-less to begin with. You can grow your own pepitas if you look for Styrian pumpkin seeds. Johnny’s Selected Seeds, based in Winslow, ME, carries seeds for a variety of Styrian pumpkins called Kakai.
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OCTOBER 2016 • 6 6
Featured Recipes
SAVORY SAGE & GARLIC PUMPKIN CHEESE BALL INGREDIENTS:
PUMPKIN SPICE CHEESE BALL INGREDIENTS:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened 4 tablespoons butter, softened 2 cups powdered sugar ¼ cup brown sugar ¾ cup pureed pumpkin 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (for pecan coating): 2 cups chopped pecans 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
DIRECTIONS: 1. Cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add pumpkin and spices, then brown sugar and powdered sugar. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and mold into a ball; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. 2. (For pecan coating): In a saucepan on medium-low heat, melt butter. Add pecans, maple syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon, and continue to stir over heat until the mixture forms a thick, caramel texture and coats the pecans. Turn out onto a lined cookie sheet and allow to cool; break apart by hand, or chop roughly. 3. Unwrap chilled cheese ball and roll in pecans; return to the refrigerator until ready to serve with your favorite fall cookies and fruits. We like gingersnaps and apples.
67 • MAINE SENIORS
8 ounces cream cheese, softened 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar, room temperature 1 cup pumpkin puree 1-2 cloves of garlic, mashed to a paste 1 teaspoon ground sage 1 teaspoon onion salt 1 cup roasted, salted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
DIRECTIONS: 1. In a bowl, mix together cream cheese and cheddar; add pumpkin, garlic and other seasonings and turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Mold into a ball and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. 2. When cheese ball has set, unwrap and roll in pepitas. Serve cold with your favorite crackers or chips, or with vegetables for a striking holiday crudité platter.
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FROM THE PORCH
That Forest
Feeling BY HUNTER HOWE Ever want to slip away from the world’s noisemakers? I call it going “poof” for a while.
M
ost folks will answer with a resounding: Yes! And most folks will agree that the Maine forest, touching your backyard or looming on the horizon, provides a perfect escape.
Like Mainers, Germans’ love of their forests is deeply rooted in their country’s psyche. A website,“Welcome to Germany.info,” said, “Their forest fascination is associated with the nation’s treasury of sagas and fairy tales, where robbers hide out in the woods, bad wolves devour grandmothers and little girls in red-riding hoods, and children lose their way in the thickets and stumble into the hands of evil witches.”
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However, the German word “Waldeinsamkeit” captures the essence of this forest fascination.“Wald” means forest; “einsamkeit” means loneliness or solitude. It’s the feeling you get walking in the woods with nature. The Feeling. In fact, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a poem called “Waldeinsamkeit.” In it he says,“The forest is my loyal friend.” For me, the woods offer an opportunity to rest my racing mind. Louis L’Amour, the acclaimed novelist of the western frontier, wrote, “One can be anywhere. The quality of the solitude is in the mind.” Yet, much of his writing takes place in the mountains and forests. It’s here, like the lone adventurer, I hope to avoid another human and a spoken word. To point, Henry David Thoreau wrote, “I love nature partly because she is not a man, but a retreat from him.” I want to feel my way among the trees, inhale the scents, behold the muted colors, and understand without interference.
FROM THE PORCH
unscratched; I observe birds darting, jet-like, flying low in mission.
For me, the woods offer an opportunity to rest my racing mind. Louis L’Amour, the acclaimed novelist of the western frontier, wrote, “One can be anywhere. The quality of the solitude is in the mind.” Unfortunately, most of us only look to look, missing much. In the forest, I attempt to SEE. I feel sad when I spot a massive, ancient oak lying on the ground or broken branches hanging limp with withered brown leaves or still, wide-eyed squirrels and chipmunks. All lifeless. I observe the fox in stealth, shooting a sideways disinterested glance my way; I observe deer dashing through dense undergrowth,
And I wonder what else is out there, unseen. I realize that the more I SEE, the less I SEE. After all, can you SEE what is invisible? Stopping, I attempt to listen, the silence shattered by a twig snap, by an errant breeze causing an uneasy rustle. I hear many voices, the sounds of many somethings stirring and pushing cautiously through the woods. The more I listen, the more I SEE. I tread light-footed, padding quietly, absorbed in thought, comfortable with myself, alone in a forest of moments--therapy for my soul, perhaps a partial healing within. Ultimately, I revel in the interplay of dark and light and the shadows that result. I want to act like a shadow within a shadow, blending in and out, unseen with the other creatures, concealed in nature’s camouflage, a shadowy ghost. Stray patches of light penetrate the tough canopy, filtering through to a secluded grassy nook, where I catch a glimpse of the blue-gray sky. But even in the light, the shadows play.
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dmclean@MaineSeniorGuide.com OCTOBER 2016 • 7 0
FROM THE PORCH
INSURANCE
Senior Planning F IN ES A NC I AL SERVIC
It reminds me of the 1992 movie “The Last of the Mohicans.” Chingachgook, his son Uncas and adopted son Nathaniel Hawkeye, move with guarded purpose among the shadows, ever watchful of danger, one with the forest.
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And I think again of Louis L’Amour and his theme of the journey. Like his resilient and wary characters, I wonder what lies around the next bend of a worn path or trail; and I wonder who trod on these faint lanes, so many years ago.
It’s time to review your Healthcare plan now!
Anthony Newley, in “Pure Imagination,” sings, “Take a look and you’ll see, into your imagination.”
Plan benefits change every year, and you may be paying too much or missing benefits.
Engulfed by nature, enveloped in the swirling shadows, foggy mists, and spooky aberrations, and surrounded by mystery, secrets, and suspense, my imagination bursts. Who’s there? What stories does the forest hold? Am I an intruder, or not?
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I’m not sure why, but for years, I’ve imagined this: While walking in a snow-covered forest, I enter a clearing. A woman, tall and cloaked in all black, her eyes stern, her face barely visible, stands erect, motionless, before a strand of birches. She stares and peers into my soul. Then, she’s gone. Was she really there? Above all, I embrace the calming influence of the forest. It’s my resting refuge. I’m invisible, hiding in the shadows, seeking direction, on my journey. Stephen Sondheim, in his “Into the Woods,” penned, Into the woods—you have to grope, But that’s the way you learn to cope, Into the woods to find there’s hope Of getting through the journey. With each “Waldeinsamkeit,” I relish the hope of “finding a path in the pathless woods.” Usually, I do. And, I feel the better for it.
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71 • MAINE SENIORS
MSM
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