Holiday 2017 Maine Seniors Magazine

HOLIDAY 2017 • $5.95 MESENIORS.COM

Inside: • The Good Hours • Harboring Holiday Spirit • Magic of Trommer and Parrish • Maine Snowbirds Flock to Arizona • Portland Kiwanis 100th Anniversary • Snowball Cookies

...and so much more!

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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 Shelagh Talbot

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Victor Oboyski Joe Sawyer

SALES & DISTRIBUTION

Christine Parker Kimberly Reid Laurie Winslow Linda Coleman Leonard Russell Jim Gorham A. Peter Legendre Judy Legendre Roseanne Bolduc Dale Overlock Stephanie Lachance Deborah Batting Victor Oboyski Clyde Tarr Diane Nute Laurie A. Poirier

WRITERS

Paulette Oboyski Dr. Len Kaye Jane Margesson Shelagh Talbot Ellen L. Spooner Hunter Howe Avery Hunt Sheila Grant Paul Weeks Clyde Tarr

SOCIAL MEDIA

Shane Wilson

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.

One of our dogs, the Pomeranian Queen, enjoying the Christmas Tree

“Harboring the Holidays”, by Sheila Grant helps to set the mood… and speaks to the many festivities that add light to this time of year.

I

n this case, the story is about Boothbay, yet we have so many reasons to enjoy being home for the holidays right here in Maine.

We do need extra light this time of year and this is why we like to focus on Prime Movers, who are people and organizations who improve the human condition. Around the holidays, many of us will long for those who are no longer here. My father died of cancer while I was still in college.

For over 3 years, I watched my mother’s health decline as well, while being his caregiver/guardian.

It was a very difficult period for our family. Watching a loved one slowly die is almost inhumane.

The grief involved was almost intolerable. The toll it took/takes is overwhelming and is everlasting.

Please read about “Prime Movers” Chris Parrish and Paul Trommer and the Sosman Center. To have a place like the Sosman Center to relax and talk with others going through similar circumstances is clearly a gift to those dealing with such life altering issues.

One of the many good articles in this Holiday Issue which stands out and gives one that special feeling of comfort and joy, is in our column From the Porch, “The Good Hours”, by Hunter Howe.

And may you enjoy “The Good Hours”.

As in the story “A Christmas Carol” all of us at Maine Seniors join with the character Tiny Tim to say,“God Bless us, every one!”

—David S. Nealley, Publisher

SUBSCRIPTIONS

10 issues for $29.95 by making a check, payable to Maine Seniors Magazine.

Mail to Maine Seniors Magazine, 87 Hillside Avenue, Bangor, Maine 04401.

Cheers!

Recycled paper made in Maine

HOLIDAY 2017 • 2

Happy Holidays From all of us at Maine Seniors Magazine!

3 • MAINE SENIORS

Page 5

HOLIDAY 2017 ISSUE 1 Publisher's Note

BY DAVID S. NEALLEY

3 Contributors 5 Prime Mover: Kiwanis Club of Portland

BY PAULETTE OBOYSKI

13 Special: Harboring Holiday Spirit

Page 22

BY SHEILA GRANT

22 Prime Mover: Sosman Center

BY SHELAGH TALBOT

29 Sage Lens: Lessons Learned from Pets

BY DR. LEN KAYE

33 Just Pondering: Ban the "Wow"

BY WALDO CLARK

35 Legacy: Annual Gifting

GUEST ARTICLE

Page 13

39 Merry Christmas: Thoughts to Ponder 41 The MAINE Point: Creative Policing

BY JANE MARGESSON

Page 29

43 Arts & Entertainment: Helen Rundell

BY JOHN FRAWLEY

49 A Look Back: The Howdy Doody Show

BY CLYDE TARR

51 Here, There & Everywhere: Snowbirds

BY AVERY HUNT

57 Food for Thought: Christmas: A Season of

Joy and Giving • BY ELLEN L. SPOONER

59 Special: The Christmas Tree

BY PAUL WEEKS

61 From the Porch: The Good Hours

BY HUNTER HOWE Page 61

HOLIDAY 2017 • 4

PRIME MOVER

New Club President Jason Briggs seated at right Paul Conley

KIWANIS CLUB of PORTLAND Celebrates 100 Years

The Portland Kiwanis Club celebrated its 100th Anniversary this September 30, 2017.

T

hroughout the many years that the Club has existed, members have assisted the greater Portland area with countless hours of volunteer service and have donated thousands of dollars to help with the needs of their community.

At their anniversary event, the Club donated $45,000 to the Portland area and other worthy causes. The club has 36 adult members and approximately 600 youths who participate in their volunteer activities.

According to the Club’s website, Kiwanis clubs focus on changing

5 • MAINE SENIORS

• BY PAULETTE OBOYSKI

the world by serving children, one child and one community at a time. The name "Kiwanis" was coined from an expression in an American Indian language of the Detroit area, "Nunc Keewanis," which means, "we trade." In 1920, the motto of Kiwanis became “We Build.” It remained the motto until 2005, when members voted to change it to“serving the children of the world.”

Members of the club are called Kiwanians. Kiwanis clubs decide for themselves what projects to do in their community, based on their own community's needs and their members' interests.

Service to children is a primary focus in Kiwanis.

The first Kiwanis club was organized in Detroit, Michigan. The group received a charter from the state of Michigan on January 21, 1915, and this is regarded as the birth date of Kiwanis.

PRIME MOVER • Portland Kiwanis Portland Little League Check

HOLIDAY 2017 • 6

PRIME MOVER

James Banks Former Pres & Gov

Kiwanis became an international organization with the chartering of the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in 1916. Kiwanis limited its membership to the United States and Canada until 1962, when worldwide expansion was approved.

Since then, Kiwanis has spread to all inhabited continents of the globe. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas.

The Portland Kiwanis Club was founded in 1917, and is the oldest Kiwanis Club in Maine. Over the years, men and women who live and work in Portland have dedicated themselves to service through Kiwanis. Some projects that the club has worked on include the renovation and rededication of the Portland Observatory, and the creation of Kiwanis Pool on Douglass Street, as well as fund raising for charities such as the American Cancer Society's Children's Camp Rainbow, Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, YMCA, and Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute.

Jason Briggs, the current President of the club, has been a member for 28 years. He says, “The Portland Kiwanis club 7 • MAINE SENIORS

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PRIME MOVER • Portland Kiwanis

The Portland Kiwanis Club was founded in 1917, and is the oldest

Kiwanis Club in Maine.

is dedicated to helping those less fortunate, especially children.

We support projects for underprivileged children, as well as work with a number of local agencies to help area youth.”

President Briggs detailed many of the upcoming events that are planned for his Club: •

For the 2017 holiday season, Portland Kiwanis assists 3-4 families in need based on recommendations from the Salvation Army recommendations.

•

Senior Holiday Luncheon: The Portland Kiwanis Club will serve lunch this year, Tuesday, December 12th, at the Best Western restaurant, The Maine Table, in South Portland. With the help of VIP Tour & Charter Bus Co. in Portland, community seniors are picked up at 11 AM from various senior communities. A Hannaford gift card will be given to each attending senior. For more information: www. portlandkiwanis.org

•

•

•

In 2018, Portland Kiwanis may be working with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, to present its Bicycle Rodeo where entertainment will be provided and quality bicycle helmets may be distributed to Portland area children.

Recently, the Portland Kiwanis Club participated in a child safety car seat program at the Double Tree Hotel in Augusta. The Club donated $2,500, which helped provide car seats, training for the proper hook-up of the seats, and child identification information stickers to attach to the seats in case of an accident. The Club plans to continue this program annually.

With the help of neighborhood associations, the Club plans to help make hands-on improvements and a monetary contribution to the park playground near the Kiwanis Pool in Dougherty Field.

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PRIME MOVER Portland Kiwanis Legion of Honor

Kiwanis Youth Service Clubs

Paul E. Conley is the Immediate Past President of Portland Kiwanis and has been a member for 10 years since he was a Boy Scout leader of a Portland area troupe, which was sponsored by the Portland Kiwanis. He said, “What makes me most proud of our organization is the student volunteer programs which we support and mentor.”

The club sponsors one of the largest numbers of youth groups in New England, which teach leadership through service to their communities. There are six Key Clubs at Cheverus, Deering, Gorham, and Portland High Schools and Maine Girls’ and North Yarmouth Academies; a Circle K Club at the University of Southern Maine; and an Aktion Club with STRIVE. The Aktion Club provides an opportunity for young people with developmental disabilities to get involved with their community, give back and learn organizational and leadership skills. All of these groups hold various fundraisers and volunteer for community projects throughout the year.

James Vollkommer has been a Kiwanis Club member for 50 years and has held many leadership positions within the club.

9 • MAINE SENIORS

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PRIME MOVER • Portland Kiwanis He is a Kiwanis Key Club Advisor for the Maine Girls’ Academy and Gorham High School. Teachers and Kiwanis advisors help facilitate activities and make sure that the student-chosen volunteer work is done in an approved way. The students choose their projects and do the work.

Cheverus High School Key Club, with Bob Pineau as their Kiwanis advisor, has had a long-standing tradition of providing Thanksgiving dinners for the needy in their community. For the past 3 years, with Paul Conley as their Kiwanis advisor, the North Yarmouth Academy Key Club students have volunteered once a month at Ronald MacDonald House, and at the Preble Street Kitchen.

Portland Kiwanis Club awards two college scholarships to outstanding graduating high school seniors from their sponsored Key Clubs at the end of every school year.

Kiwanis Club members encourage children to read. James A. Banks, Sr. has been a Portland Kiwanis Club member for 35 years and is a former President and Governor of the club. For the past four years, along with former club President Elizabeth

The club sponsors one of the largest numbers of youth groups in New England, which teach leadership through service to their communities.

Richards, Kiwanians have volunteered once a month to read to the 5th grade children of Munjoy’s East End Community School. The teachers select the books, which usually are of historical interest.

Red Jackets and Pediatric Trauma Research

The Kiwanis Foundation of New England has a unique fundraising program. Any Kiwanian who donates $1,000+ or has that amount donated in their name to the endowment to support the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute in Boston and the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, is a red jacket. The concept of research into the effects of trauma on children, which

HOLIDAY 2017 • 1 0

PRIME MOVER Jason Briggs Presents Check to Mayor

began in New England in the 1980’s, has signified Kiwanis’ support for children and has expanded throughout the Kiwanis Clubs in the United States.

At the Kiwanis Club of Portland 100th Anniversary celebration, Mayor Ethan Strimling received a check for $15,000 for the upkeep of the Portland Kiwanis Pool, located in Dougherty Field. It is the only outdoor pool in Portland. The Club donated another $15,000 for the maintenance of the Bayside Park baseball field located in Portland’s Payson Park.

For more information: Portland Kiwanis, PO Box 17682, Portland, ME 04112 www.portlandkiwanis.org • president@portlandkiwanis.com 11 • MAINE SENIORS

Jamie Hogan

For the past 100 years, the members of the Kiwanis Club of Portland have continued to help make sure that the kids and families in their community have what they need to be secure and successful. They are a multi-generational group who have joined together for the greater good and have assisted in making Portland one of the shining cities of the Northeast.

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SPECIAL

“Harboring”

Holiday Spirit

STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHEILA GRANT

Imagine a tiny midcoast village shimmering with holiday lights. Children of all ages joyfully greet Santa and his entourage as they arrive – by boat.

13 • MAINE SENIORS

S

t. Nick is accompanied by not only the Mrs. and several elves, but a lobster and a moose, as well. Horse-drawn carriages take visitors around the downtown, where they can disembark at various locations to sip hot chocolate and nibble homemade cookies, stroll through a festival of trees, listen to or help sing Christmas carols, and enjoy specials at quaint shops and restaurants. In the evening, visitors and locals alike gather at a viewing party to sip their beverage of choice, nibble hors d'oeuvres, and cheer on the participants of a lighted boat parade.

Boothbay Harbor is fast becoming the “it” place to recapture the magic of the holiday season. The tiny community of 2,334 souls has celebrated its charming Harbor Lights Festival for over three decades, but what really elevated the holiday magic was the addition of the Gardens Aglow light display at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens three years ago.

Gardens Aglow is Maine’s largest light display. More than 500,000 LED lights outline shrubs, trees, gazebos, and more.

The crisp winter air carries the tempting aroma of kettle corn from a vendor tent set up along one of the paths, while other stations along the way sell hot beverages or kits for making

SPECIAL • Holiday Spirit

Visitors can enjoy the décor or shop for gifts created by local artisans at the Festival of Trees.

The lighted boat parade is a unique Boothbay Harbor tradition.

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s’mores over the open fire. Diners will find everything from affordable kid fare to lobster at the Kitchen Garden Café, which also has a full bar, and offers gorgeous views of the sparkling gardens from nearly every table.

Gardens Aglow is open 4 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays from late November through the end of December each year. During its first year (2015) the display drew six times HOLIDAY 2017 • 1 4

SPECIAL

The elves are never too busy to stop for photos with fans.

more visitors to the region than anticipated, taking Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor residents and shop owners by surprise.

To build on that momentum, local nonprofits and businesses have been working together to make the holiday season bigger and better each year, with more events, more shops and restaurants remaining open, and more holiday lighting throughout the area.

Funding from grants paid for more municipal holiday lighting, while the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ annual Gardens Aglow Lighting Contest inspires residents and business owners to enter good-natured competition for bragging rights and prizes.

Now, as visitors approach the village, “they start to feel the community spirit,” said Patricia Inness Royall, executive director of the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce. “It’s infectious. They will be amazed and wowed by the light show they are going to see.”

15 • MAINE SENIORS

Both Gardens Aglow and a busy calendar of holiday happenings downtown kicked off on November 17 this year and will continue through New Year’s Eve. There’s an Early Bird Sale on the Saturday after Gardens Aglow opens when shops open at 6 a.m. and offer special discounts.

However, it’s the first weekend of December that sees the holiday magic arrive full-force. The Boothbay Region Garden Club’s annual Festival of Trees runs Friday through Sunday at The Opera House. The first floor of the historic building is filled with decorated Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes. Admission is free, but there are opportunities to shop for gifts and goodies at several booths offering local crafts, candies, baked goods and more. One area sells tiny trees, while another sells holiday décor for the mantel and table. Gift items and themed trees are raffled off during the event, and there’s also a silent auction.

SPECIAL • Holiday Spirit On Saturday, locals and visitors alike gather at a harbor-side community square to greet Santa and his friends, who arrive by boat at 1 p.m. Costumed characters wander the waiting crowd, posing for pictures and adding to the festive atmosphere. The celebration is spread throughout the downtown, which can be easily walked if the carriages are all fully loaded. In addition to specials at shops and restaurants, several nonprofits host craft and food sales.

Santa and friends make their way to the Memorial Library, where hot chocolate, cookies, photo ops, and story time await Themed Christmas trees are raffled off during the Festival of Trees

guests. From there, three wise men lead those who wish across the footbridge to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic church to view a nativity scene. Later, back at the library, the community band plays, carols are sung, and the town Christmas tree is lit.

New this year, there will be a warming station with hot chocolate at the fire house, staffed with volunteer ambassadors eager to welcome visitors and provide information about the region’s holiday happenings, dining, lodging, and more. This is also where visitors can board a shuttle to Gardens Aglow, or pose for silly holiday photos at the giant photo bomb board featuring

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SPECIAL Gardens Aglow brings thousands of sparkling holiday lights to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

a string of holiday lights with holes cut out for faces in the place of some light bulbs in the strand.

On Saturday evening, some visitors may opt to watch the lighted boat parade on their own, but many will want to gather at the Preview Party (location TBA), where for $35, attendees get two drink tickets, access to a buffet of hot and cold hors d'oeuvres, and a warm place from which to cheer the boat captains as each decorated watercraft passes by.

Fun fact: each year, chamber of commerce staff wanders the waterfront, dropping sandwich bags full of quarters and containing a “weighted invitation” to participate into every boat they can find in order to contact and attract parade participants.

Last year, the Preview Party and After Party were both at Mine Oyster, a popular waterfront restaurant. To spread the fun this year, the latter party, with free admission and a cash bar, will be held at a second location TBA. Both winning boat captains and Gardens Aglow Lighting Contest winners are announced during this event.

17 • MAINE SENIORS

“Last year, it gave residents, business owners and the entire community a license to become children again,” said Inness Royall, noting that the residential and business lighting competitions, “got people very, very excited about putting on a display. People got very creative! You couldn’t help but get into the Christmas spirit. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen.”

SPECIAL • Holiday Spirit

Revelers in ugly Christmas sweaters schmooze with costumed characters while waiting for Santa's arrival.

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The fun is far from over, however. Visitors can watch fireworks over the harbor on Friday, December 8. By the second Saturday of December, the Boothbay Railway Village is running its North Pole Express, which whisks passengers away for a visit with Santa.

And December 15 to 17 is billed as Gingerbread Spectacular Weekend. On Friday evening, the gala Dough Ball Preview Party at the Opera House allows guests to be the first to see all of the confectionary creations entered into the annual gingerbread house competition while also enjoying jazz, nibbles, and a cash bar. Dress is anything from casual to the season’s finest.

Gingerbread houses (and cabins, castles, lighthouses) remain on display for the public throughout the weekend. Professional bakers, amateurs, and school children compete for prizes in categories such as Most Ingredients Used, Most Obsessive Compulsive and, of course, Best Holiday Spirit.

“When people feel like a community is connected, it makes them feel good, and I think people will feel that in the Boothbay region,” said Inness Royall.“If you’ve been longing to feel the Christmas spirit, you can find it here.”

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19 • MAINE SENIORS

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PRIME MOVER • Sosman Center Paul Trommer and Chris Parrish

Sosman Center

BY SHELAGH TALBOT

Chris Parrish, 40-ish, is a wonderfully warm and nurturing individual – quick with a hug and a smile and boatloads of empathy.

H

er interest in, and advocacy for, cancer patients has earned her many accolades including the most recent prestigious Amanda Dempsey award. Paul Trommer, in his early seventies, is a successful businessman with years of experience. His success could be traced to his attitude—all efficiency and “let’s get ‘er done”. How on earth did these two very different people come together in life and agree on the same subject? The answer is cancer—specifically pancreatic cancer. Chris is living with the disease—she has been at it for an astounding nine years. Paul, on the other hand, lost his beautiful and vibrant wife to the same thing a little over a year ago.

The subject they agree on and are endlessly passionate about is creating a hub and haven for caregivers and patients. The two met many times at Tim Horton’s in Brewer to hash out possibilities. “It was sort of our little office for a time,” quipped Paul. After much discussion, they agreed on the need for a physical place. “It’s hard on people when they bring their loved ones for treatment. I’ve seen‘that look’ on many people’s faces—a mix of concern, fear and confusion. We thought about how nice it would be if they had a comfortable place to wait and that was

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patients are treated daily, and hundreds of caregivers come and go, numbly wondering what to do with the downtime as they wait. That’s where the Sosman Center comes in.

When Chris and Paul first met, he was trying to put his life back together after losing Barbara. He discovered the Purple Iris Foundation Chris had founded after defying a six-month death sentence when first diagnosed. “I felt like I was dying,” she said (indeed she was). After a series of treatments at the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Chicago, she was able to resume her life. “But, you don’t know what to expect,” she added.“There’s not much information and you have to become your own advocate. So I came up with this idea about creating a center.”

“It’s brilliant!” Paul concurred.“When Barbara was assigned an oncologist, and we showed up for the first appointment, she had

www.unclehenrys.com 207-623-1411 the basis of the idea for the Barbara Sosman Support Center— naming it after my wife was Chris’s idea, as was the idea for the center itself,” he added, his voice husky with emotion.

And, it’s becoming a reality. We sat together in the new space (for the time being located at a former rope-climbing and zip-line facility in Brewer) and chatted about their experiences leading up to its inception.

Eight years ago the Lafayette Center opened as Eastern Maine Medical Center’s state-of-the-art cancer facility. Located in Brewer, it is“equipped with the most advanced cancer treatment technologies in northern New England as well as private and shared sunlit treatment spaces, where families are invited to join their loved ones receiving treatment.” However, these treatment sessions can last many hours over many months and be exhausting to both patient and caregiver. Hundreds of

23 • MAINE SENIORS

PRIME MOVER • Sosman Center

blood drawn. Then we met with the oncologist and proceeded to a tiny room for an infusion treatment. For Barbara it was about three hours of chemistry and then we were sent home.

We really didn’t have anyone to talk to due to confidentiality concerns. Frankly, we did not know what to expect. Even though Barbara had no trouble researching pancreatic cancer, it would have been wonderful to interact with people going through a similar thing. Then I met Chris and she spoke of her dream for a place to help those coping with cancer.”

Chris smiled at Paul. “Networking,” she emphasized. “These lines of communication can bond you with others who are in a similar place. The cancer world can be very disjointed; at least that has been my experience. I hope we can all get on the same page and be an actual community. We hope that by creating

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HOLIDAY 2017 • 2 4

PRIME MOVER Center interior

Barbara Sosman

“The part missing for people is a place for downtime, which the Sosman Center addresses,”

25 • MAINE SENIORS

this haven for caregivers, patients and their families we provide that critical networking experience for people coming to the Lafayette Center for treatment.”

As we lounged on wonderfully comfy leather couches, Paul and Chris looked over blueprints for redesigning the interior of the building. There will be a room for various therapies and counseling, nooks for privacy, a kitchen area and a wall packed with informative pamphlets and contacts. The space, with its honeyed knotty pine paneling was warm and inviting. Paul plans to add a fireplace to increase the “cozy” factor.

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Sarah Stewart, an oncology massage therapist, is thrilled about Chris’s idea.“I am very excited about the creation of the Sosman Center,” she said. “It’s wonderful and so very much needed! It will showcase many options for people to access when they visit, including the oncology massage for patients I will be offering.”

“This is spectacular for our community,” agreed Maryanne Dunham, RN. She has forty years experience in the nursing field, working with cancer patients.“The part missing for people is a place for downtime, which the Sosman Center addresses,” she said.“It’s like a cancer free environment —a place away from treatment where one can relax, maybe do a little research, or interact with others going through the same thing. I see people every day who could benefit immensely.”

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Allen L’Italien, Executive Director of Cancer Care of Maine/ EMMC Cancer Care has also endorsed this wonderful project: “The concept of having an education and support center for cancer patients and their families is one of those enterprises that will make a meaningful difference,” he wrote.

“This region needs a ‘safe zone’ where support groups can meet and discuss the many dynamics of the diagnosis as well as receive encouragement, accurate information, support services, survivor support, specialized exercise classes, nutrition training, cosmetic support, emotional support and on and on. Most important is having this provided in a familiar non-clinical and non-threatening space… The Barbara Sosman Support Center will touch many individuals in a healing manner that cannot be replicated by doctors and nurses.”

Since we are now in the season of goodwill and of giving, what better organization to support than this one? Funds are needed and in the process, you will make such difference in so many

Since we are now in the season of goodwill and of giving, what better organization to support than this one? Funds are needed and in the process, you will make such

difference in so many lives.

lives. Contributions may be made directly to the Sosman Center at www.sosmancenter.com, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

Call them at (207) 942-0058 for information, or write P.O. Box 2035, Bangor, ME. 04402-2035. Check them out on Facebook to see photographs and keep up with the latest news. Best of all—watch for the Grand Opening!

MSM

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The Sosman Center Cancer Patients & Caregivers - This is for you! ● Relax, have coffee and meet others in similar situations ● Research and explore various support therapies and services offered

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Providing a non-clinical sanctuary – This is your living room!

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27 • MAINE SENIORS

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Lessons Learned AT THE HOLIDAYS FROM OUR PETS

BY DR. LEN KAYE

In the spirit of nontraditional holiday stories, I want to share the hopeful lessons learned from the small menagerie of dogs (Sebastian and Lucy) and cats (Olivia) that comprise the Kaye-Walsh household.

A

s you may know from reading Sage Lens, Dyan and I lost our much loved Scottish Terrier, Ramsey, about a year ago to kidney failure. Approximately six months ago, we adopted Lucy, a rescue Miniature Schnauzer from Louisiana, and that is where this month’s story of hope commences.

Lucy, from day one, proved to be a tyrant who ruled the household with an iron fist. She is, I have to say, one of the most jealous little dogs I have ever known. If she could, I believe she would totally monopolize our time and attention. God forbid, Olivia or Sebastian should ask for a little lap time or belly scratching. Lucy would go bonkers, with a low growl under 29 • MAINE SENIORS

simply because Olivia decided she wanted to sit on Dyan’s lap or Sebastian suddenly had the urge to lie down next to me while I read the paper. And don’t even ask what transpired when popcorn was shared with the dogs on movie night. If Sebastian got even one piece above and beyond his allotted ration, all hell would break loose.

Lucy, from day one, proved to be a tyrant who ruled the household with an iron fist. She is, I have to say, one of the most jealous little dogs I have ever known.

her breath and with disdain in her eyes. All 11 pounds of her made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that she was destined to run things sitting at the top of the pecking order even though she was the newcomer. Was she possessive, resentful, demanding, and envious? You betcha. Goodness, Dyan couldn’t even give me a hug or a playful slap on the back without Lucy getting all upset and bothered. Talk about possessiveness.

In a world seemingly full of hate, inhumanity, and division, Lucy’s behavior and relationship to her fellow pets in the household seemed to epitomize the difficulties surfacing across the globe.

Skirmishes breaking out at any point in time could be expected

Well this went on for months. There was considerable stress and strain and significant measures of discontent in the household.

Everyone seemed to walk around on pins and needles. But days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, and somehow everyone survived and life went on. Sebastian even began to stand up for himself, so unlike his normally passive behavior and even though he is probably twice the size of Lucy. And, Olivia, who still has her claws, no doubt slashed Lucy once or twice when she had had about as much as she could take. That, combined with daily correction by Dyan and me whenever we saw a scuffle ensuing or Lucy growling for no justifiable reason, finally seemed to begin to have an impact. Could it be that the pack was beginning to coalesce?

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What a difference a few months can make. Modeling good behavior and correcting bad behavior can, if repeated often enough and conducted with enough consistency, be influential.

Establishing the rules of the house and underscoring the overriding importance of fairness, decorum, and nonviolence has actually paid off.

Now, I am not suggesting that little Lucy has turned from sour to sweet nor been transformed into a caring and trusting buddy for Sebastian and Olivia. Nor would Sebastian likely call Lucy his best friend or Olivia be inclined to lick Lucy clean as she does on a frequent basis in the case of Sebastian. But, listen to this...the three of them have finally learned to coexist. How do I know? Well, several cases in point. Lucy and Sebastian will now team up, present a united front, and even defend each other if threatened by another dog in the neighborhood.

Popcorn night is now much more peaceful than it used to be with each dog accepting the fact that the total allotment of those yummy popped kernels needs to be shared between the two of them. And, now, all three animals can even be scratched and rubbed at the same time without turmoil arising because Lucy has flipped out.

And, this new found relative peacefulness in the household is beautifully timed since it is surfacing as the holidays approach.

That is a pretty nice gift to receive in our house. And it will no doubt make visits with the animals to and from relatives and friends over for Thanksgiving and Christmas all the more peaceful and pleasant.

Don’t believe me?—just take a look at the photo attached to this month’s column. That’s right, you are seeing the real deal—all three animals, occupying the same space on Dyan’s lap without animosity, resentment, and distrust. Well, at least, whatever jealously still remains is being held in check and who can ask for more in this day and age.

Are there lessons to be learned in terms of addressing the turmoil, anger, and injustice in today’s world? My naive self would like to think there are.

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31 • MAINE SENIORS

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Ban the "Wow"

BY WALDO CLARK

I stared at the letter, a bold red URGENT stamped diagonally across it..

T

he International World Writers Word Court in Brussels Belgium had summoned me to appear before them. I’d screwed up.

Two weeks later, I stood before the Supreme Judge. Wasting no time, he leaned forward, neck-straining, and looked down. His eyes bore through me. In a stern, authoritative voice, he said,“Mr. Clark, you’re a wordsmith; in fact, our records show that you’re a student of etymology (the study of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history). To make matters worse, you pen a popular column in the Maine Seniors magazine called Just Pondering. You should know better than to use this deplorable word.” He sat back and folded his arms.

Duly admonished, I nodded, hung my head, collected my thoughts, and responded. “But your Most Supreme, I only use that word in every day conversation, harmless chit-chat, not in my writing.”

The Judge put a hand to his chin and shook his head from side to side. “I understand that, Mr. Clark. However, we’ve seen numerous cases where uttering this word in conversation

33 • MAINE SENIORS

soon creeps into columnists’ writing. That said, I’ll show some leniency here. I’m issuing a severe warning, don’t refer to the word, WOW, ever again.” He paused. “If you do, you’ll find yourself sentenced to our Overused Word Jail.”

I stumbled backward like I was avoiding dog poop, so nervous, that I blurted out, “OH, WOW.” The Judge smacked his right hand against his forehead and pointed towards the sturdy oak doors. I skedaddled, some quick.

Back home, I grabbed my Waldo Word Folder and erased WOW with my #2 pencil. I had no quarrel with the Judge.

WOW’s a lazy, boring, dull, gag-worthy word. It’s an ear pollutant, a ho-hum head-snapping snoozer. It underperforms.

Many overused words appear

destined for Wordland’s Outhouse, word whoppers such as game-

changer, icon, awesome, amazing, and absolutely.

When I say WOW, my inner instincts yell OUCH; when others say it, I GROAN. It reminds me of these responses: “Holy mackerel, holy moly, holy cow.” You see, this word requires no thought whatsoever.

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A Jezebel magazine article titled, “The 5 most overused expressions on the Internet” said about WOW,‘One of the most annoying phrases in Internet history.’” A Mag for Women piece titled,“10 overused words which you must avoid using,” selected WOW #9.

One night, I watched the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC. She caught herself saying WOW and said, “Oops, I’m not supposed to say that on TV.” Good for her!

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Many other overused words appear destined for Wordland’s Outhouse, word whoppers such as game-changer, icon, awesome, amazing, and absolutely. Say, how about politicians starting each sentence with“Look.” It’s nauseating. A Huffpost online column led with,“Look, stop saying Look.”

And another that drives me bonkers, “Embolden.” TV commentators latched on to this like kids licking cotton candy.

I traced its origins back to Old West movies. Sallie Mae removes her sweat-stained bonnet and thanks the frontier doctor for pulling an arrow out of Zeb’s backside.“I’m embolden to you, sir.”

Naturally, all those protesters of change, those town criers of complacency, will mock me and suggest that I’m a word coward.

Well, I’ll respond that this word merchant possesses the write stuff, followed up with a big fat, WOW. Oops!

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HOLIDAY 2017 • 3 4

LEGACY

Annual Gifting It’s Better to Give AND Receive.

Bert Languet

Whether it is gifting to family or to a charity, the first question is, what is the purpose?

Are there strings attached to the gift?

W

hat’s important about this gift to you? Who will it effect and how will it affect them? Once you know the why and the who, then you can concentrate on the how and the what to gift. There are different rules for giving to individuals and charities. Just make sure that you have considered your own financial situation before you commit to giving your assets away.

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The who and the why: What are you trying to accomplish?

There are many reasons that you may want to gift assets to your family members or even friends. It can be to fund a college education, assist in buying a home, create long or short term financial security, retirement planning, or one of many other goals. While many people wait to leave funds in their wills, others seek to make a difference while they are alive and can see the gift in action. In many cases it can help the donor get a feeling of how the person can handle money and may direct how funds are given through their wills.

35 • MAINE SENIORS

Wishing you the very best.

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LEGACY

For a charity, the gifts can be part of an annual gifting campaign to provide ongoing support, part of a funding drive for a major capital project, such as a new building, or to create an endowment that provides stability to the charity. Before committing, make sure that you know why you are giving and what you expect the charity to do with the funds. If you do have stipulations, then make sure you communicate those in advance to the charity and that they will comply with your wishes.

and then after January 1, another $56,000 for a total of $112,000 within a very short time. A gift can exceed the $14,000 limit and not be taxable, however you would need to file an IRS Form 709 and the excess above the $14,000 would be used against the lifetime exclusion amount of $5,490,000. In other words, everyone can exclude $5,490,000 in 2017 from having to pay estate taxes. With proper planning, a couple can have an estate of $10,980,000 or less and not pay any estate taxes.

The Rules

There are ways for you to give money to an individual that do not trigger the $14,000 limit. You can pay for medical, dental, or tuition expenses and not be subject to the $14,000 limit or filing rules. For dental or medical expenses, the payments are not subject to the gifting limits if the recipient or donor is not reimbursed by medical insurance. If paying directly to a college or university, then you should be careful that this does not affect any financial aid that the student is receiving.

In 2017 you can gift $14,000 to any individual and not have to inform the IRS. For a married couple, the exclusion of the combined amount is $28,000. If a husband and wife agree to give their child and the child’s spouse the maximum gift possible without having to notify the IRS, the amount is $56,000 per year.

If the goal is to maximize the gift to the child and spouse as soon as possible, the gift could be as much as $56,000 in December

HOLIDAY 2017 • 3 6

LEGACY

You may deduct charitable contributions of money or property made to qualified organizations if you itemize your deductions.

Generally, the deduction is up to 50 percent of your adjusted gross income for cash contributions and 30 percent for appreciated securities. Donations to foundations are limited to 30 percent and 20 percent respectively. Deductions in excess of your adjusted gross income can be carried forward up to five years.

The Protecting Americans From Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015 made“qualifying charitable distributions” from traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs permanent. This allows an individual to direct from the IRA trustee a contribution to the qualifying charitable organization with no intervening possession by the IRA owner who is at least 70 ½ years of age up to $100,000, avoiding the potential to trigger the 50 percent of the Adjusted 37 • MAINE SENIORS

Gross Income (AGI) limit. The transfer can satisfy the donors Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) for the tax year as well.

The What

In most cases for gifts under the $14,000 limit, you will give cash assets. If giving non-cash assets such as property or stock, you and the donee need to examine any tax implications. If the stock or property has a loss, then it may be more beneficial for you to sell the asset and take the loss before passing the gift as cash to the recipient. In some situations, you may pass an appreciated asset to the donee and let them sell the gift if the donee is in a lower tax bracket, thus getting more funds to the recipient after taxes.

When giving to a charity, it is often beneficial to give appreciated assets such as stock, artwork, or property and let the charity sell

LEGACY

the asset, as they will not pay taxes on the capital gains. Smaller gifts are often in the form of cash as it is more convenient.

The How

Other than directly giving cash or assets, what are some ways to give funds to individuals or charities?

529 Plan: These are college savings plans that grow tax deferred.

The gains are tax free if used for qualified secondary education expenses. A donor can contribute up to five years per beneficiary ($70,000 upfront) with no more contributions allowed for the following five years. There is a total contribution limit of $425,000 in Maine. Possible conflicts with financial aid from other sources need to be considered.

UTMA/UGMA accounts: These are custodial accounts with an adult appointed to act as a custodian. The custodian has the power to invest and withdraw funds for the benefit and support of the child. The money cannot be used to pay for items considered support obligations of the parent. Any income used for the child’s support could be counted as taxable income to the parent. At the age of majority – between 18 and 25 depending upon the state—the child gets full control of the account.

Trusts, revocable or irrevocable: A revocable trust is one in which you can change the terms and an irrevocable trust is one in which you transfer the ownership of the property and cannot make changes once established. An irrevocable trust allows you to appoint a trustee and specify the terms of the trust, but you do not directly have control over the assets. Trusts can be established to control funds for special needs individuals and/ or folks who need help handling money, so called Spendthrift Trusts.

Donor Advised Fund: With this fund, you can donate cash, stocks, or other assets and then decide where the money goes later while getting the deduction today. The fund is managed specifically to allow you to later direct to which charities you want funds sent.

Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT): In this type of trust, an individual establishes a trust and names a charity as the beneficiary. Once the trust is funded, the assets are typically

converted to income producing assets if not currently allocated in that manner. An example would be a piece of property that is sold, and the cash is used to purchase a portfolio of stocks and bonds that will generate a stream of income and dividends. You receive a tax deduction in the year of the gift. The CRT must distribute at least five percent of its initial value each year. You decide who gets the income and for how long. The income can go to yourself and/or your spouse and ceases upon the second death at which time the remaining assets pass to the charity.

Charitable Gift Annuities: With this type of annuity, you donate an asset to a specific charity, and it becomes an irrevocable gift. The funds become part of the general fund of the charity. In exchange for your donation, the charity makes payments to you for life, and when you die, the charity keeps the remaining funds and the payments cease. Part of your donation is tax deductible and part of your income is tax free. Always speak with a trusted tax advisor to fully understand how your gift will impact your taxes and lifestyle.

Before considering making a gift to individuals or a charity, first consider your own financial situation. Will this gift or gifts detract from your own lifestyle? What is the best way to leverage the gifts for the most impact to the receivers? Discuss the potential gifts with your CPA, financial planner, and or attorney to come up with a plan that assists your intended recipient(s) and makes the most financial sense for you.

MSM Bert Languet, CFP® is an LPL Financial Advisor who works with Maine seniors, business owners, and nonprofit organizations. Bert is Vice President of Golden Pond Wealth Management and has been assisting clients for 24 years. He can be reached at 1-800-897-1338 or bert@goldenpondwealth.com The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

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.

HOLIDAY 2017 • 3 8

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Thoughts

to Ponder

"At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year. "

"At Christmas, all roads lead home."

—Marjorie Holmes

—Thomas Tusser "Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home! " —Charles Dickens

"One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly. " —Andy Rooney "I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included. "

I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

"Mail your packages early so the post office can lose them in time for Christmas."

—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

—Johnny Carson

"He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree."

"Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won't make it 'white'."

—Roy L. Smith

39 • MAINE SENIORS

—Bernard Manning

—Bing Crosby

MERRY CHRISTMAS

"What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace."

—Agnes M. Pahro “Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?

—Clarence the Angel on It’s A Wonderful Life

HOLIDAY 2017 • 4 0

Creative Policing:

Keeping Holiday Shoppers Safe

BY JANE MARGESSON

This is the season many of us look forward to the most!

W

You’ll getatmore You’ll get more 304!at 304

e get together with friends and family, send holiday cards to relatives around the world by mail or email, and likely buy a gift or two for our loved ones, colleagues, and associates.

While there is nothing quite like going into a local shop to purchase the perfect present, the Internet marketplace is booming. There is very little you cannot find online; and it can be fun to peruse favorite websites for sales and new items. Even at this time of year, most vendors are quite accommodating about ensuring you get your packages on time through multiple mail services. Easy!

Some consumers prefer another alternative: To buy or sell items online and then meet the buyer or seller locally to seal the deal.

While most of these exchanges are completed without any difficultly, many individuals feel nervous about meeting a total stranger to swap a purchased product for cash or a check.

41 • MAINE SENIORS

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THE MAINE POINT  I recently heard of several police departments in Maine that have taken this situation very seriously in an effort to reduce the potential for scams and other crimes. Marc Hagan is currently serving as the Chief of Police in Lisbon, but when he was the Patrol Commander at the Brunswick Police Department, Chief Hagan learned of a police practice in another state and decided to give it a try here in Maine. He set up two designated spaces in the Brunswick Police Department parking lot that are clearly marked “Internet Purchase Exchange Location.” The signs also specify that the spaces are under video surveillance.

May Your Holidays Be Filled With Health, Wealth and Happiness

“At the time I knew of numerous people who were both selling and making purchases via online sites and other online yard sales,” Chief Hagan explained to me. “Many of these individuals were nervous about meeting with complete strangers in potentially unsafe areas to complete a sale. I also knew of people who were interested in making purchases but hesitated due to the safety factor. It seemed like a perfect idea for Brunswick PD to create a safe location to help the public.”

Chief Hagan reports that feedback from the community was “tremendous” with no negative comments whatsoever.

Community members have been able to complete their exchange of goods and payments in a safe location thanks to this initiative.

What a wonderful way to marry the online world with a brickand-mortar solution to keeping consumers safe!

Chief Hagan and Commander Mark Waltz, currently with the Brunswick PD and a champion of scam and fraud prevention, remind consumers that it is important to be discerning when shopping or sharing information online. This includes the amount of personal information one offers through social media, dating sites and other online activities. “Beware what you share” has become an oft-used motto and it is good advice to remember.

As part of the traditions we enjoy celebrating each year, let’s continue working together on age-friendly initiatives just like this creative security practice already underway at many police departments in Maine. Check with your own local department to see if they have a designated safe space for online purchase exchanges.

Happy holidays to all of our Maine Seniors Magazine readers and their families!

MSM

207-873-2200 www.goldenpondwealth.com Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC HOLIDAY 2017 • 4 2

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Helen Rundell making finishing touches

The Tools of Her Trade: Paint Brushes and Garden Hoes •

Look at a map of Hancock County and note

that the towns of Sedgwick and Brooklin are separated by a brook that serves as their common boundary; the brook flows to the northeast into Salt Pond, thence into Blue Hill Harbor.

T

here’s an interesting country home site bordering the Brooklin side of that brook, fronting on the south side of Hale’s Hill Road. The house is set back almost out of sight from the road, since the large front yard is filled with a myriad of fruit trees and flowering shrubs.

A small sign, ‘Fresh Eggs, $3 dozen’, is set beside the entrance drive. There’s a larger sign in the center of the front yard: Helen Rundell Studio Realistic landscapes in oils, lithographs and etchings Golf art • Open when we’re home 43 • MAINE SENIORS

BY JOHN FRAWLEY

Curious? Turn into the driveway almost any day between ice out in the spring and Thanksgiving, and you’ll most likely find an elder couple hard at work—planting, watering, weeding, or harvesting, depending on the time of year of your visit. You’ll see another two plus acres extending to the rear of the house, also filled with gardens and orchards, containing dozens of varieties of vegetables, fruit trees, grape arbors, flowers, as well as chicken coops, and a sheep pasture. All are maintained by this active couple.

You’ll probably first be greeted by Jesse, a friendly black Labrador retriever mix, or Bumper, a Yorkie mix, both rescue dogs. Their owners will not be far behind—a woman known locally as Willow Runningwater, also known nationally as Helen Rundell, age 82, and her husband of three years, Alan Pooley, age 78.

You’ll most likely be invited into their home, with its large open kitchen and living room area. It opens into a greenhouse on the south side which contains more flowers, but is now mostly

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

You’ll detect a trace of a New York accent when Willow speaks, despite her having lived in this country home for the past 28 years. stacked full of firewood to heat the house during the coming winter months. On the north side of a central hall, there’s a gallery of Willow’s artwork, which will keep you occupied for hours if you’re a lover of fine art.

You’ll detect a trace of a New York accent when Willow speaks, despite her having lived in this country home for the past 28 years. Born in Baldwin, Long Island in 1935 to Latvian parents, it became obvious to her family that at an early age she had a Harvest Time

HOLIDAY 2017 • 4 4

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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RossManor Assisted Living Skilled Rehabilitation Nursing Services Outpatient Services natural talent for painting. Self-taught, she began a life-long career in art in her teens, which continues to this day, painting under the name of Helen Rundell, her name in her younger years. Her talent is extraordinary, and her resume incredible, summarized as follows: • State of the Art Technology • Outpatient Rehab • Expansive Occupational Therapy Kitchen • Newly Equipped Physical Therapy Gym

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Her works may be found in over 300 fine art galleries throughout the United States, Japan, and Australia, and in 22 American embassies, including Cairo, Helsinki, Paris, and Geneva; in the Smithsonian Institute; the Nelson Rockefeller Collection; the National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C.; and the National Military Academy at West Point.

Another phase of her artistic life in the mid-80’s focused on golf course art, capturing the beauty of many famous golf courses, including Augusta National, Hilton Head, Harbour Town, and Pebble Beach. As an expert in the art of lithography, she reproduced her golf paintings as high-quality prints, often signed by famous players such as Sam Snead, Byron Nelson,

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Time and Tide

by Helen Rundell

Arnold Palmer, and other legends of the game. Many of her prints are in their private collections, including those of Snead, Nelson, Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, Tom Kite, Ray Floyd, and former President Gerald Ford. She’s done portraits of many famous golfers, including Arnold Palmer’s farewell at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland, and another of Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in Ryder Cup competition.

Tired of the hectic city life, in 1989 she and her late husband, Jim Walker, a playwright, acquired the Brooklin property, consisting of 8 acres and an existing barn, which they restored and converted into this fine country home. They continued their individual professions, but over the years, increasing time was devoted to their Maine home. Jim passed away in 2010, but Willow stayed on, held by a permanent love of Maine, with all its natural beauty, and down-to-earth neighbors.

She’s still very active in the art world, ascending most evenings into her second floor studio, the quiet realm of Helen Rundell,

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where she becomes absorbed in her painting. Her love of the Maine scene results in landscapes of all seasons, and seascapes of the Maine coast. Her latest painting, entitled Summer Surf, captures a moment of unique beauty at Schoodic Point. For a change of pace, she occasionally does still life paintings, often flower arrangements on exquisite tapestries.

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Willow’s attention to intimate detail is extraordinary; she once said “I don’t endure the arduous task of applying detail, I enjoy it.” Whether it’s worn granite cobbles on the Schoodic shoreline, or delicate flower petals and intricate tapestries in her still life paintings, that detail is evident. She still does a half-dozen or more paintings a year, which go up for sale in the Bayview Gallery, located at 58 Maine Street in Brunswick. You can view her current inventory on their website, bayviewgallery.com.

West Branch, Penobscot River

by Helen Rundell

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

As a leisure sideline, she enjoys writing, both fiction and nonfiction, and for many years has hosted a small monthly writing group, under the tutelage of writer Cynthia Rainfrette-Barlow of Lincolnville.

Willow met Alan Pooley in 2011, a college academic with a doctorate in Biology, whose career specialty at Yale and Rutgers was scanning electron microscope work. He is an expert mariner, having sailed the waters of the Bay of Fundy and Maine for many years. Realizing that they shared the same love of the area, they married in 2014. They have since been a team, both in the care of the home and its many gardens, but also in their leisure time activities… photo excursions, Scottish country dance lessons,

camping trips in the northern Maine woods, or longer trips to Newfoundland and Labrador to view icebergs!

But now, the crops have been harvested, the canning is about done, the root cellar and freezers are almost full, and it’s ‘batten down the hatches’ time – finish getting the half-dozen cords of wood stacked under cover, attend a few neighborhood holiday parties, and prepare a canvas for her next painting. What’ll it be…maybe a fall foliage scene?

MSM For more information, visit Bayview Gallery at 58 Maine Street Brunswick, Maine 04011 800-244-3007 or online at www.bayviewgallery.com or by emailing susan@bayviewgallery.com.

Summer Surf

by Helen Rundell

HOLIDAY 2017 • 4 8

A LOOK BACK

The

Howdy Doody Show

BY CLYDE TARR

An off-camera voice rings out, “Say, kids, what time is it?” And from all the young ones in the Peanut Gallery comes the quick response, “It’s Howdy Doody time!”

S

o began every episode of The Howdy Doody Show, which aired from 1947 to 1960, one of the longestrunning regular television programs, and the first to record more than two thousand episodes. Along the way, it earned two Emmy Award nominations, and was also the first regular program that NBC aired in color.

Bob Smith created the character of Howdy Doody when he was a radio announcer, and when the two made a special appearance on television’s Puppet Playhouse in December of 1947, the reception was so great that NBC went to work immediately to develop the show. It took place in Doodyville, a circus-like town populated by both human and puppet inhabitants. Smith took the name of Buffalo Bob, in part as an homage to the then-popular western heritage (he always wore a fringed-buckskin cowboy outfit), but also because he hailed from Buffalo, New York.

49 • MAINE SENIORS

Originally aired on Saturday mornings, Howdy Doody eventually went on to become a five-day-a-week show, Monday through Friday. Typically, the half hour would feature visits from any of the town’s residents, a short skit or film, and a song or two, as Buffalo Bob had previously been in singing groups on radio. He’d been in one such group with Bob Keeshan, who played the first Clarabell, and later went on to fame and acclaim in his own right as Captain Kangaroo, another long-running children’s television program. Clarabell was mute, and communicated by honking horns that were attached to his belt; he also occasionally squirted seltzer, to emphasize things a bit.

A LOOK BACK

Buffalo Bob had a Maine connection, and now and then a photo of him would appear in the Bangor Daily News, as he was going through town on his way to or from his camp at

Grand Lake Stream.

He broke character only once, in the final episode, Clarabell’s Surprise, by uttering the program’s final words: “Goodbye, kids.”

Howdy, a string-operated marionette, was a cowpoke, too, dressed in jeans and boots, with a kerchief drawn around his neck. Bob sometimes voiced the character, but when both were on-screen together, an off-camera voice served as Howdy.

Later in the show’s life, separate voices were used consistently.

Howdy was a red-headed, All-American boy with freckles on his cheeks—48 of them, one for each state (at the time) in the union.

Buffalo Bob had a Maine connection, as it happened, and now and then a photo of him would appear in the Bangor Daily News, as he was going through town on his way to or from his camp at Grand Lake Stream. He also owned two radio stations for a period, one in Calais and another in Millinocket, and would visit them from time to time.

Watching an old episode of Howdy Doody on You Tube, one is struck by how primitive television was in its early years. The props, the set, the jittery camera movement are all testament to the rather rudimentary technology of the day. Still, the kids in the Peanut Gallery and in living rooms all over America reveled in the exploits of Buffalo Bob and Howdy Doody, two of the country’s most-loved cowboys. Some of us even now would love to hear that off-camera voice, calling to us, “Say, kids, what time is it?”

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Some of the puppet characters we older readers might recall include, in addition to Howdy, Phineas T. Bluster, the town’s mayor, cheapskate, and a perpetual frustration to Howdy; and Flub-a-Dub, a combination of eight animals. Human characters, in addition to Buffalo Bob and Clarabell, included Chief Thunderdud, J. Cornelius Cobb, and Sir Archibald. Princess Summerfall Winterspring was introduced as a puppet, later played by the actress Judy Tyler, then re-introduced as a marionette.

At commercial time, Bob would simply segue smoothly to a topic related to the product being advertised, then saunter to a nearby table, where samples were on display. It might be a Hostess Snowball cake, cut in half to reveal the layers of coconut, marshmallow, chocolate cake, and the creamy center. Or it could be a bowl of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies; I think I first heard the Snap! Crackle! Pop! jingle on the Howdy show. Bob knew the power of advertising, I think, and he knew his audience; his market was a strong one, too.

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HERE, THERE & Everywhere Suguaro Catalina State Park March 2016

Maine Snowbirds FLOCK to ARIZONA

BY AVERY HUNT

The definition of “snowbirds” in Maine is quite simple: people who live here most of the time, but fly off (or drive their RV’s) somewhere warm to escape our wicked winters.

W

hile there are plenty of statistics on tourists who come here each year (over 35 million in 2016 according to the Maine Office of Tourism), there are no hard numbers on how many snowbirds go the other way each winter. Since Maine’s total population is about 1.4 million, take a guess. We do know that a whole lot of folks head south before the snow flies, and most flock to Florida. No surprise there. What is a surprise is that some Mainers are heading for Arizona instead, specifically the Tucson area.

Why the high southwest desert instead of the warm Florida shores? Traffic for one thing. Parts of Florida become a virtual

51 • MAINE SENIORS

parking lot in the winter months, while southern Arizona traffic, clearly heavier with the winter influx of snowbirds, is still easygoing. Although water admittedly is at a premium – hardly any lakes, certainly no beachfront, and few palm trees – the desert has its own special charms. For one, the weather is consistently perfect: warm and sunny days and cool nights. The sunsets against the mountain backdrops are sensational. The air is clear and the night skies are so choked with dazzling stars it seems you can almost touch them. And the desert landscape is breathtaking.

Geologically, Tucson is part of the Sonora Desert, a unique environment that is home to the majestic and iconic Saguaro cactus. Like their smaller fellow cacti, these giants, many of them hundreds of years old, need very little water and survive on what they get during the rainy (summer) season.

The Tucson region is a high desert plain, surrounded by 6 rugged mountain ranges – each more majestic than the next; the Tortolinas, Santa Catalinas, Rincons, Santa Ritas, Sierritas

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desert plain, surrounded by six rugged mountain ranges, each more majestic than the next.

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and the Tucson Mountains. All offer hikes ranging from easy to seriously challenging. There are 2 national and several state parks, some with camper facilities, and well-organized nature events and miles of mapped trails. There are also quite a few RV parks catering to snowbirds.

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On the recreation front, outdoor activities abound. Tucson is crisscrossed with over a 100 miles of designated bike and walking trails, and there are doggie friendly parks everywhere.

You can play tennis outdoors all winter. If golf is your sport, there are 40-plus golf links, including Tubac Golf Resort where the movie “Tin Cup” was filmed.

Before I describe the multitude of other things to see and do, I must confess that I myself am a snowbird, and Tucson is my escape of choice; an opinion shared by many other Mainers.

Take Beth and Fred Craigie, from Lewiston, who also own a casita in Tucson. Or Gayle Brown and her husband, Joe Kantauskis, who actually met in Tucson but now divide their time between the old Ft Lowell area of Tucson and Biddeford.

Or the Guilds, Sandy and Pete, from West Bath, or Alden and Maryalyce Green from Boothbay. These are just a few of the many Mainers who do the snowbird dance.

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Beth and Fred starting coming to Tucson regularly in 2000. Since then, Fred, who is semi-retired, has been a Visiting Professor at Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. He continued online teaching from Maine in summers, and will do so again in the fall, online and on site.“In our time in Tucson, we have become really fond of the desert, the mountains, and the culturally diverse community, and it has come to feel like our second home”.

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Alden, originally from Bath, first went to Tucson in the mid-90’s to help out an old Maine friend who was running a B&B. In ’96,

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HERE, THERE & Everywhere he married Maryalyce and dragged her down there winters. For many years, the couple’s “day job” has been a thriving summer business in Boothbay Harbor -“Downeast Ice Cream”. Chances are anyone who’s visited the Harbor has tasted one of their killer home-made ice cream flavors, all lovingly concocted by Alden.

But he always hankered to get back to the desert off season, and ever since they hooked up, so does Maryalyce. Neither misses Maine winters, especially Alden who remembers the agony of traipsing through the snow at Hebron Academy, where he admits he“misspent” his youth, along with many of his long-time Maine buddies.

One of those Hebron pals is William Newall (Pete) Guild who also grew up in Bath. He spent most of his career as a naval architect in Houston and Georgia, but moved back to the family “cottage” in 2005. But the cold winters soon got under his skin, and the Guilds started taking off for Tucson each fall, renting

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Beth and Fred Craigie of Lewiston Maine

53 • MAINE SENIORS

HERE, THERE & Everywhere for a couple of months. Then they bought a condo in Rancho Vistoso, a Sun-City development, but after a while, grew tired of the various homeowner restrictions. Last year they found an adobe-style private home, and now spend at least half the year in Oro Valley, a sprawling community just north of Tucson.

Gayle and Joe’s story is a bit different. Both actually lived in Tucson prior to summering in Maine, although Joe was born and raised in Lewiston. He moved to Arizona in 1979, (“following his then girlfriend!,” says Gayle). She relocated from Massachusetts Please Review in ‘96 for a nursing job and met Joe soon afterwards. Even Client: then, Dover Audiology as Tucson residents they would vacation in Maine eachIssue: year. September 2017 iMMeDiATeLY! Email changes or approval Since both had family in New England, they opted for a summer Ad Rep: Christine Parker to your ad rep by 5 pm home there after retirement and bought a Maine cottage in 2011.

Date: August 17, 2017 tomorrow.

Thus, Gayle has a different definition of their lifestyle;“I consider us“fire birds” rather than snowbirds, as we are really escaping the intense heat of Tucson summers.”

Ad Done One couple from Southport spends Christmas to Valentine’s Processed by Production Day in Tucson every year and rave about the desert winters.“The Approved By/Date: nights are cold – sometimes into the 30’s – offset by bright sunshine Snowbirds Gayle and Joe of Biddeford Maine

OF 2

Snowbirds Sandy and Pete Guild of West Bath Maine

HOLIDAY 2017 • 5 4

HERE, THERE & Everywhere

every morning. We can see the snow on the mountains, but at a distance, where it belongs! We spend almost every day outdoors, often in t-shirts! You sure can’t do that in the dead of winter in Maine!”

Another happy snowbird has something else good to say about Tucson; “I don’t have to mow the lawn. There isn’t one!” Much of the area’s landscaping is rock and native plants, mimicking the desert itself. Since water is scarce, that’s the only sensible way to go.

As I said earlier, there is no shortage of things to do in the winter months. One senior snowbird sums it up nicely: “Tucson is a place where you can do things and stay active for long periods of time. It keeps you young”.

Alden and Maryalyce Green from Boothbay Maine at their ice cream shop in Tucson

As home to a major university (University of Arizona), there are lots of public events, many free or very low cost, ranging from academic lectures to theatre productions and musical events of all kinds. One retired Maine doctor is very taken with the winter lectures run by the Astronomy department. He adds,“of course, there are museums, symphony, art galleries, theatre – everything a big city has to offer, but Tucson is a relatively small livable city.”

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55 • MAINE SENIORS

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The Craigies enjoy the glorious leaves of a Maine fall, and stay in Tucson through the equally magnificent desert blooming season in late March.

Among the many other attractions: Kitt’s Peak, a worldrenowned astronomy center; the Biosphere; The Desert Museum; the Annual Tucson Gem show, the Rodeo (a real hoot for us Easterners); the Festival of Books, held every March at the University, drawing major writers from all over; and the Fox Theatre, which hosts big name entertainers. Google Tucson Tourist Board to get a taste of all there is to experience. Then there is the fabulous food. Tucson has become a major food destination, with plenty of restaurants to prove it -from highend to just plain funky ethnic.

Come November, after a leisurely summer and fall, filled with island hopping, hiking, swimming and visits from grandchildren,Beth and Fred enjoy the sunshine and warmth.

We now feel like we have the best of both worlds, with winters in Tucson and summers in Maine, which we will always dearly love.”

Echoes Joe:“We too look forward to returning to mild temps in Tucson in November, my favorite time of the year. Back to our nice neighborhood, with walks with the dogs, bike rides, and great restaurants. And especially no snow or ice!”

As for Pete, in defiance of his wife Sandy who’d much rather stay in Maine at least through Thanksgiving, he is itching to take off way before that. He starts packing the family SUV when the leaves are just thinking about turning. He has pulled his dock and his boats, drained the pipes and winter-proofed his house, and already headed out. “I’ve just had it with Maine winters – snow, ice, power outages, the whole shebang.” Each fall departure gets a little earlier. This year, they left on October 8th.

MSM

Many winter residents get involved in the community, supporting the symphony for instance, or as volunteers. Gayle helps with their neighborhood’s live-at-home program for the elderly, and both she and Joe are docents for “Old Fort Lowell days” - a traditional historic reenactment. Pete has been a volunteer docent at Catalina State Park for several winters. And for Beth and Fred, “it’s important for us to live in a community where there are people who share our passion for social justice, cross-cultural understanding, and peacemaking.” Among other things, they’ve been active with a shelter for asylum-seekers from Central America and a children’s hunger project.

Some snowbirds bring a bit of Maine with them. Alden for instance, couldn’t resist using his ice-cream talents. Last winter he started up another ice cream “joint” in Tucson.

Now that fall is upon us, Maine snowbirds are transitioning southward. The Craigies always hang around to enjoy the glorious leaves of a Maine fall and the great hiking weather and, conversely, stay in Tucson through “the equally magnificent desert blooming season in late March. For those of us who have lived largely in the east, it’s fascinating to see how lush and diverse the Sonoran Desert is—a magical place with unfolding beauty throughout the year.

HOLIDAY 2017 • 5 6

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Christmas: A Season of Joy and Giving

BY ELLEN L. SPOONER

As I prepared to write this column, it was snowing—large, wet flakes accumulated on the ground but not on the street for it was too warm to sustain them.

O

h, no!, it's much too early to snow, but it is definitely a harbinger of what is coming.

Across the street, a neighborhood child appeared.

She was walking down her driveway pulling a Radio Flyer and carrying a heavy garden shovel. She diligently filled the wagon with snow that covered the lawn—for a snowman, perhaps?

Then, she moved the wagon to an untouched area of the yard, dumped the snow from it and formed it into an elongated mound. As I continued to watch, my young friend lay down on her bed of snow and began to stare up at the sky. Where was my camera? Norman Rockwell would have been prepared to capture this scene--this young child delighting in the first snowfall of the season. What was she thinking about as she lay there? Then it struck me. For her, as for all young children and those young at heart, the snow was signaling the coming of the Christmas season.

57 • MAINE SENIORS

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. I remember so many past holidays with joy and some tears. My Mother loved everything about Christmas and, in our home, it was celebrated for all the right reasons. The house was always ablaze with lights and decorations—a creche on the mantel. tinsel reflecting the lights and the carefully arranged ornaments on the tree, candles in every window (even those that faced the bay so the sailors could see them Carols playing, gifts being wrapped, friends stopping to visit, midnight mass . . .

Then, there was that Christmas Eve when I was nine years old and I heard “Santa” arranging presents around the tree. I thought everything would change, but it didn’t.

As a young adult, I remember watching my own children react to that first snowfall, baking and decorating Christmas cookies, reading The Night Before Christmas and other holiday books, anticipating and then watching the annual broadcasts of Rudolph, and Frosty, and Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol—long before they were available on DVD or CD. Memories go on and on—decorating the tree, classroom parties, “singing along “ with Mitch Miller . . . the expressions on their faces on Christmas morning and overall feelings of love, joy and peace . . .

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Those days are gone now. My husband and I are alone during much of the holiday season—our children are married with families of their own but, thankfully, they are close by and we see them frequently. Nevertheless, I continue to celebrate Christmas in the same fashion. It’s not just for kids, you know ...

One of my favorite Christmas stories, perhaps my most favorite, is The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. It tells the story of a young boy who is beginning to have doubts about Santa. Having been told that only true believers can hear bells, the boy lies in bed on Christmas Eve hoping to hear the bells on Santa’s sleigh. During the night a magical train appears and whisks the boy away to the North Pole where he meets Santa. When directed by Santa to choose a gift, the boy selects a simple but beautiful sounding bell. Santa tells him, “The bell is a wonderful symbol of Christmas—as I am.” Then, he adds, “Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.” On the return train ride, the boy unknowingly loses the bell. When he awakens the next morning and realizes there is no bell, he wonders if it was all a dream. Later that morning, from amid the discarded wrapping paper and ribbons, the boy hears the sound of the bell and finds it wrapped in a small box under the tree Yes, he hears it and he believes . . . I hear the bells. Can you?

Featured Recipe SNOWBALL COOKIES INGREDIENTS:  1 cup butter, softened  8 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar  2 cups all-purpose flour  2 cups finely chopped pecans (or walnuts, cashews, etc.)  1 teaspoon vanilla extract DIRECTIONS: 1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.

2. Roll into small balls and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

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A simple gift with so much significance for it reminds us that Christmas is about giving—not lavish, expensive gifts but those given from the heart to those we love or those who need.

Small packages filled with home-made treats make perfect gifts for family members, friends, and people who are no longer able to cook for themselves. Using the decorated bags, boxes, or tins that are available in many stores at this time of year makes your gifts look more festive. One additional note: If your gifts include more than one kind of treat, use individual bags to separate them. If not, they all begin to taste the same after a few days.

Don’t try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to making Christmas goodies to give as gifts. Many of the old standards require just a few ingredients, can be prepared well ahead of time, and are always a welcomed surprise. Here is one

MSM to consider.

HOLIDAY 2017 • 5 8

SPECIAL

The Christmas Tree

BY PAUL WEEKS

December’s first week brought a cold snap.

The leaves were gone. The ground was bare and frosty. Nature was lying in wait to see what might come next.

D

ad came home from work. He told me that he and I were going to my grandparents’ on Saturday to get a Christmas tree.

We made the trip to my grandparents’ about once a month. My mother would come unless there was “men’s work” scheduled. It was an hour’s drive. My father had several routes he liked to take, and I had memorized them all.

I loved to visit my grandparents because they had a general store.

I loved that store. It was one large room, with Gulf gas pumps out front and a soda cooler and meat counter in the rear. One back corner was closed off for the Post Office—Grampa was the village postmaster. The counter in the center had candy 59 • MAINE SENIORS

and cigarette displays, but it was dominated by an ornate, brass cash register that would “r-r-r-i-n-g!…” every sale, its pure bell resonating through the store.

Grampa let me have a couple penny candies from the counter.

Then he led me up the back stairs to kitchen where he asked Gramma to cover the store while he, my dad, and I went out to find the Christmas trees. We had to get three: one for our living room, one for my grandparents, and a smaller one for the display window in the front of the store.

We all got in my father’s car. He drove us to Grampa’s wood lot a mile or so from the village. He pulled over in front of the scoot road that led into the lot. We got out. Grampa had an ax, Dad had a saw, and I had some small clippers my dad handed to me.

As I tagged along, I heard Dad and Gramp discussing that there were a lot of firs down closer to the brook running across the back of the lot.

“Now we should find something,” Grampa said after a few minutes.

SPECIAL • The Christmas Tree

No sooner had he said that than Dad said,“This one looks good.”

I was amazed. This tree looked like a skyscraper! I told my dad I didn’t see how it would fit in our house.

“We’ll just cut the top off,” Dad said.

I raised my sight to the top of the tree. It stood like a sentinel in the soft, December light, straight as an arrow. A beautiful fir tree.

Only the top was fifty feet off the ground!

Dad and Gramp went to work, clearing the brush around the tree.

I gave Dad the clippers, and as he clipped, Grampa tossed the brush out of the way. Then Grampa retrieved his ax and felled the tree, laying it neatly on the trail where I had been standing.

Dad came in and sawed off the top fifteen feet. Dad said he’d haul the tree, and Grampa took his ax and Dad’s saw. We walked the tree back to the road. Dad and Grampa loaded the tree halfway into the trunk, and we rode back to my grandparents’ house.

We had to get three Christmas trees: one for our living room, one for my grandparents, and a smaller one for the display window in the front of the store.

grow and brought them into their homes. Those trees had far fewer branches than a modern, cultivated tree, but Christmas cards and presents fit in the generous spaces between the branches. Ornaments fit under those branches all the way back to the trunk. I miss those lanky Christmas trees that reached for the sky.

MSM

Gramma distracted me with fresh gingerbread while Dad and Grampa went back to the wood lot, this time in Grampa’s car.

They were back in about an hour. By then the sun was starting to set over the row of maple trees that stood by the edge of the road leading west from the village. We stayed for supper. It was Saturday night, so we had red-snapper hot dogs and baked kidney beans. I made sure to eat my beans because I knew what was coming: strawberry shortcake with strawberries my grandmother had canned that summer on biscuits she had just made, topped by real whipped cream

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After a second serving of strawberry shortcake, I went back downstairs to poke around in the store while Dad and Grampa talked softly in the back room. It was now dark. No customers came by. I looked out the front window at the Gulf sign by the road, illuminated by an electric bulb on either side.

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Soon Dad came in the store and told me we had to get going. We went back upstairs where Gramma was just finishing the dishes.

I gave her a peck on the cheek and thanked her for the shortcake.

She always smelled of Ivory Snow. Then down the stairs and out to Dad’s car with our tree sticking out of the trunk. I solemnly shook hands with Grampa. He admonished me to be a good boy until Christmas as I got into the car.

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I miss those Christmas trees, those sentinels found in the December woods, harvested by the people who watched them HOLIDAY 2017 • 6 0

FROM THE PORCH

The Good Hours

BY HUNTER HOWE

December descends with its raw winter winds, brazing frigid temperatures, and deep drifting snows.

O

ne thinks of Whittier’s “The Frost Spirit:”

He comes—he comes—the Frost Spirit comes! and the quiet lake shall feel The torpid touch of his glazing breath, and ring to the skater’s heel; And the streams which danced on the broken rocks, or sang to the leaning grass, Shall bow again to their winter chain, and in mournful silence pass.

For many, the emotional warmth of another Christmas outweighs the physical aura of the season. Spirits soar. Fond memories of Christmas past sustain expectations for Christmas present. Good will and hope beckon. Friends gather, families unite.

It’s a season of feelings.

They savor the comfortable softness of flannel shirts, inhale the scented balsam fir candles, eyeball long, pointed icicles slipping from the gutters toward the tops of snow piles, hear the wind rustle branches against the house and rattle the shutters. On Christmas Eve, late into the night, they sniff and sip a 10- yearold tawny Portuguese port, fighting off drowsiness. The peaceful silence, calms and endures.

For many, it’s the best time of year.

They remember those special holiday songs: Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself a Merry little Christmas” and Bing Crosby’s 61 • MAINE SENIORS

“I’ll be Home for Christmas.” They remember those touching holiday movies: Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed in It’s a Wonderful Life and John Payne, Edwin Gwenn, and Maureen O’Hara in Miracle on 34th Street.

And they remember Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in which Scrooge, miserly and alone, wallows in his greedy and selfserving forced unhappiness.

Many, like Scrooge, bear the burden of social isolation, even acute aloneness. They experience a wide range of emotions.

Worn down by time and unpleasant memories, and alone at the holidays, their spirits sag and sorrows fester. Sadness consumes their wounded minds. Like a male snow owl blending in with the arctic winter, they conceal themselves in a state of emotional camouflage, their thoughts occupying lonely outposts.

Fogged, gray eyes portray souls in shadows, seeking solace and understanding. Struggling to cope on the edge of darkness, they seek light. You see, it’s hard, alone at Christmas.

I think of a Maine sailor searching for refuge from the ice-capped waves and swelling seas. I think of a man snowshoeing in the forest, wool cap pulled tight around his ears, finding a welcoming sense of solitude yet but experiencing unwanted isolation.

It reminds me of Frost’s “Good Hours:” I had for my winter evening walk-No one at all with whom to talk, But I had the cottages in a row Up to the shining eyes in the snow.

And I thought I had the folk within: I had the sound of a violin;

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FROM THE PORCH

I had a glimpse through curtain laces Of youthful forms and youthful faces.

I had such company outward bound.

I went till there were no cottages found.

I turned and repented, but coming back I saw no window that was black.

Over the snow my aching feet Disturbed the slumbering village street Like profanation, by your leave, At ten o’clock of a winter eve.

Scrooge found redemption, happiness, and peace.

Joyful, he exclaimed,

“I like life, life likes me.”

After all, doesn’t everyone crave internal peace? Sara Teasdale describes this in “Peace:” Peace flows into me.

As the tide to the pool by the shore; It is mine forevermore, It will not ebb like the sea.

This man, a night trekker, enjoys the solitude, late in the inky evening. He enjoys the beauty of a winter night and sees people in warm cottages delighting in their music. But, he feels alone when he reaches the end of the way and regrets coming back because he finds no more lights in the homes, no more music.

After keeping good hours, the people sleep. Star light, star bright…

Scrooge found redemption, happiness, and peace. Joyful, he exclaimed,“I like life, life likes me.”

People alone at Christmas long to push aside the cold embers inside them. They yearn to escape the confines of harsh loneliness.

They hunger to embrace the real message of Christmas, that we are never truly alone.

May those alone in the twilight of this Christmas season come to know this Scrooge-like feeling and discover the soothing freedom of peace. May they walk “outward bound” and live in the cottages of the Good Hours.

MSM

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