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Inside: • Elizabeth Isele: The Senior Whisperer • Humor ME: Maine History & Cold Weather • Living the Simple Life • Easy Fruit Pudding Cake • The Drum To Which We March
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Publisher's Note
WELCO ME TO L IVING
Well.
WELCO ME TO THE PARK DAN FORTH.
PUBLISHER
to figure out how I want to live out the rest of my remaining time.”
David. S. Nealley
The above quote may resonate with most of Maine’s seniors. It seems pretty natural as we get older to reflect on our past, take inventory for today, and wonder about the future. Yet, my first time thinking like this in a significant way, was at age 23, and it has been every March since. I feel it is both a time to spring or“March” forward and also reflect as we often do in November.
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Ian J. Marquis EDITORS
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Lois N. Nealley Sheila Grant
Does time have a way of co-mingling our past and present to provide for our future, to make us who we are? Is this simply the essence of life?
Joe Sawyer
Maybe these are questions for Hunter Howe.
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M
any years ago, I met a gentleman at the Local Buzz Café in Cape Elizabeth. I found him to be both entertaining and inspirational. Our professional relationship and friendship began with a sense of familiarity. I think this was in part due to us both being “old souls” with a youthful fascination about life. This man’s wit, humor, observational insight, and ability to turn most thoughts into philosophical treats… led to his ongoing relationship with Maine Seniors Magazine. Our readers know this gentleman as Hunter Howe, the author of From the Porch.
To all of our senior partners, let’s March forward and enjoy what lies ahead. —David S. Nealley, Publisher
This month’s From the Porch column, “The Drum to Which We March”, provides me with a very personal take-away. Most of us do relate some of our own life experiences to literature, music, and arts. Yet, this particular article has brought a couple of profoundly poignant memories to the front for me. When he states, “March’s a fickle month, somewhat unsure of itself. I needed time to think, the pulse of thought pushing around in the scrambled sanctuary of my mind” … I realized that I have felt this same way every March since I was 23 years old. March always had this affect on me. It is the month of my father’s death. (He died at 54 leaving my mother a widow at 49. I was 23 years old and home for spring-break in my final year at the University of Southern Maine.) It is also the month of my father’s birth and the month of my birthday. And then later in the article with, “Life’s moving on. Might be March now, but my life cycle says it’s November. Trying MARCH 2019 • 2
MARCH 2019 ISSUE
Page 5
2 Publisher's Note • BY DAVID S. NEALLEY 5 Prime Mover: Elizabeth Isele
BY PAULETTE OBOYSKI
15 Prime Mover: Peter Webb • BY SHELAGH TALBOT 21 Prime Mover: Ken Quirion • BY LARRY GRARD 25 Sage Lens: Let's Talk About Oral Health
BY DR. LEN KAYE
29 Just Pondering: It's Rude • BY WALDO CLARK
Page 21
31 Health Treasures: Exercising for Seniors
BY MARK D. ROTH
33 The MAINE Point: New Year's Resolution
Marching into Warmer Weather!
BY JANE MARGESSON
35 Chloe's Corner: First Aid for Your Aging Brain
BY CHLOE JON PAUL
37 A Trail Less Traveled: Living the Simple Life
BY BRAD EDEN
39 Legacy: Bonds & Your Retirement Climb
GUEST ARTICLE
Page 15
41 Bridging Generations: What's in a Word
BY JOAN CLARK
43 Here, There & Everywhere: Idaho
BY SHEILA D. GRANT
Page 37
49 Humor ME: Maine History & Cold Weather
BY GARY CROCKER
51 Food for Thought: Easy Fruit Pudding Cake
BY ELLEN L. SPOONER
53 From the Porch: The Drum to Which We
March • BY HUNTER HOWE
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MARCH 2019 • 4
PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Elizabeth Isele Elizabeth at Summit Meeting
forget E.B. White pushing my children on the swing hung from the very beam where Charlotte had her web. For years after that, my children and I spent every vacation camping and sailing up and down the coast of Maine.” In 1996, after a distinguished career as an editor, author, and creative writing instructor, and with her children grown and off on their own, Elizabeth Isele chose to move to her favorite state, Maine. She was soon invited to work at the Portland Press Herald in their just-launched new media division. They taught her all about the Internet and she created and edited content for the websites that they were building across the United States—wherever they had a paper or a TV station.
Elizabeth Isele
The Maine Senior Whisperer Heard Around the World
Entrepreneurial Debut At that point in her career, Elizabeth relates, “I was struck by the idea that seniors, who were often separated from traditional community, could most benefit from this virtual community [the Internet]. I naively thought we just had to tell them about this opportunity, but quickly realized we had to first educate seniors about the value of the Internet
E
lizabeth launched the Global Institute for Experienced Entrepreneurship in her seventies. Through her institute and world-wide summits, Elizabeth brings generations together to create businesses and combines research and public policy to support people over 50 worldwide who are starting businesses and/or rebooting their careers. Elizabeth Isele expounds,“The impact of the 50+ entrepreneur is socially and economically transformative in ways that directly affect prosperity for people of all ages worldwide. For too long, governments and corporations have seen the super growth of this demographic as a pending disaster instead of 5 • MAINE SENIORS
Elizabeth was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey in 1942. She graduated from Mills College in Oakland, California and became an editor at Harper and Row Publishers in New York City. She did not venture into graduate studies at Wesleyan University and Yale College until age 50, after her children had finished their college. In 1975, when she was working with E.B. White on his Letters, she made her first trip to Maine. White invited Elizabeth and her four children to his farm where he gave them a fabulous tour, especially the barn where Charlotte spun her web. Elizabeth remembers, “I will never
1
SUNDAY CLASSICAL
who is heard around the world. She is a pioneering senior and intergeneration entrepreneurship expert. Her eminent quote is, “Seniors are not a pending Silver Tsunami, they are a Silver Lining that will yield golden dividends!"
the opportunity it represents. One of the most important things is for people to understand that we’ve never been in a situation where people aged 60 have another 20, 25 years. So as individuals, they need to think entrepreneurially about what they could do next. It should be thought of as a joyful opportunity. The fact is that we have the largest, experienced talent pool in the history of humankind, and as I travel the world raising awareness of this opportunity, people keep introducing me as the expert in this arena.”
The impact of the 50+ entrepreneur is socially and economically
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Elizabeth Isele is a Maine Senior Whisperer
President Clinton and Elizabeth at Clinton Global Initiative
THE SCHUMANN CIRCLE TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2019 • 7:30 PM Ruth Reinhardt, guest conductor Diane Walsh, piano BRAHMS: Tragic Overture C. SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto R. SCHUMANN: Symphony No. 3, “Rhenish” MARCH 2019 • 6
PRIME MOVER
and then teach them how to access it and assess what was genuine content and what was not. I realized this was what I wanted to do and that in order to have the time to do it, I would have to leave my position at the Press Herald. It was a huge decision—I had always worked for an organization. I had never started one of my own.” Elizabeth continues, “I asked Maddy Corson, who was Chairman of the Board and Publisher of Guy Gannett Communications, which owned the Portland Press Herald at that time, if I might speak with her about my ideas. We first met at Maddy’s office in the fall of 1998. CyberSeniors was launched on New Year's Eve that year, when I was 57, and rolled out in 1999. She was with me all the way and has been a guiding force in my life ever since.” Maddy Corson
Maddy Corson is an award-winning philanthropist and entrepreneurial cheerleader and catalyst. Corson remembers, “Elizabeth came to my office years ago and I was of the age that I wanted no part of computers (now, Corson is computer literate, with the encouragement of her grandchildren). I was
CyberSeniors, in 5 years, grew from
12 seniors in a Portland, Maine Adult Education class to more than 28,000 successfully trained seniors in 24 states.
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PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Elizabeth Isele
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Elizabeth at center at GIEE Summit in Japan
excited to think that someone wanted to teach seniors about the Internet and was happy to be a part of that idea, knowing that Elizabeth was going to be able to follow through and get it done.” Corson connected Elizabeth with some of Maine’s greatest power brokers and cheered her on. One of the key introductions was to Larinda Meade who was the director of Portland Adult Education. As Founder and President of CyberSeniors, Elizabeth and her associates grew this non-profit organization in 5 years from 12 seniors in a Portland, Maine Adult Education class to more than 28,000 successfully trained seniors in 24 states and the territory of American Samoa. It provided, through a multilingual curriculum, basic computer training to seniors (50+), enabling them to connect locally and globally and access reliable resources. A key element of the program was an innovative award-winning curriculum, CyberHealth, which she designed to provide low literacy, bilingual, health literacy and quality care awareness to seniors so they might better understand how to take charge of their own health in a variety of ways. The outcomes of CyberSeniors.org exceeded expectations by altering positively the health and health 9 • MAINE SENIORS
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behaviors of 93% of the seniors and 80% of the at-risk youth working beside the seniors. Kim Volk is Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer of Aurora Financial Group in Portland and is President of Portland Downtown. She served as treasurer and technology officer for CyberSeniors and taught at the first classes. Volk says, “Elizabeth is a renaissance woman and the most inspirational mentor that anyone could ever have. She took the time to help the senior participants learn by creating simple, easy-to-understand, color workbooks capturing the basics of computer components (such as how a mouse works) and screenshots picturing what happens with every click. Her drawing of the roadway with all its on and off ramps from the computer in your house to the Internet was brilliant and fun. Maine [and the world] is lucky to have Elizabeth Isele influencing our lives during this opportunity of the babyboomers to be valued versus seeing their age as a deficit.”
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PRIME MOVER • Elizabeth Isele
PRIME MOVER
Elizabeth moved into the philanthropic arena to help other social entrepreneurs achieve their visions. She started a blog in 2008: www.savvyseniorswork.com. The blog, written in conversational style, is still going strong. She makes it fun rather than a dry bit of focus group research, and includes all different kinds of tips, information and insights for individuals 50+, who wish to continue working. The blog has grown, and she has had responses from almost every continent in the world.
backing needed from financial institutions and governments to drive this new economic engine. As a result, Senior Entrepreneurship Works grew into the Global Institute for Experienced Entrepreneurship. She changed“Senior” to“Experienced Entrepreneurship” because she wanted to catalyze experience across generations. For example, she began to integrate the technology and social media experience of younger people and the life work experience of older individuals, thereby boosting prosperity for people of all ages.
Elizabeth’s next non-profit was Senior Entrepreneurship Works, which she launched in 2012, eventually evolved into the Global Institute for Experienced Entrepreneurship (www.experieneurship.com). Senator Susan Collins states, “Elizabeth is a knowledgeable and tireless advocate for senior entrepreneurship. Seniors make up the largest percentage of new business owners, often because they want to stay active or generate additional income. Elizabeth has been so effective at helping seniors recognize the entrepreneurial skills they possess, such as life experience and real-world education, and connecting them with the resources they need to establish and run successful businesses.”
Why Experienced Entrepreneurship?
Senator Collins with Elizabeth Isele
Senator Collins continues, “A few years ago, I was delighted to invite Elizabeth to testify at an Aging Committee hearing focused on supporting seniors who want to start their own companies. Elizabeth provided invaluable insight on this topic based on her experience founding two successful nonprofits, CyberSeniors and Senior Entrepreneurship Works, which have helped tens of thousands of seniors improve their computer literacy and achieve their dream of owning a small business. I commend her on all of her accomplishments, and I wish her continued success as she works to create new opportunities for seniors.”
Elizabeth explains, “People over 50 are fiercely driven to remain relevant, and they want purpose in their lives. There's no blueprint for these additional 20 to 30 years that we have been given. We're all entrepreneurs in that sense trying to figure out what to do with our extended longevity. People approach building a business of their own for different reasons. Some are acting on a life-long dream they've had to repress to meet financial responsibilities. Many are more than ready to find a way to be their own boss after working for others for years. Others are keen to apply their talents and experience to give back by solving a problem of value to society and their community.” One of Elizabeth’s biggest challenges occurred while she was addressing 200 women at one of her GIEE summits in Japan, where 70% of women leave the workforce to raise children and never return. Elizabeth flashed a photo of an elaborate Japanese Bento Box on the presentation slide as she looked at the audience who never thought of themselves as entrepreneurs. Every woman there had created one of these beautiful boxes. Elizabeth told them that this is the epitome of entrepreneurial thinking and acting in terms of Creativity, Customer Understanding and Competition. Elizabeth then proclaimed that they were true entrepreneurs. The women understood and were delighted to embrace the title, "entrepreneur"!
In 2015, Jeff Skoll, CEO of Participant Media, asked Elizabeth to create a social action campaign for his movie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. For the campaign, Elizabeth designed a series of summits to bring together leaders in different parts of the world to amplify the voice of senior entrepreneurs. The leaders were encouraged to build a support system that understands the economic impact and Yes! Elizabeth is a Pilot Too! 11 • MAINE SENIORS
Thanks... for helping us get there!
Valerie Landry, president of the organizational consulting firm MissionReach, first met Elizabeth in the late 1990’s. This was shortly after Elizabeth had launched CyberSeniors and Landry was Commissioner of Labor in Governor Angus King’s administration.
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PRIME MOVER
Landry observes, “Elizabeth creates new resources and enterprises to solve emerging problems. In that way, she is helping all of us to see the future, and what we can do to make it better. For example, at the moment she is working to ensure that gender biases are not hard-wired into the growing Artificial Intelligence sector. She also is focused on the need for an intergenerational workforce, which is increasingly important given the workforce shortages in the United States and other countries. Elizabeth embodies the word entrepreneur. She is a visionary. She does her homework. She is tenacious. And she creates solutions based on sound research. Today, she is the leading expert on senior entrepreneurship, and influences policies all over the world to make it happen." Elizabeth Isele is truly a Senior Whisperer who is raising the world’s consciousness about the power of the experience and wisdom of society’s senior populations. Thank you, Elizabeth, for championing our senior power! MSM
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PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Peter Webb
Peter
Webb
Maine’s Mr. Basketball BY SHELAGH TALBOT
Peter Webb has a passion for the rules and regulations of sport – this attention to detail has guided him throughout his life work culminating as Maine’s Basketball Commissioner, a position he has held for the last 27 years.
A
nd, this is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg in terms of the positions he has held in this venue - sometimes on an international stage—Canada, Germany and Italy. He said he would never have attained these positions if not for his deep Maine roots and family support.
Peter grew up in Houlton, which back in the 1940s and 1950s was a booming town of 11,000 people. His mother, a natural athlete, encouraged him to play sports. She was the Captain of her high school basketball team and wanted her son to experience that camaraderie and feeling of accomplishment. One of Peter’s fondest memories was going to the park and playing pick-up baseball with the kids from the neighborhood. “Just like my mom, sports was the spark that got me going,” Peter recalled.“I’d go out of the house with a baseball glove, a bat and ball and join the other kids to play.” He chuckled at the 15 • MAINE SENIORS
Peter Webb's mother Mary Bither with her school Basketball team. She is at center holding the ball
His mother, a natural athlete, encouraged him to play sports. She was the Captain of
her high school basketball team and wanted her son to experience that camaraderie and feeling of accomplishment. memory. “We took a portable radio with us and set it on the fencepost so we could listen to the Red Sox while we played ball. In those days we didn’t need coaches or help. We’d just play with who ever showed up. It was a golden time.” Peter began his career as a four-year middle school teacher, then on to administration for 22 years. “I was in education for a total of 26 years and loved it. I learned every day, right along with the kids,” he said.“Then, I began officiating games at the college level. Pretty soon I was traveling all over the state. That’s what got me into the training. Being an official requires continuous education, examination and observation and I
found this line of work to be fascinating. I still do.” He sees rules and regulations as the glue that keeps a sport together. His attention to detail and scrupulous observance of the rules of the game resulted in his being President Emeritus of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO). Memberships to this 95-year old organization are earned through training and practical testing. The organization now has a membership of 16,000 plus officials making up 121 associations throughout 21 states and 7 foreign countries and is the undisputed leader in the worldwide training of basketball officials. Peter has been with IAABO for 21 years, serving in various capacities including interpreter—which earned him numerous awards along the way. Modest about those many accolades, Peter noted he really enjoyed his time officiating with IAABO. ”Part of my role was annually visiting 14 major IAABO states. Essentially I was, for IAABO, observing and coordinating nearly twothirds of the high school basketball officials; that includes the MARCH 2019 • 1 6
PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Peter Webb
“If I can pass on the enthusiasm and
confidence sports can give a person, that’s good enough for me… with proper attention to the rules of the game of course." During his time as an official, Peter has officiated 2,200 plus high school and college basketball games during a 43-year active officiating career, and umpired 800 plus high school and college baseball games. He served as the MPA's Maine Assistant Basketball Commissioner for 13 years prior to becoming the Commissioner. He steps down from that post later this spring. "It's been everything," he said of his lengthy career. "It's been fun and a challenge. I enjoy it as much as I did when I was a kid and it's allowed me at a ripe old age to basically be a boy all my life—what a great thing!"
Peter and sons Michael and Kyle - all officials with IAABO
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east coast and Colorado. About 65 percent of the high school basketball played in this country occurs in these states because of the population.” Peter paused for a moment. “As soon as my MPA-Maine responsibilities were completed, I would leave to observe state tournaments throughout the month of March. My role provided IAABO with what was going on in the hinterlands, and,” he grinned. “I’m most grateful to my wife Marie for her patience and understanding during those very busy years.” Peter was also a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).“All states belong to this organization,” he said. “The NFHS, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, is responsible for considering changes and edits of the rules on an annual basis,” he explained. He served two fouryear terms and was asked to return as a resource person and historian. Peter is the first National High School Association's Hall of Fame inductee from the state of Maine. Additionally, Peter was named the NFHS Official of The Year in 2000 and is a New England Basketball Hall of Fame, Maine Basketball Hall of Fame and Maine Sports Hall of Fame Inductee. 17 • MAINE SENIORS
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William Cohen and Peter Webb watch a basketball tournament together
MARCH 2019 • 1 8
PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Peter Webb
New Brunswick,” he said.“And I remember when Gene Autry came to town. He wore a big Hudson Bay coat, striped in red and yellow. I was so impressed.”
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Photo Hank William's Sr Gravesite - Peter Webb.
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In addition to his jobs, Peter was on his school’s teams, both basketball and baseball. “At the time we had the best gymnasium in the state,” he said. “The Celtics came for exhibition games seven years in a row. We saw them play the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia Warriors, the Syracuse Nationals, the Baltimore Bullets, Fort Wayne Pistons, Rochester Royals, and the Minneapolis Lakers,” he grinned at the recollection. “We got to see so many NBA greats: Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, George Mikan, Paul Arizin, Dolph Schayes, Tom Gola and many others... and they all stayed at the Northland Hotel.” Now, he’s not sure what his next chapter will be but he’s sure it will involve kids and sports. He worries that nowadays there
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are fewer and fewer officials at the local level. “Unruly fans and poor sportsmanship have a lot to do with that, unfortunately,” he observed. But, he’s optimistic that sports will continue to make a difference in schools throughout the country and he wants to be a part of that. He also has a keen interest in music. ‘One has to have a high interest or a hobby outside of sports,” he explained.“Mine is‘Traditional Country Music’, beginning with Hank Williams, Sr.” He remembers all the old-time country musicians, especially those from Maine, and relishes sharing anecdotes and listening to those old albums.“I’ll bet I’ve got about 600 vinyl records,” he confessed. A salute to Pete, for all his years of dedication to basketball. Pete humbly states, “If I can pass on the enthusiasm and confidence sports can give a person, that’s good enough for me… with proper attention to the rules of the game of course. " MSM
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In spite of this very illustrious vocation, Peter says his two favorite jobs happened a long time ago—being a newspaper boy for the Bangor Daily News and a bellhop at the Northland Hotel in Houlton. "For three years, I delivered 135-140 newspapers each morning prior to going to school," he said. He recalled how he used to get paid in those days. Some of the housewives instructed him to quietly collect his earnings from a jar in the kitchen cupboard.“So on Saturdays little redheaded Peter would open their door quietly and tip toe in and find the money,” he chuckled.“Imagine that happening these days!” As a bellhop, at the Northland Hotel, he dressed in a smart uniform and waited on all the clients who came to visit.“THE Mr. Bean (L.L.Bean) would come every October for two weeks and take day trips through Aroostook County and
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MARCH 2019 • 2 0
PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Ken Quirion
Ken Quirion, 67, a lifelong Winslow resident, has made public service his life’s passion
Ken Quirion STORY & PHOTOS BY LARRY GRARD
since retiring as a senior fire investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Office in 1999. “Thank you for everything you have done,” she wrote. “Just hearing your cheery voice on a very stressful day was such a blessing to me. Your selfless attitude in a selfish world is a rarity. You make everyone around you want to be a kinder person. One of your many talents.”
Prime Mover of Winslow If you live in the Waterville-Winslow area,
chances are you know someone who knows Ken Quirion and you probably also know someone who has been helped by Ken Quirion.
K
en Quirion, 67, a lifelong Winslow resident, has made public service his life’s passion since retiring as a senior fire investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Office in 1999. In addition to the considerable time he donates to Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area, Quirion will do just about anything to help people. Transportation, advice, financial assistance – and sometimes just a visit from a friendly face. In fact, if Quirion learns that a family is having a hard time during Christmas season, he makes sure the kids have presents under the tree.
Quirion has been known to travel as far as Florida to help somebody out. Recently, he has been helping a couple who have moved from Winslow to Naples. Florida. The woman’s husband has Alzheimer’s. Quirion visits them, takes them out to eat, and spends time with the man so the woman can have a break. He visited the couple in January and returned in March. The woman’s thank-you letter is one of dozens of letters and cards he has received from people.
21 • MAINE SENIORS
Ken poses in the Hospice Volunteers of Waterville resale shop with Sue Roy, director, and Pat Bolduc, resale shop volunteer.
In turn, Quirion said, the letters make him want to do more for people. “Some people are so thankful,” he said. “Some people are at rock bottom. I’m very fortunate. When my parents died, they left me money.” As a result, Quirion has been able to use that money to help others in many ways. Another letter: “Where do we begin...we want you to know first and foremost how grateful we are for your friendship! You have been there for us on so many occasions, for recommendations, help, an ear, your expertise and your very valued opinions! You are the type of person everyone wants to be around.”
Malissa Bonnell, administrative assistant for the Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers in Waterville, helps Ken Quirion bring boxes of bicycles into the facility. Quirion took advantage of a close-out sale at Kmart to purchase bikes for the kids
“What happens with me is I know people,” Quirion said. “When hospice comes into somebody’s life, they say, ‘Kenny Q. We want Kenny Q.’” An early riser and in good physical condition, Quirion attacks his day with vigor. Often, he moves truck-loads of furniture to the Hospice Retail Shop on Upper Main Street in Waterville. Sue Roy, director of Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area, said that Quirion is in the Waterville office four or five days a week. “He’s a ball of energy,” Roy said. “If we need something
he’s always available. He’s always upbeat. He’s not just a volunteer. He cares about the people.” Roy has known Quirion for 20 years, since both helped out at the Waterville Homeless Shelter.“He’s always in motion,” she said.“Kenny Q. is always in position.” Quirion is unfailingly loyal. The 1969 Winslow High graduate still keeps in touch with and helps out former classmates and teachers. He has devoted countless hours volunteering at St. John Regional Catholic School, where he spent his grade school years. MARCH 2019 • 2 2
PRIME MOVER
PRIME MOVER • Ken Quirion
Quirion is a big supporter of Klearview Manor, a nursing home where a friend’s son resides.
GREAT PLACES. GOOD PEOPLE.
Quirion spends much time on the road. “People need rides all the time,” he said.“I just took a lady to Boston. This area is hurting because we have our old people, and they have no way to get places. I find people by word of mouth. My (twin) sister Kathy was at a yard sale, and she told me a woman whose husband had Alzheimer’s needed help. I knocked on her door and asked her if I could help.”
It’s not quite warm enough now.
“I also visit people who are sick. A lot of people don’t go see people who are in nursing homes. It makes you feel good.You see everything.” Lucille LaPointe of Winslow is one of the hundreds of people in the area to benefit from the kindness of Kenny Quirion.
The local newspaper featured Quirion in a piece back in 2010, picturing him with kindergartners. The article read in part: “In addition to his volunteering, he donates items to numerous organizations, such as (the St. John) Christmas Fair, Golf Tournament and school and parish dances. We at St. John would like to thank Mr. Kenny for his kindness and exemplifying what it means to be a PROUD St. John Regional School Alum.” The 2011-2012 St. John’s Yearbook was dedicated “to our dear friend, Kenny Q.” “Ken has been responsible for countless school improvements, such as our beautiful new library, new ceilings throughout the building, and improved energy efficient lighting,” the dedication read in part. “He has installed ceiling fans, a new hallway water cooler, and much more. He no sooner finishes one project, he is talking about the next.” Quirion remains in touch with his former football coach, the venerable Wally LaFountain, and with former teacher David Johnson, a former track star who also played football for 23 • MAINE SENIORS
LaFountain. One day Johnson picked up LaFountain instead of Qurion, who had a conflict with plans. “David and Coach set off to an eye appointment in Portland, in my new car,” Quirion recalled. “On the way back to Winslow, David tells Coach about some former classmates of his, who happened to live in Topsham. These classmates happened to be former football players of Coach. When one of the players answered his doorbell, he found his former coach standing there with a classmate in the car.” In recent years, Quirion has been helping out the mother of former classmate and teammate John LaPointe, who has passed on. He routinely takes Lucille LaPointe to doctor’s appointments and visits her. “Everybody thinks you’re an angel,” Mrs. LaPointe said to Quirion when he called to double-check on appointments. Mrs. LaPointe said she appreciated that Quirion was with her son in his final days – even over one night. Quirion remains a positive in her life.“He takes me everywhere,” she said.“He takes me to the doctor’s in Augusta. He takes me to all my appointments.” Quirion also was there for another former classmate who has passed away. While the man endured a prolonged illness, Quirion made sure the man’s oil tank was filled. “He immediately knew it was me,” Quirion said,“and he called.”
Quirion also has power of attorney for people who need and trust him. There’s more: Quirion is treasurer at Ephphatha (“Be Opened farm”) in Winslow, whose focus it is to provide rewarding, enriching, experiences to help at agricultural activities there. The special focus is to provide “an accessible, affirming environment for everyone with physical and/or emotional challenges.” Through their animals, therapeutic horses and gardens, Robin and Dr. Roland Knausenberger provide a healing and renewing environment. Ken Quirion and another Hospice volunteer move a box spring into the Resale Center on Upper Main Steet in Waterville.
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Quirion has been known to travel far and wide to find just the right straw for the horses, load it onto a big trailer and unload the straw at the farm. “He’s all over,” Robin Knausenberger said. “In the WatervilleWinslow area and beyond, people know his name. We’re certainly thrilled to have him on our team. He’s very, very generous. If there’s a need, Ken is there to help.” For all of his selfless activities, recognition has come to Ken Quirion in the form of the many awards he has received. Among them are: •
Winslow Knights of Columbus Citizen of the Year
•
Winslow/Vassalboro Lions Club Citizen of the Year
•
Big Brothers/Big Sisters Ray Coniff Memorial Service Award
•
Paul Harrison Fellow Award
•
REM Homeless Shelter Award
•
Elks Club Citizen of the Year
MSM
MARCH 2019 • 2 4
Good oral health, especially for older adults, means taking care of not only your teeth, but also your lips, gums, and tongue.
Let's Talk About
Oral Health
BY DR. LEN KAYE Did you know that 23% of older adults have not seen a dentist in 5 years and about 1 in 5 older Americans has untreated tooth decay?
I
t is a myth that tooth decay and problems related to tooth decay are simply a normal part of aging. In fact, good oral heath can be maintained as we grow older. Unfortunately, all too often, too little attention seems to be directed to maintaining good oral health in later life and too little appreciation is shown for the close relationship that exists between good oral health care and total health care. I am not just talking about brushing your teeth. We now have a number of known best practices available to us when it comes to promoting good oral health. These are known as evidencebased oral health care practices. At the UMaine Center on Aging we have been working for several years with the Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine on the MOTIVATE Oral Health 25 • MAINE SENIORS
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Education Program in a concerted effort to improve oralhealth care in long-term care settings. The lessons learned on that project have been very enlightening. The MOTIVATE Program, which stands for Maine's Oral Team-Based Initiative: Vital Access to Education has focused on increasing the knowledge, skills, and confidence of the interprofessional team that serves older adults in long-term care facilities. It consists, among other things, of four straightforward online education modules and an in-person teaching session with oral health experts. While the MOTIVATE Program is geared to older adults living in long-term care facilities, the lessons learned have a great deal of relevance to the majority of older adults who live in their own homes. Not only are we relatively ignorant when it comes to appreciating the relationship between oral health and overall health, but we are also unaware of the strong association between poor oral health and systemic disease. Be aware that good oral health, especially for older adults, means taking care of not only your teeth, but also your lips, gums, and tongue. Key contents of your oral care toolkit should include: •
A soft toothbrush that you allow to dry each day
•
Fluoride toothpaste that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance
•
Floss and floss aids
•
Masks and non-latex gloves if you are a caregiver assisting in the oral care of an older adult
Remember to schedule a specific time and adhere to a consistent routine for your oral care. You should be brushing, flossing, and rinsing daily. Good oral health is also supported by eating a balanced diet and limiting the amount of snacking. Also, you should not use any tobacco products, you should examine your mouth regularly, and, of course, visit your MARCH 2019 • 2 6
dentist on a regular schedule. If you are a caregiver, you should encourage the person you are helping to do as much of the cleaning of their own teeth as possible. It is important to floss and brush gently. Brushing at the gum line should involve having the brush half on the gum and half on the teeth.
www . days j e w el e r s . co m
When it comes to caring for dentures and partials remember to:
Use denture cleaning products that have the ADA Seal of Acceptance
•
Don’t clean them with bleach or toothpaste
•
Soak in a denture cleaner overnight
•
Always rinse before putting them back in your mouth
Many thanks are due Lunder-Dineen Health Education
Alliance of Maine for sharing the information above on what constitutes good oral health care and issuing a call to action in regard to oral health awareness. Now, let’s just listen to their MSM good advice. Want to know more? Visit https://lunderdineen.org/oral-health-motivate
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•
Although I expected it, I’m still dumbfounded. I feel abandoned, the big snub. There’s a term for this called “phubbing” (phone+snub), better yet, “technoference.” It’s a compelling saga, this impulse to stop a conversation in mid-sentence, this psychological attachment, this addictive behavior, this dependency on cell phones.
it's rude
She’s more interested in the other person, who’s not present. I’m here, now alone. I toss back a fake smile, my eyes vacant, my lips pressed together. Gee, apparently there’s no match when a cell phone competes with old-fashioned conversation.
BY WALDO CLARK
It’s disruptive. It’s bad manners. It lacks courtesy. It’s rude. It’s not OK. It’s not … It’s not … It’s not. I ask myself, am I too harsh, Waldo the Grump—I think not.
Author Bryant H. McGill said, “No one is more insufferable than he who lacks basic courtesy.”
I
Instinctively, I understand that my friend’s faux pas isn’t malicious in intent. I sit there practicing self-control, a mature person. Well, not really, only self-deception. Actually, I want to stand up, wag my finger in admonishment, and wave BYE BYE.“Call me when you’re free.” Better yet, I’ll call her, I know she’ll pick up.
’ll share a basic flaw, folks. I believe courtesy and character go hand-in-hand. I know, sounds like I’m preaching, another Waldo rant. No, just irked. So, let’s get to it.
A friend and I sit down to converse, face-to-face, happy in each other’s presence, anticipating a meaningful go at it. She places her cell phone on the table. I want to say, “Put it away.” But, I don’t. You see, I know what’s going to happen; she does too. We engage, two friends, leaning in, looking at each other, listening, laughing, pausing, sighing, enjoying introspection and empathy, interested in each other. It feels good, this intimacy between us. Sharing emotions. We care. Until I notice her peeking at the phone, her eyes wandering downward. To no surprise, it rings. Her hand moves toward it, she grabs it, picks it up, smiles, and tosses me the raised index finger signaling wait a minute. A cell phone ambushes our conversation and makes me a victim of sorts, disrespected and disregarded. Huh? What about our conversation? What about me? Hey, I just got dismissed by a cell phone, like an unpleasant bee sting, a jab to the conversational jaw.
Hey, I just got dismissed by a cell phone, like an unpleasant bee sting, a jab
to the conversational jaw.
I also know that if I stay, she’ll no doubt have forgotten what we were talking about, not even a “Where were we?” If I’m lucky, I’ll get a weak,“Sorry.” Yeah right. Then the phone will ring again. Quotation anthologist Terri Guillemets said,“Cell phones are the latest inventions in rudeness.” See? More important, phubbing hurts relationships and that’s sad. Say, next time a friend of yours takes her phone out, politely tell her to put it away. Look her right in the eyes. Touch her hand. Tell her, “I want MSM to talk, just talk, to YOU.”
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29 • MAINE SENIORS
MARCH 2019 • 3 0
HEALTH TREASURES
HEALTH TREASURES
very inquisitive, and has very strong opinions. His 95-yearold mother, who has dementia, is in a facility at the highest level of care. Every so often I ask him about how his mother is doing, and likewise, he asks me every so often about an eye condition that I have, both examples of the type of concern that we show for each other. Ted, age 75, has a dry sense of humor which came out particularly in relation to one of the idiosyncrasies that we all have; we all go to the same locker every day, without fail— creatures of habit. One day recently, Ted said that he had taken a locker away from my usual place because he knew how “special” that locker was to me and didn’t want to crowd me. We all claim that having to take a different locker will just ruin our day! This is not to say that only we seniors take the same lockers – there are a couple of 40-somethings, Shawn, a nurse, and Chuck, a stay-at-home dad, who do the very same thing.
exercising for Seniors, is about More than Just Physical Fitness BY MARK D. ROTH
R
ecently, I wanted to expand my repertoire of exercise to add to my swimming—walking outside in spring and summer, on the treadmill in the late fall and winter and more recently, a weight-lifting program to increase my arm strength. I’ve also added riding a hybrid bike in the spring and summer. Not surprisingly, I am not the only senior committed to exercising. There is a group of six or seven men, all retired, all in our late 60s to mid-70s, each involved in some sort of exercise program, be it swimming, lifting weights, walking on the treadmill, or participating in a “spinning for seniors” (stationary bike) class. Several of the men also are members of a long standing“seniors water walking” class three times a week. But, as important as the fitness activities are, equally valuable is the camaraderie that has developed among this very diverse cadre of men. We are“regulars” at the Y—doctors, businessmen,
31 • MAINE SENIORS
psychologist, professional photographer, lawyer, all different occupations and different backgrounds. We talk about our various age-related and some not age-related ailments, from knees to shoulders to eyes to irregular heartbeats to prostate cancer and more. One man named Bill likened these conversations to a poker game; “I bid a knee replacement,” “I raise you a torn rotator cuff,”“And I raise you a torn meniscus.” I think you get the idea. Another Bill is a 4-year prostate cancer survivor who openly talks about his struggles with the side effects of hormone therapy, and the anxiety every time he is awaiting the results of his latest PSA test. He often uses me as a sounding board when he is at a point where he needs to make a decision about his treatment. I always tell him to trust his instincts and question his doctor about all the alternatives. Don is a big man with a hearty laugh. He is a great talker, is
Everyone has seen me putting my hearing aids in after dressing and at least three have asked me about them because they think they may be candidates for hearing aids. I tell them
how much my quality of life has improved with the hearing aids. On more than one occasion, Shawn, who has become a good friend has said, as I entered the shower,“Mark – hearing aids,” because on more than one occasion I’ve forgotten to take them out. Dr. Len Kaye in his article in the Holiday 2018 issue of Maine Seniors Magazine wrote, “The result of negative thinking about older age is what has been called ageism—distorted and stereotypical views of old people based solely on their age. Ageism is commonly reflected in our view that growing old means first and foremost, decline, illness, and vulnerability.” The folks that I have written about are the ones who have positive outcomes as we age, a position that Dr. Kaye strongly endorses. And in addition to working to stay physically fit, I believe that we all have been able to enhance our physical, cognitive and social well-being, very important as we age, largely because of the physical exercise as well as, in part, because of the interactions with each other which, I believe, create a strong sense of community. MSM
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THE MAINE POINT
It’s a shame that we sometimes feel we must push ourselves to achieve goals that don’t pan out because they simply aren’t sustainable. sweatpants that fit him well. Another resident asked for a Dr. Pepper. Several people asked for books – good books – not the throwaway paperbacks that so often fill nursing home bookshelves. With the help of her mother, the teenager was able to set up a GoFundMe account and fulfill every wish.
Jane celebrates with her dogs after her 5 minute workout.
Has My New Year’s Resolution
Gone to the Dogs? I recently spoke to a friend who owns
a small company in Maine. As one of the end-of-year bonuses for his staff he purchased memberships at the local gym.
A
lthough a potentially lovely treat for his small team, initially the membership passes were rarely used because the gym was filled to capacity with what the gym owner called “New Year’s Resolutions.” Determined, tracksuit-clad athlete wannabe’s sweating it out on whirring pieces of apparatus in time with the pulsing music. “How long will they last?” my friend wondered. Now that it’s March, I, too, am wondering if that gym is still packed to overflowing. Are the treadmills collecting dust, instead? Are my friend’s colleagues finally able to don their own workout garb and start rowing, running and spinning? It can be very tempting to start off each New Year with a surge of resolutions that ultimately prove to be too ambitious to maintain. I have fallen prey to this myself. Particularly as a teen,
33 • MAINE SENIORS
Do you hit the skip button?
BY JANE MARGESSON
I remember setting lofty goals for weight loss and for saving oodles of money. Now I know better. This year, I decided on one goal which, so far, I have kept. I am attempting to ward off a“spare tire” by doing a rather bendy exercise involving exercise bands every single day in 2019. I do two sets of 12 on each side. They take a total of just five minutes and yet, every day I feel quite self-satisfied with my accomplishment.
I love this idea of simple things having such a big impact. It’s a shame that we sometimes feel we must push ourselves to achieve goals that don’t pan out because they simply aren’t sustainable. I am truly enjoying my five-minute successes. Besides, if I were on a treadmill every day instead of rolling around on the floor with my exercise bands, I would miss the MSM opportunity to entertain my dogs.
we hit skip!
As most of us know, channel surfing has become the norm to avoid intrusive ads. Those annoying ads that push a hard solicitation do not allow for efficacy for advertisers and can even hurt the goodwill of an organization.
MAINE SENIORS
My dogs think I’m hysterical. They sometimes find me in the throes of my “workout” and bury their wet noses in my neck which tickles terribly and, of course, makes me scream which only serves to make them more determined to dig their wet snouts in even further. Despite the ambush, I keep going. Sometimes, I think having a reasonable wish list rather than a “bucket list” is the way to go. I read recently about a young teenager in a Southern state whose mother works as a nursing assistant in a nursing home. The young lady started asking the residents what they wished they could have if anything were possible. No one asked for a million dollars. No one asked to travel the world. What they wanted were simple comforts that were easily attainable. One gentleman asked for a pair of
Intrusive ads like internet pop-ups and most other ads that interrupt programming are forced upon us. So when we see the 4,3,2,1, skip -
Magazine
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CHLOE'S CORNER
CHLOE'S CORNER
Robotic Assisted Knee Replacements Did you know that your brain is the most flexible organ in your body? Throughout your entire life span, it is able to adapt, repair, and even improve.
First Aid for your aging brain BY CHLOE JON PAUL
Books: • •
York Hospital Surgery Center
399 Games, Puzzles & Trivia Challenges Especially Designed to Keep Your Brain Young by Nancy Linde Brain Games by Holli Fort et al: Publications International, Ltd
Books are available on Amazon
Dr. Akhil Sastry
MSM
ROBOTIC ASSISTED KNEE REPLACEMENTS AT Y O R K H O S P I TA L York Hospital with Dr. Akhil Sastry, Dr. William Sutherland and Dr. Tyler Welch of Atlantic Orthopaedics are pleased to offer Robotic Assisted Knee Resurfacing - an innovative treatment option designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis. Dr. Akhil Sastry was the first in Maine & NH to perform a robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery and trains people from all over the country in this cutting edge procedure. Over 1,000 patients have benefited from this cutting-edge technology.
I
t’s not that hard to do…and it’s never too late because whether you’re 55 or 95, you can slow down and reverse the aging process in your brain.
Here are some tips to get you started:
Dr. Akhil Sastry Dr. William Sutherland Dr. Tyler Welch York Hospital Surgery Team
603-431-1121
yorkhospital.com
Did you know that your brain is the most flexible organ in your body? Throughout your entire life span, it is able to adapt, repair, and even improve. Readers Digest published an article in the December 2018– January 2019 issue in the Genius section entitled Unfreeze Your Brain, taken from Leonard Miodinow’s book, Elastic. It is well worth reading!
•
Avoid drugs, alcohol, unhealthy food choices
•
Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night. A great supplement for this is gaia Sound Sleep
•
Use good supplements such as a calcium/magnesium/ zinc complex
•
Eating for Your Brain as a Senior: www.usnews.com/health
•
Engage in daily exercise such as a good, long walk or a 30-minute body resistant band workout or use dumbbells
•
Socialize, Keep Active, Exercise Your Brain: www.seniorservicesmidland.org
•
Engage your brain each day with mental workouts (see suggestions). These games will improve your memory, reasoning skills, and what brain scientists refer to as executive functioning. This translates into the capacity to control and apply your mental skills.
•
Keep Your Brain Active as a Senior: www.institute4learning.com
•
Why You Should Thank Your Aging Brain: www.health.harvard.edu
•
Best Brain Supplements: www.braincenter.net
35 • MAINE SENIORS
OUR TEAM
Call Atlantic Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine at (207) 363-3490 to learn more about Mako Knee Replacements at York Hospital or visit yorkhospital.com
York - 15 Hospital Drive
Want to stay mentally sharp as you age?
Dr. Tyler Welch
So… start stocking up on your mental arsenal by checking out the following:
MARCH 2019 • 3 6
A TRAIL LESS TRAVELED
Living the
A TRAIL LESS TRAVELED
Simple Life Rural living often leads to an
environmentally responsible and frugal lifestyle without even knowing it.
STORY AND ILLUSTRATION BY BRAD EDEN
I would cut my own trees from my
woodlot, buck them into four-foot logs, and like a two-legged draft horse, drag them down to the back yard for further processing. frantically shoveling coal into the firebox of a steam locomotive, in an attempt to keep pipes from freezing. So, we eventually had a forced hot air furnace system installed. We still burned wood about half the time, and the house was still kept at “Go put on a sweater!” temperature and at a slumber chill at night. We wore a lot of layering in our household. I like to think it toughened up my kids. They might tell you otherwise. We now live in a smaller open floor plan home. The size and layout is not suited for a woodstove so we opted for a pellet stove to supplement the oil-burning furnace. After re-siding the house and installing new windows throughout, it’s remarkably energy efficient, and a modest sized pellet stove keeps us toasty warm throughout the dark days and nights of a Maine winter. I do miss the bone warming heat of a woodstove but not the labor and the mess.
I
suppose it is apropos to pen a column on living simply in Maine when many of us are lugging firewood or pellet bags around in an attempt to stay warm. Certainly, burning oil or propane eases the effort, but even at my increasingly cranky age the thermostat to the oil burning furnace doesn’t get tweaked up very often. There was a time when I heated an old farmhouse almost exclusively with a woodstove. That drafty house initially had just one small floor furnace and a woodstove. The furnace was suspended from beams in the cellar and surfaced flush to the 37 • MAINE SENIORS
floor in the living room. It was ancient and broke down constantly, so the woodstove became the primary heat source. Despite the rather hilly property, I would cut my own trees from my woodlot, buck them into four-foot logs, and like a two-legged draft horse, drag them down to the back yard for further processing. As time marched on and my joints began to ache, I started buying split and seasoned stove length cordwood. Regardless, the stacking exercise never waned. Anyone who has used wood to heat an older house with rooms divided by doorways knows it’s a lesson in futility. Picture the guy
the toilet flushes itself when they walk by the bathroom door. When hosting a lot of company, we country mice are calculating how many gallons per minute the well can handle, and if the leach field can manage it, and when was the last time we shelled out a couple of hundred plus to have the septic pumped. Along with burning wood or pellets, and rationing water, part of living simply for me means filling the freezer with venison, keeping a flock of laying hens, and occasionally raising broiler chickens and turkeys. Creating compost and growing a vegetable garden and then canning and freezing the excess is simply a given. Recycling, composting, and living the ubiquitous Green lifestyle is a thing these days and is certainly commendable. But the cynic in me wonders if people will become bored and disillusioned with the relative inconvenience that entails. In the meantime, many country folks will continue to live environmentally friendly and responsibly, as they always have, obliviously and with little fanfare. MSM
Speaking of conserving resources: We have never had the convenience of town water or town septic. We even had a granite-lined, hand dug well above a natural spring at the old farmhouse. I considered that elixir and all water precious and to be conserved. According to town lore there was once a small shed above that well. Kids in town would sit in there on benches to cool off in summer and watch the brook trout swim around. Apparently dropping trout in open wells keeps the water clean. Country folk don’t mind a little trout poop in their drinking water. We now have a more traditional drilled well, but old habits die-hard and I am always on water conservation high alert. I have little patience with how people that live in an urban landscape behave when they visit us in the boonies. They have no clue as to where water comes from or where it goes when it gurgles down the shower drain or swirls out the toilet. I swear
MARCH 2019 • 3 8
LEGACY
LEGACY
Bring Some Bonds Along for Your
Retirement Climb BY BRIAN BERNATCHEZ, CFP®
Brian Bernatchez, CFP®
Figure 1
Figure 2
and sell to the hungry bears appearing on the trail when the inevitable corrections and recessions hit.
A
fter nearly a decade of above average returns in the stock market, volatility and the first major correction in years have made many investors fearful and unsettled against a backdrop of global trade tensions, increasing interest rates in the U.S., slower growth forecasts and uncertainty in Washington.
Many retirees who are living off investment income are now asking… "Should I increase my allocation to bonds and lighten up on stocks?" Before answering that question, it's important to understand bonds and their potential benefits. It’s also critical to know how bonds have behaved historically in good and bad markets. Then you can decide if it is worth the effort to bring more of them along for the retirement climb. What is a bond? Put simply, when you buy a bond you are making a loan to a company or government entity. The bond has a specified term during which you as the bondholder receive interest on the loan: with your initial investment returned to you at the end of the term (typically most bonds have 1 to 20-year maturities.)
39 • MAINE SENIORS
What are the benefits of owning bonds?
A major benefit of adding high quality bonds to a portfolio which is heavy in stocks is that bonds tend to rise or at the very least only fall slightly in a steep stock market selloff (see fig.1). One mistake many investors and investment advisers alike make is having too much of their bond sleeve allocated to lower risk bonds. When investors panic, they look to reduce risk wherever they can find it, which means lower quality bonds can fall nearly as much as stocks. The core of most investors bond portfolio should be in high quality U.S government and investment grade U.S. corporate bonds (see fig.2).
Historically low interest rates have limited the appeal of bonds to many retirees over the last decade. With interest rates now rising, it has become a headwind for the stock market but possibly a chance to reduce risk and rebalance if you have too much in stocks.
.
Adding high quality bonds to a stock portfolio is like dragging along your safety gear, food and shelter when you are climbing a steep mountain which has a history of rapidly changing weather. You probably won't get to the top of the mountain as quickly, but your chances of hunkering down and surviving a bad mountain storm are much higher.
High income retirees who are Maine residents should also consider Maine municipal bonds which are exempt from both federal and state income taxes in most cases.
To each and every senior currently or about to climb that retirement mountain, it may be time to check in with your Sherpa to make sure you are adequately equipped to weather MSM any future storms on your climb.
The second benefit of bonds is the income they generate to the bondholder. For a retiree or endowment withdrawing 3% -5% of their portfolio annually, we typically keep 7 to 10 years' worth of anticipated income in bonds—with slight adjustments to market conditions. When growth stocks shrink, this allows you to have patience and not to panic
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risk including loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC.
MARCH 2019 • 4 0
Bridging
Generations
What's in a word? BY JOAN CLARK
I’ve always been interested in words, and even made one up when I was about five years old.
T
he word was “superspondogicalalacaboeseeacious”, and that happened before I saw Julie Andrews in the hit movie Mary Poppins. It means something terrifically terrific.
Nowadays, one of those “terrific” words is “Awesome”. First time I heard that word in a sentence I thought it was a Biblical reference. Now I hear the word“Awesome” this and“Awesome” that many times a day. Come to think of it, what about the word “Amazing”? There’s another one! I’ve been guilty too – “I had an Amazing time at the Christmas party. It was Awesome!” Yikes – Shame on me. So with the New Year, I have vowed to do better. Webster’s New World Dictionary describes awesome as “inspiring awe… a mixed feeling of reverence, respect, fear and wonder caused by something majestic, sublime or sacred.” Well, the party was good fun but none of those feelings were present. As far as the word “amazing” goes, the dictionary has this to say: “To be filled with great surprise or sudden wonder, to be astonished.” That party was lovely but certainly not astonishing.
41 • MAINE SENIORS
Bridging
Generations
Every generation has its signature words, so I poked around and discovered some of the words popular in 2018 and there are
a few I’d never heard about.
This made me think of some of the overused words I used to say about 45 years ago – “Groovy”, “Dude”, and “Spaz”, come to mind. In those days everything was “Far Out” – nobody wanted to be “Lame”. Nowadays if you used some of those expressions, there would be people cocking their heads and saying, “Huh?” unless of course they’re from that time. But, I’ve heard the word “Bogus” being bandied about lately, so perhaps some 1970s slang is making a come back. Every generation has its signature words, so I poked around and discovered some of the words popular in 2018 and there are a few I’d never heard about. For example, there’s “Floss”, which has nothing to do with your teeth. Instead to“Floss” is to do this weird dance where your arms swing like pendulums in one direction while your hips swing in the other. Then there’s “Plogging”. This originated in Sweden – it means jogging and picking up litter as you trot along. Nothing like being healthy and environmentally concerned at the same time! “Turnt” is an abbreviation of “turned up”. It means being excited about something. One last one – “Snatched” has nothing to do with being abducted. Instead, it means something that’s really upto-the-minute and trendy. A dress that’s hot off the racks and really impressive is “snatched”. Going forward I think I’d rather do something different when I need to use adjectives. Maybe go back to the slang of the 1940s. Let’s look at my trite remarks about the Christmas Party. I should have said, “I had a ‘Killer-Diller’ time at the Christmas party. It was a ‘Gas’!” That’s getting you out of a verbal rut and being a bit more creative right? Now that’s superspondogicalalacaboeseeacious! MSM
MARCH 2019 • 4 2
HERE,A THERE TRAIL&LESS EVERYWHERE TRAVELED
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE
idaho: You can get everywhere BY SHEILA D. GRANT from here!
Downtown Lava Hot Springs, ID, feels a little bit like the Wild West.
The City Creek District in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, is walkable, with lots of public art and fun water features. Enjoyable road trip
Got cabin fever? Me, too.
Winter seems too long. Spring flirts, then disappears beneath yet another snowstorm.
T
o survive times like this, I like to take armchair adventures, reliving trips already taken, or daydreaming about those to come. If you’re feeling as wonky about winter as I am, I invite you to return to Idaho with me today.
A mural in downtown Salt Lake City
For breathtaking scenery and a
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43 • MAINE SENIORS
whirlwind tour of portions of four states, I’d say central Idaho can’t be beat. If not for my best friend from high school, Leesa, and her husband, Jeff, inviting us out for a visit, Idaho would never have made my bucket list. Not only did they open their home to us, they also did all the driving so that, for once, Gary got to take in all the scenery instead of chauffeuring me through our vacation. The first great thing about Idaho (ID), other than seeing friends, was, well, not in Idaho. We flew into Salt Lake City (SLC) on July 31, arriving around lunchtime. Our friends took us downtown, to the City Creek District, which is a sight-seeing adventure in its own right. Designed around a MARCH 2019 • 4 4
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE "Old Faithful" is not the only, or largest, geyser in Yellowstone National Park, but she is the one that erupts the most reliably on schedule, ensuring that visitors get to see the event.
man-made creek, the district offers mountain views, playful water features, sculptures, temples, gardens, murals and more. The two-hour drive from SLC to Chubbuck, ID, was also scenic, with open plains and small mountains that Jeff calls “salt piles.” One of the biggest advantages of the Chubbuck/ Pocatello area of Idaho is how central it is to so many things to see and do. We were only there from July 31(a travel day) to August 7; we took Saturday, August 4, off from sightseeing to enjoy a barbeque at their place and relax; Monday was laundry and packing day, and on Tuesday, August 7 we were all on the road by 5 a.m. to get back to SLC for our flight home. Yet in those other five days, we managed this: Leesa took us to Lava Hot Springs. True to its WED name, this cute little Western town not only has Aug. 1 actual lava hot springs to soak in, but a river to raft down that runs through the downtown, a waterpark, and several shops and restaurants to choose from. The hot springs bubble up at 112 degrees, flowing down to pools of
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45 • MAINE SENIORS
Beautiful canyons
An interesting fountain along the way from Chubbuck, Idaho, to West Yellowstone, Montana.
lower elevation (and temperature) until the bottom pool, a comfy 105 degrees. There are so many minerals in the water that it’s difficult NOT to float! We loaded picnic goodies into the vehicle and headed out for West Yellowstone, Montana. Along the way we stopped to admire gorgeous gardens around a huge wildlife-centered fountain. After checking into our hotel, we headed out to explore the western side of Yellowstone National Park, where we hiked down into, and wayyy back up out of, the park’s Grand Canyon. Back in town for the evening, we had a good dinner and shopped for souvenirs – all within easy walking distance from our hotel. THU Aug. 2
After a great breakfast in town, we headed back into Yellowstone NP, this time to explore the paint pots and geysers within the eastern reaches of the park. I had always thought Old Faithful was THE geyser in Yellowstone, but we learned that there are many, and some FRI Aug. 3
are even larger than Old Faithful, but less reliable in terms of predicting eruptions. I had been excited to photograph wildlife, but between the extreme heat and the haze of smoke from the California wildfires, the larger critters eluded us. Not a single buffalo roadblock! We did spot a couple of elk just before we left the park, and a few antelope during the drive to Jackson, Wyoming, where we stopped for dinner before heading back to Chubbuck. That’s right, four states and a national park in four days! Jackson was great fun, with numerous sculptures, a real live cowboy, an archway built of elk antlers, and I got to see a new kind of critter – the Uinta Ground Squirrel. We dined at the historic Silver Dollar Bar & Grill, which is part of The Wort Hotel, an elegant building dating back to 1941. SUN Aug. 5
You might think that would be hard to top with only one day left, but on Sunday, we again packed provisions and hit the road. This was a long MARCH 2019 • 4 6
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE Bayhorse, a community that sprang up around the mining of silver, copper and lead, is now a ghost town within the Land of the Yankee Forest Historic Area in Idaho.
day, about 14 hours, taking us on a huge loop up to Challis, through the Salmon-Challis and Sawtooth national forests, down to Sun Valley (playground of the rich and famous), and to Twin Falls, where the 1,500-foot-long Perrine Bridge is a popular destination for BASE jumpers wanting to drift over the Snake River. There is a most improbable park here, located out behind a giant shopping mall. The area offers a scenic paved trail, and a hiking trail, with sculptures and scenic overlooks. An officer patrols downtown Jackson, Wyoming, on horseback.
During our travels, we stopped at the world’s first nuclear power plant site, which features a museum, interactive exhibits, and a small room devoted to the area’s natural history. We picnicked at a scenic area that had antiques and gold mining equipment outdoors, a museum, and an interpretive trail leading to a bluff where Native Americans used to hunt buffalo.
keepsakes and convenience store merchandise. If we’d had more time, we could also have explored the museum out back of the store, located in the former L.B. Worthington Dry Goods and Groceries building.
We visited a ghost town – where I got to see a yellow-bellied marmot. We also stopped by the Silver Street Mercantile in Clayton (Pop. 7), which features a skeleton “driving” an antique vehicle out front, along with some unusual rockers on the porch – and inside, a mix of wonderful handcrafted
For breathtaking scenery and a whirlwind tour of portions of four states, I’d say central Idaho can’t be beat. Of course, we never could have covered that kind of ground without our trusty tour guides. If you have friends in Idaho, quit looking out the window at the snowbanks, and give them a call! MSM
Irish Blessing May the road rise to meet you May the wind be always at your back May the sun shine warm upon your face And rains fall soft upon your fields And until we meet again May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Leprechauns love MAINE SENIORS Send a check for $29.95 to MAINE SENIORS Magazine P.O. Box 168 Bangor, ME 04402
47 • MAINE SENIORS
MARCH 2019 • 4 8
A TRAIL LESS HUMOR TRAVELED ME
HUMOR ME
So, there you have it, we are in Hawaii! Not so much to avoid wintah weathah as to study Maine History. REALLY! Be well and keep doing good! Oh, and stay warm. Ayuh!
MSM
To contact Gary, for more or less humor at your event, visit garycrocker.com
Live A Retirement Well Planned Norman Hanson & DeTroy offers a depth of expertise that can help you make the most of everything you’ve worked for in retirement. From tax to estate planning and beyond, put our talent to work for you. To learn more, call or visit us at nhdlaw.com
Maine History & Cold Weather
Portland (207) 774-7000
Lewiston (207) 777-5200
BY GARY CROCKER
Muthuh and I have often wondered, why would anyone ever travel outside the State-O-Maine.
I
mean, we have all 4 seasons, wintah, mud, road repair and almost wintah! Plus, we have great history! So, we stay in Maine for the weather and our rich heritage!
Recently we put chains on our Dodge Ramcharger and visited the town where Milton Bradley, the inventor of the board game, Monopoly, was born. Last mud season we visited the home of General Henry Knox in Thomaston. And just the other day we strapped on snowshoes right here in West Gardiner and walked one mile up the road from our trailer to see the house where John Stevens, designer of the Panama Canal, was born and raised. Really, you can look it up! So, Muthuh mused as she gazed out our kitchen window at blizzard conditions, is there a place where we can study
49 • MAINE SENIORS
Maine History where Bean Boots, pahkahs and mittens aren’t required? Ayuh, I said as I thumbed feverishly through our new set of World Book Encyclopedia looking for a Maine connection to anywhere south; even New Hampstah! Anywhere outside snowblower land! And boy oh boy did I hit the Jackpot! It turns out that James D. Dole (aka: The Pineapple King) had a direct Maine connection, and he founded the Dole pineapple company in Hawaii! A fun fact, the term ‘Pineapple’ was coined by an enterprising explorer in 1664 when he noticed a similarity between Maine pine cones and the pineapple plant. Oh, and Mr. Dole was actually born in Massachusetts, which was part of Maine until we set them free in 1820. But his family (James included) continued to summer in Southwest Harbor, Maine where he learned the gardening skills he would need in Hawaii. So, here we are, in Hawaii, no tire chains, muddy roads or snowshoes! Just sunshine, beaches, palm trees and pineapples. You might say it’s “Maine history the way it should be”!
Cartoon by Bruno Hunt
MARCH 2019 • 5 0
Featured Recipe
Easy
Fruit Pudding Cake
EASY FRUIT PUDDING CAKE
BY ELLEN L. SPOONER
BY ELLEN L. SPOONER
INGREDIENTS: 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup flour 1 cup white sugar (or brown if you like the richer flavor) 1 egg 1 14 1/2 oz. can fruit cocktail with juice 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (a couple of good dashes) 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg ( a couple of good dashes) DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
What’s the first question you should ask after you have been seated in a restaurant and the waitperson approaches your table?
T
he answer is so obvious: “May I see your dessert menu?” For, if you are a dessert lover, as many of us very definitely are, this is the one sure-fire way you can assure that your choice of entree will not keep you from satisfying your sweet tooth at the end of your meal.
Desserts have been part of man’s cuisine since the earliest of times. Records indicate that even ancient civilizations enjoyed combinations of fruit, nuts and honey as a final course. They are still popular as dessert fare today especially when served with wine and cheese. Although, for some of us... “The only way cheese is a dessert is when it’s followed —MICHELE GORMAN, AUTHOR by the word cake.” What about ice cream? How many times over the years have you heard a family member ask, “What’s for dessert?” and you responded, “Nothing, but there’s ice cream in the freezer.” Well, you can thank the Chinese who in 3000 B.C. created the precursor to today’s yummy frozen treats—although
51 • MAINE SENIORS
their “ice cream” resembled frozen ice more than any of the enormous variety of creamy, sugary, fat-filled selections that have followed. The driving force behind the evolution of desserts, however, was sugar. The discovery of sugar cane and its sweet properties occurred in the very early Middle Ages but sugar, as we know it, was not refined and made available to common folk until much later. In fact, it was considered a luxury and referred to as “white gold” until the late 1800s. Then the rush to envision, prepare, and serve the most unique desserts began in earnest. Everything from basic to elaborate desserts appeared and were consumed regularly by those who craved that “sugary fix” in their diets. A never-ending list of confections . . . pies, cakes, cookies, pastries, puddings, jello, candies . . . all sweet, of course, and many containing those dessert staples—fruit and nuts—that our ancestors had relied on so very long ago. We all have a special dessert that we make at home or usually order when we see listed on a restaurant menu. What’s yours? . . . Bananas Foster? . . . Tiramisu? . . . graham cracker pie? . . . a bowl of ice cream accompanied by a chewy brownie? No
2. Mix all ingredients together by hand (no electric gadgets). 3. Bake in greased 8” square pan for 40 minutes or until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. 4. Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. (Makes 6 very generous servings.) 5. Enjoy!
matter what you choose, one thing is certain: Desserts are here to stay! This months “Easy Fruit Pudding Cake” recipe has been around for over fifty years—with many variations. It’s “easy” because it’s easy to make, “fruit” because it has fruit in it, and “pudding cake” because the consistency is kind of like pudding and kind of like cake. (Quite obvious, huh? Guess you didn’t really need the explanation.) Anyway, it’s also a great last minute dessert that you make with ingredients most of us consider staples (with one exception, perhaps). So just put on your apron and start cooking!
MSM
MARCH 2019 • 5 2
FROM THE PORCH
FROM THE PORCH
The Drum to which we March BY HUNTER HOWE
As winter wanes and begins to relinquish
its harsh grip, our messy, latent, undeveloped thoughts, like a slow melting glacier, thaw a bit.
Out with the OLD, in with the NEW.
C
harles Dickens, in Great Expectations, wrote: “It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold; when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.” We reflect on the weight of the past. In unguarded moments, feeling bothered by all those nasty regrets, we dwell on those woulda-shoulda-couldas of life. As old blue eyes, Frank Sinatra, sang,“Regrets, I’ve had a few.”
March’s a fickle month, somewhat
unsure of itself. I felt the same way. I needed time to think, the pulse of thought pushing around in the scrambled sanctuary of my mind. more than facts and reality. The imagination, a preview of coming attractions, makes things happen, if willed. Pablo Picasso said,“Everything you can imagine is real.” Time’s stampede romps like wild horses in a high mountain meadow. In full gallop, they run free. They rest, graze, move on, at their own pace. Like the horses, although our journey’s not always clear, we strive to travel well. We ask ourselves, in the November of our years, how we want to live out the rest of our lives.
Buy, Sell or Trade. This book does it all.
We reflect on the promise of the future, dream, and imagine. It’s the imagination, even in our senior years, that drives us,
Henry Rollins wrote: "The month of November makes us feel that life is passing more quickly. In an effort to slow it down, I try to fill the hours more meaningfully.”
I suppose he sensed my presence. He looked up and nodded. I nodded back, an awkward moment.“Sun feels good,” I said. “Warms my face but fanny’s some cold.” I liked the sound of his voice, deep, clear. A sharp gust caused his book’s pages to flutter.“Good read?” He pressed his fingers around the slim blue-colored book. “Bringing me out of the winter doldrums … like those fishermen down there walking around their boats, wondering how much work’s to be done, yearning to sail free from the noisy foghorns.” I pondered his words.“Work to be done? You too?” “Ah, perceptive.” He stood and offered his hand. We shook. He wore a long black tweed overcoat and charcoal gray baggy trousers which flopped on top of his Bean boots; tall, his cheek bones protruded, his chin angular.“Join me? I’m Chauncey.” His name fit his demeanor, perhaps a twinge of British refinement. “Jake. Sure, love to.” We sat. “I take it your book has got you thinking, about …?”
And what better month to think about how to travel more meaningfully the rest of our lives, than in the promise of Spring relaxing, a flourishing of ideas and thoughts, in March. And in the lingering life of our imagination, we strive to see beyond and wonder about the drum to which we wish to March …
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I’d left Brunswick for my annual long weekend in Camden. Portland weather forecasters had assured me of a snow and ice respite. March’s a fickle month, somewhat unsure of itself. I felt the same way. I needed time to think, the pulse of thought pushing around in the scrambled sanctuary of my mind. After checking into my favorite inn, high above the town, I headed to Harbor Park between Main Street and the waterfront. The sun and somber clouds competed with each other, neither winning. I flipped up my parka’s collar and yanked on my wool gloves. An older man, with unruly snow-white hair, sat on a bench peering out over the patches of snow and grass towards Curtis Island. He appeared deep in thought. I noticed he clutched a book in his hands. Something made me pause, that something we all encounter at times, that speaks to us; on occasion, we listen, we obey.
53 • MAINE SENIORS
MARCH 2019 • 5 4
FROM THE PORCH
“Short or long version,” he responded. “I’m in no hurry.” “I’m 74, you?” “72.” “Life’s moving on. Might be March now, but my life cycle says it’s November. Trying to figure out how I want to live out the rest of my remaining time. He held the book up. “A friend who teaches at the Midcoast Senior College recommended this little gem by Daniel Klein, Travels with Epicurus. Klein’s about our age—for many years, he traveled to the Greek island Hydra. He takes us on a thought-provoking journey, suggesting ingredients inherent in the art of living well, in our senior years. Want more?” Chauncey’s description struck a nerve with me. They resonated. I’d come to Camden to ponder those exact things.“Go ahead.” “Klein draws on the lives of his Greek friends, their seemingly contented pace toward life. He interweaves his discourse with the wisdom of many philosophers such as Aristotle, Seneca, Montaigne, among others, and of course, Epicurus.”
FROM THE PORCH
“I believe in fate, Chauncey. So glad we’ve met. What’s next, what course are you setting?” He pushed off the bench and handed me the book. “Take it. I hope you discover your own route. What’s next my friend? Paris. No, not a bucket list thing, more spur of the moment. Springtime in Paris, thoughts bursting like new flowers opening up. Found a rental on a quiet side street, market, wine shop, and bistro nearby—perfect.” He smiled. “Hoping to bump into Maurice Chevalier at the bistro. Remember him in Gigi, dining outside, happy, wearing that impeccable light gray suit and matching bow tie. Remember him singing: “How lovely to sit here in the shade With none of the woes of man and maid I’m glad I’m not young anymore.”
Snow-eating fog,
MSM
No summer morn mist, No soft, spring rain,
Pose in gossamer gowns. Chick-a-dees murmur softly,
He scratched his nose. “Klein doesn’t preach a strict blueprint, a cookie cutter handbook for living. You see, Jake, it’s not about staying young forever or about dying or having a bucket list of goals.”
Gleaning seeds all the while, Reassuring each other Of hearty resolve.
“Oh, that highly touted bucket list for seniors, do this, do that, achieve this, achieve that … not for me.”
55 • MAINE SENIORS
Hide snowdrifts today.
Snow-speckled spruce
“Novelist. So, did you find some answers?”
“That’s it, Jake. Klein emphasizes a fulfilling life, to make the best use of our time that we have left, what’s best for us, individually, seeking companionship, contentment, and the joy of thoughts.”
Clouds in the corners
All’s quiet today.
“Psychologist, private practice, taught at Princeton. You?”
“You mean stop speed chasing the clock,” I said.
Somber and gray.
Dulled leaves are not falling,
Taken by his succinct synopsis, a learned clarity, I asked“What was your profession, Chauncey?”
Chauncey crossed his legs, took out a folded starched white handkerchief, and blew his nose. “Me neither. Klein left me with the idea of traveling, unhurried, avoiding the frenzy to get somewhere. He reminds us to enjoy mental pleasures, mindfulness … as Montaigne said,‘Away from the anxiety to do well.’”
Winter Fog BY PAUL WEEKS
He shook my hand again. “Travel well.” He turned, began to walk away, and turned back. “Theologian William Ellery Channing said, ‘To study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly … await occasion, hurry never.’” I watched him amble up the sidewalk, without haste.
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How Confident are You in Your Financial Future? Serving our clients for over 30 years Joel West Joel WestAdvisor Financial Joel West Financial Joel WestAdvisor Financial Advisor Financial Advisor
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Investment Advisory Services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Duff & Associates is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.