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Wagon train travelers twist their travails into entertaining tales

Lloyd Warr, left, Joe Adams, center, and Glenda Adams enjoy taking wagon train rides throught the West. Joe builds the wagons they use, and they often take their dog Bandit with them. Pulled by mules, the wagons provide considerably more comfort than packing into the backcountry. [Photo courtesy of Joe Adams]

By Dianna Troyer With his trademark humor, Joe Adams turns travails like a twisted knee, an overturned wagon, and tornado warnings with 70 mph wind gusts into entertaining tales as he recalls his 40day, 400-mile covered wagon trek from North Dakota to Montana.

Last year, the Paul, Idaho resident and four friends drove their four mulepowered wagons along the same trail General George Armstrong Custer followed 135 years ago. They left Fort Abraham Lincoln on the Missouri River in North Dakota on May 17 and arrived at Little Big Horn in Montana for a reenactment of Custer’s historic defeat on June 25-26, 1876.

“We loved everything about it: the challenge, following a historic trail, being outside, working with the animals, being with friends with the same interests,” Joe says. “The trip was about five years in the making: mapping the route and getting permission from landowners to camp along the way.”

The trek is among more than two dozen memorable odysseys he has undertaken with friends since 1995.

“We’ve traveled along the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails and seen the back roads of Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, California, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wyoming from a covered wagon,” says Joe, 75, a mechanic, who owned a tractor salvaging and refurbishing business in Paul before retiring in 1999.

“Wagons have rolled over, and we’ve had broken breaches, tongues, axles, and wheels on our trips. Yeah, isn’t it great experiencing the good ole pioneer days? We’ve learned to always carry spare wheels,” he says, laughing.

Joe usually goes on his odysseys with Lloyd Warr, 77, a buddy from high school, who retired in 1999 from supervising a local welding shop. Their handyman skills are often needed on their treks to make repairs, which they take in stride.

“A wagon trip slows down the pace of life and lets you appreciate it more,” Lloyd says. “We usually take the dirt back roads because it’s easier on the mules’ shoes than the asphalt roads.”

Joe’s wife, Glenda, jokes, “If we went any slower some days, we’d be going backwards.”

Joe relies on his 20-year-old draft mules Jenny and B.J. and 4-year-old Dee, while Lloyd takes his quarter horse mules, Bucks and Bandy, 20, or Bill, 5, and Ben, 6. (Continued on page 12)

PAGE 2 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

JUNE/JULY 2011

Social Security Recipients Have Lost 32 Percent of Their Buying Power Since 2000 Older Americans have lost almost one-third of their buying power since 2000, according to the Annual Survey of Senior Costs, released by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). TSCL is one of the nation’s largest nonpartisan senior advocacy groups.

In most years, people receive a small increase in their Social Security checks, intended to help them keep up with the costs of inflation. But since 2000, the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) has increased just 31 percent, while typical expenses have jumped 73 percent, more than twice as fast.

In 2011, for the second consecutive year, Social Security recipients received no COLA. Prior to 2010, there had been a COLA every year since 1975, when the automatic COLA was introduced.

People are forecast to receive a very small COLA next year.

“For many years, seniors have watched helplessly as the value of their benefits has eroded.

Those losses have added up, and millions of seniors – among our most vulnerable citizens – are barely able to scrape by today,” said Larry Hyland, chair of The Senior Citizens League. “To put it in perspective, for every $100 worth of expenses seniors could afford in 2000, they can afford just $68 today.”

A senior with an average Social Security benefit in 2000 received $816 per month, a figure that rose to $1,072.30 by 2011. However, that senior would require a Social Security benefit of $1,414.70 per month in 2011 just to maintain his or her 2000 lifestyle.

The study examined the increase in costs of 30 key items between 2000 and 2011. The items were chosen because they are typical of the costs seniors must bear. Price increases for 22 out of the 30 costs exceeded the COLA. The selected items represent eight categories, and each category was weighed (based on typical expenditure levels) in order to calculate the overall loss of buying power.

A majority of the 37 million Americans aged 65 and over who receive a Social Security check depend on it for at least 50 percent of their total income, and one in three beneficiaries rely on it for 90 percent or more of their total income.

To help increase buying power, The Senior

Citizens League is lobbying for a change in which Consumer Price Index (CPI) is used to determine the COLA. The government currently calculates the COLA based on the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), a slow-rising index that tracks the spending habits of younger workers who do not spend as much of their income on health care.

The government does track the spending patterns of older Americans, and has done so since 1983 using the CPI for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E).

By tying the annual increase in the COLA to the CPI-E, seniors would see much-needed relief in their monthly checks. For example, a senior who retired with a benefit of $460 in 1984 would have received $13,723 more over the past 27 years with the CPI-E. With 1.2 million supporters, The Senior Citizens League is one of the nation’s largest nonpartisan seniors groups. Its mission is to promote and assist members and supporters, to educate and alert seniors about their rights and freedoms, and to protect and defend the benefits seniors have earned and paid for. The Senior Citizens League is a proud affiliate of The Retired Enlisted Association. Visit www.SeniorsLeague.org for more information. ISI

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The mail subscription rate is $10.00 per year (6 issues). The Idaho Senior Independent is written to serve Idaho’s mature population of all ages. Readers are encouraged to contribute interesting material. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles, and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication.

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JUNE/JULY 2011

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 3

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The cover of the August/September 2006 issue of the Idaho Senior Independent featured railbiker Richard Smart. Through his travels, Richard has met some interesting people, the most interesting, perhaps, being Oklahoma Slim – one of the last of the true hobos. In this month’s Remember When, Dick recounts his friendship with Slim. To read Slim’s story, The Train, visit www. idahoseniorindependent.com, click on Entertainment, and then click on Nostalgia. Thank you, Richard, for your contributions.

Remember When contains our readers’ personal reflections or contributions describing fic-

tional or non-fictional events from some time in the past. Contributions may be stories, letters, artwork, poems, essays, etc. Photos may be included.

Each issue of the Idaho Senior Independent features the contribution(s) deemed best by our staff. The contributor of the winning entry receives a $25 cash prize.

We look forward to receiving your contributions for our August/September 2011 issue. Mail your correspondence to Idaho Senior Independent, P.O. Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403, email to idahoseniorind@bresnan.net, or call 1-866-3605683 or 208-318-0310.

Oklahoma Slim

By Richard C. Smart, Coeur d’Alene There is a large painting of our hobo friend, Oklahoma Slim, which hangs in the family room of our home in Coeur d’Alene. He and his dog Bo are standing in a hobo jungle near the rails, and they seem to be deciding if this is where they want to spend their evening.

Oklahoma Slim was also known as the mayor of Beverly. He is one of the most interesting people I have ever known. Our friendship began on a cold winter night in 1981. A friend and I were riding the newly abandoned Milwaukee R.R. on a weeklong railbike trip across the state of Washington. We had a narrow window of opportunity to ride the most remote of all the transcontinental railroads before the salvagers moved in to disassemble what had been the most expensive railway ever built.

It was getting dark and a cold wind was blowing down out of the Saddle Mountains when we found the mayor’s boxcar-shaped shack at the edge of town. I walked up a few rickety stairs to a small wooden platform and slapped my knuckles hard against a weathered door.

A gruff voice called out from the back of the cabin, “Who’s there?�

I told him my name and that Al Parrish from Kittitas had told us to stop and visit the mayor of Beverly. We waited a few moments until the door was unlatched. Appearing before us was a wild-looking man with a gray beard and a shaggy mustache. The light from the open door revealed a large diagonal scar that ran down across his cheek and disappeared into his chin. He wore badly torn, cutoff pajamas that blew open in the wind, adding to the already interesting introduction ceremony.

His eyes looked gray and friendly, but he showed some concern about our being there - especially on one of his early-to-bed nights.

I quickly mentioned to him again that Al Parrish, the railroad salvager, had encouraged us to meet the mayor of Beverly and told us that Slim was one of the last true hobos. His eyes then sparkled, a welcoming expression began to spread over his face, and we were invited into the cabin. Heat radiated from a pot-bellied stove in the center of the room.

I immediately noticed life-like human figures painted on the wall in front of me. People representing all the different races were reaching out their hands as if warming themselves over his stove. On another wall, he had painted a hobo camp or “jungle� nestled near the rails with two red boxcars in the background. Two hobos were seated together on a log sharing food over an open fire.

We talked for over an hour. It became quite clear to us that the graphics on the interior walls of his cabin clearly symbolized Slim’s outlook on life. He was proud of his past and shared openly with us some of the good and bad times of his

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long and storied life. He had run away from home when he was seven years old and had been riding freight trains for six decades. He was proud to tell us that he was now a rubber tramp; every week he would drive his van fifty miles to the Wenatchee rail yard to serve to the Knights of the Iron Road his favorite mulligan stew.

He was very clear about how he wanted to be remembered, and he made a point of telling us the following definitions. A hobo, he said, is a migratory worker, a tramp is a migratory nonworker, and a bum is a non-migratory non-worker.

Slim taught me a lot over the years. I felt at times that Slim was observing all of us through a one-way glass window and that he could make clearer assessments about our human behavior and societal trends than if he had been midstream. I was not the only one who felt intrigued with Slim.

Several newspapers ran stories about one of the last true hobos.

Fast-forward fifteen years. I continued to visit Slim from time to time, to take him a fruit basket or for any other reason. One year he came to Coeur d’Alene to speak to the students at North Idaho College about hobo life in the

PAGE 4 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

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twenties. I had mailed him a Greyhound bus ticket, and he stayed in our home sleeping beneath the prized painting of him that hung above our fireplace. The stories he told the students were both entertaining and scary - like the time he fought a tramp on the roof of a moving boxcar until one of them fell off - it wasn’t Slim.

My wife, Ann, welcomed this wonderful man. She could tell that he was a man of wisdom. Later, we found out that Slim owned an old typewriter and printed his own newsletter, copies of which he would give to his friends in Wenatchee and mail to old friends.

Some of the stories about Slim’s life were truly remarkable. One of the stories from the thirties, however, has always stood out in my mind and I want to share it with my friends. Every time I think about bowling, I think about this amazing story.

The Train by Oklahoma Slim is printed below and tells with humor the story of the risks of the hobo life. ISI

The Train

By Oklahoma Slim Submitted by Richard Smart, Coeur d’Alene It was just getting dark, and in the distance, I heard a train whistle.

“Stub,” I said, “Have you ever grabbed one of these things?”

“Yeah,” he said.

“Stub,” I said, “are you sure you know how to do it?”

“Yeah... yeah,” Stub said impatiently.

“Okay then, but be sure to catch on the front of the car, not the back of the car. Do you understand?”

“Okay,” he said, “the front not the back.”

The freight was moving at a good clip, but I had caught faster ones and knew I could get it. I grabbed a handful of boxcar, swung up, and looked back. Then everything went into slow motion.

Stub was running along the side of the freight car, but losing ground.

When he grabbed, it was the back the car. It whirled him around in between the cars, broke his hold, and he was on the rail!

I don’t remember dropping off, but I had to do it and see what I could do. The train disappeared in the dark; Stubbs lost his right leg just below the knee. It wasn’t bleeding much, but I took my belt, put on a tourniquet anyway, and told him I would go for help.

I went back a mile to a little shack I had seen and told the man what had happened. He cranked up his Model-T and drove up the right-of-way until we reached Stub. He was still in shock, but when we loaded him in the truck, he yelled to get his leg because they might be able to sew it back.

We chugged into this little town and found the hospital - a small place, white building, green lawn, and the heavy smell of magnolias. I pounded on the emergency door but could get no answer, so I ran around to the front and down the long hall to where a nurse was sitting. I told her the problem and she pulled out a form and asked who was going to pay the bill.

I said, “The man needs help now. We can fill the form later.”

“No,” she said. “You must fill out the form first.”

I ran out the door and back to the truck. We put Stub against the door, and I told the farmer to beat it and never tell anyone how he had helped us. Then I grabbed Stub’s leg, ran around to the front, and stepped just inside the door.

Anyone who bowls would have admired my next step. I took three running steps, let my arm swing just right, and sailed Stub’s leg down that long hallway. It slid right up against the desk of this budding Florence Nightingale with a bang, leaving a little line of blood all the way.

I told the nurse, “If this man dies, I will charge you and this hospital with murder.” Then I tore out the door, ran for the bushes, and hid.

I lay in the bushes for over an hour and watched the room where I figured they would bring Stub. The rain came down, and this brought out the smell of magnolias. I hate magnolias.

They brought Stub in and put him to bed, and since I knew where he was I left for the yards to hunt for a boxcar to sleep in and even as wet as I was I did go to sleep.

The next morning I went into the hospital and into Stub’s room.

“Slim,” he said. “I was hoping you would come back to see me. I kept out something for you to eat.” He held out a buttered biscuit, but just as my finger touched it, it slipped and fell to the floor - buttered side down, of course.

There was a brief struggle between my hungry belly and the dirty floor... and the floor lost.

I grabbed the biscuit and gulped it down.

“Slim,” he said. “I have always been a hex to others. Do you know how I got the name Stub?”

He held out his hand… the first finger was gone. ISI

JUNE/JULY 2011

A Country Called Home

by Kim Barnes; Alfred A. Knopf, New York; 2008 Reviewed by Connie Daugherty “First, the river,” is the simple opening statement of Kim Barnes’s novel, A Country Called Home. The Northern Idaho River winds through the story with its hypnotic peace and its hidden threats.

“Mountain was of snowmelt through granite, past fir, larch, red cedar, and pine.” This simple threeword statement offers a powerful beginning for A Country Called Home, but you do not realize its full importance until you have finished the novel.

The reason is not that Thomas Deracotte becomes addicted to being on the river, which affects all the people in his life. It is not because the river takes life as well as giving life. Rather, it is because the plot, with its complexities, is much like a river. It begins high up, pure, clean, and fresh, then picks up the debris of life as it flows along - sometimes calm, sometimes totally out of control. It is always cool, never warm, and always moving.

This simple, descriptive, and powerful beginning is indicative of the strength of the entire novel.

It is a book that says so much more than it seems on the surface. It draws you in, tells you a story, washes over you, and then forces you to move on.

The characters in A Country Called Home are not bigger-than-life nor are their situations; this reality makes them all the more memorable.

It all begins in 1960, when scholarship medical student Thomas Deracotte meets and marries Helen, a wealthy socialite. Their relationship is built on love and rejection - the rejection of snobbish social conventions. They are 1960s idealists determined to create a better, simpler life, so they move to Idaho when Thomas graduates.

“The little town of Fife along the banks of the Idaho River known for its depleted gold mines and plentiful trout,” is where Thomas plans to open his medical practice. The pharmacist, Dr. K., has been the only thing close to a doctor for years. He knows the people of his town almost as well as they know themselves. One of those people is Manny, a teenager orphaned since childhood.

“At first, both parents gone, he’d slept on sofas and floors, found himself in beds already crowded with boys who would never call him brother. He carried the smells of each family with him.” Finally, at age sixteen, Manny quits school and goes to live in an abandoned shack by the river. He occasionally works for Dr. K. to earn what little bit of money he needs to survive. “He believed that the smell of wick and wax, of wool and the dry paste of book spines, was the smell he might be known by.”

At about this time, Thomas and Helen Deracotte arrive in Fife. They purchase an isolated and long-deserted farm. All the buildings are ruined, but Deracotte is neither a handy man nor a farmer.

He hires Manny to help around the place. And he goes fishing. He stalls opening his practice with one excuse or another until finally he has no choice but at least to go through the motions.

Meanwhile, Helen gives birth to Elise and suddenly these two young idealists are parents with responsibilities. Helen also discovers how isolated she is. “Loneliness seemed a part of the land-

scape. If you bartered for one, you got the other.”

She misses her old life of privilege and ease, she misses her old friends, she even misses her family - the love that she did not recognize as love.

“She looked at the choices and thought she might cry. She longed for friends, for companionship, for a phone to call someone.”

She starts searching - searching her soul, searching her situation, asking questions to which she has no answers. She talks to the only person who is available, Manny, the teenage handyman.

He is already her husband’s right hand man, handling everything on the farm that Thomas cannot.

He becomes her friend, her soul mate in a way that Thomas cannot be, he becomes the nanny for her daughter, Elise.

And Elise grows up, wondering “if anyone else could sense it - that part of herself she felt forming… It came as desire, as something held open and empty, waiting to be filled.” She discovers boys - or rather a boy - and religion, in that order.

She starts attending church, much to her father’s dismay. She likes it because they notice her. “Afterward, as they hugged her and said they’d see her at prayer meeting come Tuesday, Elise realized she’d never felt so happy. They loved her so easily.... They saw her as one of their own. She wished she had known them all along.”

Too soon, Elise discovers they do not so much love her as the potential of what they think she can become.

In order to become who they want her to be, she must give up who she is.

A Country Called Home is one of those dark family stories with too much realism to justify a fairytale ending, but too much hope to end in total despair. It is definitely worth reading; the characters and story will stay with you long after the book is put away.

Kim Barnes has two memoirs about growing up in Idaho and was a finalist for the 1977 Pulitzer Prize. Her poems, stories, and essays have appeared in a number of journals and anthologies. She teaches writing at the University of Idaho and lives with her husband on Moscow Mountain. ISI

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 5

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JUNE/JULY 2011

The sun is out, the birds are singing, and the flowers are in full bloom!

Summer is here, and what could be a better time to let love bloom and grow in your life? Plant the seeds of romance by answering one of these ads or write your own. You never know which new buds will turn into tomorrow’s blossoms.

To those who wish to respond to any of these personal ads, simply mail your message, address, phone number, and/or email address to the department number listed in the particular personal ad, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, P.O. Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.

Your response, including your address, phone number, and/or email address will be forwarded to the person placing the ad. If you answer an ad in this section, there is no guarantee that you will receive a response.

That is up to the person who placed the ad. Please make sure you submit your correct address plainly printed so you can promptly receive responses.

Respond to the ads in this issue and also sit down now and prepare

your ad for our August/September 2011 issue. There is no charge for this service, and your ad may bring a breath of fresh air to your heart as well.

Responses to personal ads appearing in this column can be submitted at any time. However, to place a personal ad in the August/September 2011 issue, the deadline is July 10, 2011.

WWF, educated, in early 70s, but acts and looks 50 years younger.

Considered attractive, 5’8”, 145 lbs. Seeking a gentleman who is a retired professional. Must be tall, healthy, non-smoker, and light drinker. Must have a sense of humor and be kind and truthful. Should enjoy theater, the arts, dining out, and travel. I live in SW Idaho between Boise and Ontario. Let’s have coffee! Reply ISI, Dept. 7201, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.

Single man wants to meet a single gal for a date and relationship.

Come meet and write me, too. Reply ISI, Dept. 7202, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.

Still looking for love. I am in my 70s and full of love to give to a lady who wants the same, still thinks she’s sexy, and enjoys nature, hiking, and the simple life. North Idaho area. Reply ISI, Dept. 7203, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.

Single grandma seeks to meet with a single man for friendship, dating, and company. Reply ISI, Dept. 7204, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.

I am 5’7”, 129 lbs, and white with long blond hair. I am a little eccentric in that I don’t have a live in the “box” mentality. I’m happy with my life as it is, my children are grown, and I am financially secure, but I like to dance and would really enjoy a partner with a cute personality. I also enjoy traveling and it is nice to share that with an interesting individual. I have many talents, but cooking and sewing are not among them. So here I am, considering a quality relationship filled with positive laughter and good days. If this letter grabs your interest and you are between the ages of 26 and 79, please write to me and send a photo! Reply ISI, Dept. 7205, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.

SWM, 66, southern Idaho area, searching for warm, fun-loving woman companion to share some adventures, travel, and possible relocation. Must not be tied down, and must be financially independent. I am a non-smoker, social drinker, and healthy but not religious. Will answer all inquiries – send current picture. I will do the same and you won’t be sorry! Reply ISI, Dept.

7206, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.

WWF would like to meet a nice gentleman, 70-80, who would enjoy meeting an active, friendly, financially independent lady. I like the outdoors, camping, fishing, traveling, and four wheeling. Let’s visit over a cup of coffee.

Send note with phone number. Reply ISI, Dept. 7207, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. ISI

We’ve Been Expecting You In 2006 the oldest member of the 78 million baby boomers arrived at age 60, with the rest of us in this generation well on our way. In fact, almost 8,000 people cross into their 60’s everyday.

Most of us don’t pay too much attention to these facts and figures.

At Portneuf Medical Center things are quite different. We can’t stop thinking about, or planning for it. As our population ages, more people will require more healthcare more often than ever before.

www.portmed.org

777 Hospital Way

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Pocatello, ID 83201

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We’re happy to say that the doors to our new facility are scheduled to open in the summer of 2011 and there will be room for everyone.

So don’t give the baby boom generation another thought…at least for today. At Portneuf, your Eastern Idaho Regional Referral Center, we will be ready to deliver MORE unparalleled healthcare and MORE advanced technology whenever you arrive.

At Portneuf, we believe doing more matters.

1-877-721-MORE (6673)

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JUNE/JULY 2011

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 7

Come Visit the Tautphaus Park Zoo – The Best Little Zoo in the West!

Watch the flock of threatened African penguins, observe the playful sloth bears, experience a wallaby mob on the move, discover the gibbons’ aerobatic abilities, or surround yourself with sights and sounds of South American birds in the walk-through aviary. Stop by the Children’s Zoo and pat a donkey, feed a goat, or just relax on a bench and enjoy the beautifully landscaped grounds. The Tautphaus Park Zoo is one of only two zoos in Idaho to achieve accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and maintains very high standards of animal care.

Over 400 animals, the largest collection in Idaho, call Tautphaus Park Zoo home.

A visit to the zoo would not be complete without lunch from the new concessions stand.

The expanded hours and menu items will offer zoo guests just what they are hungry for. The Explorer’s Station gift shop offers a variety of items, including T-shirts and plush animals that make a perfect souvenir of your visit. You can celebrate a birthday, take a fun and educational class, or hold a family reunion or corporate picnic all right here at the zoo! Support the zoo by becoming a member and enjoy free admission for one year, or adopt an animal and help care for the zoo’s animal collection. There is excitement, fun, and adventure for everyone at the

Tautphaus Park Zoo. The Tautphaus Park Zoo is conveniently located in Tautphaus Park, just off South Boulevard, in Idaho Falls, less than 10 minutes off I-15!

The Zoo is open mid-April through early October.

Zoo Hours: Daily April 16 – May 27, 9 a.m. with last admission 4 p.m.; May 28 – September 5, Mondays 9 a.m. with last admission 7 p.m. and Tuesday – Sunday, 9 a.m. with last admission 5 p.m.; Daily September 6 – October 2, 9 a.m. with last admission 4 p.m. Admission prices: seniors (62+) $4.50, children (4-12) $3, adults $6. For more information, visit us online at www.idahofallszoo.org or call 208-612-8552. ISI

PAGE 8 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 9

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Article & Photo by Dianna Troyer Jaylynne Twiss blames one of her high school students for launching her onto a motivational speaking circuit 30 years ago, and it continues to surprise her today. “He told his dad about me, so his dad, who owned a business, called and asked me to pump up his employees to start the New Year right. It got out of hand pretty fast, and I was traveling a lot.”

Response to her free talks surprised her. “What did I, a housewife and teacher, have to say that was so special? I live an extraordinarily ordinary life,” says the 65-year-old Paul resident who began sharing her motivational messages in 1980 through public speaking engagements and, since several months ago, in a book.

Jaylynne worked on her speaking engagements on weekends and evenings while rearing five children, working as a substitute teacher at Burley High School, and later as an instructor at the College of Southern Idaho, where she taught study skills, critical thinking skills, and job seeking.

Three years after she started speaking, her husband Max, who owns Les Schwab Magic Valley Tires in Paul, sat her down and gave his own motivational talk to her.

“He said I should turn my speaking engagements into a business and receive a fee for travel expenses. A few hours later, I had two phone calls, one from someone in Blackfoot and one from a person in Idaho Falls.”

Both callers were happy to pay her. “I asked for $50 and for $90,” she says. “After that I worked up a fee schedule. The most I ever received was $6,000 for a weekend event in California.”

Soon, Jaylynne was speaking four or more times a month and emceeing a variety of local community events.

“Those talks helped our kids get through

college,” she says.

Whether she is all dressed up in a suit speaking at a business meeting or dressed down in a sweat suit relaxing at home, she inspires people with her core message.

“You are powerful enough to solve your problems and to have a fun adventure doing it,” she says.

“God put you here.

It’s your life, and you are capable of living it successfully with encouragement and humor.”

After listening to her speeches, people in her appreciative audience often asked her, “Do you have a book I could buy?”

She always said no.

“I don’t want to write a book. I don’t want to sell books.

I don’t have time to write a book. I don’t know how to write a book. No. Thank you. But no.”

Against her better judgment, she finally relented and compiled 51 of her most popular stories into a manuscript, an undertaking that took about two years.

“It’s been the biggest mistake of my life,” she says, laughing about her 221-page, selfpublished paperback entitled “Where Are We Going? (And when will we get there?)”.

“It’s not in a narrative form,” she says of her book, printed in September. “It’s just standalone stories I’ve told over the years. I did this for our kids and 14 grandkids because they kept asking me to tell this story or that story.”

Nearly every day, Jaylynne gets a couple of calls from people who want to buy her book.

Because demand has exceeded her expectations, she plans to sell them at a store in Burley and to create a website.

“I’m working on that next. I was too casual about this. I never expected this kind of response. I have boxes of books in the garage, and I’m sending copies out every day, which is pretty impractical.”

Throughout her life, Jaylynne has often

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given herself a dose of her own motivational talks to help her accomplish her goals and earn master’s degrees in psychology and business administration.

“I didn’t get my MBA until I was 60,” she says.

“I thought my brain was too slow and needed some exercise. Well, it got worse after I started school. Finally, I figured out I had a big hole in my heart. They tried to get me to quit my MBA program, but I had gone too long - no way! They patched up the hole in my heart, which is no big deal these days, and I recovered quickly. I realized the MBA program was still too difficult for me, but I got it anyway. I wish I had fixed my heart first.”

In 2008, she retired from teaching at the College of Southern Idaho, but doubts she will ever retire from her motivational speaking.

“It’s too much fun,” she says.

Debilitating back pain threatened to thwart

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her fun this past year. “I have severe scoliosis, and my spine was twisting like a barbershop pole. I was referred to Dr. Michael Daubs in Salt Lake City, who is incredible. During my first appointment, he was unsure what kind of patient I’d be, and then he saw the twinkle in my eye and told me I’d be fine. Because I had great bone density and no arthritis, he told me the surgery would be successful.”

Due to the severity of her scoliosis, he scheduled surgery as soon as possible, which happened to be in September, the same week her book was being printed.

With her first book complete, will she write a sequel?

“I’d love to tell how Dr. Daubs saved my back, so I could walk without pain. If I hadn’t gone to him, I’d probably be in a wheelchair. Yes, I’m thinking about the next book.” ISI

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Philanthropic speed freaks race their roaring lawn mowers Article & Photo by Dianna Troyer Every summer, Rupert resident Joe Phillips, 62, issues the same warning to his fellow lawn mower racers. “My old age and treachery will always overcome your youth and enthusiasm,” says the reigning champion of the Fourth of July Firecracker 500 Lawnmower Races at the Minidoka County Fairgrounds in Rupert, where he won five first place trophies last year.

More proof of his point is inside his small engine repair shop in Rupert, Why Not Repair, where he stashes his 40-plus trophies from a decade of racing and his 10 racing mowers.

“I race four and loan the others to friends. You have to make sure they have good names, like the Turfinator, Quasimoto, the Lawn Ranger, or Mater.”

“Why Not” was easy to name, a reminder of the philosophy Joe has relied on to guide his major life decisions. When someone asked him why he would open a small engine repair shop decades ago, he answered, “Why Not?” When friends talked him into racing lawn mowers, he gave his usual answer.

“The first time I raced 11 years ago, I threw an engine together in three days and won. I had been racing dirt bikes, and friends told me I had to give this a try. It was a hoot, and I gave up bikes and have been racing mowers ever since.”

Joe and two dozen other local racers compete for thrills, bragging rights, trophies, and, most importantly, local charities, including a senior center, Meals-on-Wheels, a domestic violence shelter, and fire departments. No cash prizes are awarded.

“We raise about $2,000 - $4,000 per event,” Joe estimates. “The Rupert East End and West End fire departments started the races 12 years ago to raise money for families whose homes had burned.”

This summer, the three-hour races begin at 6 p.m. on June 4, July 1, and August 1 at the fairgrounds.

It is relatively inexpensive to enter, Joe says, because an engine costs about $300-500. “Like any racing sport, you can go as fast as you can afford to go.” Racers enter different classes based on engine size and must use a lawn mower engine but can change the gearing.

“In the 8-horsepower class, you go about 25 miles an hour,” Joe says. “In the 12-horse class, you hit up to 33 miles an hour, and in the 14-horse and up, you go 40 to 45. It may not sound that fast, but when you’re out there, it feels fast. It’s trickier than you think to steer a riding lawn mower at 30 miles an hour, considering it was built to go about 7. It can get twitchy, and you can skid 3 feet when you least expect it.

They can be a handful.”

A friend, Lawrence Burch, who test-drove one of Joe’s mowers, agrees. “You’re low to the ground, and there’s nothing there between you and the air, no metal around you, so it seems like you’re going about twice as fast as you really are. You’re hanging right out there. It’s such a kick and is cheap entertainment.”

Lawrence, who had raced stock cars for 15 years, will compete this summer for the first time on an 8-horsepower mower Joe built for him.

“Last year, after I’d watched the races, I thought it looked like crazy fun, so I thought, ‘Why not try it?’ Racing is racing.”

Lawrence says he does not expect to win. “I’ll be the oldest one out there,” says the 70-yearold, who semi-retired from running heavy equipment for a local road construction company in 2002. “I just want to have fun, be competitive, and make the younger drivers look over their shoulders.”

One of Joe’s favorite classes is the outlaw

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drag class because he rips along at 45 to 48 miles per hour. Racers cobble together a lawn mower frame, a seat, and fender, and for this class only are allowed to use a snowmobile, dirt bike, or street bike engine.

“I have a small 250-cc Kawasaki dirt bike engine, but I beat the guys with bigger 750-cc engines. Mine is lighter, about 59 pounds, compared to those more powerful engines that might weigh 300 pounds.

My whole machine weighs less than their motor, so I win.”

Joe says it is unlikely he will bring another trophy to his shop this year, but he does not mind. “I want to take some videos with a camera mounted to my helmet, so people know what it’s like from a racer’s point of view. I’ll be starting out at the back of the pack.”

It is hard to say whether his competitiveness will compel him to come from behind to cross the finish line first, but he invites people to come watch him defend his five titles from last year.

“We make the races affordable, so we charge $5 a person or $15 for a family. If a single parent cannot pay that, we will let them go in anyway. We want as many people as possible to enjoy the show. The little guys are our biggest fans.”

For more information about lawn mower racing, Joe may be reached at 208436-1563. The U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association has more information at www.letsmow.com. ISI

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Article & Photo by Dianna Troyer and-batten barn. “We still use it,” he says. “It used Jim Sheridan, a 92-year-old rancher who lives to be the livery stable for the freight wagons that near Almo, a town of 140 eight miles north of the came from Kelton, Utah. It stood in Almo until my Idaho/Utah border, admits he has had a few mishaps dad took it apart and hauled it here by wagon and during the past decades, plus a few pesky physical put it up. I used to milk 16 cows in here.” ailments.

After graduating from high school, Jim SheriBut they dan wondered what lay beyond the valley. “I went are a off to Portland’s Benson Polytechnic School for six s o u r c e months to study mechanics and got so homesick of enter- for this place, I came back and never left,” he says. taining In addition to Jim, his parents, Cecil Albert and s t o r i e s Eva, had three daughters, “who spoiled me rotten,” r a t h e r he says, grinning. Not so rotten that he did not than self- learn to work hard and deal with the unexpected. pity.

“I had just turned 19 when Dad died of liver F o r problems,” Jim says. “We took him to Burley to one, his the hospital, and he never came home. My sisters right in- had married and moved away, so I was left with dex fin- this place to run. The neighbors helped us out.” ger is Jim tended to his Herefords, married Dorothy missing. (a teacher) in 1948, and helped raise their children: “ T h e r e Sherry, Cordell, Marlon, and the late Marcia. was a “In the summer of 1971, we needed a little exg r a i n tra money, and I had a chance to work on a survey chopper crew with the Bureau of Land Management,” says p a r k e d Jim, who juggled running the ranch and working here, and summer jobs with the BLM and Forest Service for I reached the next 36 field seasons. in to flip out a wire,” he says one morning as he Five years later, when he was 58, he started stops during a stroll around Sheridan Ranch a few a new summer job: working as a fire prevention miles west of town, which his son Cordell now runs. patrol officer for the Sawtooth National Forest. In The ranch cow dogs Jake and Beau acW E A R E C O M F O R T K E E P E R S® company him.

“It ate my hand pretty good. I’ve had surgery on my knee and for cataracts.

Then in 2007, I had a heart attack and For over a decade, Comfort Keepers® S E R V I C E S three bypasses, but I can still live a norhas been helping seniors maintain mal life.” independent lives by providing in-home care and safety. Like cooking, light He uses a ski pole to help him mainhousekeeping, bathing or grooming. tain his balance as he walks. “It’s stanAnd our SafetyChoice ™ PERS and Transportation dard operating equipment for me these Medication Management Systems means days. I may not get around as good as help is always available.

I did 40 years ago, but I still get around pretty good for 92.”

– He points to a nearby distinctive local landmark: towering turrets of limestone dubbed Castle Rocks. “My granddad homesteaded over there in 1878,” he says. “Now, it’s Castle Rocks State Park.”

Like his father and grandfather, Jim grazed Hereford cattle in lush meadows Entire Entire and watered them in streams that flowed Treasure Valley: 895-8822 Pocatello Area: 234-9825 from snow-capped peaks surrounding the Pocatello Area: Burley/Rupert: 234-9825 434-8888 scenic Raft River Valley.

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 11

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1985, when he was 67, an age when most people consider retirement, the Forest Service hired him to work in the fire lookout tower at nearby 9,265-foot-high Mt. Harrison.

“Any place I saw from up there, I had been to on horseback, foot, or vehicle,” Jim says. When he finally retired as a lookout in 2007 at age 89, he was the oldest fire lookout nationwide.

At his retirement party at the lookout, he was presented with a framed reproduction of a page from the Congressional Record in which Sen.

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Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) thanked him for his years of service.

“As a lifelong rancher and 36-year veteran of government service in the second half of his life, Jim has captured the secret to staying young – that of knowing you are never too old to start something new,” Crapo wrote. “Jim’s life is a wonderful example of the fact that success comes as the result of hard work. Idahoans who visited the Sawtooths were safer and better educated about our rugged

and beautiful natural resources as a result of Jim’s dedication and efforts.”

Eventually, Cordell began running Sheridan Ranch. “Cordell decided to switch to Gelbvieh and Angus, and he’s done a fine job of it,” says Jim of Cordell’s focus on improving genetics in his herd and selling a crop of bulls yearly through www. sheridancattle.com. Like Jim, the valley will always be home to Cordell as he carries on a family ranching tradition. ISI

Wagon train travelers twist entertaining tales - continued from cover “After a few days on the trail, a mule has more stamina and eats less than a horse,” Joe says. “They really do love the heat and to work. They get bored standing around, so after a day off, they step right on out and walk fast.”

Lloyd says, “Mules cost a lot less to shoe, too, because their feet are smaller. It costs about $250 to shoe a draft horse and about $75 to shoe a mule.”

A mule’s intelligence impresses Joe. “I could turn a mule loose 15 or 20 miles from my house, and he’d find his way home, right to my doorstep.

Mules know where they’re going. They’re smart, so you have to train them to do something right the first time, or else they’ll always want to do it the wrong way.”

Joe and Lloyd started their wagon trips after a 1994 pack trip into the Selways. “We usually went for a week or two,” Lloyd recalls. After they returned from that trip, stiff and sore, they began thinking “there has to be a more comfortable way.”

Then they discovered the luxury of traveling by covered wagons and took their first trip - traveling 670 miles from Paul to Bishop, California. They liked it so much, they did it again the next year, but on their second trip along the same route, a spring snowstorm surprised them. “When we left Wells, Nevada, it was raining,”

Joe recalls. “By the time we got to Lamoille, it was snowing, and there was a foot on the ground in short order.”

Glenda says she is always grateful that she, unlike the pioneer wagon travelers, has a comfortable, warm, dry mattress to settle down on at night.

“I’m happy just going on the trips for the first few days and the last few days.”

Joe says he likes smaller wagon trains with about five to ten wagons because the logistics of travel are easier to manage. “We always carry a commissary wagon with a half-ton of hay and two days of drinking water for the mules,” Joe says.

Joe not only likes working with the mules but also building the wagons they pull. He installs modern conveniences like a mattress, refrigerator, cupboards, kitchen table, stove and a window.

“I have eight wagons, with three of them sold.” He is refurbishing two Weber buckboards, both stamped with 1845. “I found one in Missouri, and then I found another one.”

This year, Joe and Lloyd are planning several trips, including one of their favorites in southern Utah in October for 10 days.

The winter does not prevent Joe and Glenda from taking covered wagon rides. “We take everything down to Bouse, Arizona, where we spend the winter,” Joe says. “We’ve done some great trips out in the desert.” ISI

Air travel can be confusing… for some Ticket agents encounter many different types of passengers as they help them negotiate the ins and outs of moving around the world. Below are a few of these humorous encounters from the agent side of the ticket counter.

1. A man once called and asked if he could rent a car in Dallas. I pulled up the reservation and noticed he had only a one-hour layover in Dallas.

When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he said, “I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between gates to save time.”

2. A man called and asked, “Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know whose luggage belongs to whom?” I said, “No, why do you ask?”

He replied, “Well, when I checked in with the airline, they put a tag on my luggage that said FAT, and I’m overweight. I think that’s very rude...”

After putting him on hold for a minute, I came back and explained the city code for Fresno, CA is FAT (Fresno Air Terminal) and the airline was just putting a destination tag on his luggage.

3. A man called to inquire about a trip package to Hawaii. After going over all the cost info, he asked, “Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii...?”

4. I just got off the phone with a man who asked, “How do I know which plane to get on?” I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, “I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these planes have numbers on them.”

5. A woman called and said, “I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola, Florida. Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?” I asked if she meant fly to Pensacola, FL on a commuter plane. She said, “Yeah, whatever, smarty!”

6. A man called to make reservations, saying “I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York.” I was at a loss for words. Finally I said, “Are you sure that’s the name of the town?”

“Yes, what flights do you have?” replied the man. After some searching, I came back with, “I’m sorry, sir, I’ve looked up every airport code in the country and can’t find a Rhino anywhere.”

The man retorted, “Oh, don’t be silly! Everyone knows where it is. Check your map.” So I scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, “You don’t mean Buffalo, do you?”

The reply? “Whatever... I knew it was a big animal.” ISI

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Where Are They Now - Estelle Harris

By Marshall J. Kaplan This actress, famous for playing George Castanza’s mother on Seinfeld, is still known for her famous voice in movies and television.

Estelle Harris was born on April 4, 1928 in Torrentem, Pennsylvania.

According to her, she had to leave her hometown as nobody wanted to live in a home there - nobody wanted to rent ‘em. Get it? Torentem!

She moved to New Jersey and met her husband Sy at a dance. They married in 1953. The couple raised their three children in New Jersey as well.

After her children grew up, Estelle knew she wanted to be more than just a New Jersey housewife. Her unique voice and look landed Estelle roles in small stage productions and commercials. Estelle went to every audition - landing her tons of work.

While visiting her son, Glenn, in Los Angeles, Estelle was told to audition for the role of George Castanza’s (played by Jason Alexander) mother on Seinfeld. Estelle explains, “They had me read a scene where I am upset that I find my son ‘entertaining’ himself.

I had no idea he was masturbating. My real son, Glenn, had to explain it to me!”

Estelle won the role. She was perfect! Estelle explains what happened to Seinfeld after that famous “The Contest” episode. “Before that episode, Seinfeld was not very popular, but after that everybody began talking about it – water cooler chat.’ Oh you should have seen that episode,’ etc. It put Seinfeld on the map!”

Since Seinfeld, Estelle has become known as the voice of Mrs. Potato Head in the Toy Story films. She is also well known for her role as Muriel on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. She continues to lend her voice frequently to dozens of animated programs.

Does Estelle consider herself a TV icon? “Oh! I’m not an icon! I’m just a good actress with a great voice!”

Estelle loves her age. “You can say anything and get away with it! If somebody does something I don’t like I can just say, ‘Go @*#% yourself’ and I do say it!”

Estelle currently divides her time between her two-story condominium in West Hollywood and her home in Palm Springs - both of which are filled to the brim with her finds from antique markets and auctions. And yes - she does have the famous Mrs. Castanza doll! ISI

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By Mark Fee As far as recent conspiracy/espionage films are concerned, The Bourne Identity films with Matt Damon and the recent James Bond films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace are extremely well-made spy thrillers. On the other hand, Liam Neeson’s Unknown, though entertaining, had plot holes that were knee deep.

The spy/conspiracy thriller genre reached its zenith in the 1960s with the James Bond films. There have been other classic espionage and conspiracy thrillers, but the films of the 60s were unique. As 007, Sean Connery was a new type of hero. He was ruthless, malevolent, and an incorrigible womanizer. Guy Hamilton’s Goldfinger (1964) was unforgettable. The music of John Barry, who recently passed away, was pulsating and spectacular. Television’s Man from U.N.C.L.E (1964-68) and The Avengers (1961-69) with Diana

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Rigg and Patrick Macnee capitalized on the success of the Bond films. The hilarious Get Smart (1965-70) series spoofed the genre. The Western genre even benefited from the Bond films. The Wild, Wild West (1965-69) was a huge success, though a bit monotonous.

There are a number of classic spy/conspiracy thrillers worth picking up at your local DVD store. The following films from the 60s will have you glued to your seat. You don’t want to miss them!

John Houston’s List of Adrian Messenger (1963) is one of my favorite conspiracy thrillers. George C. Scott races to uncover the identity of a ruthless killer before a young British heir is murdered. Scott plays Anthony Gethryn, a retired military intelligence officer. Gethryn is asked by his close friend, Adrian Messenger, to examine a list of names and find out if the people are still living. Messenger leaves on a plane, but the plane crashes. Gethryn suspects foul play and examines the list of names. He suspects Messenger’s name was meant for the list. The film is superb entertainment with many well-known actors in cameo roles and disguise, including Robert Mitchum and Burt Lancaster. Not rated; 3.5 stars.

In The Ipcress File (1965), Michael Caine plays British secret agent Harry Palmer. Palmer cannot stand his superior officers and is impudent. His commanding officer knows Palmer is very intelligent and can be used. He tells Palmer to investigate the disappearance of important Western scientists, but Palmer has been set up. Whom can he trust? He has to survive by his wits. The film is an absolute masterpiece of the genre and Caine is superb. The film is black and white and was a surprise box office hit.

John Barry’s film score is sinister and electric.

Not rated; four stars.

In 36 Hours (1965), James Garner is brainwashed by the Nazis into believing D-Day has already taken place. But the truth is something far different. Garner plays American agent Major Jefferson Pike. Pike is drugged by the SS and sent to a complex that looks like an American military hospital in Bavaria. When Pike wakes, he is told that WWII is over and that he has been in a coma and is recuperating. Rod Taylor (The Birds, 1963) plays a German psychiatrist, who attempts to convince Pike the war is indeed, over.

Beautiful Eve Marie Saint (On the Waterfront, 1953) plays a Jewish woman who has survived life in a concentration camp and reluctantly helps the Germans. The film is a riveting, outstanding thriller. Not rated; three stars.

In the hilarious Glass Bottom Boat (1965), Doris Day plays Jennifer Nelson, a woman who works for NASA and is mistaken for a spy. Day also works part time for her father (played by Arthur Godfrey) as a mermaid on Catalina Island. But a public relations stunt misfires when Rod Taylor, as Day’s employer at NASA, snags the bottom half of Day’s mermaid outfit, while fishing. The scene is hilarious and the film even funnier. Paul Lynde plays an incompetent guard at NASA, who overhears Day talking on the phone with her dog, Vladimir. Lynde thinks Vladimir is a Russian spy. A very young Dom De Louise is hilarious as a contractor who helps Day redecorate her house. The film is directed by Frank Tashlin, who also directed many of Jerry Lewis’s funniest films. Not rated; three stars.

In Arabesque (1966), Gregory Peck plays Professor David Pollock, a hieroglyphics professor, who is asked to investigate a conspiracy against Britain’s Prime Minister. The truth about the plot may be contained in a pictograph. Sophia Loren plays the leader of the plot’s mistress, Yazmin.

Loren has never been more voluptuous and lovely. Pollock is intrigued and seduced by Yazmin, who is intertwined with the plot. Stanley Donen (Singing in the Rain, 1952; Charade, 1963) directs this clever, nerve-wracking thriller.

Henry Mancini’s musical score is hypnotic. Not rated; three stars.

George Lazenby was a former model when he won the coveted role of James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969). Sean Connery was tired of Bond and Lazenby was an unlikely replacement. Lazenby was awkward and self-conscious. The film still soared with stunning ski action sequences and mind-boggling cinematography. John Barry’s soundtrack is among his best for the Bond films. The film concentrates less on Bond’s sexual conquests than it does on his uneasy relationship with spoiled Italian contessa, Tracy De Vicenzo, played by Dianna Rigg of TV’s The Avengers.

Tracy is the daughter of a mafia don. She attempts suicide, but Bond rescues her. Bond goes undercover to discover the truth about the connection between research on allergies and the deaths of some strikingly attractive young women. At the climax, Bond leads an attack on a snow-encrusted mountain fortress and marries Tracy. But will the marriage last? Rated PG; three stars.

There will be more classics from the DVD vault next time. Until then, enjoy! ISI

Some People Have a Way With Words - When Insults Had Class Submitted by Julie Hollar-Brantley There was a time when insulting someone was viewed as an art form. The glorious insults below are from an era before the English language became one filled with expletives and devoid of creativity.

1. He had delusions of adequacy. - Walter Kerr 2. He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire. - Winston Churchill 3. Lady to Winston Churchill, “If I were your wife, I would give you poison.” To which Churchill responded, “Madam, if I were your husband, I would take it!”

4. I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure. - Clarence Darrow 5. He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary. - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway) 6. Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I’ll waste no time reading it. - Moses Hadas 7. I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it. - Mark Twain 8. He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends. - Oscar Wilde 9. I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend... if you have one. George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill ISI

JUNE/JULY 2011

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 15

Forgotten Flavors: Idaho PreferredÂŽ Brings Together Producers And Consumers Of Fresh, Nutritious, Locally Grown Food

By Bernice Karnop Nothing ever tasted as good as Mom’s cooking. If you tried and failed to replicate those flavors, it might be because of where she got the basic ingredients rather than the pinch of nutmeg or touch of basil she added.

Leah Clark, manager of the Idaho PreferredŽ program, will help you find fresh and flavorful food - food that is produced in Idaho and sold quickly in local markets. “You just can’t beat the flavor of produce that has been picked at the peak of ripeness and delivered to a store or farmer’s market. There’s no comparison to produce that has been picked a couple weeks before it was ripe to allow for shipping and ripening along the way,� she says.

Idaho PreferredÂŽ is an Idaho Department of Agriculture program to help consumers learn what products are produced in Idaho and where these products can be purchased. They also help producers find new markets locally to sell their products. You can spot these products quickly because they are marked with the bright blue and gold sunburst logo of Idaho PreferredÂŽ.

Since Idaho grows a surprising variety of fruits and vegetables, the first step is to become aware of what we have. Do you know we raise blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, peaches,

8, (OSPICE )$3R)ND PDF !-

pears, plums, nectarines, melons, grapes, and cucumbers along with the more familiar vegetables?

The Idaho Department of Agriculture produces a fruits and vegetables calendar that tells when these fruits and vegetables are in season. You can find it on their website, www.agri.idaho.gov. You can locate, say, a cherry grower on the website by clicking “find a local producer,� then “fruits,� and finally “cherries.� They also have a list of U-Pick locations and family farmers who sell their products directly to the public through Community Supported Agriculture. Through this program, farmers offer a certain number of shares to the public, and in turn provide a supply of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. It will be easier to get the grandchildren to try new good-for-you vegetables if you take them to visit the farm.

On the Idaho PreferredŽ website, www.idahopreferred.com, you will find a long list of all of the farmer’s markets throughout the state. It tells when they open, their hours, location, and contact information. While the web contains mountains of information about products and where you can find them, do not despair if you are not an internet user.

The same information is available in print form.

Just call Leah Clark at 208-332-8684, or email her at leah.clark@agri.idaho.gov and request the information.

Farmer’s markets spill from the Panhandle south, scattering through towns small and large.

Each one has its own personality - part festival, part market, part community social. You will see baskets of apples, pears, and peaches, stacks of colorful carrots, cucumbers, and squash. Artisans sell fragrant breads, cookies, and fudge. Homemade soaps, hand-crafted furniture, fresh flowers, or bedding plants - it is impossible to name everything you might find at a farmer’s market.

However, you do not have to search out alternative sellers to find locally grown food. Watch for the Idaho PreferredÂŽ logo in grocery stores, restaurants, and nurseries so you can get good products and at the same time support the local economy.

Produce harvested at its peak is not only very fresh and flavorful, but also very nutritious. The cost is about the same as produce that has been shipped from non-local producers because of minimal transportation costs.

Research shows a nationwide trend of people searching out locally grown food to buy. Leah sees this trend continuing and growing. “I just encourage people to search out what’s local and, if they are looking for things they can’t find, to check out the website or contact me and we can probably direct them.� ISI

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Caring For An Aging Parent What To Do If They Can’t Meet Their Own Needs

By Lisa M. Petsche If you have a parent who lives alone, you may be concerned that they are no longer able to look after all of their day-to-day needs. Typical indictors include changes in grooming, hygiene, nutrition, housekeeping, financial management, medication compliance, mobility, energy level, and mental status.

Getting Help - Here are some ways to help, depending on your parent’s situation.

• Arrange for a medical checkup and accompany your parent. Lethargy, forgetfulness, and confusion could be caused by infection, dehydration, or depression. Request a medication review by the family doctor or pharmacist, since side effects or drug interactions may be the source of difficulties.

• If nutrition is an issue, arrange a dental appointment to have your parent’s teeth or dentures checked. Set up a schedule to take them grocery shopping. Stock the freezer with heat-and-serve foods. Have them over for dinner and arrange for nutritional supplements if necessary.

• If vision is a problem, ask the doctor for a referral to an ophthalmologist. If nothing can be done to improve your parent’s vision, get them a magnifier for reading small print and other adaptive items such as a large-keypad telephone and

a clock with oversized numbers.

• If falls are a concern, perform a safety assessment to identify potential home hazards and do what you can to rectify them.

• If financial management is an issue, arrange for direct deposit of pension checks and automatic bill payment from your parent’s bank account. Have a lawyer assist your parent in assigning power of attorney for property to one or more people they trust.

• Investigate available resources in your parent’s community that may be of help. Information can be obtained from the local office on aging.

When Help Is Refused - What if your parent clearly needs help but will not accept it? The approach to take depends on your parent’s personality and the nature of your relationship, but here are some general guidelines.

• Raise concerns gently. Use “I” statements.

For example, “I notice that...” or, “I’m worried that...”

Provide concrete examples.

• Emphasize your parent’s abilities and you can support them. Stress that your aim is to help them remain at home and maximize their independence.

• Organize a family meeting if your parent denies problems.

• Gently probe to learn the reasoning behind your parent’s refusal of help. Listen and respect their point of view. Be attuned to underlying feelings and demonstrate empathy.

• Share brochures or information from the internet. Highlight services and equipment that are free or subsidized.

• Focus initially on the least intrusive options, such as setting up an emergency response system or obtaining medical equipment.

• Offer to pay for, or contribute to the cost of medical equipment, community programs, or home services if your parent has limited income.

• If your parent is mentally capable, it is important to recognize that they have the right to put themselves at risk.

You may need to agree to disagree about what

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is best for them.

Managing Stress - While it can have its rewards, caring for an aging parent involves physical, psychological, emotional, and financial demands.

The following are some strategies to help keep stress manageable.

• Look after your health: eat nutritious meals, get adequate rest, exercise, and get regular medical checkups.

• Find something relaxing you can do every day.

• Stay connected to the important people in your life.

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 17

• Educate yourself about any medical diagnoses your parent may have.

• Take things one day at a time so you do not get overwhelmed.

• Give yourself permission to feel all of the emotions that surface.

• Do not try to handle things alone. Ask other family members to help.

• Join a caregiver support group in your community or on the internet.

Lisa M. Petsche is a medical social worker and a freelance writer specializing in boomer and senior issues. ISI

Survive Your Parent’s Alzheimer’s Disease Book offers tips to handle the daily challenges of debilitating disease When a parent develops Alzheimer’s disease, everything changes, often in a brief period. Many times adult children encounter the new responsibility of caring for a parent at the busiest time of their lives. Information may be needed quickly, but they have very little time in their busy lives to devote to learning - they need the information fast.

Unforgettable Journey: Tips to Survive Your Parent’s Alzheimer’s Disease by Anne P. Hill is a short, easily accessible book that gives tips and first-hand experience to the adult children of victim’s of Alzheimer’s disease that will not only help them cope with the daily trials and tribulations of assisting a parent with the illness, but will also give hope that there are some happy times ahead.

“There are many books written about Alzheimer’s disease,” explains Kevin R. Smith, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry, director of Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic at Oregon Health Sciences in Portland. “The concise nature and easy readability of Unforgettable Journey will make it an effective tool for family members with a parent who has dementia. The upbeat nature and tips section at the end of each chapter helps the book read in much the same way that a supportive conversation with a friend would be to the reader.”

Hill details the specific methods she used to understand and manage the daily trials of caring for her mother after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Broken down into small chapters, Unforgettable Journey includes information and suggestions about: • What to expect during the different stages of Alzheimer’s • Dealing with doctors • Insight into the life of those who suffer from Alzheimer’s - both as a patient and a caretaker • A checklist for evaluating and selecting memory care residences • The care of caregivers and family members Unforgettable Journey is unflinchingly honest in Hill’s suggestions about how to accomplish the small, daily tasks with a parent that become nearly impossible when that parent has Alzheimer’s. Readers will be more prepared for some of the horrid things their parent might say, but will also know that there are still happy moments to come despite the Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

“Every book about Alzheimer’s will tell you that it is important to take your parent to the doctor and dentist,” explains Hill. “But none of them tell you what to do when your parent says, ‘Heck, no I won’t go!’ Unforgettable Journey does.”

About the Author - Anne P. Hill practiced law for sixteen years before retiring to care for her family. She volunteers at her sons’ school and with her church. Hill enjoys playing her piano, cooking, lifting weights, and needlepoint.

She lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Portland, Oregon.

ISBN: 0-595-42744-4; June 2007; iUniverse; 6 x 9 Paperback $13.95; 109 pages ISI

PAGE 18 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

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Respite Care - Just What the Doctor Ordered

By David J. Caesar Respite Care can be provided by companies that provide in-home care and can be provided on a regular basis, lasting from a few hours to overnight. This popular respite choice enables individuals to remain in their own environments and can be invaluable for family members who function as caregivers.

Many assisted living communities also offer respite care in the form of temporary stays at their facilities. “This can ease people into the idea of living in an Assisted Living Community or Residential Care Home for the Elderly,” says Mary Weathers, who is a Registered Nurse and Franchise Owner with Always Best Care Senior Services in Flagler County, Florida.

“The usual pathway is to come in for a short stay, and ultimately, if they like it, move them into a more long-term stay,” says Weathers. Many of the communities that Always Best Care Senior Services work with make it a point to promote the fact that they offer respite stays.

  The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading, global voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care and support, and the largest private, nonprofit supporter of Alzheimer’s research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

We are here to help. Our professionally staffed 24/7 Helpline (1-800272-3900) offers information and advice. We run support groups, connect people through our online message boards, help people find clinical trials through our free Alzheimer’s Association Trial Match service, deliver education programs annually, and offer online information.

Join the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s™ and unite in a movement to reclaim the future for millions. Since 1989, we have mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®, and now we ask you to register for Walk to End Alzheimer’s, the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research.

Together, we can end Alzheimer’s - disease the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death. Visit www.alz.org/walk today and join the fight! ISI

Unfortunately, there are still concerns regarding support for respite care, especially as it pertains to caring for people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. Families that care for loved ones with Alzheimer’s may struggle to get sufficient respite care.

This can lead to a decline in the caregiver’s health and well-being and as a result, the person with Alzheimer’s disease may not be cared for adequately.

If you are caring for a loved one, it is important to take precautions and take care of yourself so that you can continue to provide care for your loved one. Finding respite care can be a necessity. Important steps to take include joining a support group, getting adequate sleep, eating nutritious meals, and exercising daily. This will help maintain your energy level and ability to respond to crises. It is crucial for caregivers to take a break periodically. All of these things will help ensure that the person acting as the caregiver does not end up being the person needing care.

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 19

Doctors Prescribe Bedroom, Not Pharmacy, In Their 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health They aren’t suggesting you cajole your spouse into bed with the plaintive wail, “But honey, it’s doctor’s orders!” Some might try that approach, of course, but the physicians who wrote Stay Young: 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health are simply saying that sex is good for you.

It’s all there in Chapter 8 - by far the most talked-about pages of Stay Young (George House Publishing, 2010), a hot-selling book from authors Mark Anderson, MD; Walter Gaman, MD; and Judith Gaman, health expert and public speaker.

The book’s cover depicts an attractive, naked couple cuddling under the sheets, so you know right away that this is not your typical health and wellness guide. But do not go looking for pure titillation in Chapter 8. The doctors present their case in a straightforward, convincing manner and support it with case studies and facts.

But there is no denying they have turned health into an - ahem - exciting topic… When is the last time you saw the word “sexy” next to healthcare?

“The fountain of youth can be found between the sheets,” said Dr. Anderson, who, along with the Gamans, runs Executive Medicine of Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. “Frequent intercourse causes the brain to release human growth hormone, which helps maintain youth.”

Dr. Gaman points out that “middle-aged men who have sex five times a week can lower the risk

for prostate cancer by 33 percent, compared to those that have sex only five times a month.”

Judy Gaman adds another startling fact: “Vigorous sex three times a week for a year is the equivalent caloric burn as walking 75 miles.”

Staying Young: 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health is the first health book to include a weekly orgasm chart, enabling readers to log their number of orgasms and how long they engaged in sex each day.

Is more always better? Whether or not a point of diminishing returns exists, Dr. Anderson is convinced that “having sex can increase your immunity. A recent study showed that sexual intercourse at least three times a week can increase IGA, a protein that acts as an antibody by binding to pathogens that enter the body.”

For more information, contact Executive Medicine of Texas at We have 3 offices and 13 diabetes educators to 817-552-4300 or see help you manage your diabetes. Call today. their website at www. emtexas.com. ISI

Northwest Nursing Associations and Boards of Nursing Celebrate 100 Years The profession of American nursing in the Northwest is aging like everything else. The State Boards of Nursing in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon have all reached 100. The Montana Board of Nursing will celebrate its centennial in 2014. As the Boards of Nursing age to the 100-year mark, the average age of working American nurses has climbed too, with the largest segment of nurses today in their 50s.

Nursing is the oldest of the arts. The combined use of the head, hand, and heart provided the strong foundation for modern day nursing. As caring for the ill has become more complex, “more than just caring was needed.”

Science, skill, and practice along with theoretical and moral/ethical frameworks shape the nursing profession today.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805 set into motion the settling of the West. As trading posts and military posts were established, they became places to receive care. With some exceptions (Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa, Henry Harmon, and Eliza Spaulding), most of the very first settlers had no formal training in health care. In 1842, a Jesuit missionary, Father Nicholas Point, built a humble mission near where the St. Joe and Coeur d’Alene rivers meet. The mission was a place where the native people could receive care. Interestingly, no one was allowed to touch American Indian women during childbirth, which led to fewer incidences of childbirth infections.

Along the Oregon Trail, most nursing care remained in the hands of family and friends. Information about nursing care during this time is scarce, as many topics of health care were considered taboo to talk or even write about.

Mother Joseph and five Sisters arrived in Oregon County in 1856 by sea from Montreal and ultimately established eleven hospitals in the Northwest.

Over the first few years, Mother Joseph made trips to the mining camps, usually accompanied by younger nuns who could charm the miners out of their money.

These “begging tours” were made on the backs of horses or mules under very rugged conditions and collected $2000-$5,000 on a typical tour.

The money was put to use establishing and running hospitals and schools.

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PAGE 20 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

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With the gold rushes of the 1860s, many civilian The sphygmomanometer was developed to measure blood pressure and doctors were establishing practices in the territo- physicians were starting to use binaural stethoscopes. Soon medicine and ries. Patent medicines were almost non-existent; pharmacy became regulated as a means to control drug consistency and home remedies were the treatment of choice. Any establish who could give drugs to the public.

By the early 1900s, many of the hospitals were founded by religious trained nurses had to arrive from the east as no orders who initiated schools of nursing so there could be a supply of trained schools of nursing existed in the northwest. nurses to work in them.

The late 1800s saw the last of Only young, single womthe Indian wars as well as the last of en were first accepted the buffalo. Educational institutions into “nurse’s training.” sprang up. Communities were experiBy 1897, what is now encing the advent of insane asylums, known as the American and the first modern hospitals were Nurses Association was built to care for the miners and other established, along with settlers. Some trained nurses came state boards of nursing with their military husbands and for controlling who prestayed to open or run small hospitals. sented themselves to the The Sisters’ role of caring for the sick public for work as graduat this time also included compoundate or trained nurses. ing medicines from “time-tested reciOnce the regulations pes.” These consisted of various elixwere in place, states reirs, ointments, tinctures, and extracts quired nursing students representing the best treatments that who completed their formedical science had at Sisters Mary of Nazareh and Mary Conrad on horseback, prepairing mal training programs to register with the nursing the time. to leave on a begging tour of St. Eugene Mission, Kootenay, British L a t - Columbia, ca. 1896. The sisters most likely were begging to raise board and thus the term for the hospital in nearby Cranbrook which opened in 1897.

“Registered Nurse” came er, the first funds [Photo provided by Providence Archives] into being. electric The history of nursing in Idaho, as well as the profession’s similar delights and telephones appeared, and the newly velopment in the Northwest appears in the book Charting of Idaho Nursing discovered X-ray was in- History (2009) by Randy Hudspeth and Verlene Kaiser. The book is available troduced to the hospital at www.idahonursinghistory.com and is a compelling read for those interested setting in the late 1880s. in how the history of nursing and healthcare in general is tied to the history of settling the Northwest. ISI

Friday before Memorial Day was “Don’t Fry Day” to Encourage Sun Safety Awareness

By Dave Fotsch Skin cancer is a largely preventable disease, yet it remains by far the most common type of cancer in the United States. There are over two million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed annually, which is more than new cases of breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers combined. To help reduce rising rates of skin cancer, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has designated every Friday before Memorial Day, as “Don’t Fry Day.” Memorial Day is the unofficial kick-off to summer, and thousands of people enjoy the great outdoors after being covered up all winter. Although overexposure to UV radiation (typically from the sun) is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer, this skin cancer risk can be reduced by practicing some simple sun-safety steps.”

Sun Safety Measures to Protect Your Skin When Outdoors: • Avoid sun burning, intentional tanning, and using tanning beds.

• Generously apply sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher, and reapply every two hours.

• Wear sun-protective clothing, a widebrimmed hat, and sunglasses.

• Seek shade.

• Use extra caution near water and sand.

• Get vitamin D safely through food and vitamin D supplements.

The American Cancer Society recommends

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that everyone “Slip! Slop! Slap!®...and Wrap” – slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, and wrap on sunglasses. Everyone should minimize the harmful effects of UV exposure, particularly those grandchildren because sunburns from childhood increase the risk of getting skin cancer later in life.

The UV Index forecast is a helpful resource to learn your daily risk of overexposure to the sun.

Developed by the National Weather Service and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the UV Index forecasts the strength of solar UV radiation on a scale from 1 (low) to 11+ (extremely high). Simply go to the EPA website at www.epa. gov/sunwise/uvindex to see the National UV map, download a free UV Index widget for your website, or download a free mobile application for your smartphone. The predicted UV level can be used as a guide for appropriate sun-protective measures to prevent overexposure to UV radiation.

Skin cancer is on the rise in the U.S. Here are some statistics:

• The American Cancer Society estimates that 68,130 cases of malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, were diagnosed in 2010.

• One American dies of melanoma almost every hour.

• While the incidence of many common cancers is falling, the incidence of melanoma continues to rise.

• Melanoma is now one of the most common cancers among young adults ages 15-29.

For more information, including how to use the UV Index to plan outdoor activities, visit the National Council’s site at www.SkinCancerPrevention.org. The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention is the united voice of more than 45 organizations, associations, and agencies dedicated to reducing skin cancer morbidity and mortality in the United States. Council members represent some of the nation’s premier physicians, researchers, clinicians, and advocates for melanoma and skin cancer prevention. ISI

The Newest Corneal Transplant

By Chad Bouterse, D.O. Eye Care Specialists, Clarkston, Washington One of the newest advances of the past ten years in the field of Ophthalmology is Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty, or DSEK (pronounced “D-sec”). The cornea was one of the first organs to be successfully transplanted in the late 1930s. The success of this operation is due in part to the absence of blood vessels that need to be reconnected during surgery to provide nutrients.

DSEK is a new form of corneal transplantation that has revolutionized a surgery that had largely remained unchanged for 70 years.

The cornea is the clear “window” on the front of the eye that allows light to enter and gives us the gift of sight. It is essential that the cornea remain clear or transparent in order for good vision to be possible. If the cornea becomes just a little cloudy, it can cause substantially blurred vision.

Several things can cause the cornea to lose its transparency, resulting in poor vision. First, the cornea can be abnormally warped, which results in light’s not entering the eye in focus. This is common in a genetic disease called Keratoconus and can happen after complicated LASIK surgery for vision correction. Second, the cornea can become scarred and preventing light from entering the eye.

This most commonly happens after trauma or bad eye infections. Finally, the cornea can lose the inner lining of bilge pump cells called the endothelium. These cells keep the cornea from becoming swollen, and can be caused by a genetic condition called Fuch’s corneal dystrophy or by previous eye surgery, such as complicated cataract or glaucoma surgeries.

Before 1998, all of these conditions were treated with a full corneal transplant, also known as penetrating keratoplasty. In this surgery, the entire damaged cornea is removed and replaced with a new, clear cornea. The surgery was very successful, but had some disadvantages. Full corneal transplants require 16-32 stitches to sew in the new

cornea and because of this take up to one full year to heal and restore good vision. Patients are often required to wear thick glasses or contact lenses afterwards. Because the eye is fully cut open, the patient has a lifelong risk of an easily ruptured or “popped” eye. Finally, as with any organ transplant, the body can reject the new cornea, leading to further surgeries. Despite these disadvantages,

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 21

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full corneal transplants were the only alternative to poor vision for many people. They have proved to be very successful, giving better vision to many patients over the past decades.

In 1998, Gerrit Melles in Amsterdam described a new way to perform a partial corneal transplant, or DSEK. This new process replaced only the sick bilge pump cells on the inner surface of the cornea. In 2002, Mark Terry of Portland, Oregon first performed DSEK in the United States.

A partial corneal transplant, or DSEK, offers

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many advantages over a full corneal transplant.

The new transplant is held in place by an air bubble inside the eye. This bubble remains in the eye for a few days until the graft is stable and requires no stitches. DSEK uses about 1/50th the amount of cornea compared to a full thickness corneal transplant. As a result, there is a substantially less transplanted tissue for the body to recognize as foreign, reducing the chances of rejection. Since the majority of the old cornea is left behind and only a small part is replaced, the risk of rupturing (or “popping”) the eye is not increased. The eye is often healed with good vision in only 1-3

months and with only small changes in the patient’s glasses.

DSEK does have one major disadvantage over a full corneal transplant because it can only be used to help people whose endothelium, or bilge pump cells, are damaged. This means that people who have scarred or abnormally shaped corneas still need a full corneal transplant. Thus, both DSEK and full corneal transplants have a place in today’s eye care.

DSEK surgery has made corneal transplantation a much easier and quicker-healing surgery for thousands of people around the world. Contact your eye care provider for additional information.

ISI

Coping With Low Vision

By Jim Miller Unfortunately, there are millions of older Americans with incurable vision impairment, making everyday tasks like cooking dinner, reading the newspaper, or watching television challenging. But, the good news is there are resources, tools and techniques available today that can help. Here is what you should know.

Growing Problem - According to the National Eye Institute, 3.3 million Americans age 40 and over currently live with low vision or blindness – usually brought on by one of the big four age-related eye diseases: macular degeneration; glaucoma; cataracts; or diabetic retinopathy – and that number is expected to double over the next 30 years. (The terms vision impairment, or low vision, means that even with eyeglasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery, you do not see well.) Those affected often sink into depression, suffer hip fractures and other injuries, and become socially isolated. While not much can be done to prevent these diseases, there are some things your wife and you can do to help her manage her condition.

Hands-On Help - Are you aware of vision rehabilitation services? Today, there are hundreds of vision rehabilitation agencies, organizations, and clinics across the country that can help people, and their families, adapt to living with vision loss. While vision rehabilitation cannot restore lost sight, it does help people maximize their existing sight or, if they have no vision, it can equip them with techniques and tools to maintain an independent lifestyle. Services vary, but many offer eye examinations, low vision evaluations, and professional counseling, along with special training on how to perform everyday activities in new ways and training to use visual and adaptive devices. They may also offer tips and guidance for modifying the home, and support from others with low vision. To find a program in your area visit www.lighthouse.org – click on “Help Near You.” Costs for these types of services are in the ballpark of $200 to $300 for an initial vision evaluation, and $50 to $100 per hour there after. While Medicare and most private insurance coverages are spotty at best and more often non-existent, most state agencies for the blind and visually impaired offer low cost or free services.

Other Resources - If you cannot find a vision rehabilitation service in your area, there are other resources that can help like the American Foundation for the Blind, which created a special site for seniors with low vision (www.afb.org/seniorsite), and VisionAWARE (www.visionaware.org), a nonprofit public charity. These sites offer tons of information, instructional videos, and articles providing everyday solutions to living with vision loss including tips for adapting your home to make it safer and easier to maneuver, techniques for traveling safely outside the home, and ideas on how to manage your finances, medication, and other tasks like cooking, cleaning, grooming, reading, writing, and more. They also list a variety of low vision adaptive products and computer technology that can help improve your quality of life and help you get back to doing the things you enjoy.

Another helpful resource is Lighthouse International, a nonprofit offering great information on their website and a free new guide called “Living Better: A Guide for People with Vision Loss.” To get a copy, visit www. lighthouse.org or call 212-821-9567.

Macular Update - Most seniors with low vision have age-related macular degeneration. While treatment options, for most, are limited, the wet form of macular degeneration, which affects about 15 percent of those who get the disease, got a big boost last year. Two drugs (Lucentis and Avastin) are

N.S. Burbank, M.D. • C.J. Fatz, M.D. • K.C. Hewel, M.D. C.E. Ley, M.D. • A.J. Martinez, M.D. • K.P. McKlendin, M.D. B.J. McNamee, M.D. • A.E. Michalson, M.D. L.S. Michalson, M.D. • D.E. Moody, M.D. R.L. Opp, M.D. • T.F. Reichel, M.D. • R.S. Thornton, M.D. Diplomats of the American Board of Radiology 700 Ironwood Drive, Suite 110 Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 208.666.3200 • Fax 208.666.3217

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JUNE/JULY 2011

now available that can stop vision loss and may even restore it. But, the dry form, which affects the other 85 percent, has no cure. However, you may be able to slow it’s progression by not smoking, an early diagnosis, a diet rich in antioxidants, and

by taking AREDS formula vitamin supplements which you can find in drug stores, supermarkets, and health food stores.

Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior,

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 23

P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www. savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” books. ISI

Your Pharmacist Can Help You Keep Up With Your Medications

By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What devices can you recommend to help forgetful people keep up with their medications? My 76-year-old mother takes nine different prescription drugs and that doesn’t include all the vitamin supplements or over-the-counter medicines she takes. Any suggestions?

Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned, The challenge of juggling medications can be a problem for anyone, especially people who take multiple drugs for various health conditions. Here are some different solutions that can help.

Medication Helpers - Getting organized and being reminded are the two keys to helping your mom stay on top of her medication regimen.

To help achieve this, there are a wide variety of inexpensive pill boxes, medication organizers, vibrating watches, beeping pill bottles, and even dispensers that talk to you that can make all the difference. First check with her pharmacist. He or she will be familiar with many different types of medication minding devices. You can get a look at these types of products by visiting epill.com (800-549-0095) and forgettingthepill.com (877367-4382), where you will find dozens of affordable options.

If your mom needs a more comprehensive medication management system, there are several good options. One of my favorites is the Maya from MedMinder (medminder.com, 888-633-6463), a computerized pill box that will beep and flash when it is time to take her medication and will call her if she forgets. It will even alert her if she takes the wrong pills. This device can also be set up to call, e-mail, or text caregivers to let them know if your mom misses a dose, takes the wrong medication, or misses a refill. The cost for Maya is $20 per month, which covers rental and service fees.

Some other good medication management systems worth looking at are TabSafe (tabsafe. com, 877-700-8600) and the Philips Medication Dispensing System (managemypills.com, 888632-3261), both of which will dispense her medicine on schedule, provide reminders, and notify

caregivers if her pills are not taken. These systems run under $100 per month.

Reminding Services - Another option that can help your mom keep on top of her meds is with a medication reminding service. These are services that will actually call, e-mail, or text your mom reminders of when it is time for her to take her medicine and when it is time to refill her prescriptions. Some even offer extra reminders like doctor and dentist appointments, wake-up calls, and more.

Companies that offer such services include mymedschedule.com, which provides free medication reminders via text message or e-mail. Their website can also help you make easy-to-read medication schedules that you can print out for your mom to follow. Other similar companies worth a look are rememberitnow.com, which also offers free text message and e-mail reminders and pillphone.com, which charges around $4 per month.

If, however, your mom doesn’t text or use a computer, OnTimeRx (ontimerx.com, 866944-8966), Snoozester (snoozester.com), or Daily Pill Calls (dailypillcalls.com, 866-5326855) may be the answer. With starting prices ranging between $4 and $10 per month, these services will call your mom on her home or cell phone (they can send text messages, too) for all types of reminders, including daily medications, monthly refills, doctor appointments, and other events.

Or, if you are looking to keep closer tabs on your mom, services like Care Call Reassurance (call-reassurance. com, 602-265-5968) or

CareCalls (parentcarecall.com, 888-275-3098) may be a better fit. In addition to the call reminders to your mom’s phone, these services can be set up to contact you or a designated caregiver if she fails to answer or acknowledge the call. Care Call Reassurance costs $15 per month if paid a year in advance, and CareCalls costs $39 per month plus a one-time activation fee of $99.

Savvy Tip - If you have questions or concerns about the medications your mom is taking, gather up all her pill bottles (including all prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements) and take them to her pharmacist or primary physician for a drug review. That way, he or she can look for any potential problems.

Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book. ISI

PAGE 24 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

JUNE/JULY 2011

Proper shoes and orthotics can help to prevent or relieve heel pain

Still a forbidden Fruit ?

Provided by National Institutes of Health Most frequently, heel pain is not the result of any single injury, such as a fall or twist, but rather the result of repetitive or excessive heel pounding.

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick connective tissue on the sole of your foot that attaches to your heel. The pain is usually felt at the bottom of your heel and is often worse in the morning because of stiffness that occurs overnight.

The following increase your risk of developing this painful problem: • Shoes with poor arch support or soft soles • Quick turns that put stress on your foot • Tight calf muscles • Repetitive pounding on your feet from longdistance running, especially running downhill or on uneven surfaces • Pronation - landing on the outside of your foot and rolling inward when walking or running; to know if you pronate, check the soles of your shoes to see if they are worn along the outer edge Bone spurs in the heel can accompany plantar fasciitis, but are generally not the source of the pain. If you treat the plantar fasciitis appropriately, the bone spur is likely to no longer bother you.

Heel bursitis (inflammation of the back of the heel) can be caused by landing hard or awkwardly on the heel or by pressure from shoes.

Achilles tendinitis is inflammation of the large tendon that connects your calf muscle to your heel.

This can be caused by: • Running, especially on hard surfaces like concrete • Tightness and lack of flexibility in your calf muscles • Shoes with inadequate stability or shock absorption • Sudden inward or outward turning of your heel when hitting the ground Your first course of action should be home care, which can include the following: • Rest as much as possible for at least a week.

• Apply ice to the

Some People Have a Way With Words - When Insults Had Class Are your teeth keeping you from the foods you love?

Whether you’re missing teeth or have difficulty chewing because of loose fitting dentures or other dental problems, your prosthodontist can offer you beautiful, practical solutions that will light up your smile and your appetite.

Doesn’t your smile deserve a specialist’s care?

A prosthodontist is a dentist recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA) as a specialist in restoring and replacing teeth. With additional education and training, prosthodontists have the capability to provide excellent results on crowns, bridges, dentures, dental implants and other cosmetic and restorative procedures.

Fairview Dental Cody Haas, D.D.S. Fairview Dental 1639 23rd Avenue Lewiston, ID 83501 (208) 746-0431

painful area. Do this at least twice a day for 10 to 15 minutes, more often in the first couple of days.

• Take acetaminophen for pain or ibuprofen for pain and inflammation.

• Wear proper-fitting shoes.

• A heel cup, felt pads in the heel area, or an orthotic device may help.

• Night splints can stretch the injured fascia and allow it to heal.

Additional steps: • Apply moleskin to avoid pressure if you have bursitis.

• See a physical therapist to learn stretching and strengthening exercises. These help prevent plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis from returning.

When to Contact a Medical Professional • Your pain is getting worse despite home treatment • There is little progress after 2 to 3 weeks of home treatment • Your pain is sudden and severe • You have redness or swelling of your heel or you cannot bear weight What to Expect at Your Office Visit - Your doctor will take your medical history and perform a physical examination, including a full exam of your feet and legs. Diagnostic tests that may be performed include a foot x-ray, focusing on the heel.

Shoe changes and the use of orthotics may be prescribed as well as the use of anti-inflammatory medicine. Heel lifts may also be used. Stretching can be helpful. In particularly unresponsive cases, a walking cast or boot may be helpful. Surgery is usually not necessary.

Prevention - To prevent plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis, maintain flexible and strong muscles in your calves, ankles, and feet. Always stretch and warm-up prior to athletic activities.

Wear comfortable, properly fitting shoes with good arch support and cushioning. If you pronate, look for athletic shoes with an antipronation device. If orthotics are prescribed by your provider, wear them in all of your shoes, not just while exercising. ISI

The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) is the ADA-recognized organization for specialists in the restoration and replacement of teeth.

American College of Prosthodontists 211 E. Chicago Avenue Suite 1000 Chicago, IL 60611 Tel: (312) 573-1260 t Fax: (312) 573-1257 E-mail: acp@prosthodontics.org

Visit our Web site: www.prosthodontics.org

Submitted by Julie Hollar-Brantley There was a time when insulting someone was viewed as an art form. The glorious insults below are from an era before the English language became one filled with expletives and devoid of creativity.

1. Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second... if there is one.

- Winston Churchill, in response 2. I feel so miserable without you; it’s almost like having you here. - Stephen Bishop 3. He is a self-made man and worships his creator. - John Bright 4. I’ve just learned about his illness. Let’s hope it’s nothing trivial. - Irvin S. Cobb 5. He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others. Samuel Johnson 6. He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up. - Paul Keating ISI

JUNE/JULY 2011

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 25

Vitamin B-12 - If You Are Older, You Probably Need It Even More

By Tait Trussell, Senior Wire It was my doctor’s nurse on the phone. “Your blood tests came back, and the doctor believes you need to take 1 milligram of vitamin B-12 daily,� she said. “But I already take a multivitamin that lists B-12 and says it has the daily requirement needed,� I responded. “Well,� replied the nurse, “you have a deficiency and you need to double that dose.�

When I looked at my wife’s B-12 bottle in our kitchen vitamin drawer, I noticed for the first time what was written on the label. Namely, that B-12 is “essential for normal formation of blood cells and contributes to the health of the nervous system.�

An excellent article in The Wall Street Journal the other day convinced me my doctor was right.

I am now a fan of B-12. The article said B-12 is a “key nutrient needed to make red blood cells and DNA and keep the nervous system working right.� Moreover, the article pointed out that B-12 deficiency rises with age and is “much higher in people who don’t eat meat or dairy products� and those taking acid-blocking medications, which some people take for upset stomachs.

Other symptoms of low B-12 are anemia, depression, confusion, balance problems, and even dementia. Despite my advanced age, I do not think I have dementia. But I do have balance problems and a lingering sciatica pain. I have always been able to keep the sciatica under control with various exercise regimens. But since I increased my Vitamin B-12, my remaining sciatica seems to have practically disappeared. I cannot say it has helped my memory; I still forget some things my wife tells

We think of B-12 as being around forever, like other vitamins. But it is the newest vitamin. Plants cannot store B-12, so people have to get their vitamin B-12 from meat, liver, poultry, fish, and dairy products. me. Or so she says.

Some people with a severe deficiency get injections of Vitamin B-12. The vitamin is not a miracle performance enhancer, an aid to losing weight, a fast cure for a hangover, or a quick way to sober up, “as some celebrities and Internet marketers claim,� the Wall Street Journal story noted.

We think of B-12 as being around forever, like other vitamins. But it is the newest vitamin. Plants cannot store B-12, so people have to get their vitamin B-12 from meat, liver, poultry, fish, and dairy products.

Some people have difficulty absorbing vitamin B-12 because stomach acid is needed to release it from the food you eat. Many elderly people stop making stomach acid, “so B-12 deficiencies are increasingly common as people age,� the story said.

That is why the Institute of Medicine recommends that older people get most of their daily requirement from B-12 supplements or cereals fortified with B-12. Way down in the digestive track, B-12 has to connect with “a protein called intrinsic factor to be absorbed into the body. Without intrinsic factor, people absorb much less Vitamin B-12, resulting in a condition called pernicious anemia.

This is when red blood cells do not develop prop-

erly.�

The discovery that eating lots of liver is good for you led to the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1934 for three doctors. But thank goodness there are foods other than liver (ugh) that are heavy with Vitamin B-12. Just three ounces of clams, breaded and fried, give you about 570 percent of the daily allowance. Some people may knock McDonald’s and other fast food places, but a double cheeseburger has about 30 percent of the daily B-12 needed. A single slice of beef liver has 800 per cent of the daily value. A cup of yogurt has 40 percent.

The Journal article said it is not known whether low B-12 increases the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s, although cognitive impairment “brought on by low B-12 is sometimes mistaken for Alzheimer’s.�

An added problem: If you have a high level of folic acid, it can mask symptoms of B-12 deficiency.

Many people are getting more folic acid than they think because all enriched flour is now required to contain folic acid to cut the risk of a severe malformation that occurs in developing fetuses. Some studies, the article said, suggest that “having high folic acid can make cognitive damage from low B-12 even worse.�

Dr. Irwin Rosenberg, a professor at the School of Nutrition at Tufts University, says, “To this day, we are concerned about the trade-off.� He was on the panel that recommended enriching flour.

In any case, if you are a vegetarian, you had better take plenty of B-12 supplements. Do not worry about taking too much; Dr. Rosenberg says the excess is simply excreted. ISI

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JUNE/JULY 2011

The Best of Bellingham, Washington Article Photo by Natalie Bartley lush green San Juan Islands and the rockBellingham is an easy place to maximize studded coast and experiencing the salty the fun meter. Miles of trails, a sparkling ocean from a kayak provides a unique bay, scenic Mount Baker, tasty meals, and perspective on the islands’ beauty. Contact award-winning breweries entice visitors.

Elakah Expeditions at www.elakah.com or During the last week in April, I sampled the 800-434-7270. outdoor recreation and food opportunities in This trip I visited The Schooner Zodiac, the area. Here are my recommendations. a restored Tall Ship Schooner sailboat ofGateway to Alaska’s Inside Passage fering tours in the Northwest. From March - Whatcom County, home to Bellingham, is through early November, tourists sailing on just a short flight from Idaho or Montana to the boat assist with sailing duties. Popular the Bellingham International Airport, or a overnight trips include winery, brewery, short 90-mile scenic drive up Interstate 5 and photography tours to various Northfrom Seattle. Set between Bellingham Bay west locations. Contact The Schooner and Mount Baker, Bellingham serves as the Zodiac at www.schoonerzodiac.com or southern port for the Alaska Ferry and is a 206-719-7622. jumping off point for sailing, sea kayaking, May, June, and July are prime times for and vacationing in the San Juan Islands. Th whale watching. The thrill of observing the The S South th B Bay T Trail il near Boulevard B l d Park P k in i Bellingham, B lli h Washington.

W hi t Lopez, Lummi, and Orcas islands are clearly large creatures breach, spout, and swim from Fairhaven to Larrabee State Park. Located visible from Bellingham. elicits “oohs” and “ahs” from the onboard whale high above Chuckanut Drive with outstanding Trails - Bring your bicycles and hiking shoes. watchers. Contact Bellingham Whatcom County views of Bellingham Bay, the trail feels remote yet This is an active town, with 50 miles of trails. Two Tourism Visitor Center, Interstate 5, exit 253 in is close to the downtown area. Trail information easily accessible rail trails provide a variety of Bellingham at www.bellingham.org or 800-487at: www.whatcomcounty.us/parks. views of the islands, bay, and mountains.

2032.

Water sports - The San Juan Islands are South Bay Trail - Use this asphalt and gravel Beverages and Food - A trip to a gorgeous famous for sea kayaking, sailing, and whale two-mile trail along the waterfront to visit gift town such as Bellingham is complete only after watching. Enjoy sea kayak trips with Elakah shops, a bookstore, and eateries in the historic sampling the local cuisine. Local wineries along Expeditions. Local day trips launch at Larrabee Fairhaven District. Coffee and pastries at Woods Washington Highway 542 offer wine tasting and State Park and go along Wildcat Cove and past Coffee in Boulevard Park at the waterfront are a buying opportunities. In Bellingham, awardChuckanut Island from Wednesdays to Sundays. perfect match for the occasional rain. Along with wining breweries serve up brews and meals. I Kayakers glide past sculptured sandstone rocks. top-notch coffee, this shop is known for maple must fess-up; I prefer wine to beer. However, Alternatively, sign on for a three or five-day and bacon scones, which are surprisingly tasty. after a sampler tray of the handcrafted brews of overnight sea kayak voyage in the San Juan IsWhatcom County and Bellingham Interurthe Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen, I am open to lands. Though I did not get out on the water this ban Trail - For a hike or a gentle mountain bike the fine European-style beer developed on-site trip due to rough weather, my prior sea kayak ride, use the seven-mile gravel trail that takes you at their brewery. Chuckanut Brewery owners trips in the islands were magical. Viewing the

JUNE/JULY 2011

Mari and Will Kemper are so good at crafting brews and starting breweries that they consult worldwide.

Beer tasting is an art. We were served six glasses of beer brewed on-site, with descriptions of each and recommended food pairings. Slowly and with pleasure, I sampled light to dark ales, my favorites being the Kolsch German Ale with its fruity taste, the pale-colored Pilsner Lager, and the lightly bitter English IPA (Indian Pale Ale.) The delicious macaroni and cheese with smoked

salmon and crusty topping matched pleasingly with the beer.

Contact Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen at www.chuckanutbreweryandkitchen.com, West Holly Street, or at 360-752-3377, or Woods Coffee at www.thewoodscoffee.com, in Boulevard Park, or at 360-738-4771.

Not only is Bellingham attractive in the spring and summer, this mountain-to-ocean outdoor town is a base for year-round activities. Mount

The Museum Of The Mountain Man In Pinedale, Wyoming, Spotlights Robust Explorers Article & Photo by Bernice Karnop The mountain men had little in the way of amenities and nothing in the way of health care.

But these first white guys in the west were tough.

Jim Bridger survived an encounter with Blackfeet warriors along the Madison River in October 1832, but he came away with a couple of arrow points in his back. His cohort, Broken Hand Fitzpatrick, dug one out with his knife but failed in his attempt to extract the second one.

Three years later, when Bridger arrived at the Rendezvous on the Green River near where Pinedale, Wyoming is now, it was still there and still bothered him.

Rendezvous were devised by Andrew Henry and William Ashley of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company as a way for the trappers to unload their furs and refurbish their supplies without taking the long trip back to St. Louis. The first one in 1824 was a huge success, and they grew in size, popularity, and raucousness until the last one in 1840. The rendezvous drew trappers, traders, company men, Indians, and anyone in the neighborhood.

In 1835, Dr. Marcus Whitman, a missionary doctor on his way to Oregon, happened to be in the neighborhood. Bridger asked him to remove the arrow point.

Rev. Samuel Parker, who was traveling with Whitman, wrote that it was hooked around a large bone, making it difficult to remove. “The doctor pursued the operation with great self-possession and perseverance, and his patient manifested equal firmness,” Parker wrote. With a substantial audience of white and native men, Whitman extracted a three-inch iron arrowhead from Bridger’s back.

Following this impressive show, Dr. Whitman spent

some very busy days in camp treating a plethora of medical concerns.

If you think digging up information about the Fur Trade era resembles extracting arrow points from men’s backs, I have good news for you.

The Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale Wyoming, has taken the pain and effort out of it.

Do not miss stopping at this bright, clean facility.

Both you and your grandchildren will be delighted with the inter-active displays, historic information, and films of stunning scenery in Sublette County, Wyoming, named for another real mountain man. I came away impressed with how important these solitary, innovative men were to the opening of the West.

Pinedale is located on the east side of the lofty Wind River Range on Highway 191. You will find Highway 191 at Hoback Junction south of Jackson.

It heads into the heart of Mountain Man country, following the historic Hoback River through the scenic canyon. About halfway to Pinedale, you cross into the Green River drainage. The Wind River, Gros Ventre, and Wyoming Mountains soar above this wide valley, which is already a lofty

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 27

Baker attracts skiers and snowboarders in the winter. Hike and bike trails are open and maintained year-round, while the ocean lures boaters.

Additionally, the food and beverages are often locally produced and primo tasting.

Natalie Bartley is the Boise-based author of the Best Rail Trails Pacific Northwest guidebook and the Best Easy Day Hikes Boise guidebook, available online and at outdoor retail shops and bookstores. ISI

PAGE 28 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

7,000 feet. Gannett Peak in the Wind River Range is Wyoming’s highest spot at 13,804 feet. The scenery begs you to stop, take photos, or sit and dream a bit. Those infected with the Mountain Man spirit may want to return to this prime hunting and fishing country. Pinedale is a hub for guest ranches, fishing resorts, outfitters, and guides who will help expand your adventure. There are also good motels and campgrounds if you want to explore on your own.

Highway signage points out the location of the Green River Rendezvous. The Green River hosted six different Rendezvous - more than any other place where Rendezvous were held during the early 1800’s. The Museum of the Mountain Man holds Rendezvous Days the second weekend in July each year, with field trips, lectures, music, skill demonstrations, and more.

The museum, an excellent stop anytime of year, is packed with displays and stories about the Fur Trade era, Plains Indians, western exploration, and early settlers of western Wyoming.

JUNE/JULY 2011

Jim Bridger’s rifle is there, as well as the traps and equipment used by the Mountain Men. Trade beads, artwork, beavers, and the history of those who followed the trails blazed by the Mountain Men through nearby South Pass are covered. It is the only museum I have seen with an authentic buffalo chip on display.

There is a display of the earliest humans discovered in Wyoming in the basement of the museum. Discovered during the development of the Jonah Gas Field 30 miles south of Pinedale, you will see what a camp might have looked like 6,000 years ago. Structures consisted of a willow frame covered with sagebrush. Archeologists have determined what the people ate, how they cooked their food, and how their flint knapping skills were used to make atlatl points.

When you have seen the Museum of the Mountain Man, take the road from there four miles to Fremont Lake, created by the glacial moraine in front of the Wind River Range. The second largest natural lake in Wyoming, it is 11 miles long, half

a mile wide, and 600 feet deep. Campgrounds, public and private, are available, with places to picnic, camp, hike, or launch your boat. There are trails at the fish hatchery at the lower ends of the lake as well. If you drive on up the mountain, you will get a bird’s eye view of the lake, the Wind River Mountains, and the area around Pinedale.

In Pinedale, you will find shops with gear and gifts for the western lifestyle. Quilters will want to check out the quilt and fabric store. Be sure to stop at the Rock Rabbit, a quaint restaurant on the main street, for ice cream or a meal. The pictured Rock Rabbit on the sign is a copy of the rock drawings discovered not far from Pinedale.

The Museum of the Mountain Man is open 9am to 5pm daily from May 1 to September 30 and 9am to 4pm weekdays in October. Appointments may be made to see the museum at other times.

Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for grandchildren from 6 to 12 years old. Learn more at www.museumofthemountainman.com, or call 877-686-6266 for further information. ISI

SS Moyie: The Sweetheart Of Kootenay Lake

By Bernice Karnop Certainly one can see it was a labor of love.

The faithful supporters in the small British Columbia town of Kaslo gave the Sweetheart of Kootenay Lake a facelift that restored her youth and beauty. To some, the 113-year-old sternwheeler (whose name is actually the SS Moyie) might seem like an old relic, but they worked so hard on the restoration that they have fallen in love with her all over again.

The city purchased the Moyie for $1.00 in 1957 from the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). She had steamed back and forth across the lake for some 59 years and was worn out. They beached the ship and went to work raising money to restore her good looks. Today, the last operating passenger sternwheeler in Canada serves as a museum and is considered the best-preserved passenger steam vessel in North America.

Two Great Golf Courses, One Great Price! $97.25 pppd CAD

History of the SS Moyie - The SS Moyie was conceived in 1898 by the CPR, with the idea of creating an all-Canadian route to the Klondike gold fields. However, the plan fell through because a bill authorizing essential railway service failed to pass the Canadian Senate.

The railroad shipped the 161.7-foot long vessel to Nelson for service on Kootenay Lake.

At the time, the railroad ended at the lower end of Kootenay Lake. Passengers would leave the train and board the boat to complete their journey.

The SS Moyie, with room for more than 200 passengers, served in this way from 1898 until 1906, when a larger, faster ship took over.

It continued working on Kootenay Lake, however, for another half-century. It hauled freight, moved railcar barges across the lake, and provided excursion services and passenger service to towns along the lake. As the go-to worker for whatever was needed, the Moyie worked right up until 1957 when it was retired.

Restoration - The restoration started with replacing the rotting decks and dealing with rusted beams. Different challenges arose when they were ready to restore the inside. There were few photos and few people who could remember how it had originally looked. Fortunately, as the restoration crew carefully removed paint and upholstery that had replaced the original décor, the Moyie gave up her secrets through paint chips, a stray curtain tie that dropped into a cavity below the windows, and hints found on faded postcards.

When you visit, pay attention to treasures such as the crimson tufted mohair upholstery in the women’s salon, the gold pin striping and stenciling, and the cast plaster features that had long been absent. Appreciate the hours of hard work it took to discover and replicate these lovely features.

Visit the SS Moyie - The SS Moyie, a National British Columbia Historic Landmark, is open daily

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from mid-May through mid-October from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors start with a nine-minute video, then take a brochure that leads the self-guided tour. Guided tours may be arranged.

The site includes a Visitor Center that is built to look like a Canadian Pacific Railway station and the beach along Kootenay Lake. Nearby amenities include good restaurants and shops.

Entrance fees are $7.50 for adults, $5.30 for students, $5 for seniors 65 and older, and $3.30 for children 6-12. Children under 6 years old are free.

The Kootenay Lake Ferry - You can find a Sweetheart of a deal crossing Kootenay Lake today on the Kootenay Lake Ferry. The ferry ride is free but the mountain lake scenery is priceless.

Instead of being part of the Canadian Pacific Railway like the SS Moyie, these ferries are part

JUNE/JULY 2011

of Highway 3A. The 35-minute ride across one of British Columbia’s largest natural lakes is an opportunity you don’t want to miss.

The MV Osprey 2000 operates all day between Balfour on the west side of the Lake and Kootenay Bay on the east starting at 6:30 a.m.

The MV Balfour provides extra service during the summer. The ferries carry motor vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

Nelson, Castlegar, and Trail - From the ferry, it is a short drive down the West Arm on Highway 3A to the lovely lake town of Nelson.

Settled by prospectors in the late 1880s, Nelson boasts more than 350 heritage site structures.

Walking and driving tour maps help you explore those that are open to the public. Art galleries, street musicians, and performing sidewalk artists delight visitors in the summer.

Nearby Kokanee Provincial Park and West Arm Provincial Park are tempting outdoor playgrounds with sandy beaches, hiking trails, and wildlife watching.

The Kootenay River tumbles into the mighty Columbia at Zukerberg Island Heritage Park in the town of Castlegar about half an hour south of Nelson. Cross the suspension bridge to the island, where you can explore Native American heritage at the Indian Kekuli or pit house. You can visit a log house, a Russian Orthodox Church with the traditional onion dome roof, and a cemetery.

The Castlegar Station Museum is a 19th century Canadian Pacific Railway station.

A short drive south of Castlegar on Highway 22 takes you to the mining town of Trail. In the Teck Trail Operations Interpretive Centre in downtown Trail, you will see hands-on science exhibits explaining the processes of smelting and refining and how metals affect our every day life.

August 16-20, 2011 the three West Kootenay towns of Trail, Castlegar, and Nelson host the B.C. Senior Games. They expect 3,500 competitors from across British Columbia for the multisport event.

The West Kootenays, just north of the border in British Columbia, provide an enticing playground for visitors. The mountains and lakes provide a backdrop to outdoor recreation that draws skiers, hikers, and mountain bikers. It also draws those who simply want to enjoy a beautiful drive through stunning mountain scenery, a plethora of wildflowers, or a picnic in one of a number of Provincial Parks.

Cranbrook - This small town is tucked right under the shoulder of the Canadian Rockies.

However, a train collection here causes people

from around the globe to beat a path to its door.

If you liked seeing how the CPR fitted the SS Moyie, you will love seeing how CPR spared no cost to impress wealthy train guests who expected no less. Trains Deluxe: Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, unlike most other railway museums, is a museum of interior design and decorative arts.

These luxury trains, fitted for royalty, heads of state, and millionaires, allow visitors to marvel at such things as intricate wood inlays, stained glass domes, beveled glass windows, and etched glass panels.

It is hard not to wish yourself into the picture as you stroll through the Trans Canada Limited or the “Millionaire’s Special” as it was often called.

The seven-car tour, past gleaming, exotic black walnut and Honduran mahogany-paneled walls, brass fixtures, plush upholstery, wool carpets, beautiful railway china, and silverware, may in spire you to sit right down and write a novel.

This all-first-class “Deluxe Hotel on Wheels” was not just elegant; it was also the fastest Trans Continental train in North America as it sped from Montreal to Vancouver.

The other train car tours at Trains Deluxe cover different eras. You can also visit restored posh rooms that once impressed travelers at CPR’s Royal Alexandra Hotel in Winnipeg.

Gary Anderson, a restoration architect and the executive director of Trains Deluxe, was given Canada’s highest civilian award, the Order of Canada, for restoring these luxury rail cars.

He calls the cars “architecture on wheels.”

Trains Deluxe is on highway 3/95 and is within walking distance from downtown Cranbrook, where you can find other railroad sites and fascinating old homes and buildings. ISI

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 29

PAGE 30 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

Adventure Discover

JUNE/JULY 2011

Senior Games Liven Up Thre

By Bernice Karnop Men and women of all sizes, shapes, abilities, and ages participate in Idaho’s Senior Games despite age, knee replacements, hip surgery, cancer, and more. Those who cannot run races may compete in shuffleboard, table tennis, croquet, billiards, pinochle, or bridge.

What about you? Challenge yourself this summer by taking part in the heady excitement of a Senior Games near you. You will be the winner.

Your trophies will include health, well-being, and enhanced quality of life - trophies that need no dusting and take up no space on a shelf.

North Idaho Senior Games, Lewiston The first senior games of the summer are in sunny Lewiston, June 13-18.

The slogan for the North Idaho Senior Games is “Challenge Yourself.” Manager Cathy Robinson explains that, while athletes revel in the competition with others, their main goal is to go faster, do better, and play smarter than they did the last time,

whether they are swimming, running, and jumping or playing shuffleboard, croquet, and bridge.

Cathy loves watching active seniors beat the stereotypes at these games. Last year, one cycling event included contestants from their early 50s and up. The oldest contestant, who was 75, beat all the rest.

New events this year at the North Idaho Senior Games include pinochle and billiards. Cathy says that pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports. Described as a mini-tennis game played on a badminton-sized court using paddle racquets and a plastic baseball, it has gone from being a backyard pastime to a sport that is played in schools, parks, and retirement communities.

Detailed information, on-line registration, and contact information on this six-day promotion of healthy lifestyles is available at www.northidahoseniorgames.org. You may also contact the Washington Idaho Volunteer Center at 208-7462313.

Southeast Idaho Senior Games, Pocatello The Southeast Idaho Senior games in Pocatello run from July 18-23. These games draw as many as a thousand athletes, many from out of state. Be sure to make motel or campground reservations early.

There are 221 different events at the Southeast Idaho Senior games, including archery, basketball, billiards, bowling, bridge, chess, cro-

 Article and Photos by Natalie Bartley Summer in Sun Valley in central Idaho invites exploration. Bright sunshine, wildflowers, and prolific trail options entice bicyclists and hikers.

Adventurous bicyclists descend off Bald Mountain on mountain bikes designed for going downhill on trails. In the Wood River Valley, casual walkers stroll along the Wood River on a paved pathway.

Sun Valley Resort offers lift-assisted mountain biking off the top of Bald Mountain via the Roundhouse Gondola and Christmas High Speed Quad Lift during the summer. The Gondola carries visitors up the first part of the mountain, where hikers and bikers exit to catch the Christmas lift to the top, stop mid-mountain to eat lunch at the Roundhouse Lodge, or opt for a Gondola ride back down the hill.

The Christmas quad lift allows access to the top of the mountain and to the Cold Springs and Warm Springs mountain biking trails. Alternatively, you can walk or bike up the mountain from the base until snow falls.

Both lifts run daily June through Labor Day. Opening dates vary year-toyear, depending on when the snow melts. This year the anticipated opening is late June. During September, enjoy reduced lift fees when the Gondola operates and the Christmas lift is closed.

For the bike ride off the mountain, rent a downhill-specific mountain bike from Pete Lane’s Mountain Sports, conveniently located at the base at River Run Plaza. It is wise to use the specially designed bicycles with larger tires and forgiving front and back shocks that smooth the ride over the rocky mountain terrain. Add knee and elbow pads for extra protection.

e Awaits... r Idaho...

JUNE/JULY 2011

ee Idaho Cities This Summer quet, cycling, dance, disc golf, fun run/walk, golf, horseshoes, mountain biking, pentathlon, pickleball, racquetball, shuffleboard, softball, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, tennis, track, and field.

Do not miss the opening ceremony on Monday, July 18, at O.K. Ward Park. Entertainment includes a Japanese drumming group, speakers, live music, and dinner. Phone 208-233-2034 to register, request a handbook, or to volunteer.

More information is available at their website, www.seidahoseniorgames.org.

Idaho Senior Games, Boise The 2011 Senior Games in Boise will be held July 19-20; August 6, 12-14, 18 and 21; and September 17-18. Last year 450 people participated, and organizer Jack Ward would love to see the number rise to 600 this year.

Several years ago, the Idaho Senior Games in Boise lowered the age of participation from 50 to 40 to encourage participation. Last year, a fit and active 44-year-old man came and tried as many events as he could, even ones with which he was unfamiliar. His best experience was meeting and having fun with other people – most of them older than he was. His biggest surprise was playing table tennis with a woman in her 80s and losing.

He calls his experience eye-opening and exciting.

He plans to be back this year with a better table tennis game.

For the third year in a row, the Idaho Senior

Games received the Excellence in Sponsorship Packet and Excellence in Games Promotion awards during the annual National Senior Games Association meeting.

Registration for this year’s games is online at www.idahoseniorgames.org. On July 2, they will have a registration party at the Bandana Running and Walking store on Fifth and Main in Boise. If you need further assistance, call Jack Ward at 208-344-5502, extension 270. The website also provides other information, such as times and dates of specific events.

National Senior Games This year’s National Senior Games are in Huston, Texas, June 16-30, 2011. The National Senior Games, held in odd-numbered years, is largest multi-sport event in the world for adults 50 and older. To qualify, athletes must first win in their state Senior Games. Congratulations to the athletes from Idaho who will compete at the National Senior Games this year.

Honorary chairs of the National Senior Games are President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush. The National Senior Games website, www.nsga.com, states that these two octogenarians embody the spirit of the National Senior Games, which is to celebrate a joyful, active lifestyle. ISI

 Greg Bearce, supervisor of the Pete Lane bike shops, suggests taking your time, stopping to smell the flowers, and enjoying the spectacular views.

Watch for goldenrod, buckwheat, paintbrush, and other colorful flowers along the trail.

If careening down steep mountain trails at a ski and snowboard resort seems too daring, the Sun Valley area offers miles of gentle and moderate trails.

Try the White Clouds Golf Course Hiking and Biking Trails located across the street from the Sun Valley Lodge. This beginner/intermediate trail system offers five miles of single-track trails. It is a good introduction to trails in the area, with views of the upper Wood River Valley, Adams Gulch, Bald Mountain, and Ketchum. Park in the large lot at the Sun Valley Lodge near Pete Lane’s Mountain Sports shop.

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 31

PAGE 32 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

JUNE/JULY 2011

Another scenic hiking and intermediate bicycling trail is the Fox Creek Loop, accessed from the Lake Creek Trailhead off ID 75 north of Ketchum. It is a pleasant, seven-mile long trail with a mix of flat double-track trail sections along the Wood River on the edge of the Smoky Mountains. Long singletrack inclines lead mountain bikers to an elevation of 6,700 feet, followed by downhill single-track descents.

For an easy outing, sample the Wood River Trail. The 20-mile paved rail trail runs south along the valley from Hulen Meadows north of Ketchum to Bellevue. Railroad bridges cross the Wood River and offer a dose of local history.

Trails Roundhouse Gondola and Christmas High Speed Quad Lift - Operates 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with last ride down at 3:30 p.m. Call the Ticket office 208622-6136 for 2011 ticket prices. Anticipate about $20 fee when both lifts are operating. www.sunvalley.com.

White Clouds Golf Course Hiking and Biking Trails - Take Sun Valley Road out of Ketchum to the Sun Valley Resort Lodge. Trails start across the road at Carol’s Trailhead. Parking allowed in the big lot by the Lodge.

Fox Creek Loop from Lake Creek Trailhead - Take ID 75 for 4 miles north of Ketchum and turn west into the trailhead.

Wood River Trail - Northern trailhead: Take ID 75 north of Ketchum for about 2 miles to Hulen Meadows Road and turn left into the trailhead. Southern Trailhead: On the south side of Bellevue turn left off ID 75 onto Gannett Road near highway mile marker 111. Locate a parking spot along the road. www.bcrd.org.

Bicycle Rentals Pete Lane’s Mountain Sports at River Run Plaza and Sun Valley Village - $79 Package includes lift fee and downhill-specific mountain bike rental; 208-622-2279; www.sunvalley.com.

Sturtos - 340 N. Main Street; 208-726-4512; www.sturtos.com.

Backwoods Mountain Sports, 711 N. Main Street; 208-726-8818; www. backwoodsmountainsports.com.

The Elephant’s Perch, 280 E. Avenue; 208-726-3497; www.elephantsperch.com.

Formula Sports, 460 N. Main Street; 208-726- 3194; www.formulasports. com.

Natalie Bartley is a Boise-based author of two trail guidebooks - Best Easy Day Hikes Boise and Best Rail Trails Pacific Northwest - available at outdoor retail shops and bookstores. ISI

Golf Practice Drills To Cure That Slice

By Nicolus Cage The golf slice is one of the most common golf swing faults. For righthanded golfers, the golf slice is a golf shot that starts left of the target and finishes right of the target.

There are several critical golf practice drills that can help you fix the golf slice rather quickly by instilling the proper movements in your golf swing and giving you the right “feeling” of a well-hit golf shot.

Here are two fantastic golf slice drills recommended by top PGA instructors. Perform these golf practice drills for a few minutes then return to your normal swing. You will be amazed at how quickly your golf slice is fixed!

Right Foot Back Golf Slice Drill - Corrects the golf slice caused by out to in swings and encourages proper in to square to in swing path.

1. Perform this drill at half-speed using a 7-iron and teed ball.

2. Take narrow stance, and then pull your right foot back one foot.

3. Swing along in-square-in swing path and make contact with the ball.

Do not worry about distance, but focus on hitting a solid, straight golf shot.

4. Hit 5 to 10 shots, while noting your swing path through to release and finish positions of swing.

5. Remove the tee and hit several solid, straight golf shots at half speed off the ground with the right foot back.

6. As you feel comfortable with your golf shots, gradually bring your right foot back even with your left foot.

7. Re-create the same “feel” of a well-struck golf shot as you gradually increase the speed of your swing.

Back To Target Golf Slice Drill - Corrects the golf slice by encouraging in-square-in swing path and club release.

1. Perform this golf slice drill at half-speed with 7-iron and teed ball.

2. Select your target and assume normal setup.

3. Leaving arms in position and clubface square to target, rotate your feet 45o with your back directed toward the target.

4. Swing along bodyline and hit 5 to 10 shots. Note that in this setup you will have a clear, in-square-in swing path.

5. Return to your normal golf swing.

Try these and you will see that your slice disappears. ISI

JUNE/JULY 2011

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 33

How to Cure Golf Fat Shots and Thin Shots

By Nicolus Cage Two of the most frustrating golf swing faults are to hit the golf ball fat or thin. A golf fat shot is when you hit the turf first before hitting the golf ball and a golf thin shot is when the leading edge of your club strikes the equator of the golf ball. Both of these golf swing faults can cause a host of errant golf shots (and often result in golfers hurling their clubs in the water).

Below are the common causes and proven cures for both golf fat shots and golf thin shots.

Golf Fat Shot Causes: 1. Golf grip is too loose or too tight on the club.

2. Golf ball is too far back or too far forward in stance.

3. Weight remains on your back foot at impact.

4. Wrist releasing too soon on downswing (you are likely trying to â&#x20AC;&#x153;helpâ&#x20AC;? ball get airborne).

Golf Fat Shot Cures: 1. Maintain a moderate grip pressure of 4 or 5 (on a scale of 1 to 10).

2. Move your body weight to forward leg through impact.

3. Try to release wrist hinge as late as possible with a sensation of driving your trailing hip and hand through ball impact.

4. Focus on driving into the back of the ball.

Golf Thin Shot Causes: 1. Typically occurs when there is too much tension in your golf grip and/ or you are trying too hard to â&#x20AC;&#x153;helpâ&#x20AC;? the golf ball get into the air (resulting in flipping of the wrists).

2. Another common cause of golf thin shot is an incorrect address position with either the hands behind the golf ball or the golf ball positioned

incorrectlyâ&#x20AC;Ś either too far backwards or forwards.

Golf Thin Shot Cures: 1. Maintain a moderate grip pressure of 4 or 5 (on a scale of 1 to 10).

2. When you address the golf ball, ensure that your hands are placed ahead of the golf ball.

3. Relax throughout the swing. Thin shots often come from tension at impact; focus on hitting ball and nipping turf at same time.

So remember these key golf swing tips every time fat or thin shots creep into your game! ISI

RVing Marks 100 Years: Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Campgrounds Offer Challenging Activities like Zip Lines and Wet and Wild Fun

By Ann Hattes RVing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the quintessential American product and industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; marks its 100-year anniversary.

Nowhere do more Americans gather to celebrate their love of RVing than at The Rally, held annually at sites around the U.S. (Redmond, Oregon

July 14-17, 2011). Attendees from every state and province in the U.S. and Canada gather to celebrate their passion of the open road and to learn about the RV industry. The Rally features the latest in recreational vehicles (RVs) and accessories with live entertainment, family-friendly

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activities, and educational seminars. New RV models from top manufacturers are displayed and available for test drives. (www.therally.com) Campgrounds and RV resorts today offer an increasing variety of challenging physical activities like ziplines, rope courses, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;wet and wildâ&#x20AC;?

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PAGE 34 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

weeks. Some offer paintball and laser tag while Pineland Camping Park in Arkdale, Wis., has just installed a 4-story inflatable waterslide. Granville, Ohio, campground owner Mark Kasper shook his head in disbelief when his 79-year-old mother, Phyllis, climbed a 30-foot staircase and rode his park’s 300-foot long zipline, literally dangling alongside a river that skirts the west end of the park.

That was four years ago, and to this day, 83-year-old Phyllis Kasper holds the record for being the oldest person to ride the zipline at Lazy River a 195-site campground just east of Columbus.

But do not think for a moment that the elder Kasper will easily surrender her title. “She told me that if anyone older than her rides the zipline, she’ll wait until she reaches that age and ride it again,” Mark Kasper said. “We hope she will.”

As campgrounds across the country are investing in unique and challenging physical activities to keep their guests entertained, other parks are offering unique accommodations. Treehouse Camp in Rohrersville, Md., near the Appalachian Trail, for example, offers its guests the chance to escape to the forest, while spending the night in tree house cottages that literally stand on stilts, eight to 10 feet above the ground.

“The kids really have a lot of fun here, and when the kids are happy, the parents are happy, said Louise Soroko, the park’s co-owner.

Here is a sampling of other privately owned and operated campgrounds, RV parks, and resorts across the country that offer unique activities and accommodations: • Beaver Lake Campground in Custer, S.D., an 81-site campground located 20 to 25 minutes from Mount Rushmore and Wind Cave National Park, offers a 360-foot-long water slide as well as cabin and teepee rentals, and more than 40 bicycles for guest use.

• Camp Taylor Campground, Columbia, N.J., just one hour from New York City, has a wolf preserve on site with 25 arctic and gray wolves, so you can literally hear them howl at night. Deer and bear sightings are also common here.

• Coloma Resort in Coloma, Calif., located near the site where gold was discovered in California, offers a challenging ropes course as well as opportunities for gold panning, white water rafting, and even classes in yoga. For those who do not have their own RV or tent, the resort also offers tent cabins and RVs, park models, and

JUNE/JULY 2011

bunkhouse rentals.

• Heavenly Acres in Stanardsville, Va., not far from Shenandoah National Park, has train cabooses that have been remodeled into cabins. Each caboose comes equipped with a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. The park, which also offers fishing, mountain bike trails, and hayrides, also offers standard cabins and RV sites.

• Redbeard’s Ranch in Lebanon, Mo., offers quiet campsites on a wooded 295-acre ranch with weekend bow hunting of whitetail deer and wild turkey. The park, located along the Niangua River, has weekend classes in fly-fishing, along with canoe, raft, and kayak rentals and hayrides. The park also offers three heated Sioux Indian-style teepees, which are popular with families, as well as a fully furnished, luxury “Glamping” tent cabin.

• Sweetwater Campground, RV Park & Riding Stables in Loranger, La., roughly 50 miles northwest of New Orleans, offers daily guided horseback riding as well as periodic rodeos.

“Camping enthusiasts always seek access to water, whether it’s in rivers, lakes, swimming pools or along the beach. But many parks find they can further enhance their appeal by offering fun, water-related activities,” said Linda Profaizer, president and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. Some campgrounds organize water war competitions that pit staff against guests and involve virtually everyone in the campground “There are three adjectives we like to hear. Awesome, sweet, or wow! If I get one of those out of the adults or their kids, I’m doing my job, said Wisconsin campground owner Bud Styer. Styer caters to an active family crowd, the kind of people who will go through 14,000 water balloons in a weekend game of “water wars” in which everyone in the campground gets wet.

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Williamsport, Md.

To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other’s hearts.

We live outside the reach of time.

- Clara Ortega

is planning Wet and Wild Weeks. “Wherever you are in the park and whatever you do that week, there is a very good chance you are going to get wet,” said park co-owner Vicki Vitkun.

“We have water balloon fights. We do a water balloon pitch burst. We do wet sponge ball fights, big water gun battles, volleyball in the pool, and basketball in the pool. Everything is wet.”

Meanwhile, the KOA in Rusk, Texas, has installed a new Frisbee skills court. “But watch out for the water hazards,” warns park owner Walter Preble. “Everyone gets wet.”

For help locating unique campgrounds visit www.gocampingamerica.com. ISI

JUNE/JULY 2011

It’s summer now - time to enjoy all those classic rock and roll tunes of years gone by. This month’s quiz, Name that Tune - Hit Songs of the 1950s, created by our staff, will test just how well you really know the lyrics of those golden oldies.

Congratulations to Pam Hull of Pocatello, who submitted the winning answers to the Spring Holiday Match-Up quiz that appeared in our April/ May 2011 issue. She receives a $25 prize. Thank you, Pam.

Two $25 cash prizes are awarded from the “Contest Corner” in each issue of the Idaho Senior Independent. One prize goes to the person who submits the entry selected by our staff as the featured quiz or puzzle in the “Contest Corner” for that issue. Turn your creativity loose and send us some good, interesting puzzles!

The second $25 prize goes to the person who submits the correct answers to the featured quiz

Name that Tune – Hit Songs of the 1950s

By ISI Staff Below are 25 song lyrics from the 1950s along with 25 song title/artist combinations. On a numbered sheet of paper, match each song lyric with its song title and artist and send it to us. The winner will receive a $25 cash prize. Good luck!

1. “When somebody needs you, it’s no good unless he needs you” 2. “I keep the ends out for the tie that binds” 3. “When tears come down, like falling rain” 4. “We fired our guns and the British kept a’comin” 5. “Now d’ja hear ‘bout Louis Miller?”

6. “I’ll tell you story, happened a long time ago” 7. “Well, I wish I was a catfish” 8. “Well before the light, hold me again with all of your might” 9. “Havin’ their fling again, younger than spring again” 10. “He rocks in the treetop, all a-day long” 11. “Shake, baby, shake” 12. “I owe my soul to the company store” 13. “Is it only ‘cause you’re lonely?”

14. “Life could be a dream, sweetheart” 15. “We’ll be right in seventh heaven” 16. “It smelled like turpentine, it looked like India ink” 17. “You say you’re gonna leave, you know it’s a lie” 18. “Hello, emptiness, I feel like I could die” 19. “Oh how my heart yearns for you” 20. “I asked my sweetheart what lies ahead” 21. “From the early, early morning till the early, early night”

22. “I can’t seem to stand on my own two feet” 23. “Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan” 24. “I hate to leave you, but I really must say” 25. “Deep down Louisiana close to New Orleans” A - Rollin’ Stone; Muddy Waters B - That’ll Be The Day; Crickets C - La Bamba; Ritchie Valens D - The Battle of New Orleans; Johnny Horton E - Rock Around The Clock; Bill Haley and his Comets F - Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight; The Spaniels G - Mack the Knife; Bobby Darin H - Papa Loves Mambo; Perry Como I - Peggy Sue; Buddy Holly J - Your Cheatin’ Heart; Hank Williams K - Good Golly Miss Molly; Little Richard L - Sixteen Tons; Tennessee Ernie Ford M - Bye Bye Love; The Everly Brothers N - Little Bitty Pretty One; Thurston Harris O - Que Sera, Sera; Doris Day P - Johnny B. Goode; Chuck Berry Q - All The Way; Frank Sinatra R - Whole Lot Of Shakin’ Going On; Jerry Lee Lewis S - All Shook Up; Elvis Presley T - Sh-Boom; The Chords U - In The Still of the Night; Five Satins V - Love Potion No. 9; The Clovers W - Rockin Robin; Bobby Day X - I Walk The Line; Johnny Cash Y - Mona Lisa; Nat King Cole ISI

Answers to Spring Holiday Match-Up from April/May 2011 issue 1. Q - St. Patrick’s Day 2. F - Mother’s Day 3. N - 1967 4. K - Arbor Day 5. C - Earth Day

6. G - Easter 7. R - 46 8. I - Los Angeles, CA 9. S - May Day 10. O - Anna Jarvis

11. L - 76 12. D - 1970 13. T - 40 14. A - Memorial Day 15. H - April Fools’ Day

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 35

or puzzle from the previous issue. When there is a tie, the winner is determined by a drawing.

Please mail your entries to the Idaho Senior Independent, P.O. Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403 by July 10, 2011 for our August/September 2011 edition.

Remember to work the crossword puzzle in this issue and on our website www.idahoseniorindependent.com.

PAGE 36 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

JUNE/JULY 2011

Across 1. A true American day 6. One of the Amendments 9. Love story star, first name 11. Drinks go-with 13. 1 across is a patriotic one 14. Marches and celebrations 15. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Gipperâ&#x20AC;? - first name 16. Vaulted polygon 17. Little drink 18. British sailor 21. Garden annoyances 24. Popular drink 25. Soccer score on Latino TV 26. Trip 30. Paul Revereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous role 33. Toasted, with to 35. Fly over plane 37. Went to see 40. Old carriage 43. Independence day food festivities 44. Enjoy the pool 47. Parisian summer 49. Patriotic song 53. Medical TV show 54. Sci-fi writer, Doc Smith 55. Tennis or fishing object 56. Feels great affection for 57. Actress, Sarandon 58. Military rank, for short

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How wonderful to live in a community where friends become family.

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 37

Stars Shine at the Festival at Sandpoint, August 4-14 Article & Photo by Bernice Karnop Twenty-nine years ago, some folks in Sandpoint decided to bring the Spokane Symphony Orchestra to their city for a summer outdoor concert.

Today the Spokane Symphony still delights listeners at The Festival at Sandpoint, but in addition, more than a dozen other musical groups perform. Instead of a one evening event, it stretches out over two weeks. It not only delights local folk, it has become one of the region’s largest cultural tourism draws, bringing people from Canada, neighboring states, and as far away as the east coast and overseas.

The variety of musicians, the outdoor setting on lovely Lake Pend Oreille, the reasonable ticket prices, and the relaxed backyard atmosphere make this a unique experience. The evening concerts run Thursday through Sunday, August 4-7 and Thursday through Sunday the following week, August 11-14.

Returning by popular demand this year are Brandi Carlile, country, folk, and rock singer, and Michael Franti and Spearhead, with their fun blend of hip-hop, funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock.

Executive director Diana Wahl says the Festival at Sandpoint is as eclectic as the people who attend. When the Michael Franti tickets went on sale this year, the first two people in line were teens, but the second pair was in their 70s.

“We like to have something that will be enjoyed by all generations,” she says.

Other headliners include Rickie Lee Jones, Chris Isaak, and Rodney Crowell. Rising stars include Josh Ritter, David Nail, Lukas Nelson, Jason Spooner, and more.

The grand finale, Sunday August 14, is Spanish Serenade featuring the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. Gates open at 4:30 with a wine tasting event that gives you the opportunity to sample beverages from the premier

wineries of the Northwest. Other events this final evening include an art auction and fireworks.

In addition to the music, 14 food and drinks vendors bring everything from Thai food to hamburgers and fish and chips. Of course, you are welcome to pack your own picnic. You can sit in the grandstand, bring (or rent) lawn chairs, or throw down a blanket and sit on the grass. Dancers can kick up their heels on the dance floor.

Over the two-week period, Diana says that they see as many as 20,000 people, with around 3,000 people attending each night.

Bring your grandchildren. In fact, this non-profit organization benefits children through its instrument access program, 5th grade outreach, and youth symphony projects. Your tax-deductible donations support these programs, or you can help by digging out those dusty instruments in your basement and donating them to be

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PAGE 38 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

JUNE/JULY 2011

refurbished and placed in the hands of children.

You can spend the day enjoying all the activities around Sandpoint and come to the Festival at night. One activity you do not want to miss is the Arts and Crafts Fair at City Beach the first weekend of the Festival.

Add the Festival at Sandpoint to your vacation

plans this summer, and make plans to return for the 30th annual event next year.

For more information or tickets, visit www.

FestivalAtSandpoint.com or call 888-265-4554.

You can buy tickets through this secure website, by phone, or at TicketsWest locations. ISI

Unforgettable Vacations Start on Lake Pend Oreille

By Bernice Karnop North Idaho is a land of lakes and rivers and trees - colored gems in stunning mountain settings. Lake Pend Oreille (say pon-da-ray) is the largest lake in Idaho, twice as big as Lake Coeur d’Alene and very deep. The glacier-formed, sapphire-hued lake and the pristine country around it make it a top tourist destination and a coveted place to live. It is only 60 miles from the Canadian border and 45 miles north of Coeur d’Alene.

With scores of enticing outdoor adventures at hand on a beautiful summer day in North Idaho, the magnetic pull of Lake Pend Oreille will likely win out. In landlocked Idaho, who can resist the recreational possibilities of a large expanse of water and its miles of shoreline?

It should not surprise anyone that the biggest sand beach on this large lake is in Sandpoint. Go to City Beach, a public area at the end of Bridge Street, and take off your shoes and roll up your pants for a stroll down the landform that illustrates the name of the largest town on the lake.

Walking the beach is great, but you will also find any number of rentals to entice you out onto the lake. There are kayaks, fishing boats, and individual watercraft. You can rent a houseboat and live on the lake for a few days if you like.

Grandchildren will remember a day on a fishing charter with folks who can help you locate the right fish in this multi-species lake or the rivers that feed it. The lake is home to rainbow trout, lake trout, perch, crappie, bass, kokanee, and whitefish. The world-record Kamloops rainbow trout (37 pounds) was caught in Lake Pend Oreille.

You will enjoy the scenery and much more on a scenic lake cruise on the Shawnodese. It is a narrated tour that tells such things as the cataclysmic events that formed the lake, stories of the Kalispell Tribe whose traditional home was around these waters, and the amazing story of explorer and mapmaker David Thompson who was the first white person in these parts. History of the area also includes loggers and railroads,

miners, settlers, and dam builders.

It might surprise you to learn that during World War II this secure inland site on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille became home to the second largest naval training center in the world. Farragut Naval Training Station, as early as the fall of 1942, had become the largest city in Idaho with a peak population of 55,000. Men came from across the nation to receive basic training here - 293,381 sailors in all.

Today this large base has been transformed into a large park, called Farragut State Park. It has 220 campsites, 6 equestrian sites, 10 cabins and 4 group sites as well as large group areas, an amphitheater, and day use area in case you just want to picnic.

The Visitors Center holds the papers and information about the naval station and this significant piece of World War II history. If you, your dad, or your uncle was in the Navy, you will not want to miss visiting here.

A park naturalist does evening programs on the history and geology of the area, and wayside exhibits highlight wildlife and park features. The park is surrounded by a diverse biological community that includes forests of lodge pole pine, ponderosa pine, white pine, Douglas fir, poplar, western larch, and grand fir. Living in the woods are such creatures as whitetail deer, squirrels, black bears, coyotes, and bobcats. Common birds include owls, hummingbirds, hawks, woodpeckers, ducks, and Idaho’s state bird, the mountain bluebird. Whatever you do, do not forget the camera and binoculars for everyone.

Farragut State Park offers three miles of lakeshore, boating, swimming, and trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

Plan your trip to North Idaho this summer and be sure to give yourself time to enjoy it. You will always want to come back. ISI

JUNE/JULY 2011

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 39

Physician turned writer – Dr. Keith Dahlberg Article and Photos by Jack McNeel 25-30 years. With Burma’s borders closed, they “The second four years we were in Thailand spent four years in Thailand building a hospital was about the time all the refugees started coming for the Mission Society. out of Cambodia after the government had killed “Neither of us was very good at foreign lanabout one and a half million of them. A group of guages,” Keith says. “I could do a medical history us volunteered to go to one of the refugee camps. in Thai/Burmese but didn’t have any idea what We were one of the first people were talking about responders when they were socially. I felt I wanted still going out with busses to get some experience and combing the forest and practicing medicine in brushlands to bring back English,” he laughs. busloads of these starving They had a relative in refugees. We worked twelve the medical profession in hour shifts. We did one night Idaho’s Silver Valley who of staying in the hospital needed another doctor as the single medical team so they visited in 1957 to that the Thai army allowed look at the practice and to stay in camp overnight in the area. They liked what that 1,000 bed hospital. We they saw and have been were never so bone tired in here ever since except, our lives. What struck me of course, for some other was the fact this is the worst travel. possible medical situation When the hospital they and I can do it. No one can had helped establish in say I’m not a doctor.”

Thailand needed help, These are Dr. Keith they returned and worked Dahlberg’s memories of the there from 1977-1981. many years he and his wife Keith and Lois were planLois spent in Thailand and ning to retire, but another Burma. Lois is not only his Dr.Dahlberg and Lois stand behind the computer mission hospital in Thaiwhere he spends time writing books following wife but also a nurse who retirement from medicine. land needed help so off assisted him over their long they went for another year. medical careers. He describes Lois this way. “She That brought Keith’s full-time medical career to a was my office nurse and has been a school nurse. close but he continued working a less intensive She wouldn’t work in the operating room with me schedule. because she was afraid I might keel over and The next ten years saw him doing locum teshe’d have to finish the operation,” he says with nens work - essentially taking short-term positions a laugh. for a weekend, a week, or a month, in various Keith and Lois are now retired and living in places needing help. As you might guess, Keith Kellogg, their hometown for over 50 years - even and Lois returned to both Burma and Thailand though many of those years were spent away from for short stays plus another trip to Papua New here.

Guinea. They also did locum tenens work in nuOriginally from New York, they met at Syracuse merous states here in the United States.

University where Keith was a medical student and Over their lifetimes, they have visited all 50 Lois was a student nurse. “He was a blind date,” states, about 22 countries, and have stayed for she says with a smile. a month or more in about seven Keith says.

Their lives together read like a medical/travel Full retirement from medicine came in 2004 odyssey with maybe even a touch of James Bond added. Soon after completing their degrees, they joined the American Baptist Mission Society and were assigned to Burma, which Keith describes as “probably the opium capital of Asia.” During that five-year assignment, they rebuilt a hospital that had been destroyed during the war.

They returned to the U.S. for some postgraduate education with plans to return to Burma. However, about the time they left Burma, the army took over and all foreigners were excluded for the next

for Keith, but that did not mean relaxing in a rocking chair. He had begun writing in the late 1990s and since 2004 he’s been writing full time. Keith is a regular at meetings of a local writer’s group, and so far, he has produced five books, the latest being The Samana Incident, a police fiction novel set in Papua New Guinea. For more information about his books, visit www.dahlbergbooks.com.

Mineralogy has also been a longtime hobby.

“That’s one of the reasons I enjoyed coming to Kellogg. There are all these mines. If I find a nice specimen I keep it but it’s mostly just a collection.”

The Dahlberg’s three daughters are all nurses and their son is a longtime resident of Singapore.

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They have nine grandchildren, and one of their granddaughters enrolled at the Naval Academy this fall.

Lois is equally busy and involved in the community. “I really enjoyed nursing but I enjoyed even more just being a mother and housewife,” she says. “But I always worked. I never let myself get away from nursing enough that I couldn’t go back. When Keith finally retired, I retired at the same time.”

Sierra Silver Mine Tour and the Ghost Town Trolley Go underground in the Sierra Silver Mine! A retired miner is your guide as you walk through the main drift of a real silver mine. Your guide will share his mining experiences, and will demonstrate pneumatic powered mining machinery while teaching you about the methods and techniques of hard-rock mining and the source of the silver in your life.

Your tour begins aboard a classic trolley. On the way to and from the mine, you will be treated to a narrative of the colorful history of Wallace, Idaho, the Silver Capital of the World. The city in its entirety is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and still has feel and flavor of an early 1900s mining camp.

During July and August… step aboard our trolley and back in time. Characters from a bygone era will tell you about themselves and the historical events of Wallace and the Ghost Town of Burke, Idaho while you travel to Burke and around Wallace.

For more information, call 208-752-5151. ISI

Help the brothers boat across, and lo! thine own has reached the shore.

- Hindu Proverb

JUNE/JULY 2011

“Now I volunteer. I volunteer each year to listen to little first graders read. I volunteer as a bible study leader at our church and volunteer for hospice. I have a very laid back, fun life,” she says with a smile.

“We’ve both biked the whole 72 miles of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, not at the same time but in sections. I also like to quilt and like to cook.

I guess those are my hobbies.

“Kellogg has been good to us, and we made

a good living here. It’s a lot of friendly people that live here, through the whole valley. Although we have lived all over including huge cities like Bangkok and Denver, we’re small town people.

“It’s pretty in Kellogg. Just the drive from Kellogg to Coeur d’Alene or into Montana is one of the prettiest drives in the whole country. Kellogg has a charm I think only a mining town would have. We like it and we like the people that live here.” ISI

Logging to Literature – Harry and Mary Winkler

By Jack McNeel the men hooked up the logs. When I backed up It may be unusual to go from a career in log- the Jeep, the logs would be pulled up under the ging to literature. But, Pinehurst’s Harry and Mary A-frame so they could be loaded.”

Winkler have done exactly that while sharing A few months later, they got a jammer to equally in both endeavors - logging and writing in load logs. “I became the jammer puncher,” Mary their retirement. Perexplains. “I wasn’t haps it is this working the only woman together that has conthat liked to work in tributed to a nearly the woods. There six-decade marriage. were quite a few othMary was raised ers, too.” She also in Georgia and Harry helped with piling in Missouri but after limbs for burning, meeting and marrying and clearing the in 1952, they moved roads of rocks and to Idaho’s Silver Valother things while ley, where Harry had Harry was felling lived for a few years, and limbing trees. and where he got his They continued in start logging with his the logging business sister.

(U.S. Forest Service Harry recalls that salvage sales) unfirst attempt at log- Harry til their retirement H and d Mary M Winkler Wi kl on the th steps t off the th Snakepit S k it (Enaville (E ill ging. “We used horse Resort), a restaurant they frequent about 5 miles from their home in 1994. Mary ran skidding then. We in Pinehurst. [Photo by Jack McNeel] the jammer all those also had an old car years while Harry that we took a wheel off of to make a drum that handled the other logging tasks. we used as a winch.”

Harry speaks highly of the Forest Service in After they married in 1952, Harry took up log- those early years. “They were well respected,” he ging again but at first, it was not much improved asserts. “At that time the U.S. Forest Service was from his earlier work with his sister. Mary explains, great and no one dreamed of suing them.” Harry’s “I learned how to log after I moved here. We tried feelings changed somewhat in later years and briefly with horses but that didn’t work so we used that led to their writing U.S. Forest Service at the a jeep. This one family had a bunch of logs that Crossroads. had been decked (stockpiled) and we used a jeep Mary had begun writing while they were still and an A-frame. Harry and his brother-in-law had a logging. Running the jammer left her quite a bit of logging truck and between them they loaded trucks free time and she would take pen and paper with and hauled them to the mill. I drove the jeep while her on the logging jobs. “I would write poems and stories about things I’d seen in the woods. I did a lot of writing so it came naturally for me,” she says. Some of these stories and poems were published in the local newspaper.

She also began assembling cute stories she would hear from friends about local youngsters.

Over a ten-year period, she gathered 500 short stories, many of which she wrote while in the woods, and in 1995 she published as Chuckles for Children.

After retiring, their interest in writing remained so they organized a local literary organization, Pen and Quill, a group of about 15 writers that gets together every other Saturday in Kellogg.

As a social group, they gather to enjoy coffee and rolls and share their recent writing experiences.

“Every person reads a little bit of something they’ve been working on,” Mary explains.

(Cont’d on pg 47)

JUNE/JULY 2011

A Good Gardening Book For Valuable Information

By Clare Hafferman A good gardener is always looking for addtitional guidence and ideas. And, there’s no better place than good gardening books.

One of the best of these, published last year, was written by Katherine Whiteside and titled The Way We Garden Now, with a subtitle of 41 Pick And Choose Projects For Planting Your Paradise Large or Small. She enlisted the artistic aid of watercolorist Peter Gergely, who added some lovely sketches to the work.

If you do not entirely make a paradise out of your plot, there are enough ideas in this book, some you already know and others you haven’t discovered, to make reading it an enjoyable read.

What makes this volume unique and appealing to those of us in the over-60 crowd, is that the author endorses all kinds of inexpensive and organic solutions using “things you ordinarily have around the house.” She says she has completed all 41 projects and is a hands-on gardener with a healthy disregard for fancy tools, an aversion to over-spending and no time to recover from exhaustion. Her philosophy is to take it easy in how you garden and do not think the work takes more money than you have to spend for tools.

In the chapter titled Don’t Get Bugged, here is the list of equipment to use against unwanted insects: 1. Liquid soap, either Dr. Bonner’s, Ivory Liquid, or Murphy’s Oil soap; 2. A small bottle of cheap vegetable oil; 3. Squeezable plastic bottles from re-cycled catsup, mustard, and shampoo containers; 4. A pair of cheap sharp scissors; 5.

A jet nozzle for your hose; 6. Gallon milk jugs for storing concoctions; 7. A funnel and a floating row cover. Optional items include an old blender, an old strainer with fine mesh, baking soda stored in a plastic container, a big bottle of Tabasco sauce, and chili powder, purchased in bulk and kept dry.

Depending on where you live and how fond you are of seafood, one of her unorthodox ideas for using things twice is to save all oyster shells, crab shells, and shrimp peels. Wash them off, dry them in the sunshine, then put them in a heavy black plastic bag and crush them by driving your car over them. She says the crushed results are good for tomato plants.

The chapter on Fertilizing Effectively advises keeping three big boxes of Epsom salts, two jars of blackstrap molasses, one bottle of liquid seaweed, one bag or more of super phosphate per recommended coverage for your size of garden, one bottle of fish emulsion, three Comfrey plants big enough to transplant into beds, and a metal trash can with a lid, used to collect cold wood ashes.

There are instructions on how to use all these ingredients and the tools needed to do them are again, simple. You will need a shovel, and old

plastic mixing bowl, and old long-handled cooking spoon, an old colander, and a two-gallon watering can.

The Comfrey plants are reputed to be an organic booster and as they become large and floppy, you cut back and save the big, fuzzy leaves. Add three handfuls of these to a bucket half filled with water and add one jar of the molasses. Stir and let it rest for ten days. Ladle the liquid into the watering can and use it around vegetables and flowers.

Besides advising readers on how to eliminate unwanted pests and keep your plants fertilized, there are practical projects for your space. Explicit instructions and illustrations show how to build a patio, how to plot a straight or curved path and how to begin and maintain an asparagus bed. Some simpler ideas were on how to water wisely and how to build a trellis for peas. She includes a list of reliable self-sowing annuals and those you can sow directly. To plant perennials, there is a list of 21 beginner plants, which she advises buying locally.

A good local nursery is the key to a great garden.

Once you have something planted, keep a garden journal. Take pictures or clip items from magazines to inspire you. A garden diary is a back up for our fading memories. The last two chapters contain directions for welcoming winter by designing a spot outside a window, utilizing both tall and low-growing evergreens, grasses, or a shrub with berries. There is a list of four-season plants to consider.

If you have a card table, the author suggests placing it by a window with light, and putting plastic sheeting beneath, covered with an absorbent cotton rug. Arrange some indoor plants that either take humidity, like some shade or exist in a sunny, dry atmosphere. There are varieties given for all three types. Put some decorative elements between the plants and have a small electric lamp to light up the space at night, keeping the lamp away from any water.

Hopefully, this innovative writer will give you some new thoughts or reinforce previous knowledge. Published

by Clarkson-Potter, this edition sells for $29.95 and can be borrowed through inter-library loan in some areas. It would make a perfect gift for either a first-time digger or an older established planter. ISI

Call 811 Before You Dig! Before you plant a tree, excavate a foundation, install a sprinkler, install a fence, or dig a hole for any reason, protect yourself by calling 811 two working days in advance. This is a free service!

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 41

PAGE 42 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

JUNE/JULY 2011

engage men without coming on too strong.

Being Naive About Men - If a woman does not understand the huge difference between men and women when it comes to sex and relationships, she will get burned. If most of her guidance for relationships comes from popular media and peers, she is working from a position of ignorance.

Moviemakers could not care less about your life - they just want your $14 movie ticket.

Panicking - Women become so fearful that they will never find a guy who loves them that they abandon their convictions and make irrational, dangerous decisions. Some painful effects are immediate, while some might not surface for years.

Sleeping with the Boyfriend - Every woman must make her own decision and it is a huge decision. This is the most common and most harmful mistake. It causes an avalanche of problems, many that the woman does not anticipate. Sex with a boyfriend might seem romantic or exhilarating but there are hidden fangs that will cut deep. You cannot put a condom on your heart.

“It’s not easy to navigate the shark-infested waters of the dating world, but if you can follow these basic tips, you shouldn’t have to worry about being someone else’s prey,” Dr. Ryan added.

Dr. Kenneth Ryan offers straight talk with a twist of humor about relationships garnered from years of not only counseling engaged couples about sex, but from his own marriage and from living with three teenage daughters. He understands the yearning of most women to be loved and cherished by a great guy. Dr. Ryan started writing for his three daughters everything that they need to know about the truth of relationships and sex so they will always be two steps ahead of any guy they might date. ISI

Top Five Mistakes Women Make While Dating

If you are single, it is likely that you are using dating websites similar to the ones job seekers use, hoping that you will find someone who fits your dating profile.

TV commercials love to trumpet the fact that one in five relationships today starts on an online dating site. The thing that irritates Dr. Kenneth Ryan is that they fail to mention what happens after people meet online.

“The term ‘online dating’ itself is deceptive,” says Ryan, author of Finding Your Prince in a Sea of Toads: How to Find a Quality Guy Without Getting Your Heart Shredded (www.findingyourprince.com). “You don’t ‘date’ online. You meet online, but the dating that occurs after all the emails and online chats is something people still find confusing and frustrating. Figuring out how to write a decent profile for a website is only step one. Steps two through marriage are more about relating in-person than online. If people do not know how to evaluate and grow a relationship, they end up discouraged or part of the 50% divorce statistics.”

Dr. Ryan, who has spent years with his wife counseling engaged couples about sex through their church classes on marriage, has aggregated some of his best advice on dating into a list of the five most common mistakes made in dating. They include: Being Too Passive - Some women feel helpless and hopeless because few men have shown interest in them. They sit alone at home hoping Prince Charming will one day knock on the door. There are many ways a woman can improve her connections with guys and make herself more appealing.

Women are not helpless or hopeless.

Being Too Aggressive - Women who come on too strong look desperate and may scare off quality guys. Predatory males look for desperate women because they will do almost anything to get a guy. Learn how to

The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho Gem of the Greenbelt Located on the beautiful greenbelt walkway overlooking the Snake River in Idaho Falls, the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho (TAM) is home to five galleries, a children’s interactive art area, and an eclectic gift shop. TAM presents art events and exhibits of regionally, nationally, and internationally acclaimed artists.

TAM offers a broad range of art classes and workshops for adults and children as well as an outreach program, ARTworks, which sends museum art instructors into budget-stricken elementary classrooms for art lessons at no cost to the schools.

Through July 30, the work of nationally renowned master colorist Ovanes Berberian will be on exhibit. A Russian-born Armenian immigrant, Berberian was first exposed to the beauty of the Idaho landscape as a student of the late master painter Sergei Bongart. Berberian chose to set up a home and studio in eastern Idaho because of its similarity to the landscape of his homeland. He continues to reside there today.

The Art Museum is located at 300 S. Capital Avenue, Idaho Falls and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am-5pm. Admission is $4 for adults, and free for seniors 62 and older on the first Tuesday of each month.

For additional information, please call 208-524-7777. ISI

A discovery is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind.

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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 43

How Can I Avoid A Foreclosure?

Foreclosure filings spiked upward another 7 percent in March of this year, but one expert believes there are alternatives consumers can use to avoid becoming part of next month’s statistic.

During March, foreclosure filings totaled 239,745, according RealtyTrac. This is up from February, when filings totaled 225,101. The rate of increase is slower than at this time last year, but financial expert Deborah McNaughton, author of The Essential Credit Repair Handbook from Career Press (www.financialvictory.com), says that the decrease is not due to better market conditions.

“The slowdown is because there are so many foreclosures to file, it’s taking lenders longer to process foreclosure proceedings,” McNaughton says. “The allegations of fraud in some of these foreclosure proceedings started last September, and as a result, there was a temporary suspension of foreclosures while the fraud was investigated.

There are people out there who are still in trouble, but there are ways they can avoid a foreclosure, if they’re willing to do the work.” McNaughton’s alternatives include: • Short Sale - You have probably already considered a short sale. That should be your first choice, but the downside is that there are so many players in the mix. First, you have to list the property with a real estate company. If you get a

buyer, you have to submit a hardship letter and your financials to the lender, along with the offer to purchase your property at a price that is lower than your balance. It may take the lender weeks or months to decide if they are willing to accept the offer. By that time you may have lost your buyer.

If you have not been making your mortgage payments, the lender may foreclose on your property.

Unless you can overcome these issues, this alternative may not be the one for you.

• Short Refinance - If your payments are not behind, contact a lender to see if you are eligible for a short refinance. An appraisal on the property will be ordered. If the appraisal is less than the balance you owe, the lender will tell you how much of a loan they will make. When you get a commitment letter and appraisal from the lender, submit it to your current lender requesting a reduction of your current balance. If they agree to a reduced payoff, continue with the new lender and complete your new loan with a smaller loan amount and hopefully better terms.

• Lease Purchase Option - Put your home or property on the market as a lease with an option to purchase. A lease purchase allows a buyer to purchase your property for an agreed sale price and date to complete. Money is applied towards a down payment, and you would collect monthly

Is Your Realtor Falling Down on the Job? Five Tips to Get Your Realtor Back On Task In the current real estate market, with home sales slumping like an injured athlete, many sellers are pulling out all the stops to get their homes to sell.

One of the most common tactics is to change realtors when the one they are using is not getting the job done. However, one expert believes that there is another way.

“Switching realtors every few months is not necessarily a strategy for success,” said Pat Hiban, a billion-dollar selling real estate agent and author of 6 Steps to 7 Figures (www.hiban.com), a self-help guide for realty agents.

“In this market, it’s not uncommon for a home to stay on the market for many months. The problem with switching agents frequently is that you eat up a lot of time with the learning curve with each agency change. Every time you fire an agent, you lose their institutional memory with regard to your house and your situation. Instead, you can try to reinvigorate their efforts by introducing them to some simple sales tips.”

Hiban’s advice includes: • Be Proactive – Successful people are productive every morning. In sales, that means you need to be making prospecting calls, doing open houses, calling contacts, writing notes to people, making new contacts, and getting in people’s faces. If your agent is waiting around for the phone to ring, ask them if they are working every avenue they can, and suggest they beat the bushes.

• Plan The Week – Ask them what their agenda is for the week, and make sure they are doing something every day to promote your property. Some realtors tend not to pay attention to properties that are not generating a lot of excitement, and instead they focus on the properties that might be easier to move. Keep them focused with an agenda every week, and you will increase the chances they will be successful for you.

payments. Make sure you get enough down payment money to catch up any past due payments, and continue to make the mortgage payments until the sale is complete.

• Rental - Renting your house out may also be an option for you. If you get a renter that can cover your payments, you can rent another place for less money. When things get better and your finances loosen up, you can always move back into your home.

“A lot more people are facing foreclosure than the statistics currently reflect,” McNaughton says.

“As a result, everyone should be aware of the alternatives. Foreclosure can sometimes be a worstcase scenario for some, but that can be avoided simply by choosing to accept something that isn’t a best-case scenario. It’s better than losing your place to live with no alternatives at all.”

Deborah McNaughton is a nationally recognized author, credit expert, and financial coach.

She has been in the financial business for over 25 years. In 1984, Deborah founded and is President of Professional Credit Counselors, Inc., dba: Financial Victory Institute, which specializes in credit counseling and money restoration. ISI

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• Get Busy – Activity breeds activity. It is a universal truth that the more you push your flow out to potential buyers, the more inward flow of contacts you will generate. One thing really does lead to another, so even when the response is slow, keep them motivated to keep plugging away. You never know when they will catch a break, but if they are not in the game and getting out in the community, they will never have a chance to find one.

• Accept All Invitations – Networking can many times win the day, and real estate agents typically receive every invitation available to local networking and community events. When they attend these functions, everyone in the room could be a potential client for them or a potential buyer for you. Ask them if they attend local events, and when you know some are coming up, email them

the information.

Do not Panic – Panic and negativity on your part make your agent feel the same way. Do not vex them. Help them stay focused and positive. If you keep going, they will keep going.

“Sometimes, the solution is to make a change in agents,” Hiban added. “But if you find yourself in a cycle of change, with no results, then maybe you can use these tips to get a little more out of the agent you’ve chosen.”

Pat Hiban is one of only a few residential Realtors in the entire world to have the title of Billion Dollar Agent, having sold one billion dollars in homes, one house at a time. Much of Hiban’s specialty is in the foreclosure market with current clients that include Freddie Mac, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America. ISI

Little-Known VA Benefit For Wartime Veterans: Aid And Attendance Pension

By Billy Moreland, President, Equity Freedom Financial, Inc., AmeriVets Veteran Advocate In 1952, the United States Congress passed legislation authorizing benefits for Veterans, and, under Title 38 of the United States Code, created the Department of Veterans Affairs as we know it today. Title 38 is a mandated law and must be funded by Congress every year. Currently, the benefit is funded at over 4 billion dollars annually.

There are two classes of benefits for veterans and their survivors: compensation for service-related disability or death and pension for non servicerelated disability or death The Service Connected Disability program is for veterans who suffered injury or death as a direct result of their active duty military service. The compensation amount depends upon the percent of total disability as determined by the Veterans Administration.

The Non-Service Connected Pension Disability program provides a pension, rather than direct compensation, based on retirement or inability to work.

Non-service connected disabilities are injuries that have no relation to active duty military service. The pension benefit provides a taxfree monthly income stream of up to $1,949 for a married veteran, $1,644 for a single veteran and $1,056 for a surviving spouse of a veteran.

Fewer than 10% of Wartime Veterans are aware of the Aid & Attendance Pension.

The pension is often overlooked, misunderstood or completely unknown to Veterans or surviving spouses. This

pension is not dependent upon service-related injuries for compensation. It is a non-service connected pension. Most Veterans who are in need of assistance may qualify for this pension. This pension can help pay for care in the home, a nursing home, or an assisted living facility.

How Will This Help Me? With the Aid and Attendance Pension, you and your family will have access to the care that you deserve. You will be able to choose from a wider selection of care placements and communities as well as a broader spectrum of care services. You will also be able to make specific choices on how the care services will be delivered. This pension is dependable and, unlike other forms of compensation, this pension is tax free, never has to be repaid, and is paid directly to the veteran or surviving spouse.

How Do I apply for the Aid & Attendance Pension?

Do it yourself - You can attempt to apply for yourself. You may download the forms from the Department of Veterans Affairs website or visit your local VA office to pick up the application packet. Unfortunately, only about 15% of veterans’ applications get approved this way. Applying for the pension is a legal process and the application needs to provide accurate evidence to process your claim.

Veterans Service Organization or Office You can use the services of a county VA office or a veterans’ organization such as the American Legion, VFW, or AmVets. These individuals and organizations, although well-meaning, are often uninformed or lack specific training to assist Veterans in applying for the pension. Again, only about 30% of these applicants get approved.

Use An Accredited VA Attorney – As in other situations needing representation, in this case an attorney may represent and become an advocate for the claimant within the guidelines of the law.

Not only does the attorney complete the paperwork and file the claim, they also present the evidence to the VA that will substantiate the need for financial benefit. The use of a private VA accredited attorney results in over a 90% success rate.

How Do I Qualify? There are several qualifications. The veteran or surviving spouse must: • Be age 65 or older and unemployable.

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• Have a minimum of 90 days of active duty military service with at least one day of service during a period of national conflict with honorable discharge, or be their surviving spouse.

• Have a medical diagnosis that requires daily

assistance with at least one activity of daily living.

• Have an income that is less than cost of care.

• Have a maximum “countable” asset base.

In closing, if you are a wartime veteran and are paying for care or transitioning into care, you should

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investigate Title 38, Aid and Attendance Pension.

You may be eligible for income you deserve for your service to our country.

For more information about this benefit, contact Bill Moreland at AmeriVets, 208-819-3439. ISI

Broken Promises: Proposed Budget Undermines Medicare, Medicaid

By Ron Pollack, Executive Director, Families USA May 2011 It’s budget season again in Washington. Congress and the President are trying to agree on a budget for the federal government for next year, and health care for older Americans is front and center in the debate. In April, the House of Representatives passed a budget plan that calls for big cuts in both Medicare and Medicaid - two programs that seniors rely on for their health insurance. Here is what is at stake if the House budget proposal becomes law.

Today, Medicare provides guaranteed health benefits to everyone 65 and over who has paid into the system (or whose spouse paid in). Many people with disabilities qualify the same way. Under the House budget plan, however, no one born after 1956 could get the guaranteed health benefits people with Medicare get today. Instead, starting in 2022, they would get a voucher to buy coverage from a private insurance company. That voucher would cover less than 40 percent of an average person’s health care costs-the rest would have to come out of seniors’ pockets. And the value of the voucher would not keep up with health care costs, meaning each year, seniors would pay more and get less.

Today’s seniors are not safe, either. The House budget proposal re-opens the Medicare prescription drug “doughnut hole” that the Affordable Care Act is gradually closing. If it becomes law, nearly 4 million people currently enrolled in Medicare would face higher prescription drug costs this year - costs that will grow to up to $6,000 a year by the end of the decade.

Less attention has been paid to the House budget proposal’s plans for Medicaid, but they are just as significant and troublesome. Medicaid is the primary source of coverage for long-term care. It is the main payer for 64 percent of people in nursing homes.

Medicaid also covers home-based care for millions of seniors, allowing them to stay in their homes. And it provides health insurance to millions of low-income children and parents. The program is funded by states and the federal government,

Release of 2011 Social Security Trustees Report Shows Program Again Has a Large Surplus On May 13, 2011 the Social Security Trustees released their Annual Trustees Report for 2011.

The following provides comment and analysis from the Strengthen Social Security Campaign, a coalition of more than 300 organizations representing more than 50 million Americans: “The trustees’ report found that Social Security’s surplus will be $69.3 billion for 2011. Those who say that Social Security is in deficit this year are flat wrong,” said Nancy Altman, Co-Chair of the Strengthen Social Security Campaign. “By law, Social Security cannot deficit-spend and cannot borrow, so it is obvious that Social Security cannot add a penny to the federal deficit.”

“The trustees’ report states that Social Security will be able to pay all benefits for the next quarter century, even without congressional action. Bottom line, Social Security works,” said Eric Kingson, Co-Chair of the Strengthen Social Security Campaign. “Even in a bad economy, Americans continue to receive the full benefits they have earned for themselves and their families. The trustees report makes clear there is no reason to cut benefits. The 2011 report has two critical findings: 1. Social Security is projected to have a surplus of $69.3 billion for 2011. This is based on

but each state runs its own program based along federal guidelines.

The House budget proposal makes $1.4 trillion in cuts to Medicaid over the next 10 years - and by the last year of that period, federal funding would be cut by one-third. These cuts would force states to reduce dramatically the coverage they provide.

Long-term care services would be slashed, just as large numbers of baby boomers start to need help. The burden of providing this help will fall on families and friends, who will have to take time off work to care for their ailing friends and relatives.

No one wants to be a burden on their children, but without the help provided

by Medicaid, many would have no alternative.

Supporters of the proposal say these are the tough steps we have to take to bring the deficit under control. But their numbers do not add up.

In fact, the House plan barely nicks the deficit.

That is because, for all the cuts to health care, it expands tax breaks for businesses and wealthy Americans.

There is no doubt we need to deal with our nation’s fiscal problems, and making our health care system more efficient should be part of that solution. But an honest approach starts with making sure everyone pays a fair share, and not with dismantling the health insurance that today’s and tomorrow’s seniors are counting on.

ISI

Those who agree with us may not be right, but we admire their astuteness.

-Cullen Hightower

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revenue of $807.7 billion and outlays of $738.4 billion. Social Security has three revenue sources: Payroll contributions from employers and employees, interest earned on Social Security’s U.S. Treasury bond assets, and income taxes on the Social Security benefits paid by those with higher incomes.

It is true - but of no consequence - that the $738.4 billion in benefits paid and administrative costs estimated for 2011 exceed the amount of payroll tax contributions. But that is not surprising, especially in an economic slump. It has happened 17 times between 1958 and 2011, according to the Social Security Administration. More importantly, the program continues to have a large annual surplus, even during a major economic downturn when more than 13.7 million Americans are officially unemployed and countless more are forced to retire early and begin collecting Social Security benefits due to the lack of job opportunities during the Great Recession.

2. Social Security is projected to be able to pay all benefits until 2036. Social Security’s futuresurplus is projected to be $2.7 trillion in 2011, peaking at $3.7 trillion in 2022. With no action, Social Security will have sufficient income and assets to pay all monthly benefits in full and on

time until 2036.

This data shows that Social Security is not in crisis. It also does not contribute to the federal deficit. By law, Social Security cannot borrow and it cannot make benefit payments if it lacks the revenue to cover them.

The Trustees Report reminds us that lawmakers do need to address Social Security’s long-range funding gap, but there is no need for haste. Even if Congress does nothing to address the projected shortfall, the program can pay all promised benefits for the next quarter century, and 77 percent of benefits through 2084.

This long-range funding gap can be closed relatively painlessly by scrapping the payroll tax cap. Congress could raise the Social Security tax cap so that the 6 percent of the population that makes more than $106,800 a year pays taxes on all of their wages just like everyone else has to do.

This guarantees that full Social Security benefits can be paid for the next 75 years and beyond.

The Strengthen Social Security Campaign is comprised of over 300 national and state organizations representing more than 50 million Americans from many of the nation’s leading aging, labor, disability, women’s, children, consumer, civil rights and equality organizations. ISI

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Chinese Remembering Conference June 23-24 in Lewiston The fourth annual conference on the influence and contributions of the Chinese to the history of Idaho will be held in Lewiston on June 23-24, 2011. The purpose of the conference is to dispel myths, to educate, to bring cultures together, and to explore and generate interest in the history and culture of the Chinese in the region.

Chinese Remembering 2011 begins with lectures and discussions on Thursday, June 23 in historic Lewiston followed by a catered reception.

The cost to attend the lectures and the reception will be $30. Speakers include: • Dr. Chuimei Ho, a founder and first president of the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago and present co-director of the Chinese in North America Research Committee located at Bainbridge Island, Washington.

• Dr. Bennet Bronson, emeritus curator of Asian archaeology and ethnology at Chicago’s Field Museum and present co-director of the Chinese in North America Research Committee located at Bainbridge Island, Washington.

• R. Gregory Nokes, author of Massacred for Gold, the Chinese in Hells Canyon, the first authoritative account of the 1887 massacre. He attended Harvard University as a Nieman Fellow.

• Dr. Alexandra Koelle, a Postdoctoral Fellow in Environmental Humanities at the Bill Lane Center for the American West at Stanford University, will present on the politics of race and place in transportation corridors of Idaho and Montana.

• Dr. Priscilla Wegars, an author, historian and archaeologist who has worked on excavations in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, England, New Zealand, and Belize. Her dissertation is entitled The History and Archaeology of the Chinese in Northern Idaho: 1880 to 1910.

• Dr. Sam Couch, director of the Historical Museum at St. Gertrude in Cottonwood. His dis-

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sertation involved research into the Chinese at the Warren mining camp in Idaho.

• Allen Pinkham, a Nez Perce Tribal historian and storyteller. He is the great, great grandnephew of Chief Joseph. His presentation on Friday at China Garden Creek will center on the history of the Nez Perce in Hells Canyon and on Cougar Bar. On Friday, June 24, the conference will proceed with an all-day historically interpreted jet boat trip into Hells Canyon to sites once thought to have been occupied by Chinese. The highlight

of the trip will be a healing ceremony at Chinese Massacre Cove, site of the 1887 massacre. Hells Canyon is the deepest gorge in North America and encompasses a vast and remote region with dramatic changes in climate, elevation, terrain, and vegetation. A variety of wildlife is present including mountain sheep, deer, eagles, and more. The cost of the day trip will be $120 with food and refreshments during the day.

Special accommodations for out-of-town guests are available. The conference will be

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 47

co-sponsored by the Historical Museum at St. Gertrude, Lewis-Clark State College, Lewis-Clark Center for Arts and History, and River Quest Excursions. For more information contact Museum Director Emeritus Lyle Wirtanen at 208-816-8600 or emeritus@stgertrudes.org.

In addition, an exhibit dedicated to the Chinese in Idaho will be open at the Lewis-Clark Center for Arts & History from June 3 through July 8. The exhibit will contain photos, artifacts, and other items that pertain to the Chinese in the region. ISI

Thoughts To Ponder Submitted by Dan Hubbard The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on the list.

If I agreed with you, we would both be wrong.

We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public.

War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Evening news is where they begin with “Good evening” and then proceed to tell you why it is not.

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism - to steal from many is research.

A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops.

On my desk, I have a workstation.

I thought I wanted a career; it turns out I just wanted paychecks.

A bank is a place that will lend you money, if you can prove that you do

Logging to Literature – continued from page 40 Asked if she was an officer, Mary laughs, saying, “No, I call it a hostess,” and explains there are no officers. She adds, “I’m very proud to be part of it.”

Initially Harry just drove Mary to meetings as she no longer drives. “But now he’s become very much a part of the writers group because between us, we have published the Forest Service book.”

“Writing a book is different than people think,” Harry explains. “Most think there are a lot of people wanting to produce something you write, but it’s very limited.

“We wrote the book because we’d seen all the changes in the Forest Service today compared with what it used to be. It’s unbelievable how much change we’ve had. Nothing is functioning well now, and today it seems we’re getting goofier instead of smarter.”

Harry does give a lot of credit to the Forest Service for the help they provided for the book and especially to Dave O’Brien with the Panhandle National Forest. “They’ve been very good about meeting with us and taking time out of their schedule to help us on our research. Dave has been absolutely excellent about spending time with Mary and me.”

Mary finished the manuscript for another book, Things Happen for a Reason, in November and she expects to publish it early this summer. The book is about Mary and Harry, their logging, the people they have encountered, and their experiences.

As an inventor, Harry holds five U.S. patents. They range from such things as battery chargers and arc welders to a signaling system for use in skidding logs.

“Harry would talk the logs out of the woods and it really worked perfectly,” Mary explains. “He wore a transmitter (strapped around his chest). It took all the hard work out for me because I could stay there on the jammer.”

Harry said that initially there wasn’t much interest in this method. “They told me I was crazy.” But that later changed. “They get accustomed to just blowing a whistle. People don’t take well to changes,” he laughs.

When I commented that going from logging to literary was quite a change, Harry laughed and commented, “I’d say you’re right!” ISI

not need it.

Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says, “In an emergency, notify:” I put “Doctor.”

I did not say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!

Always borrow money from a pessimist. He will not expect it back.

A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you will look forward to the trip. ISI

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