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The Once and Future Car: Bill Brown and the Reappearing Pontiac Chieftain Mount Borah beckons climbers of all ages By Dianna Troyer Like a bird compelled to navigate a familiar migration route or a moth lured to a summer porch light, every year Ed Gygli heeds the call to climb Idaho’s tallest peak, 12,662-foot-high Mount Borah at the north end of the Lost River Range.

Ed, a 53-year-old Pocatello resident who retired in 2008 as captain of the Idaho State Police’s southeastern district, has climbed Borah for a decade, taking friends of all ages, from young Boy Scouts to senior citizens. “Every climb is different,” says Ed, who has reached the summit 10 times along the popular, non-technical southwest ridge route where ropes are unnecessary. “It’s pretty neat to be Ed Gygli relaxes on the summit of Mount Borah, Idaho’s highest peak at 12,662 feet, where he and friends erected an Idaho and U.S. flag. When Ed is not climbing or mountain biking, the retired Idaho State Police officer works on ski patrol at Pebble Creek Ski Area south of Pocatello. [Photo courtesy of Ed Gygli]

on top of that mountain. I like taking people with me who have never climbed it before. It’s a lot of fun and gratifying to see the summit through the perspective of someone who is climbing it for the first time.” Physical stamina rather than youth is the most critical factor in reaching the summit, Ed says. “To climb Borah, you need to have done some conditioning. You shouldn’t just get off the couch and expect to reach the summit, even though it’s really more of a long, steep hike than a technical climb.” The trailhead starts at 7,400 feet, and the elevation climbs 5,262 feet in less than 3.5 miles. The average climber can expect the roundtrip to take 10 to 12 hours. “I like climbing in September because it’s not so hot, and the chance of summer thunderstorms has decreased. We usually try to leave Pocatello at 3:30 a.m., be on the trail by 6:30 a.m. and reach the summit by about noon. Then, we take about 45 minutes to have lunch and bond with other climbers.” Ed shares some advice for anyone wanting to check Borah off their bucket list. Besides being physically fit, he suggests being mentally prepared. Leave behind (Continued on p. 11)

PAGE 2 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

Take Advantage Of Lifelong Learning

Mental Calisthenics

Your publication is of interest to many here in Idaho and well beyond. I have enjoyed reading many articles on quite a variety of topics and have enjoyed reading about the people you have profiled. Thank you. As you are undoubtedly aware, the portion of our population that is increasing most rapidly is the over 50 demographic that you serve. I serve that group too, with considerable delight. As the director of a lifelong learning institute and a former coordinator for Elderhostel, I know how vibrant and curious many in this age group are. Boise State’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute alone has over 500 members-all over 50 and most over 60. Elderhostel (now Road Scholar) is thriving nationwide and in Idaho. Below is an article I have penned that explains the value of continued intellectual stimulation. I hope you can use it. Ellen McKinnon Director Osher Lifelong Learning www.boisestate.edu/osher Boise State University

By Ellie McKinnon Push-ups. Down, up, down, up. Stretch those muscles. Down, up. After 50, why bother with pushups? That depends on whether the pushups are done to build the body or the brain. Though physical strength may decline as birthdays accumulate, recent research has demonstrated that intelligence doesn’t. In fact, the part of the body that tends to age the least is the brain. The brain is remarkable in its plasticity. While, it’s true that the older individual may not be able to memorize as quickly as a younger counterpart may, and recall may take longer, the plasticity of the brain combined with life experience leads to a greater ability for the older thinker to grasp the bigger picture and apply superior reasoning. So how do the not-so-very-young keep their minds sharp? Just as muscles require resistance to make them stronger so does the mind. Many mature adults who want to deepen understanding and keep their thinking keen are exercising their minds via lifelong learning programs where they are challenging their perceptions of the world and exploring new intellectual territory. Having discovered along life’s path that learning is a joyful thing; tens of thousands of older Americans seek new learning opportunities and plan to do so for the rest of their lives. Elderhostel, (renamed Road Scholar) has focused on learning/

Idaho Senior Independent A Barrett-Whitman Publication P.O. Box 3341 • Great Falls, MT 59403-3341 208-318-0310 • Toll Free: 1-866-360-5683 Fax: 406-761-8358 www.idahoseniorindependent.com email: idahoseniorind@bresnan.net The Idaho Senior Independent is published six times each year in February, April, June, August, October, and December by Barrett-Whitman, 415 3rd Avenue North, Great Falls, MT 59401 and is distributed free to readers throughout the state of Idaho. 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. All copy appearing in the Idaho Senior Independent is protected by copyright and may be reprinted only with the written permission of the publisher. Advertising copy should be received or space reserved by the 5th of the month preceding the month of publication.

Jack W. Love, Jr., Publisher/Editor Colleen Paduano Julie Crittendon Dan Hubbard Rhonda Lee Sherrie Smith

Office Manager Production Supervisor Advertising Sales Advertising Sales Graphic Artist Admin/Production Assistant

travel experiences for people over 60 for decades. And a new approach to lifelong learning is rapidly expanding across the country. Known as Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes, these programs are all affiliated with Universities and offer short noncredit courses, lectures, and special events for their members - all of whom are over 50 years of age. Why do people participate? Member Linda Hulbutt says, “I find courses given by the Osher Institute to be enlightening, energizing, and motivating. Anyone with a keen intellectual curiosity would benefit greatly by participating.” There are nearly 120 Osher Institutes in the nation. In Montana, the Osher Institute is located in Missoula and is affiliated with the University of Montana. Washington’s Osher Institute is affiliated with the University of Washington in Seattle. Idaho’s Osher Institute for Lifelong Learning is affiliated with Boise State University. These programs have all benefited from the generous support of the Bernard Osher Foundation, which has provided financial support and a rich network of educational resources. Do the courses provided really allow members to challenge themselves with new and differing ideas? That and more. Classes provided by the Institutes draw from across the disciplines and generally feature university faculty as presenters. A typical semester may include topics as diverse as contemporary China, how the brain functions, the music of Chopin, lessons of the Vietnam War, Native American political struggles, and painting with acrylics. Mary Thode, a member of Boise State’s program sums it up well. “Without Osher, “ she states, “my life would be much poorer.” ISI

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Do you remember the days when men wore suits and hats, women wore dresses, and people dressed appropriately for the particular occasion? It is clear that times have changed as observed by Marilyn Cork of Priest River in her essay Graduation Surprise. Our winning Remember When submission reminds us that one look around reveals the cultural changes that make today so significantly different from yesterday. Thank you,

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 3

Marilyn. Remember When contains our readers’ personal reflections or contributions describing fictional 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 October/November 2010 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.

Commencement Surprise By Marylyn Cork, Priest River Am I old-fashioned? What does one wear to a university graduation? Apparently, anything one feels like it, judging from the get-ups that startled my eyes at the University of Washington’s 2010 commencement exercises in Seattle. I saw short shorts and cleavage-exposing tops, skirts whose hems barely reached mid-thigh, T-shirts and blue jeans, flip-flops and bare feet. Even, Lord help us, bare chests on several young men who used the occasion to sunbathe. Now, I am no fashion maven. I am not into glad rags, and I do not very often have the occasion to wear them. Generally, as long as my clothing is neat and clean, I’m okay with it, and I do try to somewhat match the outfit to the occasion. But it is clear that not everyone does that any more. So as not to disgrace my graduating grandson, I chose to wear a two-piece dress to the big university ceremony in the stadium on Saturday, and a dressy pantsuit to the College of Electrical Engineering’s smaller indoor program on Friday evening. Neither outfit was new, but they still looked good and had the advantage of being wrinkle-free - important for long-distance dress-up. I paired the pantsuit with comfortable black flats and the dress with pantyhose and a pair of cream-colored sandals with 1 1/2-inch heels. Maybe I did not look smart exactly, but I think my attire was appropriate. However, many of the costumes I saw were simply appalling. They did not fit the occasion at all!

Since I have a hearing disability, I was un- with inch-wide leather straps the size of watchable to understand much of the commencement bands. Stiletto heels four inches high, hardly as speeches at either ceremony. However, I did enjoy big around as a knitting needle; knee-high boots watching hundreds of graduates perform some and pointed toes so sharp they could have been intricate marching patterns as they entered the classified as deadly weapons; work boots and stadium, took their seats, and then rose when tennis shoes. I saw them all. called to receive their diplomas. I entertained myA few women stood out in a more appealing self otherwise by watching the spectators. manner, being conspicuous in their own unique On Friday evening, a mature woman at the traditional dress. They were Muslims, old and reception desk came in a backless, dressy pantsuit young all modestly garbed in subdued but attracthat exposed too much aging skin. The creation tive garments that reached their ankles. Headhad wide, floppy legs and the fabric was a muted scarves covered their hair. floral pattern that reminded me of tomato soup One Asian woman looked like a fairy pringone bad. I have never seen an uglier garment. A cess in quite the loveliest, embroidered kimono I five-month old baby girl in a purple skimmer that have ever seen. The white, satiny outer garment bore the slogan, “I’m a Husky,” brought a smile to revealed glimpses of a lining in the palest pearly my face, however. pink, like the inside of a rare and delicate shell On Saturday, one young girl came in a frock from a tropical sea. that barely covered her bottom. I wondered how If American manners and morals continue to she dared sit until she climbed the stairway past slide, and if I were a young man looking for a suitme and I caught a glimpse of short shorts under able damsel to share my life and rear my children what could have been either a long, loose blouse - forgive me, please - I am tempted to think I might or perhaps her nightie. want to look beyond my culture! Doesn’t anyone At least, she was not overweight. Too many own a mirror? others were. Tummies hung over trousers and voPerhaps it is time to change our national motto luptuous bosoms threatened to slip their moorings. from “E Pluribus Unum” to “Anything Goes!” ISI Alas, bulges bulged everywhere. Devotion to Community And, oh the footwear! Gladiator sandals Passion for Education fastened with strings Strength in Partnership that twined around the Inspired to Serve leg up to the knee or Integrity in Action State Representative, District 4, Seat B

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 5

How to Keep Tabs On an Elderly Parent By Jim Miller There are many different tools and technologies available today that can help adult children keep tabs on their aging parent when they can’t be there. Here are some popular options and new products to check into. Senior Help Line - One of the biggest concerns among families that have an elderly parent or relative living alone is them falling and needing help. For this, a “personal emergency response system” or PERS is the most affordable solution. For about $1 a day (available through companies like lifelinesys.com, lifealert.com and lifefone.com) you can rent the equipment which includes a small transmitter (SOS button) that they can wear, giving the ability to call for help any time. The drawbacks, however, are that many seniors forget to wear their SOS button regularly, and if they do have it on and fall, they still have to be alert enough to actually push the button. Fall Detection - If you’re willing to spend a little more (around $50 a month), there are several more sophisticated PERS on the market. One of them is Wellcore (wellcore.com), a new device that has fall detection sensors in the SOS button that can automatically summon help without the user having to press a button. Plus, it will beep to remind them to put it on, and if they do not, it will notify you. And, when paired with a compatible cell phone, it can even be used outside the home. Halo Monitoring (halomonitoring.com) also offers fall detection products, as does Philips (lifelinesys.com), maker of the popular Lifeline Medical Alert Service who just introduced an AutoAlert option. Home Monitoring - Another more expensive option for keeping tabs on them is with a “home monitoring system.” These systems come with sensors, placed in key areas of their home that learn daily patterns and notify you if something out of the ordinary is happening. The great thing about this type of system is it requires no input from them, and you can check in on her anytime through a password-protected website. You can find these systems at companies like GrandCare (grandcare.com), Healthsense (healthsense. com), and CloseBy (closebynetwork.com), with prices ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the options you choose. Medication Management - If you’re worried your mom is not keeping up with her medications, there are a wide variety of pill organizers, medication dispensing and alarm systems (see epill.com) that can help. One of the best new systems on the market is TabSafe (tabsafe.com). A home-based device that dispenses medicine on schedule, and will notify you or other caregivers if her pills aren’t taken. Medication reminding services like OnTimeRx (ontimerx.com) or Check-in Friends (checkinfriends.com) can also be helpful. For a small fee, these services will call your mom to remind her to take her medication. Pillphone.com offers a similar service for wireless phones only. Communication - Videophones have become an increasingly popular tool for keeping in touch with older loved ones from afar. If you’re not familiar with them, videophones are like a telephone with a built-in camera and video screen that gives you the ability to see the person you’re talking to in real time. Two of the best on the market today are the “ASUS Videophone Touch” that works with Skype (skype.com), and the “ACN IRIS 3000” (myacn. com). Both require a high speed Internet connection and are simple to use. Send your questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of The Savvy Senior. ISI

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What is the future for food in nursing homes and assisted living facilities? By Tait Trussell, Senior Wire “Let food be your medicine,” said Hippocrates. In many nursing homes, what is served to eat is a far cry from medicine. But efforts are being made around the country to change the culture of nursing homes to meet the expectations of the baby boomer tide that will be demanding more of the nation’s nursing homes. A symposium last February in Baltimore brought together experts from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the American Health Care Association, and the National Center for Assisted Living. The conference was sponsored by the Pioneer Network, a group of professionals calling for nursing homes to become more humane and consumer-driven. Pioneer is a nonprofit based in Rochester, N.Y. A background paper by Carmen Bowman of Edu-catering provided information on the culture change movement regarding food and dining. She wrote, “It has been said that living in the typical, traditional nursing home consists of three Rs - rules, routines, and requirements.... Most realize it represents loss of so much if not loss of everything: loss of home, loss of control, loss of choice, someone else’s schedule, eventually loss of self.” Not long ago, a long-time friend spent weeks of frustration in a nursing facility recovering from a life-threatening condition and extensive surgery. She wrote me recently, “Being a nutrition fanatic and having experienced two months of hospital and nursing home food with no discernible value, no wonder my healing slowed way down.... By the time I left, I think every cell left was crying out for help, and every bit of energy went into simple life maintenance, with nothing left over for the ex-

traordinary burden healing a huge wound carries.” But the future of long-term care may be drastically changing. As Ms. Bowman wrote in her introduction to the program for the symposium, baby boomers “have acquired a broader taste for all kinds of food. This future long-term care customer... will re-formulate long term care by demanding fine dining, concierge services, and healthy fast foods from a food court with named franchises and open 24 hours a day.” She described tomorrow’s nursing home where you sleep until you naturally awaken. You get the drink of your choice. “When you are ready, someone asks you what you’re hungry for. Whether you eat breakfast early, late, or not at all, but are hungry for lunch a little earlier than most, open dining times make it possible to eat when you are ready.... You can order room service if you do not feel like getting up.... “Some of the food comes from the backyard, presenting the opportunity to eat fresh, healthy foods....” Opportunities such as these “are becoming a reality because of a growing movement called the cultural change movement. Leading the movement nationally was the Pioneer Network, which studied four pioneering models of care: Individualized Care at Providence Mount St. Vincent, Spokane, Washington; Bathing Without a Battle, the Cecil G. Shep Center, University of North Carolina; the Regenerative Community, Live Oak Institute, El Sobrante, California; and the Eden Alternative, Wimberley, Texas. The “culture change movement” is 13 years old. It has had “slow progress but progress nonetheless,” said Bowman. Some 16,100 nursing homes are scattered throughout the nation. According to Pioneer Network, “There are 400 plus nursing homes in a sustained long term culture change environment.” And according to the Pioneer Network website, more than 30 state culture change coalitions exist, with several in the process of organizing. According to the Eden Alternative website, 199 Eden homes are committed to the Eden principles where staff and residents are assisted to “grow and thrive.” According to Bowman, “A special edition of Action Pact magazine, Culture Change Now, reported almost 500 ‘households’ in 2008. Households are home living environments in nursing homes, with a kitchen, dining room, and usually private rooms, as well as a center where residents gather for large events. According to the Green House Project, “There are 50 Green House homes on 17 campuses in 12 states.” Green House homes are stand-alone houses where 1- to 12 older people live and are cared for by specially trained teams. But issues arise: must facility-developed menus be strictly followed? Must a facility serve a prescribed meal even if the person might not eat, risking weight loss? There is tension for nursing homes getting Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement, with their strict regulations. But these “awakenings” mentioned are being inspired by pioneering facilities around the country. ISI

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Summer is in full swing and as fall approaches, wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it be great to have a companion with whom to share the gorgeous weather and watch the seasons change? Maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to answer one of the ads below or place your own so you can find that special someone! 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 October/ November 2010 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 October/ November 2010 issue, the deadline is September 10, 2010. SWWM, NS, ND from SE and SW Oregon and Idaho area. Have great place to live, but I hate to cook. No expense for a lady who owns nothing and would cherish her own special place. Age and nationality no concern. I love animals and birds. I have plenty of green flowering plants in my home. Some are wild unknown. Come enjoy the ride. Reply ISI, Dept. 6301, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. A 59 year old man would enjoy meeting a lady 59-69 and starting a companionship with someone who likes music, taking long walks, holding hands,

and having romantic evenings. To those who wish to respond, I hope this person enjoys the life they have been looking for. Looking forward to a call! Reply ISI, Dept. 6302, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWM, 165, 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;7â&#x20AC;?, seeking a lady with my same standards. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a 66-year-old gentleman, sincere, honest, truthful, and better-than-average looking. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m retired, like to dance to country music and do karaoke. Looking for a nice lady to spend time with and see where it goes from there. Light drinker and light smoker. Prefer petite, blonde hair, but not really necessary if the lady is nice. Reply ISI, Dept. 6303, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWF. How about a hot air balloon ride? Or floating the Snake River? Slow hiking? Attending summer concerts? Theatre? Picnics? Or sometimes just sitting and talking on the patio in SE Idaho? (No smoking.) Most things are more fun with friendly companionship. Interested? I am! Reply ISI, Dept. 6304, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWW, 70 years, 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;6,â&#x20AC;? 190 lbs, fair looker, who enjoys traveling, camping, gardening, music, cooking, romantic evenings, and good conversations. Looking for a ND, NS, no drugs gentleman in his 70s or 80s who is financially secure and who would like friendship and companionship with like-minded lady in S.E. Idaho. Reply ISI, Dept. 6305, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWF looking for a special guy, 70-plus, who would enjoy meeting a romantic, affectionate, country gal with interests in traveling, camping, fishing, boating, and four-wheeling. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meet for coffee! Please respond with phone number. Reply ISI, Dept. 6306, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. ISI

Star of the Euphrates Submitted by Julie Hollar Brantley King Ozymandias of Assyria was running low on cash after years of war with the Hittites. His last great possession was the Star of the Euphrates, the most valuable diamond in the ancient world. Desperate, he went to Croesus the pawnbroker to ask for a loan. Croesus examined the stone and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll give you 100,000 dinars for it.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I paid a million dinars for it,â&#x20AC;? the King protested. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you know who I am? I am the king!â&#x20AC;? Croesus replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you wish to pawn a Star, makes no difference who you are.â&#x20AC;? ISI

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Mined mountain yields precious memories for Eleanor Richardson By Dianna Troyer Even thru the winters during the Depression, it was never a hardship growing up on White Knob Mountain, Eleanor Richardson reassures me as we embark on a self-guided tour of historic mining structures west of Mackay. “We had everything we needed,” she says of growing up on their Anderson family mining claim they called Cloudburst, where they lived on their garden food, ordered clothes from catalogs or sewed them, and made their own musical entertainment. Eleanor, who celebrated her 81st birthday on June 6, is one of a few residents in the town of 500 who can still recall growing up on the slopes of White Knob, named for the distinctive white and blue-gray limestone at its 10,529-foot-high summit and nicknamed the “Mine Hill” by locals. Towering west of town, the mountain’s once prosperous copper mines gave Mackay its nick-

name of Copper City for being Idaho’s largest copper producer from 1901 to 1947. The ore from those decades of mining yielded 62 million pounds of copper, 15 million pounds of lead, 5 million pounds of zinc, 2 million ounces of silver, and 42,000 ounces of gold. As we head up the dirt Mine Hill Road, Eleanor, robust, silver-haired, and dressed in jeans, casually talks about a typical winter up here, which makes me marvel at her family’s fortitude and most of all, sense of fun. She tells me how they did not need a deep freeze to preserve their meat, a side of beef and a hog that stayed frozen in a room her daddy closed off. How the snow was so deep and hard they could walk over treetops. How they had to poke sticks down into the snow to mark the hard-trodden, milelong path to school so they would not slip and suddenly find themselves buried waist-deep in snow. How the school was anchored to the hillside by a cable to prevent snow slides from carrying it away. “We loved growing up here,” says Eleanor of the 1930s, when her daddy, Art Anderson, mined ore to support his wife, Hettie, and their five children: Bonnie, Muriel, Don, Eleanor, and Kenneth. “It was home to us, and this mountain has always been a part of us no matter where we later lived. Bonnie was born on the Hill in 1921, and Kenneth was the last child born on the Hill in 1934.” During winter, after a day’s work was done, Art dispelled the seasonal frigidity with a sense of fun that warmed his chil-

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dren’s souls and kept their bodies active and toasty. “He made skis and sleds for us,” Eleanor says, as the memories trigger a spontaneous and radiant smile. “We listened to the radio and read magazines. After supper, he would play the harmonica and do a lively jig. Then he and Mom would waltz together. It was so romantic.” Even during winter, their dad either worked his claims or worked for mining companies that had

The cabin where Eleanor Richardson and her late husband, Everett, lived for 18 months was restored in 2007 and is a stop on the Mackay Mine Hill Tour. [Photo by Dianna Troyer] first employed his dad, Charly. “Most of Daddy’s claims had pure lead, silver, and traces of gold. He always told us that you started with a small vein, then followed this streak until it led to that big strike,” Eleanor recalls. Often, their mother Hettie provided a good luck charm. “When mom baked him a yellow cake for his lunch, he always said it brought him good luck,” Eleanor says. “He called it his ‘ore cake.’ We took lunch to him at the mine about a mile from the house where he piled his ore. Once or twice a year, he hired a truck to haul his ore down to a railroad car. He loaded up the ore, sent it to a smelter in Utah, and got a check back. Daddy made good money.” A tour highlight is the Anderson family cabin,

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where Eleanor and her late husband Everett lived. It was built in 1948 and restored in 2007 with grants from the U.S. Forest Service, the Idaho Heritage Trust, and donations from the Mackay community. The cabin is the only structure remaining at the family claim. “We honeymooned here and lived here for a year-and-a-half,” Eleanor recalls. “Our first baby, Linda, spent six weeks here before the really hard winter of 1949 and 1950 forced us to move down to Mackay. Everett and Daddy found jobs nearby with the Atomic Energy Commission and were trained in electrical careers. Everett was a lineman, and Daddy worked on the ground hauling supplies to the men.” In 1964, after Everett died from severe burns sustained in a work-accident, the cabin was a meditative place of solace for Eleanor to retreat to at times. The cabin was a longtime gathering place for

Anderson family reunions. Eleanor’s sister, Bonnie, who lives in Stockton, California and returned to Idaho to watch the cabin’s restoration, says in a telephone interview, “We were tickled to death to watch it being preserved, because it brings back so many memories.” Bonnie tells how her granddaddy, Charly, first came to White Knob in 1903, staked a claim there and called it Cloudburst. “He was born in Sweden and came up from Utah to White Knob to work in the mines.” Other highlights of the tour include a headhouse, compressor building, restored railroad trestle, cabins, engine house, kiln, and smelter site. Although the mountain stopped producing profitable ore decades ago, it still yields precious and priceless memories for the Anderson siblings. “Our family still retains mining claims and grandkids do yearly assessment work in memory of Daddy and Granddaddy. For us, White Knob

Sense of humor a must for boat club caretakers By Dianna Troyer Enjoying a practical joke was never listed in Dave and Donna Simmons’ job description as summer caretakers of the Rexburg Boat Club in eastern Idaho’s Island Park, but it has become part of their job. For the past decade, the couple from Paul has never been quite sure what will happen to their cabin or yard from mid-May to late-September. There was one year, when yarn was strung inside the cabin from furniture to furniture, like a giant spider web. Another year, the handles of thousands of plastic forks were stuck into their yard.

Dave and Donna Simmons flip through a photo album, reminding them of their jobs as summer caretakers of the Rexburg Boat Club in Island Parki. [Photo by Dianna Troyer]

After the first joke, the Simmons realized humor was how club secretary-treasurer Steve Sorensen welcomed them to another season on a job that Donna describes as more play than work. In turn, Dave and Donna, (“Well, mostly me,” Donna admits) have pulled their share of pranks on Steve and earned the nickname “Double Trouble.” The retired couple applied for the job after hearing about it from a friend at church. “We just finished our 10th year and still love it,” Dave says of their responsibilities taking care of 48 cabins and 48 boat slips on Bill’s Island at Island Park Reservoir. The boat club’s property encompasses 10 acres. “We fill up the boats with gas, take care of the tennis courts and picnic area, empty the trash, and make sure two wells are working - whatever needs to be done. Our lodging, a cabin 50 feet from the water, is provided for us.” Donna says, “We have so much fun, and we’ve met so many wonderful people. It’s really peaceful there, and there are no paved roads or street lights.” It is only peaceful as long as Steve does not think of a prank. “This past season, when we got there, he was waving a white flag of truce,” Donna says, laughing.

“His wedding anniversary was during summer, and he didn’t want us to surprise him.” He still apparently remembered a previous surprise, when he came home from his full-time job in Rexburg to find his lawn dotted with 2,000 white plastic forks. “We stuck the handles in the lawn,” Donna recalls. “It took us about two hours. They were everywhere, but why not. He had done it to us with the same plastic forks the summer before. I had saved them, so they could be reused on him.” Of the year Steve had strung yarn in their cabin to welcome them, Donna says, “We could hardly get in past the door. It was like walking through a giant spider web. We got some scissors and had to cut a clearing so we could put down our suitcases.” Steve always remembers to surprise Donna on her birthday on June 14 and their wedding anniversary on June 24. When Steve is not playing a joke on the Simmons, it seems the weather or wildlife take their turn to fill the void. “One year, the snow was four feet deep in front of the cabin in May,” Dave says. “In 2001, we had a snowstorm in June. Every year, the ice on the reservoir breaks the docks, so I have to fix that and put on linseed oil. I repaint and seal the tennis courts, too.” They never know what to expect from the wildlife, either. One summer, Dave was cleaning the tennis courts, when he looked up to see a moose and her calf watching him. “She wouldn’t let me out of the gate. So I turned the hose on her, and she loved it. It was a hot summer day, and she wanted to come and get cooled off. Another time, we looked out our window to see a moose standing in the lawn sprinkler cooling off.” “We love seeing all

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 9

will always be home,” Eleanor says, looking back up the mountain. To take the self-guided Mackay Mine Hill tour, turn west off Highway 93 onto Mackay’s Main Street, which becomes a dirt road and winds up the Mine Hill. Tour pamphlets are available at City Hall and businesses throughout town. Three routes, with variations in vehicle clearance heights, range from 15 miles to 24 miles. The tour attracts hikers, all-terrain vehicle riders, horseback riders, and mountain bikers. Or, a virtual tour of the Mine Hill may be taken on the BLM’s website at www.blm.gov/heritage/ adventures/menu/ID_virtualtour_files/white_knobVT.html ISI

PAGE 10 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

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the animals,” Donna says. “Every year, we see bear, moose, elk, raccoon, osprey, eagles, and herons.” The Simmons have time to play, too, and Dave fishes frequently in his spare time. He shows a mount of his trophy rainbow trout. The 11-pound rainbow stretches 28 inches long and was caught on Sept. 19, 2005, from the dock. The summer highlight is the July 4th parades, one on land and one on the water with boats. “When we started, they only had a few floats, now there are more than 200 people in the parade,” Donna says. “Tammy Sorensen and I bake cookies for everyone, too, and we serve punch at the end.” Donna shows a photo of their prize-winning float - a toilet mounted to the back of their boat. “Someone was remodeling and getting rid of a toilet, so Dave brought it home and put it on the

boat. Our granddaughter rode on it one year, with a plunger for her scepter, and our grandson pretended to be taking a bath in an old wash tub. We put up a sign that said, ‘What’s in your water?’ and won first place.” Every year, Donna confesses, it’s hard to start the season because she knows she will miss her children and grandchildren. “Then by the time we leave, I’ve had such a good time, I don’t want to come home.” To sustain them until their next season, Dave and Donna devise new pranks to play on Steve and look through albums filled with photos they took during summer. “We’ll keep going back as long as we can, and,” Donna says with a wink, “as long as they’ll have us.” ISI

Thrills of horse racing keep seasoned jockey in the saddle By Dianna Troyer For Alan Corson, one of Idaho’s most seasoned competitive jockeys, the sensation of rocketing from zero to 60 in about two seconds aboard a horse is as natural and essential to his life as taking another breath. As he waits to warm up one afternoon at a track near Pocatello, he leans on a rail, and takes a deep, relaxed breath. He is watching a 2-year-old quarter horse that is kicking and hopping around like a kangaroo as it warms up on a hot walker. The youngster looks like a half-ton train wreck waiting to happen. Alan laughs, shrugs, waves a hand dismissively, and says, “He’s just feeling good on his grain.” It seems that nothing can bother Alan or ever make him quit racing - not the broken bones he has occasionally suffered and most of all not his nickname at the track. Younger jockeys like to call him “Grandpa.” The slim 52-year-old with wavy, gray hair shrugs that off with a grin. It just means he has the good fortune to have had hundreds more exhilaratAlan Corson warms up CM Flying Special, a 2-year-old ing rides than they have had. Alan has set more filly quarter horse. [Photo by Dianna Troyer] records than most of his younger competitors and does not have to prove anything to anyone. “I still hold records at most of the tracks where I’ve ridden - in Pocatello, Blackfoot, Malad, Rupert, and Jerome,” says Alan, who is 5 feet 7 inches and keeps his weight between 122 and 124 pounds. “I’m a few hundredths of a second behind a track record in Boise.” He does not ride for the wins, although he will take them, or a share of the prize money, which will never make him rich. He has never seen much

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point in keeping track of finishing in the money, which he calls â&#x20AC;&#x153;pictures on a wall.â&#x20AC;? While many middle-aged jockeys have hung up their helmet, Alanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enthusiasm has never waned. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love to get on and go. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such an adrenaline rush. After you break out of the gate, in two jumps youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at full speed. It feels like a dragster or a plane taking off. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had a speed index of 119 (about 60 to 62 miles an hour) with a quarter horse, and the thoroughbreds go about 45 miles an hour.â&#x20AC;? The thrills of racing outweigh the hardships, including injuries from the occasional knot-headed horse that has dumped him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve broken a few bones, pulled several muscles, and lost a few teeth, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all part of the game. You just get back on and keep riding.â&#x20AC;? Southeastern Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weather extremes - a blast furnace in August and finger-numbing in February - do not bother him either. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m usually riding from February to November. No matter what the weather, the horses still have to get out and stretch their legs,â&#x20AC;? he says. The only thing that bothers Alan is not riding a horse. He is not picky about a horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s temperament, breed, age, or the length of the race, just as long as he is riding. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Horses are a gift from God. Every horse has its own personality and attitude. I like an aggressive horse that wants to go and has some heart and manners. Some need the stick, others you can sit there and guide them through.â&#x20AC;? Horse owners consider Alanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age to be an asset, not a handicap. He has never had a shortage of horses to ride.

Mount Borah beckons climbers

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a really good, experienced rider,â&#x20AC;? says owner John Buchanan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dependable and will show up on time, and he knows how to handle all types of horses.â&#x20AC;? John co-owns several horses with Martha Higgins, including a 3-year-old thoroughbred filly named Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Not Alone, a 3-year-old thoroughbred gelding called Meet at Wilson, and a 2-year-old thoroughbred gelding known as Dewey. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I rode Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Not Alone in Idaho Falls last year to win the Idaho Cup Futurity,â&#x20AC;? Alan says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She does everything perfectly. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relaxed at the start, then pours it on in the last two furlongs. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a complete angel.â&#x20AC;? Dewey is another story. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was in a stock saddle for the longest time, because he was a bit of a handful,â&#x20AC;? Alan says, grinning. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It just took him a while to figure out what he was supposed to do, and now heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going great.â&#x20AC;? Although Alan has had offers to ride outside of the Intermountain West circuit, he has never had a desire to leave southeastern Idaho, where he grew up. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy here, and my boss gives me time off when I need it for a race,â&#x20AC;? says Alan, a lead welder at Steel West in Pocatello, where he has worked for 33 years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I grew up around here in Marsh Valley and started galloping horses when I was 13. My family was into race horses.â&#x20AC;? During a typical week, Alan gets up at 5:30 a.m. to go to work, clocks out at 3:30 p.m., and heads to the track.

- continued from front cover

any fear of heights, and have a heightened sense of awareness for incoming weather systems. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Always have your head in swivel mode. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so easy to become mesmerized by the scenery, but you have to have your head in the game because you never know what storm systems will suddenly come in and make it hazardous to be up there. There are some extreme weather conditions at the summit.â&#x20AC;? During a recent climb, the metal grommets on a U.S. flag he had secured at the top a few years ago were charred black. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It had obviously been hit by lightning.â&#x20AC;? As for physical items to take, his checklist includes sunscreen, at least a gallon of water, lunch, a good hat, gloves, comfortable hiking boots, warm layers of clothes, retractable trekking poles and a camera. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like to take two gallons of water and stash one gallon about halfway up, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there for me on the descent,â&#x20AC;? he says.

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 11

â&#x20AC;&#x153;By the time Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m done, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m back home around 7 taking care of my own horses. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got four: an Appy and three quarter horses off the track. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re riding horses now and are retired from racing something I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever plan on doing. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all for fun.â&#x20AC;? ISI

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Along with his gear, Ed always has a few stories to tell of previous climbs to keep his friends motivated and to encourage them to keep putting one foot in front of the other on the quad-burning climb.

Once, Ed confesses, the scenery was so entrancing he forgot to activate his “swivel mode,” and a big thunderstorm suddenly bore down on him. “We got off the summit as quickly as we could, but we were still near the top when it just poured. We hunkered down in a crevice and held a tarp over our heads. Another climber was coming down, so we told him to get under with us to wait out the storm.” The climber mentioned he administered Ada County’s drug court program, which Ed could relate to, due to his 32-year law enforcement career, 26 of those years with the Idaho State Police. “We had a lot in common, besides climbing Borah,” Ed says. “Every time I go to Boise, I look him up, and we go mountain bike riding together.” Seasoned Borah climbers not only have a sense of camaraderie, they also have a healthy respect for the mountain. Although the climb does not require ropes, it is not a cake walk, either, and fatalities have occurred, due to lightning strikes or falls. Most falls happen at Chicken Out Ridge, a knife-edged ridge about two-thirds of the way up with steep drop-offs on either side. Climbers must execute a class three scramble, using hands and feet to maneuver up a series of boulders for 300 feet. “Some people turn back here,” he says, “but if you can climb a ladder, you can do Chicken Out Ridge. There are plenty of solid handholds.” After Chicken Out Ridge, climbers navigate a snow-draped couloir before the final ascent up a boulder-strewn slope to the summit, where a log book is kept. In one entry, a climber wrote, “If you are reading this, you know how to live.” Ed never tires of snapping a few photos and

allowing the serenity of the scenery to soothe him. From the summit, climbers can see 24 of Idaho’s tallest, most impressive peaks. Toward the east and northeast, the Lemhi Mountain Range soars. To the north are the Salmon River Mountains. Toward the west, the White Cloud, Boulder and Sawtooth mountains stretch skyward. To the southwest, the Pioneer and White Knob Mountains rise. Leatherman Peak, Idaho’s second tallest mountain at 12,228 feet, is directly to the southeast. The spectacular scenery prompted early surveyors to name the mountain Beauty Peak, but it was renamed in 1933 to honor William E. Borah, who served in the U.S. Senate from 1906 to 1940. After relaxing on the summit with a quiet sense of satisfaction, Ed reminds himself and his climbing companions to remain cautious. “Most accidents happen on the way down. Don’t get in a rush because it’s not over yet. We wait to highfive until we reach the trailhead.” For some people, the descent is harder than the climb because loose rocks slip from underfoot, and there’s so much concussion on your knees. “Our knees aren’t what they used to be.” When he climbs Borah this year, Ed plans to take a new U.S. flag and a new state flag to replace the two tattered and wind-worn flags he and friends erected on the summit a few years ago. Besides putting up new flags, Ed wants to do something he hasn’t done previously, something to make his next climb even more memorable. “I’ll check the calendar and go on a full moon night.” The Mount Borah trailhead is 21 miles north of Mackay off Highway 93. The U.S. Forest Service offers climbing advice at http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/ sc/lostriver/borah/borahltr1.shtml. Another useful website is www.idahosummits.com. ISI

The Things Kids Say These are so cute... A first grade teacher had twenty-five students in her class and she presented each child the first half of a well known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It’s hard to believe these were actually done by first graders. Their insight may surprise you. While reading these keep in mind that these are first graders, 6-year-olds, because the last one is classic! 1. Don’t change horses… until they stop running. 2. Strike while the… bug is close. 3. It’s always darkest before… Daylight Saving Time. 4. Never underestimate the power of… termites. 5. You can lead a horse to water but… how? 6. Don’t bite the hand that… looks dirty. 7. No news… impossible. 8. A miss is as good as a… Mr. 9. You can’t teach an old dog new… math. 10. If you lie down with dogs, you’ll… stink in the morning. 11. Love all, trust… me. 12. The pen is mightier than the… pigs. 13. An idle mind is… the best way to relax. 14. Where there’s smoke there’s… pollution. 15. Happy the bride who… gets all the presents. 16. A penny saved is… not much. 17. Two’s company, three’s… the Musketeers. 18. Don’t put off till tomorrow what… you put on to go to bed. 19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you cry and… you have to blow your nose. 20. There are none so blind as… Stevie Wonder. 21. Children should be seen and not… spanked or grounded. 22. If at first you don’t succeed… get new batteries. 23. You get out of something only what you… see in the picture on the box. 24. When the blind lead the blind… get out of the way. And the WINNER and last one… are you ready for this? 25. Better late than… pregnant. ISI

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ď &#x201D;ď ¨ď Ľď&#x20AC; ď ď ˛ď ´ď&#x20AC; ď Żď Śď&#x20AC; ď &#x192;ď Żď Žď łď ľď ď Ľď ˛ď&#x20AC; ď &#x192;ď Żď ď °ď Źď Ąď Šď Žď Šď Žď § By Holly Endersby It was a week before Christmas when both the new LG range and LG dishwasher failed. Looking at the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manual for both appliances, we realized we were two months past our one-year warranty. But we felt we had a legitimate reason to ask that our warranty be extended. A full kitchen of LG appliances had only been installed in our new home for the past seven months even though they were purchased 14 months before. A call to the LG Customer Service Center was in order. This was not the first time we have had consumer goods that did not perform as expected or as touted by their companies. Two other big-ticket poor product performances stand out. One was a Chevrolet Blazer I had bought new from the local dealership. Within two years, the paint began peeling on the hood. I contacted the dealership and told them about the problem and asked that it be repaired free of charge as it was obviously a fault in either the paint or the way it had been applied since the vehicle was kept in the garage, out of sun and weather when it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t on the road. They explained it was due to lead being taken out of the paint for environmental reasons and they were having problems getting the new paint to last. I explained that was not my problem and requested the Blazer be repainted at no cost to me. The dealership declined to do anything. I followed up with several letters to the dealershipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s owner. Ironically, a month later I watched a program on TV where the CEO of General Motors specifically stated customer satisfaction was their number one goal. My next move was to contact the management of Chevrolet, referencing the CEOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public statement and sharing my disappointment with the local dealershipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unwillingness to address a production problem rightfully owned by Chevrolet. I sent a copy of the letter to the local dealer. Within a week, the owner of the dealership called and asked point blank, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What is it you want?!â&#x20AC;? I replied I wanted my Blazer repainted free. He told me to bring it in the next day. And the paint job was done for free. Effective consumer complaining is all about having a legitimate complaint. The product needs to have failed due to poor manufacturing, improper installation, or because the item delivered is not what you ordered, not because you have abused it. Before you complain, read all warranties and guarantees. They will give you specifics you need to present your concern. If you have a computer, you can search the web to find out if

other consumers have had the same concerns you do. To be effective, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned to do my homework before I start complaining. Several years ago we had new vinyl flooring installed in our farm house. We wanted something that would wear well and look good for years, so we bought the very best and most expensive Congoleum flooring. Within two years the permanent no wax shine was gone from the floor. I called the local store where we purchased the flooring and they sent out an installer. He agreed the floor was damaged. Next, the store owner and a field representative for the flooring company came to our home. The representative said that their product was never intended to be installed in rural settings as there was so much more grit and dirt brought in from outside so therefore they would do nothing about replacing the flooring. At this point, I have to say I am a fanatical housekeeper and am quite sure there was no more dirt or grit on our flooring than any installation in town. But, I hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t done my homework. So after the representative left, I poured through all the warranty material that came with the flooring. In no place was it stated the flooring couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be

installed in a rural setting. I then contacted the manufacturer by certified letter explaining my problem and stating the remedy - replacement of the flooring at no cost to me. Within a month, we had new flooring because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d done my homework. I have had one other big-ticket item that could have cost me additional money without the fine art of complaining. I special ordered a new car and specifically declined the undercoating as the area in which we lived had no snow and did not use salt on streets to melt snow and ice. When the car arrived, the salesperson said undercoating had been applied by mistake and the price reflected that additional charge. I looked the salesperson straight in the eye and said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Return the car.â&#x20AC;? He was flabbergasted and said he could not believe I would not just pay the couple hundred dollars it cost. I asked to speak to the dealership owner. My case to him was simple: This wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the car I ordered and if they wanted me to pay for something I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t order they could simply send the car back and get me the one I did order. Needless to say, the dealership did not send the car back nor did they charge me for something I did not want and did not order. But consumers

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are frequently fleeced by these kinds of tactics, especially if they really want the item they’ve ordered. Start your complaining at the lowest possible level. If you have a product you purchased at a local store, go there first to explain your problem. Under no circumstances should you be rude. It will get you nowhere and is simply boorish behavior. If the local store cannot or will not address the problem, get the corporate office address and phone number, if it is a chain store. If it’s an independent store, get the full address and phone

number of the manufacturer of the product you are complaining about. Send a letter to the next level with a copy to the local store. State clearly what the problem is with the product and be explicit about the remedy you want. If you do not hear from the company, send a second, certified letter notifying them if they do not respond you will be filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I’ve never had a complaint go beyond this level but only because my complaints have been legitimate. My meetings with local store personnel and my letters have been factual, cour-

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teous but forceful, and have clearly stated the issue and the remedy I sought. These strategies can save you money, but only if you are fair as well and have a legitimate consumer complaint. And, we just got good news on our LG problem. Despite some miscommunication with the first supervisor I talked to, the company has agreed to extend the warranty. As with all successful efforts, this only happened because I would not take no for an answer, had a legitimate concern, and knew the fine art of consumer complaining. ISI

The Family Couch By Sue Hansen I have always believed a marriage should be based not only on unconditional love and mutual trust, but also on the principle that whatever is mine is his and vice versa. However, this notion did not seem to apply when we moved. In arranging the living room furniture, I instructed two burly movers to place “my husband’s chair near the huge picture window, my chair beside his and our couch along the opposite wall.” Listening to myself, I suddenly realized some things in our household were not necessarily shared. This practice of verbally attaching ownership to furnishings has been around for a long time. My grandmothers had their wooden rockers alongside the recliners belonging to my grandfathers. And my parents still occupy their matching swivel chairs, with a manly footstool in front of one to distinguish who sits where. As a child, I was allowed to sit in one of these chairs as long as the rightful resident was not in the room. But if one should make an appearance, I would have to vacate and find another place to sit. This unspoken rule was never questioned. Though certain reigning relatives enjoy individual thrones, there is one piece of furniture over which no family member has jurisdiction - the couch.

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Used by all, its presence offers comfort, companionship, and, on occasion, conflict. Arguments have been known to erupt between those potatoes who wish to perch and those who insist on the prone position. And unlike a chair, which is simply a place to park our posterior, a couch provides a variety of services every family needs. Socially, couches draw all visitors into its cushy folds like a magnet. Its welcoming nature enables us to sit back, relax, and relish the moment without worrying about time’s slipping away. And couples can even experience the first twinge of love. Sitting side by side with hands entwined, it is hard not to feel a certain closeness with someone special. This sense of togetherness also keeps professional shutterbugs busy. A couch is a silent reminder to snap group shots of those we love. No other place can capture the unity of a family posed on their sofa. Besides being catalysts for bonding, couches are considered good medicine. Many times, overcome with illness, I have sought refuge on our couch. Huddled under a warm blanket, I knew that whatever my ailment it would not last long. Sofa sojourns are always temporary whereas confinements to bed suggest lengthy stays. Even naps, once dreaded during my formative years and now sorely missed as an adult, were more refreshing when taken on a couch. Couches also furnish a means for both entertainment and education. Where else would an avid reader of great novels or a devoted fan of movie classics curl up? And whenever parents wish to display their oratorical skills, the cushions often held the attentive offspring. Whether discussing family merits or lecturing on the difference between right and wrong – as was the case for me – sitting on the sofa’s edge required a serious expression, hands folded on lap, and back ramrod straight. Now that I have my own home, it is apparent I have subconsciously inherited the tradition of labeling furniture. Like my grandmothers, I have a rocking chair I consider all mine. Though I do not mind if anyone sits a spell in it, I also expect him or her to move upon my entrance to the living room. But our couch, like those from years past, will continue to serve everyone - to beckon and embrace family and friends in times of happiness and sorrow, camaraderie and solitude. For despite our constantly changing world, couches have remained the same. They can be upholstered, but never uprooted, and they will always be the center seat of family life. ISI

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

Fishing with Uncle Bud: An Insider’s Look at North Idaho Fishing with a Special on Boundary County, Idaho by Bud Larsen; Bonners Books, 2010 Reviewed by Connie Daugherty “Don’t expect a lot of detail and demands that you use a green-eyed, fuzzy-bottomed, yellow- and white-tailed jig,” writes Bud Larsen in Fishing with Uncle Bud. “I am not an expert angler. I fish and I love it, but if you were to rate my expertise on how many fish I brought home or the technical details on how and why…” Fishing with Uncle Bud is not a how-to-fish book. It is a book about fishing - about people who fish, about places to fish, and about the sight, scent, sounds, and feel of fishing. “I love fishing just for the fun of it,” writes Bud. “In all my years on or beside the water, I’ve learned that it’s not so much about technical proficiency or catching that trophy fish, but about sharing the time with friends… especially the youngsters. There’s nothing like baiting the hook for someone who’s never cast a line… watching their eyes light up when the line goes taut… helping them reel in…” Composed of articles that Bud Larsen wrote for his weekly column (with a few guest editorials) in the Bonners Ferry Herald, Fishing with Uncle Bud is divided into four sections - one for each of the four seasons - and reads almost like a personal journal or blog. In each section, Bud tells stories of fishing adventures, friends he makes along the way, and the processes of keeping the lakes in Northern Idaho well stocked. He visits hatcheries and talks with the Fish and Game folks; he takes readers to mountain lakes; he introduces readers to the characters of fishing. He “provides seasonal guidelines and tips for fishing year-round” in the five northern counties of Idaho’s panhandle. “He offers great advice for both novice and expert anglers who want to fish all year long.” The book starts with Winter and 9 articles about hardwater (ice) fishing and the art and science of what goes on at Idaho hatcheries. He writes about hardwater fishing adventures with his friend Harvey, and also admits that he does “a lot of reading about fishing and fishing studies in the winter.” He shares the results of that reading with his regular weekly readers. “Writing about fishing resources here in North Idaho covers… about 42 lakes, 10 major rivers, and 263 streams all spread over five counties.” Uncle Bud goes on to acknowledge that “all of us know there are a lot more than 42 lakes,” but he usually only writes about “fishing resources monitored by… the state fish and game department.” He quickly transitions from winter to Spring. “Time to take the rifles out of the gun racks and replace them with fishing rods, double check those tackle boxes, and take inventory.” This section takes up the bulk of the book with 21 articles discussing all aspects of fishing preparation, nonfishing days due to unpredictable spring weather,

and the processes of stocking the lakes and streams. Bud’s close relationship with the biologists working at the state hatcheries makes these articles both informative and fun. Though he would never classify himself as a conservationist, Uncle Bud understands the need to be aware of how Idaho fisheries are used and abused. “We have to break the ‘bucket mentality’… or face imposed regulations if we cannot pull up our socks and police ourselves.” He also reminds fishing enthusiasts that no matter how frustrating they might find the rules and regulations, “Conservation + Resource Management = Panhandle’s outstanding sports fisheries.” In A View From the Soapbox, he also suggests that experienced anglers “give the gift of showing and teaching youngsters how to catch and release a fish without harming it.” “Bad enough that we seem to pile on national debt,” he writes. “Do we also hand our youth declining fisheries?” Uncle Bud makes it clear that, while national debt is bad, declining fisheries is unforgivable. Spring gives way gently to Summer with 15 stories describing the warm weather and all the water fun that comes with it. “When I saw the turtles sunning themselves on the old fishing platform out at Bonner Lake, I knew the fishing season had finally arrived,” he writes. Several of the articles include references to and pictures of “the boys of summer from Spirit Lake.” Boys who over time grow into young men, who love catching fish - especially with their bare hands. Other topics in the summer section include: The Fish are Jumping; Some See the Lake as Half Empty; Oh no! A Girl on the Team; Oh Canada; The Lions Club Fishing Derby; Great Lessons From Young Anglers; Don’t Mind the Out-of-Staters… They’re Spending Money; and the title that sums up summer fishing - Not Many Fish, but Fun Nonetheless. All too soon summer gives way to Fall. “Summer is over… the water temperatures are dropping right on schedule… we are truly blessed having two enormous and bountiful lakes like Pend Oreille and Coeur d’Alene…” The change of the season does not mean the end of fishing, just a change in perspective. “People usually don’t react until what they see and hear is believable from their perspective. Perception is reality no matter what ‘real’ is.” In this section Uncle Bud presents 11

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 15

articles that focus on fall fishing as well as preparations and suggestions for ice fishing, bringing us full circle. However, Bud needs to take a break and take care of himself. In Hard Headedness… That’s No Way to go Through Life, Son, Bud tells a story on himself that has little to do with fishing but more to do with personal trauma and injury brought on by his determination to do it all just like he always has and by his mainly tough guy outlook on life in general. By discounting the seriousness of an injury he made it worse, paid the consequences, and learned that it is important simply to seek professional help when you’ve injured yourself. Meanwhile as Uncle Bud Larsen would say, “Life is short. Make sure you are doing what you want to do.” ISI

PAGE 16 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

Retirement Relocation: Tips and tools to help you make a smart move By Jim Miller For many, retiring to a new location is an exciting adventure and a great way to start a new chapter in life. Here are some tips to help you find and research a new community that meets your budget, and satisfies your wants and needs. What to Consider - While nine out of ten U.S. retirees stay where they are when they retire, the other 10 percent choose to relocate. Whatever

your dream retirement location may be, you need to do your homework and learn everything you can about the area you’re interested in. Here are some things to consider in helping you get started: • The three Cs: Also known as crime, climate and cost of living. For most retirees these are high priorities in choosing a retirement location. To research these areas go to bestplaces.net, a fantastic Web resource that offers climate profiles, crime statistics, a cost of living calculator and more, and lets you compare cities side-by-side. You can also click on the “Cost of Living” tab, plug in your annual income, and find out how much you’ll need to maintain your current standard of living. Also see homefair.com. • Taxes: Some states are more tax friendly than others. If you’re planning to move to another state when you retire, you’ll want to research your prospective state’s personal income taxes, sales taxes, taxes on retirement income, property taxes and inheritance and estate taxes, which you can do at retirementliving. com – click on “Taxes by State.” • Healthcare: Does the community you’re considering have good medical facilities nearby? Hospitalcompare.hhs. gov and qualitycheck.org are good websites to help you research this. Also, to search for doctors in your new location who accept Medicare, visit medicare.gov and click on “Facilities & Doctors” or call 800-633-4227. Vitals.com is another resource for researching new doctors. It’s also important to keep in mind healthcare costs as they, too, can vary by market. Contact your insurer to

research this. • Transportation: If you plan to travel much, or expect frequent visits from your kids or grandkids, convenient access to an airport or train station is a nice advantage. Another consideration is public transportation. Since most retirees give up driving in their 80s, what services will be available? The area aging agency, (call 800-677-1116 to get the local number) can help you with this. • Recreation and work: Depending on your hobbies and interests – golf, fishing, art, music, continuing education and more – your retirement destination should meet your needs. Or, if you’re interested in occupying your time with full-time or part-time work or by volunteering, what kinds of opportunities are available? Test the Water - Once you find a location you’re interested in, it’s wise to make multiple visits at different times of the year so you can get a feel for the seasonal weather changes. It’s also prudent to rent for a year before buying a home or making a commitment to a retirement community. You may find that you like the area more as a vacation spot than as a year-round residence. More Tools - For more help researching a location, contact the prospective city’s chamber of commerce. Also see epodunk.com, neighborhoodscout.com and relocateamerica.com – all excellent resources for learning more about thousands of locations across the country. If you aren’t sure where you want to retire, visit findyourspot.com and take their quiz that poses questions on your preferences such as climate, recreation, community size and more. It then suggests destinations that match your preferences on the suggested communities. Also, see greatplacestoretire.com, topretirements.com and consider getting a subscription to “Where to Retire” magazine (wheretoretire.com; 713-974-6903). Send your questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of The Savvy Senior. ISI

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

The Hippie Revolution, the Civil Rights Movement, and the advent of color TV. All these iconic American events characterized the decade of the 1960s. This month’s quiz will test your knowledge of the significant cultural, political, and historical events that happened in the Swinging Sixties. Our staff produced this month’s quiz because we did not receive any suitable submissions. The $25 prize will carry forward to double the cash prize for the winning quiz submission in the October/ November issue to $50. There were no correct answers submitted to

the How Well Do You Know Your Book Quotes? quiz that appeared in the June/July 2010 issue. Therefore, whoever submits the winning answers to this issue’s Significant Events of the Sixties quiz will win a doubled cash prize of $50. 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

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 17

us some good, interesting puzzles! The second $25 prize goes to the person who submits the correct answers to the featured quiz 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 September 10, 2010 for our October/ November 2010 edition. Remember to work the crossword puzzle in this issue and on our website www.idahoseniorindependent.com.

Significant Events of the Sixties By Sylvia Bull Below are 25 numbered descriptions of significant events of the 1960s and 25 matching responses with dates. On a numbered sheet of paper, write the letter of the response and date that you believe matches the numbered description and email or drop them in the mail to us. The winner will receive a $50 prize. Have fun! 1. The British Invasion began when the Beatles appeared on this show. 2. Political figure shot and killed two months after the assassination of MLK, Jr. 3. The first-ever televised presidential debate was between John Kennedy and this man. 4. The Apollo 11 mission included this third, less-famous member. 5. The nuclear scare was satirized in the movie Dr. Strangelove, directed by this man. 6. The Cuban Missile Crisis represented the height of the Cold War conflict between Washington and _________. 7. Home-run hitter whose record was broken by Hank Aaron. 8. Secretary of Defense during much of the Vietnam War. 9. To Kill A Mockingbird was this author’s only novel. 10. TV show featuring small-town life that successfully transitioned to color. 11. New dance moves on American Bandstand included the Twist, by _______. 12. Second wave of American feminism was sparked by this author’s The Feminine Mystique. 13. The hippie movement’s Summer of Love was centered in this city. 14. Riots took place at the Democratic National Convention held in this city. 15. Songs from this rock musical became anthems of the antiVietnam protesters. 16. First round of SALT talks between the US and USSR took place in this city. 17. Kennedy created this group as an “army of missionaries” for democracy.” 18. In the Winter Olympics, this figure skater won the only US gold medal. 19. “Acid Rock” included bands such as this one headlined by Jim Morrison. 20. After Barbie’s success, this toy company released G. I. Joe. 21. Silent Spring documented the harmful effects of this pesticide. 22. Civil rights activist who founded the National Farm Workers Association.

23. FDA approval of this medicine revolutionized women’s healthcare. 24. This man planned the Tate/LaBianca murders. 25. Movie featuring Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson. A. Peggy Fleming - 1968 B. The Birth Control Pill - 1960 C. Betty Friedan 1963 D. Robert McNamara - 1961-68 E. Michael Collins - 1969 F. The Kremlin 1962 G. Helsinki, Finland - 1969 H. Cesar Chavez 1962 I. The Graduate 1967 J. The Andy Griffith Show – 1966 K. Chicago, Illinois – 1968 L. Hasbro - 1964 M. The Ed Sullivan Show - 1964 N. Stanley Kubrick - 1964 O. Harper Lee 1960 P. The Peace Corps - 1961

Q. Charles Manson - 1969 R. Hair - 1967 S. DDT - 1962 T. Robert F. Kennedy - 1968 U. San Francisco, California - 1967 V. The Doors - 1965 W. Richard Nixon - 1960 X. Roger Maris - 1961 Y. Chubby Checker - 1961 ISI

PAGE 18 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

FIRSTS By Myler Mellor 1

12 14

13 15 17

21 26

22 28

27 31

24 29

30 34

48 52

54 56

55 57

28. Her first role in a movie was in “The Ice Storm” in 1997, ___ Holmes 31. The City of Savanna was the first steamship to cross the Atlantic and sailed from this state 33. Approval word 34. State named after Queen Elizabeth I 36. In the center 37. “Extra Terrestrial” star, Barrymore 39. They won the first game played at Edison International baseball field 40. Send-off 41. Top grades 42. State where the first traffic light was set up in 1914 44. First woman to serve as Chief Justice on the Supreme Court, Sandra __ O’Connor

Across 1. First First Lady, first name 5. First female “space tourist” 10. Insect whose queen comes first 12. Big Momma’s House actress, Long 13. First woman Speaker of the House 14. Earp’s first name 15. Shirley Dinsdale received the first of these awards in 1949 17. Negative vote 18. First bank to introduce online accounts (last name) 19. Jedi in Star Wars, first name 21. Title of address 22. Football position, for short 25. Time period 26. First African American woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress, first name

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16. British sports car 18. 1984 was the first appearance of this horror character 20. Jazz King 21. Milliliter, for short 23. First baby sound? 24. “Fearless” star 27. Came in first 29. First African American coach to win the Superbowl (2 words) 30. First woman 32. Not here 35. Mode or carte (2 words) 38. Primary color 40. First woman to get wellknown as a “ten”, __ Derek 43. Film actress and singer Dunne 45. First man in the Bible 47. This state flew its first Flag of Independence in 1835 48. The copper version of this coin was first brought into existence in the US in 1792 49. 1897 was when this form of transport was first built 50. First pro baseball team (last name) 52. Hi! 53. Badly lit 55. State named after the first President ISI

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46. Correct a text 51. Keep your __ on the ball 53. First state admitted to the Union 54. First and only U.S. President to resign in office 55. Come first 56. Admire, in the 60’s 57. Woman who made the first transatlantic flight, ___ Earhart 58. Agreement 1. Neil Armstrong was the first (4 words) 2. First defending Cy Young award winner to have a home run hit off him at the first at bat by a rookie, ____ Johnson 3. Cow chow 4. Autonation Inc ticker symbol on NYSE 6. First American city to have an aquarium (2 words) 7. First President to live in the White House 8. Lead-in to a first meeting 9. First woman to lead the Indy 500 11. First U.S. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (2 words) 15. Each, abbr. 1

Answers to Country Music from June/July page 23

R O

R N

F F

O M B

E 50

H 53

U 18

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T 37

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T A

T 21

30 33

N O N I

M A

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Answers to “How Well Do You Know Your Book Quotes?”

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Submitted by Marie Fish, Post Falls 1. H - The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien 2. K - The Whoop-Up Trail – B.M. Bower 3. E - The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven – Sherman Alexie 4. A - Julius Caesar – William Shakespeare 5. O - Henry the Fourth – William Shakespeare 6. D - The Virginian – Owen Wister 7. F - Moby Dick – Herman Melville 8. N - The Raven – Edgar Allan Poe 9. C - Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll 10. I - Paul Revere and the Alarum – Esther

Forbes 11. P - The Deerslayer – James Fenimore Cooper 12. M - The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain 13. J - A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens 14. G - Gone With the Wind – Margaret Mitchell 15. Q - Black Beauty – Anna Sewell 16. B - The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger 17. L - Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Harriet Beecher Stowe ISI

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

Age Discrimination Far Outnumbers Racial or Gender Complaints By Tait Trussell, Senior Wire workers, will be put out to pasture.â&#x20AC;? Age discrimination charges by workers are at A study for the Gerontological Society of Amera record high. And it is not youngsters who are ica found that â&#x20AC;&#x153;ageism continues to represent the the targets. most socially condoned and institutionalized form According to the federal Equal Employment of prejudice in the world today.â&#x20AC;? Opportunity Commission, age discrimination comName labels such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;old fogey,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;geezer,â&#x20AC;? and plaints are three times those of racial bias and twice â&#x20AC;&#x153;hagâ&#x20AC;? send this message of negative pictures of those of gender bias. older people and the aging process itself. Age-bias complaints are shooting up, even Older folks are â&#x20AC;&#x153;often judged as incompetent in though for those over age 40 the jobless rate these domains such as driving, maintaining employment, days has been lower than for young workers. One or the ability to consent to medical procedures.â&#x20AC;? factor may be that more people age 55 and older A large body of literature has begun to examine are working now - 40 percent - than in previous the effect of negative age stereotypes. The studies years. indicate that stereotypes about aging negatively David Grinberg, a representative for the Equal affect the self-concept and the behavior of those Employment Opportunity Commission, explained who are stereotyped. that some employers might be taking aim at older Older people who hold strong self-stereotypes workers because they tend to be in a higher salary experience diverse negative consequences, rebracket with more costly benefits. search found. Some people have a decrease in Language that takes a dig at older workers, cognitive function. even if subtle, can have an oversized impact on The kinds of age insults to which people are senior workers and their productivity, as well as exposed on a fairly regular basis range from salescorporate profits, according to Bob McCann. He people who raise their voice and speak slowly to is an associate professor of management com- you, to the guy driving behind you who honks his munication at University of Southern California horn because you are going the speed limit, to turnMarshall School of Business. ing up their nose at you because you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have McCann said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our research has clearly shown the latest iPod and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t twitter on your computer. links between ageism language and reported The nonprofit Alliance for Aging Research dishealth conditions, lowered self-esteem, and even covered not long ago that in all levels of delivery of depression. healthcare, â&#x20AC;&#x153;there is a prevailing bias â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ageism. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is quite plausible that retirement decisions Five dimensions of ageism bias are listed by the may be hastened and work satisfaction affected Alliance in which healthcare fails older Americans: by intergenerational talk at work.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Healthcare professionals do not get enough McCann has worked with Howard Giles of the training in geriatrics to care properly for old people. University of California at Santa Barbara on studâ&#x20AC;˘ Older patients are less likely than younger ies that show ageist talk has been a big factor in patients to receive preventive care. age-discrimination lawsuits. Ageist comments â&#x20AC;˘ Older patients are less likely to be tested or frequently have been seen as clear evidence of screened for diseases and other health problems. a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discriminatory posture toward older â&#x20AC;˘ Proven medical interventions for older paworkers. tients are often ignored, leading to incomplete or Examples of age-related comments were, â&#x20AC;&#x153;that inappropriate treatment. old goat,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;too long on the job,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;a sleepy kind of â&#x20AC;˘ Older people are consistently excluded from guy with no pizzazz,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;the old woman,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look at the clinical trials. ISI bags under his eyes,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an old fart.â&#x20AC;? Those are just examples of scores of similar comments McCann and Giles found in their analysis of agediscrimination lawsuits. Other remarks included, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need young blood around here,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s make room for some MBAs,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bring in some young guns.â&#x20AC;? McCann and Giles found â&#x20AC;&#x153;young bloodâ&#x20AC;? remarks common in numerous legal cases. One included a company president who expressed his desire for â&#x20AC;&#x153;a young line of command.â&#x20AC;? Another declared his wish to â&#x20AC;&#x153;get rid of the old Joes.â&#x20AC;? McCann has said he hoped that as older workers stay on the job longer or come out of retirement, that both management and younger workers would appreciate older workers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Then,â&#x20AC;? he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maybe ageism comments, rather than Paid for by the committee to elect Lucas Baumbach, Treasurer Rod Beck

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 19

Robinett for Controller â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am very concerned for the economic health of our state. This is not the Ć&#x;ĹľÄ&#x17E; to sit on the sidelines and let polĹ?Ć&#x;cs overshadow the need for competent and transparent management of our public assetsâ&#x20AC;? - Bruce RobinÄ&#x17E;ĆŠ MoĆ&#x;vated by making those and myself accountable for eÄ¸ciencies on behalf of Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s communĹ?Ć&#x;es, welfare, and ÄŽnancial well-being. Dedicated to be Fiscally Responsible by understanding and analyzing the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic health to drive results for Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ÄŽnancial growth and stability. CommiĆŠed to provide visibility of Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budgets, assets and resources to promote sustainability and development.

Please support Bruce RobineĆŠ for Idaho State Controller P.O. Box 45454 Â&#x152; Boise, Idaho 83711 208.353.9104

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

What’s the Big Deal about Living Trusts? By Jonathan J. David Dear Jonathan: Why does everyone make such a big deal about living trusts? When my father died last year, he didn’t have a will or a trust and yet everything went to my mother without probate. So to me it sounds like living trusts are over-hyped. What do you have to say? Jonathan Says: Living trusts are an important part of the estate planning package for many people. It is true that in some cases a living trust is not called for or even recommended, but by and large, most people can benefit by having a living trust, so I don’t think they are over-hyped. In the case of your parents, since you indicated there was no probate at your father’s death, I can

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only assume that all of your parent’s assets were held by them jointly, and as a result, those assets would automatically be titled in your mother’s name without the interference of probate, and regardless of whether your father had a will or a trust. This is because jointly titled assets between spouses automatically pass to the surviving spouse regardless of what a will or trust might say. When your mother dies, however, all of her assets that are titled in her name alone will have to go through probate. Further, if she doesn’t have a last will and testament, then upon the completion of probate, those assets will pass to her heirs (whether she likes it or not) pursuant to state law. A living trust is simply an arrangement between the grantor or creator of the trust and the trustee, who is the person who manages the trust property on behalf of the beneficiary(ies) of the trust. The grantor is typically the sole trustee and the sole beneficiary during his or her lifetime. A living trust provides many benefits, some of which include: • Avoidance of probate. Any assets that are owned by the trust at the time of the grantor’s death will not need to be probated. Any assets that are outside the trust and titled in the grantor’s name alone at death will need to go through probate. • Avoidance of ancillary probate. If the grantor owns real estate in a state other than the state where the grantor resided at the time of death, then that property in the other state will need to be probated in that state. If that property was instead owned by the grantor’s living trust, then probate in that other state would be avoided. • A living trust is a private document. Probate is a matter of public record and as a result is not private. • Management of assets. If there is no trust, then once probate is completed, the probated assets are required to be distributed to the INSURANCE? beneficiaries, or, in the case of minor children, i.e., under age 18, to a

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conservator on their behalf until they reach the age of 18, at which time they receive their respective shares. In many instances, an 18-year-old child is not mature enough to receive an inheritance at that age. In fact, getting large sums of money at that age could end up being disastrous for the child. A living trust allows the assets, if the grantor so chooses, to be retained in trust on behalf of a beneficiary or beneficiaries until such time as they are ready to receive those assets. As such, a living trust could provide that a beneficiary’s share of the trust assets is to be managed on that beneficiary’s behalf until he or she reaches a certain age or ages, i.e., 25, 30 and 35, at which time the trustee is directed to make required distributions to the beneficiary. In the meantime, the trust assets being held for the beneficiary are used for his or her benefit, i.e., health, living, and education expenses. The advantage to having the trustee manage assets on behalf of a beneficiary is that the beneficiary enjoys the benefits of those assets, but does not have control so he or she cannot waste the inheritance on frivolous things. The trustee can also be directed to manage assets on behalf of other beneficiaries, even adults, if they are poor managers of money, have health problems, or for a variety of other reasons. Those are just a few of the benefits the living trust can provide under the right circumstances. I don’t know what your circumstances are, but I would recommend that you have your mother see an estate planning attorney to determine whether a living trust makes sense based on her circumstances. The information contained in this column is not to be construed as legal advice or legal representation and should not be relied upon as such. Further, the information provided is not state specific and certain laws and customary practices will vary from state to state. If legal advice or legal representation is desired, please consult with an attorney in your locale. ISI

How To Settle Your Loved One’s Estate By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, My 77-year-old aunt recently asked me to be the executor of her estate when she dies. I feel flattered that she asked, but I’m not sure what the job entails. What can you tell me, and where can I get some help? Honored but Clueless Dear Clueless, Serving as the executor of your aunt’s estate may seem like an honor, but it is also a big chore. Here is what you should know to help you prepare for the job. Understand the Duties - As the executor of your aunt’s estate, you are essentially responsible for completing her earthly affairs after she dies. While this may sound simple enough, you need to be aware that the job can be tedious, time-consuming, and difficult depending on the complexity of her financial and family situation. Here is a rundown of some of the different duties for which you will be responsible. • Locate her will and compile an inventory of everything in her estate: real estate, cars, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, IRAs, bank accounts, insurance policies, etc. • Apply to appear before probate court. • Notify the beneficiaries named in her will.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

• Handle day-to-day details like terminating her leases, credit cards, and magazine subscriptions, and notifying banks and government agencies (such as Social Security and the post office) of her death. • Set up a checking account in the name of the estate that you will use to pay expenses like utility bills, mortgage payments, homeowner’s insurance, funeral expenses, taxes, legal fees, etc. • Prepare and file final income tax returns. • Distribute assets to the beneficiaries named in her will. Get Organized - If you agree to take on the responsibility of your aunt’s estate, your first step is to meet with her and make sure she has an updated will. Being able to put your hands quickly on deeds, brokerage statements, and insurance policies after she dies will save you a lot of time and hassle. Get Help - If your aunt has a complex estate, consider hiring an attorney or tax accountant to

guide you through the process at the estate’s expense. Find out if your aunt uses anyone in particular for legal or tax advice. If so, get their names and contact information. Once she dies, you can either use them or hire someone else. Whomever you choose, make sure they have experience dealing with estates. If you need help locating a professional, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (naela.org) and the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (naepc.org) are good resources to help you search. Diffuse Family Problems - If your aunt has children, find out if there are any conflicts brewing among them or any of her other beneficiaries. If there are some potential problems, you can make your job as executor much easier if everyone knows, in advance, who will be getting what and why. So ask your aunt to tell her beneficiaries what they can expect. This includes the personal items, too, because wills often leave it up to the executor to distribute heirlooms. If there is no distribution

How to Boost Your Social Security By Jim Miller Most people think that there is not much they can do about the size of their future Social Security retirement checks. That is not true. Several strategies can boost your benefits. Waiting Pays - The most common strategy people use to increase their benefits is to delay taking them. While workers can start collecting their Social Security retirement as early as age 62, postpone them to full retirement age (which is 66 if you were born between 1943 and 1954), or better yet to age 70. Let us say that you are eligible for $1,000 monthly benefit at age 62. By waiting to 66, your monthly benefit would increase to $1,333. And by waiting to age 70, you would boost your benefit a whopping 76 percent to $1760. Waiting beyond age 70 will not increase your benefits. However, I do want to add that if you are strapped for cash or in poor health and do not expect to live much past your mid-70s; you are better off collecting early benefits. See www.ssa. gov/estimator.gov to calculate your benefits at different retirement ages. Strategies for Couples - In addition to delaying benefits, there are two strategies that can help married couples too. The first one is the “file-andsuspend” strategy. Here is an example of how it works: Let us say that you are age 66, but want to keep working until 70 to collect a higher benefit. Let us also say your wife is a non-working spouse who just turned 62 and would like to start receiving spousal benefits on your work record. The problem is she cannot get them until you sign up. So you file for your Social Security benefits but request an immediate suspension that allows your wife to claim spousal benefits, without locking you into a lower payment for life. Then when you do decide to start collecting, by age 70, you end the suspension and receive a higher benefit for delaying. It will also increase your wife’s survivor benefit. Another benefits-boosting option few people know about is the “claim now, claim more later” strategy. This option lets you draw on your spouses Social Security benefits (once you reach full retirement age), while delaying the start of your own. Here is how it works: Let us say that you and your wife are both 66. You are still working and you would like to delay collecting benefits based on your own earnings record until you are 70. Your wife can collect full benefits based on her work

record – and you can collect a spousal benefit that is half of what she gets. Then, once you reach 70, you stop receiving the spousal benefit and switch to your own benefit, which will be 32 percent higher than the benefit you would have collected at your full retirement age. Borrow and Invest Strategy - This is an option for wealthier retirees with other sources of income. How this works is you start collecting early Social Security benefits as soon as you retire, and you save and invest that money. Then at age 70, you file a withdrawal application form 521 at your local Social Security office and pay back the benefits that you have received, with no interest or adjustment for inflation. Then you reapply for Social Security, claiming a larger monthly check based on your older age. And, you keep the profits you earned from the benefits you invested. For more information, see www.ssa.gov/retire2/ withdrawal.htm. Family Boosters Having children under age 19 who are still in high school can also boost your benefits. Each dependent child is entitled to benefits worth up to half of what you are collecting. And if any child is younger than 16, your spouse can also qualify for additional benefits as a caregiver. To l e a r n m o r e about these options visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call 800-7721213. ISI

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 21

plan for personal property, suggest she make one and put it in writing. Fee or Free - As the executor, you are entitled to a fee paid by the estate. State law determines the amount, which can range anywhere from one to five percent depending on the size of the estate. But if you are also a beneficiary, it may make sense for you to forgo the fee. This is because the estate fee is taxable income, while Uncle Sam and most states do not tax inheritances. (To find out about inheritance tax laws in your aunt’s state, see retirementliving.com.) Savvy Tip - For more help, Nolo (nolo.com; 800-728-3555) offers an excellent resource book called The Executor’s Guide: Settling A Loved One’s Estate or Trust ($30), which gives step-bystep advice on how to settle an estate. 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

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Judy Waring Likes Adventure By Jack McNeel, Photo by Jackie McNeel “Picture this. It’s 2 A.M. I’m dressed in this ridiculous kitchen uniform on my hands and knees in front of a commercial oven wearing a military issue rubber gas mask, cleaning the oven with chemicals.” This is how Judy Waring describes a day at McMurdo Scientific Station in Antarctica the winter after she retired as a pharmacist in Coeur d’Alene. Judy is outgoing, quick witted, into lots of things most people only dream of, and most certainly, Judy is an adventurer. She was raised in Minneapolis and earned her pharmacy degree from the University of Oklahoma. Pharmacy jobs kept her in Norman, Oklahoma for a spell, and then it was off to Alaska where she lived for various times in Soldotna, Juneau, and Anchorage. Out one evening with her husband Phil, Judy relates how she came to her next adventure. “We were in our 50s, at a concert, and there was a piece of paper on a table saying, ‘Join the Peace Corps.’ So we did.” Then it was off to Africa for 16 months with the Peace Corps. Judy and Phil were stationed in Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi, where Judy served as a pharmacist helping people living in deplorable conditions. “Patients slept in beds, next to beds, and under beds. They were out on the balcony during the rainy season. It was truly primitive.” The couple moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1990. Phil had been a city planner but when they moved to Coeur d’Alene, “He became the mailman out on the lake. He got a boat and would deliver mail at docks around Coeur d’Alene Lake. That was fun for him.” Judy continued working as a pharmacist until

retirement in 1996. Then she signed up to go to the McMurdo Scientific Station for a four-month stint. Asked if Phil went along, Judy laughs and relates, “He said, ‘Hell no!’” She was not able to go as a pharmacist. “All the medical positions were filled by the Navy so instead I worked in the galley.” That is how she ended up on her knees in front of a commercial oven at 2 A.M. wearing a rubber military gas mask. Judy describes her time there as brutal labor - washing dishes, scrubbing floors, and cleaning ovens. “But the off time made it just wonderful. Wonderful! We could discover the history of the place and we went to the hut that still remains, Discovery Hut. Many of the artifacts from the early 1900 explorers remain and so it was mystical. I loved it. We got out on snowmobiles on the frozen Ross Sea and were permitted to walk from the Station at certain times and staying on certain routes. It was a great experience.” In addition to rushing off on a Peace Corps junket to Africa or volunteering in Antarctica, Judy has become an avid hiker. “It was insidious. Phil and I raised a family and took a little hike here and a little hike there. Once I got to Coeur d’Alene, I really started hiking. “I like to hike. I was the first woman to finish all the hikes in Rich Landers book 100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest. One of my favorites was the Lake Basin Loop in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. That was a lulu. I really liked that one.” Judy has seen four bears while hiking, most while she was alone, and although there were no incidents, one situation did stand out. “A mother and cub stepped out of the brush not too far ahead of me. So I turned and cheeked it the other way!”

Judy has also hiked around Mount Rainier on the Wonderland Trail, which she describes as outstanding. As an afterthought she adds, “While I was in Africa, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Five years ago, I had my knee replaced. Four months later, I climbed Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48 states. “Our current thing, which we chip away at, is the 900 mile Centennial Trail that runs north to south through Idaho, starting in Canada and ending in Nevada. Every year we knock off a few miles here and a few miles there. None of us will live long enough to finish the thing,” she says with a laugh. Judy gives credit to Roger Williams and Sid Tate for that project. They made that trek in just one season. “They carried packs I couldn’t even lift from here to the front door. They also walked

PAGE 24 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

east to west across Idaho. I did too but I walked up here across the narrow part of Idaho,â&#x20AC;? she says with a chuckle. This fall she plans to travel to Geneva, Switzerland with three friends to do day hikes on Mont Blanc. Judy is also an avid bicyclist. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I biked across the country in 2000,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We did the bike ride across Iowa. That was fun; 10,000 people do it every July. And I did the full Trail of the Coeur dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Aleneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last summer. The more crowded the

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

trails are the happier I am to see people out there. Arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you glad they put in those trails?â&#x20AC;? Like many people in the area, Judy enjoys birding. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A month ago we went out to the Asotin Creek area after mountain quail. I even bought an $8.95 mountain quail call. I was letting loose with that but didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get any response. Then to put salt in the wound, emails came in from northwest birders saying they saw two mountain quail today down near Asotin. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay. It means theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still down there and someday Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see them.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bird listers,â&#x20AC;? Judy says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but Phil and I have reached our plateau of expertise in birding and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re never going beyond it,â&#x20AC;? she says with a laugh. Their life list seems stuck at about 300 species. Reflecting on life and how she has adapted to the negative experiences in her life, Judy says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;All the unpleasantness disappears. All the residue thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s left are the good times, just happy sunny days.â&#x20AC;? ISI

Plummer Historian â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Karl Wetter Article and photo by Jack McNeel A visit with Karl Wetter is like a trip back to a time in rural northern Idaho when families long on kids and a little short on cash made do with hard work and ingenuity. From those early years, Karl has developed a keen interest in history and has become Plummerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unofficial historian. Karl was born 80 years ago in Tekoa, just a few miles away, and then moved with his family to Plummer when he was a year old, the second youngest of 11 children. Other than time spent away at college, the army, or

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a year teaching in St. Maries, he has been a lifelong resident of Plummer. Karl still keeps a scrapbook of newspaper articles, mostly obituaries, of early residents of the area. He was scheduled to graduate from Plummer High School in 1947. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I stayed out of school for two different reasons in two different years. When I was in 8th grade my dad wanted to build a hay shed and had me stay home and help him. By the time we got the thing done it was October and I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to start high school that late so I stayed home and cleared land and cut timber all winter long and broke land in the spring. Then in my junior year Worley and Plummer were going to consolidate and I thought it would be nice to go back my senior year to a bigger school. So I stayed out and worked for the Rural Electric Administration and we cleared all the rights-of-way for all the lines. Made good money - $1.65 an hour, which was better than (the normal) dollar a day. Then they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t consolidate schools so I had to go back and finish.â&#x20AC;? Then Karl took another year off before starting college. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My folksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; log house where 11 of us kids were raised didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a foundation. It was on chunks of wood and stuff and it started to fall apart. My mom had inherited a little money - $5,000, and I said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mom, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll build you a new house with that money if you want me to.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; My brother and I cut logs by hand, we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford a chain saw, and skidded them with Dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horses. One of my senior classmates came back from the service and he hauled the logs to the mill in downtown Plummer and cut them up. I bought a truck, loaded the wood, hauled it to St. Maries, got it planed, and brought it back. I ordered all the building material from Montgomery Ward, and they delivered it right to the railroad depot. I hauled it up in the truck and started building it the winter after my senior year. My neighbor was a carpenter and anytime I needed information, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d help. I got the house built and my folks moved in, and the next year I went to the University of Idaho.â&#x20AC;? Karl graduated from Idaho with a degree in industrial arts and minors in history and PE. This was during the Korean War and he received a student deferment until he was finished. Karl graduated from college on June 3, was married June 11, and was drafted in August. After basic training, Karl had the choice of three service stations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I chose Europe because my folks came

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from Switzerland and I had relatives there I’d never met.” The army years ended, and Karl returned to teach, first in St. Maries for a year and then back to Plummer for a total of 23 years. Even that period showed his independent nature. “I taught until 1970 when all three of our kids started high school and I quit so they wouldn’t have to put up with the old man. When they all had finished in 1980 I started teaching again for another 10 years.” It was during those years that local and family history began playing a big role in his life. “I interviewed my dad when he was in his 80s and wrote his history.” Karl’s dad, Ferdinand, came to the U.S. from Switzerland. He had traveled by train through the Plummer area before the town existed, liked the area, and moved to Tekoa in 1917. Family history in the area now dates back 93 years. The Plummer school provided opportunities to research local history. “In 1958, when I started teaching here, the homesteaders were

starting to die out. For a class project, we sent a letter to the remaining ones asking for an essay about how Plummer was when they moved here and their life experiences. They did that and furnished photos and the class put together a book as part of their senior class project.” Other history projects followed. The West Benewah Mirror highlighted the huge forest fire that had burned a year before the 1967-68 school year. In 1989, Reflections of Benewah County was published. Then came the 100th Centennial and Years of Early Plummer was republished. Karl later got each of his siblings to write up their history. Karl published Wetter Family Heritage. Adventure Came my Way featured a photo of Karl in the Swiss Alps on the cover and was pretty much an autobiography of his life. Today, when inquisitive folks stop by the city office, they are sent out to talk with Karl who usually is able to give them the information they seek. During his teaching years, Karl also found

North Idaho relives history with hydroplanes in First Annual Coeur d’Alene Diamond Cup Regatta Historic hydroplanes return to Coeur d’Alene in the First Annual Coeur d’Alene Diamond Cup Regatta. The event is to raise money for the Museum of North Idaho’s building fund. The Diamond Cup Regatta 2010 is not a race. Events include a banquet, benefit auction, golf tournament, and unlimited hydroplane exhibition runs and rides the weekend of August 20. This historic hydroplane event is sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association (APBA). The regatta recaptures an era when “thunderboats” raced on Lake Coeur d’Alene over 40 years ago. The Coeur d’Alene Diamond Cup Regatta was a scheduled event on the APBA unlimited hydroplane circuit ten times between 1958 and 1968. The race was, and still is, one of the most popular venues in hydroplane history. A number of boat and driver “firsts” and “lasts” occurred during the Diamond Cup races on Lake Coeur d’Alene. Hydroplanes coming to the regatta are provided by the Hydroplane and Powerboat Museum in Kent, Washington. Dedicated to preserving historic archives and racing exhibits, the museum has an on-site shop that painstakingly brings these magnificent thunderboats back to life. Similar vintage hydroplane events take place in Seattle and at Lake Chelan, which have had great success in raising funds for museum and historical projects. The museum is featuring Diamond Cup history this year with an exhibit titled Hydro Fever. Located at 115 Northwest Boulevard, the museum is open 11 am to 5 pm, Tuesdays through Saturdays until October 31. Admission is $3.00 for adults. Hydroplanes scheduled to run at the August regatta are the 19621965 Miss Bardahl, the 1967 Miss Budweiser (which started life as the Miss Notre Dame in 1962), and the 1964-1965 Miss Exide, dressed in her original 1957 Miss Wahoo colors. All boat displays will be open to the public free of charge. The 1.5-mile course on Lake Coeur d’Alene is west of Tubbs Hill and in clear view from many vantage points on and around the lake. The boats have been rebuilt with seating capacity for two. This allows ride tickets to be sold as part of the fundraiser. There will also be at least one ride raffled off as an additional fundraiser. Also scheduled for the August event are a golf tournament at the Coeur d’Alene Resort on Sunday morning and a Diamond Cup Regatta

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 25

time to farm until about 2003. He started out with grain, hay, and cattle ranching but eventually concentrated just on hay and cattle. “I leased ranches and cut hay all over the county,” he says. “It was a beautiful set up. If I’d been younger, I would have set up a dude ranch because I had ponds and trails all over the mountain. But I was too old for that.” Today Karl lives on 60 acres overlooking Plummer and across from the “beautiful set up” to the east. Gardening keeps him busy during the growing season and he still finds time to do some art in his spare time. Karl has a huge garden with blueberries, loganberries, and grapes, plus the most incredible strawberries imaginable. He also has thorn less blackberries and raspberries. “I got 39 gallons of blackberries off five plants the year before last,” he exclaims. Add to that different varieties of apples and cherries, asparagus, and the usual crops of corn, lettuce, radishes, etc. “It keeps me busy, believe me!” Karl says with a smile. ISI

PAGE 26 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

banquet on Saturday night. The featured speaker for the banquet will be Mira “The Flying Czech” Slovak. Mr. Slovak piloted the Miss Exide during her crash at the 1963 Diamond Cup, then came back to win the 1966 Diamond Cup in Harrah’s Tahoe Miss. Slovak also piloted a Czech biplane for a stunt show over Lake Coeur d’Alene prior to the final heat of the 1966 Diamond Cup. Doug Miller, event chair, said that he hopes to

create and sustain an annual event saluting the Diamond Cup Regatta, one of Coeur d’Alene’s most beloved eras. For more information or tickets, contact Dorothy Dahlgren, Museum Director, at 208664-3448 (Tuesday through Saturday) or email dd@museumni.org. Tentative Schedule Through October 31 - Hydro Fever exhibit at the Museum of North Idaho August 20 - Vintage hydroplanes on exhibit

at the Museum of North Idaho and Diamond Cup sponsor locations. August 21 - Diamond Cup banquet and benefit auction at the Coeur d’Alene Resort. Vintage hydroplanes on exhibit at the Museum of North Idaho. August 22 - Diamond Cup Golf Tournament, Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. August 22 – 12pm - 6pm. Three vintage unlimited hydroplanes will do exhibition runs on Lake Coeur d’Alene. ISI

Shirley Sturts – from birder to dog trainer to triathlete Shirley with Kip, the 3-year old Border collie [Photo by Jackie McNeel]

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By Jack McNeel Shirley Sturts has let no grass grow beneath her feet since she retired. She has been a noted regional birder for many years but retirement brought forth two more activities that fill her days, dog agility training and sprint triathlons. Dog training is a relatively new hobby. “A long time ago we had a couple of German shepherds but we were too busy at that point. When our son was in high school, he wanted a dog. We got a dog and my husband, Keith, got interested and did a little training with Bruno. Then Keith got interested in dog rescue and got a Newfoundland,” Shirley explains. “When Bruno died at age 13, we replaced him with Ben, our golden retriever who is now six. That’s when I got into agility trials. I first took Ben to Sandy Reeves at Hayden Lake for puppy school, and after puppy school, I joined Sandy’s beginning agility class. “In the standard agility course there are a series of jumps, a bridge they go over, a teeter totter, a tunnel they learn to go through, and then over a wall. You run with your dog and you have to do it in a certain amount of time. The dog runs free.” Other courses include jumping and weaving through poles, and a freefor-all course called “fast” where the competitors choose their obstacles, all of which are done at various competitive meet levels that progress from novice, through excellent, to masters agility champion (MAC). Rally events require the competitors to stop at different stations and do different things with their dogs. For example, one station might require the dog to sit while the owner walks around the dog. The other 14-16 stations require other activities, and judges rate each requirement and time the competitors. The owner must spend significant time training and attending meets in order to reach the more advanced classifications. Shirley attends approximately eight such meets a year including such towns as Spokane, Moscow, Yakima, Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Helena, and Missoula. Ben has achieved the excellent title in agility, but Shirley knows one dog is not going to be enough. When their Newfoundland died, it was replaced with a border collie, Kip, who is now three and “really fast,” Shirley says. She takes both dogs to trials. “Kip is excellent now in jumps and weaves. I’ve also entered him in fast where you have 32 seconds to run your own course and get different points for different obstacles.” Shirley, long known as a premier birder, has become so involved with her dogs that her involvement with birding has fallen off. “Now I’ve got so many other things in my life that birding has taken a back seat as far as going out and actually birding. Most of my birding time is in front of the computer doing records.” She remains the secretary of the Idaho Birds Records Committee and does the newsletter and web page for the local Audubon Society. Shirley is co-author of Idaho Bird Distribution, now in its second edition and viewable online at www.idahobirds.net. She also served on the Panhandle region non-game advisory committee for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game for several years. Shirley is one of those rare Coeur d’Alene residents who was actually born here and went through the Coeur d’Alene school system. She then went to the University of Idaho, married Keith her junior year, and completed her degree in physical education with a minor in science. She retired at age 60, after 35 years teaching with the Post Falls schools, the last 15 as a librarian. Physical education and science dominated Shirley’s teaching, although she says, “I taught most every subject because Post Falls was a really small school at that time.” The physical fitness apparently was ingrained. She, Keith, and their two kids had always done a lot of backpacking. “The Sierras were our favorite

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

hiking place,” she says, “but those packs have got pretty heavy.” Most of their hiking now is day hikes. After retiring, Shirley started bike touring and then did the Olympic triathlon. “Before I was 60, I had done the running part of the triathlon as a team member and had also done the swimming part. So for my 60th birthday I did the Olympic triathlon in Coeur d’Alene. That’s a mile swim, a 24-mile bike ride, and a 6-mile run.” Shirley had planned to do it again the following year but a case of flu kept her out. But in its place

she heard about Danskin, a sprint triathlon where the competitors swim half a mile, bike 12 miles, and run 3 miles, half the distance of the Olympic triathlon. Her daughter had done it in Seattle at an all-women event and Shirley thought, “Why not? I’m doing all these sports to keep fit. I’m biking, swimming, and running, so why not do it?” Sprint triathlons have become very popular. “They opened the Valley Girls in Spokane, one in Medical Lake, at Riverstone, and Hayden Lake started one. So I started doing those. One year I

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did three but usually I do two. Every sprint triathlon I’ve done, I’ve won my age group.” Shirley adds with a laugh, “At this age (73) there’s not a lot of competition.” It is a busy life - dog training and trials, birding, and sprint triathlons, but it’s a life designed around things Shirley loves and the exercise that keeps her fit. “And I read of course. I was a librarian.” ISI

Do you remember Pappy Boyington?

Pappy Boyington (L) briefs Black Sheep Squadron pilots during WWII.

By Kevin Gonzalez Pappy Boyington was the leader of the famed Black Sheep Squadron in the Pacific during WWII, an ace fighter pilot, prisoner of war, and recipient of the Medal of Honor. Pappy Boyington Field is a documentary film that tells the story of the grassroots effort to honor a WWII Hero with a commemorative airfield naming in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Gregory Boyington was born in Coeur d’Alene on December 4, 1912, raised in Idaho and Washington, and earned a degree in Aeronautical En-

F4U Corsair ready for take off.

gineering from the University of Washington. He worked for the Boeing Company before joining the Marine Corps to become a pilot. Boyington left the Marine Corps for a time to join the American Volunteer Group (AVG) in China, also known as the “Flying Tigers.” He gained the first of many victories against the Japanese while in China and returned to the U.S. to rejoin the Marine Corps. Experienced pilots were muchneeded as war in the Pacific raged. Eventually he took command of the VMF-214. The Black Sheep Squadron began its combat tour in the Solomon Islands in 1943. He picked up the nickname “Pappy” because he was much older than the other pilots in his squadron, and he really looked out for his men. Under Pappy’s leadership, the Black Sheep Squadron gained an impressive record of victories. Pappy himself would become a leading ace fighter pilot whose exploits were widely reported

in the American press. His valor in combat led to his receipt of the Medal of Honor. Many people will also remember the popular 1970s television series Baa Baa Black Sheep, which starred Hollywood icon Robert Conrad as Pappy. The TV series was highly rated in prime time and introduced a new generation to this legendary aviator. So when the Veterans in the Coeur d’Alene area wanted to commemorate this local-born hero in the name of their airport, they thought it would be easy. After all, the Medal of Honor is a rare award, and not many towns can say that a Medal of Honor recipient was born there. Instead, it turned out to be a very difficult endeavor - one fraught with bureaucracy and politics. Pappy Boyington Field brings the viewer into WWII with archival film footage and photographs and includes detailed biographical information about Pappy. The documentary features an interview with actor Robert Conrad, who shares recollections about Pappy from their time during the TV series. Greg Boyington, Jr., Pappy’s son, also provides a unique personal perspective on Pappy. Eventually the campaign was successful; the name is now Coeur d’Alene Airport/Pappy Boyington Field. Coeur d’Alene is a beautiful destination for tourism, and, along with the commemorative name, the Boyington Memorial Fund is working to create an 8-foot, bronze statue of Pappy to be set at the airport. This type of commemoration honors the service of all those among the Greatest Generation. The 65-minute documentary has been on the film festival circuit. It has been featured at aviation venues like the prestigious Museum of Flight in Seattle and at the world-famous EAA AirVenture Oshkosh A i r s h o w. P a p p y Boyington Field has also been shown on several military bases around the country and was included in the Veterans Day events at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D. C. Audiences have enjoyed the film because it shows the successful grassroots effort to preserve our history, and it was led by many active Idaho seniors. So strap into the cockpit for an inspirational story about a larger-than-life hero. Get your own DVD at www.PappyBoyingtonField.com. ISI

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 1300 E. Mullan Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 Post Falls, ID 83854 208.666.3200 • Fax 208.666.3217 208.777.1305 • Fax 208.777.1313

kootenaihealth.org/imaging

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Compete or watch - Senior Games are for you By Bernice Karnop August brings Senior Games to the Pocatello and Boise areas, and YOU are invited to participate, to volunteer, or to enjoy the competition as a spectator. Although it may be too late to register for this year’s games, start training now for next year, and remember, you can pick your own level of competition. You can run to win the 5K or walk it with friends for a fun evening. You can test your track and field skills against others in your age group, or you can toss horseshoes or bat a table tennis ball. Bridge, canasta, and dancing events mix in with cycling, trap shooting, shuffleboard, and swimming. You have to be at least 50 years old to participate, but you will compete with only those in your age group. The five age divisions are 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-70, and 70+. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in all age groups for all events. The Idaho Senior Games in Boise this year

qualify first and second place winners to participate in the National Senior Games (held in odd numbered years). This year’s qualifiers are eligible to compete at Houston, Texas in 2011. The 2013 National Senior Games will be held in Cleveland, Ohio. Pocatello: Southeast Idaho Senior Games - The Southeast Idaho Senior Games will be held August 7-14, 2010 in Pocatello. Check out their website for your favorite event at www.seidahoseniorgames.org. You can also register at the web site or call for information, 208-233-2034. Boise: Idaho Senior Games - The Idaho Senior Games in the Boise area are scheduled for August 7-22, 2010. Visit www.idahoseniorgames. org for additional information. Do not be afraid to participate. It does not matter how well you do - what matters is that you do it. As it says on their website, “You don’t stop training because you get old; you get old because you stop training. ISI

Challenge of ultramarathon hooks Pocatello runner Article and photo by Dianna Troyer Dwight Worthington blames a good book, Born to Run, and a great friend, Dan Spurlock, for first persuading him to race 50 miles on mountainous trails. Before competing in the Pocatello 50-Mile Trail Run in May and the Bighorn Mountain 50-Mile Trail Run near Sheridan, Wyoming, in June, the 56-year-old Pocatello resident never thought of himself as one of those ultramarathoners - athletes who trot hour after hour along trails, completing consecutive marathons. The avid outdoorsman had done an occasional 10 kilometer funrun. Dwight has always stayed fit year-round by hunting and hiking with his wife, Marita, and their llamas in steep mountain terrain durDwight Worthington trains for ultramarathons on ing his time off work trails in the Caribou National Forest near his home outside as a project supervisor Pocatello. His dog Owen sometimes accompanies him. at Heinz Frozen Food time? “Running an ultra is all in your mind,” he says. Company. S o , h o w d i d h e “Your mind has to convince your body to train detransform himself from spite weather being too hot or too cold or your body an occasional 10-K being too sweaty. Your body can do it with training.” Through it all, his mind kept rerunning pascompetitor to an ultramarathoner? And what sages from Born to Run, a book about the joy of advice does he offer distance running among the Tarahumara Indians others considering run- of northern Mexico’s Copper Canyon and top U.S. ning a 50-mile or 100- ultramarathoners. “You don’t stop running because you get old. mile race for the first You get old because you stop running.” A study mentioned in the book intrigued him, too. Dr. Dennis Bramble analyzed runners’ finish times by age from the 2004 New York City Marathon. Bramble realized that marathoners peak in speed at age 27, decline in speed, and then by age 64 are able to again run speeds of a 19-yearold. Long-distance running is a sport in which 60-something athletes are as competitive as 20-something athletes. “I was intrigued with seeing what my body could do, and Dan, who

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has run 100-mile races, encouraged and inspired me,” he says. “I also liked the idea of running in a wilderness instead of on a paved road. We have a 50-miler here in Pocatello on trails that I am already familiar with, so I thought I’d sign up. The race was already full three days after registration opened, so I found another race in Sheridan in June and put my name on a waiting list,” he recalls. He began training, relying on advice in A Step Beyond: A Definitive Guide to Ultrarunning. Meanwhile, he was 42nd on the Pocatello waiting list and did not think he had a chance of advancing. Three weeks before the race, he got a call from organizers. “They asked if I still wanted to run, so I said, ‘Sure.’” Dwight completed the first two-thirds of the course, running about 32 miles in seven hours. At that point, the race was canceled due to horizontal wind and snow on mountain peaks, where the whiteout conditions made it impossible to see the trail. Encouraged by his first attempt at a 50-miler and by his wife, Dwight felt ready for the Sheridan race. Still, he wondered how fast his time would be compared to seasoned ultramarathoners and how he would feel at the finish line. “There were 800 people signed up, either for the 50, a 100-mile race, a 50-K, or a 30-K,” he recalls. Not everyone who started crossed the finish line. Dwight watched the rocky trail take its toll. “Some people twisted their ankles and dropped out.” To prevent heat from taking its toll at mile 30, he found a creek. “I did a couple of push-ups in it to cool down.” He carried a 22-ounce water bottle in his hand to stay hydrated between aid stations, where water, energy drinks, and food were provided. “It was

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a great smorgasbord. They had bacon, shrimp, salty meats to keep electrolytes in balance, bananas, watermelon, grapes, chewy cookies, tortilla wraps, pretzels, almonds, peanuts, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches… I made sure I ate so I’d have energy left at the end of the race.” His eating strategy paid off. “The last onehalf mile, two guys and I had a real horse race to the finish, and they were both younger than me. My engine (that is my heart and lungs) still had some life left, but my drive train (my ankles and legs) was trashed and badly in need of a rebuild. They took off ahead of me while I was walking with Marita for a minute. Marita told me to go get ’em, so I thought I’d give it a try. I ended up passing them both, but only by a few seconds. It was a great finish to a great day, even if there was a little pain.” Although he was a first-time ultra-athlete, Dwight finished well, among the top 20 percent. He placed 22nd out of 131 runners and was fourth in his age group with a time of 10 hours, 47 minutes. He beat the next two runners by 12 seconds and 17 seconds. “It was a great experience being around such fit people,” he says. “Some people were running just to finish and weren’t concerned with their placing. I pushed myself along, because I have a bit of a competitive spirit.” Back home, his recovery time was not too long. “We got home on Sunday, I rested Monday, went for an easy walk on Tuesday, jogged a little Wednesday, then did an easy three-mile jog on Thursday.” Would he ever do another 50-miler? He grins. “I’m still amazed I accomplished that. Yeah, I’d do another one. I’m looking for my next race.” ISI

Keep the bites to a minimum Submitted by Julie Hollar, Choteau The best way to get rid of mosquitoes is Listerine, the original medicinal type. The Dollar Storetype works, too. I was at a deck party awhile back, and the bugs were having a ball biting everyone. A man at the party sprayed the lawn and deck floor with Listerine, and the little demons disappeared. The next year I filled a 4-ounce spray bottle

and used it around my chair whenever I saw mosquitoes. And, voila! That worked as well. It worked at a picnic where we sprayed the area around the food table, the children’s swing area, and the standing water nearby. During the summer, don’t leave home without it. ISI

Planning your fly-fishing trip By Dale East When planning for your fly-fishing trip, several factors should be considered. A little time spent planning will make your fly-fishing trip more enjoyable and your time on the water more productive. In order to properly plan your fly-fishing trip, you will need to take a close look at... What type of fly-fishing do you prefer? One of the first things you need to consider when planning your fly-fishing trip is the type of fishing you want to do. Whether you are planning on tubing some alpine lakes and casting to big browns that are cruising near the bank, or possibly, you prefer fishing meadow streams and beaver ponds for native cutthroat. Regardless each will require a different plan of attack. This one decision will tell you what time of year to take your trip. You will also be able to tell what the climate will be, as well as hatches, needed fly patterns and equipment. It will also give you the information that will help you decide where to go on your fly-fishing trips. Make a Checklist I don’t think I could get through the day without using some kind of checklist. This is especially true when getting ready to travel. Whether you are driving or flying, it is a pain to get

to your destination and realize that you left some key stuff at home. Most of us have had this experience. One time I left my extra waders at home, and the pair that I did bring started leaking. (Not good at 9000 feet and 38-degree water.) We were just lucky to find a fly shop open in a little town in the middle of nowhere. Needless to say, I always take an extra pair of waders with me on every fly-fishing trip. The point is, had I used a checklist, I would have had my spare waders on that trip as well. Now all that is left is to go through your checklist and make sure you have everything you need. Once you are sure it is all there, hit the road. And have a great fly-fishing trip. ISI

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By Charles Samuels A wise man once told me that good course management on a golf course would help shave strokes off your game. The only problem was when my father was teaching me this lesson I was still young and dumb and wanted to stand over the ball and hit is as hard and as far as I could. It wasn’t until a few years later that I remembered the lesson that he taught me on the 10th hole at Francis Byrne Golf Course. The lesson was to think about the risk in the shot you are about to hit, and is the risk worth the reward. So can good course management help your game? Well here are some of my thoughts on managing a round that I have learned over the course of my golfing career either through playing or through a playing partner. Most of the time on a par 5 I leave myself about 225 to 250 yards away from the green on my drive, assuming I hit the fairway (and that’s a big assumption). If I do leave myself 225 yards out, I may be able to hit the green with a three wood, but I would have to hit it perfectly off the fairway, which doesn’t happen too often since I don’t hit the three wood too many times in my round. Plus, I just don’t feel comfortable hitting that club in that spot. There was once a point in my young golfing career at which I always went for the green. I would estimate 90% of the time I would put myself in great danger because of how inconsistently I hit that club and so walked away from the par 5 with a 7 or 8 on the scorecard. These days I pull out an iron, which when I hit it leaves me about 75100 yards away from the green. I feel most comfortable from that distance on the course and feel that I have the best shot from that distance to walk

away with either a birdie or a par, and in the worst-case scenario a bogey. That’s not to say I will never go for a green in two on a par 5, I am just saying that there is a time and a place to go for it - you just have to be smart about it. During any given round, I can be a disaster off the tee, which usually leaves me in some treacherous spots on the course. One of the toughest lessons I have learned is to take your medicine when you hit an errant shot. I used to be the type of golfer that thought I could hit the miracle shot through the tiny break in the trees by keeping the ball low, hooking around a tree and onto the green, etc. Yeah, the type of shot that only Tiger or Phil can pull off. The majority of the time I would hit the tree and the ball would land behind me in an even worse spot. I have learned over the course of years to play it “safe” and punch out of trouble even if it means hitting it sideways in order to give myself a decent third shot. My thinking here is I might hit a decent third shot and give myself a decent look at par, but chances are I am walking away with bogey, which I will take in that spot. Finally, look at the danger in front of you. There are always shots on the course that look so inviting and tempting to try. Don’t let the course fool you. Usually it is these shots that if you miss you will find yourself in some serious trouble. They’re inviting for a reason. Take a step back and think, “If I miss my intended shot, what type of danger can I expect to be in?” This seems like common sense, but I see it time and time again on the golf course where people attempt to take dead aim at a pin that is tucked away in the back corner and surrounded by bunkers instead of aiming for the center of the green. Or, trying to hit a cut shot on a dogleg left when they haven’t hit a straight drive all round. By playing the safer shot and avoiding the trouble the course brings, I believe gives us the best shot at shooting more consistent rounds. If you found this article useful and would like to read more about golf or golf course reviews please visit http://www.golfcoursereviewgurus.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_ Samuels ISI

Equipment Tips To Help Improve Your Golf Game (NAPSI) While talent and skill play important roles, the success of a player’s golf game relies greatly on having the right equipment. If you’re looking to improve your golf game, here are a few pointers from world-renowned golf instructor David Leadbetter: • Use Clubs That Fit. Clubs that are too heavy will be difficult to control. A club that’s too long or too short will throw off a golfer’s stance and swing. If the club is too long, the toe of the club will have a tendency to point further up, causing the ball to hook. Too short and the toe will point toward the ground. The best way to judge length is by holding at least three different lengths of clubs and checking to make sure a natural swing contacts the clubhead at the sweet spot. • Get a Custom Fit. Custom club fitting can greatly improve performance. Clubs that are fitted to one’s body type and ability help promote great posture, straighter and longer drives and more accuracy with your irons. Visit www. PlayGolfAmerica.com and insert your zip code to find a PGA professional near you, to help ensure that the equipment you plan to purchase is the right fit for your game. • Regrip Your Clubs. Fresh grips are proven to shave three to four strokes off a single round, so changing your grips annually will keep you playing your best. Worn grips can cost a golfer strokes in two ways. First is slipping and second is by creating tension. If a worn grip turns in your hand even onesixteenth of an inch, a 200-yard shot will miss its target by 20 yards. A worn grip also causes a golfer to squeeze the club tighter, resulting in arm and wrist tension that can inhibit proper swing mechanics, leading to loss of distance and control. Log on to www.golfpride.com to find a grip that’s right for you.

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• Go Hybrid Clubs. The forgiveness of a hybrid club is awesome. Though the designs and lofts vary from make to make, they generally have a small, compact head, wide sole and low center of gravity. Most find these clubs easier to hit than either fairway woods or irons - even the mid to shorter irons. Their shorter lengths make them easier to make consistent solid contact, and these clubs yield higher trajectories.

• Play the Right Ball. The surface of most golf balls consists of a pattern of 300-400 dimples, which are designed to improve the ball’s aerodynamics. Depending on method of construction and materials used, a golf ball’s characteristics can be greatly affected. If your game needs more distance, consider using a ball that reduces spin and carries farther. If you are looking for more feel around the greens, choose a softer ball that will

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 31

generate more spin off the clubface. David Leadbetter is considered on of the world’s best golf instructors. Coach to countless PGA Tour players, he is known throughout the world for his innovative and creative teaching techniques. Leadbetter is the author of seven books, has written and produced more than a dozen DVDs, and is the designer of several golftraining aids. ISI

Is there Golf in Heaven Bill, an avid golfer, contacted a medium and asked if there was a golf course in heaven. The medium said that his request was a big order, but he would try to find out and get back to Bill in a few days. After several days, Bill finally got a call from the

medium. “Well,” said Bill, “What did you find out?” “I’ve got good news and bad news for you,” said the medium. “Okay, what’s the good news?” Bill asked. “Well, there is a beautiful 36-hole golf course in heaven, and you’ll have 24-hour access with your

own personal caddy,” blurted out the medium. “And the bad news?” asked Bill. “You’re due to tee-off this Sunday at around 10:30 in the morning.” ISI

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When is it Time for Cataract Surgery? Almost everyone who lives a long life will develop cataracts at some point. As more Americans live into their 70s and beyond, we all need to know a few cataract basics: risks and symptoms, tips that may delay onset, and how to decide when it is time for surgery, so good vision can be restored. The American Academy of Ophthalmology encourages Americans to know their risks, especially people who have diabetes, smoke, or have a family history of cataract. “Cataract surgery is a very common procedure, with a success rate of more than 95 percent,” says Jeffrey Whitman, M.D., of the Key-Whitman Eye Center in Dallas, TX, and an Academy clinical correspondent. “The eye’s natural lens with cataract is removed and replaced by an intraocular lens (IOL), selected to meet each patient’s vision correction needs. Talk with your Eye M.D. about IOL options and related use of eyeglasses, so together you can select the best IOL for you.” A few simple tips will help you maintain healthy vision and make the right choices if you develop a cataract. Get a baseline exam if you are over 40. As part of the EyeSmart campaign, the Academy and EyeCare America, a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, recommend that adults with no signs or risk factors for eye disease get a baseline screening exam at age 40 - the time when early signs of disease and vision changes may start to occur. During this visit, your eye M.D. (ophthalmologist) will advise you on how often to have follow-up exams. People of any age with symptoms or risks for eye disease, such as a family history, should see their eye M.D. to determine a care and follow-up plan. Know your risk factors. In addition to having a family history of cataract, having diabetes, being a smoker, or other factors can increase your risk of developing a cataract. These include extensive exposure to sunlight, serious eye injury or inflammation, and prolonged use of steroids, especially combined use of oral and inhaled steroids. Reduce your risks. Use UV-rated sunglasses when outdoors and add a wide-brimmed hat when spending long hours in the midday sun. One of the best things anyone can do for their eyes and overall health is to quit smoking or never start. People with diabetes can reduce cataract risk by carefully controlling their blood sugar through diet, exercise, and medications if needed. Be informed about when to consider surgery. This decision is really up to each person based on his or her daily activities and related vision needs. The concept that the cataract is “ripe,” or ready, is no longer considered a valid reason for surgery. After age 65, most people will see their Eye M.D. at least once a year, where they will have their vision tested and learn whether cataracts are growing. But only an individual can determine whether symptoms like glare, halos, blurriness, dimmed colors, or other cataract-related problems are making activities like driving and reading difficult or impossible. The Academy’s consumer guide to cataract surgery offers more information. Talk to your Eye M.D. When preparing for surgery you will need to give your doctor your complete medical and eye health history, including especially whether you are or have taken Flomax®, Hytrin®, Uroxatral®, or Cadura®. These medications can cause the iris to move out of its normal position, which can lead to complications during cataract surgery. You can still have successful surgery if your surgeon knows you have taken these drugs and adjusts his or her surgical technique. If you have had LASIK or other laser refractive surgery, it is important to provide your pre-surgery vision correction prescription to your Eye M.D., if possible. (The record of this prescription is also called the “K card.”) About Cataract: As we age, the eye’s lens slowly becomes less flexible, less transparent, and thicker. Then areas of the lens become cloudy; if left in place until the “overripe” stage, the cataract would be completely white and block vision. Cataracts often develop in both eyes at about the same time. By age 75, about 70 percent of people have cataracts. For more information on cataract and IOLs, visit www.geteyesmart.org. ISI

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Dental Care Options By Jim Miller Taking care of your mouth these days can take a big bite out of your budget. While there’s no one simple solution to affordable dental care there are some different options and resources that can help. Here’s what you should know. Dental Discounts - Since most Americans lose their dental insurance benefits when they retire, the majority of people over age 65 pay out-of-pocket every time they visit a dentist. Adding to the problem is that Medicare doesn’t cover routine dental care and more than 80 percent of older Americans don’t have private dental insurance. Yet, older adults need dental care more than any other age group. So what’s a person with no dental insurance do? Here are some tips to consider: • Ask for a discount. If you pay for dental care up front, you’re saving your dentist the cost and hassle of filing an insurance claim, so it’s not unreasonable to ask for a 10 percent discount. • Join a dental discount plan. Not to be confused with dental insurance, a dental discount plan can be a cost-effective option that can reduce your dental care expenses. How it works is you pay an annual membership fee (around $100 for an individual and $150 for family) in exchange for discounted prices from the plan’s participating dentists. Typical savings range between 20 and 30 percent, though it can be higher depending on the procedure. To find a reputable discount plan, visit dentalplans.com or call 888-632-5353 where you can search for plans and participating dentists by zip code, as well as get a breakdown of the discounts offered. Dental Care Resources - If you’re strapped for cash there are various resources that provide dental care at a reduced rate or for free. Here are some to look into: • Dental schools: Most dental schools have

clinics that allow dental students to gain experience treating patients while at the same time offering care at a reduced cost. Contact the dental school in your area to see what’s available. See the American Dental Education Association Web site at www.adea.org/links for a list of links to all U.S. dental schools. • Local services: There are a few states, as well as various local organizations and clinics that offer discounted dental care to seniors with limited income. Services will vary by community. To find out what’s available in your area contact your state dental association, local dental society, see www.ada.org/ada/organizations for contact information, or your Area Agency on Aging. To get your local aging agency number call 800-677-1116. • Bureau of Primary Health Care: A sector of the Health Resources and Services Administration, they provide federally funded community health centers nationwide – many of which provide discounted or free dental care to people based on financial need. To find a health center near you visit www. ask.hrsa.gov/pc or call 888-275-4772. • Donated Dental Services: A nationwide service created by the National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped that provides free dental care for elderly and disabled people who can’t af-

ford to pay. To learn more or to apply for care in your state, visit www.nfdh.org/DDS.html or call 303-534-5360. (Note: that most states have long waiting lists and some are not currently accepting applications). Savvy Tip: Good oral hygiene is the best way to keep your dental costs down. So remember to brush your teeth at least twice a day using fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, and get routine checkups every six months or at least once a year. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www. savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. ISI

Adult Cavities As we age the gum tissue around our teeth can begin to pull away, exposing the roots of our teeth. The teeth roots are especially at risk for cavities because they don’t have a protective layer of enamel, like on the top portion of the teeth. Medications that cause your mouth to feel dry, can also increase your risk for cavities.

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Learn What Appointments to Make After Foregoing Dental Work By A. Aaronson If you have not been to the dentist in quite a while, you might feel overwhelmed with the procedures that you might need to get done. However, not everyone needs extensive dental work after missing a few years of checkups, while others may need significant work. Before you assume you need a root canal, consider the first kinds of appointments you should make. First should be a simple checkup. You might have a toothache or know that a filling has come out, but seeing your dentist for a general appointment first will help you find out what you really need done. Perhaps your toothache is something much simpler than you originally thought. Getting an initial appointment that goes over your teeth and gums thoroughly should allow you to find out whether you need a lot of work done, or just a simple filling. Once your dentist has told you what you need done, you will probably get a few referrals to other practitioners if she cannot do the work herself. For example, if you find out that you do need a root canal, you will likely be referred to a periodontist. If you need braces or a retainer made, you should head to an orthodontist. Of course, there are plenty of procedures that the

typical dentist can do alone, and you will be told which ones are most important to get first. Whether or not you have major work that needs to be done, you should get a cleaning. This needs to be performed once or twice per year, so if you have not seen a dental practitioner in years, it is definitely time for a cleaning. Some dentists might combine a regular checkup with a cleaning, as they can usually see very well what might be wrong as they clean each tooth. Find out before you go whether the cleaning and checkup will be combined. It is a fact that many people do not like getting dental work done, and avoid it for years. This is not a good idea since the longer you wait between appointments, the more issues you will likely have. This is especially true if you have not had your teeth cleaned in years, or have dealt with toothaches for a while without getting your teeth looked at. The best solution is to head to the dentist as soon as possible in order to start taking the best possible care of your teeth as possible. For more information about finding a dentist, visit http://local.yodle.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles. com/?expert=A_Aaronson. ISI

Balancing the Benefits and Risks of Pain Medications By Lynn Pribus, Senior Wire “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning” often makes good sense. Problems arise, however, when people think that if two are good, four are even better. This is not only untrue, it can be dangerous. Aspirin and other over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers must be taken prudently because of potential risks such as liver damage, ulcers, or internal bleeding. These risks increase as people age, especially if they use alcohol, blood thinners, caffeine, or steroids. Acetaminophen Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is inexpensive and often the first medication recommended for arthritis, headaches, and other pain. Although not as effective as an anti-inflammatory (a medication that reduces fever or inflammation) when compared to other medications, it is also less likely to cause stomach upset or gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Keeping track of acetaminophen consumption level is very important because too much can cause serious liver complications. National surveys show acetaminophen overdoses cause more than 50,000 ER visits, 25,000 hospitalizations, and 450 deaths annually. The problem is that only a little more than the recommended dosage can cause serious, even fatal liver damage. In fact, acetaminophen poisoning is a leading cause of liver failure in the United States. Early symptoms - appetite loss, nausea, or vomiting - may be easily misdiagnosed, and overdoses can become fatal in only a few days’ time. Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) NSAIDs (pronounced enn-seds) such as aspirin, ketoprofen (Actron), ibuprofen (Advil), and naproxen (Aleve) provide pain relief, reduce inflammation (the cause of the pain in arthritis), and help prevent heart attacks and strokes. Early studies indicate some NSAIDs may help prevent or control strokes and colon cancer, but this is not definitive. However, these medicines are not entirely benign. The American College of Gastroenterology estimates that more than 100,000 Americans are hospitalized each year from ulcers and GI bleeding caused by NSAID overuse, and as many as 20,000 die. The risk is magnified for those taking high doses on a long-term basis. Other risk factors include regular alcohol consumption, previous ulcer or GI bleeding, liver or kidney disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure, a bleeding disorder, asthma, anemia, lupus, or diabetes. Age is also a factor because older people often require more pain relief and may process medications less effectively. People who take steroids or anti-coagulants should be particularly cautious.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

GI bleeding can occur without a person’s being aware of it. Symptoms include vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds; red- or maroon-colored blood in the stool or black, tarry stool; and tiredness or shortness of breath caused by anemia. Some doctors suggest that patients stop taking NSAIDs at age 55 or 60 and switching to acetaminophen. While there is a risk with acetaminophen if you overdose, there is a risk with NSAIDs even when you do not. Taking Pain Relievers Safely Always ask your doctor and pharmacist if an OTC pain reliever may interact badly with any prescriptions or supplements you are taking. Use a single pharmacy, since most have

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 35

computerized systems that automatically warn when medications might interact badly. Be sure your record includes your OTC medications. Be vigilant about your intake of OTCs. Medication packaging always indicates the recommended, maximum 24-hour dose, but this varies depending on age, medical factors, physical condition, and the use of alcohol and other medications. Remember that OTC medications are sometimes combined with each other or in prescriptions where they may be difficult to identify. For example, Excedrin contains both aspirin and acetaminophen. Never swallow medications “dry” - particularly pain relievers. Instead, drink at least a half glass

of water to let the pill go completely through the esophagus before it starts breaking down. It is also a good idea to take NSAIDs with meals. Remember that high doses and long-term use - especially by those over 50 - are the main causes of potential side effects. Because of this, many physicians recommend taking Prilosec, an OTC product which decreases stomach acid. Read labels completely, even if you have to use a magnifying glass. If you have been taking a medication for years, take time to review the maximum dosage. If you always use pain medications at the lowest possible dose and have an appreciation of possible side effects, you can be comfortable in taking pain relievers. ISI

Save That Spit: It Could Be Crucial In Detecting Cancer By Tait Trussell, Senior Wire A simple fluid in everybody=s mouth - saliva could lead the way to dramatic cancer prevention. Scientists have determined saliva contains biomarkers, elements reflecting the presence of a disease. These biomarkers have the power to detect potentially fatal pancreatic cancers earlier. According to Dr. David Wong, saliva can also lead to the diagnosis of other types of cancer, although the research findings regarding this are still to be announced. Research done by Dr. Wong and his colleagues at the University of California=s School of Dentistry reveals that pancreatic cancer can be detected with precision early enough to provide treatment. This is important given that pancreatic cancer caused death in 35,000 of the 42,000 patients diagnosed with it in 2009 (American Cancer Society). Thus, early detection is vital. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. According to the researchers, the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, for both men and women, is about one in 72. It is known as the Asilent killer@ because its symptoms do not appear until it has reached an advanced stage. These signs are abdominal pain, jaundice, weight loss, and itchy skin. Remission is rare, according to the World Health Organization. The pancreas is a pear-shaped organ about six inches in length. It lies behind the stomach and cannot be felt by a doctor during a physical examination, adding to the difficulty in diagnosing the cancer. Pancreatic cancer is so prevalent and so deadly that it was crying out for some means of early diagnosis. Dr. Wong says that Athe ability to implement safe, cost-effective, widespread screening could be the answer to saving thousands of lives each year, and that is what we are after.@ A multidisciplinary group from the UCLA School of Dentistry, UCLAs David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA=s School of Public Health, and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, also at UCLA, cooperated on this important project. The UCLA researchers altered genes to find four biomarkers that differentiated pancreatic cancer victims with non-cancer subjects, with A90 percent sensitivity and 95 percent specificity.@ One of the researchers, Dr. James J. Farrell, explained that “not only are these saliva-based diagnostic methods for pancreatic cancer simple and noninvasive, they may also represent an improvement in specificity and sensitivity over currently used procedures, such as blood tests, for pancreatic cancer detection,@ The study was small, including only 90 people. About half were age 69, and about half were age 67. The researchers acknowledged the limitations of the findings. But they plan to move ahead to test saliva biomarkers in a larger group of people. The physicians and scientists are in agreement that, while at this stage we can=t entirely prevent cancer, the next best development is to detect it as early as possible to enhance the prospects of

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a successful outcome. Dr. Wong states that advances in technology coupled with altered gene expression in saliva could differentiate pancreatic cancer patients from non-cancer subjects, and that the discoveries involved with pancreatic cancer could be applied to detecting early signs of other cancers, including breast cancer. Other new research is also being conducted with breast cancer patients. A recent study, involv-

ing more than 4,000 nurses who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, found that breast-cancer patients who take aspirin three to five times a week may be able to reduce their risk of death by as much as 50 percent. The study also determined that patients taking aspirin were not only more likely to survive, but also less likely to have their cancer reappear or spread to other parts of their body. Those involved

in the long-range study at Brigham And Women=s Hospital in Boston said more research is needed. The chief investigator, Dr. Michelle Holmes, said the study did not definitively prove aspirin contributed to the women=s survival rate. Clinical trials were called for to examine the question further. Other research advises against aspirin because of dangers from high blood pressure and internal bleeding. ISI

Growing New Bones for the Old By Tait Trussell, Senior Wire As we age, many people become candidates for joint replacements or bone fracture repair. But science is making this therapy easier. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Joint diseases account for half of all chronic conditions in people over 65,â&#x20AC;? according to the Carnegie Mellon Bone Tissue Engineering Center in Pittsburgh. There, a multidisciplinary research team is optimistically looking to lab-grown bones. No matter a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age, cells can be collected from their bones and used in new therapies that replace old bone and grow new bone material, according to Dr. George Muschler, vice chairman of the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute. Dr. Muschler told me that â&#x20AC;&#x153;about 20 percent of our 72 patients with new bone growth are seniors.â&#x20AC;? The process, which involves drawing cells from existing bone to build a bone tissue replacement, eliminates the pain and dangers involved in customary bone replacement surgery. Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that applies principles of biology and engineering to develop tissue substitutes. These substitutes can restore or improve the function of diseased or damaged tissues, including bone tissue. The need for bone substitutes is especially pressing. Approximately 500,000 surgical procedures that require bone substitutes are performed every year in the United States, according to Carnegie Mellon. Carnegie Mellonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bone Tissue Engineering Center hosted more than 100 researchers and their breakthrough technology in April at the MidWest Tissue Engineering Consortium in Pittsburgh. Scientists discussed the latest bone tissue engineering research, including recent clinical therapies to duplicate the complex process of bone healing. Most strategies being explored involve some combination of signaling molecules, cells, and a 3-D matrix or scaffold, according to Jeffrey O.

Hollinger, director of the Bone Tissue Engineering Center. Hollinger said his research colleagues are working to map out where the signaling must be placed in the bone scaffold. The idea is for cells to connect to a scaffold, then multiply and transform themselves into normal healthy bone as the scaffold degrades and disappears. Researchers at the conference also demonstrated new bone-making equipment, such as the BioReactor, an instrument created to make bone ligaments. Other projects demonstrated at the consortium include the development of a tiny printer that is mounted onto a patient during surgery.

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The device will actually print the scaffold and growth elements directly into the patient. When a bone breaks, it goes through several stages of healing. After a new bone is formed, the fracture site remodels itself, scientists say, correcting any deformities. This remodeling can take several years. During this period, hundreds of signaling molecules coordinate the healing process, which involves hundreds of thousands of cells. The bone’s ability to heal depends on a person’s age and physical condition. If an older person suffers a hip fracture, healing may be hampered by limited blood flow to the fracture. Physiologist Phil Campbell, a research scientist in Carnegie Mellon’s Institute for Complex Engineered Systems, commented in Carnegie Mellon Magazine that “the longer you can keep moving around, the longer you’re going to live. If you’re stuck in a wheelchair or stuck in bed - if you limit mobility - you start a downward spiral.”

Bone is not dead material. Actually, it is a dynamic system based on a process of forming bone, then breaking it down again (resorption). This process maintains skeletal strength while, at the same time, meeting the body’s need for calcium. When our body resorbs bone faster than it can make it, degenerative bone diseases, such as osteoporosis, and bone fractures can occur. At Duke University Medical Center, researchers have found a way to generate bone in mice that is not accompanied by bone breakdown. The researchers say this could open the way to development of drugs to fight osteoporosis by intercepting cellular processes that control the formation and breakdown of bones. In March, a Columbia University scientist became the first to grow a complex full size bone from human adult stem cells. Gordana VunjakNovakovic, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, reported that her team grew a temporomandibular joint (TMJ), a jaw bone, from stem cells taken

Hey, Guys, Doing Kegels Can Dramatically Reduce An Overactive Bladder By Edward A. Joseph, Senior Wire An enlargement of the prostate gland, medically known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is the most common cause of an overactive bladder. By age 60, fifty percent of all men will have some signs of BPH, and by age 85, ninety percent. The prostate gland in a young man is normally about the size of a walnut and is located between the pubic bone and rectum, below the bladder. The gland surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. As men age the prostate gland gets larger, squeezing the urethra and affecting the flow of urine. The most common symptoms are slowness or dribbling of urine, difficulties in starting to urinate, frequent urination, sudden urgency to urinate, and the need to get up at night to urinate. Based on research to date, BPH does not increase the likelihood of developing prostate cancer, but the two do have similar symptoms, which is why the American Cancer Society recommends that men 50 and over who have at least a ten-year life expectancy have annual screenings by a doctor. This screening generally consists of a discussion of the patient’s medical and family history and a physical examination, which includes a rectal exam (i.e. inserting a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum to estimate the size and condition of the prostate). In addition, the screening will sometimes include a blood test called a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). There is currently no consensus among professionals about the efficacy of giving a PSA test for men who show no overt symptoms of prostate cancer. The American Cancer Society also recommends that in high-risk groups, such as African American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer, annual screenings begin at age 45 or even earlier for those at a higher risk (e.g. those whose family history includes several relatives who had prostate cancer at an early age). Fortunately, in about two-thirds of men with enlarged prostates the symptoms are mild and do not require immediate treatment. In these cases doctors often recommend a “watchful waiting” approach, sometimes called surveillance. However, mild or not, having to go often can be highly inconvenient, as demonstrated in numerous “gotta go” TV ads for products that lessen BPH symptoms. But there may be another way. In 1948, Dr. Arnold Kegel discovered exercises that helped women with gynecologic problems avoid major surgery. The good news for men is that, according to Consumer Reports, one of the safest and most effective treatments for some urinary problems is doing the same pelvic-muscle exercises. How do you “kegel”? Fellows, it is easier than dancing. The next time you urinate, stop the flow for a few seconds by tightening your pelvic muscles.

IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 37

from bone marrow. This is significant because about 25 percent of the population reportedly suffers from TMJ disorders, including people who have cancer, arthritis, and trauma. Current methods of dealing with traumatic injuries to the jaw include taking a bone from the patient’s leg to replace the missing bone. In this case, a scaffold in the shape of the TMJ joint was built from human bone stripped of living cells. Then the scaffold was seeded with bone marrow stem cells and put in a reactor filled with a medium that nourished and stimulated the cells to form bone. The technique is said to be applicable to other bones in the head and neck that are hard to reconstruct. Scores of U.S. biotechnology companies are creating tissue engineering products or technologies, according to Hollinger. ISI

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You will have just done a kegel. This example is an easy way to explain the exercise; it is much more convenient to do kegels at other times. Here are some tips for effective kegels: tighten and hold the pelvic muscles for 2 to 3 seconds and then relax the muscles, repeat this ten times; try working up to holding the contractions from 5 to 10 seconds, rest between them for the same amount of time. It is also recommended to alternate lying

down, sitting, and standing while doing the exercises. Try to do 30 to 50 kegels a day. Try to do kegels whenever you think about them - during morning exercises, at red lights, while doing the dishes. The important thing is not having a rigid schedule, but doing kegels at times that work for you. Contact the author at edwardajoseph@optonline.net/. ISI

Why Resistance Training Matters By Carolyn Nutovic What are your health and fitness goals? Are you looking forward to playing tennis or golf with friends, or traveling to a new destination? Whether your dream is to keep up with the grandkids, or be swimsuit ready for your cruise this fall, resistance training can help transform the dream into an achievable goal. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, and National Institute on Aging all recommend resistance training for men and women 50 and older, within specific guidelines. This is because the most dramatic declines due to aging are in muscle strength (Crandell 2006) “Unless you do resistance exercise - strength training with weights or elastic bands - you lose six pounds of muscle a decade,” says Wayne We s c o t t , a u t h o r o f Strength Training Past 50. Resistance training is a form of strength training in which various muscle groups in the body are engaged to oppose a force. Muscle groups either move against, or hold still against the force. Exercises may employ equipment using a cable system, such as the Total Gym or Resistance Chair, or may involve

props as simple as a chair and dumbbells. ACSM recommends beginning with a cable system and progressing to free weights to avoid injury. A safe, effective workout regimen should include daily stretching and balance exercises, and resistance training two to three times a week alternating with three to five days of moderate cardio-vascular conditioning. However, individuals with chronic conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, or osteoporosis should seek professional advice when evaluating frequency, duration, intensity, and number of sets and repetitions. Chair-based exercise routines are an ideal starting point for such individuals because they provide a stable, low-impact environment in which to increase strength and cardio capacity. What are some of the benefits of resistance training? First, if you regularly incorporate this type of strength training into your routine, you will ensure greater long-term functionality. This simply means, “resistance training makes muscles substantially stronger and helps people with activities such as walking, climbing steps, and standing up from chairs.” (Boston Globe) Such basic day-to-day activities help maintain independence. Also implied is the ability to continue enjoying other activities such as hiking, bowling, cycling, and the grandkids. Second, an exercise regimen that includes resistance training has broad health benefits. Susan Crandell, author of Thinking About Tomorrow: Reinventing Yourself at Midlife, reports “strength training just 20 minutes a day, two or three times a week can rebuild three pounds of muscle and increase your metabolism by seven percent. [You’ll] feel more energetic, more alert, more vital, and alive. Plus, the added muscle has a halo effect on many systems of the body, reducing blood pressure, improving your ability to use glucose from the blood by 25 percent, increasing bone mass by one to three percent, and improving gastrointestinal efficiency by 55 percent.” (AARP Magazine) Finally, we would all like to look great on the beach, wouldn’t we? What is the relationship between resistance training and weight loss? The bottom line in weight loss, medical conditions such as thyroid aside, is that when you burn more calories than you take in, you lose weight. An intelligent weight loss program includes both nutrition and exercise, variables determined by the specific profile of the person attempting to lose weight. Research has shown circuit resistance-training produces the same calorie burn as a brisk walk, while also building lean muscle mass. (Clark) Anecdotal evidence also points to the effectiveness of resistance training in a weight-loss program. Louise Geary Crawford, a 73-year-old nurse, real estate agent and business owner, was told by her doctor that it would be unlikely she would be able to lose weight at her age. She tried various diet plans to no avail. Despite these failures, she kept exploring options for weight loss, greater flexibility, and increased energy. Ultimately, she turned to resistance training after seeing the Resistance Chair on television. Now, nearly a year later and almost 50 pounds lighter, she is a success story. The evidence is clear. Having an exercise routine that includes resistance training can be transformational. This year you will lose the weight, lower your blood pressure, and start running or cycling. How about the National Senior Games in 2011? Carolyn Nutovic is a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine and a service representative at VQ ActionCare. For information, please visit, www.vqactioncare.com. Carolyn may be contacted at 877-368-6800 or via email at cnutovic@vqactioncare.com. ISI

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Do Older People Need More Sleep? By Fred Cicetti, Senior Wire Seniors need about the same amount of sleep as younger adults - seven to nine hours a night. Unfortunately, many older adults do not get the sleep they need, because they often have more trouble falling asleep. A study of adults over 65 found that 13 percent of men and 36 percent of women take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep. Also, older people often sleep less deeply and wake up more often throughout the night, which may be why they nap more often during the daytime. Nighttime sleep schedules may change with age too. Many older adults tend to get sleepier earlier in the evening and awaken earlier in the morning. Many people believe that poor sleep is a normal part of aging, but it is not. Sleep patterns change as we age, but disturbed sleep and waking up tired every day are not part of normal aging. If you are having trouble sleeping, see your doctor or a sleep specialist. Here are some pointers to help you get better sleep: Go to sleep and wake up at the same time, even on weekends. Sticking to a regular bedtime and wake time schedule helps keep you in sync with your bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s circadian clock, a 24-hour internal rhythm affected by sunlight. Try not to nap too much during the day - you might be less sleepy at night. Try to exercise at regular times each day. Exercising regularly improves the quality of your nighttime sleep and helps you sleep more soundly. Try to finish your workout at least three hours before bedtime. Try to get some natural light in the afternoon each day. Be careful about what you eat. Do not drink beverages with caffeine late in the day. Caffeine is a stimulant and can keep you awake. Also, if you like a snack before bed, a warm beverage and a few crackers may help. Do not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes to help you sleep. Even small amounts of alcohol can make it harder to stay asleep. Smoking is dangerous for many reasons, including the hazard of falling asleep with a lit cigarette. Also, the nicotine in cigarettes is a stimulant. Create a safe and comfortable place to sleep. Make sure there are locks on all doors and smoke alarms on each floor. A lamp that is easy to turn on and a phone by your bed may be helpful. The room should be dark, well ventilated, and as quiet as possible. Develop a bedtime routine. Do the same things each night to tell your body that it is time to wind down. Some people watch the evening news, read a book, or soak in a warm bath. Use your bedroom only for sleeping. After turning off the light, give yourself

about 15 minutes to fall asleep. If you are still awake and not drowsy, get out of bed. When you get sleepy, go back to bed. Try not to worry about your sleep. Some people find that playing mental games is helpful. For example, tell yourself its five minutes before you have to get up and you are just trying to get a few extra winks. If you are so tired during the day that you cannot function normally and if this lasts for more than 2 to 3 weeks, you should see your family doctor or a sleep disorders specialist. If you would like to ask a question, please write fred@healthygeezer. com. ISI

Where is the mail carrier? Submitted by Julie Hollar A man was in his front yard mowing grass when his attractive, blonde, female neighbor came out of the house and went straight to the mailbox. She opened it, looked inside, closed it, and went back into the house. A little later she came out of the house again went to the mailbox, again opened it, looked inside, slammed it shut, and went angrily back into the house. As the man was getting ready to edge the lawn, out she came again. She marched to the mailbox, opened it, looked inside, and then slammed it closed harder than ever. Puzzled by her actions, the man asked her, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is something wrong?â&#x20AC;? To which she replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;There certainly is. My stupid computer keeps saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got mail.â&#x20AC;? ISI

Be Careful What You Ask Submitted by Jim Meade A police officer was being cross-examined by a defense attorney during a felony trial. The lawyer was trying to undermine the officerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s credibility Q: Officer, did you see my client fleeing the scene? A: No sir. But, I subsequently observed a person matching the description of the offender, running several blocks away. Q: Who provided this description? A: The officer who responded to the scene. Q: A fellow officer provided the description of this so-called offender. Do you trust your fellow officers? A: Yes, sir. With my life. Q: With your life? Let me ask you this then officer. Do you have a room where you change your clothes in preparation for your daily duties? A: Yes sir, we do! Q: And do you have a locker in the room? A: Yes sir, I do. Q: And do you have a lock on your locker? A: Yes sir. Q: Now why is it, officer, if you trust your fellow officers with your life, you find it necessary to lock your locker in a room you share with these same officers? A: Well sir, we share the building with the court complex, and sometimes lawyers have been known to walk through that room. The courtroom exploded with laughter, and the judge called a recess. ISI

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Radium for hot springs and bighorns Article and Photo By Jack McNeel The pool at Radium shimmers turquoise below me. Mist rises from the 100-degree water on this crisp October morning as a skiff of snow whitens the hillside behind and golden leaves on poolside trees contrast with dark green conifers. It is a beautiful scene and already some three dozen people are relaxing, soaking up the heat, and enjoying the quiet of this large outdoor pool. Radium Hot Springs is beautiful at any season and the tourist season here is year around. If you are into downhill or cross country skiing, or snowmobiling, those are all available nearby for winter visitors. For those who prefer warmer activities you might wait for the spring through fall months – although there is something really nice about soaking in hot mineral water while snowflakes drift slowly down around! Radium Hot Springs is within Kootenay National Park, but just barely. Normally a person must purchase a pass to enter Canadian national parks but that requirement is waved when you are just visiting the hot springs. It’s one of three major developed hot springs in the national parks of the region. The hot springs at Banff was the first to be developed followed by Radium.

Radium through the Columbia Valley before turning west and then south to enter Washington State in its curious route to the coast. Another major attraction in Radium is the bighorn sheep – scads of bighorn sheep. If you play the golf course in Radium you may have to alter your shots to avoid hitting a sheep. For that matter, take care when driving through town for the same reason. Sheep may be anywhere. I counted roughly 50 on the golf course at one time last fall with at least another dozen wandering through town grazing on the shrubs around homes. Some of these were adult rams with large, full-curl horns. Cars stopped to avoid iddle of the high a and people were ere leaned out sheep standing in the middle highway with cameras and camcorders to record the moment. The sheep provide a rarely seen spectacle around November 1 each year when visitors can watch the jousts between rams during the rut. This “Head Bangers” tour allows visitors to watch as the rams rise on their hind legs and lunge forward to crash head-on with their opponent. This educational tour during the “sex on the rocks” annual occurrence is a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Wildlife viewing, while perhaps not what it was 20 or 30 years ago, is another reason to visit the area. The manager of a motel I stayed in one night told of watching a sow bear and her cub feeding on a fruit tree just a few yards from the back of the motel on several evenings the week before. We also photographed deer on the hillside adjacent to town. Radium is that kind of town. Radium is also just an easy day’s drive north on US Hwy 95 from Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho or north on US Hwy 93 from Eureka, Montana. ISI

The third, Miette, is less known and located beyond Jasper. The water temperature at Radium Hot Springs is kept between 98 and 104 degrees. The costs vary depending on age and whether it’s a one-time soak or all-day pass but either way it remains under $10. The senior price is $5.40. The minerals, in order of abundance, are sulfur, calcium, bicarbonate, silica, and magnesium. Many visitors tout the curative powers of mineral hot springs while others just enjoy the heat and peacefulness of relaxing in the waters. First Nations people have enjoyed the hot springs since long before Europeans found their way to the area. The Canadian government acquired the land in 1922 and began development of the springs. The present building and pool were completed in 1951 and have been well maintained. The town of Radium has fewer than a thousand permanent residents, and survives on tourism. Numerous motels line the streets, and their summer flower displays are gorgeous. Two 18-hole golf courses, both owned by the Radium Resort, are located here and there are numerous others in nearby communities. Tourism is promoted more on a “Columbia Valley” experience rather than just Radium itself as several communities are just minutes away and all contribute to a visitor’s opportunities and enjoyment. Yes, this is the same Columbia River which flows through Washington to the Pacific Ocean. Its origin is south of Radium and it flows northward past

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Wyoming High Spots As You Circle The Divide By Bernice Karnop Wyoming perches high on the continent, even when you don’t see the mountains. The Continental Divide snakes through Yellowstone National Park and across the Wind River Mountains to South Pass where it splits to create the Great Divide Basin. It comes together again south of Rawlins and continues into Colorado. On a Wyoming tour that meandered over and around this significant geography, we hit high points of a different kind: historic trails, native plants and animals, museums, colorful characters, art, food, and more. Called the “Circle the Continental Divide Driving Tour,” it is listed as one of the Top Ten Scenic Drives in the Northern Rockies. (www.DriveTheTop10.com.) According to Lori Iverson, Education and Visitor Services Director at the National Elk Refuge in Jackson, the last two weeks of August are an ideal time for visitors from neighboring states to come because the summer crowds at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks have thinned out. So dig out a Wyoming map, pack up your gear, and see what’s new in Wyoming. From a plethora of must-see stops, I narrowed it down to a few of the high points, arranged in the order we encountered them. See how they stack up to what you would put on your own list. Jackson, elevation 6,209 • The National Elk Refuge - Step out onto the viewing platform at the Jackson Visitor Center and you’ll see not only elk but songbirds, waterfowl, eagles, coyotes, bison, and other residents who share the national wildlife refuge. The visitor center is shared by the National Forest Service, the Park Service, Wyoming Game and Fish, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Elk Foundation so you can pick up anything you need for your visit to nearby attractions as well. If you are there in the winter, take the unforgettable horse-drawn sleigh or wagon ride out among the elk. • Museum of Wildlife Art - Enjoy Jackson’s galleries but don’t miss the $35 million Museum of Wildlife Art just north of town. It is an inspiring piece of architecture and inside you will be surprised at the historic and modern paintings and sculptures. Grandchildren will be delighted with this summer’s display of Maurice Sendak’s Animal Kingdom drawings (until September 19, 2010) and with the hands-on opportunities in the children’s art area. • Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse - Treat yourself to your favorite cut of bison, cooked to perfection. Moose, elevation 6,440 • The Craig Thomas Discovery Center This is the first new visitor center in Grand Teton National Park in 30 years and I was impressed. The building design and landscaping are beautiful and ecologically friendly. The 30-foot windows provide stunning views of the mountains and the hands-on displays include information about how people interact with the landscape. The most unusual feature is a series of 15-foot-long video river walkways underfoot. • Jackson Lake Lodge - Built by Laurence

Rockefeller in 1955, this lodge was remodeled two years ago. Instead of buying everything new, they refinished, reupholstered, and recycled things. Take some great photos of the Tetons from the deck, and eat a sunset dinner in the Mural Room. Ask about grizzly activity before you take to the trails. Elk Island tours, which can include a steak and trout fry on the island, leave from Coulter Bay. Levi Thorn, Director of Sales and Marketing, says the scenic rides down the Snake River are for people of all ages and ability levels. The lodge is open from late May until early October. Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks These are premiere places on the planet for anyone to visit. The Circle the Divide tour takes you into the parks but we will save comments on the scenery, geysers, mud pots, wildlife, and all the rest of the wonder for another article. Cody, elevation 5,016 • The Buffalo Bill Historical Center - These five interconnected museums cover Buffalo Bill, Greater Yellowstone Natural History, Plains Indians, Western Art, and Historic Firearms. The museums have undergone major upgrades and you will enjoy seeing each with your grandchildren. Kid-friendly activities include a computer where you click and drag items into a picture and an area where you can draw a postcard the old fashioned way and mail it. Look for C.M. Russell paintings and sculptures, Deborah Butterfield’s driftwood horse, and Rudy Autio’s glazed stoneware horse. We bought lunch at the museum’s Mustang Grill and ate it beside the colorful Sacagawea sculpture in the courtyard. • Old Trail Town - This is more than a collection of old buildings. The cabins demonstrate how many ways logs were put together to make a structure, and each one has a story of the family or business it originally housed. Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and fellow desperados holed up in one of them, and their Hole in the Wall gang relaxed in the Rivers Saloon, relocated from the Meeteetse area. The bullet holes they left behind are a reminder of their raucous good times. Several notables were buried or reburied here including Jeremiah “Liver Eating” Johnson. • Cody Downtown - Six blocks of Cody’s downtown are on the National Register of Historic Places. The Irma, a hotel Buffalo Bill named for his daughter, is known for gunfights out front and unbeatable prime rib inside. • Dan Miller’s Cowboy Music Revue - The Cody Theater, across the street from the Irma, hosts this fun Branson-style show six nights a week. Cody has a rodeo every night as well. Meeteetse, elevation 5,797 • The Meeteetse Chocolatier - The first surprise is that he is a cowboy on the side. The candy maker, Tim Kellogg, got his start selling truffles from his grandma’s recipe for money to buy a new saddle. Now his chocolates are famous far beyond Wyoming borders. Try the dipped chocolates in a host of unusual flavors - mint, sage, and Coors. Coors? Yes, and Jack Daniels, too. ISI

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010

Kit Worthington: The Wine Man Of McCall Article and Photo By Holly Endersby Nestled under a large Mexican restaurant and facing a sunny, open courtyard in downtown McCall, Bistro 45 has become a gathering place for oenophiles and lovers of good food. Open every day but Christmas, Bistro 45 is the place to relax in the summer sun as well as the spot to snuggle in with heart-warming food and wine when winter’s snow blankets central Idaho. And that is exactly what owner Kit Worthington planned. Kit began his restaurant career thirty five years ago in his native San Diego. “When I turned twenty I began working in a local restaurant,” he says, “and found I really enjoyed the interaction with people.” From that job, Worthington moved on to work for a company with restaurants in San Diego, Hawaii, and Lake Tahoe. His job, he explains, was to troubleshoot established restaurants and make sure new ones were up and running smoothly. This solid background was excellent training for Kit in starting his own restaurant. “When you work for a company a long time,” he explains, “you learn all the secrets on how to open and establish a new, profitable business.” While Kit was based at Lake Tahoe, he asked for a leave of absence to do some traveling. He decided to head to Idaho. “I stumbled on Stanley,” Worthington recalls, “and within hours of arriving had a good job at the lodge on Redfish Lake. Eventually, wanderlust struck again, and Kit found himself working in restaurants in Key West, Florida and Prescott, Arizona. But he still had not found “home base.” “Thirteen years ago I came to McCall in winter,” says Kit, “fell in love with the area, bought a small house, and started working at local restaurants.” But soon Kit began thinking of opening his own place. “A wine distributor from Boise asked me to work for her company for a while since it was a growing market, so I did that for two to three months. I was astonished by the lack of knowledge about wine and food pairing. But it was also clear that people wanted to know more. I saw Bistro 45 as a resource to learn about wine and food.” Worthington credits the owners of Hotel McCall with giving him his start. “The owners said they had this little space for a café and they wanted me to run it. I said it was too small, so they agreed to expand it, gave me four months free rent, and leased me the equipment to get me started.” It was, he says, the perfect May to open a restaurant with outside seating. “It just didn’t rain. Every day was sunny and the summer seemed perfect. It was the very best way to start a restaurant.” “It was really easy introducing new wines here,” Kit shares, “because people were ready to explore. The wine industry wants people to become educated and does a lot for restaurants and small cafés to help people become more interested in different wines.” Kit says eight different distributors bring new wines to him every week. “I taste four to ten different wines a week from these distributors,” he says. “There are always new wines to explore.” To help café patrons experience new wines, offerings by the glass are changed regularly. That way, patrons can try several wines over the course of a month. “When we began opening other wines for din-

ers to try, people really began to get interested in selections from around the world. And after a few years, other area restaurants and stores began offering a broader array of wine as well.” Kit notes that not all the best wines will be good sellers - price plays an important part in retail sales. When asked about good wine selections on the horizon, Kit says that for summer there are plenty of lighter whites - good sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, and rosé – for around ten dollars. During winter, Kit offers catering and will do in-home wine tastings which have proved to be q quite popular. And on S Sundays, Bistro 45 freq quently offers in-restaur rant tastings. Kit has found a way o life he cherishes in of M McCall. As a way of exp pressing his gratitude, h has a fund raiser he e each year simply called ‘ ‘The Gig.’ Money goes t pay tuition for a yearto l playwriting workshop ly h held in town, support m musicians with ongoi ing lessons, and fund instruments. “Sometimes we design a calendar around wine labels, but we’ve also had a fundraiser where people could have their own photo put on a wine label for a ten dollar donation. Last year we raised $6,500 to support artists in our area,” Worthington explains. Kit’s support of the community is simply an extension of his café, where people from all walks of life meet to appreciate wonderful food and exciting wines. And, he says, letting the clientele form the café has been key to success. “We have everything from book clubs, avalanche society meetings, and birthday parties here. We’re in our tenth year, so the formula seems to work well for us.” By now, both Kit and Bistro 45 are McCall institutions. If you are in the area, be sure to stop by for delicious food and lovely, new wines. And be sure to say hello to Kit. ISI

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