Lifestyles After 50 Lake Edition, March 2023

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Marching Into Spring and Celebrating Women’s Month

March is a great month in Florida – the weather is beautiful, the skies are blue, and the season of festivals and great barbecue is starting up.

March brings with it the amazing holiday of St. Patrick’s Day (read more in The Wright Stuff and the column by Jan Cox) and the chance to drink good beer, sing Irish songs, and wear green to avoid being pinched by leprechauns (or so I’ve been told).

We also celebrate women in March! We wish you a Happy Women’s Day on March 8, and you’ll really enjoy Kathy Megyeri’s book review of “Women of Interest: The Ultimate Book of Women’s Trivia,” by Alicia Alvrez.

On March 22, spring officially begins... another beautiful year lies ahead!

Finally, we’ve included some delicious and easy recipes to celebrate St.

Patrick’s Day: Corned Beef Pizza Rolls, Shamrock Crackers, and Stout and Honey Roast Beef.

Until next time, may the luck of the Irish be with you and have a happy March!

With gratitude,

Have a great month and we'll see you in April!

Lifestyles After 50 Volume 34, Issue 3

Published by Connected Community Media Group

Publisher@lifestylesafter50.com

Editor Michele Baker

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Attention Readers: The articles printed in Lifestyles

After 50 do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editor or the staff. Lifestyles After 50 endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we cannot be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Lifestyles After 50 reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. Our advertising deadline for each issue is the 15th of the previous month. Magazines are out by the 10th of each month. All rights reserved.

As a reader of Lifestyles After 50, you are creating an established relationship with our advertisers. You may be contacted by email, telephone or mail as allowed by law.

Photo by James Patterson

Armchair Adventures: It’s a Salty, Salty World

By Evelyn Kelly, PhD

Of our 86 countries and travels, the salt flats in Bolivia were definitely the most memorable. Tourist flyers on Bolivia tout the steepest streets of LaPaz, the witches’ market, and the Great Salt Flats. My daughter Natalie and I did not know what to expect from any of these, especially a salt desert.

Our guide Jeannete and the driver Jose (who spoke no English) met us in Potosi to take us through the Great Salt Flats. After driving about 5 hours, we had our first glimpse of a salt desert. Spectacular! The desert had been a lake that dried up and left huge hexagonal plates of salt as far as the eye could see.

As our small SUV crunched along on the salt with no roads or no signs, we glimpsed the meaning of infinity. All perspective was turned upside down. Clouds above reflected on the ground; we were floating among the clouds. People a few feet away seemed like they were miles in the distance. Their reflections on salt were mirror images on the ground.

The salt building Tayka del Desierto is billed as the world’s most remote hotel. As we traversed the salt

floors to our room, we ran our hands along walls of salt blocks. Solar energy creates a heating system based on radiation that circulates hot water and emits heat. We were told to use the shower before 4:00 PM, when it shuts off automatically.

As we were trying to sleep under piles of blankets I said to Natalie, “Wow, this bed is hard.” Turns out we were sleeping on a one-inch cotton mattress placed on a salt slab!

After an early breakfast on a salt table, we were on the road again. Natalie said, “I had a terrible dream last night. We were stuck on the salt flats and left to die.” We had traveled about an hour, and the car started smoking. Was Natalie’s dream coming true? Jeannete assured us that Jose was a master mechanic. After a few hours, he did manage to fix the car enough to hobble into town and the plane that would take us home.

Bolivia was unexpected and wonderful – amazing. You learn to take things in stride. It is, after all, a salty, salty world.

Encourage the children in your life to read, learn at home and play using their imagination with Kids Dinosaur of the Month Club.

St. Patrick’s Day from Holiday, FL

Each monthly subscription box contains a personalized letter, gift shop-quality dinosaur toy and books including stickers, dinosaur facts and phonetic pronunciations.

Order the Dino Binder as well and give the child a personalized binder where they can organize their coloring pages and their personalized Membership Certificate, Member Card and collectible Dino Cards.

Visit our website at www.kidsdinosaurofthemonthclub.com or call 215-321-3032

ABOUT THE COVER:

International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women everywhere. The day also marks a call to action for continuing and accelerating women’s equality in areas like equal pay for the same job, equal access for women of color and older women, and recognition of women’s unique leadership abilities.

IWD has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organization specific. Find out more at InternationalWomensDay.com.

6 Ideas to Celebrate Older Women on International Women’s Day

Adapted from a blog post on oasisspace.com

By Michele Baker

International Women’s Day is a oneof-a-kind occasion to recognize and honor all of the important ladies in your life. It doesn’t matter if it’s your mom, grandma, a female friend, or a tutor, each forms an essential part of your life. They are our loyal supporters and our beloved companions.

For those of you who are fortunate to reside within commuting distance of your mother (or grandmother, or any female whose kindness and wisdom you are particularly thankful for), the finest present of all is to spend the day with her. But even if you live far away, it is still possible to show your love.

1. Custom Puzzles

More than a simple recreational pastime, putting a puzzle together helps minimize the risk of dementia and also alleviates the development of the condition. (This is true for the majority of mental activities and puzzles.) Turn a beautiful photograph into a customized puzzle for a unique gift.

2. Books

Reading books is a favored everyday activity for over 70% of older women, so what better present than a lovely book? If your loved senior woman has a preferred genre, there isn’t much doubt about it. Otherwise, you may offer her a diary that was written and drawn by the grandchildren.

3. Donate in Her Name

What can you offer the senior woman who has everything? Perhaps a gift to those less privileged, given in her name. Discuss your donation goals with your loved senior woman and note her passions or chosen charities, or select a charity that all female family members admire.

4. Unique Cards from Grandchildren

If the woman you wish to celebrate is the grandmother, engage the grandchildren for a day and at the same time produce something special and genuine for the beloved matriarch of the family. The children may also create additional cards for other elderly women who live nearby.

5. Plan A Surprise Party

Prepare a secret women’s day celebration with the assistance of other family members. Serve the dishes and beverages that your mom or grandma would enjoy, the flowers she prefers, and music from her era.

6. Breakfast in Bed

Begin International Women’s Day early on March 8 by bringing her breakfast to bed. Prepare her favorite meals, such as waffles, omelets, or sausages, and accompany them with a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice or sparkling water. A beautiful letter on the tray reminds your beloved senior woman that you consider yourself fortunate in having her as a companion.

6 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Adapted from an article by: Dan LeMoine, author of “Fear No Food”

March is National Nutrition Month, and according to the CDC, 90% of Americans have a poor diet. As we age, it becomes even more important to fuel our bodies the right way. But age also brings a slower metabolism, which means that even if we’re eating right, we may still see weight gain. Here are some easy ways to boost your metabolism.

Lifestyle change: Drink your H2O.

Drink plenty of water – the kind with trace minerals and electrolytes – which boosts metabolism and helps your body burn calories more efficiently.

Lifestyle change: Beef up your protein intake.

Eating protein boosts metabolism as it requires more energy to digest compared to carbs or fat. Protein-rich foods include chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, and legumes and help maintain proper body composition and lean muscle mass.

Lifestyle change: Get moving.

Maintaining muscle mass will increase your metabolic rate. Sticking with a consistent exercise routine that incorporates slow steady state cardio and light resistance training can help you build and maintain muscle mass.

Foods to eat: Whole grains.

Brown rice, quinoa, and whole-wheat bread are high in fiber and can help keep you full, which may prevent overeating and help maintain a healthy weight. Despite keto and other low-carb diets, grains can be a key part of a well-rounded diet that promotes healthy weight.

Foods to add: Spices.

Certain spices like cayenne pepper and ginger can increase body temperature and boost metabolism. They can also add flavor to your food without adding extra calories.

Beverages to drink: Green tea.

Drinking green tea can increase metabolism and promote fat burning. The antioxidants in green tea, called catechins, have been shown to increase the body’s ability to burn fat as fuel.

St. Patrick: Legend and History Intertwined

By Jan Larraine Cox

As we all don our green clothing in honor of St. Patrick on Friday March 17, bear in mind back in the day, the official color was instead, blue! We typically wear green because of the green stripe in the Irish flag and also since the nickname for Ireland is “The Emerald Isle.” A benefit to wearing green is that it makes a person invisible to leprechauns. So continue to wear green if you don’t want them to pinch you!

The legend begins: embedded in the parapet of Blarney Castle in Cork, the Blarney Stone is said to bless one with the skill of smooth talk and flattery, luck and eloquence to those who kiss it.

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland and its national apostle, was born in Roman times in Scotland or Wales about 386 A.D. to wealthy parents. His consort Sheelah is now considered his wife.

Patrick was originally a shepherd. Legend has it that loneliness caused fear in him which led him to accept Christianity for solace. He later attempted to free the Christian slaves which he had converted.

Legend also has it that he sought to drive out snakes from

Ireland and chased them to the sea as he believed they were a symbol of the devil. Snakes had reportedly attacked him during a 40-day fast on a hill. But there is no sign of snakes in the fossil records of Ireland.

Captured by an Irish raiding party Patrick was sold into slavery across the Irish Sea. After six years he escaped and returned to his family and studies in other parts of Europe. Eventually he became a priest and surprisingly, felt called to return to the area where he was enslaved, this time as a missionary. In Ireland he spoke out against slavery in Western Europe.

He worked to make his adopted land of Ireland a better place, and fought against xenophobia, the hatred and fear of foreigners. While Patrick served as missionary to Ireland, he also served as a bishop there. He is considered to have brought Christianity to all parts of Ireland and thought to be at least partially responsible for the conversion of the Picts and Saxons.

St. Patrick died about 460 A.D. on the very day we celebrate him, March 17. He was buried at Down Cathedral, which is the Church of Ireland cathedral, which stands on the site of a Benedictine Monastery.

BOOK REVIEW

“Women Of Interest, The Ultimate Book of Women’s Trivia,” by Alicia Alvrez

Did you know that 64% of women sleep on the left side of the bed? Or that being a judge was the only career not open to women in ancient Egypt? How about that divorce rates are 38% lower in cities with major league baseball teams, or the fact that the very first Artichoke Queen was Marilyn Monroe in 1947?

Throughout history, women have been the story tellers, the keepers of family history, and the wellspring of general knowledge, but men are deemed superior as dispensers of minutiae. However, in “Women of Interest, The Ultimate Book of Women’s Trivia,” by Alicia Alvrez, information about us, our lives, our history, our loves, and our personalities are collected to be savored, shared and gloated upon.

Women invented the bulletproof vest, the square-bottomed brown bag, the fire escape, the game Monopoly, the laser printer, and windshield wipers. Female nurses earn about 5% more than their male counterparts. Over 55% of all U.S. purchases are controlled by women. So, women should revel in their greatness and enjoy each morsel but give thanks to writer, women’s studies scholar, and avid trivia fan Alvrez. She’s collected this extensive, educational, and enjoyable compilation of facts about women, which is her specialty.

The book isn’t just a simple listing of trivia – the facts are put in

by Kathy A. Megyeri

context and interspersed with caricatures of famous women and their charming quotes like actress Jean Harlow, who answered a reporter who inquired about her morning routine by saying, “I like to wake up feeling a new man.” Bette Davis divulged the secret to a good marriage as “separate bedrooms and separate bathrooms.” Elizabeth Taylor also famously said, “I’ve only slept with men I’ve been married to. How many women can make that claim?” and Dolly Parton said, “I would never stoop so low as to be fashionable,” or Audrey Hepburn’s finest piece of advice, “Elegance is the only beauty that never fades.”

Thus, in this humorous compendium of facts about us women, the reader will gain immense pride in herself and her accomplishments. She will be delighted in learning such facts like researchers at Northwestern University who found that men change their minds two to three times more than women. This book is the perfect gift for women who love to laugh, gossip, play trivia, or just feel good about themselves and their accomplishments throughout history and about those the world over who advanced civilization. One reader advised, “Get this book for every woman in your life.” I was so delighted with my copy that I ordered more for each of my girlfriend’s birthdays.

“Women Of Interest, The Ultimate Book of Women’s Trivia,” is by Alicia Alvrez (Mango, 2021, 224 pp.). Alvrez is also the author of “The Ladies’ Room Reader” and “Mama Says: The Best Advice from Some of The World’s Best Mothers.”

THE HEALTHY GEEZER

What exactly does glaucoma do to your eyes?

Glaucoma is defined as a group of diseases that can damage the eye’s optic nerve, which carries images from the eye to the brain.

Here’s how glaucoma works:

A clear fluid flows through a small space at the front of the eye called the anterior chamber. If you have glaucoma, the fluid drains too slowly out of the eye and pressure builds up. This pressure may damage the optic nerve. However, increased eye pressure doesn’t necessarily mean you have glaucoma. It means you are at risk for glaucoma. A person has glaucoma only if the optic nerve is damaged.

Glaucoma can develop in one or both eyes. The most common type of glaucoma starts out with no symptoms. Without treatment, people with glaucoma will slowly lose their peripheral vision. Eventually, the middle of your vision field may decrease until you are blind.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness in the United States. Any vision that glaucoma destroys cannot be restored. So early diagnosis of glaucoma is extremely important, because there are treatments that may save remaining vision.

Almost three million people in the U.S. have glaucoma. Those at highest risk are AfricanAmericans, everyone over age 60, and people with a family history of glaucoma.

Glaucoma is just one reason seniors should make regular visits to an eye doctor. Glaucoma is detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes a visual acuity test, visual field test, dilated eye exam, tonometry, and

pachymetry.

A visual acuity test measures vision at various distances. A visual field test measures peripheral vision. In a dilated eye exam, a special magnifying lens is used to examine the inside of the eye. In tonometry, an instrument measures the pressure inside the eye. With pachymetry, an instrument is used to measure the thickness of your cornea, the transparent part of the front of the eye.

The most common treatments for glaucoma are medication and surgery. Medications for glaucoma may come in eye drops or pills. For most people with glaucoma, regular use of medications will control the increased fluid pressure.

Laser surgery is another treatment for glaucoma. The laser is focused on the part of the anterior chamber where the fluid leaves the eye. This makes it easier for fluid to exit the eye. Over time, the effect of this surgery may wear off. Patients who have laser surgery may need to keep taking glaucoma drugs.

Studies have shown that the early detection and treatment of glaucoma is the best way to control the disease. So, have your eyes examined thoroughly and regularly if you are in a high-risk category. And that includes all of us geezers.

All Rights Reserved © 2022 by Fred Cicetti Send your general health questions to Healthy Geezer with Lifestyles After 50 in the subject line to fred@healthygeezer.com

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CUTEST PET CUTEST PET

Do you think you’ve got the cutest pet? Show him or her off in the next issue of Lifestyles! We’re looking for the best dressed and most festive companions that our audience has to offer. See information on how to submit your fur baby for publication below.

For submissions:

Send us a little bit about your pet (100 words or less) along with the best photo in their modeling portfolio and what city you live in to Michele.Baker@lifestylesafter50.com with the words “Cutest Pet” in the subject line, or through our Facebook at www.facebook.com/LifestylesAfter50. Submissions must be before the 15th of every month, otherwise it will be held for a potential feature in the following issue’s publication. Include your name, phone number and Florida city. Submissions are published on a basis of what space is available.

YELLOWSTONE, GRAND TETONS, JACKSON HOLE, CODY

Sunday- Friday July 16-21 $3799 per person (double occupancy), includes: Five nights lodging including 2 nights in Jackson Hole, three nights in Cody. 10 Meals, roundtrip airport transportation, roundtrip airfare, Cowboy show at Bar T5 Ranch, Grand Teton Wildlife tour, Grand Teton National Park, float trip on the Majestic Snake River, Yellowstone National Park, Irma Hotel, trolley tour of Cody, Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cowboy Music Revue, and Cody Nite Rodeo.

BRANSON

Sunday October 15- Thursday October 19. $1829 per person (double occupancy) includes: Roundtrip air and airport transportation.4 nights lodging at Grand Victorian, nine meals, seven shows including Oak Ridge Boys, Neil Diamond Tribute, Clay Cooper, Pierce Arrow presents Decades, Doug Gabriel, Esther at Sight & Sound, Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, AK with Holy Land Tour, Dogwood Canyon, shopping, Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

SAN ANTONIO & DALLAS

Sunday September 24- Friday September 29. 6 days/ 5 nights includes 3 nights on Riverwalk and 2 nights in Dallas. $2249 per person (double occupancy includes: roundtrip airfare roundtrip airport transportation, five nights lodging including three on the Riverwalk ,nine meals, Tours of San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth. Alamo, Imax film “The Price of Freedom”, El Mercardo, private canal barge, Southfork Ranch, George W. Bush Library, Sixth Floor

Museum, Cowboys Stadium

Tour, Billy Bob’s Texas, free time on the Riverwalk.

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Local thank you card program recognizes kindness

For the past year, Joe Santoro has been handing out thank you cards the size of business cards to anyone doing something good. He prints them and gives them out for free through his Santoro Education Lifeskills Foundation (SELF), which is aimed at teaching children personal life skills.

Santoro sees growth in the children’s SELF mentors. “I know if you just get one or two things out of something, it’s going to change your world,” he said. “That’s my payback.”

Santoro said he hopes the thank you cards help get the word out about his mission to help children. Beyond that, he hopes they’re a conversation starter to promote positive interactions among everyone. “It could be as simple as somebody opening up a door or someone smiling at a cash register,” Santoro said.

He enjoys giving thank you cards to restaurant workers and people at the drive-thru, who deal with a variety of customers and temperaments. SELF has handed out and mailed more than 40,000 cards since beginning this program a year ago.

For more information, visit www.SantoroFoundation.org.

QUESTION

Q&As about Supplemental Security Income

Information from Social Security Administration

What is the monthly premium for Medicare Part B? (M. Anderson, Cooper City)

ANSWER

For 2023, the amount is $164.90 a month.

QUESTION

I started working and have employee group insurance coverage; how can I terminate my Medicare Part B (medical insurance)? (P. Collins, Miami Beach)

ANSWER

You can voluntarily terminate your Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance). However, you may need to have a personal interview with Social Security to review the risks of dropping coverage. To find out more, call 1-800-7721213.

QUESTION

What are Medicare late enrollment penalties? (J. Emerson, North Bay Village)

ANSWER

In most cases, if you don’t sign up for Medicare when you’re first eligible, you may have to pay a higher monthly premium. It’s important to sign up during your Initial Enrollment Period, unless you have other coverage that’s similar in value to Medicare (like from an employer). If you don’t, you may

Movie Preview: “Champions”

BY RANDAL C. HILL

Three decades after “White Men Can’t Jump,” Woody Harrelson again immerses himself in the world of basketball, this time as a coach. “Champions” is the Americanized version of the well-received 2018 Spanish basketball movie “Campeones,” the true story of a group of young people who earned 12 Special Olympics championships in 15 years.

Harrelson portrays Marcus Aldridge, a bumbling, hottempered minor league coach who gets fired, gets drunk, and gets into an accident with a police car. He is ordered to perform community service coaching a basketball team of eight boys with special needs.

He quickly becomes discouraged. “It’s impossible to coach these guys,” he grumbles. But he is told, “You don’t have to turn them into the Lakers—they just need to feel like a team.”

Aldridge eventually realizes that if he can do well with this group, perhaps he can one day return to coaching a “regular” team and possibly even become an NBA

have to pay an extra amount, called a late enrollment penalty. Late enrollment penalties:

• Are added to your monthly premium.

• Are not a one-time late fee.

• Are usually charged for as long as you have that type of coverage (for most people, that’s a lifetime penalty). The Part A penalty is different.

• Increase the longer you wait to sign up – they’re based on how long you go without coverage similar to Medicare

QUESTION

What is Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)? (K. Itraulde, Coconut Creek)

ANSWER

Social Security uses the term “substantial gainful activity” (SGA) to describe a level of work activity and earnings and to help determine your eligibility for SSDI. Work is “substantial” if it involves doing significant physical or mental activities or a combination of both. Work activity does not need to be performed on a full-time basis to be substantial — part-time work may also be SGA.

coach. Along the way, he also becomes aware that he is bonding with these boys, and he sets to work encouraging them to do well enough to become part of the Special Olympics playoffs.

Though the boys play their hearts out, they continue to struggle. One day a new member joins, a girl named Tina. Stocky of build and snarky of attitude, she sneers at Aldridge and asks her teammates, “Where did you get this guy?”

“He just showed up one day,” comes the answer.

Kaitlin Olson (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) plays Alex, Aldridge’s love interest. Ernie Hudson from the Ghostbusters franchise and Cheech Marin of the Cheech and Chong duo round out the solid supporting cast.

Bobby Farrelly (“There’s Something About Mary” and “Dumb and Dumber”) makes his directorial debut with “Champions,” and Mark Rizzo (Disney and Fox Family) has written the compassionate script.

“Champions” opens nationwide in theaters on March 24.

Don’t Miss a Moment

AROUND TOWN

MARCH 10-11: PLANES, TUNES, & BBQ FEATURING SEAPLANE-A-PALOOZA

Live music, aerobatic day and twilight airshows, BBQ vendors, seaplane competitions, family fun zone, food and vendors. FREE.

Wooten Park, 100 E Ruby St., Tavares

MARCH 11: LABYRINTH SPRING FESTIVAL

Celebrating Community, walk the Labyrinth, live entertainment, vendors, food trucks, and kids’ corner. FREE.

Wildwood Community Center, 6500 Powell Rd., Wildwood

MARCH 17-18: 10TH ANNUAL BBQ & CHILI COMPETITION

Over 40 teams from all around the state compete for over $5,000 in cash and prizes! Add rocking live music, vendors, great food, cold beer and mixed drinks, and bikes. FREE to attend, tasting/judging tickets $10 and up.

Gator Harley-Davidson, 1745 US-441 Leesburg

MARCH 18-19: MOUNT DORA SPRING FESTIVAL OF ARTS AND CRAFTS

An eclectic display of fine and fun arts and crafts by more than 200 exhibitors. A fun open-air event ranked in the TOP 25 BEST in America. FREE.

230 W. 4th Ave., Downtown Parking, 400 Alexander St, Mt. Dora

MARCH 24: ASK THE MASTER GARDENER PLAN CLINIC

Available each Friday except government holidays. Bring samples and/or pictures with your horticulture questions.

The Villages, Sumter County Service Center, 7375 Powell Rd., Wildwood

MARCH 31: PAUL ANKA GREATEST HITS: HIS WAY

The only artist in history to have a song on the Billboard charts during 7 consecutive decades, Paul Anka commands audiences and plays to standing ovations around the world. Tickets $125 and up

Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center, 1951 Main St., The Villages

Make

it

Divine Inspiration

Featuring Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and more.

Wed, Mar 15, 11 am

Ruth Eckerd Hall

Thur, Mar 16, 11 am

Mahaffey Theater

RAYMOND JAMES POPS

Would you rather have a wand or a light saber?

Sat, Mar 18, 2 pm, Mahaffey Theater

HOUGH FAMILY FOUNDATION MASTERWORKS Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4

COFFEE CONCERT

Spring in Paris

Take a Parisian stroll through music from Ravel, Debussy, Faure and more.

Wed, Apr 12, 11 am

Ruth Eckerd Hall

Thur, Apr 13, 11 am

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Tianwa Yang, Violin

Harry Potter vs Star Wars

BOOK REVIEW

Since 2007, Karin J. Bohleke has served as the director of the Fashion Archives and Museum of Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, PA. An avid seamstress, embroiderer and lace maker since childhood, she’s studied vintage clothing styles by creating highly accurate reproduction clothing. She and her husband also collect vintage clothing and fashion magazines in French and English, and use their resources to teach others about American material culture.

As a member of the Costume Society of America, Bohleke pursues her interests in historic fashions, needle arts, languages, social dance, and 19thcentury women’s travel accounts, and assists in identifying and dating of nineteenth-century photographs of women and evaluating and dating the costume collections.

What will endear her most to readers is her lavishly photographed and researched book of the exhibit entitled “The Fashions of Fiction from Pamela to Gatsby,” where she brings together the two loves from her academic life: historic costume and classic literature. (“Pamela’s” 18th

Fashions of Fiction from Pamela to Gatsby”

by Karin J. Bohleke, Ph.D. - by Kathy A. Megyeri

century gown is part of Shippensburg University’s collection.)

Note perhaps the passage in “Madam Bovary” where she holds out to the fire her foot clad in a small black boot – and see illustrated a pair of the side-lacing boots (“bottines” in French) that were popular in the 1840s, the time period of the classic novel.

In Fitzgerald’s 1923 novel “The Great Gatsby,” Gatsby purchases a dress for his guest Lucile that would cost approximately $3,858 today. The lavish gowns pictured in Bohleke’s book certainly fit that description of French fashion, luxury, and high prices!

We suggest browsing the original novels in one hand and “The Fashions of Fiction” in the other, which brings famous literary characters to life by illustrating how clothing enhances the authors’ character development and context. Amazing!

Buy the book at www.fashionarchives.org. he Best Advice from Some of The World’s Best Mothers.”

Smart Garden 3 Does All the Work!

The Smart Garden 3 by Click & Grow is an innovative indoor garden that cares for itself and grows fresh, flavourful herbs, fruits and vegetables for you... no green thumb required!

Experience all the benefits of having your own garden, no matter where you live, or how small your space. The Click & Grow indoor garden works just like a capsule coffee machine, but for plants. Instead of coffee pods, they offer biodegradable plant pods that have seeds and nutrients inside so you could enjoy homegrown produce and flowers all year.

Smart Soil inside the pods is made of natural, renewable, biodegradable material that has no GMOs, herbicides, or pesticides, so plants grow up to 30% faster.

With Click & Grow indoor gardens you’ll get perfectly calibrated automated watering, light and nutrients; homegrown, organic, pesticide free fresh food and flowers; a complimentary set of three basil plant pods; and an app to make you a true plant expert. Plus, there are more than 75 + different plant varieties to choose from, including various kinds of lettuce, basil, several kinds of mint, lemon balm, rosemary, lavender, oregano, thyme, sage, and more! Flower choices include pansies, cornflower, snapdragons, sweet alyssum, just to name a few. Or, use your own seeds!

“The

Stout and Honey Crockpot Beef Roast

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Allow this delicious roast to cook all day while you’re out enjoying the March air, then sit down to a hearty, St. Patrick’s Day inspired dish of meat and potatoes for supper.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 small red potatoes (about 1/2 lb.), scrubbed

• 3 medium carrots (about 1/2 lb.), peeled and cut into 1/2inch discs

• 1 medium onion, quartered

• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 2 lbs.), trimmed

• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth

• 1 cup stout beer (or additional beef broth)

• 1/4 cup honey

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1/4 cup cold water

• Minced fresh thyme, optional

1. In a hot skillet, sear roast quickly on all sides; transfer to crock pot. Top with potatoes, carrots and onion. In a small bowl, combine the other ingredients (except thyme); pour over top. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours, until meat and vegetables are tender.

2. Slice beef and keep warm. Strain cooking juices,

reserving vegetables and 1 cup liquid. Skim fat from reserved liquid; transfer liquid to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve with beef and vegetables. If desired, top with fresh thyme.

The Furr-One-One: Your Guide to Coat Care By: Matt Encinosa,

Maintaining a healthy coat and skin barrier in dogs and cats can be harder than it seems. Many pets require more extensive care including grooming, brushing and frequent bathing. It is up to us as pet owners to pay close attention to their skin and hair and note any changes that may warrant medical attention.

Dogs and cats with short hair and normal skin rarely need to be bathed or groomed, but can be done when they are dirty or every 6 to 8 weeks as needed. Pets with longer coats (especially those prone to matting) should be groomed, bathed, and brushed on a more frequent schedule. Discuss with your veterinarian or groomer on their recommendations for your specific pet because every dog and cat can be different. Daily to every other day brushings can help prevent matting and can be beneficial to reduce shedding. If your pet has any small mats that you are unable to brush out, you may be able to simply cut them out. If they are close to the skin, we always advise that you seek professional help.

DVM

There are many different pet shampoos on the market. For everyday use, we recommend staying away from the more abrasive shampoos, such as flea and tick shampoos, and those not marketed for animal use, like baby shampoo or head and shoulders, as these can dry out your pet’s skin and contribute to preexisting skin disease if present. Longer haired pets may benefit from the regular use of conditioner as well to prevent tangles and matting. For pets with allergies and skin issues, bathing can be therapeutic and prescription shampoos may be helpful in reducing symptoms. Ask your veterinarian if they think your pet may benefit from a prescription shampoo.

Boyette Animal Hospital is proud to provide your pets with the highest quality of treatment and care from twelve veterinarians and a devoted staff. To make an appointment, please call (813) 671-3400.

Want

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Dental, vision, and hearing coverage PLUS an extra $250 yearly CareCard allowance for select out-of-pocket-costs for extended coverage.

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Never pay for covered prescription drugs! $0 copay for all tiers and stages if you receive Extra Help.3

Free unlimited rides to approved locations.

PLUS MUCH MORE!

I have Medicare and Medicaid. I heard CarePlus can help me pay my rent and grocery bills! Amy Linda CareOne Plus (HMO), CareOne Platinum (HMO), CareOne Platinum (HMO-POS)

Amy CareNeeds Plus (HMO D-SNP)

1$175 per month, up to $2,100 yearly. 2One set of complete or partial dentures every 5 years. Unlimited extractions for dentures. 3From participating retail and mail order cost-sharing pharmacies

Paul CareSalute

West and Central Florida. CarePlus is an HMO SNP plan with a Medicare contract and a contract with the Florida Medicaid Program. Enrollment in CarePlus depends on contract renewal. This plan is available to anyone receiving both Medicare and Medicaid: Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMB/QMB+), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries (SLMB/SLMB+), Qualifying Individuals (QI), Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals (QDWI) and other Full Benefit Dual Eligibles (FBDE). No amounts on the CareEssentials Card can be used to purchase Medicare-covered prescriptions or services, nor can it be converted to cash. Important: At CarePlus, it is important you are treated fairly. CarePlus Health Plans, Inc. complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, age, marital status, religion, or language in their programs and activities, including in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, their programs and activities. The following department has been designated to handle inquiries regarding CarePlus’ non-discrimination policies: Member Services, PO Box 277810, Miramar, FL 33027, 1-800-794-5907 (TTY: 711). Auxiliary aids and services, free of charge, are available to you. 1-800-794-5907 (TTY: 711). CarePlus provides free auxiliary aids and services, such as qualified sign language interpreters, video remote interpretation, and written information in other formats to people with disabilities when such auxiliary aids and services are necessary to ensure an equal opportunity to participate. This information is available for free in other languages. Please call our Member Services number at 1-800-794-5907. Hours of operation: October 1 - March 31, 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 1 - September 30, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. You may leave a voicemail after hours, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays and we will return your call within one business day. Español (Spanish): Esta información está disponible de forma gratuita en otros idiomas. Favor de llamar a Servicios para Afiliados al número que aparece anteriormente. Kreyòl Ayisyen (French Creole): Enfòmasyon sa a disponib gratis nan lòt lang. Tanpri rele nimewo Sèvis pou Manm nou yo ki nan lis anwo an. H1019_MKBNDMFNPRcareneedsplus2023_M

a health plan that helps pay for utility bills and more?

“Rocky Mountain High”

BY: RANDAL C. HILL

John Denver and his wife Annie moved to Aspen, Colorado, in December 1970, hoping to purchase a home in the couple’s favorite part of their favorite state. What they discovered was that everything cost much more they could afford. The two thus bought land in a nearby scenic valley, with plans to build a house there the next year—if John’s career star continued its ascent.

The success of “Rocky Mountain High” would put their minds at ease.

In his autobiography, Take Me Home, Denver stated, “I remember, almost to the moment, when that song started to take shape in my head.” He recalled how he and Annie and some friends had hiked up to Lake Williams to camp below the stars and watch the Perseid meteor showers. (They are called the Perseids because the point from which they appear to hail lies in the constellation Perseus.)

“Imagine a moonless night in the Rockies in the dead of summer and you have it…We were right below the tree line, just about 10,000 feet. Around midnight, I got up and could see the shadow from the starlight, there was so much light from the stars. I went back and lay down in front of our tent, thinking about how in nature all things, large and small, were interwoven, when swoosh, a meteor went smoking by. It got bigger and bigger until the tail stretched out all the way across the sky and burned itself out. It was raining fire in the sky.” He began work on a folk tune about the experience with

friend Mike Taylor, an acoustic guitarist who had performed with John and had also moved to Aspen. The result was Denver’s autobiographical “Rocky Mountain High.” After John tweaked it for several months, the resulting RCA Records single became a Top 10 classic.

The Colorado Rocky Mountain high

I’ve seen it rainin’ fire in the sky

The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullaby

Rocky Mountain high

However, his creation became controversial when some listeners thought the word “high” referred to drug use. (Nine times we hear high in Colorado in the background whenever the line Rocky Mountain high is sung.) This led John to testify before a Senate hearing. “My song ‘Rocky Mountain High’ was banned from many radio stations as a drug-related song,” he said. “This was obviously done by people who had never seen or been to the Rocky Mountains and also had never experienced the elation or the joy that one feels when observing something as wondrous as the Perseid meteor shower.”

End of discussion.

In 1915, “Where the Columbines Grow” became Colorado’s state song. In 1973, “Rocky Mountain High” was added as the official second one.

ANSWER TO #5138

Last Month’s Answers Enter To Win!

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

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1. Shade tree 4. Requests permission 8. Riches

Place

MARCH MARCHES ON

Frank

Jacqueline F. O’Keffe, Ft. Myers

We now know whether March came in like a lion or not, and time will tell whether or not it goes out like a lamb. Or as John Belushi explained on SNL, that in Norway, it comes in like a polar bear, and goes out like a walrus.

Like most months, March is noteworthy, because of a particular holiday, in this case, St. Patrick’s Day.

Like most holidays, in spite of their purpose or the meaning behind them, they will be commandeered and converted into reasons for drinking alcohol in large quantities. Statistics show that America has more drinking holidays than the United Kingdom has bank holidays.

#5169

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

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Feudal subjects

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day of Lent: abbr. 11. Cosmetic case item

Put underground

Beauty’s movie partner

Article of faith

“...__ by your outfit that you are...”

Bride’s item

On March 17, many people will be drinking Guinness, singing Irish songs, and basically pretending to be Irish, whether or not there’s one drop of Irish blood in their veins and in spite of not having any knowledge of the story of Saint Patrick.

Well, I’m here to set you straight about the true story of Saint Patrick, and why he is a legend.

Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain. When he was 19 years old, with only the clothes on his back and a pennywhistle he traveled by foot on a spiritual journey of self-discovery. He ended his pilgrimage in the Irish town of Wexford, which at the time was besieged by a snake infestation. Patrick promised to eliminate the snakes in return for money, to which the townsfolk agreed.

Standing up on the hillside, he began playing his pennywhistle, which lured the snakes to him. Then pointing his whistle, he directed them to slither over the edge of the cliffs, where they drowned in the Celtic Sea.

However, after Patrick succeeded in leading the snakes away, the townsfolk failed to pay him. In revenge, Patrick tricked and kidnaped 130 children from the town, and they were never seen again.

Now that you have the truth under your belt, feel free to celebrate your holiday at your favorite local Irish Pub. Sláinte!

Michael has visited several Irish pubs in Florida, aside from Finnegan’s Bar & Grill at Universal Studios and Ragland Road at Disney Springs. If you’ve a favorite, share it at micwrighthamo@gmail.com

Seniors getting Together

WOMEN SEEKING MEN

WOMEN SEEKING MEN

5540 – BEAUTIFUL BLACK

QUEEN. 80yy, ISO friend/king, 75+, intellectual, P, astute, honest, single, SOH, NS, SD. Enjoys reading, poetry, reggae, classics, jazz, swimming. No wife. Tampa. Send name and phone number.

4907 - SWF. 59 yo, 5’9”, 160 lbs, smoker, blonde hair, blue eyes. I like shing, movies, traveling, dancing, good food. Seeks SWM who likes the same.

5579 – SEARCHING FOR SOULMATE. R, S, W, M, NS, ND, NDrg, HWP. I am W, S, F, all the above. Likes dancing, country music, theatre, art, traveling. I am blonde, blue eyes, no baggage. Let’s share life. Phone please. Seminole.

5419 - HAVE A NICE DAY. SWF, 75 yo, 5’5”, slender, brunette, green eyes, adventurous, love walks, parks, outdoors, healthy food. Am happy, loving, kind. LTR, intimacy? Have photo. Tampa.

5556 – SEEKING SINCERE, HONEST

5409 - WRETCHED old hagg seeking miserable old troll. If U respond U obviously have a sense of humor & R adventurous. I’m 76, blonde, petite, earthy, easy to B with. Love singing, dancing, biking, cooking, vintage cars & vintage men. Must have a little class & a lot of character.

COMPANION. I’m 80yy. B, H, C, F. Like to swim and travel. NS, NDrg, R, P. Seeking male, 65 to 89. Send name and phone number.

5580 – I-INDIAN, SINGLE. 70 years, Tampa. Single island girl seeking single W, M. Asian or Hispanic. ND, NS. Long term. Retired or semi-retired 60 and over.

4119 - Seeking Honest gentleman. Former airline stewardess and model, 5’4”, 104 lbs., slender, white with Ph.D. in healthcare. Fulbright scholar, eats healthy and exercises. Likes sports and animals. WW. Loves the Lord. Florida.

MEN SEEKING WOMEN

5422 - VERY PRETTY WWF ISO FF. Long blonde hair, youthful 60’s, 5’4”, slim, ND, NS. Fine dining, dancing, theatre, travel. Looking for retired W gentleman, 5’9”, 6575, HWP, SOH. Will speak soon. Send photo & phone.

5436 - TAMPA VETERAN NEEDS COMPANION QUICKLY. SW, 60, looking for healthy, W, 45-65 for LTR. Need compuer operations, applications expert and handy homemaker. Quiet music, parks, swimming, local touring. Veteran literary a plus. Tampa.

5557 – I’M TRYING! I’m looking for someone who doesn’t think he’s better than everyone else. I’m 79yy, 5’5”, blue eyes, white hair. NS, ND, NDrg, SOH, HWP. I’m told I look younger than I am but looks aren’t everything. It’s what’s in the heart & soul. I like to dance to the 50’s & 60’s & country music. I’d like to meet a man in his late 70’s to early 80’s and healthy. SOH, HWP, and a good heart & soul. Please send phone number. Good luck & GOD bless.

5427 - SEEKING SINCERE, HONEST GENTLEMAN. I’m 70s, HWP, NS, ND, like to meet SWM with same interest for LTR. Laid back, no drama. Like animals. Hillsborough & Pasco.

5558 – SEEKING INTELLECTUAL not afraid to voice opinions. SM 75 to 85 who is not intimidated by educated female, who likes to learn. Must love dogs, have a tongue in cheek sense of humor & likes touch.

5449 – WSF SEEKS SECURE WSM. NS, ND, clean cut, honest, FF, companionship for enjoying life’s casual socials, travel, theatre, dancing, dining, cards and walks with a love of life. Please send photo and phone number. Port Charlotte area.

5425 - SINCERE CHRISTIAN WOMAN desires C-man who really loves God and is active, lives a healthy life, helps his neighbor, enjoys nature (including picnics), canoeing and a friend to all animals. I’m all of the above. I’m a W ,etite lady with long hair and chearful. Age 60’s, Age preferred: Mid 50’s and up. I live in Hillsborough County. Please write me, tell me about yourself.

5566 – A SWEET SMILE LOOKING FOR LTR, sharing wonderful experiences with an admirable, W, gentleman, 68-82 yy. I’m 78, lively & fun loving, 5’ tall, platinum hair, 130 lbs.; told I’m pretty inside & out. Senior age with youthful heart! Sun City.

5431 – LONELY WWF, looking for love & companion. Man should be 70 to 80 yrs old. I am nancially secure, have a car & condo. I live in N. St. Pete.

5429 - HERE, DURING COVID-19 IN S. FT. MYERS. ISO friendship only with W, widower in early 80’s. SOH, honest, NS. I am W, WW, HWP, attractive & intellgent. Please respond with phone/email. Be safe & well.

5575 – SEEKING FOR FRIENDSHIP

W. MALE. I am loving, sincere, faithful, Filipina, 5’3”, 109lbs. I show picture in Facebook if you wish. 72 years old lady.

5413 - WW ISO BUDDY, FRIEND to pal around with who’s about my age, 80’s, gal or guy with SOH. Good health, nancially secure to have fun & enjoy life. No Trumpers or religious zealots please. Let the good times roll.

5576 – LIFE IS SHORT. Blessed to be here after Ian. I am W, WW, 5’5”, 125, HWP. ISO honest, kind gentleman in mid-80’s for friendship. SOH, NS, HWP, Lt SD. S. Ft. Myers.

5564 – AFFECTIONATE SWM SEEKING RELOCATEABLE GAL for companion, best friend, lover, life partner. I am secure, easygoing, romantic. 5’7”, 150#, NS, ND. Share our lives, save that rent. Write me, send photo, phone please.

MEN SEEKING WOMEN

5411 - BM seeks LTR with 50-65 yr old woman of character. I am 6’0”, 180 lbs, 60 year old. NS. Children are adults. Free to travel. I am a one woman man. Race is not an issuecharacter is!

5407 - ISO BF, 50+, slender build who likes to read, go out to eat, movies, laid back, enjoys laughter & is drama free. Look forward to hearing from you. I am a WM, 5’11”, 155 lbs, NS and drama free.

5569 – YOUNGER SOULMATE WANTED. Fit, 81 YY, retired aviator ISO healthy, W, H, Christian Kindred Spirit, 50s-60s, w/no dependents. NS, SD, HWP, to share life/ travels. We are romantic, affectionate, compassionate positive-thinkers and patriots. Safety Harbor.

5570 – ISO S, W, GAL. Old enough to not desire children, however, respectful of all GOD’s children and young enough to be an active participant in making our place a better place. Floridian

5415 - M, WW, NS, SD, HWP, P, FF, likes cards, walks, cooking, travel, fun.

5424 - HI, Lonely guy, WM, 5’8”, 160 lbs, a young mid-seventies, NS, NS, t, active and adventuresome. Seeks lady, mid-sixties to early seventies, HWP, exercises, possible romance, LTR. Let’s be happy and celebrate life.

5393 - SWM, 69, 5’11”, AVG. Hair black, thinning, DAV, honest, sincere, relocated Hudson. Retired Leo. ISO WHF, widow preferred, attractive, sm. butt, NS, ND, handy homemaker, intimacy yes, no baggage, drama.

5567 – OUTDOORSY, HONEST, HEALTHY, MUSIC-LOVER. Humble, semiretired, loving & fun 70 y/y, searching for his best friend to enjoy life’s adventures with. Looking for that special gal who enjoys beaches, boating, biking, hiking, animals and cares for our natural environment. Someone spiritual who can “see the light.” A love of theater, music and dancing a plus.

5428 - M, WW, NS, SD, HWP, R, TLC, 70’s. Likes sharing many activities together, quiet evenings; be adventurous.

5571 – SWM, 80, 5’4”, trim, physically active, SOH, NS, NDrg. Enjoys walking on the beach, hiking Florida trails, loves dancing. Near Ocala. Will travel.

5426 - EASY GOING MAN. I’m 69, 140 lbs, 5’7”, widower, lives alone. Seeking other gentlemen for friendship, to get together and enjoy each other’s company. Will answer alll.

5369 – Looking For Ms Right. Retired New York Attorney, former New York Police O cer, looking for loving relationship with kind and sincere, self-caring lady. 65 – 75. Widow preferred. Clearwater area.

5572 – I AM A CROSS-DRESSER. I am 6’ in heels. HWP. I would like to meet a woman that is interested in meeting first. NO MEN. Someone between 65 – 80. Mainly for friendship first. Please send phone number and best time to call.

5412 - LOOKING FOR ADVENTEROUS WOMAN. SWM, NS, healthy, retired, enjoys country music, home cooking, day trips to scenic attractions, sun rises, sunsets, movies, walks in the park. For more info, write me. Pinellas County.

5416 - LOOKING FOR COMPANION. SWM

5573 – HI, I’M MARVIN. Looking for companion, I am 85YY, WM, WW, C, NS, 5’9”, 165 lbs., SOH. Excellent health and very active. Southern country gentleman. This is my first experience with this. Homeowner with pool, semi-retired, own truck dealership. Please send phone

number. Let’s talk. Let’s have fun.

5574 – YOU AND ME – TOGETHER.

seeking t, attractive, female. Very handsome, very t senior. 5’11”, 175, blue eyes, silver hair. Let’s enjoy life’s pleasures. Dunedin.

SWM, 5’6”, 175lb, 76yy, NS, ND, SOH, SD, Condo. Likes happy hour, restaurants, ELKS, TV, dancing, shopping, kissing, holding hands. ISO, SWF or Asian. SOH. Fun, smiles, easy going, enjoys life. Pinellas Park.

5417 - PINELLAS PARK, FUN LOVING SWM, seeking SWW to enjoy sports activities, bridge, dominoes, pinochle and swimming at Mainlands. I’m 88 and very active. Looking for SWW over 70. I’m 6’3”, 235 lbs and a dancer. Pinellas Park.

5578 – NEW YEAR…NEW START! WM, 60, HWP. ISO a woman, 45 – 65 for casual start friendship. Must live near N. Tampa area. I’m 6ft, enjoy simple activities. Let’s talk/text, see if we have a connection.

5577 – LIVE – LAUGH – LOVE. Hello – SWM, 5’6”, 180lbs, 70’s, SOH, NS, ND, SD. Condo. Likes Happy Hour, Elks, TV, restaurants, shopping, kissing, holding hands, going places. ISO, SF, white or asian, SOH, easy going, fun, smiles, enjoys life. Pinellas Park.

To PLACe An AD: Send your ad, stating what edition(s) you would like it placed in, along with a $6 fee for 30 words (25¢ for each additional word, abbreviations not charged) to the Lifestyles After 50 address listed below. Ads received by the 15th of the month will appear in the following issue.

To ReSPonD To An AD: Write a letter to the person you want to contact. Place that letter in a stamped envelope and write the ad # on the bottom left hand side of the envelope. Place your stamped, numbered envelope(s), along with $2 for each letter enclosed, into another envelope and address it to:

Lifestyles After 50 Seniors Getting Together P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583

CommonLY USeD ABBReViATionS: F-Female, M-Male, S-Single, D-Divorced, WWWidow, A-Asian, B-Black, H-Hispanic, I-Indian, W-White, C-Christian, J-Jewish, YO-Years Old, YY-Years Young, ISO-In Search Of, SOH-Sense Of Humor, SM-Smokes, S-Light Smoker, NSNon Smoker, ND-Non Drinker, SD-Social (Light) Drinker, DR-Drinks, NDrg- No Drugs, LTR-Long Term Relationship, HWP-Height & Weight Proportional, R-Retired, P-Professional, FF-Friendship First, TLC-Tender Loving Care.

Seniors Getting Together

TITLE:

If more room is needed, please use separate sheet. Mail this form along with $6 for each ad per month (add $4 for each additional edition/market in the same month). We cannot accept your ad without it. This information is confidential.

The VIPcare Patient Experience

Going to see your doctor is probably never on your list of things to do for fun; however, it’s important in maintaining your health, especially for adults 65 and older. Patients who have an ongoing relationship with their primary care physician have fewer health incidences and unnecessary ER visits. That’s why you need a doctor that you’re comfortable with and who you trust. One you can turn to 24/7.

Quality over Quantity

It can be hard to find that doctor with whom you truly connect. Healthcare has become so rushed. It’s like doctors compete to see the most patients. Sadly, that doesn’t leave much time for one-on-one time.

That was the key difference Dan and Tina DiFrancesco noticed with VIPcare after moving from Pennsylvania.

....

“They make you feel like you’re the only one,” Tina said. “It’s really the first doctor that I’ve had like that.” ....

Time for a Better Experience

Dan had two doctors before visiting VIPcare. He admits they were nice but immediately noticed a different experience upon switching. “The doctors, they care,” he said. “You get an X-ray or something, they call you, ‘how did you make out.’”

By taking the time to know you and your health history, your primary care physician can provide you with the unique care you need and deserve. No more running around from doctor to doctor for answers. Your doctor is your direct link to comprehensive care. ....

“The whole office, they follow up,” Tina said about her VIPcare experience. “The next day, they’re on the phone with you. It’s great.”

Your Journey to Better Health

Real health care is getting you healthy and keeping you healthy. Find a trusted partner in your health and get the care and attention you deserve.

Memories of My Big Brother John

By Curt D. Baker

It was the 1950s, we lived on a farm, and life was slower and simpler. After school and chores, there was time to play: cards, board games, tag, or if somebody cleared a field recently, baseball. But the best entertainment was created by us, and those games were passed down through the generations, including some I got from my big brother John that I passed along to my own kids, and grandkids. John was the master gameinventor.

I remember my favorite game. In our farmhouse, the middle room on the first floor was carpeted and the kitchen had linoleum. The old potbelly stove was the focus of “You’re Out.” You’d stand at the stove and toss a bundledup sock wherever you could, run through the carpeted room around the dining room table, and back to the kitchen where you took advantage of the slick linoleum to slide into the stove (just like in baseball) before the sock could be retrieved and you were tagged out.

An outdoor game John invented involved a football that if caught on one bounce, could be drop-kicked back. If not, you had to kick it back where it was on the ground. This was basically a combination of football and soccer with the two big oak trees as one goal and the corn crib door as the other.

Two more games he invented for us (there were lots of them) were haymow basketball and batting cobs. We played

haymow basketball on the second floor of our barn, where our stepdad Melvin kept a part of it cleared for us as a makeshift court. (We used a volleyball as the basketball.)

For batting cobs, we’d head out to the steer yard, shoo the animals into the shed, grab an old axe handle for a bat and a carefullyselected corn cob as a ball, and there you go. The steer yard became a bonafide baseball field. And spinning those cobs really made them do tricks on the way to the plate. Hard to hit. We didn’t run bases, just judged an out or a hit depending on where the cob landed. If a fly ball (or in this case, fly cob) landed in the feed bunk, it was considered an error by the invisible defense.

I could go on and on; these games are just the highlights, the ones we liked the best and played the most. But I am certain of one thing: having that example he set for those things is absolutely what led me to invent games for my own boys. I invented game after game for them, and they still talk about them today. I’d say that’s an impact, and using imagination to make up games that were really fun, and all from simple things like a volley ball, a rolled-up sock, or a corn cob. Amazing.

In June 2021 I lost my big brother John to cancer... I miss him every day. But he lives on in our memories whenever my sons and their kids play his games.

Curt Baker and John Baker in 2019, Land O’Lakes

Recipes

St. Paddy’s Day Corned Beef Pizza Rolls

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home Test Kitchen

These easy-to-make rolls are like eating a Reuben in a roll!

Ingredients:

• 1 tube ready to bake pizza crust (roll out, such as Pillsbury Classic Pizza Crust)

• 3/4 lb. thinly sliced corned beef

• 1/2 lb. thinly sliced lacy Swiss cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.

2. Roll out pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a 10” x 15” rectangle.

3. Arrange corned beef and

Shamrock Crackers

• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)

• Thousand Island dressing

• 1 cup drained sauerkraut (optional)

Swiss cheese slices to within 3/4” of the edges. On a long side, roll up jellyroll style to make a 15” log. Pinch the seam to seal.

4. Carefully cut into fifteen (15) 1-inch slices and

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Ingredients:

• Round crackers

• 2 mini cucumbers

1. Spread herbed cream cheese onto round crackers.

2. With a citrus zester, cut strips of skin from 1 mini cucumber for stems. Cut additional mini cucumbers into thin slices; cut each

• Herbed cream cheese

• Fresh dill sprigs

slice into fourths. For the clover leaves, arrange 4 pieces of sliced cucumber. Add the cucumber skin stems.

3. Place dill sprigs at base for grass.

place the slices with sides touching on a parchment lined baking sheet.

5. Cover pizza swirls with greased foil; bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15-20

minutes longer until golden brown. Serve warm with a drizzle of Thousand Island dressing and a tablespoon of sauerkraut on top. es). Makes 4-6 servings.