50plus LIFE Chester County April 2017

Complimentary | Chester County Edition

April 2017 • Vol. 14 No. 4

Staying One Step Ahead of the Game page 4

south korea: ‘Miracle on the hAn’ page 10

Spring golf guide page 12

Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori

Antiques and Alzheimer’s Memory Care Lori Verderame

My parents both suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and required specialized care. I am not a specialist in Alzheimer’s care, nor am I trained to give medical advice.

That said, as a child of two parents with Alzheimer’s, I know something about the struggles for families living with the disease. Since I have met many other Alzheimer’s families, I wanted to share what I have learned about how heirlooms contribute to happy visits with loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s.

While my parents’ care facilities offered a quiet room, a reminiscence room, and a Snoezelen room to help stimulate the five senses, my parents responded best to personal visits from family and friends.

My parents were more responsive and engaged if I brought an object

Verderame’s parents, circa 1950. from our family home for them to talk about and touch. If anyone looked in my pocketbook when I went to visit my parents, they would have thought I was crazy with all the collectibles I carried around.

Her mother’s salt and pepper shakers.

The most comforting activity for my parents was discussing stuff that they recognized as their own.

Memory Album I regularly brought a memory

album filled with small ephemera (paper), mementos, and photos. I scanned old photos and printed them out in booklet form from my computer.

Digitalization allowed me to reproduce original photos and leave a copy of the memory albums with my parents without the fear of losing original family photographs. The album helped my mom recall the names of her eight siblings, children, grandchildren, friends, neighbors, etc.

Dad liked to talk about the summer cottage he built or his cars. Each page had a photo and a caption with names, ages, locations, approximate dates, and descriptions.

Photos of family homes, vacation spots, schools attended, church please see ALZHEIMER’S page 5

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Such is Life

Bob’s Gambling Habit Saralee Perel

“What do you have behind your back?” I asked my husband, Bob. “What do you think it is?” He showed me the $1 scratch ticket.

“Bob, you said you wouldn’t waste money on these anymore.”

He grinned and gave it to me. It was a $40 winner.

“What on earth is going to motivate you to stop gambling if you

keep winning?” I said.

“Losing,” he said.

“But you never do. Every month you get a winning check from the State Lottery Commission.” I went to his desk and pointed to the stack of scratch tickets. I looked

Saralee and lucky Bob.

through them and said, astonished, “Each one is a winner!”

“You weren’t against gambling when I was on TV in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”

(He really was, with Regis.)

“Bob, gambling will

get the better of you someday. You’ve got to stop.”

The very next day, an email came in. The subject line was: “CONGRATULATIONS FROM GSN!” I said, “Oh no. Now we’re getting scammed.”

The email essentially read: please see LUCKY page 19

At Your Fingertips Helpful numbers, hotlines, and local businesses and organizations eager to serve you—all just a phone call away.

Dental services Anna Giacalone, DMD 100 Ridge Road, Suite 36, Chadds Ford (610) 558-1760 David Stall Dental, DMD 1646 West Chester Pike, Suite 1 West Chester (484) 551-3006 Disasters American Red Cross Greater Brandywine (610) 692-1200 Chester County Emergency Services (610) 344-5000 Salvation Army Coatesville (610) 384-2954 Salvation Army West Chester (610) 696-8746 Emergency Numbers Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Office of Aging (610) 344-6350/(800) 692-1100 Financial Services Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-3676 Funeral & Cremation Services Cremation Society of Pennsylvania Serving Chester County (800) 720-8221

Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (800) 272-3900

Housing Assistance Community Impact Legal Services (610) 876-0804

American Cancer Society (800) 227-2345

Housing Authority of Chester County (610) 436-9200

American Heart Association (610) 940-9540

Housing Authority of Phoenixville (610) 933-8801

Arthritis Foundation (215) 665-9200

Legal Services Lawyer Referral Service (610) 429-1500

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (800) 232-4636 Coatesville VA Medical Center (610) 383-7711 Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233 National Osteoporosis Foundation (800) 223-9994 PACE (800) 225-7223 Senior Healthlink (610) 431-1852 Social Security Administration (800) 772-1213 Southeastern PA Medical Institute (610) 446-0662 Hearing Services Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY

Legal Aid of Southeastern PA (610) 436-4510 Nutrition Meals on Wheels Chester County Inc. (610) 430-8500 Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center (800) 366-3997 Office of Aging Chester County Department of Aging Services (610) 344-6350 personal services Butler-Ette Services (484) 770-8059 Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com

Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.

www.50plusLifePA.com

Physicians The Center for Interventional Pain & Spine Locations in Bryn Mawr, Exton, and Wilmington (844) 365-7246 Gateway Medical Associates Locations in Coatesville, Downingtown, Lionville, and West Chester (610) 423-8181 retirement living Friends Home in Kennett 147 W. State St., Kennett Square (610) 444-2577 Senior Centers Coatesville (610) 383-6900 Downingtown (610) 269-3939 Great Valley (610) 889-2121 Kennett Square (610) 444-4819 Oxford (610) 932-5244 Phoenixville (610) 935-1515 Wayne (610) 688-6246 West Chester (610) 431-4242

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Cover Story

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April 2017

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By Sam Peeples and Megan Joyce

In the sports world, the players get the praise. But also there, literally on the sidelines, are the referees whose knowledge and skill are integral to the structure and flow of the game.

Also overlooked is the sheer physicality of a referee’s job; to effectively officiate a game, refs must run alongside the athletes and keep up with game play—and they need to remain mentally and physically fit enough to do so.

Eileen Grumbine has officiated a variety of sports for more than 30 years, from basketball to field hockey to lacrosse.

She’s still hustling across the outdoor fields and indoor courts, keeping pace with the players and making calls that keep game play running smoothly.

“I played field hockey, basketball, and tennis in high school,” Grumbine said. “I grew up on a farm and would rather stay after school and participate in other activities so I would not have to go home and do farm chores.”

She continued playing well into her adult years, spending a lot of time either on the courts or beside them.

When a friend brought her into a local field hockey adult league where the coaches and officials both ran the games and participated in them, Grumbine became curious about getting involved as more than just a player.

“I started to play on a league, and then went for my test with [the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association], and one sport grew into another and then another,” she said.

She started officiating games in 1981, beginning with basketball and soon adding field hockey.

Years later, lacrosse arrived in the area. Despite having never played or watched a lacrosse game, Grumbine learned its rules and signed up to try her hands at

Grumbine indicating a penalty corner. refereeing it. The sport proved very entertaining and popular with audiences, so she added it to her regular roster.

She continued to referee all three sports until injury forced her to cut back.

“After suffering a knee injury and having surgery, I gave up the basketball and lacrosse and stayed with hockey,” Grumbine said. “Indoor hockey started to grow in this area, and we had [large facilities in the region] for more indoor games and large tournaments.”

Grumbine worked for an international designer and manufacturer of floors and ceilings for 28 years, mostly with customer financial services in the company’s floor division.

When new management proved less flexible with the hours she needed to continue refereeing, Grumbine chose to take early retirement and find employment with a more accommodating schedule.

When not refereeing, Grumbine now works at a women’s boutique or provides private, in-home care to seniors, depending on the day.

“It was the best decision I could have made,” she said.

When Grumbine first began officiating, there were more than 20 women refereeing girls’ games for basketball alone. Currently, there are about a dozen left. She considers the dip a likely result of family and work issues taking up most of women’s already-busy schedules.

“There is a big time commitment involved when you want to be an official,” she said.

“There are numerous meetings to attend and training sessions to keep on top of all the rule changes.”

Conversely, the number of men involved with girls’ sports has seen a steady rise. Fathers get involved in the games through their daughters and eventually become interested in coaching or officiating.

Another change Grumbine has observed over the decades: Some teams are now mixing the sexes.

When Grumbine first became an official, there were two chapters for basketball in her area: one for girls, one for boys. But as the pool of available referees and coaches became smaller, the two chapters merged into one.

This can cause minor issues for a referee, as the rules for men’s and women’s versions of the sports are often slightly different.

Grumbine herself preferred to referee games for girls and women, being more familiar with their rule set, but she has refereed a few boys’ basketball games and some mixed field hockey games as well.

“It is so rewarding to see young girls learn this game and develop a love for hockey as they go through school and into college and then their adult lives,” she said.

Grumbine currently calls games both during the school season and the winter break, particularly the national field hockey tournaments.

Despite now being considered “semi-retired,” she plans to continue hurrying up and down the field, keeping the game play honest and fair.

“I enjoy student athletes and want to give back to them, as someone had to do this when I was playing sports or I would have been stuck down on the farm,” she said. “I enjoy doing something I love and getting in some extra exercise!” www.50plusLifePA.com

ALZHEIMER’S from page 2 weddings, and childhood pets were featured. The visuals sparked questions and conversation from Mom and Dad.

baseball from our attic—one dating from his days as a big league pitcher—things quickly changed.

He could grip the baseball and show me how to throw a curve. Holding Mom’s Kitchen the baseball, Dad could explain In addition to the memory album, proper finger placement or recall the my mom, who loved to cook for day he struck out a minor leaguer our big, Italian named Mickey family, lit up Mantle. when I brought Dad’s part of her postwar-era kitchen canister baseballs set for our visit. sparked The salt and a positive pepper shakers conversation would get her and stopped, Her dad’s baseballs. talking about albeit favorite recipes, temporarily, and before you knew it, she would the repetitive chatter. This heirloom offer a tried-and-true baking tip! helped my dad reminisce calmly. It My mom’s memory could be helped me find comfort in the fact sparked by such diverse objects— that he could recall memories with shown to her one at a time so as not the aid of an heirloom. to overwhelm her—as her wedding photo, a Hummel figurine from At my appraisal events, I often her collection from the 1950s, or say that antiques spark all types of an afghan that she crocheted in the emotions. Some objects collected 1970s. over a lifetime can stir memories even when you think there are none.

Dad’s Sports Vintage objects from my parents’ Of course, my mom’s disease was home significantly helped my parents different from my dad’s. Mom was in their memory care. They helped less combative, more engaged, and me too. more talkative than Dad. My dad It goes to show that heirlooms was very quiet until he was upset by are much more than just basement some outside stimulus. Then he was clutter or china-cabinet dust in the moment. collectors. Vintage objects are more After he calmed down and started than just something to save; they can to enjoy our visit, he would repeat be memory savers. sentences and phrases over and over Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, again. A highly intelligent man and author, and award-winning TV a professional athlete, listening to personality, Dr. Lori hosts antiques him repeat himself was very difficult appraisal events worldwide. She is for me. the star appraiser on international After trying to redirect him, I hit TV shows: Discovery’s Auction found that my dad’s verbal loop Kings, History channel’s The Curse of could be interrupted if I introduced Oak Island, and Fox Business’ Strange a related object to him. If we started Inheritance. Visit www.DrLoriV.com, our visit talking about baseball, my Facebook.com/DoctorLori, or call (888) dad would say the same sentence 431-1010. about the sport over and over again.

Photo credit: Staff of www.DrLoriV.com Yet, if I were to hand him a

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5

Puzzle Page

CROSSWORD

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 17 SUDOKU

Across brainteasers

Major Movie Titles of the ’60s Fill in the blanks: 1. Midnight C _ _ b _ _ 2. Guess Who’s Coming to D _ _ n _ _ 3. The G _ _ d _ _ t _ 4. G _ _ d _ _ n _ _ r 5. The Manchurian C _ _ d _ _ _ _ _

Singers of the Top Songs of the ’50s Fill in the blanks of the names of these television shows that premiered during the ’50s: 1. “The Tennessee Waltz,” 1950, Patti _____e 2. “Be My Love,”1950 – Mario _____a 3. “Cry,” 1951 – Johnnie _____y 4. “Any Time,” 1952 – Eddie _____r 5. “I Believe,” 1953 – Frankie _____e

Written by Alan Stillson. Please see http://stillsonworks.com

1. That moment 5. Triton 9. Gift wrap items 13. Comfort 14. Musette pipe 15. Lasso 17. Football goal 19. Change 20. Cunning 21. Geologic time 22. Consume 24. Sheep 25. Doleful 26. Cake ingredient Down 1. Hardy heroine 2. Tow 3. Spot 4. Maiden name 5. Person of no influence 6. Black 7. Impress greatly 8. Cable 9. Scamp 10. Lube 11. Slinky swimmer 12. Frets 16. Domain 18. Harvest 23. Mellowing

27. Bear dipper 28. Sagging 31. Legal documents 33. Scarlet and cerise 34. Deserted 37. Connecting word 38. Append 40. Sports org.

41. Macaw 42. Yellowbird 45. Actor Tamiroff 46. Won a footrace 47. Martians, maybe 49. Stepped 51. Weapon

52. Papa 53. Hardwood tree 54. Thing, in law 55. Edge tool 56. Adversary 59. Goodbye 61. Worm gatherer 64. Feeds 65. Death in the Family author 66. Formerly 67. Leer 68. Flowerless plants 69. Legume

25. Distress call 26. Wane 27. Mode of travel for 47 Across 28. See 2 Down 29. U.S. gambling city 30. Peculiar in appearance 32. Author LeShan 34. To a sickening extent 35. Ireland 36. Levees 38. Astern 39. Lament 43. Flop 44. TV news station

45. Support 47. Confuses 48. Slothful 49. Frog 50. FM receiver 54. Trick 55. Greek god of war 56. Delicate 57. Killer whale 58. Promised land 60. Soft-finned fish 62. Past 63. Hope, for one

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April 2017

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Bucket List: No Laughing Matter

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Like all baby boomers, I intend to diligently execute my bucket list or drop dead trying.

Just like we were told to not trust anyone over 30, now we need to frown on any cohort who has less than a 30-item bucket list. Old baby boomers don’t die; we just stay in perpetual motion.

Many of these bucket-list items are more doable than ever. For instance, travel excursions are available anywhere. OK, perhaps areas under the influence of ISIS, Zika, and Putin — as well as no-fly zones — are off limits, but the rest of the world is accessible, by air or ship or yak.

I, for one, have a bucket-list goal of vacationing in Tahiti, which is now served by 12 airlines.

Then there are those crucial “this is really me” career opportunities.

With the proliferation of online schools, anyone can pursue a dream career, if he is willing to invest his life savings to garner a blacksmithmanagement degree.

But what if we are equally afraid and enthralled when contemplating some of these bucket-list activities?

Sure, some of us would like to be shot out of a cannon, but fear could reduce this goal to shooting pictures with a Canon camera.

In all honesty, I have to admit that some of my bucket-list items have been unfulfilled as much by lack of moxie as by lack of opportunity.

For instance, when I was 23, I went to a life-coach firm, where I had the opportunity to write a brief essay outlining what I wanted to do with my life. One goal was to be a comedian. This odd desire was based on having cracked one-liners for the entertainment of my drunken frat brothers.

My dad nixed the life-coaching

firm by pointing out that I could save $500 by just listening to him, whose advice included getting off my derriere and getting a job.

At any rate, comedy as a realistic goal did give way to the establishment of a real job. It was one thing to handle drunken frat brothers, but the idea of deflecting a heckling bunch of lounge lizards was intimidating.

I settled into an IT career, a left-brained endeavor and a comic wasteland. Still, I did have a creative side and took on the challenge of writing humorous essays on IT, starting in the early ’80s.

I was fortunate enough to have a piece run in the New Yorker of computing, Computerworld.

Later I branched out to writing humorous pieces in areas other than IT with some success.

Even with the experience of sitting down and writing comedy, standup still seemed like a quantum leap. Yet I never gave my standup-comic yen the proverbial hook. It was just sublimated into a lifelong interest in patronizing standup.

I was part of the very small, hardcore audience of the Boston comedy scene’s informal, pub-based infancy in the late ’70s, where the standups would thank me profusely for coming. When I got married, Les and I followed these comedians into the spiffier comedy clubs that sprung up as the Boston scene exploded.

We would make comedy clubs in New York City a must-stop in the ’80s, big crowds or not. We went to a near-empty New York club and, emboldened by the intimacy, handed headliner Carol Leifer pictures of our two clumber spaniels, which led to some ugly-dog jokes.

Thirty years later, Les and I are sometimes the oldest patrons of local comedy shows held in basement

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

York Expo Center

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Oct. 19, 2017

18th Annual

By Bill Levine

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7

On Life and Love after 50

It’s Never Too Late to Find a Mate Tom Blake

I receive far too many emails that state something like this: “I just turned 71. I’ve been single for 10 years. I’ve given up on meeting a mate.”

Emails similar to the one above come from widows, widowers, divorced people, and sometimes from people who’ve never married. The common thread is loneliness; they would like to have someone in their lives, but finding someone seems impossible. So, they don’t try.

Yes, the dating world for people age 60-plus can appear bleak. But, in the 23 years I’ve written about senior dating, I’ve also received hundreds of emails from singles telling me they’ve met someone and to remind older singles to “never give up.” And these emails are not from spring chickens, but from people age 70-plus.

Chris and Tina.

Phil and Sue.

On Feb. 12, 2017, my partner Greta and I attended the wedding of Chris and Tina. They met in 2004 on a cruise. Chris was a dance host and Tina a passenger. He lived in California; she lived in England. It

would have been easy for them to give up seeing each other because the distance between them was 5,419 miles.

But they hung in there and saw each other as often as they could.

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“When you’ve met the right person, you have to figure out a way to make it work,” Chris said. “Tina and I never gave up hope and never gave up trying. Now we are man and wife.”

By the way, Chris is 83 and Tina is 76.

Last month, I received an email that said two of my high school classmates, Phil and Sue, both 77, had gotten married on Feb. 24. I was dumbfounded and frankly did not believe the news.

They had not seen each other in 50 years, except for a half hour at their 50th high school reunion. They had never dated. She lived in Michigan, he in California. I wondered how it was possible that they got married.

Later, I received the rest of the story: Both were widowed. Both had been caregivers for the last few years.

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On Feb. 1, Sue took the initiative to call Phil to tell him the person she had been caregiving passed away. Sue was assertive and called him again the next day.

They spoke on the phone every day until Feb. 12. They were openly honest with each other. Finally, Sue said to Phil, “If you want to marry me, why don’t you ask me?”

Phil said, “I just did.”

Sue flew to California on Feb. 24.

They were married an hour later.

Both couples simply refused to allow health issues, mileage distances, public opinion, family members, and other obstacles get in their way in their quest to share life with a mate in the waning years of their lives.

They stopped at Greta’s and my home on March 11. We were

amazed at how thrilled they are to be together.

When I hear from naysayers who say it’s too hard to meet someone later in life, I say that is simply a hurdle to overcome.

Older singles should attend their class reunions. Plus, older singles, men and women alike, should be assertive (not aggressive—there is a difference), as Sue was, in trying to meet someone.

Love can happen, as these two stories illustrate, with a little effort from both parties on the relationship.

Being with someone later in life is a heck of a lot better than being alone.

For dating information, previous articles, or to sign up for Tom’s complimentary, weekly e-newsletter, go to www.

FindingLoveAfter50.com.

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Sponsor and exhibitor applications are now being accepted!

Around Town DASC Welcomes Guest Speaker for Black History Month Downingtown Area Senior Center celebrated Black History Month recently with an educational program featuring guest speaker Tonya ThamesTaylor.

Pictured, from left, are Janet Fowlkes; Doris Houston; Jasmine Allen; Isabel Jackson, presenter; Thames-Taylor; and Claudette HolleyBostic.

Musical Talent on Show at DASC Downingtown Area Senior Center recently hosted a talent show comprising 12 singing, dancing, or musical acts performed by its residents as well as residents from Ashbridge Manor.

Pictured is Susan Brooks, of Downingtown, who sang “God Bless America” and “Amazing Grace” while accompanying herself on piano.

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June 8, 2017 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Church Farm School 1001 East Lincoln Highway, Exton

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9

Traveltizers

South Korea: From Hanboks to Headsets

By Andrea Gross

Flash back 60 years. Korea had barely recovered from a half century of domination by the Japanese when it became ground zero for a contest between China and Russia to the north and United Nations forces to the south.

The streets of Seoul were filled with oxcarts, the buildings were pockmarked with shrapnel, and starving people, dressed in tattered hanboks, foraged in the country for food.

Today the streets are filled with Hyundais, the buildings have been replaced with skyscrapers, and the country has morphed from one of the poorest in the world to one of the richest.

Korea’s growth has been so extraordinary that it is commonly referred to as “The Miracle on the

Deoksugung Palace is one of five royal palaces in Seoul.

Namdaemon Market is the largest traditional market in Korea.

Han,� the Han being a river that flows through the center of Seoul.

To accomplish such a miracle, a country needs folks who are driven. It also needs folks who are caffeinated.

Fortunately, South Korea has both.

And now it plans to use that energy to brag a bit, to invite others to

learn about its prewar past and its remarkable present.

It seems to be succeeding. National Geographic lists Seoul as one of the top go-to places for 2017.

Thus, here we are—tourists in the Land of the Morning Calm, which actually isn’t very calm at all. The

only thing that’s calm is the traffic, which is calm because it’s gridlocked to a standstill.

It takes us a while to acclimate.

Few signs are written in English, few people speak English, and most are too rushed to try even if they can.

But on the other hand, it’s worth the trouble. Where else can you see a miracle still in the making?

We begin our exploration at Deoksugung Palace, one of five royal homes in Seoul that served as the seat of government during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). It’s here that we’re able to glimpse the city’s transition from past to present.

Seen from certain vantage points, the changing of the royal guard takes place in front of the stately gate of the ancient palace. From others, the drum rolls are backed by streets of distinctly

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Offer for new and qualifying former customers only. Important Terms and Conditions: Qualification: Advertised price requires credit qualification and eAutoPay. Upfront activation and/or receiver upgrade fees may apply based on credit qualification. Offer ends 4/5/17. 2-Year Commitment: Early termination fee of $20/mo. remaining applies if you cancel early. Included in 2-year price guarantee at $39.99 advertised price: Flex Pack plus one add-on Pack, HD service fees, and equipment for 1 TV. Included in 2-year price guarantee at $54.99 advertised price: America's Top 120 Plus programming package, Local channels and Regional Sports Networks (where available), HD service fees, and equipment for 1 TV. Included in 2-year price guarantee for additional cost: Programming package upgrades ($54.99 for AT120+, $64.99 for AT200, $74.99 for AT250), monthly fees for additional receivers ($7 per additional TV, receivers with additional functionality may be $10-$15) and monthly DVR service fees ($10). NOT included in 2-year price guarantee or advertised price (and subject to change): Taxes & surcharges, add-on programming (including premium channels), Protection Plan, and transactional fees. Premium Channels: Subject to credit qualification. After 3 mos., you will be billed $60/mo. for HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and DISH Movie Pack unless you call to cancel. Other: All packages, programming, features, and functionality are subject to change without notice. After 6 mos., you will be billed $8/mo. for Protection Plan unless you call to cancel. After 2 years, then-current everyday prices for all services apply. For business customers, additional monthly fees may apply. Free standard professional installation only. Š 2016 DISH Network L.L.C. All rights reserved. HBOŽ, CinemaxŽ and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. SHOWTIME is a registered trademark of Showtime Networks Inc., a CBS Company. STARZ and related channels and service marks are property of Starz Entertainment, LLC. With PrimeTime Anytime record ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC plus two channels. With addition of Super Joey record two additional channels. Commercial skip feature is available at varying times, starting the day after airing, for select primetime shows on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC recorded with PrimeTime Anytime. Recording hours vary; 2000 hours based on SD programming. Equipment comparison based on equipment available from major TV providers as of 6/01/16. Watching live and recorded TV anywhere requires an Internet-connected, Sling-enabled DVR and compatible mobile device. All new customers are subject to a one time processing fee.

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April 2017

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modern buildings.

A short subway ride takes us to Bukchon Hanok Village, an authentic enclave of centuries-old homes (hanoks).

Many of the homes have been turned into guesthouses and cultural centers, and women stroll the streets dressed in colorful hanboks, the shortjacketed, long-skirted dresses that date back thousands of years.

No matter that the women are tourists who spent $20 to rent a hanbok for four selfie-filled hours.

They give the village a certain panache, and I’m delighted to revel in a picturesque version of Korea’s past.

What’s more, off in the distance, framed by wing-roofed homes, I can see the high-rises of downtown Seoul.

This serves as yet another reminder of the miracle that has transformed the city.

We leave the past behind when we go to Hapjeong, a former riverfront neighborhood that is now dominated

by Mecenatpolis Mall, a group of three towers that punch more than 40 stories into the air.

On the streets people scurry about, a smartphone in one hand, a latte

Bukchon Village is a historic neighborhood filled with traditional homes, narrow alleys, and a few teashops and eateries.

Bulgogi, a popular Korean dish made of grilled meat and usually served with an assortment of sides, literally means “fire meat.”

in the other. This is the home of the driven, folks who are harried as well as hurried.

But as we wander a few blocks downhill from the mall, we come upon a neighborhood that has yet to be renovated. It’s filled with homes that date back to the ’70s; some still have echoes of traditional architecture. The owner of a small café tells us that these buildings are slated to be torn down and replaced with modern skyscrapers filled with

offices for tech-savvy geeks.

“But,” he says, “others are betting it’ll become part of the area’s creative renaissance, a place for filmmakers, musicians, and other artists. After all, Hapjeong is part of the new Seoul.”

Located across the Han River, Gangnam is the new Seoul on steroids. The people may be determined, but they’re also energized—not only by the omnipresent coffee shops but also by a palpable enthusiasm that permeates

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the rarefied air.

A while back, Gangnam was rice fields, but then came the 1988 Olympics and the rice fields became expensive real estate.

In 2012 a South Korean rapper named Psy released a song about the upscale neighborhood in which he grew up. After “Gangnam Style” was featured on a YouTube video that received a reputed billion hits, his old neighborhood became Seoul’s hippest hangout.

We gaze at tall skyscrapers, visit the largest underground shopping mall in Asia, and wander through a maze of upscale shops, galleries, and restaurants that seems to go on forever.

It’s a far cry from the war-torn and depressed city of the ’50s. Korea has indeed leapfrogged from hanboks to headsets with unprecedented speed.

It’s a miracle to be sure.

For more information on Korea, see the Napkin Notes section of our website: www.traveltizers.com.

Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted; story by Andrea Gross (www. andreagross.com).

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11

Spring Golf Guide Savvy Senior

Golf Gadgets that Can Help Older Golfers Jim Miller

Dear Savvy Senior, Do you know of any golfing gadgets or equipment that can help older golfers? My dad loves to play golf, but arthritis in his hands makes gripping the club difficult. He also has a hard time bending over to tee up or retrieve the ball. Is there anything out there that can help?

– Helpful Son Dear Helpful, There are actually a number of golfing gadgets and accessories on the market today that can help older golfers who struggle with arthritis, injuries, or loss of mobility.

Here are some possible solutions that can help keep your dad on the golf course.

Gripping Helpers Gripping a golf club is a very common problem for older adults with arthritis or those who have hand or elbow injuries, or any condition that affects their hand strength.

To help alleviate this problem, there are specially designed golf gloves and grips that can make a big difference.

Depending on the severity of your dad’s problem, an inexpensive option to check out is the Bionic Golf Gloves (www.bionicgloves.com), which are

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April 2017

Bending Solutions If back, hip, or knee problems or lack of flexibility is also hampering your dad on the golf course, there are a number of innovative gadgets that can eliminate the bending and stooping that comes with teeing up the ball, repairing divots, marking the ball on the green, retrieving a ball or tee on the ground, and picking a club, sand rake, or flagstick.

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ergonomically designed to improve grip with less effort. Or try the Power Glove (www.powerglove. com), which uses a Velcro strap to secure the club to your hand.

Another option to consider is to get oversized grips installed on your dad’s clubs. These can make gripping the club easier and more comfortable, and they are also very good at absorbing shock.

Oversized grips are usually either one-sixteenth inch or one-eighth inch larger in diameter than a standard grip. Your local golf pro can help with this.

Or, for a grip-and-glove combination fix, check out the Quantum Grip (www.quantumgrip.com), which incorporates hook Velcro golf grips and companion golf gloves that have mating loop Velcro material in the palm. This ensures gripping power and prevents the club from slipping in your hand.

www.honeybrookgolf.com 50plus LIFE u

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Spring Golf Guide These stoop-proof devices can be found at sites like Tee Pal (www.teepalpro.com) and the Upright Golf company (www.uprightgolf.com).

Ergonomic Golf Carts There are also a number of great ergonomic golf carts that can help older golfers who still like to walk the course. These are three- or four-wheeled, lightweight push carts that provide great stability, can be adjusted to fit your body size, and fold into a compact size in a matter of seconds for easy transport.

Sun Mountain Sports (www.sunmountain.com), Bag Boy (www.bagboycompany.com), and Caddytek (www.

caddytek.com) are three companies that make these types of carts.

Or, for people with severe mobility loss or who are disabled, there’s the SoloRider golf cart (www.solorider. com), which provides the ability to play from a seated position.

This cart is lightweight and precisely balanced so it can be driven on tee boxes and greens without causing any damage. And federal ADA laws require that all publically owned golf courses allow them.

Bionic ReliefGrip Golf Gloves

Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org

Common Golf Injuries Require Full-Body Assessment

By Megan Joyce If your clubs are already cleaned and polished, you may want to polish your golfing technique, too, before you set foot on the green.

Both male and female golfers are plagued by three common injury sites: lower back, shoulder, and elbow, according to Dr. Andrew Dulak, Titleist Performance Institutecertified physical therapist with Madden Physical Therapy in Harrisburg.

“The first thing for any golfer is they have to know their limitations physically,” Dulak said. “I think that a lot of golfers watch it on TV, and they think that they should swing exactly like that, but their bodies don’t allow that.”

He sees ailing golfers most often for pain in those areas, which are affected by this very repetitive and rotational sport.

“In normal, everyday activity we rarely twist our bodies with the force that golf requires, so when you’re getting up to hit the ball, you actually can generate a lot more pressure on the lower back,” Dulak said.

“The lower back, because of [golf’s] repetitive motion, just feels like it has to take up so much of the work and apply pressure, and over time it’s going to wear down and pain is going to start,” Dulak said.

If the golfer is suffering from pain, Dulak provides free, full-body screenings to locate their specific limitations and trouble spots; sometimes the area of the body where the golfer feels discomfort isn’t the true source of the problem.

“It might not even be a lower-back issue—it could be the hip or a middleback issue causing the lower back to hurt,” he said.

If the screening reveals a spinal or joint concern, manual therapy can be applied and followed up with corrective exercises. www.50plusLifePA.com

Shoulder pain, another frequent golfers’ complaint, is a muscular issue often the result of tightness in another area of the body—again, the shoulder is overcompensating.

“For the shoulder, you have to look at the hips, the core, and the middle back to find out where the issues are,” Dulak said. “Then you match the limitations up to their swing characteristics.”

Dulak then creates an individually tailored treatment program that involves hands-on treatment, soft-tissue work, assisted stretches, and some manual therapy to the middle back or lower back and hips, depending on the site of the true problem.

“And the shoulder will get better by focusing on whatever their limitations are,” Dulak said.

Elbow pain is also muscular in nature and is similar to the shoulder: They are both “weaker” areas of the body with smaller muscles that attempt to absorb the force of the golf swing and compensate for whatever is unaligned elsewhere in the body.

“The weird thing about this is you can have elbow pain, but it could actually be coming from the hips,” Dulak said.

After a full-body screen, Dulak corrects the issue with physical therapy techniques.

Want to avoid injury in the first place? The No. 1 guideline is to know your physical limitations, Dulak reiterated.

He also recommended daily exercise to improve strength and flexibility; a good warm-up before play; and proper nutrition.

“If you’re not hydrating enough or eating the right foods, that puts stresses on the systems of the body and they won’t function as well—and your performance will suffer.”

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Home Care Services & Hospice Providers All Hands Home Care

Landis at Home

(717) 737-7905 www.allhandshomecare.com

(717) 509-5800 www.landisathome.org

Year Est.: 2014 Counties Served: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, York RNs: No LPNs: No CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

Other Certifications and Services: We provide trained caregivers for in-home care for personal, respite, hospice, 24-hour, live-in, and companionship-care services to seniors and individuals of all ages in the Central Pennsylvania region.

Our company is fully insured and bonded. Call now for a free in-home consultation!

Year Est.: 2007 Counties Served: Lancaster RNs: Yes LPNs: No CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

Central Penn Nursing Care, Inc.

Surrey Services for Seniors

Year Est.: 1984 Counties Served: Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, York RNs: Yes LPNs: Yes CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

Year Est.: 1981 Counties Served: Chester, Delaware RNs: Yes LPNs: Yes CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

(717) 569-0451 www.cpnc.com

Other Certifications and Services: Providing all levels of care (PCAs, CNAs, LPNs, RNs) in the home, hospital, or retirement communities with specifically trained caregivers for Alzheimer’s and dementia clients.

Home care provided up to 24 hours a day to assist with personal care and housekeeping. A FREE nursing assessment is offered.

Homeland at Home

Other Certifications and Services: Providing individualized care and support by competent and qualified caregivers for adults who live in their homes, a senior community, or elsewhere. A home-care service of Landis Communities. Call for an initial home visit.

(610) 647-6404 www.surreyservices.org

Other Certifications and Services: Surrey, a nonprofit, provides complete inhome services including the following: certified geriatric care managers and aging life care professionals, RNs, LPNs, CNAs, licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), and home health aides (HHA). Additional services include transportation and house cleaning.

Visiting Angels

(717) 221-7890 www.homelandathome.org

(800) 365-4189 www.visitingangels.com

Year Est.: 2009 Counties Served: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Northumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, Snyder, York RNs: Yes LPNs: Yes CNAs/Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: Yes

Other Certifications and Services: Exemplary personalized care that enables patients and families to live each day as fully as possible.

Registered nurses are certified in hospice and palliative care for both adults and children.

Year Est.: 2001 Counties Served: Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York RNs: No LPNs: No CNAs: Yes Home Aides: Yes Medicare Certified?: No

Other Certifications and Services: Visiting Angels provides seniors and adults with the needed assistance to continue living at home. Flexible hours up to 24 hours per day. Companionship, personal hygiene, meal prep, and more. Our caregivers are thoroughly screened, bonded, and insured. Call today for a complimentary and informational meeting.

If you would like to be featured on this important page, please contact your account representative or call (610) 675-6240.

This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

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Chester County

Calendar of Events

Support Groups Free and open to the public April 4, 1:30 p.m.

Grief Support Group Phoenixville Senior Center 153 Church St., Phoenixville (610) 327-7216 April 4 and 18, 6:30-8 p.m.

Bereavement Support Group Brandywine Hospital Conference Room 2N 201 Reeceville Road, Coatesville (610) 998-1700, ext. 226 April 5, 6 p.m.

Memory Loss and Dementia Support Group Sunrise Assisted Living of Paoli 324 W. Lancaster Ave., Malvern (610) 251-9994 April 10 and 24, 10:30 a.m. to noon Caregiver Support Group Adult Care of Chester County 201 Sharp Lane, Exton (610) 363-8044 April 11, 7 p.m.

Hearing Loss Support Group Christ Community Church 1190 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester (610) 444-445 www.hearinglosschesco.com

April 11 and 25, 5-6:30 p.m.

Bereavement Support Group Main Line Unitarian Church 816 S. Valley Forge Road, Devon (610) 585-6604 phoenixbereavement@yahoo.com Nondenominational; all are welcome.

April 11 and 25, 6:30-8 p.m.

Bereavement Support Group Jennersville Hospital Conference Room B 1015 W. Baltimore Pike, West Grove (610) 998-1700, ext. 226 April 12, 1:30 p.m.

Family Caregiver Support Group Sarah Care 425 Technology Drive, Suite 200, Malvern (610) 251-0801 April 18, 6 p.m.

Family Caregiver Support Group Sunrise of Westtown 501 Skiles Blvd., West Chester (610) 399-4464 April 26, 6 p.m.

Living with Cancer Support Group Paoli Hospital Cancer Center 255 W. Lancaster Ave., Paoli (484) 565-1253

Community Programs Free and open to the public April 1 and 15, 5-10 p.m.

Bingo Night Marine Corps League Detachment 430 Chestnut St., Downingtown (610) 429-8174

April 18, noon AARP Valley Forge Chapter Meeting St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church 203 N. Valley Forge Road, Devon (610) 647-1823

April 4, 11:30 a.m.

West Chester University Retirees Luncheon For restaurant location, please email darsie@verizon.net

April 30, 6-8 p.m.

Meal Assembly: Stop Hunger Now Grove United Methodist Church 490 W. Boot Road, West Chester (610) 696-2663 schneiderlm@verizon.net

April 6, 7:30 p.m.

Compassionate Friends Valley Forge Chapter Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 132 E. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia (484) 919-0820 www.tcfvalleyforge.org

If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.

Parks And Recreation April 22, 9-11 a.m. – Spring Plant Swap, Hibernia County Park April 29, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Sheel & Wool Day, Springton Manor Farm April 30, 10-11 a.m. – Wildflower Hike, Warwick County Park www.50plusLifePA.com

Senior Center Activities Coatesville Area Senior Center – (610) 383-6900 250 Harmony St., Coatesville – www.coatesvilleseniorcenter.org Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 10:30-11:15 a.m. – Going Fit Exercise Program April 6 and 20, 11 a.m. to noon – Veterans Coffee Club April 12 and 26, 1-2 p.m. – Bingo Downingtown Senior Center – (610) 269-3939 983 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown – www.downingtownseniors.org Mondays, Wednesdays, Frid ays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

– Games and Puzzles Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to noon – “Boom” Move It Dance Class Thursdays, 9-10 a.m. – Meditation Class Great Valley Senior Center – (610) 889-2121 47 Church Road, Malvern Kennett Area Senior Center – (610) 444-4819 427 S. Walnut St., Kennett Square – www.kennettseniorcenter.org April 3, 7-9 a.m. – Walnut Street Café Community Breakfast April 4, 12:30-1:30 p.m. – Program on Concussion and Seniors April 11, 2-3:30 p.m. – Tea Party: Easter Parade Theme Oxford Senior Center – (610) 932-5244 12 E. Locust St., Oxford – www.oxfordseniors.org Wednesdays, 8:30-11:30 a.m. – Paint Class Phoenixville Area Senior Center – (610) 935-1515 153 Church St., Phoenixville – www.phoenixvilleseniorcenter.org West Chester Area Senior Center – (610) 431-4242 530 E. Union St., West Chester – www.wcseniors.org Thursdays, 1 p.m. – WCASC Chorus Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information.

LIBRARY PROGRAMS Downingtown Library, 330 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, (610) 269-2741 April 10, 6:30 p.m. – Fantasy Book Club April 18, 10-11 a.m. – Book Walkers April 18, 6:30 p.m. – Crafters Makers Space Paoli Library, 18 Darby Road, Paoli, (610) 296-7996 Mystery Book Club – Call for dates/times 50plus LIFE u

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It Was 50 Years Ago Today

‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ Randal Hill

Accompanied only by his acoustic guitar, John Lennon auditioned “Strawberry Fields Forever”— conceived as a slow-talking blues song—for Beatles producer George Martin, who sat entranced in a dimly lit Abbey Road studio room while Lennon sang his complex and sophisticated tune.

In the Beatles’ Anthology, Martin recalled, “It was magic. It was absolutely lovely. I love John’s voice anyway, and it was a great privilege listening to it.”

Such poignancy and intimacy were rare from the normally guarded Beatle, who had become lyrically more introspective after falling under the influence of American icon Bob Dylan.

Strawberry Field (no “s”) was a Liverpool orphanage young Lennon

could see from in the trees his upstairs that became their private window. playground The old and a residence was a sprawling sanctuary from annoying 1870 Victorian adults. home set His aunt in wooded Mimi (who grounds and “Strawberry Fields Forever” raised him) converted by The Beatles sometimes the Salvation April 1967 Army in 1936. complained to her nephew about his trespassing The name had come from the rows onto private property. Lennon would of strawberries that grew in the lush retort, “What are they going to do, gardens there. hang me?” From that would later Lennon’s song “Strawberry Fields Forever” (he added the “s” as a come his often-misconstrued lyric line, “Nothing to get hung about.” stylistic choice) took Lennon back to his childhood and carefree summer Lennon called his work “psychoanalysis set to music,” mornings with his friends, who often according to The Beatles: The scaled the orphanage walls to play

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Biography. It featured surreal images that helped him bring his emotional world alive, some lyrics revealing long-suppressed insecurities and feelings of being misunderstood as a child.

“No one I think is in my tree” shows his concern about being above or below everybody else—either a genius (“high”) or a madman (“low”).

With an open-ended recording budget, Martin could grant Lennon the 45 hours he needed to create what would become the most complex Beatles single ever.

Experimentation became the key word as “Fields” developed. Lennon added the sound of a Mellotron, a synthesizer-type machine that played recorded instruments (in this case, flutes).

He also playfully added a little-

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noticed series of Morse code beeps that spell out the letters J and L. George Harrison contributed the sound of a zither-like Indian instrument called a swarmandal.

The song was actually recorded twice, in different keys, tempos, and moods, and with differing

instrumentation, sound loops, and reversed tape sections. This way, Martin managed to create an aural montage by speeding up one tape and slowing down the other, blending both onto a single tape with a distinctive “faraway” sound.

Released as the “B” side to the

more commercial “Penny Lane,” Lennon’s masterpiece became one of the defining works of the psychedelic rock genre and the one of his most personal works. A short promotional film shot for it became one of history’s first music videos and a forerunner of MTV.

Some have deemed “Strawberry Fields Forever” rock’s all-time greatest song. Period.

Randal C. Hill is a rock ’n’ roll historian who lives at the Oregon coast. He may be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

Deal Me In

Player Cries Foul, But Was It?

By Mark Pilarski

Dear Mark: I would like to know how you would have handled this blackjack scenario.

I made my biggest bet of the evening ($100), and the dealer proceeded to deal two cards to each player on the table. Before the first hand was played, the player in the middle position informed the dealer that he only had one card.

The dealer called over the pit boss, and she decided to give that player the option of calling his hand dead or taking the next card.

Not to be a whiner, but what about me? Wouldn’t what happened be considered a misdeal?

Since I was sitting third base, my cards would have been different, and not the 16 that I received and eventually busted on. – Dale L.

Puzzles shown on page 6

Puzzle Solutions

I begin by saying that all players should expect the occasional mistake from a dealer.

Dealers deal 300 hands an hour,

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six hours a day, five shifts weekly, equating to approximately a half million hands of pitching, counting, and paying and taking per year.

No one can do something roughly 500,000 times error free.

Now, Dale, playing referee, I would have handled your circumstance in the following manner, based, of course, on the rules in the multiple casinos where I had worked.

First, the player in the middle position slighted a card would be given the option of either receiving the next card or being allowed to fold

his hand.

Then, with the cards being “out of order,” everyone else would also be given the opportunity of staying in with the two cards they were dealt or calling their hand dead.

What you seldom see in any casino is the cards backed up, nor do you hear the use of the word misdeal.

Misdeals in a casino do happen, but they are typically related to a poker room when cards are dealt without being cut or when cards are dealt out of order, but not on a blackjack table.

Where you can have a legitimate

beef is if different pit bosses, even in the same pit, make contrary decisions.

Calling a particular hand differently confuses players, and that is why most casinos have inch-thick table game manuals with rules and regulations covering every possible situation.

At the particular casino where you played, it’s debatable if you were given a fair shake; it depends if you were given the option to call your hand dead. Their rules and regulations are obviously different from my experiences.

Or possibly, Dale, the size of your wager ($100) not being closer to the table minimum was the deciding factor. I’ve seen this played both ways, based more on the fear of players being in cahoots with each other than over a dealer error.

Nevertheless, the joints where I worked allowed some leeway when it came to a scenario such as yours. please see FOUL page 19

Brainteasers

Major Movie Titles of the ’60s 1. Midnight Cowboy 2. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner 3. The Graduate 4. Goldfinger 5. The Manchurian Candidate Singers of the Top Songs of the ’50s 1. “The Tennessee Waltz,” 1950 – Patti Page 2. “Be My Love,” 1950 – Mario Lanza 3. “Cry,” 1951 – Johnnie Ray 4. “Any Time,” 1952 – Eddie Fisher 5. “I Believe,” 1953 – Frankie Laine

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BUCKET LIST from page 7 folk clubs and attics of Chinese restaurants. Millennial jokes may fall flat on me, but I am there to study the art of comedy. I pay attention to the standup’s material and the timing of the comic’s joke delivery.

Finally, I study the demeanor of the comic. Is he or she nerdish, cerebral, frat boyish, acerbic, etc.? I realize that the comic has to throw these aspects into a blender and come up with either a solid, comic cocktail or else risk “bombing or dying on stage.”

I invest in this critical analysis partially to be a comedy connoisseur, but truthfully, another goal is to springboard my own open-mic debut in some future century. Standup is no easy gig. I have seen too many comedians fail with decent material, including big names who have not polished new bits.

Indeed, the specter of melting on stage dissuades me from even sitting down and developing a five-minute set of jokes and contemplating a stage

persona. Every time my quips at Passover seders fall as flat as matzah or when I can’t merit top banana at friends’ dinner parties, visions of “killing them” at comedy clubs vanish.

I have not, though, eliminated standup from my bucket list. I just need to crawl toward the open mic, instead of blindly hurdling over obstacles and inebriates.

To this end, I am starting with my Toastmasters Club. I have taken

on the challenge of completing the Humorously Speaking manual, which prescribes five humorous speeches.

This should be in front of a friendly, sober audience.

Maybe then I can come away with five minutes of material, which I can parley into a Toastmasters humorousspeech contest routine. Then maybe I will audition for open mic night, or if not, execute Plan B, where I wax comedic to empty stools at a Tahitian tiki bar.

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FOUL from page 17 My approach was to always try to render a solution in the player’s favor, figuring, Dale, that the casino would most likely recoup any player’s winnings within a hand or two.

Dear Mark: I have always been curious as to how often the dealer busts. What is the average amount of times that it happens? – Skip B. How often the dealer busts, Skip, is dependent on his or her up-card.

Excluding having a “natural 21,” if the dealer is showing a seven through an ace, he or she will bust 17 percent of the time.

If the up-card is a two through a six, then the dealer will bust approximately 42 percent of the time.

Overall, the dealer will bust about 28 percent of the time considering all possible dealer up-cards.

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LUCKY from page 3 Dear Bob, CONGRATULATIONS from Game Show Network, LLC, on winning the Winsanity Sweepstakes.

The components of your grand prize include: • one (1) $100 Chicago Steaks gift card • $5,000 cash (awarded as a check) They asked for an affidavit of eligibility and publicity/liability release, a copy of his picture identification card (his license), his W-9 form, and his tax compliance form.

“I’m deleting this!” I said.

But Bob stopped me. “I did play Winsanity.”

Winsanity is a game show on TV. To play, one watches the show live, sees the questions, and logs in to answer them on a cellphone.

“You’re going to give them our W-9 form? They’ll have our Social Security number and God knows what else.

Our banking information? They’ll steal our identity!”

I replied to the email, “I’d like proof that you really are GSN.” They replied with the address of Game Show Network, along with the GSN website. Now, you know, anyone can send that address and website. www.50plusLifePA.com

I couldn’t talk Bob out of it. He sent in everything they requested.

Their next email read, “There is one additional document we’ll need you to sign. It’s a tax compliance form.”

On that form, we were told we’d need to send them money first.

“The winner must pay California income tax in the amount of $357 before the prize can be released.”

I replied that we would not send them money.

Amazingly enough, we received a gift card for $100 for the steaks.

Weeks later, Bob handed me an envelope from the mail. The return address was from Game Show Network. His hands shook as he painstakingly slowly opened the envelope.

Inside was a check for $5,000.

He was ecstatic. “I won $5,000!”

Still suspicious, I said, “Honey, I know you’re thrilled, but let’s wait for it to clear.”

It cleared the next day.

“What do you want to do with the money?” I said. “Give some to charity? Take a vacation?”

He used $10 of it buying 10 scratch tickets. He won $170.

Award-winning, nationally syndicated columnist Saralee Perel can be reached at sperel@saraleeperel.com or via her website: www.saraleeperel.com

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