September 2018 | Fifty Plus Richmond by The Beacon Newspapers

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SEPTEMBER 2018 — FIFTYPLUS

A lack of trust (fund) Two questions arise from a recent article require an additional $416 billion from taxfrom the Associated Press that begins: “An payers or other government borrowing. For comparison, last year’s entire unexpected weakening in the federal budget deficit was $668 finances of Social Security and billion. Medicare...” One might object, and point First, what’s unexpected out that this additional $418 bilabout it? (Answer: it’s only unlion is actually coming out of the expected if you haven’t been Social Security and Medicare paying attention.) “trust funds.” Those are the And second, has this refunds that have been “collecting” ported “weakening” become the Social Security and Medicare such a common alarm from the payroll taxes that have exceeded annual report of the Social Sethe annual costs of the programs curity and Medicare Trustees FROM THE since the payroll rates were rethat it seems like they are cry- PUBLISHER ing wolf? By Stuart P. Rosenthal vised back during the Reagan administration. You tell me. I’ve written A trust fund sounds reassuring, at first blush. about the inevitable and growing problems with the programs frequently over the last 15 If you or I were lucky enough to have one, we’d years or so. But I still don’t see any action know we could draw on the assets they confrom Congress, or even hear any complaints tained and spend away. But the government’s so-called trust funds from members of the public. are simply Treasury Bills owed to one branch Why should anyone complain? For one thing, according to this year’s of the government by another branch of the Trustee report, in 2018, Social Security and same government. As I’ve explained in a number of prior Medicare — which were designed to be payas-you-go programs, bringing in annual rev- columns over the years, the excess payroll enues sufficient to cover annual costs — will taxes collected in those boom years were ac-

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Editorial Mission: Fifty Plus is dedicated to providing readers with accurate information, professional guidance, and useful resources. Our publication is intended to both reflect and enhance fifty-plus lifestyles, and to encourage reader dialogue and input. Fifty Plus is published monthly and distributed free of charge. The advertising deadline is the 20th of each month for the upcoming issue. The entire contents of Fifty Plus are ©2018, The Beacon Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means without the express written consent of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed by writers and columnists do not necessarily represent those of Fifty Plus or its staff.

Publisher/Editor: ........................Stuart Rosenthal Vice President, Operations: ..........Gordon Hasenei Vice President, Sales and Marketing: ..Alan Spiegel Managing Editor: ..........................Barbara Ruben Assistant Editor: ..........................Rebekah Alcalde Art Director: ....................................Kyle Gregor y Director of Operations: ........................Roger King Advertising Representative: ......Barbara Koscielski

tually fully spent at the time, just as if they were part of the government’s general taxpayer revenues. That’s because our government doesn’t have a way to “put money aside” for a rainy day other than to issue promissory notes that are IOUs to itself. Each year with a surplus, the government effectively said, “I’ll take this extra taxpayer money and use it to fund other programs (or to reduce this particular year’s deficit), and will promise myself to cover any shortfalls in future years to the extent I borrowed the money now.” Furthermore, since the surplus is held in the form of special Treasury bonds, they “earn interest,” meaning the government agrees to pay itself interest each year on what it owes to itself. Isn’t that nice? It not only obligates future generations to pay back the money spent in earlier years, but adds interest to the obligation. Of course, we fully expect the government to make good on these promises, and it no doubt will. But the only way to do so, as the Trustees’ June report says, is “through some combination of increased taxation, reductions in other government spending, or additional borrowing from the public.” Let’s think about that for a moment. This year, it means we need either to raise taxes (which of course Congress has just done the opposite of, lowering taxes through last

year’s tax bill), reduce other government spending (also a joke, given the increases in defense and other spending that the administration and Congress have been calling for), or increase the federal debt by an additional $416 billion. Higher debt levels will most likely also be the outcome in each of the coming years that the trust funds are “tapped.” You might ask, how much money are we talking about? The four separate funds that constitute the Social Security and Medicare trust funds currently total $3.18 trillion. These obligations — and they are obligations — will be putting extreme pressure on annual budgets and future deficits for years and years to come. And even when those trust fund obligations are paid off, Social Security and Medicare will still not be in a position to pay all the benefits promised to future retirees. The Trustee’s report notes that Medicare’s “projected insolvency” will occur in 2026 (just 8 years away), and Social Security’s in 2034 (16 years). This all raises at least two more questions: Was this situation inevitable? (no) and What can or should we do about it now? Stay tuned. I’ll address these in my column next month. Please let your anger percolate in the meantime!

Letters to the editor Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in Fifty Plus as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to Fifty Plus, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or e-mail to info@fiftyplusrichmond.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification. Dear Editor: When my daughter returns from the grocery store waving the new Fifty Plus, it’s a treat! At age 97, I may be a bit beyond 50, but I thoroughly enjoy the articles your paper provides. And there is the bonus, too: It’s free! Thank you all at Fifty Plus for your hard work and devotion to bringing this great paper to us older folks! Fran Nunnally Richmond Dear Editor: Thank you for your articles in the July issue: From the Publisher on Alzheimer’s “Would you want to know?” and “Is it safe to use your expired medicines?” Alzheimer’s — yes, I would want to know, so that I could plan my estate downsizing, then long-term care. That was a “lesson learned” when handling this for my late father.

Expiring meds — per my experience, the hard-coated pills work fine for two years afterward. However, the pressed powder pills self-implode like friable asbestos. Donald E. White Ashland Dear Editor: First, let me say thanks for featuring me in your June issue concerning the James River Batteau Festival. Because of that article, I was asked to participate in a radio show, “Baltimore Business Babes,” following Barbara Ruben, Fifty Plus’s managing editor, who was also interviewed. Second, what a fabulous article on Frances Broaddus-Crutchfield and her work with Native Americans (“A voice for the first Virginians,” August)! Y’all are doing some fantastic stories! Gail Timberlake Via e-mail

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Feature Story

Men help each other find their calling

Learning to open up

Harlar has learned through Second Half that everyone enjoys sharing their experiences. “The best way to get to know someone is to ask them to tell their story,” he said. The group members do that when they talk in their small groups, because sharing their experiences helps the men figure out how to approach their own lives and how to discern their own calling. “Sometimes the people who are the least likely to speak up have the most relevant things to say,” Hogate said. They also find ways to connect and share stories one-on-one outside of the group. “Gordon sets the example, and is an incredible leader,” Harlar said. “He has probably invited everyone to coffee.” While meeting together, they have discovered that they each have different gifts. Some may be especially good at calling on others in the hospital, while others, like Hogate, have a knack for spreading the word about the group. One member, who recently passed away, had found his second calling helping to teach history by portraying Abraham Lincoln in schools. “We are all trying to find out what gifts we have, and how to utilize them in retirement rather than sitting around watching TV,” Hogate said.

While the conversations they have help them figure out God’s plan for the rest of their lives, the camaraderie they share encourages them to follow that calling.

“When you have people who hold you accountable,” Harlar said, “that’s a great asset.” See MEN’S MINISTRY, page 5

✃

Sharing their stories

Gordon Prior, foreground, helped create Second Half with a few friends in 2002. Today, nearly 200 men participate in four local Second Half groups. Here, he and others meeting at the St. Giles Presbyterian Church listen to a speaker during a recent meeting.

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Fast-forward 16 years, and now between 150 and 200 men ranging in age from their 50s to their 90s meet every other week at four different locations: St. Giles Presbyterian Church (the original group), West End Assembly of God, Covenant Woods and Urbanna Harbor Yacht Club. Meetings typically begin with a largegroup opening prayer, and then a testimony from a member that typically involves a story about their lives, or a discussion of how they discerned their second-half calling. The large group then splits up into smaller groups, where they discuss a study book and share prayer requests. “It’s a pretty well-known fact that women are more skilled at the art of communication than are we men,” said William Hogate, one of the original members of Second Half. “However, the retired men of Second Half have turned that notion on its head.” As he explains, the small groups use their study book as a jumping-off point to discuss how it relates to their own lives, giving them a chance to reflect on what they have done and still hope to do.

“Sharing thoughts and feelings with other retired men has never been the stated objective for Second Half,” said Hogate. “But it has become a natural part of the culture of the group.” Hogate worked a number of jobs before retiring, and he came to Christianity later in life. He kept coming back to Second Half, though, because he liked the group’s mission, which he explains as being “to seek a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, and try to understand and to follow His plan for the rest of our lives. We also seek a deeper relationship with each other through Christian fellowship,” he said. Those deeper relationships have provided an invaluable source of support for the members, especially Prior, whose wife of 62 years passed away just months ago. “The group has given me such support and strength during my grieving process,” Prior said. Retired physician John Harlar has also found it helpful to talk to other men about how they cope with this stage of life. “It’s unusual for men to have meetings like this, where you come together and share your innermost thoughts, fears and needs, especially in a group setting,” he said.

PHOTO BY DAN CURRIER

By Catherine Brown In the book Halftime: From Success to Significance, author Bob Buford compares life to the game of football. As he explains, your success in the second half of your life depends on your halftime strategy. That idea guides a group of retired men who gather twice a month in locations around Richmond to plot out the second halves of their lives. Gordon Prior ran a busy dentistry practice for many years, often working 50 to 60 hours a week. When he retired in 2001, he thought, “Wow, I’m going to have all this free time.” A man of faith, Prior wanted to make the most of that time, and figure out what God had planned for him in this second half of life. “I thought there were probably other people with the same thoughts,” he said. Providentially, perhaps, one of Prior’s dental patients was Buddy Childress — a local businessman who created Needle’s Eye Ministries, an interdenominational nonprofit organization that has ministered to Richmond’s professional community for the past 40 years. Prior and Childress prayed about how to move forward, and in 2002, they and two other men met to discuss the book Halftime. Through that meeting, they ended up developing the group Second Half — a small group ministry that is part of Needle’s Eye.

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Fitness &

Health

PROMISING ALZHEIMER’S DRUG Experimental drug appears to slow cognitive decline, eliminate plaques PERCHANCE TO DREAM How common prescription medications can affect dreams and nightmares SILENCE ISN’T GOLDEN Giving the silent treatment to your spouse during a fight isn’t productive BONE UP ON OSTEOPOROSIS Taking simple steps to strengthen and protect bones can help prevent osteoporosis

Tailoring healthcare for older patients By Eleanor Laise When you visit a doctor’s office, hospital or nursing home, what determines the type of care you receive? That’s the question Dr. Muriel Gillick, professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School, explores in Old and Sick in America: The Journey Through the Healthcare System (University of North Carolina Press, $30). All too often, Gillick argues, treatment decisions reflect the priorities of doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and Medicare — not patients’ best interests. In this edited conversation, Gillick talks about how patients and their families can get better care. Q: What are the biggest ways that medical care for older patients is falling short? A: I see the biggest problems for the sickest people — people we call frail, who have multiple chronic illnesses and have difficulty being independent. Our system is not well designed to handle those people. Q: Why is that? A: Often, what people who are frail need is coordination of care — what’s called “high

touch” rather than high tech care. But our system is designed to provide technologically intensive, hospital-based care, and that’s often not what’s in the best interest of this group of people. Q: How can older patients find higherquality care? A: For someone who is frail and has multiple chronic conditions, a good place to start is to have a geriatrically oriented primarycare physician. [He or she] doesn’t have to be a board-certified geriatrician, but someone who has expertise and interest in older people with complex diseases. One way you can figure out if they have that interest is if they have a nurse practitioner and social workers working with them to coordinate care and deal with all these aspects of illness. And ask for a geriatric assessment if you feel that the doctor isn’t addressing a lot of the problems you or a family member is experiencing. Q: What is a comprehensive geriatric assessment, and what should patients expect from it?

A: In addition to thinking about specific diseases in a conventional medical way, it looks at people’s functioning. Can you get out of a chair by yourself, bathe yourself, navigate the hall, take a bus or call for a cab? And what interventions might make it feasible for you to do those things? Would a cane, a walker, or a device to make your telephone louder help? Another part of a geriatric assessment is looking at cognitive ability. It’s important to look at mobility, function and cognition, and put them all together. Q: Let’s talk about the hospital. You write about certain experiences, such as being on a ventilator, that may be burdensome for patients and best avoided if they’re not likely to provide a benefit. What’s your advice to patients on avoiding unwanted treatments or procedures in the hospital? A: I’m not talking about depriving people of things that are likely to be helpful or that they may genuinely desire. But for a lot of people, particularly with advanced conditions, the de-

gree of benefit for some of these more-invasive procedures is likely to be small, and the degree of suffering may be great. Ask, “What good will this do me? Why are you proposing this test? What is the alternative? What are the risks of this procedure?” At a more general level, advance care planning is a useful approach. Ideally before you get to the hospital, talk about the big picture of your illness and what your overall goals are. Q: What’s your advice for patients and their families on evaluating skilled-nursing facilities? A: There are ratings; Nursing Home Compare is one that Medicare provides [www.medicare.gov/nhcompare]. Word of mouth is still a very potent source of information. And accessibility for family members is very important. If you’re looking at two places that have comparable care, it’s really important for it to be someplace family and friends can visit. © 2018, Kiplinger. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Get help finding the best Medicare plans By Barbara Ruben and Rachel L. Sheedy Each autumn brings open enrollment season for Medicare, where beneficiaries can choose either a new Medicare Advantage Plan or a Part D prescription drug plan if they would like to change providers for the coming year. Such changes can be made this year between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7. Because Medicare recipients’ medical needs and Part D plans both may change, it’s a good idea to review all your options before the deadline. Watch your mailbox for your current plan’s Annual Notice of Change. It should arrive around the end of September, and will indicate any 2019 changes to the cost and coverage of your current plan. Pay particular attention to changes in drug formularies (the list of particular drugs covered by your insurance), drug pricing tiers,

and co-pays for the drugs you take. For instance, “a drug in a lower tier with a $5 co-pay might be shifted to a different tier with a $10 or $20 co-pay,” said Brandy Bauer, communications manager for the National Council on Aging. One of your drugs could even be dropped from the plan, meaning you will have to pay the full cost if you want to keep taking it.

Free assistance is available One way to sort through the confusing thicket of plans, tiers, copays and more is to enlist the help of the Virginia Insurance and Counseling Program (VICAP) run by Senior Connections, the Capital Area Agency on Aging. Trained volunteer counselors answer Medicare questions and help seniors and caregivers understand and compare Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, Medicare supplement

(Medigap) insurance, long-term care insurance and more. Their services are free and confidential.

How to do it yourself You can also try to find the best plan for you on your own with the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov. Type in your Zip code, the drugs you take and the dosages. The online tool will calculate your total costs (premiums plus out-of-pocket costs for your drugs) for each plan available in your area. When weighing your options, these three C’s are critical: costs, coverage and convenience. These three can intertwine. You may prefer to pick up your prescriptions at your local pharmacy, for instance, but getting prescriptions by mail could be cheaper. You may also run into plans that use step therapy, in which you have to try a generic

first before you can go to a brand-name drug. In comparing plans, consider your out-ofpocket drug costs as well as monthly premiums, because some plans may offer low premiums but require higher out-of-pocket costs. Also look at co-pays, particularly for retail pharmacy networks.

Medicare Advantage Plans People shopping for Medicare Advantage Plans need to pay attention not only to drug costs and coverage but also to provider networks (the doctors on the plan). These plans are offered by private companies approved by Medicare. Most include a drug benefit. Unlike traditional Medicare, Advantage plans have limited provider networks — and some networks are narrower than others. If See MEDICARE PLANS, page 5

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Men’s ministry From page 5

All faiths welcome The men of Second Half focus on deepening relationships through Christian fellowship, but they welcome anyone who wants to join their group, regardless of faith. “For the most part, we are Christians,” Prior said, “but we don’t try to convert members.” One of their members is Leonard Levenberg, a self-described “Jew from Brooklyn.” Levenberg, who worked in the medical diagnostic field and in the heating and oil business, first participated in Needle’s Eye Ministries at the encouragement of a friend. About five years ago, Levenberg got to

Medicare plans From page 4 you have certain doctors you like and want to continue using, check to see if their services will be covered — and what your costs would be if they aren’t in a particular plan’s network. Also, some Advantage plans offer coverage that traditional Medicare doesn’t, such as for vision and dental care, or hearing aids. Com-

know Prior, whom he describes as having indefatigable enthusiasm. When Prior asked him to join his small group, Levenberg couldn’t say no. “How do you say no to a guy that enthusiastic?” Levenberg asked. Although Levenberg was apprehensive that they would try to convert him, the group at Second Half surprised him.“They were welcoming,” he said. “They had different ideas, but they didn’t try to change mine.” Nonetheless, after a couple of years of polite debate, he did convert. Levenberg now serves the group as their health advocate, updating prayer request lists and reporting to the group when members become sick.

Helping others While fellowship and prayer are imporpare those extras as well. To reach VICAP, call (804) 343-3014 and leave your question or a brief description of your problem, along with your name and phone number. A counselor will contact you in the order in which your call was received. If you would like a VICAP speaker for a group, email vicap@youraaa.org. Rachel L. Sheedy writes for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, from which part of this article is taken.

Tell them you saw it in Fifty Plus!

tant facets of Second Half, finding opportunities to serve has also played an important role. “We never set out to be a service organization like Kiwanis or Ruritan,” said Prior. “But there are so many things being done.” One member, for instance, developed a program to visit nursing home residents who don’t often get visitors. Members of Second Half also take turns visiting St. Giles church member Chris Tompkins, who became a near quadriplegic — with only limited movement in his hands and arms — after a bike accident almost 10 years ago. The group members have set up a schedule for two men to visit Tomkins five days a week,

and to stretch and massage his fingers. “Chris is so loving and appreciative, and has so much wisdom,” Levenberg said. “You end up feeling wonderful after spending time with him.” For Harlar, the biggest benefit to the group is that it helps him realize life does not end when a person stops working. “So many people become depressed in retirement, perhaps because they didn’t accomplish all of their goals,” Harlar said. “In the second half, we can do things that may be even more important than our careers.” To learn more about Second Half, see http://bit.ly/second-half-ministry, email Jmaroon@needleseye.org, or call (804) 358-1283.

Fitness & Health | www.FiftyPlusRichmond.com

Health Shorts Drug may slow Alzheimer’s disease Hopes are rising again for a drug to alter the course of Alzheimer’s disease after decades of failures. An experimental therapy slowed mental decline by 30 percent in patients who got the highest dose in a midstage study, and it removed much of the sticky plaque gumming up their brains, the drug’s makers said recently. The results have been highly anticipated and have sent the stock of the two companies involved soaring in recent weeks. The drug from Eisai and Biogen did not meet its main goal in a study of 856 participants, so overall, it was considered a flop. But company officials said that 161 people who got the highest dose every two weeks for 18 months did significantly better than 245 people who were given a dummy treatment. There are lots of caveats about the work, which was led by company scientists rather than academic researchers, and was not reviewed by outside experts. The study also was too small to be definitive, and the results need to be confirmed with more work, de-

mentia experts said. But they welcomed any glimmer of success after multiple failures. “We’re cautiously optimistic,” said Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, whose international conference in Chicago featured the results. “A 30 percent slowing of decline is something I would want my family member to have,” and the drug’s ability to clear the brain plaques “looks pretty amazing,” she said. Study participants were given one of five doses of BAN2401 or a dummy treatment via IV. After one year, the companies said the drug didn’t meet statistical goals. But after 18 months, they saw a benefit in the highest dose group. On one traditional measure of thinking skills, those at the highest dose declined 47 percent less than people given a dummy treatment. Brain scans added evidence that the drug might be effective. All participants had signs of the sticky plaques that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s at the start of the study, but 81 percent of people on the highest dose saw all signs of them disappear after 18 months, an Eisai official said.

Ultrasound opens blood-brain barrier The so-called blood-brain barrier prevents

SEPTEMBER 2018 — FIFTYPLUS

germs and other damaging substances from leaching in through the bloodstream — but it can block drugs for Alzheimer’s, brain tumors and other neurologic diseases, too. A handful of Alzheimer’s patients signed up for a bold experiment: They let scientists beam sound waves into their brain to temporarily jiggle an opening in its protective shield. Scientists have long tried different strategies to overcome the blood-brain barrier with little success. The brain’s blood vessels are lined with cells that form tight junctions, almost like a zipper. The barrier lets in select small molecules. Often, treatments for brain diseases are too big to easily pass. The new approach: Scientists inject microscopic bubbles into the bloodstream. Through an MRI scanner, they aim at a precise brain area. Then they beam ultrasound waves through a helmet-like device to that spot. The pulses of energy make the microbubbles vibrate, loosening those zipper-like junctions in hopes that medications could slip inside. Canadian researchers reported early hints that the technology can safely poke holes in that barrier — holes that quickly sealed back up. It’s a step toward one day using the noninvasive device to push brain treatments through. This first-step research, conducted in just six people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, checked if patients’ fragile blood vessels could

withstand the breach without bleeding or other side effects. It didn’t test potential therapies. More safety testing is needed, but “it’s definitely promising,” said Dr. Eliezer Masliah of the National Institute on Aging, who wasn’t involved with the study. “What is remarkable is that they could do it in a very focused way, they can target a very specific brain region.” Alzheimer’s isn’t the only target. A similar safety study is underway in Lou Gehrig’s disease. And researchers are testing if the tool helps more chemotherapy reach the right spot in people with a deadly brain tumor called glioblastoma.

Coffee may boost longevity Go ahead and have that cup of coffee, maybe even several more. New research shows it may boost chances for a longer life, even for those who down eight cups or more daily. In a study of nearly half-a-million British adults, coffee drinkers had a slightly lower risk of death than abstainers. The apparent longevity boost was seen with instant, ground and decaffeinated, results that echo U.S. research. Overall, coffee drinkers were about 10 to 15 percent less likely to die than abstainers See HEALTH SHORTS, page 9

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MONDAYS, Sept. 17 - Nov. 5, at St. Luke Lutheran Church 7757 Chippenham Parkway 9:45-10:45 Intermediate French Intermediate German Conversation Genealogy for Beginners Travelogue and History Topics History, Politics & Current Events 11:00-12:00 The Evolution of the Alphabet Opera Spanish 101 History, Current Events & Religion

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12:30-1:15 Lunch Speakers 9/17 The 2018 Congressional Elections in Virginia and the Nation: Dan Palazzolo 9/24 What’s Good About Aging in Virginia: Edward F. Ansello 10/1 Puerto Rico Before and After Hurricane Maria: Rex Springston, Kathy Springston and Rosita Cruz 10/8 Richmond’s Top Ten Best-in-theNation Art Things: John Bryan 10/15 Avoiding Cons, Scams, and Identity Theft: Susan Campbell 10/22 Longevity and Happiness: Jane Berry 10/29 Hallowed Haunts of Poe: Alyson Taylor-White 11/5 The Jewish Foundation for Social Justice: Rabbi Gary Creditor

THURSDAYS, Sept. 20 - Nov. 8, at First Presbyterian Church 4602 Cary Street Road 9:45-10:45 Intermediate German World War I Intermediate Spanish Introduction to Latin U.S. Constitution, History & Politics 11:00-12:00 A Musical Potpourri The Joys of Reading Latin Great & Unusual Churches Literature Topics

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12:30-1:15 Lunch Speakers 9/20 Richmond’s Legal Giants: Oliver Hill, Spottswood Robinson, and the Assault on Jim Crow: Margaret Edds 9/27 Maymont: A Gilded Age Estate: Kathy Alcaine 10/4 William Styron: His Works and Why They Elevate Him As One of the Great 20th Century Writers: Lewis Lawson 10/11 The Nature Conservancy: Land, Water, Life: Nikki Rovner 10/18 In Search of America: From Hamilton to the National Parks: Patricia Herrera 10/25 Bats: Be Afraid: Bonnie Miles 11/1 Coptic Iconography: Vienna Cobb-Anderson 11/8 The Richmond Restaurant Scene: Where We Are Today, Where We Started, and Where We Go Next: Karri Peifer

Lunch and Life A FREE lecture series. Open to the public. Pre-registration not required. Presented in partnership with St. Mary Catholic Church.

Wednesdays, Sept. 19 - Oct. 10, at St. Mary Catholic Church 9505 Gayton Road

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12:30 - 1:15 Speakers Flights of Fancy: Stories, Conversations and Life Travels Randy Fitzgerald & Barbara Fitzgerald 9/19 Values of Athletic Participation Robert (Bobby) Ross 9/26 The Lee Monument and Its Sculptor, Antonin Mercié Joseph Knox 10/3 The Extremes of Virginia: Two Commonwealths, Separated and Unequal August Wallmeyer 10/10

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SEPTEMBER 2018 — FIFTYPLUS

In your dreams: the effect of medications By Suzy Cohen Sleeping is one of the great pleasures in life, unless you have bad dreams or nightmares. Then it can be pure misery. Most of us do dream during sleep, In fact, we have about 100,000 dreams during the average lifetime. But most of us don’t remember our dreams. Statistics say that within five or ten minutes of waking up, about 90 percent of your dreams are forgotten, unless you write them down right after waking. Luckily, a man named Larry Page remembered his dream. He was a 23-year-old computer scientist who woke up from a dream wondering if there was a way to “download the web” and rank web pages by inbound links. He went on to become a co-founder of Google! Now 45 years old, Page has a net worth according to Forbes of $52 billion. Talk about making money when you sleep! Here are some facts about dreaming that you may be interested in. Anxiety is the most common emotion felt during dreams. You might experience it as falling, flying, or feeling unprepared or humiliated in your dream. You might become incapable of movement during a vivid dream. That’s because dreams tend to occur during the REM phase of sleep.

During this time, characterized by rapid eye movements (hence REM), your muscles go into a mild state of paralysis so that dreaming can occur safely. This prevents us from acting out, and running or jumping out a window if we’re chased in a dream. If you lose your sight later in life, you can still dream visually like when you had your eyesight. Those who were born blind may not dream in realistic images, but can still dream and experience sounds, touch sensations and emotions during their dream state. Those of us who grew up with black and white TVs tend to dream mostly in black and white. It’s not that you can’t dream in color. It’s just that more dreams are in black and white than in color if you’re older. I can’t explain why, but it’s been proven. Dogs dream. You will often hear them whimper or see their paws twitching. When this happens, it is believed they are running in their dreams. Here are how some common medications can affect your dreams: Acid reflux drugs Heartburn medications such as ranitidine (Zantac) and famotidine (Pepcid), used to treat heartburn, can sometimes induce vivid dreams and nightmares. So can allergy drugs like diphenhydramine.

Antidepressants Antidepressants such as fluoxetine and paroxetine increase serotonin and may trigger intense or disturbing dreams that seem to go on all night. Antihistamines Think of Benadryl, an allergy drug that is relabeled and sold as a sleep aid. It can definitely help one sleep, but it can also cause vivid dreaming and, in rare instances, sleep walking. Antihistamines suppress cholinergic compounds in the body, leading to dryness. They also interfere with REM sleep. Asthma If you have asthma or obstructive airway disease, you are more likely to have bad dreams. And if you take medications to treat it, this increases the risk of vivid dreams and nightmares even further. Some research was done on montelukast (Singulair), and there appears to be a link between this drug and nightmares, especially in children. Please do not stop medication for this condition. Just be aware of the possible side effects, and more compassionate to your child if they wake in the wee hours with a bad dream. Blood pressure drugs Blood pressure pills interfere with sleep. There is well-documented evidence that drugs

in this category can trigger nightmares, and this side effect alone often causes people to seek other treatments. Melatonin Some sleep supplements containing melatonin might trigger unpleasant or bizarre dreams. If that happens, take a break from the melatonin, because the dose might be too high. Remember, your body also makes melatonin, so supplementing has an additive effect. Sleeping pills Prescription sedative hypnotics, Z drugs and benzodiazepines also induce vivid dreaming and nightmares. These are block-buster pharmaceuticals aimed at putting you to sleep, and they suppress SWS (slow wave sleep), thereby inducing dreams. Ironically, withdrawal from these medications can also induce dreaming and even nightmares for a period of time. For a longer version of this article, see my website. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

804-355-3013 1620 N. Hamilton Street Richmond, VA 23230

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FIFTYPLUS — SEPTEMBER 2018

Easy, make-ahead bean and corn salad By Katie Workman This is one of those salads that just saves the day over and over again. Here are the reasons I love this salad: It’s fast, it’s really easy, it’s inexpensive, it’s crowd-pleasing, it’s vegetarian, it’s substantial, it’s colorful, it’s protein-filled, it’s a meal in itself, it looks great on a buffet, it’s super portable, it’s season-less, it’s make-ahead, it’s flexible, it can be doubled or tripled (or halved, but that’s not so much the point of this big-batch salad). I could keep going, but if you’re not convinced by now, I think you probably aren’t going to be.

Southwestern black bean and corn salad

Health shorts

search and add additional reassurance for coffee drinkers. “It’s hard to believe that something we enjoy so much could be good for us. Or at least not be bad,” Lichtenstein said. The study was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. It’s not clear exactly how drinking coffee might affect longevity. Lead author Erikka Loftfield, a researcher at the U.S. National Cancer Institute, said coffee contains more than 1,000 chemical compounds including antioxidants,

From page 6 during a decade of follow-up. Differences by amount of coffee consumed and genetic variations were minimal. The results don’t prove your coffee pot is a fountain of youth, nor are they a reason for abstainers to start drinking coffee, said Alice Lichtenstein, a Tufts University nutrition expert who was not involved in the research. But she said the results reinforce previous re-

1 cup chopped red or yellow onions 3 bell peppers, seeded and diced (red, yellow, orange, or a combination) 2 Haas avocados, diced

Dressing:

To Serve (optional):

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Coarse or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup thinly sliced scallions 1 cup crumbled feta cheese In a small container, combine the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, onions and peppers. Shake up the dressing, pour it over the salad and toss to combine. Sprinkle the scallions and/or the feta over the top if desired, and toss again, or put them out for people to add to their salad as they wish.

If you want to serve it right away, gently mix in the avocado. If you have time, this salad is better if you make it a day ahead, refrigerate it, and then just add the avocado right before serving. Nutrition information per serving: 114 calories; 50 calories from fat; 6 g. fat (1 g. saturated; 0 g. trans fats); 0 mg. cholesterol; 112 mg. sodium; 15 g. carbohydrate; 5 g. fiber; 3 g. sugar; 4 g. protein. Katie Workman has written two cookbooks focused on easy, family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at http://www.themom100.com/ about-katie-workman. She can be reached at — AP Katie@themom100.com.

which help protect cells from damage. Other studies have suggested that substances in coffee may reduce inflammation and improve how the body uses insulin, which

can reduce chances for developing diabetes. Loftfield said efforts to explain the potential longevity benefit are continuing. — AP

Servings: 10 Start to finish: 20 minutes

Salad: 2 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed 2 cups cooked corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

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SEPTEMBER 2018 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; FIFTYPLUS

Drop the silent treatment for a fair fight Dear Solutions: When my wife and I have a disagreement, I keep my temper by not talking any more. She says I give her the silent treatment to punish her. I do this to keep from yelling at her and to end the argument. If I tell her this, it just starts another fight. How can I ever end the fighting? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Warren Dear Warren: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m afraid your silent â&#x20AC;&#x153;treatmentâ&#x20AC;? will never lead to a cure! Silence keeps a fight going because nothing gets resolved. Besides, unless youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re as disci-

plined as a monk, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to keep keeping your mouth shut for long. Try a talking cure instead. Fight fair. Say how you feel or are affected by something without accusing her. Be willing to compromise. Silence is not golden if it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a pay-off. Dear Solutions: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m widowed, and friends are going to introduce me to some single men they know. Is it alright if I ask a man what his income is when I meet him so I can find out if heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financially stable? Will he think Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a gold digger? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Caren

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Sept. 17+

PICKLEBALL Join a Pickleball league (Rotation Play), which meets Monday to

Friday, Sept. 17 to Dec. 31 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Stonebridge Recreation Center, 230 Karl Linn Dr., North Chesterfield. This fast-growing sport is a combination of tennis, badminton and ping-pong played on a badminton-sized court. The group plays Rotation Play, which is organized play where players line their paddles up. Space is limited on the mezzanine to one court and one dink court. For more information or to register, call (804) 748-1623 and use course #33923.

Dear Caren: want to return the whole thing. My husCongratulations. Nobody knows what the band says sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just being generous. perfect turn-on is, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve cerIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m furious at both of tainly come up with the perfect them. Should I return the turn-off! things? Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ask because he certainly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Selma wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell. Dear Selma: If you get to know a little What you really want to reabout him â&#x20AC;&#x201D; slowly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll turn is your mother-in-law! probably find out what kind of She wants to take title to work he does, and that should your children. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re angry at give you a clue about his inher effort to control your famcome. ily. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re angry at the implied What will you answer when SOLUTIONS criticism of your taste. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re he asks about your income? Will By Helen Oxenberg, angry at your husband because you think heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a â&#x20AC;&#x153;gold diggerâ&#x20AC;?? heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s defending his mother. MSW, ACSW Dear Solutions: Give her the benefit of the Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m writing about my mother-in-law, doubt. Tell her you appreciate her generosity, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a senior, so I hope you can help and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sure sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll understand that you me. look forward to the pleasure of picking out I have one daughter who is going to go clothing yourself for your first child. to nursery school soon. Let mother-in-law stay: let husband stay; My mother-in-law used to live out of return clothing. state, but she moved close by. She bought ÂŠ Helen Oxenberg, 2018. Questions to a whole wardrobe of clothing for my be considered for this column may be daughter, saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to nursery sent to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, school soon, so she has to be dressed Silver Spring, MD 20915. You may also email properly.â&#x20AC;? the author at helox72@comcast.net. To inIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very upset because I see it as a quire about reprint rights, call (609) 655criticism of the way I dress my child. I 3684.

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FIFTYPLUS — SEPTEMBER 2018

Simple steps to build stronger bones Q: Osteoporosis is fairly common in my consume 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily. family. Is there anything I can do to pre- For men, doctors recommend 1,000 mg. of vent this from happening to calcium daily for those 70 and me? I don’t want to have a fall younger; 1,200 mg. a day for and break a bone. men older than 70. A: Bones are made of living Milk and other dairy prodtissue that is constantly being ucts are great sources of calremodeled. Some bone cells cium. Your diet already may build up new bone material, give you sufficient quantities of while others dissolve and recalcium, so speak with your move old material. doctor or pharmacist before Osteoporosis occurs when starting a calcium supplement. bones lose more mass than they Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps gain during the remodeling DR. RX your body absorb calcium. Your process. body’s vitamin D requirement is By Kayla Sheets While genetics play a major 600 international units (IUs) role in the development of osdaily for adults through age 70, teoporosis, there are steps you can take to and 800 IUs daily if you are over 70. prevent its development. Ideally, this should come from your diet. Believe it or not, you don’t have to take any Great food sources of vitamin D include medications to build stronger bones. Instead, salmon, tuna, eggs, and foods specifically formake some simple lifestyle changes you can tified with vitamin D (such as milk and some begin today. types of orange juice). If you’re concerned you For starters, ensure you’re getting proper aren’t getting enough, you should speak with nutrients by eating a diet rich in calcium, vi- your doctor before starting a supplement. tamin D, fruits, vegetables and protein. And Activity: It’s important to have an active avoid smoking and heavy alcohol intake, as lifestyle involving weight-bearing activities, these can increase your risk of developing os- such as walking, jogging, hiking, tennis and teoporosis. dancing. These activities help your bones and Calcium: Postmenopausal women should muscles stay strong.

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Thirty minutes of exercise three to four times per week is recommended. However, everyone is different. Know your limits. Speak with your doctor to determine an exercise regimen that’s best for you. Stay safe: If you or a loved one is at high risk for osteoporosis, falls are one of the biggest concerns. Due to the frailty of bones, even a relatively short fall from a standing position can cause a breakage and lead to serious complications. Here are some simple ways to reduce the risk of falling: • Remove/minimize tripping hazards in your home, such as unnecessary rugs or furniture in high traffic areas. • Install handrails on stairs.

• Install grab rails and non-slip bath mats in the bathroom. • Make sure you have good lighting. • Speak with your doctor or pharmacist if you think one of your medications is making you dizzy or drowsy. These small changes could have a big impact on your health. If you feel these steps are not enough, have a conversation with your doctor or pharmacist about your risk for osteoporosis and other options available for your individualized needs. Kayla Sheets is a fourth-year Pharm.D. student at VCU School of Pharmacy. She majored in biology at the University of Virginia. Her areas of interest are internal medicine and critical care.

M A R K YO U R CAL EN DA R

Ongoing

SUICIDE AWARENESS Chesterfield is holding Mental Health Support Services to prepare to

launch their new suicide awareness campaign. This year’s campaign focuses on veterans, and connecting veterans and their friends and families to necessary suicide prevention resources. For more information, visit www.chesterfield.gov/preventsuicide or contact Melissa Ackley at AckleyM@chesterfield.gov or (804) 706-2010.

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SEPTEMBER 2018 — FIFTYPLUS

Money Law &

ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL Steer clear of peer pressure when you retire, defining your own happiness — whether that’s going back to work, volunteering or being a homebody SECOND-HAND SHOPPING Look for off-lease cars and refurbished electronics with money-back guarantees to save big when buying gently used products

Finding buried treasure in financial docs By Lisa Brown On my family’s annual pilgrimage to the Northeast in late June, I took two days to help a 94-year-old relative get her financial house in order. I didn’t find any money buried under a mattress, but I did find some hidden in places most people don’t look — but they probably should. I knew she had updated her will after recently moving to a new state, but I was not certain what else she realigned. So, when I began digging through recent tax documents, I made two startling discoveries. First, it turns out she has $300,000 in a bank stock that our family thought was only worth a few thousand dollars. And, second, we found cash from a life insurance policy paid out more than 20 years ago. After getting over the initial shock of these findings, we went about piecing together the

rest of her financial puzzle. Over a 48-hour period, however, I turned up more of what I expected: lots of missing or outdated information. Now, after a lot of tedious, time-consuming work, all key documents have been located, and every cent she owns is accounted for. For those of you who may face this with your own financial situation or with that of relatives, here are some guidelines to reconstruct one’s financial house:

Collect key financial documents Ask your loved one to gather copies of the following documents: • Will, revocable trust and financial power of attorney; bank, brokerage account and Social Security; • Cost basis of all investments; • Website log-in credentials for any finan-

cial assets (if available); • Estimate of monthly living expenses; • List of all beneficiaries for Individual Retirements Accounts, including names, dates of birth and addresses; • Statements for life insurance policies and annuities; • A list of any other assets and debts, such as house, car and jewelry. • Most recent tax returns. As you begin collecting documents, the most important one to help uncover current assets — and a great starting point for your detective work — is the tax return. It can help nail down what assets your loved one owns, as well as the income they have coming in from pensions, annuities, real estate investments, business interests and Social Security. This is like having the answer key to a pop quiz!

Schedule B is key Schedule B of the IRS Form 1040 is filed to report the interest and dividends received each tax year. That’s what led me to the discovery of the $300,000 in bank stock. I noticed on the most recent Schedule B that my relative was receiving $5,000 in dividends from this stock. If you can’t find any paper statements or log-in information to financial websites for your loved one to track down each asset, start by asking the tax preparer for a copy of the Form 1099 for each asset so you will know which company to contact. Once you have a full list of assets, debts and current statements, including all insurance policies and the tax return, set them aside in a large envelope marked “Important See BURIED TREASURE, page 13

Utility funds for conservative investors Many readers are concerned about volatil- funds and in conservative sectors. ity in the stock market, as well as about reFrom time to time, I have discussed utility ceiving reliably consistent stocks in general and utility interest or dividends with their funds and ETFs in particular. investments. Lawrence Strauss wrote recently Although the stock market in Barron’s that utility stocks are has performed well for more “worth a second look,” and I than five years, there is no guaragree. antee that it will continue to Several years ago, when Bill show comparable positive reGross was a co-CEO of PIMCO, turns. Many analysts anticipate he wrote an interesting recomthat returns in the near term mendation for investing in utility will be much lower — perhaps funds. At the time he managed even negative. the bond portfolio for PIMCO, THE SAVINGS However, it is impossible to GAME one of the largest, if not the predict the best time to go in By Elliot Raphaelson largest bond manager of bonds in and out of the stock market. the U.S. Most investors, even in retireI would always read his ment, should maintain a significant percent- monthly analysis of economic conditions, and I age of their portfolio in some type of common thought his opinions were worth reading about. stock investment. It was amazing that the largest bond manager How can you do that and minimize risk? I in the U.S. was recommending investing in an believe the answer is having a diversified investment that was in direct competition with common stock portfolio, preferably in index bonds.

Try funds and ETFs I looked carefully at some of the alternatives for investing in utility stocks. I didn’t want to invest in individual securities, so I looked at utility mutual funds and ETFs. Eventually, I decided to invest $100,000 in a Vanguard utility mutual fund. It has been one of the best investments I could have made for a conservative portfolio. At the time, the dividend yield was 4 percent (it is now 3.4 percent). For several years, I simply re-invested the dividends back into the fund. The annualized yield benchmarks over the last several years have been: one year, 4.80 percent; three years, 12.49 percent; five years, 10.81 percent. Eventually, I felt that my investment in that fund had grown high (over $150,000) as a percentage of my total portfolio, so I started gradually to sell some of my holdings and reinvest in other conservative investments. The current yield is still approximately 3.4 percent, so I see no reason to liquidate my holdings. I still receive over $1,000 in dividends

each quarter, and generally I reinvest that dividend in other conservative investments. There has never been a quarter in which I have not received a comparable dividend payment. In his Barron’s article, Strauss indicated that, according to experts in the industry, earnings are expected to grow on average in this industry by 4 to 6 percent annually. He estimated that investors can expect high single digit total return in the foreseeable future. If you’re looking for a conservative investment with earnings growth and consistent dividends, mutual funds or ETFs that specialize in the utility industry are a good choice. Select an investment with low annual expenses. Vanguard offers ETFs in the utility industry with low minimums (you can purchase as little as one share, if you like) and expense ratios of 0.10. Vanguard’s expense ratios are generally much lower than the competition. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2018 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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FIFTYPLUS — SEPTEMBER 2018

Buried treasure From page 12 Documents — Tax and Financial.” If you refresh this package once a year, it should take less than one hour to maintain.

Verify docs are signed Make certain key documents are signed, These include current copies of a will, financial power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney and any trust documents. In going through my relative’s legal papers, I found pages 1 and 8 of her will, but the

rest were missing. After a long search, we found the missing pages and stapled them together. She also had several unsigned copies of her healthcare power of attorney document, so I set those aside. Once we had all of the current legal documents signed, I complied them into one envelope marked “Important Legal Documents.” A copy of the Social Security card, birth and marriage certificates can be placed in here, too. This envelope only needs to be refreshed each time an update is made to the will or other legal paperwork.

M ARK YO UR CALE NDAR

Ongoing

SOCIAL SECURITY TICKET TO WORK

While it may be best known for retirement, Social Security can also help you get back to work if you’re disabled with its work incentives and Ticket to Work programs. These make it possible for people receiving Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to work and still receive monthly payments. The program offers free vocational rehabilitation, training, job referrals and other employment support. For more information, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work.

Oct. 7

Finally, provide copies and access to files to people who serve as professional advisers, such as attorneys, accountants, financial planners and insurance agents. In addition, share contents of your envelope with your relative’s executor, financial and healthcare agent, and/or another relative who lives nearby.

Do you need a financial advisor? My relative wanted a fresh start in her new hometown, and she has enough moving parts to her finances that we met with a local Certified Financial Planner professional I vetted

in advance of the meeting. One reason this meeting was so productive was we brought the organized envelopes with us, and they could give us timely advice. Spending a few hours preplanning and getting organized now can save hours of timeconsuming searches and expenses when your loved one is no longer here. And you never know, it can also bring nice surprises — like the ones I found — that will benefit your family’s future generations. © The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

M A R K YO U R CAL EN DA R

Sept. 24

INTRO TO TEXTING AND TWITTER

Learn how to communicate with friends and family using text as well as the social network Twitter. You will also be introduced to a fun, popular application called Snapchat, which is used to send temporary messages, pictures and short videos. This class will take place on Monday, Sept. 24 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Stonebridge Recreation Center, 230 Karl Linn Dr., North Chesterfield and costs $13. For more information or to register, call (804) 748-1623 and use course #34066.

HISTORIC TOUR

The Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia’s African American History Committee presents an open house and tour at Historic First Baptist Church (Centralia), 4412 Centralia Rd., Chester on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register by Sunday, Oct. 7. The fee for this tour is $8 per person. For more information or to register, visit www.chesterfieldhistory.com or call Gina Love at (804) 796-7131.

Sept. 20

DEMENTIA CONFERENCE

The Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Richmond presents a conference on dementia on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Mt. Gilead Full Gospel International Ministries, 2501 Mt Gilead Blvd., North Chesterfield. For more information or to register, visit http://bit.ly/DementiaConferenceRichmond.

Law & Money | www.FiftyPlusRichmond.com

SEPTEMBER 2018 — FIFTYPLUS

Don’t let peer pressure spoil retirement By Grant Rawdin In retirement, it can be tempting to look over the fence at how neighbors are spending their golden years, and wonder if they’re living better or if you’re spending your time and money in the right ways. What’s more, social media heightens the pressure by serving as a highlight reel of everyone’s best experiences. But just like social media can put a filter on reality, many myths about the “ideal retirement” continue to cloud people’s expectations and may cause them to make bad decisions.

To steer clear of peer pressure, retirees need to take a step back to define what happiness truly means to them, and not fall victim to these four common misconceptions about retirement. Myth #1: Retirement is freedom from work A life of leisure may look tempting, but in reality the transition from corporate life to retirement can feel abrupt. Once you make a dent in your reading list, you may find yourself looking for familiar ways to keep busy.

M ARK YO UR CALE NDAR

Sept.

LGBT ART EXHIBIT Chasen Galleries presents Jumper Maybach: “The Pride Collection:

Introspection.” Maybach (Ben Workman) is a LGBT celebrity artist and philanthropist who will unveil a timely and important new series of works celebrating Pride 2018. The series will be on exhibition and available for acquisition beginning Sept. 1 at Chasen Galleries, 3101 Ellwood Ave., Richmond. The presentation, in partnership with Virginia Pride, features two in-gallery receptions with the artist, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 21 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the gallery. RSVPs are requested at Rose@chasengalleries.com or (804) 204-1048. For more information, visit www.chasengalleries.com.

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One way retirees are adding structure to their schedules is by returning to the corporate world part-time. Returning retiree programs allow companies and younger generations of workers to benefit from a retiree’s legacy business knowledge, while giving retirees a clearly defined purpose during work hours. Many retirees are also becoming entrepreneurs in their own right, turning to resources like those available from AARP and the Small Business Administration to run and market their own business. In fact, a 2013 AARP survey found that 13 percent of experienced workers planned to start a business or work for themselves in retirement. One of my clients, a former business owner who retired in his 50s upon the sale of his company, is finding fulfillment in a brand new career — flipping houses. While he owned a few rental properties throughout his life and was known to be quite handy, retiring gave him the flexibility to fully commit to building a business around renovating homes. He’s his own boss, with an activity that fills his days and enables him to maintain his lifestyle. Myth #2: You’re not fully living if you’re not traveling While island sunsets and moonlit hikes make for enviable photos, not every retiree is

anxious to set sail for an adventure abroad. Your next great adventure may be right in your hometown, spending more time pursuing your interests or adopting new hobbies. Some people scratch their travel bug by relocating to a favorite vacation spot. Last year, one of our clients retired from his medical practice. An avid golfer, he began transitioning to retirement by not being on-call on weekends while he hit the links. Since retiring, he’s been golfing every day, and now he’s considering moving to Florida, where he can enjoy the sport year round. Of course, many retirees will get the travel itch at some point. If you do, consider planning a trip that allows you to immerse yourself in hobby or develop new skills. A few years ago, a longtime client retired from a successful business career and began taking bird-watching trips around the world. She now plans a half-dozen trips each year, fully committing to a hobby she loves. Myth #3: You must “redefine yourself” in retirement It can be easy to fall into the “New Year, New You” mentality once you retire. While we encourage clients to create a vision and set goals for retirement, this milestone See PEER PRESSURE, page 16

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FIFTYPLUS — SEPTEMBER 2018

Savvy shopping advice: buy gently used By Liz Weston Most of us have wasted money on ill-considered purchases or stuff we really couldn’t afford. As we get more financially savvy, that happens less often. But we can still profit from other people’s bad choices. People who prize the latest and greatest, for example, quickly need to upgrade to the next shiny thing. That leaves plenty of lightly used cars and electronics for sale at a discount. People who can’t look beyond cosmetic damage also provide buying opportunities for those who can, since surface flaws can ding price without hurting functionality. Then there are the “d’oh” mistakes: the stuff that didn’t fit or turned out to be the wrong shade of robin’s egg blue. That stuff gets returned so it can be discounted and

snapped up by frugal buyers. Here are three ways to profit from others’ mistakes:

Buy off-lease cars Low payments can fool people into thinking that leasing is an economical way to afford cars. In reality, leases ensure you’re paying for a vehicle’s most expensive period — the first two or three years, when its value drops like a rock. Vehicles typically lose about 30 percent of their value the first year, and a total of 40 percent by the third year, said Ivan Drury, senior manager of industry analysis for car comparison site Edmunds.com. The good news for bargain hunters: A whole lot of people have made that pricey

M ARK YO UR CALE NDAR

Ongoing

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR GARDEN PROJECT

VCU Gerontology student and Age Wave Director of Grants and Research Gigi Amateau wrote the winning grant application for the 2018 AARP Community Challenge grant program award, which will provide for the installation of self-watering garden boxes in the neighborhood of Green Park and the Highland Park Senior Apartments as well as for educational gardening programs. They are currently looking for volunteers to help with this project. For more information about volunteering, contact Catherine MacDonald at macdonaldcs@vcu.edu.

choice to lease in recent years, leading to a record 4 million vehicles coming off their leases this year. In addition to discounts of 30 percent or more compared to a new car, buyers will have plenty of options. Leasing was once mostly limited to luxury cars, but it’s grown so popular that buyers have plenty of used makes and models to choose from. That includes the “it” vehicle of the moment: compact SUVs, Drury said. These freshly off-lease vehicles tend to have mid-range trim packages, which means they’re not bare bones but they’re also not overloaded with features you might not want to pay extra to have, Drury said. They will have the kinds

of safety features and technology that a few years ago were only available in luxury cars. “They have backup cameras, Bluetooth, blind-spot detectors,” Drury said. “You can get a lot, at greatly reduced prices.”

Buy refurbished electronics Thrifty shoppers tend to stay a generation or two behind on electronics, knowing that early adopters pay a hefty premium. But within a few weeks of virtually any gadget’s debut, there will be buyers regretting their purchases and companies refurbishing those See SAVVY SHOPPING, page 16

M A R K YO U R CAL EN DA R

Sept. 7+

FRENCH FARCE

CAT Theatre presents Boeing Boeing by Marc Camoletti (translated by Beverly Cross and Francis Evans), on stage from Friday, Sept. 7 through Saturday, Sept. 22. Directed by Glenn Abernathy, this 1960 French farce adapted for the English-speaking stage features self-styled Parisian lothario Bernard, who has Italian, German and American fiancées, each a beautiful airline hostess with frequent “layovers.” He keeps “one up, one down, and one pending” until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris, and Bernard’s apartment, at the same time. CAT Theatre is located at 319 N. Wilkinson Rd., Henrico. For more information or to buy tickets, which range from $13 to $33, visit www.cattheatre.com or call (804) 262-9760.

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Peer pressure From page 14 doesn’t necessitate starting a life all that different from your own. In fact, many retirees parlay the skills that brought them success in the workforce into nonprofit work. Sharp sales people take the

SEPTEMBER 2018 — FIFTYPLUS

lead on securing sponsorships for community events, and organized project managers become committee chairs. Volunteering is an ideal avenue for those managing the lifestyle transition from work to retirement, particularly if they’re passionate about a particular cause. Myth #4: The transition to retirement is

M ARK YO UR CALE NDAR

Sept. 15

BEER AND WINE FEST

Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War present their first Breakthrough Brew & Wine Fest on Saturday, Sept. 15 in the Park’s Freedom Garden, 6125 Boydton Plank Rd., Petersburg, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Attendees can enjoy live music provided by mid-Atlantic bands Joe’s Day Off and the Rhythm Kings, which will perform a mix of country, folk and top 40 selections. There will also be food and craft vendors. Tasting tickets cost $25 in advance; $30 at the gate. Each ticket includes five beer tastings and five wine tastings, along with a collectible beer cup and special event wine glass to take home. Attendees are welcome to bring chairs and blankets, but coolers and tents are not allowed at the festival. For more information, visit https://pamplinpark.org.

Sept. 22

CHAMBER CHOIR CONCERT

The Piedmont Singers of Central Virginia will perform an innovative choral concert called “Love and Madness” on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1100 W Grace St., Richmond. The concert features music written in the 20th and 21st centuries and sets the texts of well-known poets by Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Wendell Berry and others to music. Tickets are not necessary, but $15 donations are suggested. For more information, visit www.thepiedmontsingers.org.

easy — you’ve waited your whole life for this! Entering retirement is a significant change, especially for those who maintained an active career. Ensuring a smooth transition begins well in advance — typically five to eight years prior to retirement. At that point, your financial adviser will run financial scenarios, project your cash

flow, and begin conversations about how you’ll be spending your time and money in retirement. By focusing on your own goals and looking beyond these myths, you can plan the retirement you actually want. © 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Savvy shopping

Look for “as is” merchandise

From page 15 returns for resale. Depending on the seller, though, “refurbished” can mean “like new,” with fresh batteries, new cases, and one-year warranties — or not. “Some just say `refurbished’ because they wiped it down with a rag,” said Tercius Bufete, associate editor for Consumer Reports. The electronic item may come with third-party accessories, such as charging cords, or none at all. The only way to know is to “read the assurances,” Bufete said. That’s the fine print that spells out what’s been done to the item, the warranty (if any), and the length of the return period (if any). Just in case, consider buying with a credit card that offers “return protection” or “guaranteed returns.” This benefit offers you money back, up to certain limits, if a merchant refuses to accept a return.

The phrases “open box” and “scratch and dent” are music to the bargain hunter’s ears. They signify new or nearly new items at a discount — sometimes a steep one. Bargain shoppers at Ikea, for example, know to cruise the store’s “as is” section for deals on already-assembled furniture and other items returned by customers who changed their minds. Likewise, big-box home improvement stores usually have an “open box” area for returns and floor models. “Scratch and dent” stores are another option for picking up someone else’s oopsie, whether it’s a homeowner who forgot to measure an appliance, or a piece of furniture that got dropped during delivery. It’s important to check warranties and return policies. Sears Outlet, for example, has a 30-day return policy for most purchases, but not floor models. Other stores make all their scratch-and-dent sales final. — NerdWallet via AP

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Travel

Leisure &

The free Staten Island Ferry is one of many public transportation options that can add a lot (for a little) to tourist destinations. See story on page 21.

Enjoying the simple pleasures of Jamaica long stretch of white sand lapped by the turquoise sea is lined by restaurants and bars. Visitors seeking excitement may explore the island by horseback or Jeep, take hiking and biking excursions, climb mountains, or scamper down into limestone caves. Those who prefer to commune with Mother Nature also find plenty of alternatives.

PHOTO BY OVIDIU CURIC

By Victor Block One meal that my wife Fyllis and I will long remember was a five-course “surprise” dinner served in a lovely candle-lit outdoor setting. The other was a simple vegetarian lunch at a ramshackle lean-to perched precariously on a steep mountainside. It’s not often that two repasts encapsulate much that a destination has to offer visitors, but Jamaica is such a place. The Chef’s Showcase dinner at the Sunset at the Palms resort had little in common with the modest vegetarian spread prepared by Fire, a Rastafarian man of uncertain age. This exemplifies the diversity that greets travelers to Jamaica. The island-nation has an abundance of beautiful beaches, a long list of outdoor activities, an intriguing history and a rich cultural mélange. The towns strung out along the northern coastline like jewels in a necklace demonstrate Jamaica’s split personality. Montego Bay is all hustle and bustle. Ocho Rios is more relaxed, except when one or more cruise ships disgorge their passengers. Negril overlooks what many sun worshippers rank as the island’s finest beach. The seven-mile-

Centuries of history The island was originally settled by Taino Indians, who arrived around 650 C.E. Shortly after Christopher Columbus dropped by in 1494, Spain claimed it and took over, enslaving the Tainos. Spain controlled the island until 1655, when British forces invaded and took control. The Spanish introduced sugar cultivation and slavery, both of which were expanded by British settlers. Both brought over West Africans as slaves to harvest the crops. Jamaica became independent from Britain in 1962. Among reminders of the heyday of sugar, from the 17th to 19th centuries, are the “Great Houses” that plantation owners built. They ranged from grandiose to more modest, PHOTO COURTESY OF VICTOR BLOCK

The author Victor Block and his wife Fyllis Hockman take a guided tour of a Jamaican river on a bamboo raft. The river, called the Martha Brae, is named after an Indian woman who, according to legend, killed herself rather than reveal the location of a gold mine to Spanish explorers.

Tourists visit souvenir stands in Ocho Rios, a port town on the north coast of Jamaica, home to resorts and a cruise ship harbor. The town is surrounded by rainforests and waterfalls.

and today they provide insight into part of Jamaica’s past. While Seville isn’t one of the more imposing Great Houses, what’s inside makes the structure, well, great. A museum traces Jamaica’s history, and displays artifacts from when the Taino, Spanish and British controlled the island. Scattered around the grounds are portions of the sugar cane processing factory and tiny huts where slaves lived.

Mountainous jungles and rivers Jungled mountains cover about 80 percent of Jamaica’s terrain, which is laced with rushing rivers and tumbling waterfalls. Most famous is Dunn’s River Falls, which plummets 600 feet down a series of natural steps that people may climb, carefully, while clutching the hand of other daring risk-takers and a sure-footed guide. A very different water experience is a trip through the verdant countryside along one of the rivers where that activity is offered. Fyllis and I opted for the Martha Brae, a gentle waterway with an interesting story and a resident ghost.

The river is named after an Indian woman who killed herself rather than reveal the location of a gold mine to Spanish explorers. According to the legend, she agreed to lead them there, but when they reached the river, she used magic to change its course and drown herself and the unsuspecting interlopers. Some people believe that her duppy (ghost) guards the hidden entrance to the mine. Fyllis and I didn’t spot Martha along our three-mile trip, but we saw plenty of other attractions. As Captain Gayle used a long pole to pilot the narrow bamboo raft on which we sat, he identified trees and flowers, described rusting equipment along the shore that remained from sugar growing days, and explained why and how he builds a replacement raft about every six months. The time we spent with Gayle was one of several encounters with the people of Jamaica that became highlights of our visit. When we purchased snacks from street vendors in towns and along highways, we also found See JAMAICA, page 20

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SEPTEMBER 2018 — FIFTYPLUS

Jamaica From page 19 them to be friendly and happy to chat for a while with Americans. At a beach that’s popular with locals, we spoke with families who were picnicking, and with teenage boys playing a pick-up soccer game, using coconuts to mark the goals. Our most memorable person-to-person meeting occurred when we stopped along a road and approached several men seated on rickety chairs near a small beach. Reggie music blared from a radio, as it does throughout Jamaica — from cars, houses, stores and just about anywhere that there are people. After introductions, the men led us along the sand, explaining that the small weathered boats we saw basking in the sun are used by fishermen. Our conversation ranged from the lifestyle of Jamaicans and the island’s economy, to politics both there and in the United States. The man named Joshua asked if we would like to see where he lives, then led us into a miniscule but neatly organized shed that serves as his home. Saying that he has everything he needs to lead a happy life, he displayed the joy of simple pleasures that was exhibited by virtually everyone with whom we crossed paths. That outlook, combined with Jamaica’s magnificent setting and numerous attractions, has earned it a place on our “must return” list of destinations.

If you go Jamaica was a pioneer in the development of all-inclusive resorts, and the beach-front Jewel Grande in many ways epitomizes that. Its amenities include personal butler service, a world-class spa, and unlimited green fees at two renowned golf courses. These and a list of other inviting attractions

don’t come cheaply; room rates for two begin at $384/night. For more information, call (888) 797-2735 or visit www.jewelgranderesort.com. Food in Jamaica fuses ingredients and flavors from various countries and cultures, and sampling it can be part of the immersion in local life. Staples include jerk pork and other meats flavored with spices and grilled, rice and “peas” (actually small black beans), and pepperpot, a soup with a fiery flavor that explains its name. More adventurous diners may test their palate and resolve with curried goat, pig’s tail and oxtail, which is prepared several ways. It’s an open question whether Rick’s Café in Negril is a restaurant with a view, or a view where food is served. Throngs of people gather nightly on the outside deck to watch the magnificent sunset and express their appreciation with applause. Some augment the experience by dining on such local fare as jerk chicken kabobs ($12) and snapper filets ($22), topped off with Jamaican Rum Cake ($8). For more information about Rick’s on West End Road, visit www.rickscafejamaica.com or call (876) 957-0380. The setting is very different at Miss T’s Kitchen, hidden in a quiet cul-de-sac near the town center of Ocho Rios (65 Main Street). It serves home-style dishes in a lush garden setting that hints of the magnificent scenery throughout the island. The menu shares familiar dishes like fried chicken ($12) with jerk shrimp ($22), oxtail simmered with vegetables ($22), and ShetPan, which is oxtail and curried goat ($24), all accompanied by sides. For more information, see misstskitchen.com or call (876) 795-0099. For information about Jamaica, go to www.visitjamaica.com. The least expensive roundtrip air ticket from Byrd International Airport to Kingston, Jamaica in mid-October is $456 on American Airlines.

M A R K YO U R C ALE NDAR

Oct. 14

FREE BLUEGRASS CONCERT

The Second Sunday South of the James Concert Series (SSSJ) presents the Damian Muller Blue Grass/Folk band, featuring original acoustic music on fiddle, banjo, vocals and guitar, on Sunday, Oct. 14 at 4 p.m. at Bon Air Presbyterian Church, 9201 Huguenot Rd., Richmond. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.bonairpc.org or call Stephen Henley at (804) 272-7514, ext. 312.

Sept. 21+

MYSTERY PLAY

Virginia Repertory Theatre presents Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which opens Friday, Sept. 21 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 14, with two preview performances on Wednesday, Sept. 19 and Thursday, Sept. 20. Virginia Rep is located at 114 West Broad St., Richmond. The play follows an autistic 15-year-old who is wrongly accused of killing his neighbor’s dog, and his search for the culprit. Tickets cost $30 to $52. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (804) 282-2620 or visit www.virginiarep.org.

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FIFTYPLUS — SEPTEMBER 2018

The best scenic rides on public transit Public transit operates mainly for local cash. Unless noted, the minimum age for commuting, shopping and school trips. But senior fares is 65. some of those ordinary transit Harbor ferries trips can be spectacular for visiNew York’s Staten Island tors, too. Ferry is the classic way to view Transit prices are a lot less the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Isthan rates for commercial sightland and the lower Manhattan seeing, and you aren’t forced to skyline. The Ferry operates stop at schlocky souvenir 24/7/365, from the Battery, shops. You can find interesting every 15 minutes during comtransit rides in many places, but I mute rush hours; every 30 minhave a favorites list of public trips utes off-peak and on weekends. in the U.S. that should be on your Best of all, it’s free! “must” list whenever you visit the TRAVEL TIPS Seattle’s Bremerton Ferry ofregion. By Ed Perkins fers vistas of the city’s impresUnless noted, all routes operate several trips daily, some with reduced sive skyline and wooded hills as it crosses weekend service. I show one-way single fares Puget Sound between the city center and subexcept where round trips are much less than urban Bremerton. It’s the most easily accestwo one-way trips; otherwise, round trips cost sible of the area’s many ferry lines for typical double the one-way rate. Some nominally one- Seattle visitors. Round-trip fares are $8.35 way fares cover a set time period of an hour or adults, $4.15 youth and senior. Boston and San Francisco also operate more of travel, allowing round-trip riding on some commuter ferry lines in their extended short trips. Many systems issue one- and multiple- harbor areas. day passes that typically represent good value for anyone riding more than one round Bus trip Monterey Transit’s Big Sur Bus route 22 trip. Many systems base fare collection on machine-readable stored-value cards of remains the nation’s most scenic public bus some sort, and charge a higher fare for trip, along the famed highway 1. Round trips

operate three times daily through Labor Day, than twice daily on weekends only. The oneway fare is $3.50; $1.75 for youth and seniors.

between Seattle and Everett, weekdays only. And New Mexico’s Rail Runner Express from Albuquerque to Santa Fe passes through some nice desert country.

Funicular trip Pittsburgh’s two historic “inclines,” dating from the 1870s, soldier on to carry passengers more than 400 feet up from the riverside to the bluff overlooking the city center and “Golden Triangle.” Both inclines are integrated into Pittsburgh’s public transit system, with frequent daily operation. One-ride fares from downtown are $2.50 each way, $3.50 with a transfer to/from bus or light rail; children and disabled pay 50 cents, and seniors 65 ride all local transit in Pennsylvania free.

Commuter rail trips San Diego County’s “Coaster” trains hug much of the spectacular Pacific coastline between San Diego and Oceanside. Trips operate daily with reduced weekend schedules. One-way zone fares for the full route are $5.50 for adults, $2.75 for those 60 and over. Also, for other coastal scenery options, consider Los Angeles Metra’s Orange County and Inland Empire routes between San Juan Capistrano and Oceanside, and Seattle’s Sounder line

Vintage streetcars Although several areas run short vintage streetcar routes, and many operate modern light rail lines, only two U.S. cities fully integrate vintage streetcars into their transit service. San Francisco Muni’s E Embarcadero and F Market & Wharves lines operate almost entirely with restored vintage cars. Both follow the waterfront from Ferry Building to Fisherman’s Wharf; the E line passes AT&T Park. One-ride fares are $2.50 for adults, $1.25 youth and seniors. I exclude cable cars because, with one-ride fares of $7, they mainly target tourists. New Orleans operates its entire streetcar system with vintage cars, with routes that include Canal Street, the Garden District, the French Quarter, and the waterfront. Oneway fares are $1.25 for adults, 40 cents for seniors. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com. © 2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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Style Arts &

Perry Skaggs, who won honorable mention in the painting and drawing category of our Celebration of the Arts contest, works on his newest oil painting. Read about area winners on page 24.

Holly Lawn: Damaged home transformed By Martha Steger A news story — especially one about a violent storm — takes on a life of its own. So it is with this year’s Richmond Symphony Orchestra League Designer House at 4015 Hermitage Rd. The home chosen by the RSOL every other year, which area designers decorate, always brings “oohs” and “aahs” from visitors. But this year’s house will resonate with Richmond residents for another reason. “Holly Lawn,” a circa 1900 architectural jewel on Richmond’s North Side, became a news story after a storm wreaked heavy damage on it and much of Richmond on June 16, 2016. More than 160,000 Richmond residents

lost their electricity in that storm. One of its earlier homeowners named the estate “Holly Lawn” for the beautiful holly trees lining the grounds. But the storm uprooted a 175-year-old, majestic red oak in the front yard, and brought it down across the turret, tower and intricate roofline of the front of the house. Inside, water damage was extensive. But the buff-colored, Queen Anne-style house, designed by renowned architect D. Wiley Anderson, withstood the impact. The home has been restored and many of its rooms professionally decorated, and it will be open to visitors from Sept. 17 to Oct. 14 to help raise funds for the Richmond Symphony

Orchestra. Every other year, the symphony’s Designer House raises more than $100,000 through ticket sales and special events on site.

A grand home, defaced Sitting on 2.1 acres, Holly Lawn features five bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a sun porch, a library, a living room, a formal dining room, a spacious foyer, a kitchen with a butler’s pantry, and a sweeping, Southernstyle front porch. (An addition with four added living spaces, completed in 1973 when Holly Lawn served as home to Richmond Council of Garden Clubs, won’t be open to the public.) With widespread awareness of the storm damage, most visitors’ first question now in walking up the lane through the beautifully restored yard is apt to be the same as mine in early August, when workmen blanketed the home to complete their work: “So where was the tree?” Susan S. Williams, chair of the 2018 RSOL Designer House Committee and a past pres-

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ident of the RSOL, smiled and pointed to a general area to the right of the front door. “Most people can’t tell,” she said. This is exactly the reaction the owners, Frank Rizzo and Leslie Stack, want after a two-year restoration of Holly Lawn. “As the tree fell,” Williams pointed out, “it tore off a section of a turret on the southwestern corner of the house. A branch that was 42 inches in diameter crashed through the master bedroom window on the second floor. The impact tore the radiators away from the wall, bursting pipes that poured water down to the first floor.” Given the house’s architectural significance, Rizzo and Stack wanted to return the house to its original appearance as much as possible. Because Holly Lawn is in the Hermitage Road Historic District and listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register, as well as the National Register of Historic Places, Richmond’s

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Holly Lawn is the site for this year’s Richmond Symphony Orchestra League Designer House. The circa 1900 mansion was extensively damaged in a storm two years ago, but has been restored to its former glory and will be open to the public starting Sept. 14.

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FIFTYPLUS — SEPTEMBER 2018

Designer house From page 22 Commission of Architectural Review had to approve the plan before the city would issue a building permit.

Restoring an architectural jewel For the mammoth restoration project, Rizzo and Stack chose Edwin Holloway of Glavé & Holmes Architecture as lead architect, and Restoration Builders of Virginia as the project’s general contractor. As part of his research, Holloway studied photos of the house that were on file at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. “They were recent and fairly high resolution, so we could zoom in,” Holloway said. “Without those, it would have been much more of a challenge.” Thanks to the photos, Holloway was able to make determinations such as the number of boards used on the underside of the house’s distinctive radius dormer. First, workers built a temporary structure over the house. Then they rebuilt the roof, the turret and the porch, and turned their attention to the house’s interior. Workers replaced broken windows, and a local artisan used Italian plaster to repair the walls and the elaborate crown molding and ceiling medallions. “It’s a huge team that has done all this,” Stack said. “We’ve had as many

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as 40 workers at the house on any given day,” Rizzo added. Another bit of research involved tracking down the Buckingham County source for the house’s original slate roof. Contractors harvested new slate from the same vein that had been used for Holly Lawn at the turn of the 20th century. The goal might have been to make Holly Lawn look as it did pre-storm, but the house also got a few subtle improvements during the restoration. “The turret and porch now have steel beams to support them, instead of wood, and the porch has a stainless-steel roof instead of a tin one,” Holloway said.

Two striking foyer features include handpainted designs on the walls, and a large 120year-old framed mirror, possibly of French origin. Guests will also see the first of several plaster medallions in the house in the foyer’s ceiling. Kathy Corbet of Kathy Corbet Interiors explained that medallions have a historical origin: “When the first chandeliers used candles, the ceiling above them became smoky, which

meant ceilings constantly needed repainting. When medallions were added to the ceilings above those chandeliers, only they had to be repainted, not the entire ceiling.” The designers, who volunteer their time to the Designer House project, often commission art for their decorated spaces and then lease it from the artists. But art and most of the furnishSee DESIGNER HOUSE, page 25

Tour dozens of new homes for free

Big reveal on Sept. 14

Are you thinking of moving? Do you love to check out model homes and get ideas for your own home? Or are you a voyeur who just loves to peek inside a house to see what’s inside? In any of these cases, you’re in luck. There will be 72 new homes built by 27 builder members in this year’s Annual Parade of Homes. Well over half of the homes in the show, sponsored by the Home Building Association of Richmond, are decorated models. The free self-guided tour of the homes begins on October 6, and will run every Saturday and Sunday of the month from

Almost exactly two years after the tree fell, work on Holly Lawn began to wind down, with the refinishing of floors and final items on a punch-list by mid-June of this year. Rizzo and Stack won’t move back into the house until Nov. 1 because of their agreement to have Holly Lawn be the site for this year’s RSOL Designer House. Holly Lawn is the 18th Designer House in the past 36 years. Williams said the RSOL chooses the house at least a year in advance. To prepare for this year’s event, 18 designers decorated 27 spaces in time for the gala preview on Sept. 14. Designers will be in their spaces to discuss their work and answer questions, whenever their schedules allow.

noon to 5 p.m. The homes are located throughout the Greater Richmond area, including Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, King William, New Kent and Powhatan Counties, at prices spanning from the low $200s to over $1.1 million. Learn more at RichmondParadeofHomes.com, which will soon be updated to include detailed information about individual homes on the tour, including home designs, floor plans and descriptions, detailed directions to each home and a map. — Barbara Ruben

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Celebration of the Arts honors local artists By Catherine Brown The French artist Henri Matisse once said, “Creativity takes courage.” This past spring, hundreds of courageous older adults submitted their creative work to the Beacon newspaper’s Celebration of the Arts competition, open to amateur artists 50 and over living in Virginia, D.C. and Maryland. (The Beacon publishes Fifty Plus.) The Celebration of the Arts is a year-long project developed to encourage readers over 50 to discover a new artistic passion, or to pursue one they may have put on the back burner. Artists could enter works in four categories, including Painting and Drawing, Sculpture/Jewelry/Pottery/Mixed Media, Photography and Poetry. Awards include cash prices for the top three winners in each category, as well as a winner’s gallery exhibition, and an awards ceremony honoring them at the Beacon’s annual 50+Expos held in Northern Virginia and Maryland. Read on to learn about three local residents who received honorable mentions for their contributions. Chris Ruch, 63, Sculpture Cabin in the Woods, wood When Chris Ruch first retired, his wife Valerie said to him, “You’d better do something to stay busy.” His father had made a few scroll saw sculptures, so he decided to attend trade shows to learn how. This form of art uses a small electric or pedal-powered saw, called a scroll saw, that can cut intricate detail in a variety of materials. Ruch, for instance, used to work in acrylic, but switched to wood because it is more forgiving. The saw blades can be different sizes for different types of cuts, and they need to be replaced very frequently. “Now, I spend a lot of time in the garage making sawdust,” said Ruch. “It’s my therapy; it makes me feel good to make something.” An added bonus, Ruch jokes, is that it keeps him out of his wife’s way. Ruch considers himself more of a craftsman than an artist because he does use other people’s designs. “I do make changes to them to make them my own, though,” he said. And Ruch does everything by hand rather than using computer-controlled lasers. Doing all the work by hand can take him anywhere from a couple of hours to nearly 100. “I like to challenge myself. But some-

times I over-challenge myself,” he said. One work — of a hand holding a globe — took him more than fifty hours. Because the process is arduous, he typically only works for an hour or two at a time. Before Ruch retired, he spent about 30 years running party and event planning stores. He now spends much of his time working in his garage or selling his work at Rosemont Winery and at local craft shows. Ruch also volunteers at a local hospital, and he loves to play golf. “I like to say the scroll saw supports my golf habit,” Ruch said. To see more of his works, visit lumberjocks.com/stinky/projects. Perry Dale Skaggs, 53, Painting High Kingdom of Asenathas, oil on birch wood panel Perry Skaggs has been an artist all his life. “Before my traditional painting work,” he said, “I painted digital and 3D modeling, and studied web design and web graphics.” Five years ago, he found himself without a computer and taught himself how to work with watercolors, oils and acrylics. He has been serious about traditional painting ever since. Now, Skaggs typically paints every day for several hours. On some days, he works in cafés painting watercolors, while on other days he works in his studio painting oils. Much of his work, like High Kingdom of Asenathas, is created to evoke mood. “I tend to stay away from recognizable subjects with these paintings,” Skaggs said. “But I very much use recognizable subjects in others.” The subject of this painting is a long-forgotten kingdom of a dark elven king. “This image is of the team having emerged from what was a long trek through a very tangled mess of briars,” said Skaggs. Skaggs loves landscape painting, and is inspired by artists of the Tonalist movement, who were known for evoking emotion through landscapes. “I generally work rather abstractly until something catches my eye, and then I continue to play up that aspect of the painting,” said Skaggs. “I work by scraping, adding/subtracting paint, using various tools such as brushes, paper towels, spatulas, even sticks, until I get the markings that appeal to me.” See ARTS CELEBRATION, page 25

Designer house From page 23 ings in the decorated spaces are all for sale. Designers don’t consult with owners in decorating a RSOL house, and agree to return walls to a neutral color if the owners don’t like the colors used. Stack and Rizzo will be back in their home in time to plan for Thanksgiving. In the meantime, “We really wanted to end the project with a celebration,” Stack said, “and the Symphony House seemed like the perfect way to

Arts celebration From page 24 When Skaggs isn’t painting, he creates knitted and sewn fabric works. He also plays six different instruments, including the banjo, mandolin, fiddle and Irish whistle. To see more of his current and archived works, visit his website, perryskaggs.com. Martha Steger, 74, Poetry Re-enactment Martha Steger has been writing poetry since she first learned about rhythm and rhyme as a child. As she explains, her father was unable to finish college because of the Great Depression, but he had a great appreciation for the written word.

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FIFTYPLUS — SEPTEMBER 2018

share it with the community. We have a lot of long-overdue celebrating and entertaining that we want to do,” Stack said. Williams suggests visitors celebrate by making a day of it during the house tours: “Enjoy lunch after your tour, and have a glass of wine or beer as you shop in our boutique. Then pick up food to take home for dinner.”

Visiting the house Admission tickets are $30 from Sept. 17 onward (advance tickets at $25 are available at Kroger through Sept 16).

“He would give me 10 cents for every poem I could recite from memory,” Steger said. She continued learning about poetry as an English literature major at William and Mary. Steger has written for most of her adult life, freelancing for publications like Fifty Plus, and occasionally publishing poetry and short stories. “I’m not religious about writing poetry,” Steger said. “I write it when I feel moved and can set aside the time.” Steger said she tends to gravitate toward more formulaic, closed forms of poetry. “This particular poem is a sestina,” she said of her honored entry. “It’s highly structured and suitable to the idea of reenactments.”

A preview gala (black-tie optional) catered by Everyday Gourmet will take place Sept. 14, from 6 to 10 p.m. The Richmond Symphony will play from 8 to 10 p.m. for dancing in the backyard. Tickets are $200. Home tours take place from Sept. 17 to Oct. 14, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays 1 to 5 p.m.) Thirsty Thursdays, which include music, food and a glass of wine or beer, are $55 and will be held Sept. 20 and 27, and Oct. 4 and 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

For 25 years, Steger worked in marketing and PR with the Virginia Tourism Corporation. In that capacity, she attended many war reenactments. Those experiences inspired her winning poem. “One time, I attended with German journalists enthusiastically writing about Germans who traveled to Virginia to participate in reenactments,” she said. “Another time, I attended with our 17-yearold French exchange student who couldn’t understand why anyone would want to imitate their ancestors.” The poem explores those contrasting experiences. To view all the winners and other entries in the Celebration of the Arts, visit www.theBeaconNewspapers.com/celebration-of-the-arts.

Gourmet Café by Smoke Pit Grill will be open for on-site lunch or take-out weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Saturdays from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; Sundays from 1-3:30 p.m. There will also be a boutique where works by local artisans’ may be purchased. The house is not accessible to those with mobility problems because of stairs; contact DesignerHouse@rsol.org for visit-assistance questions. For more information, visit rsol.org.

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