It is said “learning is for the younger.” I will agree to that with a few exceptions. I consider under age 80 as part of the “younger.” As a person over age 80, I am part of the older age qualifying to be an octogenarian (an octogenarian is defined as a person whose age is in the eighties.)
An exception to learning being just for this for under age eighty occurred in my case twice in the last 60 days. One being learning there is a company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that will purchase your unwanted bridges, gold fillings, etc., for cash in the form of a check to you. Wow!
The second learning example was when a financial institution gave back a date time stamped of my deposit showing the amount and the ending balance. On the receipt, the type of vehicle and the license plate as you drove away from the drive-thru window. (I came to the conclusion, “I have no secrets as to where I’ve been and when!!)
Genie had surgery to remove cancer on her right lung in July of 2022 at Mercy Hospital, Mason City, Iowa. The surgery was done robotically under the guided hand of Dr. Dali with the good result of being cancer free. (I stayed at the Quality Inn of Mason City about two during her surgery.)
After one year, the medical decision was t do a colonoscopy, hopefully finding no cancer. Genie and I stayed at the Quality Inn the night before. In preparation for the test, Genie drank some medication from which she unexpectedly became very nauseous, vomiting almost non-stop. (This caused the colonoscopy to be cancelled awaiting a further medical decision.)
At this time, we must give thanks to all the front desk personnel at the Mason City Quality Inn, namely Sam, Lois, Cole, Jim, and Dinesh for their great service. (Sam, as a desk person at any Quality Inn or Comfort Inn, Genie and I rate you as “Best of the Bunch.”
How dry is it in Albert Lea, Minnesota? It is so dry, some of the trees have brown even dead curled blackish leaves. My rose bush, next to where our neighbors walk their dogs, is full of roses in bloom. (A smart rose bush that grabs the dogs just before their relieving of a full bladder.) I must admit the roses have a pale yellow appearance but at least there are roses. It is very easy to see when anyone walks across our lawn. Just look for footprints on the dead grass.
We know a young couple of the technology age. They eat breakfast at exactly 7:02 every morning. At exactly 7:00 every morning the fresh water spigot drips water into a bird bath for 45 minutes. At that they are ready to start their day and all the birds are also ready to start their day. (The bird bath is on the outside of a sliding glass door where they eat breakfast.)
The young couple have it set up so they can look at their house any time they want to no matte where they are at. Readers, this is FACT!
(They did just that on their vacation by car to the east coast and saw a deer eating their hosta!!)
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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in New York. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.