Aging Well in the Gorge April 22nd 2020

Contrary to past pandemics, this time we have the technology to connect - virtually. By using such platforms as Facebook Live, Apple’s FaceTime, Google Hangouts or Zoom, you can still get together with your family or friends. It can feel awkward, but I enjoy being able to see who I’m talking with. (Although my wife doesn’t appreciate that now she must fix her hair before talking with anyone!)

You can also explore the world from your own home. You can visit world renown museums at the website artsandculture.google.com where you can even find unique art collections such as “Woof. Nine Painted Pooches”. And with YouTube, you can imagine yourself on a safari observing elephants in South Africa, looking out on Times Square from your hotel window, or sitting on a peaceful Thai Beech with the sound of lapping waves because you can find these scenes streamed in real time.

From your living room, you can now visit with family and explore the world - all in living color. And if this is new to you and you would like to learn more, this fall the Center will be offering classes about connecting virtually.

Because older adults need to stay home to protect themselves, the eligibility rules for Meals-on-Wheels have been relaxed so anyone over 60 can receive home delivered meals. If you are self-isolating and would like a nutritious meal delivered, call The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels at 541-298-8333.

The Center Quilters’ first priority for their handmade face masks has been care facilities and businesses that interact with the public. But now we have enough face masks to distribute to individuals. Call the Center at 541-296-4788 between 8:00 and 5:00 to request face masks and we will deliver them to you within 48 hours. And remember, the face masks are most effective protecting others. Make sure whomever you are in contact with is wearing a face mask to protect you. So far there have been only ten confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wasco County - and that’s good news. But we need to work to make sure there aren’t any more.

Since virtual meetings are becoming so common, I would like to know if anyone would be interested in joining a virtual book club. The focus would be a humorous look at aging starting with Roger Rosenblatt’s Rules for Aging - A Wry and Witty Guide to Life. If you are interested, email me at mcseniorcenter@gmail.com.

Until there are once again community events to share, I have been including a joke every week which I hope will make you smile - even though you may have heard them many times before; and I also hope you won’t find offensive - although there are no guarantees.

Because humor is very personal and situational, a joke can make one person laugh and another wondering what’s so funny. And If a young person tells a joke about older people it can feel demeaning, but the same joke told by an older person it’s self-deprecating.

But I’ll take my chance and see if I can make you smile with this one-liner from Henny Youngman.

“I told my doctor I broke my leg in two places. He told me to quit going to those places.”

The name of the top rated television series where the father never could keep an opinion to himself but would tell anyone who talked too long to “stifle” was All in the Family. And “meathead” was played by Rob Reiner. I received correct answers from Jess Birge, Rhonda Spies, Lana Tepfer, Patty Burnet, Dave Lutgens, Tiiu Vahtel, Jim Ayers and the winner of a quilt raffle ticket Dorothy Herman who mentioned that Sally Struthers, Meathead’s wife, grew up in Portland.

Some considered this influential singer, composer, and producer as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocals and importance within popular music. For this week’s “Remember When” question what was the name of this singer who recorded thirty top 40 hits between 1957 and 1964 including "You Send Me", “Cupid", "Wonderful World", and "Twistin' the Night Away"? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788 or send it with his last album Ain’t That Good News released in 1964.

Well, it’s been another week, falling asleep except when I want to. Until we meet again, you know life has changed when going out with your wife means waiting in the car at Fred Meyer for the grocery pickup.

 “Gardening is cheaper than therapy and you get tomatoes.” Unknown