OLDER PEOPLE

For the past several years, many (many) people are trying to come up with a new term for older people.  Apparently it is not longer politically correct to say Senior Citizen.  I'm not sure why folks are so negative about this term.  I've loved growing up enough to use the Senior Citizen discounts!  Or Honored Citizen discount.  

As usual, I think the term is respectful and appropriate.  Or even older person.  These do not necessarily mean incompetent or a lesser human being.  Sorry but I am tired of having to say long, complicated verbiage rather than one descriptive word (unless it is widely determined to be negative).

I Googled "senior citizen" and got:

senior, 

old person, 

elderly person, 

elder, 

old fogey, 

dotard, 

Methuselah, 

patriarch; 

retiree, 

golden ager; 

superannuitant; 

old stager, 

old-timer, 

oldie, 

ancient, 

wrinkly, 

crock, 

crumbly; 

buffer, 

josser; 

oldster, 

woopie; 

geriatric;

senex; 

retirer, 
pensionary

I do agree that there is ageism bias when looking for jobs.  That's a whole different blog.  My husband was fired after 25 years with a company and he had to (embarrassingly) accept a position that was ten levels down on the ladder.  Because he was 50!!  He did and after a year or two, was back in the game.  Retired on his 75th birthday.  Took the new company from $1M in sales to $65M in sales.  See?  Older people can be beneficial!!

Several of the terms above ARE derogatory although I have never encountered them in conversation or print.  But I just don't agree that we need to come up with a new generalized group name.  A fellow blogger suggested we be labeled as levels ..... like I would be Level 67. Then the higher we get, (like a video game), the better we sound! 

I did read a great article (reprinted from The Washington Post ... who would not let me read it on their website).  It was called "A New Term for Active Seniors:  Call us Perennials".

Now THAT I could go with!

THURSDAY MUSINGS

I feel so grateful.  About so many things.

Maybe because I've been watching the series Little House on The Prairie for a few weeks.  Which reminds me of growing up in my large, lower middle class family with six children.  I don't know HOW they did it but I never felt "poor" even though we went without so many things that other kids had.  

We lived in a 3 bedroom one bath ranch style home on about 1/4 acre.  (Until I was in high school and then they added on a master suite and a tiny family room).  Somehow they came up with the money for some of us to attend Catholic school.  Although I didn't have room for sleepovers or even play dates, I had a houseful of people to play with.  We had four huge maple trees which were perfect for climbing up and reading a book.

My Mom (my Dad next to her) is on the right, holding my older brother 

(I was still a gleam in my father's eye)

My Mom came from a family of 11 children and so we have lots and lots of cousins.  One Aunt had a large basement so Christmas was always celebrated there.  We had one Aunt who never married and had a lifelong "roommate" who always joined us for holiday feasts.  My Mom was an amazing and adventurous cook!  She loved cooking and all six of her kids love cooking.  I think even my four brothers do all the cooking for their families.  I still have some handwritten recipe cards.  From my mother-in-law also.  

My Mom is 3rd from left.  The two just left of her 

are the only remaining Whipples of that generation.

Until most of the kids had flown the nest, their only vacations were camping.  For their 25th anniversary, they did indulge on a week long cruise!  Then vacations were to visit the out of state kids!  Three of us moved to the San Francisco area and Mom said if one more moved, they'd be right behind!  Now that I have my own kidlet, I sure know how she felt.

Luckily, my kidlet and I are very attached and will always have our nests close together, if not the same nest as we have now.

And for this relationship, I am most grateful.

FIRST WORLD PROBLEM

Our internet was down off and on yesterday.  We are already living like Green Acres as the kitchen GFI popped and we could not get it up and running (even after talking with the Owner).  Fridge is using an extension cord into dining room.  Microwave is on dining table as well as toaster.  You can only use microwave OR toaster or it pops off the other GFI.

Alas, Mr. Son in Law got things working with wifi this morning.  We depart tomorrow with a ton of great memories, bags of sea glass as well as beautiful rocks....

Looking for sea glass on Driftwood Beach

Just digging it!

Relaxed Gramma

Cozy boy waking up slowly

OOOOPS!

This island is very big ... about 170 square miles!  Long (40 miles) and skinny with lots of harbors and inlets and different kinds of beaches.  It's mostly rural and has six large towns.  We are staying in Coupeville.

It's about ten minutes from our rental to the heart of downtown  Coupeville.  Someone recently bought the old, outdated bookstore and brought it back to life.  Coupeville has many, many restaurants from a hot dog stand by the dock to the $$$$ Oystercatcher .. with many in between.  Yesterday we ate at the end of the dock, explored the low tide (found a live mussel) and spent part of the $5 gift certificates to the candy store, bestowed on each boy from Aunt Janet.

Oh my, did it take time to choose!  All the old fashioned stuff from my childhood ... wax bottles filled with sugar water, realistic seashells filled with chocolate, and lots of things in big jars to choose from.

This morning, the boys slept in (9:30!) and made their own breakfast which gave them enough energy to play on the stairway for over an hour!

Now the four of them are off to explore Fort Casey.  It's sunny and 70 and vacation perfect!

NOT AGAIN!

We finally arrived on Whidbey Island at 9pm Sunday.  It was an eight hour trip because we stopped about every hour to run off some energy for the boys and the dog.  Despite not getting to sleep until LATE, the boys bopped in at 8:30 to say "Gramma, just look at the scenery"!!

They played at the house for an hour (so I could have a cup of coffee) then we went to look for sea glass. 

After a quick stop for milk and necessities (donuts!), they are happily running up and down the two flights of stairs.

DUET DINING

Isn't it fun to try new restaurants and different cuisines?  My sister is much more adventurous both in finding new restaurants and cooking different cuisines.  She returned to her home at midnight on Wednesday, brought a dish for a 4th of July party, had friends over on Friday night AND on Saturday night.  Heck!  It took me til Thursday to unpack my bags!!

We mostly had coffee, tea and light breakfast at home.  Usually dinner at home as well ... SO delish!

That girl can really made salads into dinner ... with mostly leftovers!  Purple asparagus, farro salad (not in this salad) chopped sugar snap peas, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, boiled egg, smoked salmon OR fresh salmon, a shmeer of hummus with a tiny crunchy bit of carbs.  Yummy cheese and fruit for dessert.

We splurged one evening and went to the Oystercatcher in Coupeville for dinner.  (We also sneaked in a lunch there ... they are only open for dinner Thurs - Sun, lunch Fri - Mon).  We had lofty plans of sharing a meal ... but we ended up being piggies and each getting our own.

The evening started with a simply delicious radish topped with tiny spheres of browned butter.  Herbs and flowers for great eye appeal and taste.

This is my cup of broccoli soup, swirled with strawberry something or other and a dollop of creme fraice.

A tiny intermezzo of spring pea sorbet

My main dish was a salad ... Reine de glace lettuce, gunsho, cured egg yolk, turnip, radish, cauliflower, carrot, shallot vinaigrette, housemade green goddess dressing.

(Yes, please Google those ingredients!  I had to)

Accompanied by champagne!  (How many bottles did we drink that week?  We'll never tell)  But we both neglected to take a photo of the dessert we shared.  Deconstructed strawberry shortcake.

Kohlrabi & lemon macerated strawberries, pepperberry shortcake (more like a cookie), honey-chevre mousse, and mint.

Oh my!

WHAT A WEEK!

What a week on Whidbey Island!

It may not appeal to everyone but I think it has a lot of different things to offer.  The beautiful landscape is something to behold.  Huge bluffs, natural marshlands, rocky coastline, lots of flat roads to bike ride, sea glass to collect.  As well as loads of wildlife.  All just 90 minutes from Seattle.

Several small towns are scattered about with terrific restaurants (a whole blog unto itself!) and loads of shopping ... from candy stores (including a black licorice store!), top notch galleries, souvenir spots, clothing, doo dads, furniture ... you name it.

Whidbey has lots of history as well as a Naval Air Station (the boys are going to love to watch the Growlers touch and go).  Fort Casey still has bunkers and cannons you can explore.  Admiralty lighthouse.

 

Ebey's Bluff

Yep ... we saw these guys every day

Beautiful flight of a Blue Heron

Langley has wild bunnies everywhere!

I found two pieces of green sea glass.  

Janet found this many every day!

A Northern Harrier

(These photos were all taken by my sister!)

ALL AMERICAN HOLIDAY!

I'm taking the day off!  See you Tuesday!

WELL, THAT WAS AWKWARD!

By the time you get to read this, I will be back in Lake Oswego.  Oregon ... where we have no sales tax and we are not allowed to pump our own gasoline.

We had a fabulous eight days on Whidbey together, then drove south four hours to Lake Oswego so Aunt Janet could visit with the boys.

For reference, we stayed in Coupeville just 1/2 mile from the ocean (right above the words "Whidbey Island" on the map pictured).  More details to follow!