FACEBOOK

As you may have surmised, I spend a few hours every day on Facebook.  Keeping in touch with family (YES!  all but one sibling is on).  Checking in on friends and how their families are doing.  Hearing of Kate's friends and who is now expecting!

In addition, I post daily to the Three Rivers Village Facebook page (they do not yet have a website) so I spend time looking for relative articles to post.  Aging in place, growing older AND happier, etc.  Quite a few on making friends in our second adulthood.  Because being social is part of being human!

There are so so many articles on socializing and happiness.  Recently there was one of the "science" of being happier.  Written by a Mayo Clinic doctor!  His recently released Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness pulls together easy things to incorporate into a busy life to boost joy and fulfillment.

Lots of us are very happy with our small circle of close friends.  We enjoy social time and value alone time.  Lots of people belong to social groups (Red Hat Society, Yellow Roses, etc). (I have one friend who belongs to 4 or 5 of these!!!) We also are very active with our local adult community center for potlucks, educational talks, classes as well as trips.  My little town here in Oregon has the Newcomers Club, a spin off from Welcome Wagon 50 years ago.  They are now a social and philanthropic group with over 200 active members.  There are over 20 groups within ... wine tasting, bridge, yoga, dinner groups, and more.  I'm going to look into something like this in Maui.  Or "meet ups" where like minded (and like ages, I hope) get together.

And ALL of these social groups ... are on Facebook!!

MULTITASKING

I was hoping retirement would allow me the luxury of NOT multitasking.  Simply focusing on one thing.  When I talk on the phone, I only want to talk.  Not drive and talk.  Not scroll and talk.  Not Facebook and talk.  Not text and talk.  Some things CAN be multi tasked.

TV ... I can fold laundry or clean while watching.  I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at once.  In fact, I'm thinking of trying to get this to be an Olympic sport.  What do you think?  Winter or Summer?  Triathlon! 

Seriously.  I've recently discovered another few things I can do simultanously  ... cough, laugh, sneeze and pee.  Or any combination of two.  I'm officially old ....

LOSING THINGS

Isn't that the truth!??

After 62 years of having a panic attack when I can't find my purse or my keys or my cell phone (thank goodness for the Find Me feature!), I now put my things in the SAME PLACE every time.  My life is so much more serene.

We have ONE key for the pool at the condo.  And ONE key for the Clubhouse.  So we put up a key rack (in a hidden from view secret place!) where we put back the key immediately after returning to the condo.  With three adults taking kids here or there, we all know where to go to find the keys!  Unbelievably, this too is working!

Kate is still in the stage I was in ... trying to race out to do whatever and can't find her XXXXXX.  I hope she doesn't wait 40 more years to get herself to serene.  It pains me to watch her leave for work ... missing something and making 2-3 trips back inside.  There is so much of life that we have no control over.

Finding our personal items doesn't need to be the cause of panic!

BRAGGING RIGHTS

Sheesh!  I sure wish there WAS a finish line to being thinner.  It obviously has to be a life time way of eating (and drinking).  

Weight Watchers works for me.  Despite the fact that I still fit into the earrings I wore in high school ... nothing else was fitting.  Except X-large light weight Maui sweats ... actually Fresh Produce capris and v-neck t-shirts.  The other big reason is my health!  I want to live many, many years in Maui and not have to cramp my kids' style and live with them forever.

My eating routine is LOW point breakfast, usually fruit and coffee.  Low point lunch ... today was a chopped hard boiled egg on 2 pt English muffin with lots of tomato.  So I can have a decent dinner when eating with the family.  I made my own spaghetti sauce with soy crumbles and whole mushrooms instead of meatballs.  One cup of pasta and tonight I'm adding spiralized zucchini as more "noodles".  I always add a huge salad so the plate looks full.

It's interesting to socialize but I try to choose wisely and not make a big production.  One glass of bubble whatever (less points for more ounces than wine ... and people assume I'm celebrating!!).  

Cheer me on!  It's working!  Because I'm working at it.

TIMES ARE CHANGING

When Kate was about 4, I bought a carry-on with the specific measurements so that it would fit under the seat in front of her.  Snacks, books, toys, juice boxes, change of clothes, stuffed animal, blankie.  Essentials at my fingertips.  Last night as I was rolling laptop(s) to Apple ... the outer hard plastic on the wheels broke off.  So imagine my surprise when I went online to get a replacement!

In early June, the International Air Transport Association issued new carry on luggage size of 21.5 inches by 13.5 inches by 7.5 inches for carry on bags,  (smaller than the 22-by-14-by-9 limit used by most travelers).  So yes!  Seats ARE getting smaller … all the while I am getting larger.  And overhead storage must be also.

BUT Air Travelers have been heard! Under immediate pressure, the International Air Transport Association has clarified an announcement that had carry-on road warriors prepared to reluctantly toss their bulky rollaboards for a forlorn future of tighter luggage and fewer changes of underwear.

And indeed, some airlines have expressed interest in a system where smaller bags could get priority to stay on board with a “Cabin OK” logo attached. When space is tight and  bags have to be gate-checked, the ones without the tags would go first. Nine non-U.S. carriers have confirmed interest in the new size, but not as an absolute limit. United States carriers seem less enthused about Cabin OK preferences, and none have yet expressed plans to change their carry-on size limits.

IF ONLY each airline would enforce their own rules about one carry one and one personal item, we wouldn’t have to change anything.  When I see what people expect to put on a plane (free, goodness knows they wouldn’t want to pay $25) it astounds me.  

Pet Peeve 4,297.

IMPATIENT

I was hoping I would gain more patience as I aged.  But I think maybe the opposite is happening.  Or maybe I should have remembered how little gets done by COMMITTEE.

The Village group here in Portland is having a potluck at my Clubhouse on Sunday, August 16.  No one has sent out an email invite.  Yeh, it's posted on our Facebook Page and is on the Mother Ship's website (we still don't have one) but really?  It's just two weeks away!  I volunteered to do one about two weeks ago.  No response.  I volunteered AGAIN, I even learned how to use MailChimp and made it eye catching ... they will send one out on Monday.  IMPATIENT!

I am so impatient with this group that honestly, all I do now is keep the Facebook page going.  (Please go "like" Three Rivers Village Facebook page ... brings my numbers UP).  

The HOA in Maui is still under the sole control of the developer.  Which makes it so EASY to update our ByLaws to put them in plain English, not have one page contradict the other page and clarify a few vague principles (like "a reasonable number of domestic pets" which allows the Crazy Cat Lady to have 42)(I'm thinking five is a lot more reasonable).  All changes we make do not have to be approved by 80% of the Owners .. the Developer has a magic wand.

Our next annual Meeting is in March 2016 ... and I think we should be going through these 86 pages NOW and get them approved BEFORE the meeting.  Well, says the Chair, we hope to start that soon.  We have been hearing this since last March.  IMPATIENT.

At my Portland condo we ARE updating our House Rules.  Three of us have met for six hours to work on changes.  One important, stand alone document, is Policies and Procedures for Clubhouse Use.  We've had someone allow their 16 year olds to have a mixed slumber party in one room.  We require an insurance rider if alcohol will be served, but no amount has been specified and the riders rarely get checked.  In fact, on of the Board members serves alcohol and refuses to call her insurance agent to get the rider!  It's $5 a year with American Family!!!  (One positive note ... since I do have one, I get invited to a lot of parties so we can use mine!)  IMPATIENT.

Still waiting for one of the parents here to get a job!  IMPATIENT.

IS IT ME?

Is it me?  Or does everyone have a few crazy neighbors or friends?

It seems like the more I get to know someone, the more interesting things I discover.  People, for some reason, tell me the most personal things ... that I don't really want to know!  Are you DYING for some details?

My VERY elderly male buddy whose wife passed away ten years ago, became interested in another gal ... and asked me if he should get Viagra.

A single female neighbor made her buddy PROMISE, if she ever died, to go into her house and get her "toys" out before her family arrived.  (She did pass away and the equipment was secretly tossed into the dumpster)

My very good friend only wears black.  Always.  Even in 100+ degree weather.  Always slacks.  Often boots.  Not a spark of bright color (or any color) in jewelry or scarf or shirts.  Just black.

Another neighbor will not be seen in a swimsuit.  Or shorts.  Or capris.  She has been known to go in the pool fully dressed.

My very thrifty friend bought a $12,000 bracelet.  After being scammed out of $17,000.

A single friend is being VERY chatty about her current love affair.  In detail.  Like "should I let him put it THERE".

My happily married friends plan sex for twice a week.  Wednesday and Saturday.  Once she thought it was Wednesday (on a Tuesday) so they were lucky enough to have it three times that week (although she felt tricked!)

An only child friend married a guy who wants a million kids.  Every time she "agrees", she gets a BIG gift ... think new car, new house, vacation cottage, etc.  They have eight children.  So far.

A friend sent $5,000 to unknown people after receiving an email (supposedly from a neighbor) saying they were stuck in Istanbul and had their passports stolen.  YES.  In 2015!  Then was mad when he went to their home to be repaid.

Hopefully ALL of these identities are vague enough that no one will guess who is who.  

Share some of yours?