.png)
THE SENIOR TIMES
A publication of The Senior Network TM
August 2023
Humor Me….
At an event famous for giving out awards in bizarre categories, the emcee enthusiastically announces, “The next prize will go to the laziest person in the audience. If you think you qualify, raise your hand.”
Everyone raises their hands except a middle-aged man who seems to show little to no interest at all. “Congratulations! You are the winner,” says the emcee to the man. “Your prize is this $100 bill!”
Still showing no emotion, the man replies, “Would you mind coming over here and putting it in my pocket?”
Remember When….
Looking back to the 1930’s is unbelievable! During this period of time, the average wage was about $2,000 a year. While that seems to be very little to live on, the price of gas was 10 cents a gallon, a pound of hamburger meat cost 12 cents and you could get a loaf of bread for just 8 cents. What a difference 92 years make!
GOLDEN NUGGETS….
August is known as being the month with the greatest growing season. It is a time when most vegetables and fruits are the ripest and sweetest. This is the time to enjoy the bounty of the land before it is time to harvest the crops for the upcoming winter.
Cherries, cucumbers, squash. beans, tomatoes, and corn are just some of the crops we cherish as summer rolls to a close.
Just like the many crops that take days to grow and ripen to perfection, we as humans have seasons of growing in our own lives. We, too, plant and collect the crops that we have sown.
Just like the farmer who sows corn will reap corn, the Bible in Galatians 6: 7 and 8 states that “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.”
If we want to enjoy the fruits of our labor, we need to watch what we sow. Are you sowing crops of despair, of bitterness, of sorrow, or of discontentment? How about sowing crops of love, joy, hope and friendship? Perhaps you are blaming others for the terrible crops you are gathering... Each person is responsible for his or her own crops. If you want to collect the sweetness of the crop, you must sow the correct seeds.
Remember to carefully sow the crops you want to enjoy at harvest time.
Who’d A Thunk….
How many of your childhood projects were pieced together by the magical wonders of Scotch Tape? Better yet, how many times have you used Scotch Tape in the office as an adult? Invented in 1930 by 3M engineer Richard G. Drew, it was the world's first transparent adhesive tape. It was created so bakers, grocers, and meatpackers had a way to seal food wrap.
Eventually, it was realized that the tape could be used for a host of things, including torn pages of books and documents, broken toys, ripped window shades, even dilapidated currency.
NON-PROFIT OF THE MONTH
Backpack Buddies
There are many food drive non-profits around the United States aimed at helping school age children when they are not in school “because hunger doesn’t take the weekends off.”
The NORTH EAST WAKE BACKPACK BUDDIES, located in Raleigh, North Carolina is one of those organizations.
If you do not have one of these programs in your area and would like to help, visit www.newbackpackbuddies.org.
“Senior of the Month”
Steve Pfanenstiel
Steve was born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He married his wife, Karen, thirty-five years ago. They do not have children but are proud of their “dog child”, Interests.
Steve’s hobbies include singing and playing the guitar. He enjoys paddleball which is a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong.
Steve and his wife love to travel and recently returned from a fabulous trip to Italy in May. In September Steve and Karen return to Europe again for an eighteen-day cruise!
Steve is a favorite musician at numerous events for The Senior Network.
Thank you, Steve, for all your support!
**************************************
Grandma’s Cooking Corner
Following is ELVIS PRESLEY'S FAVORITE WHIPPING CREAM POUND CAKE.
This recipe comes from a senior woman who was a dear friend of Elvis. She made this cake for him every Christmas and on special occasions. She wanted to remain anonymous for fear that people would deluge her Tupelo, Mississippi home with requests by fans to make her cakes for them.
This pound cake made in a ten-inch tube or Bundt cake pan can be ready in one hour and twenty-five minutes.
There are only six ingredients; and it serves eight to twelve people.
INGREDIENTS
· 3 cups sugar
· 1⁄2 lb. butter, softened
· 7 eggs
· 3 cups cake flour
· 1 cup heavy whipping cream
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
· Butter & flour a 10-inch tube or bundt pan.
· Thoroughly cream together sugar and butter.
· Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
· Mix in half the flour, then the whipping cream, then the other half of the flour.
· Add vanilla.
· Pour into prepared pan.
· Set in COLD oven and turn heat to 350ºF.
· Bake 1 hour to 70 minutes, until a sharp knife inserted in cake turns out clean.
· Cool in pan 5 minutes.
· Remove from pan and cool thoroughly.
· Wrapped well, this cake will keep for several days.
Note: while the original recipe did not suggest this, you can add a teaspoon or two of orange or lemon extract for a lemon or orange pound cake.
Words of Wisdom
Throughout his long reign Augustus had one motto. He emphasized it to his generals and thought it so important that he had coins minted with an image symbolizing it: “festina lente” (“Make haste, slowly”) The fastest way to get something done is to do it right the first time.
**************************************
CANDY CANE STROLLTM
Why? To benefit seniors
When? Saturday, December 2nd, 2023
Where? Triangle Town Center, Raleigh, NC
What? A stroll on lower level of mall and a “Winter Wonderland” of entertainment and displays (business & non-profits) throughout the mall.
**************************************
AN EMPTY CHAIR
50% of people eat meals alone! Are you one of them? This is not healthy! We all need socialization!
Are you a senior eating alone? Are you lonely? Do you desire friends and companionship?
We have individuals and families (some with young children, some with teenagers) with “an empty chair” who would like to invite you to dinner.
Contact us to accept the invitation!
Small List of Famous
People Born In August
August 1, 1770 – William Clark, explorer, teamed with Meriwether Lewis, “Lewis and Clark”
August 1, 1779 – Francis Scott Key, author of the national anthem
August 3, 1920 – P. D. James, mystery writer
August 3, 1924 – Leon Uris, novelist
August 3, 1926 – Tony Bennett, singer
August 4, 1901 – Louis Armstrong, jazz trumpeter
August 5, 1906 – John Huston, director, actor
August 5, 1930 – Neil Armstrong. 1st to walk on the moon. Quote: One small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind.
August 7, 1876 – Mata Hari, dancer, spy
August 7, 1903 – Rudolf C. Ising, animator, co-creator of “Loony Tunes” and “Merrie Melodies”
August 8, 1923 – Esther Williams, swimmer, actress
August 8, 1932 – Mel Tillis, singer, songwriter
August 8, 1937 – Dustin Hoffman, actor
August 10, 1729 – William Howe, commander of British forces during the Revolutionary War
August 10, 1874 – Herbert Hoover, 31st U.S. President (1929-1933)
August 10, 1911 – Jane Wyatt, actress
August 10, 1928 – Jimmy Dean, singer, “Big Bad John”
August 11, 1933 – Jerry Falwell, TV evangelist
August 12, 1856 – James B. (“Diamond Jim”) Brady, financier, philanthropist
August 12, 1881 – Cecil B. DeMille, producer, director
August 15, 1769 – Napoleon Bonaparte, French military, emperor
August 19, 1921 – Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek
August 21, 1904 –Count Basie, jazz musician, bandleader
August 21, 1936 – Wilt Chamberlain, NBA basketball player
August 21, 1938 – Kenny Rogers, singer, actor
August 29, 1920 – Charlie “Bird” Parker, jazz saxophonist
August 30, 1908 – Fred MacMurray, actor
August 31, 1924 – Buddy Hackett, actor, comedian
August 31, 1949 – Richard Gere, actor, “Pretty Woman”, “Chicago”
National Senior Day - August 21st, 2023
Modern medicine has made some extreme advances in the past 100 years, which means that life expectancy is much higher than it used to be. For that reason, more and more people living today are senior citizens.
With that higher life expectancy comes a lot of joy, knowledge, and wisdom. But there are also individual and unique challenges that senior citizens face.
Many senior citizens find themselves without a family or with a family that neglects them. Senior citizens who haven’t saved enough before retiring live in poverty and are at the mercy of government assistance programs.
Although seniors are adults, they are still a vulnerable group in our communities. For that reason, in 1988, President Ronald Reagan founded the very first Senior Citizen Day. Its mission was to show appreciation for the seniors in our community and to spread awareness about the issues common to them.
Senior Citizen Day is a national holiday that takes place every year to celebrate the senior citizens of our communities. It’s a day of fun and celebration as well as a day to remember the struggles that many senior citizens face every day.
Not every senior is loved, remembered, and cared for. Senior citizen holidays set aside a day a year to remind everyone to go out and find the seniors who need a little more love and attention.
Even if you’ve never participated in National Senior Citizen Day before, this is the perfect year to begin. Put it on your calendar and start planning that special day with the seniors in your life!
Contact us:
info@theseniornetwork.org
954-666-2040
919-373-8823
THE SENIOR NETWORK
300 Southtown Circle, Rolesville, NC 27571
Comments