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GOLDEN NUGGETS
February, the shortest month, is usually considered the month of love. You would think we would want to celebrate this timeless emotion in a month that has 31 days. Love has so many different meanings and we experience each in a variety of ways throughout our lives. Our first love is when we feel the love of our family, including mother, father, siblings and grandparents’ affection for us. As we grow we learn about love of country and love of our friends and coworkers. If you were fortunate enough you might have fallen in love with a special person. Perhaps you married and had the joy of becoming a parent and then a grandparent.
Each phase of love made you feel special and hopeful for the future. Yet when you look back in time you can see how every joyful love experience also had a note of sadness to it. You grew up and left your parents home. You grew apart from your classmates and friends. You changed jobs. You moved away. Your one true love is gone for whatever reason. Perhaps you have become a parent and grandparent and are not close to them, whether physically or emotionally. This would bring you back to the first circle of love. The cycle will repeat itself generation after generation until the human race ceases to exist. God gave us this emotion so we can better understand how He loves us, His people. The Bible states in I John 4:19 “ We love because He first loved us.” This is another treasured gift from God. Now is the time to reflect on the loves you have experienced in the past,and will experience today and in the future and to give thanks to the Creator who gave us the ability to enjoy them.
Brain Teaser (Answer at end)
If you have a 7-minute hourglass and an 11-minute hourglass, how can you boil an egg in exactly 15 minutes?
Remember When
The 1950s are often thought of as some of the greatest years in modern history. But one of the most surprising discoveries from taking a nostalgic look at the 1950s involves the strict "rules" of courtship. Back then, rules weren't seen as overly strict —- they were just the norm. Here is a list of some of them: 'A man should always ask a woman for the date.’ ‘A man should always use heaps of flattery to woo a woman.' 'Young adults must only date one person at a time.’ ‘Ask for a date by Wednesday.’ ‘A lady must always be on time for her date.' 'Pick your date up at her house, and come to the door.' 'Parental approval is of utmost importance.’ ‘A man always pays for the date.' 'A man gives his date's order to waiter.’ ‘The couple must exchange a token of affection.’ ‘The couple must inform each other about all plans.’ ‘No kissing on the first date.' The 1950s definitely had a very strict and specific sense of courtship etiquette, though some of these rules are still commonplace today. It is probably because of this view of courtship that made marriages last longer than they do today.
Grandma’s Cooking Corner:
Meryl Streep's Heart Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 c. butter (3 sticks), softened
3/4 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 c. almonds, finely ground
1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
Jam or preserves for filling (optional)
Directions
In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, cream butter, honey, and vanilla. Add almonds and flours, and mix until well blended. Divide dough into 4 pieces; wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325° F. On lightly floured waxed paper, roll 1 piece dough 1/8 inch thick. With 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut dough into hearts; transfer to cookie sheet. Wrap and refrigerate trimmings. If filling cookies with jam, make a shallow thumbprint in center of each cookie, then spoon a dab of jam into each thumbprint.
Bake cookies 12 to 14 minutes or until browned at edges. Let cookies remain on cookie sheet 2 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and trimmings. Makes 5 dozen cookies.
HUMOR ME
A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. All of a sudden, he said out loud, "Lord grant me one wish."
Suddenly the sky clouded above his head and in a booming voice the Lord said, "Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish."
The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii, so I can drive over anytime I want."
The Lord said, "Your request is very materialistic. Think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking…the supports required to reach the bottom of the Pacific and the concrete and steel it would take! I can do it; but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of another wish, a wish you think would honor and glorify me."
The man thought about it for a long time. Finally he said, "Lord, I wish that I could understand women. I want to know how they feel inside, what they are thinking when they give me the silent treatment, why they cry, what they mean when they say 'nothing', and how I can make a woman truly happy."
The Lord replied, "You want two lanes or four on that bridge?"
MILITARY SALUTE
Cpl. Desmond Doss, U.S. Army, World War II
Doss wanted to serve; he just wasn’t willing to kill to do it and refused every order to carry a weapon or fire one. However, Doss would do anything to save his men, repeatedly braving Japanese fire to pull the injured to the rear. As his unit climbed a vertical cliffside at Okinawa, the Japanese opened up with artillery, mortars, and machine guns, turning his unit back and killing or wounding 75 men. Doss retrieved them one by one, loading them onto a litter and down the cliff. A few days later, in the mouth of a cave, he braved a shower of grenades thrown from eight yards away, dressed wounds, and made four trips to pull his soldiers out. He treated his own wounds and waited five hours for a litter to carry him off. On the way back, the three men carrying him had to take cover from a tank attack. While waiting, Doss crawled off his litter, treated a more injured man, and told the litter bearers to take the other man. While waiting for them to come back, he was hit in the arm by a sniper and crawled 300 yards to an aid station. He was the first conscientious objector to earn the Medal of Honor.
Non-profit of the Month
Before the American Heart Association existed, people with heart disease were thought to be doomed to complete bed rest — or destined to imminent death.
But a handful of pioneering physicians and social workers believed it didn’t have to be that way. They conducted studies to learn more about heart disease, America’s No. 1 killer. Then, on June 10, 1924, they met in Chicago to form the American Heart Association — believing that scientific research could lead the way to better treatment, prevention and ultimately a cure. The early American Heart Association enlisted help from hundreds, then thousands, of physicians and scientists.
“We were living in a time of almost unbelievable ignorance about heart disease,” said Paul Dudley White, one of six cardiologists who founded the organization.
In 1948, the association reorganized, transforming from a professional scientific society to a nationwide voluntary health organization composed of science and lay volunteers and supported by professional staff.
Since then, the AHA has grown rapidly in size and influence — nationally and internationally — into an organization of more than 35 million volunteers and supporters dedicated to improving heart health and reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
FEBRUARY is HEART MONTH!
Grandpa’s Sports Stories
Before Super Bowl III, New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath was cornered by reporters at his hotel pool and, tired of hearing about the greatness of his upcoming opponent, the Baltimore Colts, Namath made a proclamation. The cocky quarterback guaranteed victory and fulfilled his boast, as the Jets upset the Colts, 16-7. The win certified teams from the AFL as equals to their NFL counterparts.
SENIOR OF THE MONTH -
February 2025
RICKY TEW
Ricky Tew was born and lives in North Carolina. His parents always made sure Ricky and his seven siblings attended church on a regular bases.
He always had a love for music, but especially for gospel music. He learned to play the six-string guitar and bass guitar when he was around twenty years old and quickly started playing bass guitar regularly in his local church. Ricky continued to play bass guitar in churches throughout his life. One of the highlights of his life was when he played bass guitar in a local gospel group for three years when he was in his early twenties. They had a big band, had their own motor coach, and made a gospel album.
Ricky retired four years ago and that gave him the time and opportunity to expand his music capabilities and his ministering through music. In addition to continuing to play the bass guitar in his church, he decided to start back playing the six-string guitar and to learn and sing some songs. Ricky first started singing at some local jams. Then he felt led by the Lord to start a social media music ministry of his playing and singing using Facebook as his platform. Ricky states, “God has been faithful and has blessed the social media music ministry amazingly and has used it to bless so many people in miraculous ways.”
In addition to his social media music ministry, Ricky sings and plays at events. He plays all kinds of music from bluegrass, classic country, rock and roll, blues, to southern rock. Some of the places he sings at are: Springbrook Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Gabriel Manor Assisted Living, Lorraine’s Coffee House, Pairs-N-Spares senior group, First Baptist Church of Garner seniors group, and The Senior Network. He will perform at The Senior Network’s Fourth Annual “April Love Senior Talent Show” at the Renaissance Center in Wake Forest. (Check out Rickey’s blog on theseniornetwork.org.)
Who’d A Thunk
The 911 call was invented in 1968 by AT&T. It was designed to be used in cases of emergency and to connect people to the police, fire department, or ambulance services.
This call can be made from any telephone in the United States or Canada (including cell phones). The first 911 call was made on February 16, 1968, to report a fire in Haleyville, Alabama. Since then, nearly all US phone carriers have adopted the three-digit emergency call number. The 911 call (or similar variations) is now used by almost every country in the world.
Words of Wisdom
“An archaeologist is the best husband any woman can have; the older she gets, the more interested he is in her.” – Agatha Christie
TIDBITS FROM OUR PARTNERS, MEMBERS, & FRIENDS
As the New Year rolls in, many of us heave a sigh of relief that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season has ended. While we enjoy the excitement of the decorating, gift giving and endless parade of food, the extended bonding time with our family and friends can wear us thin. Sometimes it just feels good to have everything put away, the house set back to its everyday look and the last of the leftovers cleaned out of the refrigerator. We can take a deep breath and relax. Linger a bit longer over that morning cup of coffee. Enjoy the silence, watch the birds on the feeder and the squirrels on the lawn.
In the hustle of your family life, the national elections and everything else we had going on last fall, you may have missed the messaging that came out about the major changes in Medicare Part D coverage in 2025. Gone is the Coverage Gap or “donut hole,” and in is the $2,000 Maximum Out-of-Pocket. Did this change affect the price of your prescription drugs this January? Did it catch you by surprise?
It's great to know that the Medicare Advantage Plan Open Enrollment Period offers you a second chance to look at the things that have changed due to the coverage you switched to during the fall Annual Enrollment Period or AEP. Also a second chance to consider trying something different because the plan you’ve had just isn’t working for you anymore.
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs between January 1 and March 31 each year and it gives Medicare Advantage beneficiaries the chance to take their new plans out for a test drive. Or discover what kinds of changes were made to your existing plan that got past you during the busy fall season.
Lora Felger
FIRST CAROLINA CARE
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As a Realtor who specializes in helping seniors, I’m often asked for tips on decluttering and preparing to downsize. My #1 tip would be to start with what you’re keeping. What are the undeniable things you must have in order to feel like you’re truly home?
I would start with a ratty old teddy bear that most people would wonder why it hasn’t been chucked in a bin. It was my father’s when he was growing up and he died at a rather young age. That teddy bear has lived in every home I’ve lived in.
Make a list or mark those things and set them aside. If you have family members helping you who may wonder, why are you keeping “that” be sure to tell them the story about why that particular item is so important to you. Once they understand how important those items are to you, they can adjust their mindset to helping you with other items that aren’t helpful or necessary to take with you to your next home.
Karena Stipp
SOUTHERN ACCENT HOMES
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From:Shirley Rancher
Myrtle Beach, SC
It is best to take multivitamins with a meal so as not to get an upset stomach. Drink lots of water when taking vitamins.
From: James Stallwell
I highly recommend elderberry juice to improve your blood sugar and help you lose weight. When I first heard about it, I didn’t know where to buy it as this small dark purple berry grows on elderberry trees in Europe and I live in Idaho. Today, it is readily available online.
From Amy C.
I know that sometimes senior citizens can be very lonely. I didn’t realize that until I retired at 67 and found myself in that category.
Having been active all my life, I suddenly felt alone. Friends I had at work still worked and I found myself with a lot of free time on my hands.
I had no family close by; it seemed everyone I knew was busy with their own lives.
I went to an open house at a local assisted living facility. One of the residents I met (a woman about my age) invited me to play cards with her.
As a result, I realized I could volunteer here and actually make friends. I now spend several days a week at the senior living facilities where I read to some seniors, play cards or a board game with others or just share stories from our past. They love it – and so do I!
Volunteering can change your life!
WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Tips – Suggestions Something you would like to share
Send to: info@thesemiormetwork.org
EVENTS TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR:
*“Senior Day at the Mall”
3rd Friday of every month
TRIANGLE TOWN CENTER
Raleigh, North Carolina
Entertainment 11 am-3 pm
Seats available – FREE!
*Fourth Annual April Love Senior Talent Show
Friday, April 4th, 7 pm
Tickets: $25.00
(Members: $20.00)
THE RENAISSANCE CENTER
Wake Forest, North Carolina
Second Annual Charity Gold Tournament
Thursday, September 11th
HERITAGE GOLF CLUB
Wake Forest, North Carolina
Fourth Annual “CANDY CANE STROLL”
Saturday, December 6th
TRIANGLE TOWN CENTER
Raleigh, North Carolina
(Check under "Events"for more info)
Join The Senior Network!
Individuals: $10.00 a year
Businesses/Organizations: $100.00 a year
SENIOR-FRIENDLY HALL OF FAME
If you know an individual, a business, a group, an organization, or a municipality that is “senior-friendly”, you may nominate them for the “Senior-Friendly” Hall of Fame. Submit their name, contact information and why you think they should be considered.
Send to: info@theseniornetwork.org
Although based in northern Wake County, North Carolina, we are receiving numerous requests from around the country and are now partnering with churches and other organizations in many states to fulfill needs of seniors. If you need a ride to the doctor, or dentist, or grocery store, contact us. If you need a meal brought to you after surgery, contact us. If you are lonely and need ro talk to someone, contact us. We do not charge for our services. If we cannot fulfill your need or wish, we will refer you to someone who can help.
Answer to Brain Teaser:
To boil the egg in exactly 15 minutes, follow these four steps.
Start both hourglasses as you start boiling the egg.
After the 7-minute hourglass runs out, turn it over to start it again.
Four minutes later when the 11-minute hourglass runs out, turn the 7-minute hourglass again.
Wait for the 7-minute hourglass to run out, which will take another four minutes and get you to exactly 15 minutes of: boiling time.
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THE SENIOR NETWORK, INC.
3650 Rogers Road, Suite #323
Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587
954-666-2040
We would love to hear from YOU!
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