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THE SENIOR TIMES - November 2024
GOLDEN NUGGETS
November is the time of year when we celebrate the end of the harvest season as we prepare for the colder weather of winter. We set aside this part of the year to “gather”. First we gather in our crops. Next we gather together our families and friends. Finally, we gather our thoughts as we begin to reflect on all the events this year has brought our way. Some of the things that have happened brought us sadness and tears while others have brought us laughter and joy. Harvesting crops, whether for commercial use or your own table, is always bittersweet. You labor in the fields. You fight against the pests, droughts and floods to collect a bountiful yield. When you gather with family and friends, you are happy for the new faces and saddened by those who are no longer around your table and in your life. But we know that this is all part of life. The heartaches, the hard work and the happiness we find makes us all the more aware of how thankful we should be for each day we have on this earth. This sense of “gathering together” brings a feeling of belonging and peace. We are actively involved with collecting crops, family, friends and our thoughts. God knew this act of gathering was and still is important. In the Bible we find in Matthew 18:20 the words, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” The Creator of our world will Himself be a part of our gatherings. How amazing is that!
Our NonProfit of the Month:
Direct Relief works to equip health professionals in resource-poor communities to meet the challenges of diagnosing and caring for people in need. Disaster response requires rapid mobilization, but the help must be of the right type. Direct Relief’s efforts are fast, yet always in direct response to specific requests from local partners and are coordinated with other organizations. It is responding to wildfires in the US, including in its home state of California. Direct Relief responds to hurricanes with needed medications and medical supplies. It supports communities in which the effects of socioeconomic disparities persist.
Brain Teasers
(Answers at end))
I am a five-letter word. I sound the same when you remove my first letter. I sound the same when you remove my third letter. I sound the same when my last letter is removed and I sound the same when all three are removed. What word am I?
Grandma’s Cooking Corner:
Triple Chocolate Christmas Cake
Ingredients:
1 Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker Devils Food
Cake Mix
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. sour cream
6 oz bag of chocolate chips
4 eggs (beaten slightly) If very small eggs, use 5
¾ c. Kahlua or coffee liqueur
1 can of chocolate frosting
Directions:
Mix well with mixer on low just until all
incorporated (scraping sides frequently)
Add by hand the chocolate chips. Pour batter into a Bundt pan greased liberally and dust with cocoa powder (shake excess out) instead of flour. Bake at 350 for 55 – 60 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean. Do not overcook. Cool for at least an hour before inverting on serving plate (cool to touch). In a saucepan add can of chocolate frosting (not dark or milk) plus one tablespoon of coffee liqueur to drizzle around cooled cake. This is a super-rich cake.... but it sure doesn’t hurt to add a scoop of French vanilla ice cream to the serving!
(Submitted by
Dee O'Sullivan
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho)
Words Of Wisdom:
“Everything is changing.
People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.”
—Will Rogers
Who’d A Thunk:
Dr. Willem Kolff is considered the father of dialysis. This young Dutch physician constructed the first dialyzer (artificial kidney) in 1943. The road to Kolff’s creation of an artificial kidney began in the late 1930s when he was working in a small ward at the University of Groningen Hospital in the Netherlands. There, Kolff watched helplessly as a young man died slowly of kidney failure. Kolff decided to find a way to make a machine that would do the work of the kidneys. At about the same time that Kolff began his research, World War II erupted. Once the Nazis overtook the Netherlands, Kolff was sent to work in a remote Dutch hospital. Although materials were scarce, Kolff improvised, using sausage skins, orange juice cans, a washing machine and other common items to make a device that could clear the blood of toxins. In 1943, Kolff’s invention, although crude, was completed. During the course of the next two years, he treated 16 patients with acute kidney failure but had little success. All that changed in 1945, when a 67-year-old woman in uremic coma regained consciousness after 11 hours of hemodialysis with Kolff’s dialyzer. She lived seven more years before dying of another ailment. Kolff’s machine is considered the first modern drum dialyzer, and it remained the standard for the next decade. After World War II ended, Kolff donated the five artificial kidneys he’d made to hospitals around the world, including Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York. In the late 1940s, Kolff came to the United States, where he continued his research. At Mt. Sinai Hospital, he instructed other doctors in the use of his artificial kidney, but the hospital’s administrators were opposed to this type of therapy. Therefore, Kolff and his colleagues were forced to perform dialysis in surgical suite after hours. The next few years saw many strides in dialysis. Kolff gave a set of blueprints for his kidney machine to George Thorn at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston. This led to the manufacture of the next generation of Kolff’s dialyzer, a stainless steel Kolff-Brigham kidney, which paved the way for the first kidney transplant in 1954. During the Korean War, Kolff-Brigham dialyzers were instrumental in the treatment of injured American soldiers.
HUMOR ME
While walking down the street one day a female head of state is tragically hit by a truck and dies. Her soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance. “Welcome to Heaven,” says St. Peter. “Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we’re not sure what to do with you.” “No problem, just let me in,” says the lady. “Well, I’d like to but I have orders from higher up. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.” “Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in Heaven,” says the head of state. “I’m sorry but we have our rules.” And with that, St. Peter escorts her to the elevator and she goes down, down, down to Hell. The doors open and she finds herself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a club and standing in front of it are all her friends and other politicians who had worked with her, everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet her, hug her, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar. Also present is the Devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that, before she realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives her a big hug and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for her. “Now it’s time to visit Heaven.” So 24 hours pass with the head of state joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before she realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns. “Well then, you’ve spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven. Now choose your eternity.” She reflects for a minute, then the head of state answers: “Well, I would never have said it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in Hell.” So, Saint Peter escorts her to the elevator and she goes down, down, down to Hell. Now the doors of the elevator open and she is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. She sees all her friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in a black bag. The Devil comes over to her and lays his arm on her neck. “I don’t understand,” stammers the head of state. “Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and club and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now there is a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable.” The Devil looks at her, smiles and says, “Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted for us!”
SENIOR OF THE MONTH - November 2024
TOM HAYWOOD
Tom was born in central Pennsylvania (Reedsville). He then moved to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia where he finished high school. He was Student Council President and a member of the National Honor Society. Well rounded, he participated in football, basketball and track. In 1975, Tom graduated Magnum Cum Laude with a BS in Math & Physics from Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia. He attended graduate school at Ohio University where he received an M.S. in Math and an M.S. in Computer Science. Tom worked for IBM in Maryland and North Carolina, retiring in 2013. He also worked as an adjunct computer science instructor.
Tom has been active in Baptist, Lutheran, non-denominational and Presbyterian churches and is currently serving as a deacon in Christ Our Hope Church.
He has many hobbies, including golf, woodworking, music, home repair and helping people. Tom was married for eighteen years before the divorce (against his will) seventeen years ago. The marriage produced two daughters (one surviving). You can read Tom’s story of learning to forgive in a blog on our website.
“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:
Grandpa’s Sports Stories:
Willie Mays' entire career was a highlight reel, but there is one moment that stands out above the rest. On Sept. 29, 1954, Mays made arguably the greatest catch not only in postseason history but in baseball history. So great, in fact, that it is known simply as "The Catch.” It was Game 1 of the 1954 World Series between Mays' New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians. In the eighth inning of a 2-2 game with runners on first and second, Indians first baseman Vic Wertz drove a ball more than 400 feet to deep center field. Mays drifted way back, made an over-the-shoulder catch and fired the ball back into the infield to preserve the tie (the lead runner advanced only to third base). The Giants eventually won the game 5-2 on Dusty Rhodes' pinch-hit, three-run homer in the 10th inning. And they won the World Series in four games. During his 22-season major-league career, Mays hit 660 homers, collected 3,283 hits, drove in 1,903 runs and swiped 338 bases while batting .302. And he was just as dangerous in the field, winning 12 Gold Gloves and making a catch that still ranks at or near the top any list of the best ever.
Remember When:
The traditional Papasan chair is making a comeback in modern homes since their introduction into the United States and Europe after World War II. But their history goes back much further than you could imagine… They originate in Asian countries like the Philippines and Japan where they were used as the primary chair of the patriarch of the household. There was usually only one chair of this kind found in the home. Their origin dates back centuries as the mention of their existence can even be found in pre-imperial writings and ancient paintings. After WWII, American soldiers returned home with the chairs and they became an exotic addition to any western lounge area. Their popularity died out until they were re-popularized after the Vietnam war, where once again, soldiers enjoyed their plush comfort and large, cozy seating space. This time, they had become a mainstream furniture item that was bought by “hippies” and upmarket homeowners alike. They were no longer being imported from Asia but were now being manufactured state-side by entrepreneurial furniture manufacturers who spotted the growing trend. Soon, the mid-century modern style took over and there was no longer room for the “over-the-top” hippie furniture embraced by the humble Papasan chair. Thankfully, they’re back! Since the turn of the millennium, there has been a return to the relaxed boho decor style for which the Papasan chair is perfectly suited. They are increasing in popularity once again and enjoyed by millions of people in nurseries, living rooms, reading areas and even patios.
MILITARY SALUTE
Francis Gary Powers (1929-1977) was an American pilot who was captured by the Soviet Union while flying a surveillance mission in 1960. Powers himself was charged with espionage, put on trial in Moscow and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. He was released 18 months later, in exchange for a KGB colonel who had been caught spying in the US. Powers was interrogated rigorously on his return home; American authorities concerned that he had collaborated with or possibly leaked information to the Soviets. He returned to work with the CIA, though not as a pilot. Powers later worked for Lockheed, test flying U-2s, before becoming a traffic reporter and helicopter pilot for a Los Angeles radio station. He was killed in a helicopter accident in August 1977 and buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
A research review published in Sleep Medicine found that sleep deprivation is a risk factor for chronic disease, including high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.According to Crandall, editor of the popular “Dr. Crandall’s Heart Health Report” newsletter, pushing our bodies too hard as we age without adequate rest can lead to negative changes, such as elevated cholesterol, increased blood pressure and depression. “We need to be in a very strict program of proper rest every single day,” stresses Crandall.
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.
Answer to Brain Teaser: Empty (m-pty, emty, emp-t, m-t).
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