Sherry

Sherry L. Christensen is a retired high school teacher. She designed and built this blog site to inform and inspire others in an effort to build a community of solo retirees. You can reach her at livingliferetired16@gmail.com.

Visit thrift shops for your ugly sweater and other great finds

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ugly sweater

Do you have an ugly sweater party coming up?  The Arc Thrift Shore is a great place to find one.  I’ve shopped at the Arc Thrift Stores for years.  They have all kinds of goodies, from nicknacks to housewares to furniture to clothes and shoes, to books.  They are a non-profit organization “dedicated to creating and funding programs that serve those individuals living with intellectual/developmental disabilities, with complex and evolving needs.”

If you are cleaning out your closets at this time of year to get a year-end tax deduction, The Arc will also gladly accept your donations.

If you don’t have an Arc Thrift Store in your area, check out Goodwill or Habitat For Humanity stores.  They also offer discounts and take donations.  Everyday is senior discount day at the Fort Collins Restore (15% off).  Goodwill in Loveland has a 15% senior discount everyday and 25% off on Mondays.  Check goodwill.org or habitat.org for discounts in the thrift shops near you.

If you find your award-winning ugly sweater at a thrift shop, send me a pic.  I’d love to see it!  Happy shopping!

ugly sweater

Did you go holiday shopping on Black Friday or celebrate Buy Nothing Day?

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 holiday shoppingAnti-Black Friday?  Celebrate Buy Nothing Day

by Jeff Yeager for AARP

November 21, 2016

“I saw this great cartoon the other day. ‘Black Friday: Because only in America, people trample others for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have.’  Funny, but true.

Now don’t accuse me of being a humbug. I like to celebrate the holidays just as much as anybody else. Although when it comes to gift giving, I do prefer a somewhat more measured approach than is apparently the American norm.

I like to think of the gifts we give at the holidays as the little sprinkles on top of a huge, already delicious cake. The cake, of course, is the celebration of the event itself, spending time with those we love (and remembering those we miss), and reflecting on the true reason why the holiday exists in the first place.

In the spirit of ‘It’s the holiday, not the stuff, that’s really important,’ do you know that the Friday after Thanksgiving – in addition to being Black Friday, probably of the biggest shopping day of the year – is also officially Buy Nothing Day? Buy Nothing Day has been celebrated for the past 20 years by folks here in the United States and around the world who are trying in our own little way to put the focus back on the true meaning of the holiday season, and less importance of the materialistic aspects of those special days in our lives. Yep, Buy Nothing Day is just that: One day out of the year when we commit to do just that –  not shop.

Oh, sure, I know some of you may think that my cheapskate philosophy of life and things like ‘Buy Nothing Day’ will be the downfall of the U.S. and world economies. But I’ve also read that every day of the year each of us is bombarded by roughly 5,000 commercial messages – everything from captivating commercials on TV to promotional slogans on t-shirts and cereal boxes – all shouting ‘Buy some more stuff! Spend some more money!'”

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Jeff Yeager is the author of How to Retire the Cheapskate Way: The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Guide to a Better, Earlier, Happier Retirement.

KEEP MOVING – A playful book with “tips and truths about aging”

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KEEP MOVINGHappy Thanksgiving everyone!  I know not all countries celebrate Thanksgiving but all of us can be thankful for the many blessings we have on this day.   One of the many things I am thankful for is the availability of good books and the wisdom their authors share.

This morning I started reading Dick Van Dyke’s book called KEEP MOVING and Other Tips and Truths About Aging (only $11 on Amazon).  I planned to read it and then share some of the best parts with you.  I still plan to do just that but I already want to share some of the introduction from KEEP MOVING.  Yes, it was that good!  Here it is:

“Old age should be revered, admired, respected, treated to dinner, opened and allowed to breathe like a fine wine, given aisle seats on an airplane, helped up the stairs, and looked upon with patience, especially in the checkout line at the grocery store.  Old people like to make conversation with the checkers.  If approached correctly, says this former Boy Scout, old age should be considered a merit badge for a life well lived.  Old age should be a lot of things.  But it should not be rushed.

I am 89 years old as I write this at my home in Malibu, California, which means I am in my 90th year on this planet, and by definition, I am old.  Very old, I suppose–older than the average male, who now lives to be 76.4 years old (the average female lives to be 81.2).  But if you are 65 or thereabouts today, your life expectancy is even longer.  You should start thinking of 65 as the new 40.  In other words, you aren’t old yet–you are merely on the launching pad of old age.

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Three generations play with Etch A Sketch and Twister…

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Most people I know love babysitting grandchildren at least once in awhile.  Saturday night I was scheduled to babysit my three adorable grandbabies, so I gathered up a couple of my daughter’s old toys to take to their home for entertainment.  I chose her Etch A Sketch and the game Twister.  They both became instant hits with the grandkids.

Of course, the two older children (ages three and nearly five) fought EtchASketch10-23-2004.jpgover the Etch A Sketch.  I set a timer so they could both have their time exploring how it worked.  I guess fearing the game would not be working when her time came, the oldest, Jovie, asked me where the batteries go.  She didn’t quite understand the concept of it not needing batteries or a plug to make it work.  Both kids were fascinated by the fact that they could draw with it and then erase what they drew by shaking it.  Oh, the simple things in life!

The biggest thrill, at least for Jovie and I, was playing Twister.  She knows her colors and she had a great time learning which was her right and left hand and foot.  The boys liked the spinner.  I even took a turn on the plastic mat.  Of course the first two or three color/hand/foot combinations left me spread clear across it.  I held on for as long as I could but the boys decided to climb on my back, so we all collapsed in a pile of laughs!  Even the little guy (14 months) mimicked his big sister and placed his hands and feet on the brightly colored dots.  The game was a hit!  In this fast paced world of electronic games which make all sorts of noises and have flashy lights, it was nice to see some of the classic old games still entertain my young grandchildren.

Twister
slc

A little history on these two old-time favorites from my childhood, as well as my daughter’s:

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Babysitting grandchildren may actually be good for your health

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Babysitting Grandchildren Could Lower Risk for Alzheimer’s

by Alissa Sauer for Alzheimer.net

July 27, 2016

There’s nothing like grandchildren to keep older adults active and joyful. A recent study shows that spending a moderate amount of time with grandkids may actually prevent Alzheimer’s disease by increasing brain function and memory.

“In addition to boosting brain power, babysitting has been linked to decreased rates of depression. Learn more about the correlation between babysitting and senior health and get some ideas on fun things to do with your grandchildren.

How Babysitting Grandchildren Could Lower Risk for Alzheimer’s

Researchers from the Women’s Health Aging Project in Australia observed the cognitive function of over 180 women who cared for grandchildren. The results showed that postmenopausal women who spend one day a week caring for their grandchildren may have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorders. However, those that spend five days a week or more caring for little ones may have a higher risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders.

This is the first study to examine the role of grandparenting on cognition. While the reason for the correlation is not clear, it is thought that regular social interaction can have a positive effect on the mental health of seniors and lower their risk for Alzheimer’s. Caring for grandchildren can help to prevent the social isolation that can cause depression, and even an earlier death.

In addition to preventing Alzheimer’s and avoiding social isolation, other research suggests that a strong grandchild and grandparent bond has anti-depressive benefits for both seniors and children. A study from the Institute on Aging at Boston College observed the habits of 376 grandparents and 340 children for 19 years. They found that the closer the relationship between the two, the less likely either were to develop depression and that grandparents who both gave and received support had the fewest symptoms of depression.”

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Alissa Sauer has been dedicated to writing articles about Alzheimer’s research and senior living for over four years. With a Communications Degree from the University of Illinois, Alissa strives to help families understand and manage the changes that often accompany caring for a senior loved one.

 

Does the 4 percent rule in retirement still apply?

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Image result for 4 percent rule images
invest-safely.com

Is the 4 percent rule still relevant for retirees?

By Rodney Brooks for The Washington Post

October 10, 2016

“If you read about retirement, you will probably be familiar with the 4 percent rule.

The rule was created in the mid-1990s by a now-retired financial planner to keep people from outliving their retirement nest eggs. Here’s how it works: If you have a nest egg of $1 million, you should draw down no more than 4 percent, or $40,000 a year.

So here’s the question. Should you still be adhering to a rule created more than 20 years ago when the economy and interest rates were so different?

Well, it depends. Many planners still use it as a rule of thumb, but if anything, many recommend that you withdraw less — more like 2 or 3 percent. The reason is longevity. We are living longer. In fact, you can now live in retirement longer than you did in your career.”

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Peggy Whitson’s age and experience graces the “magic of space” again

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Rocket Woman Peggy Whitson Breaks Records | AARP
Published on Nov 16, 2016

“At age 56, NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson has spent more time in space than any woman in NASA history. Her career has a long list of accomplishments, but she’s about to add one more. On November 17, she’ll become the first woman to command the International Space Station twice! Follow her journey aboard the International Space Station here: http://go.nasa.gov/2fuZ7Pt“

Want to know more like I did then read on and watch the following video?  Turns out Peggy and I both grew up in rural Iowa, we are close to the same age and we both love gardening!  Who knew?

Astronaut Peggy Whitson:  From Chicken Entrepreneur to Space Station Commander Video

By Steve Spaleta |

“The NASA astronaut has lived the American Dream, starting back when she was selling chickens to make enough money to pay for a pilot’s license. Now she is set to launch to the International Space Station for her 3rd tour of duty. Whitson explains five things you didn’t know about her in this video from NASA Johnson Space Center.”

Click on Peggy’s picture here to view the video:
Peggy Whitson, www.space.com
Peggy Whitson, www.space.com

credit : NASA Johnson Space Center