 |
| Our seasonal doorman |
 |
| At the Rotary Auction |
Getting older is a mid-life right of passage. We are constantly being reminded of that in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. First
it’s the aches and pains, reading glasses, ‘senior moments’ and many of the other aging symptoms noted in Atul Gawande's best seller,
Being Mortal. However, few things confirm the fact that you are getting older than two cards in the mail.
First it’s the AARP card at age 50. “Me?
They must have made a mistake.
I’m not even retired yet.” Oh well, I reason, “I still feel 10 years younger than my chronological age.”
But nothing is more unmistakable and definitive than getting
a Medicare card. “Holy Medicare,
Batman—I really
am getting older!”
Hopefully I won’t need to take advantage of it for a long time. I can also take some consolation that Medicare,
now 50, is also eligible for an AARP card.
 |
| Controlled chaos (Before) |
So that’s the main mid-life adventure for this blog post. In other news, my transition to working from home has gone much better than we expected. However, it was quite a chaotic process to move and get settled in. I actually get more done than before, and I stop by the office (3 blocks away) almost daily for meetings, mail, etc. Kathy’s conference calls are often when I’m gone. When we're both here we enjoy working away at our computers together, often with classical music and the comforting sounds of each other's keyboard clicks in the background.
 |
| Our "cubicles" (After) |
Kathy’s technology projects for the local and national
Assistance League are making steady progress, but probably not fast enough for her. Even though
the new website is
launched, she spends unbelievable hours on follow-up details, questions from
members, and tweaking the site.
I received my first court order as a
CASA (Court Appointed
Special Advocate) for two teen siblings placed in foster care just before
Christmas because of mom/boyfriend meth issues. So far, after two court hearings and a lot
of time and emotional involvement, I like it, and everything up to now in my life has prepared me for it. The teens are so resilient and outwardly
normal considering their difficult past.
 |
| DNA kits |
In our last blog we reported that we got DNA kits to explore
our ancestry. The results are finally in
and we’re WASs (White
Anglo-Saxons). I’m 98.6% European with a
hint of East Asian and Native American; Kathy is 99.7% European, with a dash of
North African. I’m more French, German and East European; she’s more British and Irish. Contrary to stories of Kathy's orphan father, she has no native American DNA. Neither of us, fortunately, are carriers of identified genetic
diseases.
 |
| Feeling my age on New Years Day |
 |
| Sub-zero Mt. Bachelor |
So what else has been keeping us busy? Plenty! As you can see by the photos,
 |
| Doris Ellis 91 Years young! |
 |
| Community reception for Brenna and Katherine |
 |
| 2011 Rotary India GSE reunion |
 |
Linda, my Pilates coach, and Josh my
performance trainer keep me moving |
But nothing is more unmistakable and definitive than getting
a Medicare card. “Holy Medicare,
Batman—I really am getting older!”
Hopefully I won’t need to take advantage of it for a long time. I can also take some consolation that Medicare,
now 50, is also eligible for an AARP card.
