Staff/Contact Info Advertise Classified Ads Submission Guidelines

MY SUN DAY NEWS

Proudly Serving the Community of
Sun City in Huntley

News & Features Columnists Editorials Hang Your Hat Obituaries My Huntley News

May 9, 2013

The comedy and tragedy of a grueling trip to the theater

My husband and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary by purchasing tickets for “The Book of Mormon” followed by a lovely dinner. The entire day including parking, gas, theatre tickets and dinner, totaled an amount somewhere between a mortgage payment and a student loan.

In today’s world, taking time to mind manners doesn’t go unnoticed

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the shock, pain, and confusion we are all experiencing in the wake of the Boston bombings and following so soon after the Sandy Hook tragedy. Sometimes ‘A Slice of Life’ is bitter, and these are certainly such occasions.

Daylight Savings at sanity’s expense

As we age, it is clear that adapting to change can be very challenging. There are the easy changes, such as changing one’s hair color or style, deciding to try a new restaurant, or taking a class.

How I know my sense of smell is as good as its ever been

According to The Mayo Clinic’s website, our olfactory function declines as we age. The site further states that not only do we lose our sense of smell, we lose our ability to discriminate between smells. It’s called olfactory impairment.

Who cares what the survey says when a slew of sales abound?

A recent survey conducted by the national polling organization PWCSS, which is an acronym for Persons Who Conduct Such Surveys, found that women living in Active Adult Communities throughout the United States do not need any new clothing.

The agony and the ecstasy

No, I’m not referring to the 1965 movie starring Charlton Heston. That movie dramatically recounts the life of Michelangelo and, of course, his challenges while painting the Sistine Chapel. As I understand it, the entire project ceiling to floor took about four years.

A new year can bring new beginnings and second chances

Well-behaved women rarely make history.” That certainly sums up my personal philosophy. I am going out on a limb to talk about the preponderance of second marriages and second relationships in Active Adult Communities and the larger world as well.

Complications caused by couples’ car consolidation

There comes a time in the lives of many living in Active Adult communities when the husband approaches his wife with the following observation:

How I learned to stop worrying and love the game of bingo

Moving into an active adult community requires a major adjustment. And I’m not referring to a chiropractic adjustment but an adjustment of one’s attitude.

The irresistible call of our inner interior decorators

Sometimes women just have to rearrange the furniture. It’s part of our DNA. For me, this can only be accomplished when my husband is going fishing for a weekend.

When a husband retires: a survival guide

It started off as any normal day. I kissed my husband goodbye as he headed off to his office, and I returned to the kitchen to have coffee and read the paper. I remember thinking of what a nice weekend we’d had. Saturday and Sunday spent together was the perfect mix of alone and couple time. Today I had the entire day to do exactly as I pleased starting with cranking up the stereo (yes, we still have one) really loud with music he doesn’t like.

Another opening, another show

Moving into an Active Adult community sometimes requires a bit of adjustment. I’m referring to the newly made friend who casually asks me what my numbers are. I don’t know that she is not asking me for my address and telephone phone number. She is asking what my cholesterol and blood pressure numbers are.

Tips on being fashion forward in the golden years

There are myriad decisions to be made before one retires. There are the practical matters, money, downsizing and purchasing a home in an active adult community. And what to do with the 47 linen tablecloths and matching napkins we won’t be using anymore.

Fiddler on a what?

Humor consultant Bill Stainton offered this simple definition at a writer’s workshop: “Comedy happens when something goes wrong.” Bill’s explanation so closely mirrors my own writing experience.

Party planning is no picnic

Og Mandino, the most widely read inspirational and self-help author in the world, said it best: “Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of derision but as a remedy, a miracle drug that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that seemingly terrible defeat and worry with laughter at your predicaments, thus freeing your mind to think clearly toward the solution that is certain to come. Never take yourself too seriously.”

When a single man comes to town…

I can say without reservation that one of the most exciting events in any over-55 community occurs when a single man moves in. The men on the block look at this happening as just another guy to borrow a ladder from, but the women view this as a challenge, and a major one at that.

The many joys of Mah Jongg

Bam! Crack! Dot! This is what you’ll hear coming from the sunroom if you happen to be at the Lodge on Tuesday mornings anytime between 10 a.m. and noon. Oh, and lots of tiles sliding across tables and laughter, plenty of laughter! It’s the Edgewater ladies playing Mah jongg.

The universal granny lament

Ahhh, Memorial Day. The summer season is upon us redolent with the fragrance of grilled burgers, flowers blooming, and the grand opening of the Edgewater community pool. This would all be welcome news except for us women of a, well, let’s say, a certain age. In my book, this includes any woman over 35 years old.

Taking the ‘tire’ out of retirement living

I’m not going to kid you, aging is not for the faint of heart. The entire process is exhausting, time consuming, and takes lots of practice. And to tell you the truth, there’s no better place to tackle this life challenge than living at Del Webb’s Edgewater community in Elgin.