MPR: Aging Gracefully - An Individual Perspective

June 14: The Need to Acquire
It is interesting what items get discussed among women who are busy volunteering at a rummage sale. We all agreed that we would like our state refund to go to education rather than have it come to us. How much does the processing of each refund cost? We are all concerned for our own grandchildren and all other children.

Then we get discussing grandchildren and what to get them for gifts—one says the biggest issue is the no thank-you notes—and others chime in. Then we get off discussing the number of coffee mugs at the sale and how we all have too many at home. There is a local restaurant in town that uses the mugs for take-out—what a great idea, and I wonder if they will take our surplus this year.

We spend much time talking how much our society spends on things—for our homes, children, and each other. The stuffed animals keep coming each year, and the hundreds of books (not that we don't believe in reading), but what about libraries? Most of us volunteering seem to be in the period of our lives when we are not into acquiring things—unless of course there are great things at the rummage sales that we can not do without. We even caught one of our "I never buy at sales" friends buying two items. We will keep reminding her. What fun it is to work with people you can tease.

One of my favorite 94-year-old ladies came in to help today. She couldn't make it yesterday as she had committee meetings, but found someone else to work. You look at a person like that and hope you live that long—you still drive, still have your mind, still love living, and have the energy to share with others. You know we certainly have great role models in our community.

We have a table of senior men who come to the senior center almost every day for lunch. (This, by the way, is unusual to have this many men). They are terribly politically incorrect, but they are such dears. They love a good joke, are caring to one another, and if one of them doesn't come, and didn't call or tell them he wouldn't be there, they worry. Who says that men don't bond?

This was a great day. The thousands of items are marked and ready to go, the apartment board meeting went well (I am president), I had my two favorites for dinner—fried eggplant, and strawberries with sour cream and brown sugar—amazing how our eating habits change with age, though I do still love peanut butter. The cats seem anxious for me to go to bed. It has really been cool here in Grand Marais and they love the electric mattress pad as much as I. It seems like summer does not want to come to the North Shore this year. Will I ever get the window boxes planted, or, if I do, will the plants get frosted?

June 16: Small-Town Friends, Rummage Sale Success
The rummage sale is over. We are $60 shy of $3000, so I am a happy camper—but a tired one.

When the phone rang early this AM it was a friend saying, "Where do you want dinner—at my home, yours, or eat out?" (Heavens no, not mine, as the cats have been having a circus while I have been busy.) I chose her home, as it is lovely and the food is great. If one eats out in a small town you generally know what the menu is, the quality, and you will run into someone who will wonder why you haven't changed clothes since the sale.

Again, most of my worry about having enough rummage sale help was for nothing, as many friends came through, and the reliables showed up—and old pew six helped out as usual. The kids finally showed up today and it was a treat to see all the energy they had—they packed up all the leftovers, and some church men with trucks came through, too.

It is a wonder that everything pulled together for another successful sale. I wonder if I will have the energy to do it next year? Some friends are already making plans to make new signs, etc. I wonder what one would do without friends? They are so important in my life and certainly make it more enjoyable. How would we ever get things done without people who are interested in going the extra mile and helping out? This is especially evident in small towns, where you see people helping out all the time—sometimes though, it seems to be the same people.

The one advantage of having the part-time job I have now and being semi-retired is that I have time to do things that I couldn't before. Being a social worker for the county, one ends up much of the time being a "firefighter" and not having time to explain things to elders or others over a cup of coffee. Or enough time to do some more creative things and not as much paperwork. Hopefully, people see me more now as a real person and not the person who was putting people in the nursing home and, as believed by some, "the child snatcher." Oh how great it would have been to have more time to do some of those things when I was a worker.

Sounds like I am tired of rummage sales and want to get back to my SAIL job. I think that is right. So much for my rambling—must go to bed—that is, if I can sleep, as the neighbors have decided to have an outdoor country western concert tonight—no, not CDs—the real thing!

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