Spunky Ginger Simpson Gets An Unexpected New Lease On Life



Ginger Simpson



My plan was to share pictures of me doing something "daring," but the pictures of me parasailing at 700 feet in Hawaii some years back are stowed in the attic.

Instead, I'm going to share something some of you may consider mild.  

I just returned from six weeks in Alaska, a trip I never expected to make and one that changed my life.  



Visiting Ekluta Cemetery Spirit Houses
of Alaskan Native Americans



For the past three years, my health and energy level had declined beyond belief.  I spent most of my days locked in the house or in bed because I had absolutely no interest in going anywhere or doing anything.  





Her greatest fear -
2 1/2 mile one-way tunnel
to get to cruise



From the Glacier Day Cruise



My friend and hostess in Alaska is an FNP and specializes in hormone replacement treatment.  She and I had discussed my condition prior to making the trip, and a two day hospital stay right before my departure caused fear that I would have to cancel my plans.  For my dear husband's sake, I pushed on, and we went.  





20 feet from a moose in
her friend's backyard.



After we arrived, Ann ran blood tests on both Kelly and I.  Neither of us had much more than a measurable hormone level and after reading up on the topic on interviewing other satisfied "patrons," we are now the proud "owners" of rice-sized pellets implanted beneath the skin on our hips.  This process has been around since 1939 but has been secreted away to keep the drug companies rolling in dough.  I'm happy to say that I've decreased my RX dependency by three pills and a big monthly expense.  The pellets will need to be replaced every four-five months for me and five-six months for Kelly, but it's an investment I'll gladly make. I know I sound like an advertisement, but...

I cannot boast or emphasize enough how this changed my life.  I've rediscovered I have one and regained the zest I'd lost.  I won't be entering any cross-country marathons or leaping hurdles, but the fact that I can even imagine them amazes me. *smile*  My husband presented Ann with flowers to show his appreciation for her giving him back the wife he married.  My skin, hair, and attitude have improved, and we just made an offer on a house for a future I doubted I would have.   



With Hubby at Cook's Statue,
Cook's Inlet, Anchorage, AK



I guess if you can't consider my pictures as evidence of spunkiness, maybe you can refer to me as "frisky." Okay...TMI, I know, but I can't contain my glee at living life again and loving it.  

My husband has renewed energy, has lost inches and is gaining back some of his lost muscle mass.  



Best of all, he smiles and winks at me.  Love it!

Ginger Simpson

http://www.gingersimpson.com

http://mizging.blogspot.com/



Spunky Songster Karen Walker Belts Out About Being a Senior



Left to right:  Marti Brandtner, Karen Walker, Jeanne Brown



When I hear the word “senior” I still think of old people. Then I remember--I’m a senior now, having just turned 62. It’s mind-blowing to me. But the funny thing is, it’s as a senior that I’m getting to do something I’ve wanted to do since I was a small child--be in a girl group. It’s called Sugartime and we perform at retirement communities, hospitals, nursing homes, and at special events. Our mission is to bring music to those who can no longer get out to hear it. Here we are singing “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.”

                       

It’s a blessing in so many ways. How many things do you do that bring you joy but also bring joy to others? We sing songs from the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. Most of our

songs have choreography, so we get to wear hats and canes and feather boas. Our audiences seem to love us and we sure love singing for them.



Spunky Songster Karen Walker



The message here is, it’s never too late to go for your dreams. Who knew that when I fractured my ankle in seven places in early 2006 and could no longer folkdance (a major passion of mine) that singing would not only replace it, but become such an important part of my life in retirement?

I’m living proof that when one door closes, another appears. You just have to remain open to the possibilities. And keep dreaming.


For more on Karen, see http://www.karenfollowingthewhispers.blogspot.com

Easy Rider Randall Lang Explains His Motorcycle Addiction

I am now and have been, for what seems an eternity, a motorcycle rider.  From the first time I sat on the back of a classmate’s Honda 350 Super Hawk, helmetless and clinging desperately to the driver to avoid slipping off of the back of the seat, I was hooked.  Until you have experienced the freedom of motorcycle travel, it is difficult to understand the addiction.  And although it was several years before I was able to get my first motorcycle, the desire for one never left me.

In 1971 my first real pay check went to help pay for a new four cylinder, 75 horsepower, 700 pound beauty with chrome fenders and exhaust pipes that wrapped like chrome snakes beneath the frame of the machine.  Over the next 20 something years I logged 15,000 miles of bug-eating while experiencing lead butt, unexpected  rain storms, clueless drivers, flat tires, and a myriad of other unpleasantness without ever losing the enthusiasm for the ride.  Eventually my ol’ hoss surrendered to deterioration and antiquation, becoming resigned to a dusty corner of the garage because I didn’t have the heart to scrap it.

 There is an exhilaration that goes with feeling the warm, fresh air against your skin.  Going from a warm hilltop to a chilly, fog-laden valley sends a tingle through your body that is hard to explain.  On the breeze are the scents of mint, blossoms, pine and other natural aromas, admittedly accompanied by shots of road kill, diesel, and dairy farm.  But it is the endless variety that makes the journey colorful.  Those who travel in cars (cagers), breathing chilled, recycled air and listening to artificial sounds are truly missing the depth of experience that is out there for the taking.

One of the few benefits of age is that mortgages get paid off, children complete their education and get jobs, weddings get paid off, and finally the big house is sold to be replaced by a smaller, more efficient, and less tax-burdensome accommodation.  When you stop writing checks to everyone else, you get to buy toys.  Nice, comfortable, sexy toys that almost make getting older worthwhile. As my years wind toward their inevitable end, I include among my toys a machine that is as powerful, luxurious, and high tech as the mind of man can create.  I can now travel many miles over many hours in comfort, yet still experience the sensory delights that the outdoors has to offer. 

Next time you see one or a couple of ‘spunky seniors’ cruising by on a nicely equipped motorcycle, you can be sure that they’re diggin’ it. You are cordially invited...

Randall Lang
http://www.randalllang.blogspot.com/

Tricia McGill Proves Age is Just A Number

You're never too old! That's my motto. If you can still do what you enjoy doing then go ahead. I've always loved bike riding and walking, but unfortunately due to two major operations within 6 months I was forced to give up both pastimes including my line dancing which I loved. But, since both ops were successful I am thankfully getting "back on my bicycle" as they say.

I have little time for people who say, "Oh, I can't do that, I'm too old." Age is just a number and there's truth in the old saying that you're as old as you feel. I'm not recommending we all get onto bikes or go skiing or whatever, but as long as you are active then go ahead and make the most of the golden years.

Just before I had to temporarily give up my riding a friend and I packed our fold-up bikes in the boot of my car, caught the ferry across to Tasmania and had a ball cycling along some of the most beautiful tracks in Australia. The pic was taken in Strahan on the west coast. We stayed overnight in a lovely little cottage that I knew was haunted as soon as we went in the front door. Needless to say I saw the ghost that night--but that's a story for another day.

I do volunteer work and go into the homes of disabled people to help them with their computers and internet access, so see a lot of those less fortunate than I because they are unable to get out of their wheelchairs and enjoy active pastimes. But that's not to say they don't make the most of their lives doing what they are able. I have the utmost admiration for them, especially the seniors, as they surf the net, enjoy communicating with their friends and family, and generally enjoy making the most of their time.

Tricia McGill 

Web Page: www.triciamcgill.com
http://triciamg.blogspot.com

John Wills Shows Retirement is Not For Sissies

I’ve been writing professionally since my retirement from the FBI in 2004, but that’s not the sum of what I do. At 62 years of age I still have a lot of living to do. I continue to involve myself in law enforcement, teaching classes concerning use of force and firearms to police departments, federal agencies, and military personnel.

Having been a SWAT/Sniper, fitness, defensive tactics, firearms and tactical instructor with the FBI and Chicago Police Department, I continue to leverage that knowledge in retirement.

 I hold a personal trainer certificate which allows me to train individuals, as well as author articles on training and fitness. Some of my career was spent working undercover in the FBI. One of the long term undercover projects involved steroids. For nearly three years I travelled around the country buying steroids from unwitting individuals at gyms, nightclubs, from veterinarians, doctors, and athletes. Based upon my experiences in that case, I became an NCAA authorized speaker on the dangers of steroids and drugs. I deliver my presentations to student-athletes all over the country.

I’ve found that writing and teaching in retirement ensures mental acuity. But challenging yourself mentally isn’t enough. In order to prolong one’s life chronologically you must also exercise your body as well. I routinely do some form of exercise for one hour each day. This regimen enhances the quality of one’s life.

The old axiom, “Retirement is not for sissies,” is true. Maintaining good health requires putting in the work, not just sitting on the couch watching television. I am embracing the golden years, not ready to collect Social Security.

John M. Wills

jmwills@hotmail.com

www.johnmwills.com

The Thrill of Free Fall at 70 by Pat Bean

Here she goes!

 Skydiving was one of those things on my To-Do List for an long as I can remember, but it took me a long time to finally get around to it. George Bush doing it, and Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman's roles in "The Bucket List" were the final straws that made me realize how long I had let this goal escape me.

So, shortly after my 69th birthday,  on which I climbed to Angel's Landing for about the 30th time -- and this one being the toughest struggle to get to the top yet -- I decided to do something different for my 70th birthday, something that didn't include climbing. Skydiving immediately came to mind.

I made the Jump in Ogden with a half dozen friends, and would do it again in a heartbeat -- well if it didn't cost about $200 per jump. I smiled all the way down, feeling perfectly safe, lashed tightly as I was to my young, good-looking, expert jumpmaster.

I had thought the most difficult part was going to be stepping out of the airplane. My jumpmaster was way ahead of me, however. He said we would jump on the count of three, but by the count of two we had already left the plane. It was exhilarating.

We jumped from 13,000 feet, above the clouds hanging around Mount Ben Lomond and Mount Ogden. We had a full minute of free fall, with cold air blasting us as we dropped at the rate of 120 miles per hour, before the jumpmaster pulled the chute.

While I have to admit that age has slowed me down in some ways, it's opened up new worlds for me as well. When I do make that climb to the top of the mountain, or simply go for a mellow walk with my dog, Maggie, I see more wonders of nature than I ever did when in the bloom of youth.

While this country is addicted to youth, there are plenty of us glad-to-be-old-broads out there who have come to appreciate our years and our winkles.

Pat Bean
http://patbean.wordpress.com

Spunky Maggie Toussaint Kayaks in a Rice Plantation Canal

Slow and steady wins the race every time. I’ve seen people flash in and out of churchs, careers, marriages, and hobbies because they were always in such a hurry.

They get so busy chasing a dream they forget about commitment.

In the picture of me kayaking in a Civil War era rice plantation canal, I’m relaxing on the water.

There’s no point in paddling fast in these backwater areas because you’ll miss something, a delicate flower, a fluttering butterfly, a soaring eagle, a solitary heron, or even a shy alligator watching you from across the creek.

When you take a kayak trip, you commit to the whole adventure – there’s no bailing out halfway. And if you’re multi-tasking like me, you’ll get to write off the cost of the fun as research for your next book. — Maggie Toussaint

For more from Maggie, check out

http://mudpiesandmagnolias.blogspot.com/