MY SENIOR LADY SURVIVOR RULES

I came up with a senior lady survivor 
list to help me cope with aging. It has helped me tremendously. Some items
on my list may seem comical, so go 
ahead and laugh. I have!

MY SENIOR LADY SURVIVOR RULES:


NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT CHECKING THE PREMISES!
( DID U CUT OFF STOVE? UNPLUG IRON*, COFFEE POT* OR TEA KETTLE? CLOSE & LOCK  ALL DOORS? )

NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT CHECKING  YOURSELF!!!

FACE/ BODY:

TOUCH UP GREY HAIR ON TEMPLES WITH MASCARA
TOUCH GREY HAIR IN EYEBROWS WITH MASCARA?
DENTURES IN? (WILL NEED THIS SOON)
REMEMBER DEODORANT?
LOTION UP HANDS, ARMS, LEGS & FEET?
( SKIN VERY DRY) 

CLOTHES:

ARE YOUR CLOTHES ON THE RIGHT SIDE?
IS YOUR SHIRT/BLOUSE BUTTONED UP CORRECTLY?
DO YOUR SHOES MATCH?
 

ACCESSORIES:


HAVE EYEGLASSES ON?
GOT YOUR CAR KEYS? 
BRING CELL PHONE & CHARGER?
HAVE YOUR PURSE?
OTC & ALLERGY MEDICINE IN PURSE?
( HEADACHE & ALLERGIC REACTION ANY TIME)
GOT BOTTLED WATER?!
( GET CHOKED EASILY)

SHOPPING RULES:
 
GET YOUR FRIEND, THE SHOPPING CART!!
( KNEE OR BACK MAY GO OUT)
DON'T PICK UP ANY BREAKABLES!
( ARTHRITIC & CARPAL TUNNEL HANDS)

NEVER PICK UP CASE OF BOTTLED WATER OR HEAVY YARD SUPPLIES
(ASK YOUNG MAN 4 HELP; OLD MAN WILL COMPLAIN)

ALWAYS ASK, DO YOU HAVE A SENIOR DISCOUNT?!
( SAVING PENNIES ADD UP!)

KEEP SMALL MAGNIFYING GLASS IN  PURSE!
( CAN'T SEE  PRINT  EVEN WITH GLASSES ON)

SOCIAL:

DO BIBLE STUDY DAILY!
( @ HOME OR CHURCH SENIOR BIBLE STUDY)

LEARN HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA & COMPUTERS
( FREE CLASSES @ SENIOR CENTERS)

CONNECT WITH FRIENDS & FAMILY FREQUENTLY.

TAKE DAY TRIPS WITH FRIENDS!
( CAN'T DO PROLONGED STANDING & WALKING)

STAY AWAY FROM ENTICING EXERCISE VIDEOS!
( BAD KNEES & SHOULDERS-STICK WITH WALKING!)

DO SOME FORM OF LOW IMPACT EXERCISE WEEKLY!
( WALKING OR AGELESS GRACE OK)

CHECK OUT THIS NEW EXERCISE 
4 SENIORS:


AGELESS GRACE CONNECTS 
BRAIN & EXERCISE

**IRONS AND COFFEE POTS AVAILABLE
WITH AUTO CUT OFF FEATURES.

CONTAINER GARDENER ON MY PORCH!

I began gardening on a small scale after numerous food recalls. The recall on lettuce 
one summer made me mad! I was thinking, 
let me try to grow my own vegetables in the summer. At least I'll  know where my vegetables come from and that they're
pesticide free.  I was intrigued with
the container garden trend. So, I began
doing container gardening on my front porch.
During the winter I save my coffee grinds and
egg shells to use in my container garden.


I buy  the Romaine lettuce, Red Sail lettuce,
sweet basil, Stevia,  Chinese cabbage, thyme,
oregano, mint, and large bags of  potting
soil  from my favorite garden store. I buy 
several 5 & 10 gallon buckets for my plants.

I use dish pans for my lettuce plants.

I also recycle my large planters for my
container garden.   I wait until the last
frost has passed before planting my garden 
plants. I set aside two or three days to set up
my container garden. I make holes in the bottom of my buckets. I line them in a row and fill them with potting soil. I stir in the coffee grinds and crushed egg shells in the soil.  The last step is 
add my plants to all those buckets!



Here are images of some of my plants:

RED SAIL LETTUCE

BASIL AND STEVIA

CHINESE CABBAGE

SENIOR EASTER CRAFTER!

A lot of senior grandmas will get visits from their grand kids this Easter! I saw this cute craft online last week. I made several to give my mother and friends.  They really loved them. 

I'm sharing this easy but pretty craft
because it's different from the common
Easter Egg Hunt.  It can be a extra
Easter activity. 

I got the craft idea from Danielle's Place.
You have to be a member to get the instructions. I improvised.This is a family
craft since hot glue gun used. The kids 
will need adult supervision.

Here is my take on this craft:

Need :

Colored craft sticks
Mini flower stickers (optional)
Small Acrylic Flat back Gems (optional)
Printed scripture
Glue gun & glue sticks
(Craft glue can be used if no 
glue gun available )
Piece of yarn or ribbon

Refer to image for making house.
Choose your own color scheme &
scripture. I chose scripture about
" He is risen" since this is a Easter
project!

Glue two sticks to form roof and
two sticks for side of house. One
stick used for bottom. Cut your printed
scripture to fit back of your house. 

Embellish front of house after sticks and
 scripture has  dried. I had gems on hand.
Small stickers and small buttons also an
option. Make loop with yarn or ribbon
& glue to back of house for hanging.

SENIOR LADY BARISTA?!

One of my friends invited me over for breakfast. I asked where was the coffee. Her husband was busy as bee grinding
up something in a machine. She said be patient, we have a treat for you. Well, it was worth the wait. Her husband gave 
me the best cup of coffee I had ever
tasted. I asked all kinds of questions. 
He explained that I was drinking gourmet coffee. They belonged to a coffee club. This happened 10 years ago. I been drinking gourmet  coffee since that time.

In the beginning,I bought my gourmet coffee from specialty markets. My local grocery stores were not selling gourmet coffee yet. I loved flavored gourmet coffee.  I happily went to work with my thermos full of gourmet coffee. 


Now, my local grocery stores sells  gourmet coffee. There are also coffee houses near me now.  The price for
gourmet coffee is still expensive. I have been retired for three years and try to live frugal. I treat myself to coffee from the Barista once a month. I economize the rest of the week. I figured out how to treat myself at home. I buy 1/4 pound bags of my favorite flavors of gourmet coffee. I buy half & half cream for my coffee.
I only use Turbinado sugar because it adds rich flavor to the coffee. I have over 10 bottles of flavored extracts. I put them to good use when making flavored coffee. Colombian coffee is used when I do my Barista experiments.


HERE ARE MY SENIOR LADY COFFEE CONCOCTIONS:

*Teaspoon= tsp
 Ounce= oz
 Coffee size= 12 oz mug


Cafe Mocha: 1 Tsp dark chocolate hot cocoa mix &  coffee

Half & Half: Coffee Maker 8-Cup: 50% Colombian decaf & 50% Colombian caffeinated
      
Black Forest: 1 Tsp Maraschino cherry juice &  coffee

French Vanilla: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract & coffee

Almond Dream: 1 tsp almond extract
&  coffee

Butter Rum: 1/2 tsp butter extract & 1/2 rum extract &  coffee

Butter Pecan: 1 tsp butter pecan ice cream & coffee

Chocolate Mint: 1 Andes Mint & coffee

Peppermint: 1 tsp crushed candy cane
& coffee

Orange Kiss: 1 tsp California orange extract & coffee

Cinnamon Spice: 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves & coffee

English Toffee: 1 tsp Heath toffee bits
 & coffee

Maple Creme: 1 tsp real maple syrup, 1 tsp cream & coffee

Kahlua (Keoke) Bliss: 1 tsp Keoke extract & coffee

Spot of Tea: 1 tsp brewed or instant tea,
1 tsp hot cocoa mix & coffee
          

SENIOR LADY BRAIN FOOD

The saying which states “ use it or lose it”
is true. Retirement does not mean I sit at
home, do nothing, and become a recluse.
I must work hard to stay active and
stimulate my brain daily! This is necessary
to ward off getting Alzheimer's Disease. 
I know  genetics play a part in who gets 
Alzheimer's Disease in some cases. I am not in medical field. I've seen several documentaries on Alzheimer's Disease. 
Some studies found that staying active
and doing challenging puzzles helped
senior's brain function.

I am determined to stay active as long as
I can. I do outside activities even if am not feeling well.  My brain health is more important to me right now. I do all types of puzzles every day, go to the Senior Center weekly, and take some of the classes they offer.

Here is an article that I found very helpful.
I was already do most of the things they
suggested:

 
 “Structure in Our  Retirement"
http://community.aarp.org


Here are some of the activities me and
my  friends partake in to stay active and
keep  our brains fed:

TAKE FREE ONLINE COMPUTER CLASSES OFFERED BY  GOODWILL :

http://www.gcflearnfree.org/topics/office2016/


TAKE LOW COST CLASSES @ COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

TAKE ONLINE CLASSES & DEGREE
PROGRAMS  OFFERED BY COLLEGES
& UNIVERSITIES


VISIT SENIORS CENTERS WEEKLY
(TAKE THEIR FREE & LOW COST
CLASSES, JOIN THEIR SOCIAL CLUBS,
AND TAKE THE TRIPS THEY SPONSOR)

 
MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITIES:


TAKE CRAFT CLASSES @ ARTS & CRAFT STORES


TAKE FREE OR LOW COST CLASSES ON
GARDENING AND HOUSEPLANTS
@ LAWN & GARDEN CENTERS



DO VOLUNTEERING:

AARP HAS VOLUNTEER CHAPTERS IN
MOST STATES:

http://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation
/get-involved/


VOLUNTEER LOCAL COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS

JOIN CHURCH SENIOR MINISTRY


PLAY ONLINE PUZZLES & GAMES

WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

My senior lady friends and I hate 

that we have to struggle to find out valuable information to help us live

more efficiently. Most of us are living 

on fixed incomes so, we want to save money any way we can. We love coupons, senior discounts, department store sales, and day trips.

I am sharing links to places we use to

save money. Some stores may not be 

in your state or may be known under different name in your area.  Please 

share any links you use promoting 

networking and senior sisterhood!

2017 LIST OF SENIOR DISCOUNTS

( MAKE SURE STORE STILL HONORS SENIOR DISCOUNT. STORE POLICIES 

ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY 

TIME)

https://www.theseniorlist.com/2017-list-senior-discounts-restaurants/

http://www.seniorcitizenjournal.com/senior-finances/senior-discounts-list/

 

STILL WORKING, WANT TO HUNT FOR SENIOR FRIENDLY JOBS:

http://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/our-work/income/back-to-work-50-plus/

https://www.linkedin.com/

HEALTH ISSUES & HOME REMEDIES

https://aarp.org/

http://www.prevention.com/

https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/

www.webmd.com/

  

FEDERAL RESOURCES FOR SENIORS:

https://www.eldercaredirectory.org/federal.htm

IT'S YOUR THANG!

I can say I'm a "Throwback" from the 70's and a "Bay Boomer".  I can still sing the words to the Isley Brother's hit tune, It's Your Thang"! However, 
I must also say I am no longer a ''Wild Child" or a "Hippie". Hey, I am senior woman who is incapable of doing the things she did back then! My former roommates reminiscence about those days sometime.  Then we keep it real and THANK GOD, He let us live through that rebellious period in our lives. My roommates and I discovered that we should cherish each day. Our daily focus
is on living right and managing our budget as the cost of living continue rise.

My goal in 2017 is to address more issues

that may be important to senior women.

It’s like we are an invisible bunch that just

happen to be among the living!  Oh sure, I 
see articles about senior makeup and fashion. 
But are we really that shallow? Aren’t senior  women concerned with more than our looks and aging?  We do care about politics, economics, and being green! Some young folks may not believe we 
still read, have tech smarts, follow social media, embrace herbal medicine, are too concerned about " End Time" predictions!

I’ll continue to address fashionista like issues in my blog called “ Senior Moment 4 Women.

This blog will discuss subjects that range from senior women’s health issues to easy computer tech tips.