THINKING ABOUT FLORIDA
For the past few weeks I have been making preparations for my winter trip to Florida. While I am getting my things together, arranging to put the phone on suspended service, connecting the phone in Florida, discontinuing cable, stopping newspaper delivery here and starting it there, so on and so on -- I have been thinking about previous winters down south.

After my husband retired we decided to spend a winter in Flordia but we did not have a place to hang our hats. What to do?

We looked in the local newspaper for condo rentals. Sure enough we found a local person who had a condo for rent in an area that we were interested in. The woman showed us pictures of the place, the condo looked good, we signed the contract and off we went.

What can I tell you? We learned that PICTURES LIE!! There were so many things wrong with the place!

One of the questions I asked before we made the commitment was, " is there a phone in the unit?" "Oh yes," she said.

When we entered the condo one of the first things I did was check for the phone. Sure, there was a jack for the phone but NO PHONE! Off to K-Mart we went to buy a phone.

There were many things that were lacking in that condo but the winter was saved. The first time we went to the pool a couple invited us to join them and introduced us to their friends. After that day, we spent many enjoyable hours with our new friends.

Millie


Full story on recent King's Point hurricane damage. Picture by Marc Serota WSJ RealEstateJournal.com

posted by millie garfield @ 5:48 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 1 comments

 
HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN
A few months ago North Shore Music Theatre had an electrical fire that did a great deal of damage to the theatre. Now with renovations complete I was able to attend the first production since the fire. They have eliminated 312 seats, now we have more space between seats and more leg room.

The play was "The Full Monty." I can't remember when I have ever laughed so much, it was one laugh after another. It's the story of six steel workers who lose their jobs and have to find a way to make some quick cash. They realize they can't make much working at the mall so they turn to stripping.

Before I saw the play I read an article about one of the cast members, George Dvorsky, who happens to be a favorite of mine. George is a tall handsome well built guy but for this role he felt he had to lose weight because after all it is "full monty: --in the shows finale they do bare all! If you looked away for a second you could miss it.

When the men were auditioning for strippers' roles they were stiff, awkward and hilarious. One of the cast members who tries out for a part in the show has a bad hip and dances in spite of it. That really had me in hysterics, I could relate to that.

The music was great, the sets were basic but effective, all in all it was a wonderful production.

The steel workers found a way to recover from their loses and the North Shore Theatre is back in business, ain't life grand!

Millie

posted by millie garfield @ 5:36 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 0 comments

 
TWO SURPRISES
I was thinking what my next post could be about -maybe about a movie I saw this weekend, a story about a blind date I had years ago or something that happened in my childhood. Well, I am going to put those ideas on hold for now because I want to tell you about something that happened yesterday!

I attended a surprise 80th birthday party for a friend of mine, she had neighbors, family and friends who came from near and far to celebrate this special occasion.

The birthday girl introduced me to Melissa, a dear friend of her's who had come in from Ohio. She introduced me as "Millie from Swampscott." With a look of amazment on her face, she asked, "Are you Thoroughly Modern Millie?" I was equally amazed and said,"yes, that's me, what made you ask?"

She went on to explain why she thought I might be the person she found on the Web. The birthday girl had spoken to her in the past about her friend Millie who lives in Swampscott but when Melissa came across my blog she thought it couldn't be me so she never questioned her friend.

Melissa is a reference librarian in Xenia, Ohiio and conducts computer classes for young and old. She does have a number of seniors in her group and on occasion has used MY BLOG to motivate them.

I know that people read and comment on my posts but to really meet someone "in the flesh", who KNOWS me, was a great thrill.

My friend had a surprise party and I had a surprise meeting!!

Millie

posted by millie garfield @ 3:48 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 0 comments

 
AIM Today, gone tomorrow

Lots of people are visiting from AIM Today.

The AIM Today LiveWeb graphic says, "this man claims to be the oldest blogger", but we know that he doesn't really claim that. If you visit Ray's blog he says:

I didn't start calling myself the "oldest Living Blogger" because I thought I really was. The odds against that are huge. I chose that 'handle' for my blogging name just because it's catchy.

posted by Steve Garfield @ 12:07 AM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 0 comments

 
As seen in USA TODAY
Carla K. Johnson writes for USA Today, Senior citizen bloggers defy stereotypes:

Forget shuffleboard, needlepoint, and bingo. Web logs, usually considered the domain of alienated adolescents and home for screeds from middle-aged pundits, are gaining a foothold as a new leisure-time option for senior citizens.

Bloggers say their hobby keeps them thinking about current events, makes them friends to strangers around the globe and gives them a voice in a society that often neglects the wisdom of the elderly.

"It brings out the best in me," said Boston-area blogger Millie Garfield, 80, who writes My Mom's Blog. "My life would be dull without it."

posted by Steve Garfield @ 6:54 AM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 0 comments

 
EMPTY HANGERS AND MY DRESSMAKER
Fortunately for me I live in a complex with a fairly large population. If you are looking for a good doctor, dentist, hairdresser, mechanic or dressmaker, you just start asking around and you will find someone who meets your needs.

A while ago I needed a dressmaker, and sure enough I was referred to one who not only does good work, but is reasonable and comes to the house. What a jewel!

Some of my clothes have gotten tight on me. I haven't gained weight but what I have has shifted. At first I thought the clothes were shrinking but now I have faced facts, it's not the dryer, it's me.

When I know that my dressmaker is coming, I get the clothes together that need alteration. Not only that, I get clothes together that are just taking up closet space, my dressmaker has a sister that is my size and is happy to take the extra clothes. I have done such a good job, I have loads of empty hangers.

In addition to making house calls, my dressmaker has worked for a tailor for the past nine years. This morning she told me that last Monday, when she was preparing to leave work for the day, her employer told her that he had sold the business and that her services were no longer needed!

What a cold and heartless way to let a loyal and hard working employee go. She is a married lady who's husband is gainfully employed, so money is not a problem, but how cruel of her employer to let her go like that.

I now have a lot of empty hangers and she has empty hours to fill.

Millie

posted by millie garfield @ 4:45 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >> 0 comments