St. Patrick's Day thoughts

I am having a difficult time NOT marching in the parade today. 

I went out for a walk with a friend this morning here in my hometown of Latham, NY (near Albany) and I found myself marching to the sound of bagpipes.  

I thought about wearing my Nursing School cape but I was afraid that my friend might think I was nuts. She said she wouldn't have cared.  She's know me for years.  

I should have made the trip into Manhattan today since my head and  my heart were there anyway.   I had a terrible case of indecision - I simply could not make up my mind.  I had even picked up a little booklet recently and randomly turned to a page that said "never turn down the opportunity to march in a parade".   And yet I found excuses not to go - too much travel required - not many classmates were attending - needing to help with childcare for my grandson - husband might miss me - it's a Saturday and will be too crowded, and on and on.    I could not use the weather as an excuse.  It was probably the all-time best March 17th weather since Adam ate the apple.

They say that on your deathbed you don't regret the things that you did so much as you regret the things you didn't do and this is one for the regret column.  

Today, the St. Vincent's Hospital School of Nursing graduate and the "O'Donnell" part of me (my mother's maiden name) cried out to be walking in the sun up 5th Avenue.   

I must start planning ahead for next St. Patrick's Day.   I want that overwhelmingly exciting and amazing feeling one more time before I kick the bucket or my knees give out. 

 Maybe we can dazzle the crowds next year with the biggest SVH turnout in recent time.

  Mary Beth Fries Buchner- proud to be numbered at a member of the Class of 65

Quote for the Day:   Intuitive feelings always guide you in a direction of growth and purposefulness.

 

Responses to the STD Question

I have gotten a couple of responses to my question regarding the rate of Venereal Disease in The Villages and I have been told that this information is correct (i.e., the highest rate in the nation).   Nonetheless, I have not researched it in any official way and have other things to do with my time right now so I really don't know where the truth lies.

One Very Important Question

I have heard that The Villages has one of the highest rates of Venereal Disease in the nation.  I have no idea if this is a valid fact or just a rumor.  Anyone know? 

To Be Fair - The Other Side of the Coin or "Reasons You Might Want to Move to the Villages"

I dare say, it is much nicer than any nursing home I've ever been in.

You can purchase a home within easy walking distance to a shopping area.

The Villages encompasses 36,000 acres, so you have a lot of "different" neighborhoods to choose from.

If one village doesn't work for you, you can try another.

For the most part, the houses are fairly new and meticulously maintained, even, Orange Blossom Gardens, the mobile home park and first section which was built over 50 years ago.

You can talk to your neighbors without leaving your Lanai. They are that close to you.

Taxes are low, therefore you'll easily be able to afford the mandatory $135 per month "fun fee" (for such things as golf courses, swimming pools, clubs, tennis courts).

You can budget the Bond fee (this covers the infrastructure of your Village Community) right into your mortgage payments.

You get to mow your own lawn as the annual maintenance fee covers only the cost of caring for the common areas.

There is no fee for snow removal!!!  This is a big plus for me.

Everything is air-conditioned so you won't need to experience the oppressive outside air from May through October.

The many Doctors' Offices and Medical Buildings are camouflaged nicely with the decorative themes of each area.  They are painted in pretty, tropical pastels and have cutesy facades.  You'd feel like you were going into a ride at an amusement park whenever you needed blood work or an MRI.

The funeral homes are so well hidden, I didn't notice one.  Wait a minutes, maybe it was that candy stripped building behind the Palm tree-lined wooden bridge over the make-believe river.   Or maybe you live forever in The Villages.  Now, that might be a real good reason to move there.

And while you're living, you never have to be bored for even a second. There are multiple, planned activities from morning to night.   The newspaper lists pages and pages of activities for every day of the week.   You can go off in a million different directions at once.  That wouldn't work very well for me as I have a hard enough time staying on task as it is.  Believe it or not they even have bra parties for the ladies at the Maidenform Store.  Silly me, of course it would be for the ladies.  But then again, possibly the men might enjoy this event just as much. Seriously, this sounded like great fun to me, they serve wine and cheese and and you get 20% off your total order.  Maybe, I should introduce this concept here in the Capital District.

Actually you can do a lot of things that you didn't get to do in your youth.  Who cares if you look like an old fool.  All the other "old fools" (said with affection) are either loaded or acting just as foolish.  Hey, seriously, why not?  It's now or never.

You can see your grand kids in person for up to 30 days per year.

And, you can have your dog live with you from one end of the year to the next.  You can even put your dog's name on the sign in front of your house.

You can see young people when they check out your groceries at the Supermarket.  Believe me, this became an exciting event for me.  I felt like aliens had landed and they were so cute and fresh looking.

If you don't have a driver's license, have no fear, you can tool around in your customized golf cart without so much as a lesson.   And, if you don't do so well at this, you can always visit that cutesy, pastel building  I mentioned above.

Until they catch on that you are already a resident, you can go every day  to the Welcome Center and help yourself to a free, delicious hot cup of coffee.     Just smile pleasantly at the seniors in the pastel shirts who hover around and say, It's a great day in The Villages.   Try wearing a wig and glasses and you might be able to get a few more free cups.

There's entertainment in the Squares from 5PM until 7PM every night.  If you get there early enough, you won't have to stand.   And once the special liquor booth on the Square opens up, you'll be first in line for your two-for-one Margaritas.

The Vendors set up stands twice a week in each Square so you'll be able to buy junk jewelry and useless trinkets to your heart's content.  Take this into consideration when deciding on the size of your new home.  I would need a big one.

On Saturday evenings you can go to the Vigil Mass at 4PM or 5:30PM at St. Timothy's Catholic Church in Spanish Springs.   When was the last time you felt like a sardine in a Catholic Church?  Get there very, very early or bring your own chair, there is standing room only and even that is scarce.   Make sure you leave quickly or you might be trampled on your way out.  We don't want to miss those Early Bird specials, now do we?

If you're a Republican, you'll think you died and went to Heaven.

If you happen to be a Democrat, don't throw in the towel, there are 90,000 residents in The Villages.  I'm sure if you look hard enough you might be able to find one or two Democrats.   Hey, maybe you can band together and start a new club.

So, see you may want to move to The Villages after all.
 

Saw myself in the Grocery Line

I was standing in line waiting to check out at the Hannaford Supermarket the other day when a little girl in line directly behind me announced enthusiastically, " I love March".    I turned around to see who had spoken and there stood a lively, happy-looking, brown-eyed brunette.  I couldn't help but add my own enthusiasm to her spontaneous remark.  I love March too, I said but before I could say how wonderful it was that we could all get out "to play" again in the warmer, sunny weather that spring would bring, she added,
"my birthday is in March".
So is mine, I answered with childlike excitement.
What are the chances, I thought as I asked,  what day is your birthday?
"March 9th" she said. "I'll be 7 years old".
Wow, I said, My birthday is March 9th, too and I'll be 67 years old.
Her mother smiled at this unexpected transaction and, I, in my mind, subtracted 60 years and, for a very brief moment, saw myself standing there, innocent and unblemished by life.

Mary Beth Fries,
Feb. 1952 shortly before 7th birthday, P.S. 76, 2nd Grade

Impressions of "The Villages"

Frantic, frivolous fun
Frozen Margaritas 2 for 1
Happy Hour from Noon to Night 
Smiles plastered on faces
Grey Haired Cheerleaders in Lake Sumpter Square
             silly-looking to me 
Look-alike houses lined up neatly in a row

   
Look-alike seniors lined up at the bar
Mandatory waving as we pass by
Golf Carts intertwined among the Mercury Marquis's
speeding to the next activity
 barely missing us as we step off the curb

Pickle Ball, Golf, Line Dancing and Crafts
A Club for everything under the sun - Midwest Farmers' Daughters and Fireman too

Dogs have replaced the grand kids
But have no fear
You can skype them once a week
With such sterile contact you never have to touch a "poopie" diaper
Such things don't pass through your web cam

Oldie Songs piped into the air in the square, everywhere you wander in Spanish Springs or Lake Sumter Landing
A day or two is fine and then I'd loose my mind

Make believe places - little lakes and waterfalls -  in a Fantasyland for "old people".
With a jolt, the frequent sirens of ambulances brings you back to the real world.

Is there ever too much of a good thing?
Or, is this in truth, a "good thing"?

Do I really want to live with only wrinkled teenagers?
Republicans all
Homogeneous
Lily white "Regular Americans"?

Where is the diversity?


What does it say when I get outrageously excited to see a young person or a child or someone of color? 

They say, if your lucky, your new neighbors have "garage parties" to welcome you into your new community.
You'll be so thrilled to have these marvelous new friends
But I ask and I wonder
Can I really replace my life-long friends so easily? 

Are sun and play an even exchange for these people that I love
 or
is one as good as another in this game called life?
Not so for me.
I don't want to live in an amusement park every day for the rest of my time here on earth.
And, I can't give you up so joyfully.   You're too irreplaceable to me.

Retreated from Life to Go To the Beach

Got a call this evening from Australia from my dear friend, Joanne.  She hadn't heard from me in quite some time and was concerned.   It made me feel good that she cared enough to check up on me.  
Actually, she was correct - I had retreated from many of my usual activities . And, since returning from vacation I have been in a bit of a funk. 
We left Levittown, Long Island for Florida on Feb. 8th at 3:30AM.  It was a great time to travel as we had the roads all to ourselves and were over the Verrazano Narrows bridge and heading south in no time flat.  What a marvelous feeling to be heading to the warmth of the sun.
Coming back the end of February to a snow storm and all my cares and woes had me feeling blue.  
Tonight's phone conversation with Joanne helped bring me back to life.  
Watching a marvelous movie, The Way, (with Martin Sheen and Emelio Estervez) was also an excellent tonic.  If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend that you do.  It has a beautiful, uplifting message.  

I haven't had the psychic energy to write a thing but writing is therapeutic and healing for me so I need to push myself back in that direction.