Back yard reading

Before my father's death, I used to read two or three books a week, mostly mysteries and bestsellers. But since December, I've found it hard to get into any type of fiction. So today I chose a book from my own bookcase to read - an old Home Economics textbook I bought years ago at a thrift shop.

Here I am re-creating a photo with Fashions and Fabrics, which was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1962.

Here's the original photo. Even though Fashions and Fabrics is 49 years old, it has lots of still-nifty tips on shopping at sales, organizing your closet, and how to buy a party dress - always interesting! I don't know if or when I'll get back to reading fiction, but for today this turned out to be the perfect book for back yard reading.

Let's dance!

Today's photo comes from an article about a new retirement community in Gainesville, Georgia. Wow, did they pick a great picture or what? I don't care whether you've ever wanted to live in Georgia or not, when you see this picture you're ready to say, "Yes! That's exactly the lifestyle I want! Romance! Barefoot dancing on the dock! Blue jeans that fit! Sign me up!"

Here we are re-creating today's photo at Holland Park in Hollywood. You should have seen us - Robert had to set the 10-second timer on the camera, run over to the dock barefooted, and swing me around quick. It was quite a feat!

Here's the original photo. I don't know about this couple, but I'm happy to report that neither Robert nor I threw our back out, got splinters in our feet, or fell in the lake - though our camera almost did.

Park bench duty

Everyone knows that retired people are required to spend a certain amount of time each month sitting on park benches. Robert and I admit we've been remiss in our park bench duty lately, so we decided to make up for it this afternoon.

Here we are putting in some park bench time at South Lake in Hollywood. It was perfect park bench weather!

Here's the original photo. It comes from Springwell, a senior living community in Baltimore, Maryland, which has a nice website with three park bench photos and inspirational quotes at the bottom of every page. My favorite quote is: "When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us." ~ Helen Keller.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! Robert and I have never really gotten into the routine of giving gifts or flowers to each other on Valentine's Day (maybe because it's so close to our anniversary), but we do try to remember to send Valentine's Day cards to the kids, and we enjoy getting them.

Here we are re-creating a photo with a nice Valentine's Day card we received this year. (Thanks, Nancy and Steve!)

And here's the original photo. What about you? Do you have any Valentine's Day traditions you enjoy doing? Or is it just another day?

Another retirement hug

Last August I introduced the phenomenon of the retirement hug. As you may or may not recall (I can hardly believe it took so long for another retirement hug to reach the chicken blog!), a retirement hug is what happens when a retired wife gets so excited about being retired that she leaps up on her retired husband's back. And the retired husband, instead of yelling, "Hey, cut that out!" is always happy as a clam. It's one of the most popular retirement photos on the internet, despite the fact that it's something you'd almost never do unless you were posing for a picture...or nuts.

Here we are re-creating a retirement hug photo at TY Park.

And here's the original photo. Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe there's some other explanation. Maybe there's a big puddle and he doesn't want her to step in it. Maybe she sprained her ankle and he's carrying her to the car and she just told him a joke. Maybe this is something other couples do all the time and I just don't know. But there's one thing I do know. The hard part is getting down.

Our anniversary

Forty-two years ago this week - on February 10, 1969 - Robert and I were married at Fairchild Gardens in Miami. Later, we had a reception at my parents' house. If I remember correctly, at least half our presents were ice buckets.

Here we are re-creating a photo at the place in Fairchild Gardens where we got married - the Garden Club of America Amphitheatre. It's still the same except for the gold statue, which is new. Robert and I stood up at the stone podium with Rolando Jimenez, who performed our wedding, and our family and friends gathered around the pond below.

Here's the original photo. Looking back, I think Robert and I love each other just as much, if not more now than we did then. I have to admit, though - all these years later, I still don't know what the heck you're supposed to do with an ice bucket!

A classic

Now, this is a classic retirement photo! Today's photo comes from Blue Heron Pines, a retirement community in Punta Gorda, Florida. In my opinion it perfectly captures the dream of the ideal retirement.

Here we are re-creating the photo at Jacaranda this morning.

And here's the original photo. Of course, the dream of the ideal retirement is really just that - a dream. No matter where you retire or how well-prepared you are, you can't retire from life and the problems that go with it. Not even, I'd venture to say, in Punta Gorda. But still...as dreams go, isn't it great?

Fashion

Today's photo comes from an article called "Fashion Tips for Retirees." I love articles about senior fashion! Even if the articles don't have anything earthshaking to say - or have silly pictures - I'm just glad they thought of me.

Here we are at Charnow Park at Hollywood Beach re-creating the photo from the article. Robert and I can vouch for the fact that these outfits are perfectly fine for retirees - in Florida, anyway.

And here's the original photo. Would you like to hear some fashion tips? There's "Don't be afraid of prints," "A warm sweater is a must," and my favorite, "A mature woman shouldn't be running around town in a short skirt and tight top." Believe me, I won't do that any more!