Life Is Just a Bowl of Chicken

Taking a break

2011-09-09T08:51:00.000-04:00

I'm going to take a break from the chicken blog. Doing photo re-creations takes a lot of shopping and planning, and lately I just feel shopped and planned out. So it's time to take a break, and if I want to come back to it, I will. If not, thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read, comment, and support the chicken blog. It's been fun!

Milk

2011-09-04T12:16:00.003-04:00

Today's photo comes from an article called Milk Products are Essential For Elderly People. I'm sure that's true. But what kind of milk is best? For years, I bought 2% milk so I wouldn't clog up our arteries. Then a couple of weeks ago, Publix was out of our 2% milk so I bought whole milk instead. Robert liked it so much better that we're now on our second carton of whole milk. The question is - should I keep buying it or not?

Here we are re-creating the photo from the article. Yes, we always sit around toasting each other with big glasses of milk!

And here's the original photo. What do you think - is whole milk good or bad? What kind of milk do you like best?

24

2011-08-29T19:41:00.005-04:00

Have you ever seen the show 24? We never had until recently, though of course we'd heard of it. Well, it turned out that it's one of the shows our library has every season of on DVD, so even though we were afraid it might stink, we we decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a try.

Wow! Kiefer Sutherland is really keeping us on the edge of our seats! Here we are re-creating a photo watching 24. Not only does it not stink, it's great! We've already watched the first two seasons and we're impatiently waiting for season three to arrive.

Here's the original photo. Yeah, yeah, so these guys are eating popcorn instead of Chickadees, but we like Chickadees better. And okay, so 24 really isn't in 3D, but who cares? What a show!

Almost Yellowstone

2011-08-21T16:26:00.012-04:00

Today's photo came to me courtesy of my blogging friend Veronica Wald. Yellowstone National Park is very special to Veronica, and she's obviously so special to Yellowstone that they send her retirement photos in her email! As soon as she saw this one, she had a feeling that Robert and I would like to go to Yellowstone and recreate it. She was almost right!

Here we are re-creating the photo on the steps of the Hollywood City Hall this afternoon. It would have been nice to go to Yellowstone, but we hate to leave Joey in a kennel so we very rarely travel.

Here's the original photo. One interesting thing about this photo is that it's cold enough for both of them to be wearing long sleeves - and she's wearing long pants - but did you notice what he's wearing? Shorts! All I can think of is that he must have hot legs. (Luckily, Robert has hot legs, too.) Well, it was fun to visit Yellowstone vicariously, and if we ever really do go, now we know what to wear. Thanks, Veronica!

"Senior" discount

2011-08-14T12:49:00.006-04:00

This "senior" photo is from a costume shop selling a "Discount Old Lady Wig." I love what it says: "One's golden years can be quite relaxing - Bridge club, Sunday strolls, a year long chess game... You will look very wizened and classy in this Gray Old Lady Wig!"

nnnnnnnnnHere I am re-creating the photo in my own personal gray old lady wig.

And here's the original photo. Across the top of the website it says: "Halloween is in 77 days - Get your discount Halloween costumes today!" Hm... does this mean I won't need a costume?

A little pointing

2011-08-10T19:02:00.020-04:00

When you're retired, there's nothing like a little pointing to brighten up the day. Obviously, I'm not the only one who knows this. There are literally dozens of "pointing" retirement photos out there - some with the husband pointing, some with the wife pointing, and some with both of them pointing at the same time!

nnnnnnnnnn nnnnHere we are re-creating a pointing photo this afternoon.

And here's the original photo, from a website for Covenant Retirement Communities. As usual, the website doesn't say what he's pointing at, so it's up to us to guess. A parade of dressed dogs? George Clooney? Personally, I'm stumped. But whatever it is, I must say that both Robert and this dude are excellent pointers.

Cheering Joey up

2011-08-06T14:04:00.010-04:00

We had a great visit with Robert's sister Sally. Joey was especially happy to see her and loved having her here. But all visits must come to an end, and now that Sally is gone, Joey really misses her. Ever since she left, he's been lying in front of the guest bed with a sad look on his face. So, to cheer him up, we decided to let him be in a blog post.

Here I am re-creating a photo with Joey. Yep, it did the trick! I picked a photo that matched his moping mode, but as you can see, when the camera came out he perked right up. Joey loves to pose!

Here's the original photo. If Joey goes back to moping, we'll just tell him that maybe Sally will come back sometime. We hope she does.

Happy dance

2011-08-03T19:34:00.013-04:00

Robert's sister Sally is coming tomorrow for a visit. Sally lives in Ocala, Florida and it's always great to see her.

nnnnnnnnnnnnnHere we are re-creating a "dancing" photo in her honor!

And here's the original photo. We won't be doing any re-creations during the visit, but we'll be eating at our favorite restaurant, Sonny's, maybe going to the beach, and having a good time hanging out with Joey. We can't wait!

Bestest.Ramadan.Ever.

2011-07-31T16:10:00.014-04:00

Several years ago, I got interested in writing children's books, so I wrote a few stories, joined SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and started going to a monthly critique group. Well, time went by, I collected a lot of rejection slips, and these days I don't do much writing (except, of course, on the chicken blog). But I still go to my critique group. And exciting things are happening! In the beginning, no one had been published, but since then we've had two published authors and now there's a third - my friend Medeia, whose first book, Bestest.Ramadan.Ever. came out earlier this month.

Here I am re-creating a photo with Bestest.Ramadan.Ever. It's a young adult book about a teenage girl named Almira and her life of high school, friends, boys (especially a cute one named Peter), and her traditional Muslim family. It's written in Medeia's humorous, sweet style and I think it's great!

Here's the original photo. This just might be the bestest "books" re-creation ever!

The present

2011-07-27T19:32:00.015-04:00

If you look closely in the lower right hand corner of today's photo, you'll see there's a wrapped present. I totally missed it the first time I saw it and thought the only props I needed were a handsome husband, a picnic basket and a flower. Then I noticed something colorful in the corner. I took a closer look and realized it was a present! Of course, I was immediately curious. Who is the present for? Is it a birthday present? A Christmas present? Are they dating and he's about to propose? It's a mystery!

nnnnnnnnn Here I am with Robert re-creating the photo at TY Park this afternoon.

And here's the original photo, from the website of a retirement community in Englewood, Colorado. The website offers no clues about the present, so obviously it's up to us to solve the mystery. What do you think? Is the present for him? For her? What is it? Am I wrong and it's not a present at all? And as long as we're at it, what's in the picnic basket?

How to Wear Animal Prints After 40

2011-07-24T14:25:00.008-04:00

Today's photo comes from an article called How to Wear Animal Prints After 40. According to the article, animal prints "have gotten a bad rap as something that old ladies tend to overindulge in." Uh oh! But fortunately, the article gives us some animal print wearing pointers.

nnnnn Here I am re-creating the photo from the article in my faux leopard print coat.

And here's the original photo. Yes, it's the ever-beautiful Lauren Hutton. What an inspiration! And of course, she's following the rules perfectly - she's wearing a classic shape, she's not showing too much cleavage or leg, and (phew!) she hasn't over-accessorized. Well, it's over 90 degrees here in South Florida, so I think it's time to go back to my t-shirt and shorts look. But wasn't it fun to see a little leopard print on the chicken blog?

No more landline

2011-07-22T19:08:00.012-04:00

According to a recent study, more than a quarter of homes in the United States now have only a wireless phone and no landline. Last week, Robert and I joined them.

Here I am at Stanley Goldman Park this afternoon re-creating a "senior lady on a park bench with a cell phone" photo.

Here's the original photo. Why did we do it? Well, when you're retired, things should be easy, and it's easier to have one phone number, one phone to answer, no answering machine to check, and one less bill to pay. And with our house phones gone, we now have more room for pictures of the grandchildren! It's too soon to know if we'll save money - it depends on how much we use our cell phones - but whether we do or not, we're already enjoying being landline-free. Strangely enough, it doesn't feel strange at all.

Yikes!

2011-07-20T22:58:00.009-04:00

Today's photo is from Primera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska advertising their Medicare supplement plans. I've seen hundreds of retirement photos, but this one takes the cake for being the most dangerous-looking, about-to-break-someone's-back photo yet.

nnnnBut we're not worried! Here we are re-creating the photo at South Lake this afternoon.

And here's the original photo. All I can say is, if this is what seniors in Alaska are doing, I'm glad they've got medical insurance - they'll need it!

Love match

2011-07-16T07:28:00.022-04:00

Sometimes it's all about the photo. Today's photo comes from the website of Yours, "the UK's favourite magazine for women in their prime." But it could just as easily have come from any senior website or article. What a great photo!

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Here we are re-creating the photo at West Lake Park.

nnnnnnnn nnnnnn And here's the original photo. A love match for sure!

How to Get a Cheap Haircut

2011-07-13T18:37:00.029-04:00

Today's photo comes from a British article called Pensioner Discounts: How to Get a Cheap Haircut. It's a fine article, but we really don't need the information. I've cut Robert's hair for 42 years.

nnnnnnnHere I am re-creating the photo from the article and giving Robert a haircut.

This is the original photo. Looking back, I don't know why I had such confidence that I could cut his hair. I'd never had any training and my mother didn't cut my father's hair. But one day I gave Robert a haircut, we both thought he looked perfectly handsome, and the rest is history. And here's something interesting - since we retired, I've met several couples - some married over 50 years - where the wife has always cut the husband's hair. Is this the secret to a long marriage? Maybe so!

Freebies for Seniors

2011-07-10T22:07:00.057-04:00

Today's photo comes from an article called Freebies for Senior Citizens. Woo hoo! You can't get any better than free! It's got information on all kinds freebies, from free newsletters and publications (Medicare Part D Report, Menopause E-Newsletter) to free product samples (Miracle Grip Denture Adhesive, Serenity Undergarments) to travel freebies, gardening freebies and even freebies to have on hand for grandchild visits. There are links to the freebies so you can get your free stuff.

Here I am with Robert re-creating the photo from the article in the Regions Bank parking lot this afternoon.

And here's the original photo. The one thing I can't figure out is why this couple looks so glum. We're talking about free stuff here! Gee, I hope it's not because they realized the link to the free sample of Serenity Undergarments says "404 - File or directory not found."

Props

2011-07-08T17:01:00.009-04:00

I'm always fascinated by the props in retirement photos. For instance, in today's photo, there's one prop - an apple. In order to do the best job I can in re-creating the photos, I always try to understand why the props are there. Usually it's easy, but today I'm not so sure.

Here we are re-creating today's photo, and as you can see, I'm holding the apple. The question is - why am I holding it? Did it fall out of an apple tree and I picked it up? Am I hypoglycemic and I carry an apple with me everywhere? Is it to throw at wild animals if one attacks? Is it some kind of new Apple cell phone?

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnHere's the original photo. What do you think?

Activities for Seniors

2011-07-07T17:50:00.042-04:00

Today's photo is from an article called Activities for Seniors Part 2. I was excited to find it because now that I'm a senior I'd like to do some senior activities. But the only activities listed were dance, email, friends, and gardening. Hmph, I thought, I could have done those as a junior! So I went back to Activities for Seniors Part 1, thinking I must have missed the real senior activities. But no, it just had art, birdwatching, and collecting. Well, phooey, I thought, aren't there any activities that only seniors can do?

Here I am with Robert re-creating the photo from Activities for Seniors in our back yard.

And here's the original photo. Okay, fine, I thought. I'll make my own list of activities for seniors. After all, we've lived this long - we deserve our own special activities! Here's what I came up with: count my aches and pains today, count my gray hairs, wonder what an Android is, and go to funerals. Never mind. Let's just dance.

Plaid shorts

2011-07-05T07:16:00.005-04:00

These days, plaid shorts are everywhere. You can see people of every age wearing them in stores, at the golf course, and pretty much everywhere you go. They're even in retirement photos. This one is from Cascades at World Golf Village, a 55-and-over active adult community in St. Augustine, Florida. Obviously, they know what's up. So do we, so we put on our plaid shorts, grabbed our putters, and headed to the golf course.

nnnnnnnnnnnHere we are re-creating the photo at Hillcrest Golf & Country Club.

And here's the original photo. When I was little, I thought the future would be about cities on the moon and rocket travel. Who knew it would really be cell phones and plaid pants?

Jumping in the rain

2011-07-01T17:12:00.009-04:00

Today we have two reasons to jump for joy.
1. We're finally getting some rain after a long drought.
2. The Florida Marlins won their last two games!

Here we are at TY Park re-creating a "jumping for joy" photo. I'm holding Robert's brown umbrella and he's holding my blue one, which a good thing because it's actually raining.

Here's the original photo. Of course, we always have lots of reasons to jump for joy - our great kids, our fantastic grandkids, a wonderful furry companion (Joey, of course) and a nice life in South Florida, where it's always beautiful no matter what the weather.

The answer

2011-06-29T15:41:00.010-04:00

Were you wondering how I took the "from the top" park bench photo yesterday? Well, here's the answer. First, we practiced in the back yard with Robert sitting in a lawn chair. I tried standing on a chair, but that didn't work. Then I tried putting the camera on the tripod, setting the timer and holding the tripod up as far as it would go. That didn't work, either. Since neither of our cars is big enough to hold a ladder, I knew I had to brainstorm. I thought of dangling from a helicopter by a rope, skydiving, or attaching the camera to a homing pigeon, but Robert deemed all of those too impractical. He suggested getting a trampoline. Finally, I started thinking of places that had a bench and a balcony. Aha! Holland Park!

Here I am re-creating a photo re-creating our photo shoot yesterday. That's me on the second level of the Observation Deck. The bench where Robert was sitting is just below me.

Here's the original photo, from the South Florida Sun Fun Guide. Okay, so there's no senior lady in it, but it's the best picture I could find. Thanks for your great guesses, everyone. That was fun!

Park bench puzzle

2011-06-28T18:27:00.008-04:00

As a retirement photo connoisseur, I've seen plenty of "sitting on a park bench" photos taken from the front or the back, but today's photo is a first - it was taken from the top! Not only is it a creative twist to an old theme, but it's a puzzle - how did they do it? Did the photographer climb a tree? Stand on a ladder? What?

nnnnnnnnnHere's Robert re-creating the photo at Holland Park this afternoon.

Here's the original photo, from a retirement community in Australia. I don't know how the Australian photo was done, but I took the picture of Robert. How do you think I did it?

Growing Up Laughing

2011-06-26T22:14:00.025-04:00

I just finished reading Growing Up Laughing - My Story and the Story of Funny by Marlo Thomas. It came out last year and it's a combination of a memoir and interviews with leading comedians. I've admired Marlo Thomas since she was first on the TV show That Girl, and like everyone else, I loved her father, Danny Thomas. I also happened to be watching the Phil Donahue show in 1977 when Marlo came on as a guest, and when it was over, I said, "Wow, they like each other!" (For those who don't know, they've been married since 1980.)

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnHere I am re-creating a photo with Growing Up Laughing.

And here's the original photo. The book goes from Marlo's childhood through shortly after her father's death in 1991, when she took over as the National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children's Hospital. It was a funny and touching book, and I'm glad I read it.

A dog of few words

2011-06-23T14:04:00.011-04:00

Joey can do lots of things, like sit, stay, and come, but one thing he can't do is speak. I don't mean real speaking, of course (I know he's a dog), but the kind where Robert or I say, "Joey, speak!" and Joey is supposed to go "woof woof!" We've had other dogs who loved doing this, but if we tell Joey to speak, he just looks at us like we're nuts and never says a word.

Here's Robert with Joey re-creating a "speaking" photo. The only one who said "woof woof" was Robert.

Here's the original photo. We really don't mind that Joey doesn't speak - we love him just the way he is. We just don't understand it. Have we totally lost our knack for dog training? Or is Joey just a dog of few words?

Fun with fitness

2011-06-20T19:28:00.008-04:00

Today's photo comes from an article called Senior Citizen Exercises. The article goes on and on about the benefits of exercise for seniors, but never explains exactly what kind of exercise the seniors in the photo are doing. But I figured we'd get a good workout if we re-created it, so that's what we did.

Here I am with Robert re-creating the photo from the article. Obviously, dressing alike is a big plus for exercising couples.

And here's the original photo. I don't know about Robert, but I got a good workout from shopping for matching t-shirts and crepe paper all afternoon.

How Great Thou Art

2011-06-18T12:33:00.007-04:00

As the first Father's Day without my father rolls around, I just want to thank God for all the years I had with such a wonderful and loving father.

Here I am re-creating a photo with our bougainvillea plant in the back yard this morning.

And here's the original photo. In the words of the beautiful hymn, I just want to say, "How Great Thou Art!" Happy Father's Day tomorrow to all the fathers out there. Joey will make Robert a Father's Day card, and we'll have a quiet day here.

It's DirecTV again!

2011-06-15T16:54:00.020-04:00

Last Saturday, our DirecTV receiver died. We'd been thinking of switching to Comcast for a while, since we now get our internet through Comcast and it works great. Not only would we save a little money by bundling the two, but DirecTV always goes out in the rain. So, even though we'd had DirecTV for seven years, we took our receiver dying as a sign. We canceled DirecTV and ordered Comcast. End of story, right? Wrong!

Here's Robert re-creating a photo re-creating a phone call from DirecTV. You can tell he's re-creating it because when he's really talking to DirecTV he doesn't look this happy.

And here's the original photo. Yes, DirecTV has been calling. And calling. First, they offered us $5 off per month to stay with them. Then one month free. Then Starz and Showtime free. Then two months free. Then three months free! The next day they offered us $30 off for six months. Then yesterday they offered us $300 cash! It's just surreal. Personally, I'd be fine with just an antenna, but Robert really enjoys the golf and football channels, so we had to choose. Maybe we're stupid, but we're going to try Comcast.

The scourge of toilet cleaning

2011-06-13T18:40:00.011-04:00

Just when I thought I'd seen it all, look what I found - a toilet cleaning retirement photo! It comes from an assisted living website inviting you to "put an end to the scourge of toilet cleaning," "kiss your hedge clippers goodbye" and "remove laundry from your to do list - forever!"

aaaaaaaaaa aaaHere I am re-creating the scourge of toilet cleaning photo.

And here's the original photo. I have to admit they've got a good marketing angle - who likes to clean the toilet? Still, I'd like to keep my independence as long as I can, so I hope I can stay right here at home for a good long time, toilet cleaning and all.

This tree won't budge!

2011-06-10T19:44:00.005-04:00

In keeping with my newfound interest in fitness, today's photo comes from an article called Stretch Exercises for Seniors. After seeing this photo, it makes me wonder whether the stretchers in the "stretchers vs brisk walkers" study were trying hard enough.

Here we are at TY Park re-creating the photo from the article. Call me silly, but as soon as I saw it I thought the caption should be: "This tree won't budge!"

Here's the original photo. I don't think this couple is having much luck, either. Luckily for us, TY Park has plenty of smaller trees. We'll get in shape yet!

Gone!

2011-06-07T18:07:00.030-04:00

Yesterday I clicked on a link I'd saved to a cute "bike" photo, only to find - to my surprise and horror - that the photo was gone! The website was still there, but the photo wasn't. Luckily, I'd saved the photo separately, so I still had it, but as you know, I always give the link to the original photo in the chicken blog. So I thought, "Well, that's that. Now I'll just have to get rid of it." But I couldn't. It was too darn cute!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaHere we are re-creating the photo anyway.

Here we are re-rereating ...

And here's the original photo. It used to be right here, on a Canadian health and wellness directory. I have no idea why they replaced it. Did someone "try this at home," hurt themselves, and sue them? Was the website not getting enough business with this picture so they chose another? I guess we'll never know. Anyway, that's the story. The photo may be gone, but it will live on in the chicken blog.

Please pass the pie!

2011-06-03T20:15:00.004-04:00

Now, this is an interesting article. It's called Overweight Elderly Live Longer, and it's about a study done by the University of Western Australia which found that moderately overweight seniors lived longer than those of normal weight. Not only that, but they also had the lowest risk of dying from heart disease, cancer and chronic respiratory disease.

Here I am re-creating the photo from the article. I'm being careful not to work too hard in case I might lose a pound.

This is the original photo. Okay, here's the catch. The overweight seniors lived longer, but the study also found that those with sedentary lifestyles had shorter lifespans no matter what their weight. In fact, lack of exercise doubled the risk of death for women and increased it by 25% for men. Okay, fine! I get it! Robert is already getting in better shape thanks to his Silver Sneakers membership at the YMCA, and from now on I'm going to try to get more exercise, too. After my snack, of course!

P.S. So far so good on the lantana.

A new yellow lantana

2011-06-01T18:14:00.010-04:00

One of the things Robert and I like best about retirement is that we have time to sit on our back porch in our lawn chairs and appreciate the beauty of nature, especially the flowers. Joey agrees. In fact, he appreciates the flowers so much he used to eat them. He finally stopped doing that, but now...

Here we are re-creating a photo with the new yellow lantana we bought to replace the marigold that used to be in the pot. What happened to the marigold, you ask? Well, it wasn't that we didn't water it. We did. Unfortunately, so did Joey.

Here's the original photo. We're hoping the new lantana has a different aroma from the marigold so Joey will decide - as Robert keeps encouraging him to by yelling, "Not there! On the fence!" - to lift his leg elsewhere. We'll see what happens.

5 Reasons People Think You Look Old

2011-05-29T09:41:00.011-04:00

Today's photo comes from an article called 5 Reasons People Think You Look Old. It doesn't say how old the people who think you look old think you look - or how old the people who think you look old actually are - but I guess it doesn't matter.

Here are the 5 reasons:
1. Your shirt is too baggy.
2. Your blush and eyeliner are too heavy.
3. Your sunglasses look outdated.
4. You are dressing too sexy.
5. Your hair is dry and brittle.

Here we are re-creating the photo from "5 Reasons People Think You Look Old."

And here's the original photo. Well, it's nice to have this informative list (and this cute picture to re-create) but to tell you the truth, I'm not really worried about looking old. Neither is Robert. My philosophy is to just look the age I am and use conditioner once in a while. Robert's philosophy is if people think we look old, that's okay, because we ARE old! And proud of it!

Brisk walking

2011-05-24T19:50:00.020-04:00

Today's photo comes from an article called Brisk Walking Routine Sharpens Memory As We Age. It's about a study of 120 sedentary senior adults who were divided into two groups - one that walked briskly for 40 minutes three times a week, and one that just did stretching and toning exercises. After a year, it turned out the walking group had better memory - and bigger brains! - than the stretching group.

Here we are re-creating the photo from the article at Hollywood Beach this afternoon.

And here's the original photo. Of course, the way I found the article was by spending hours and hours sitting sedentarily at the computer looking for photos to re-create. But isn't photo re-creating a great hobby? Not only did it get us out of the house and walking, but we got to hold hands, too!

Welcome, Louise!

2011-05-22T16:53:00.018-04:00

Guess what? I've got a new family member to tell you about! Meet Louise, Bernice's new cat. She's a 6-year-old Calico and she's just as friendly and sweet as can be. When Robert and I went down to visit this afternoon, she greeted us at the door, meowed politely and kept us company the whole time. Bernice adopted Louise through the Pet Network, which had to find her a new home after her former owner became unable to care for her and her sister Thelma. Bernice's children Barbara and Ed arranged everything with the Pet Network as a Mother's Day present for Bernice.

Here's Bernice re-creating a photo with Louise. Aw...

And here's the original photo. Bernice says Louise is a good girl who follows her everywhere and is a very well-behaved cat. I'm so glad Bernice and Louise found each other. Welcome, Louise!

Happy birthday, Joey Ramone

2011-05-19T07:08:00.005-04:00

Many of you know that our dog Joey was named after Joey Ramone, the leader of the rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone, whose real name was Jeff Hyman, was born on May 19, 1951 and died on April 15, 2001 of lymphoma. He would have been 60 years old today.

Here we are re-creating a photo with a Ramones album in honor of Joey Ramone's birthday. I was an early Ramones fan, and I'm proud to say that Joey never let me down. He was a gifted musician, was never involved in any scandals, and always stayed true to himself and his fans.

Here's the original photo. I never saw the Ramones perform, but in 1983 I met Joey at an appearance at Peaches in Seattle. He was sweet, long-haired and kind of goofy, just like another Joey I know. Happy birthday, Joey Ramone!

Swings

2011-05-16T19:28:00.008-04:00

One subset of retirement photos is senior couples on swings. The couples in the photos always look like they're having so much fun that you can't help thinking, "Wow, maybe I should move to that retirement community or buy that insurance or whatever the heck they're selling. Then I can have that much fun, too!" There's just one problem. No senior couples actually do that. It's just something photographers made up for retirement photos, bless their hearts.

Here we are re-creating a "swings" photo at Poinciana Park in Hollywood. One interesting thing about Poinciana Park is that it's right across the street from our first house in Hollywood, where we lived from 1970 to 1976. I could see Poinciana Park from my kitchen window - and I spent an awful lot of time in that kitchen!

Here's the original photo. Who knew that 40 years later Robert and I would be re-creating a photo in Poinciana Park and taking a walk around the park reminiscing?

A picnic

2011-05-13T13:32:00.038-04:00

May is a great time of year for retirees in South Florida. The weather is beautiful, the snowbirds have gone home, the kids are still in school for another month, and we've pretty much got the place to ourselves. So what should we do? Go on a picnic, of course!

Here we are re-creating a picnic photo at West Lake Park in Hollywood.

And here's the original photo. This is actually a very special photo, because it's from LiveStrong, and our daughter Amber just happens to work for LiveStrong at their headquarters in Austin, Texas. If you're not familiar with LiveStrong, it's a non-profit organization that does great work helping people who are living with cancer and teaching all of us how to live a healthier life. Amber works hard and does a great job there, and Robert and I are very proud of her.

Royal Poinciana season

2011-05-10T19:02:00.007-04:00

One nice thing about living in an older area is all the big, mature trees. There are palm trees, frangipani trees, mango trees, oak trees and crepe myrtles, to name a few. But the most spectacular trees - when they're in bloom - are the Royal Poinciana trees. And recently, they started to bloom. Wow!

Here we are re-creating a photo with a Royal Poinciana tree a few blocks from our house.

And here's the original photo. It's a great time to be pointing and holding hands in South Florida!

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T06:39:00.013-04:00

Today is Mother's Day!

Here I am re-creating a photo in the back yard with Joey and the Mother's Day gardenia bush he gave me. Thanks, Joey!

And here's the original photo. Robert and I wish all the mothers out there a happy Mother's Day. Today we're also thinking of Robert's dear mother, Rosamond, who passed away in 1996. It's a sad fact that as life goes on, we have more people to miss.

On the Broadwalk

2011-05-05T18:46:00.010-04:00

As soon as I saw today's photo, I knew I had to re-create it. It's from AvMed, the Medicare company, and it was taken right on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk (some people say "boardwalk" but it's really "broadwalk"), the 2-mile walkway along Hollywood Beach where I've spent so many enjoyable hours since Robert and I first moved to Hollywood in 1969.

Here I am re-creating the photo in the same place it was taken, on the Broadwalk near Michigan Street, just past the Sheldon Hotel (which is now getting remodeled).

And here's the original photo. It was a beautiful day at Hollywood Beach, but of course, I've never seen one that wasn't.

Green aging

2011-05-02T19:46:00.008-04:00

Today's photo comes from Green Aging in Place, which is about aging in place (a concept which simply means aging at home) and also about being green. Well, Robert and I are certainly aging (rapidly!) at home and we recycle, so naturally we had to re-create this photo.

Here we are re-creating the photo with our huge City of Hollywood recycle bin. Since last May, we've been part of a program called Recyclebank, where we get points for how much we recycle, which can then be redeemed for prizes. So far, we've accumulated 2,227 points. When we reach 2,500 points we'll be able to get a $10 Home Depot card. Yippee!

Here's the original photo. According to Green Aging in Place, the aging population and the "green movement" are two mega-trends for the 21st century. Gee, who knew we were so with it?

What we're watching

2011-04-30T12:41:00.035-04:00

Were you wondering what Robert and I have been watching lately? Well, like millions of others, we watched the royal wedding. Back in 1981, I got up at 5AM to watch Prince Charles and Princess Diana get married. For yesterday's royal wedding I didn't get up in the middle of the night, but Robert and I were able to watch the whole ceremony later in the day on the BBC network. What a beautiful wedding! Everybody looked so happy and glowing. I hope William and Kate will be very happy.

Here I am re-creating a photo watching the royal wedding.

And here's the original photo. Besides the royal wedding, we're also continuing to watch DVDs of TV shows from the library. Remember I said we'd put Entourage and Breaking Bad on hold? Well, they both came in and it turned out we didn't like either one. But we've just started watching a new series, Castle, and we're really enjoying it. We're also watching the devastating coverage of the tornadoes that have struck the Southeast. (Glad you're okay, Arkansas Patti.) And of course, it's baseball season. Go Marlins! (And for my father, go Red Sox!)

Look, Grandma!

2011-04-28T07:03:00.060-04:00

As promised, here's the other re-creation from my trip to Austin. It was taken on the balcony of Amber and Chuck's house and features not only the world's sweetest 3-year-old but also one of my favorite activities - pointing.

Here I am with Aurora re-creating a "pointing" photo. Wow, did Aurora do a great job or what? She's a natural!

Here's the original photo. Well, that's it for my re-creations from Austin. I had a great trip and I'm so glad I went.

Trip to Austin

2011-04-26T22:12:00.012-04:00

Last night, I got back from my trip to Austin, Texas. I had a great time celebrating Aurora's 3rd birthday and spending time with Amber, Chuck, and Aurora. It was a fun, busy weekend packed with Easter egg decorating, church, a children's play at a beautiful theatre, reading to Aurora, watching Tangled, eating lots of good food, and of course, the birthday party for Aurora at Chick-fil-A with 14 of Aurora's little friends AND the Chick-fil-A cow. Wow! We also did two re-creations.

Here I am in Austin re-creating a photo with Aurora and Amber. Aw...

And here's the original photo. Robert and Joey did just fine "batching it" but they're glad I'm back home. Stay tuned for the next Austin re-creation, coming soon.

Woo hoo!

2011-04-20T19:37:00.055-04:00

On Friday, I'll be leaving for Austin, Texas to celebrate Aurora's third birthday. I'm looking forward to seeing Amber, Chuck, and Aurora and being there for Aurora's big day. There are lots of fun things planned, including a party at Chick-fil-A, eating catfish (a tradition every time I go to Austin), church on Easter, and (of course!) a couple of re-creations. But most of all I'm looking forward to just getting to be Grandma to the cutest little girl in Texas. Robert and Joey will be "batching it" at home and I'll be back Monday night.

Here we are re-creating a photo in the back yard. Woo hoo for Aurora! Woo hoo for Austin! Woo hoo for batching it!

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnHere's the original photo. See you next week!

What's for lunch?

2011-04-17T14:07:00.033-04:00

For some reason, seniors in retirement photos are never shown eating tuna. I don't know why. There are tons of tuna casserole recipes on the internet that say "grandma's tuna casserole." But Grandma is never seen eating her casserole. And when Grandma or Grandpa does make an appearance, what are they eating? Salad! Always salad!

Well, I suppose Robert and I should eat more salad, too. Here we are re-creating a photo with Robert doing "salad duty" and a plate of tuna and noodles on the side.

Here's the original photo. Okay, you caught me. This one doesn't have any tuna and noodles. But that's what we had for lunch today. Joey had some tuna, too. He loves tuna. Everybody loves tuna! In fact, I could have named this blog "Life is Just a Bowl of Tuna." Except obviously, it isn't.

Volkswagen XKE

2011-04-14T18:41:00.029-04:00

Ever since I was a little girl, I've thought the Jaguar XKE was the most beautiful car ever made. I always thought I'd have one some day, but at this point in my life I realize that's probably not going to happen. But even though I don't have an XKE, I do have a cute little yellow car to pose with - my new Volkswagen Beetle!

Here we are re-creating a photo with my "Volkswagen XKE." (That's a Hollywood Beach condo building behind us.)

Here's the original photo (with a real XKE...sigh). The interesting thing about the cars Robert and I have now is that we've each had the same cars before. When Robert and I got married, he was driving a silver Mustang, and now he is again. In the 70's, I drove a yellow Volkswagen Beetle. So we've come full circle, car-wise.

Little Joe

2011-04-12T08:51:00.008-04:00

Joey's real name is Joey, but like all pet owners, Robert and I have lots of "pet names" for him. Robert calls him Joe, Joseph, J., and every so often (woops!) Julian. I call him Little Joe, Mr. J., Joey Kapoey, and once in a while (woops!) Julian. What can I say? We know he's not Julian, but somehow it just pops out. But Joey doesn't mind. He probably wouldn't mind if we called him Eric or Amber. He's just a happy little guy who loves chasing tennis balls in the back yard, barking at the garbage man, and helping us with whatever we're doing.

Here's Joey helping Robert re-create a photo from an article called Pet Waste Pollutes. (Don't worry. We always pick up after Julian - I mean Joey.)

Here's the original photo. Joey doesn't know how to "shake," but he can sit, stay, lie down, and come - no matter what we call him. Good boy, Joey!

The joy of senior discounts

2011-04-10T12:32:00.035-04:00

Everyone knows that nothing makes seniors happier than senior discounts. Today's photo shows what happens when an average senior couple finds out they can get a 10% discount at Anderson Paint Company in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Woo hoo! Here we are at Mara Berman Giulianti Park re-creating the photo from Anderson Paint Company.

And here's the original photo. By the way, Anderson Paint Company's website has a little thermometer and when I found this picture a few nights ago it said it was 38 degrees in Ann Arbor. Yikes, that's cold! It's 82 degrees here.

Walking holding hands

2011-04-06T18:25:00.010-04:00

If you can believe everything you see in retirement photos (and who doesn't?) retired couples are constantly walking. Not just walking, but walking, holding hands, and smiling at the same time. Robert and I decided it was high time for us to get in on this trend, so we put on our walking shoes, washed our hands and headed to TY Park.

Here we are re-creating a typical "walking holding hands" photo.

And here's the original photo. We were a little rusty at first, but I think we're getting the hang of it. That's good, because there are literally dozens of "walking holding hands" photos out there. Luckily, there are also just as many "park bench" photos. Whew!

The chicken blog diet

2011-04-03T12:44:00.048-04:00

If you were only allowed to eat what people are eating in retirement photos, it would be quite a diet! Basically, it would consist of fruit, vegetables, fish, more fruit, more vegetables, a bread stick now and then, and...

Ice cream and cookies! Here we are on our back porch re-creating a photo from a retirement community in Pennsylvania. (In case you're interested, we've got Haagen-Dazs Cookies & Cream ice cream in our little parfait cups and Grandma's peanut butter cookies on the plate.)

Here's the original photo. You'll notice the photographer scattered some fruit on the table to give the impression of a healthy diet, but are these seniors touching them? Absolutely not! Now that's my kind of retirement photo!

TV

2011-03-30T14:26:00.047-04:00

Our favorite TV show is NCIS. Robert and I love the characters and the humor, and we both think it's just great! Even though it's been on since 2003, we only started watching it last year. So a couple of months ago I decided to see if our library system - which has tons of TV shows on DVD - had NCIS so we could catch up on the seasons we'd missed. But it turned out the library didn't have NCIS! Not one season! So we splurged and bought seasons 1-6 of NCIS. Since then we've had a great time watching every episode in order - one each night - with no commercials!

Here we are re-creating a cute TV-watching photo from AARP. Hey Rob, hit replay! I want to see what Abby did again!

Here's the original photo. Well, unfortunately, a few nights ago we finally came to the end our NCIS tapes. Though we still love NCIS, our plan now is to start watching DVDs of the TV shows the library does have. In the past, we've watched Dexter and Burn Notice courtesy of the library, and we've just put Entourage and Breaking Bad on hold. We'll let you know what we think.

Makeovers

2011-03-26T13:05:00.005-04:00

Before and after makeovers have always fascinated me. Perversely, I often like the "befores" better, especially when it comes to senior makeovers. The poor "befores" get accused of every fashion faux pas in the book - looking frumpy or matronly, having a hairstyle that's aging, or even - horror of horrors - not being age-appropriate. Yikes! I always want to say, "Hey, you look fine, lady! Wipe that disgruntled look off your face!" But of course, the "afters" always look so stylish and slick, and they always look so happy - ya gotta love it!

Here I am re-creating a before and after makeover. (I tried to capture the spirit of the clothes even though I didn't have the exact clothes.)

And here's the original photo. So which one do you like better - before or after?

Hobbies for retirees

2011-03-22T19:32:00.008-04:00

Today's photo comes from an article called Hobbies for Retirees, which says: "There are a number of relaxing and exciting hobbies for retirees to pursue. These are the hobbies that you might have only dreamed about doing during your younger years, and now with the additional time on your hands you can finally pursue them."

Yes indeed. Here we are at Hollywood Beach re-creating the photo from the article, happily pursuing our retirement hobby of pointing.

Here's the original photo. The article also says, "As a retiree, you are making your own rules about how you want life to be. Choose hobbies that improve your quality of life and take up the motto of 'if it's not fun, what's the point?'" Ha ha, my point exactly!

Life imitates art

2011-03-19T10:52:00.007-04:00

This morning I was looking through my retirement photos wondering what our next re-creation should be when Robert said, "I'm going out to work on the front yard." A few minutes later, I looked out the front window, then looked down at the photo I was looking at and went, "Holy mackerel!" So I jumped into my clothes (yes, I was sitting at the computer in my robe) and hustled out to take a picture.

Here's Robert working in the front yard. He put some Roundup down and then watered.

And here's the original photo. Okay, that was too easy!

Japan

2011-03-16T22:08:00.018-04:00

Like everyone else, Robert and I have been watching the news unfold about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Thinking about Japan, I found this Bible verse. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.”– Psalms 46:1-3. I think this verse pertains to all of us, no matter what our situation.

Here we are re-creating a photo at TY Park this afternoon.

And here's the original photo. We're keeping the people of Japan in our thoughts as they go through this difficult time.

Required reading

2011-03-14T16:38:00.060-04:00

Today's photo comes from Mid Dakota Insurance, which has a simple, straightforward website. In About Us, there's a picture of their office. In Auto, there's a picture of a car. In Home/Farm, there's a picture of a house and a picture of some cows. (I always enjoy pictures of cows.) But in Life, Health and Annuities there's a picture of...well, see for yourself.

Here we are re-creating the photo from Life, Health and Annuities. Yes, this is what old people do all day - they sit around and read books about old people!

Here's the original photo. I'm sure these books have their merits, but the whole idea is just so silly! Couldn't they at least have been reading TV Guide?

Here's Joey!

2011-03-09T15:42:00.010-05:00

A few days ago we gave Joey a bath. Ever since then, he's been trying to tell me something. I thought it was, "I feel so nice and clean," but this morning I realized it was, "For heaven's sake, put me in the blog. I haven't been featured since January and look how cute I am!" He's right, of course. So without further ado, here's Joey!

Here are Joey and Robert re-creating a photo outside our back door this afternoon.

And here's the original photo, from a retirement community in Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania. I don't know about this dog, but Joey was so happy to be in the picture that he zoomed around the back yard and twirled in place a few times. When Joey's happy, he's happy. And oh yes, he's cute, too.

Happy birthday, Robert!

2011-03-07T06:26:00.004-05:00

Today there's another birthday in the family - Robert's is 65! And you know what that means - cake, candles, cards and....MEDICARE! It's a pretty big deal. We've been planning Robert's entry into the world of Medicare for almost a year. Not only has Robert been inundated with mail from every Medicare supplement company in the country, but I've spent months working on getting him removed from our Blue Cross health insurance, which was harder than you might think - aaugh! Anyway, Robert chose AvMed to sign up with for Medicare and so far that part has gone fine. He'll get better coverage than he had with Blue Cross and he even gets a free membership to the YMCA.

Here we are re-creating a photo with Robert's birthday cake and cards. We took some liberties with the original photo, but after all, it's his birthday.

Here's the original photo. Happy birthday, Robert! Many happy returns!

Happy birthday, Lillie!

2011-03-05T07:26:00.007-05:00

Today's photo comes from an article called Best Places for Senioritis, about the hottest spots for retirement these days. Number one on the list is the Bradenton-Sarasota area in Florida, followed by Prescott, Arizona. But really, who cares about that? On March 5, 2003, our granddaughter Lillian was born, and today she's 8 years old. Woo hoo!

Here I am re-creating the photo from the article at Hollywood Beach. Do you see what I see? There's something in the sand that the original photo must have failed to pick up...

Here's the original photo. Happy birthday, Lillie! We love you! (You can see pictures of Lillie on her dad's wonderful family blog, Julian's Early Morning Blog.)

A one-bike photo...with fries

2011-03-03T18:17:00.015-05:00

Here's the thing. We only have one bike - my blue bike that I bought shortly after we moved back to Florida. Robert doesn't have a bike or want one. So when I look for retirement photos, I always have to pass up any with two bikes. But that's okay - thanks to some diligent searching, I've found some great photos of senior couples with only one bike between them - and you know what? They're much more interesting than the ones with two bikes!

Here we are re-creating a one-bike photo at TY Park. See what I mean? No one gets to eat French fries in a two-bike photo!

Here's the original photo. The fact is, in two-bike photos they're usually riding their bikes, which would be practically impossible to do on a 10-second timer. So it's just as well we only have one bike. The fries were delicious!

Back yard reading

2011-02-27T16:49:00.064-05:00

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!

2011-02-22T18:10:00.010-05:00

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

2011-02-18T18:07:00.004-05:00

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!

2011-02-14T07:04:00.012-05:00

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

2011-02-11T17:56:00.031-05:00

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

2011-02-07T08:49:00.014-05:00

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

2011-02-05T10:42:00.017-05:00

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

2011-02-01T18:22:00.013-05:00

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!

Pointing

2011-01-28T21:20:00.007-05:00

Retired couples always delight in pointing things out to one another. At least, in retirement photos they do. Personally, if I'm looking at the same exact thing Robert's looking at, I don't need him pointing it out to me. But I guess it makes a good photo.

Here we are at Hollywood Beach this afternoon re-creating a "pointing" photo.

And here's the original photo, from the website of a British retirement and investment planning company. The website has a lot of information about financial planning, but it neglects to tell us the one thing we want to know most. Hmm...what do you think he's pointing at?

The blanket that has sleeves!

2011-01-25T14:21:00.003-05:00

I know, I know. Seeing my Snuggie in its box was exciting, but what everyone really wants to see is the Snuggie in action. Well, here you go!

Here I am re-creating a photo from the side of the Snuggie box. I'm really enjoying my birthday gift from Julian.

And here's the picture on the box. What can I say? The comfort! The warmth! The convenience! It's the blanket that has sleeves!

A re-creation with Bernice

2011-01-23T17:50:00.006-05:00

Today Robert and I went down to Miami to see Bernice. It's a hard time for all of us, but especially for Bernice, who is now alone. And on top of everything, Bernice has to deal with trying to get the all the paperwork straightened out for the will and various agencies. It's a lot to deal with.

So, to cheer her up, we did a re-creation. Here I am with Bernice, re-creating a photo from a website about senior health plans.

And here's the original photo. Don't we look just like them? Amazing! I hope you'll keep Bernice in your thoughts - as we're doing - as we go through this difficult and sad time.

Another retirement tip

2011-01-21T19:20:00.065-05:00

Today's photo comes from a ReMax website describing the charms of Wilton, Connecticut - which include playing lots of tennis.

Here we are re-creating the photo - with one big difference. I just couldn't bring myself to ask Robert to wear shorts like the gentleman in Wilton. Why, you ask? Take a look...

Oh dear. Now, I certainly don't consider myself to be a fashion maven, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say shorts like these have been out of style for at least 20 years. I guess it's possible they could make a comeback, but until then, here's my retirement tip: Avoid short shorts. Thank you.

A Snuggie!

2011-01-18T18:32:00.011-05:00

January 19th is a special day in our family. Not only is it my birthday, it's also my beautiful daughter-in-law Maren's birthday. I'm usually excited when January 19th rolls around, but this year is different. This will be my first birthday without my father and it just seems especially sad. But a few days ago, a big box came in the mail and look what was in it...

A Snuggie! It's from my son Julian, and it's just what I need! I'm waiting to open it till my actual birthday, but I'm sure I'll love it. Here we are re-creating a photo with it this afternoon.

And here's the original photo. The lady in this photo might be getting a diamond ring, but wouldn't you rather have a Snuggie? I would! What a thoughtful son I have!

A very special tennis racket

2011-01-14T19:46:00.005-05:00

My father was an avid tennis player, so he was especially happy to see my blog post about tennis last September. The next time I visited him, I noticed he had some tennis rackets leaning against the wall, so I picked one up and demonstrated my amazing swings and serves for him (luckily not hitting any furniture). When I told him what a nice tennis racket it was, he offered to get it re-strung and give it to me. And that's just what he did. When I saw him on Thanksgiving, he proudly presented me with the tennis racket.

So here I am, using my beautiful new tennis racket for the first time. It means so much to me to have it.

Here's the original photo. Every day I'm reminded of how much I miss my dad. I know he'd be happy that I'm using the tennis racket. I only wish he was here to see it.

Joey's new trick

2011-01-11T17:10:00.005-05:00

Joey has always loved having us throw tennis balls for him to retrieve. And why not? He's a Golden Retriever! There's just one thing. Once he's brought the ball back, he's always hated to actually relinquish it - until now. The other day, Robert was walking across the back yard carrying a cardboard box for recycling. He stopped to throw a tennis ball for Joey, expecting the usual tug-of-war to get it back. But when Joey saw the box, he couldn't resist - he dropped the tennis ball in the box! Now Joey keeps begging Robert to go out and throw tennis balls for him so he can drop them in the box. It's his favorite new game.

I couldn't find any photos of Golden Retrievers dropping tennis balls in boxes, but Joey was happy to sit for this re-creation instead. (Did I ever mention that Joey loves to pose?)

Here's the original photo. After we took the picture, Joey talked Robert into playing another round of "put the ball in the box." So you see, it's not true that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Robert learned this one right away!

Hollywood Beach

2011-01-09T13:08:00.005-05:00

Going on after a death in the family is hard. You cry, you get angry at life, you cry some more, you look at pictures, you read sympathy cards, you try to go on and do what needs to be done, but you realize that everything is harder and everything has changed and you can only do what you can do...and then, just when you think you've got it under control, you cry.

This morning Robert and I went to Hollywood Beach and did this photo re-creation. The ocean was beautiful.

Here's the original photo. Robert and I would like to wish all the readers of the chicken blog a Happy New Year. Thank you so much for all your love and support. Life goes on, and so will the chicken blog.

Remembering my dad, Robert Sandler, 1923-2010

2011-01-06T02:01:00.076-05:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in so long. First, I had dental complications that sidelined me for a couple of months. Then, on December 10th, my father had a stroke. He died peacefully on December 18th at age 87. I was able to visit him in the hospital and hold his hand and talk to him almost every day during that last week, which I'm so glad I got to do. But now we're all just wandering around with a hole in our hearts. It's hard. But the other day I read Amber's blog and she said she hoped I'd start blogging again soon. So here goes.

I'm going to start with the only re-creation I got to do with my father. I had several more "father and daughter" re-creations planned and I know he would have done them with me if I asked, but it wasn't to be.

Robert took this picture last August on a sunny afternoon just outside Dad and Bernice's home in Kendall. To see the original blog post about it, click here.

Now I'm going to break the rules and just show some pictures as a tribute to my father. There are a lot of pictures, but hey, 87 years is a long time!

1940 - Here's my father in June 1940 at age 16. Look at all that hair!

1944 - Here he is in WWII in Mezieres, France.

1949 - Here's my father getting his bachelor's degree at Ohio University.

1954 - Here's a picture of my father with me and my brother Jeff in Boston, Massachusetts.

1958 - Here's a picture of my father with Jeff and me in Coral Gables.

1964 - Here's another one with Jeff and me taken a few years later in Westchester.

1974 - Here's my father and my mother Toby with me, Eric, and Julian shortly before their divorce.

1976 - Here's a picture of my father celebrating his 53rd birthday with us in November at our house in Hollywood.

1978 - Here he is with Amber at her second birthday party. In November that year, we moved to Seattle.

1979 - Here's my father celebrating Thanksgiving with us in 1979 in Seattle. That's our dog Honey Boo helping him warm up his cold Florida toes at our fireplace. My father was always great with our family dogs.

1983 - Here's a picture of my father, me, Bernice, and Amber at Mt. Rainier.

1986 - Here's my father and Bernice's wedding picture, June 21, 1986.

1988 - This picture was taken during my father and Bernice's visit to Seattle for Julian's high school graduation.

1989 - They came up again a year later for Eric's high school graduation.

1989 - And here's...wait a minute...that's still Eric's graduation.

1992 - Here's Dad celebrating his 69th birthday with us at our Lake Desire home in Renton, Washington.

1992 - And here's a group picture from that same trip. That's Amber, Bernice, me, my father, and our sweet pooch Hilly.

1995 - This is from Dad and Bernice's trip to Seattle for Amber's high school graduation and Maren's college graduation. That's Maren, Julian, Dad, Bernice, me and Amber.

1996 - In January, Robert and I visited Florida and Dad took us to the MetroZoo.

1996 - In September, our first grandchild - my father's first great-grandchild - was born. Here's Amber, me, Robert, Julian, Bernice, and Dad with Preston.

1997 - On July 12, 1997, Amber and Chuck got married. Naturally, my father and Bernice came up for the occasion. Here they are with and Chuck and Amber at the reception.

1999 - Here we are during a trip Robert and I took to Florida. I wanted to move back, but it would be another several years before we could.

2000 - Here's a group picture from another trip Dad and Bernice took to Seattle. That's cute little Hansen peeking out in the middle, who was born in January.

2000 - Here's a great picture of Dad and Preston taken during that same visit. A copy of it hangs on his office wall in his house in Kendall.

2003 - This is the year Amber and I took a trip to Florida together. Here we are with my father in his driveway.

2004 - Here's a picture of Dad, me, and Bernice at the Deli Den in Hollywood in March. That's the year Robert and I moved back to Florida.

2005 - Here's my father celebrating his 82nd birthday with Lynda Anapol, Bernice's daughter-in-law, whose birthday, like my father's, falls right around Thanksgiving. For several years, we celebrated Thanksgiving and the two birthdays together at Howard and Lynda's house in Miami.

2005 - Here's Dad, me, and Robert from that same day.

2006 - Here's a picture of Dad and Bernice at Robert's 60th birthday party in March at our house in Hollywood.

2006 - Here's Dad with Freddie, our sweet German Shepherd. This picture was taken in July and is the very last picture ever taken of Freddie, who died a few months later.

2007 - In early November, Julian came down for a visit. My father cried when it was time to say goodbye to Julian. I think he knew he'd never see him again.

2007 - Celebrating Dad's 84th birthday and Thanksgiving at the Anapol's.

2008 - In June, Dad and Bernice came up to meet Joey, our Golden Retriever. Aw...

2008 - Here's a picture of Dad with Aurora, his fourth great-grandchild, who was born in April that year. Amber and Aurora visited from Austin in September.

2008 - Celebrating Dad's 85th birthday in November.

2009 - Amber, Chuck, and Aurora all visited in the fall. Here's Robert, Chuck, Aurora, and Dad.

2010 - This picture was taken on May 7th at Temple Beth Am, where my father was honored with the Talmud Torah Award. Afterwards he told me, "You were the first one to come up and give me a kiss."

2010 - I love this picture of my father and Joey. It was taken in May when my father stayed with us for a few days while Bernice was recovering from shoulder surgery. Joey adored Grandpa Sandler, and the feeling was mutual.

2010 - Here's a nice picture of my father and Bernice taken last June on their 24th wedding anniversary.

2010 - This picture was taken last September when Amber, Chuck, and Aurora visited. Naturally we all went down to visit Grandpa and Bernice.

Finally, I want to end with a picture I took at Hollywood Beach during my father's visit with us last May. I'm so glad I brought my camera that day.

As I said at the funeral, my father was a man of many accomplishments. He was a college professor, a writer, a tennis player, and much more. But to me, he was simply my father, the rock of my life. I couldn't have asked for a better father. I loved him very much. I sure will miss him.

The Yellow Green Farmers Market

2010-10-24T18:17:00.008-04:00

One of the most anticipated events in Hollywood this year (our Hollywood, not the one in California) was the recent grand opening of the Yellow Green Farmers Market, a farmer's market / crafts market / food court housed in a converted warehouse right down the street from us. Robert walked over there when it first opened and I finally felt well enough to go see it yesterday. The 300 vegetable and craft vendors were interesting, but the thing I liked best were the life-size statues of cows everywhere. I knew I had to blog about it, but would I really be able to find a photo of a senior woman with a life-size facsimile of a cow?

You bet! Here I am re-creating a photo at the new Yellow Green Farmers Market.

And here's the original photo, of a woman in New Zealand standing next to her cow kite. So far, the Yellow Green Farmers Market has been drawing huge crowds. It'll be interesting to see how it does once the novelty wears off.

My hero

2010-10-21T19:08:00.014-04:00

Well, I wish I could say my dental problems are gone, but despite doing everything the dentist tells me, my dry socket recovery is painfully slow. Supposedly, it should clear up in a few weeks. I hope so! Meanwhile, Robert has been a great help - what a guy!

Here we are re-creating a photo at Hollywood Beach this afternoon. In sickness and in health, Robert has always been my hero.

And here's the original photo. I don't know what those blue rectangles are doing there, but I don't care - it's such a cute photo! And despite my ongoing dental problems, it was fun to re-create it on a beautiful day.

Joey's birthday

2010-10-18T18:45:00.006-04:00

Today is Joey's birthday! He was born on Oct. 18, 2007, and today he's three years old. Tonight we'll celebrate his birthday by having cake and ice cream and singing happy birthday to him, and he'll get a little cake and ice cream in his bowl. Joey loves ice cream.

Here's Robert re-creating a photo with the birthday boy this afternoon.

And here's the original photo, from an article which says, "Everybody knows what good company a pet can provide." They sure got that right! Joey's been a great dog and we hope to have many more birthdays with him in the years to come.

Flowers for me?

2010-10-16T09:58:00.012-04:00

One thing I've learned as I get older is that you never know what's going to happen. Two weeks ago, I went to the dentist for a simple tooth extraction to get rid of a broken tooth. Well, the extraction went fine but a few days later a painful dry socket infection crept in and it's still hanging on. Anyway, even though I haven't been feeling well, I just had to find a photo to re-create.

Aw, flowers for me? What a surprise!

Here's the original photo. Thanks for the flowers, Rob! I feel better already.

It's Joey!

2010-10-02T13:23:00.038-04:00

Today's photo comes from an article about Silverado, a senior living community in Salt Lake City that believes interacting with animals is beneficial to seniors.

Here's our re-creation of the photo from the article...

And here's the original photo. Yes, at Silverado, there are seven dogs, six cats, 40 birds - and a baby kangaroo. Robert and I certainly agree that interacting with animals is beneficial to seniors. So does Joey, who loved being the "joey" in today's re-creation.

Grandpa and Aurora

2010-09-28T16:57:00.014-04:00

Amber, Chuck, and Aurora went back to Austin yesterday. It was great to see them. We're still marveling over that little Aurora - she just keeps getting cuter! Aurora's also a natural at photo re-creations. Here's the last one.

Aw, what a cute picture of Grandpa and Aurora! I happen to know that's a very proud grandpa there.

Here's the original photo, which is adorable, too. We had a wonderful visit with Amber, Chuck, and Aurora. We're so glad they came.

At the park

2010-09-27T07:31:00.012-04:00

Our granddaughter Aurora loves going to parks and playing on playgrounds. At Emerald Hills Lakes Park in Hollywood we found a great playground and also a perfect spot for...

A family re-creation! That's Amber, Aurora, Chuck, me, and Robert.

Here's the original photo. Aurora felt that she should be holding her daddy's hand as well as her mommy's, so that's just what she did. I think it improved the picture, don't you?

Welcome Amber, Chuck, and Aurora!

2010-09-25T12:44:00.014-04:00

Retirement photos often show retirees happily getting together with their children and grandchildren, and lucky for us, that's exactly what Robert and I have been doing the last few days. This past Thursday, our daughter Amber, son-in-law Chuck, and 2-year-old granddaughter Aurora flew in from Austin, Texas to spend a few days in Florida. Naturally, I had some re-creations planned.

Here we are re-creating a photo with our sweetie-pie granddaughter Aurora. The little sweater she's wearing is one her mother wore at that age.

Here's the original photo, from a website about Texas Medigap insurance. (Yep, a Texas picture for a Texas granddaughter.) We've been having a great time hanging out with Amber, Chuck, and Aurora and visiting relatives. And Joey is beside himself with joy - he just loves Aurora. Weather and time permitting, stay tuned for more...

Tennis

2010-09-21T17:51:00.007-04:00

Of the three of us who live in this house, there's only one who plays tennis. That's Joey. As a Golden Retriever, he loves retrieving tennis balls. In fact, other than my father, we don't know anyone who plays tennis. But retirement photos are full of happy retirees having fun posing on tennis courts, so naturally we had to give it a try.

Here we are re-creating a tennis photo at Jefferson Park in Hollywood. We had a great time. Robert found a nice new tennis ball for Joey and after we took the picture we hit it back and forth a while. And we looked marvelous!

Here's the original photo. But though tennis photos are doing fine, I'm not so sure about tennis. At Jacaranda, they turned the tennis courts into a parking lot. At a condo complex near us, the tennis courts are being used to store RVs. We had our choice of all four courts at Jefferson Park. And I had a heck of a time finding a tennis skirt! What do you think - is tennis less popular now than it once was?

Silence is golden?

2010-09-18T11:19:00.007-04:00

Uh oh, why do we look so disgruntled? Well, according to this article in the Mail Online, it's because we've been married so long that we have nothing left to say to each other.

Here we are re-creating the photo from the article. It even has a chart showing how many minutes couples speak to each other during dinner based on how long they've been together.

This is the original photo. Here's my opinion: One, this couple obviously doesn't have a Golden Retriever or the husband wouldn't be wearing a black bathrobe. Two, it's silly that they're sitting so close together when they've got the whole table. And three, I think the whole thing is a bunch of malarkey! I've been blabbing to Robert non-stop for over 41 years and I haven't run out of things to say yet. Not that he's listening...

Jumping for joy

2010-09-16T00:45:00.012-04:00

People in retirement photos are often seen jumping for joy. We have lots of reasons to jump for joy. For example, this Sunday our oldest grandchild, Preston, will turn fourteen. Robert and I held him in our arms when he was born and now he's bigger than anyone in the family (at least his feet are) and he's a star soccer player, too!

Here are re-creating a "jumping for joy" photo at TY Park. We love Preston! Happy 14th birthday! Woo hoo!

Here's the original photo, from an ad for Indiana Medicare. Gee, do you think these guys embarrassed Indiana Medicare as much as we just embarrassed Preston? No way. Happy birthday, Preston! You're the best!

Senior discounts

2010-09-13T19:45:00.045-04:00

One of the best things about retirement is senior discounts. Thanks to senior discounts, we shop at Beall's on Monday, Ross on Tuesday, and Kohl's on Wednesday - even if we don't feel like it. There's no doubt about it - all over the world, senior discounts are causing retirees to delightedly hug their spouses and break into spontaneous laughter.

Here we are at the ArtsPark in downtown Hollywood, re-creating a photo from a printable coupon offering senior discounts for appliance repairs. The coupon doesn't state how much of a discount seniors receive, but who cares? It's a senior discount!

This is the photo on the coupon. If you live in Wildomar, California and want to print out your own coupon, just click here.

Sleeping

2010-09-10T18:29:00.013-04:00

For some reason, there's a lot written about senior citizens sleeping. The articles always have a picture that goes with them, and the pictures just crack me up. For one thing, the models are never really sleeping. Sometimes they even have silly "I'm pretending to be asleep" smiles. And the ladies always have their hair combed and their make-up on. You should see what I look like when I'm really sleeping! But luckily you won't, because we're re-creating this photo...of people who aren't really sleeping, either.

Here we are re-creating a photo from an article called "Seniors sleep better when they follow a schedule." Personally, I think one of the good things about being retired is that you don't have to follow a schedule, but that's what it says.

This is the original photo. Actually, that photo shoot was very tiring. But here's another good thing about being retired - naps.

A retirement tip

2010-09-07T19:11:00.004-04:00

This photo comes from a US News article about Social Security. I'm sure they think it shows a typical retired couple enjoying their retirement, but we can't re-create the photo. Why? Because we only have one pair of binoculars. I don't usually give retirement tips, but I think a lot of people overestimate how many pairs of binoculars they'll need when they retire. Unless you're both serious birdwatchers, I think one is enough. So my tip is: share stuff.

Here we are re-creating the photo. We substituted a View-Master for the second pair of binoculars. We only have one of those, too.

And here's the original photo. It's not hard to share stuff. You just poke your husband in the ribs and say, "Hey, can I use the View-Master now?"

Gardening

2010-09-05T15:11:00.009-04:00

This photo is from The Peninsula, a retirement community right here in Hollywood. I thought it was cool that this lady lived so close to me, until I saw the same photo again - for a retirement community in North Carolina!

Anyway, here I am re-creating the photo in our back yard. The purple flowers behind me are ruellias, which bloom every morning and lose their flowers every afternoon. I'm holding a new marigold plant, which will go in a pot on the back deck. I enjoy gardening and am often in this exact spot - without the sweater - pulling weeds.

Here's the original photo. I wonder where she really lives? I guess we're not meant to know those things.

I won a blog giveaway!

2010-09-03T17:20:00.059-04:00

Recently, I discovered the wonderful world of blog giveaways. I've had fun entering them but I never thought I'd actually win. But last Tuesday I did! I won a giveaway at RunsWithScissors, a blog written by a woman named Karen who has three Etsy shops. My prize was this nifty paint-by-numbers painting, which arrived in the mail today.

Here I am with my new painting, re-creating a photo from the Humane Society of Utah, which has a great program offering seniors a chance to adopt a cat for free.

nnnnnnnnnnnnAnd here's the original photo. Thanks, Karen! It really made my day.

The best companion

2010-08-30T19:27:00.020-04:00

This photo comes from an article called "Top 5 Dog Breeds for Senior Citizens." Under the title, it says, "Learn which canines make the best companions for mature pet lovers." Then, after a nice paragraph about the benefits of pet ownership, it goes on to name the top five breeds - but inexplicably, it leaves out the Golden Retriever! How could a thing like that happen? Personally, I'm outraged. At this house, we think Golden Retrievers should be #1! But Joey's feelings weren't hurt at all. He just loves to pose!

Here we are re-creating the photo in our back yard. We modified it a little because Joey weighs almost 60 pounds.

And here's the original photo. To see the dog breeds that made the list, just click here.

Faith

2010-08-27T18:26:00.013-04:00

Faith is something that's very important to me. Even though this is a photo blog - and a kind of silly one at that - if it's really going to be about our Florida retirement, I couldn't leave out faith. If there's one way to be sure and have a happy retirement, it's to know where you're going when your retirement is over. Robert and I are thankful that we do know.

The photo I'm re-creating comes from an article about health, but I think it also works for faith. To me, it signifies thankfulness. I'm thankful to God for so many things - for my family and friends, for the beauty around me, and so much more.

Here's the original photo. It reminds me of Psalm 100, which is one of my favorite psalms. "Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name."

Reading

2010-08-24T18:22:00.036-04:00

Every time I meet someone who's not retired and who finds out I am, he or she invariably asks, "What do you all day?" I always say, "Oh, I read, I go to the beach, I do errands..." Now, if it's a man who's asked the question, he then says something like, "Must be nice." But if it's a woman, her response is completely different. After thinking over my answer, most women then ask, "What do you read?" Men don't care what I'm reading, but women always want to know. Interesting, eh? So what am I reading right now?

Here's the answer! I had to wait weeks and weeks to get this on hold from the library, but I finally got it - Janet Evanovich's Sizzling Sixteen. Woo hoo! I've read every book in her Stephanie Plum series and I absolutely love them! (Yes, I always read with one arm draped over the back of the couch, without my glasses, in a nice sweater...)

This is the photo I re-created, from a website called Retirement Hobbies. Okay, so she's not reading Sizzling Sixteen. I can't tell what she's reading. I'd like to know, though...

Park benches

2010-08-19T18:41:00.020-04:00

One of the age-old staples of retirement is the park bench. Ever since I was a little girl, I've seen pictures of retirees sitting on park benches. The world has changed dramatically since I was little, but there are still plenty of retirement photos showing retirees sitting on park benches. Why is that, you ask? Well, obviously it's because as soon as you retire, you suddenly realize you have nothing else to do! Luckily for Robert and me, there are lots of park benches in Hollywood.

Here I am with Robert re-creating a "sitting on a park bench" photo at Holland Park. Doesn't he look handsome sitting on a park bench? Of course he does - he looks handsome anywhere!

And here's the original photo, from an article called "Saving for Retirement." Besides showing the correct "sitting on a park bench" technique, this couple also has what I call the "going steady syndrome" - they're dressed almost alike. What's up with that? I don't know, but hold onto your hats - this isn't the last time you'll see it here on the chicken blog.

A visit to Miami

2010-08-15T17:28:00.018-04:00

This afternoon, Robert and I drove down to Miami to visit my father and stepmother at their home in Kendall. My father will be 87 years old in November and while he's slowing down, he's just as wonderful and loving as he's always been. It's always good to see him and Bernice, and that's one reason I'm glad we retired in Florida. In keeping with my hobby of re-creating retirement photos, I found a photo of a father and daughter I liked and decided to see if we could re-create it.

Here we are re-creating the photo. I didn't have the right color t-shirt and sweater but that's okay.

And here's the original photo. We had a nice visit, and I'm sure we'll see them again soon.