I was one of the people who didn't have a bucket list. Hadn't thought much about it before that movie came out but now that I'm a little older, I can definitely see the advantage of having one.
So, I started thinking about what I'd like to do and before long, I had enough ideas to start a new page here called Bucket List.

We've had the page up for a little over a week now, and we're getting a lot of visitors. A couple of days ago I added another page with more ideas to the bucket list so once you get to the bucket list page, there is a new link. 

I'm  encouraging visitors to tell us what ideas they have on their bucket list, if they have one, and read the ideas others have listed that we may not have.
 
We're now starting to get a few comments and encourage you to join in the fun.

If you haven't started your own bucket list, there's a great article about making one, why people have them etc.

The page is jam packed with great ideas. Everything from everyday to exotic ideas you should consider for your own bucket list. Click here and get in on the fun.

As an Independent, I was watching the debate last night, wondering why Romney didn't stop Obama from his incessant accusations. Even I knew they were  lies. So during the debate I took off points from the Romney side of my ledger.

This morning Fact checkers showed documents, transcripts etc proving what I already knew. The President had lied, over and over. Maybe Romney was right not to get down in the mud with the Pres. 

Obama was great at getting in Romney's face, which is why I think he scored points from many of us but it also made him look far less than presidential and more like a snarky challenger according to my wife and sister.

I give Romney points for reminding me that the President went on several overseas trips, including the Middle East, apologizing for the United States. I lost respect for the President when he did that but it was a long time ago. I was glad for the reminder.


I liked both closing pitches, but felt Romney had more meat in his remarks. He clearly stated how his presidency would be different than what the President will continue to do.

I guess if we like the way things have been going over the last few years, we'll vote for Obama. If we aren't, vote for Romney.

I'm trying to be a little provocative here folks. Let others know what you're thinking. We don't collect your info, and you can just put in your first name to make a comment so what's holding you back? Get in and make some comments!!!!

We've always had a wander-lust. Travel is more than just an occasional thing we do. In fact, if we don't take to the road at least once a week or so, even if it's just a short jaunt, we start getting stir crazy.
Recently we purchased a rescue dog. He was in pretty bad shape psychologically speaking. The trainer we took him to said "some dogs just don't have a good quality of life because they're so messed up. It's best to just put them down when that happens." A few days later it became clear that he was talking about our new family member.
We gave him a lot of love and some discipline, careful not to spank. He gets the message with a tone of voice. But the thing that turned him around the most was that we always took him with us whenever we travel.

When we were in the mountains last summer at our cabin, he loved running through the forest, chasing butterflies and squirrels...and the occasional moose. When we traveled through Idaho and Montana looking for gems he was a great little companion.

Now that we're back in our winter quarters, we noticed that it isn't only the two of us that gets cabin fever when we're in one place for too long. Our dog has taken on the travel bug mantle too.

So, we're off again...finally. This time we're heading towards the hills near Prescott, AZ for a little rock hounding. Hoping we might even find a little gold. Probably won't, but it's a great little get-away for all three of us no matter what we find, or don't find. It isn't the destination, it's the experiences we find on roads we take to get there, right?

Too bad the price of gas has gone up SOOO much over the past two years. It's cut deeply into our favorite pass time.   
I invite you to get out there and travel the country. If you don't have enough gas money to go from Florida to Missouri, take short trips every once in awhile. You don't have to go far. Get to know everything about the area where you live...the towns and people, the local flavor and history. Your life over 50 will be richer for it.

Gotta pack a lunch now..... 

Columbus Day weekend is behind us. Now it's time for November travel for seniors. Veterans Day weekend falls on November 10 through 12; (the actual date is November 11), but the federal holiday is the 12th. 

To celebrate Veterans Day weekend, the US National Park Service is offering free admission to all national parks. There are close to 400 National Parks, and lots of historic sites, especially in the east and south east with so much American history in that part of the country. So, no matter where you live you can take advantage of one or more around the country.

I also suggest purchasing a senior pass for the National Parks. At least for now, you can get one at any entrance to any of the National Parks and it's good for Free entrance all National Parks.

"People who maintain their chewing ability are probably less likely to develop dementia, compared to those who cannot chew well any more, researchers from the Department of Odontology and the Aging Research Center at the Karolinska Institutet and from Karlstad University found. The authors reported their findings in the October issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society...
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I'll be putting a link to this site soon for daily updates.

My husband's father died last week. There was no funeral, no wake. Maybe he wanted it that way, I'm not sure. By the time we got there, a day and a half later, the body had been cremated so closure was abstract.

The family was not close. But death, any death makes you take stock in the life you are leading. It makes you want to become a better spouse, friend, parent, grandparent. And because we too are aging, it is a reminder of our own mortality when a parent dies.

I can't imagine losing a child. For anyone reading this who has had to go through that I ache for you.

I am always looking for cheap places to retire on a beach. Trouble is, there aren't many unless you either relocate to places like Mexico or Central America or find a fixer in a less than desireable city in the US. Less desireable could mean colder winters, but that doesn't even hold true sometimes. 

I'm still on the hunt, and will provide cheap places to retire on a beach in articles here 

If you want to retire cheap on a beach in the golden state, California, it will depend on your definition of cheap. Most beachfront properties will run over a million dollars. Laguna Beach Properties start around 1.9 million. I saw a condo for sale in Coronado on the beach for 1,750,000. Another, a single family home was over 9 million dollars!

Contrast that to a large condo with views of the water in Imperial Beach California for $500K+. Having lived in California years ago, I remember Imperial Beach as a cheap place to retire on a beach because the area was run down and that is why there is such a difference in price. However, towns and neighborhoods run their course, then new buyers come in and renovate, bringing up the values and desireability. If someone out there has updated information on Imperial Beach please enter your comments.  

One way to ensure you can retire on a beach is to buy a home or condo when you are in your prime earning years, rent it out to help offset your payments or use it for vacations with the family until it is time to retire.