Dear Linda:
I loved your column on cruise-ships, but my vacation budget for this year allows only for a rowboat. Got a luxurious but low-cost idea for me and my wife?
Need A Get-Away
Dear Need A Get-Away:
Though an exotic vacation in a far-off place sounds attractive, it's not the only prescription for refreshment and rejuvenation. A change in scenery, attentive service, and someone else in the kitchen can do the trick, so consider a Bed & Breakfast in a town you've never visited.
The home styles are as varied as the locales-rustic cabins in the forest, sumptuous villas in the mountains, and charming Victorians with antique lace curtains and embroidered pillows in quaint little towns are just a few of the possibilities.
Visit www.bedandbreakfast.com (particularly on Wednesdays when it lists hot deals) for information about B&B's in your price and travel range. Then decide if you'll drive and see the country side, or fly to another part of the country or world. Be sure to include in your search any special dietary or housing needs like access for the disabled, vegetarian meals, whether or not pets are allowed, and senior discounts.
Ask the innkeeper if the room has comfortable chairs for reading, there are grab bars in the tub and shower and good lighting, particularly in the bathroom, to prevent falls in the night. If stairs are a problem, request first-floor accommodations, and see if you will have phone and email access.
Rather than choose the least expensive inn, select the least expensive room in a more expensive inn to get the most for your money. The reduced cost in the better inn is generally because it's the smallest room. Typically, however, even it has a queen-size bed and private bathroom, and you'll enjoy the same ambiance and amenities as those paying twice the price.
To further reduce the cost, travel off season (avoid holidays and school vacations) and stay mid-week. Ask for a reduction in price for staying multiple nights, and be flexible. Take advantage of last minute, get-away packages.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Insurance Between Jobs
With double digit unemployment, lots of folks are worried about being able to pay bills, but maybe even worse is having lost health insurance. The cost of a simple doctor's appointment averages $300. Prescriptions are astronomical, and a stint in the hospital can cause bankruptcy and worse.
Know that you may be protected under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Created in 1986 by Congress, this law ensures continuing group health insurance for employees who have lost coverage because of reduced work hours or for termination for any reason other than gross misconduct.
The Act requires employers to allow former employees, retires, spouses, former spouses, and dependent children to continue their current health insurance coverage at group rates. Employers with 20 or more employees for more than 50% of the prior business year must comply. The only employers excluded are the Federal Government and some church groups.
Some states have expanded the provisions mandated by the Federal Government. For example, COBRA guarantees continuing coverage for 18-36 months. The state of Texas allows its citizens an additional six months of protection. You and your employer are governed by the laws affording the greater benefits. Call the United States Department of Labor at 866-444-3272 or visit www.dol.gov for more information.
COBRA is not automatic. You must elect continuing coverage. See your employer’s benefits coordinator or human resource representative for application. Your employer has 30 days within which to notify the COBRA insurance plan administrator. Then you have 60 days after qualifying to elect coverage and 45 days to make the initial payment.
The reason you choose COBRA is because there are alternatives to consider. You might find a more inexpensive health plan (with modified coverage, higher deductibles, and more out-of-pocket payments) through a professional group or organization in which you’re a member or through another health insurance company. Often these are stop-gap policies for applicants in good health with no preexisting conditions. Call the Texas Department of Insurance at 800-252-3439 for guidance.
Know that you may be protected under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Created in 1986 by Congress, this law ensures continuing group health insurance for employees who have lost coverage because of reduced work hours or for termination for any reason other than gross misconduct.
The Act requires employers to allow former employees, retires, spouses, former spouses, and dependent children to continue their current health insurance coverage at group rates. Employers with 20 or more employees for more than 50% of the prior business year must comply. The only employers excluded are the Federal Government and some church groups.
Some states have expanded the provisions mandated by the Federal Government. For example, COBRA guarantees continuing coverage for 18-36 months. The state of Texas allows its citizens an additional six months of protection. You and your employer are governed by the laws affording the greater benefits. Call the United States Department of Labor at 866-444-3272 or visit www.dol.gov for more information.
COBRA is not automatic. You must elect continuing coverage. See your employer’s benefits coordinator or human resource representative for application. Your employer has 30 days within which to notify the COBRA insurance plan administrator. Then you have 60 days after qualifying to elect coverage and 45 days to make the initial payment.
The reason you choose COBRA is because there are alternatives to consider. You might find a more inexpensive health plan (with modified coverage, higher deductibles, and more out-of-pocket payments) through a professional group or organization in which you’re a member or through another health insurance company. Often these are stop-gap policies for applicants in good health with no preexisting conditions. Call the Texas Department of Insurance at 800-252-3439 for guidance.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
A Forever Valentine
Below is a riveting letter to my column that I love to rerun at this time of the year.
Dear Linda:
My wife and I have been married for over 50 years. Valentine's Day is coming, but we're on a fixed income and splurging isn't possible. I can't think of anything that fits our budget but is special enough to show the love of my life how much I care.
From,
Wanting to be Romantic.
Dear Wanting to be Romantic:
Your desire alone to show your wife how much you love her says a great deal about you and why you have a successful marriage. Most women long to feel cherished and rarely is that about what's bought or how much is spent. Thought and effort make a woman feel valued.
Write her a love letter. Chronicle the wonderful times in your marriage, describe the qualities that make her extraordinary, and thank her for all she's done to make your life special. Persoanlize the salutation with an endearment and close with a promise of enduring love.
Use special stationary, spray it with cologne, and put it on her pillow so she will find it in the morning. Your words will be a blessing then and a comfort in the future whenever she rereads it.
Tell her you've planned the day--an outting to a fair, free art show or historical museum, a concert in the park or a drive in the country. Pack a picnic lunch, a thermos of hot chocolate or cappuccino, blankets and lawn chairs. Be sure to stop and watch the sunset.
Cook dinner for her. Even if you're not the best chef in the kitchen, simple fare served beautifully will be remembered. Don't forget candles (lots of little ones floating in a glass bowl are romantic), fresh flowers (less expensive bought at the grocery store), and music you can dance to afterward. Have her favorite movie to watch together and hold hands.
You will have orchestrated a day she will never forget, and said "I love you" with your every action.
Dear Linda:
My wife and I have been married for over 50 years. Valentine's Day is coming, but we're on a fixed income and splurging isn't possible. I can't think of anything that fits our budget but is special enough to show the love of my life how much I care.
From,
Wanting to be Romantic.
Dear Wanting to be Romantic:
Your desire alone to show your wife how much you love her says a great deal about you and why you have a successful marriage. Most women long to feel cherished and rarely is that about what's bought or how much is spent. Thought and effort make a woman feel valued.
Write her a love letter. Chronicle the wonderful times in your marriage, describe the qualities that make her extraordinary, and thank her for all she's done to make your life special. Persoanlize the salutation with an endearment and close with a promise of enduring love.
Use special stationary, spray it with cologne, and put it on her pillow so she will find it in the morning. Your words will be a blessing then and a comfort in the future whenever she rereads it.
Tell her you've planned the day--an outting to a fair, free art show or historical museum, a concert in the park or a drive in the country. Pack a picnic lunch, a thermos of hot chocolate or cappuccino, blankets and lawn chairs. Be sure to stop and watch the sunset.
Cook dinner for her. Even if you're not the best chef in the kitchen, simple fare served beautifully will be remembered. Don't forget candles (lots of little ones floating in a glass bowl are romantic), fresh flowers (less expensive bought at the grocery store), and music you can dance to afterward. Have her favorite movie to watch together and hold hands.
You will have orchestrated a day she will never forget, and said "I love you" with your every action.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Sharing the Load
I have two friends going through terrible times. They call to talk, to commisserate, to question. Why did this person leave, why did this person stop loving, how am going to face being alone, how do I start over? I no longer have the answers to the really tough questions in life.
In my twenties, I was sure I knew everything, but I hadn't really been tested yet. My parents, whom I thought were pretty naive and uninformed during that time, miraculously became brilliant in my thirties when I was no longer sure I had all the answers. It was not until my forties that even the questions became illusive, much less the answers to them.
In my fifties, I stopped asking the huge questions and just did the best with the day before me. The big picture had become less consuming.
In my sixties, I've learned that there is really only one important question and that we all struggle with it until the day we die; that all the rest of the seeming important issues and questions are truly superflouous.
What is the issue that is so monumental? What propels all our actions and choices; what is the core question we ask from the moment we're able until the day we die?
It is: do I have value and am I valuable enough to be loved?
And don't we go through a lot of contortions to find out?
And isn't it from others that we seek the answer?
I know that we say it shouldn't matter what others think or how they feel about us, but isn't it their reflection and their treatment of us that makes us feel either valued and loved, or not?
Don't we all want a witness to our life, a cheerleader for our efforts, and an encourager when we struggle? Don't we all want and need to be loved?
And so I give my love to my family members and my friends in the best way that I can. I validate their experience, empathize with their feelings, and bolster their self-esteem whenever I can. I can't really give them answers because I don't have them. I can only give them my love and encouragement.
I think the story below is a good example of giving what we can to help others.
Two Men
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every after noon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the man couldn’t hear the band, he could see it clearly in his mind’s eye.
They shared these moments over the days and weeks that passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside that his dear friend had so beautifully described. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside his bed. It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased friend to describe such wonderful things outside the window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not have even seen the wall. She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”
Despite our own situation, there is tremendous solace and joy in making others happy. It is true that shared grief is half the sorrow, and that happiness, when shared, is doubled.
In my twenties, I was sure I knew everything, but I hadn't really been tested yet. My parents, whom I thought were pretty naive and uninformed during that time, miraculously became brilliant in my thirties when I was no longer sure I had all the answers. It was not until my forties that even the questions became illusive, much less the answers to them.
In my fifties, I stopped asking the huge questions and just did the best with the day before me. The big picture had become less consuming.
In my sixties, I've learned that there is really only one important question and that we all struggle with it until the day we die; that all the rest of the seeming important issues and questions are truly superflouous.
What is the issue that is so monumental? What propels all our actions and choices; what is the core question we ask from the moment we're able until the day we die?
It is: do I have value and am I valuable enough to be loved?
And don't we go through a lot of contortions to find out?
And isn't it from others that we seek the answer?
I know that we say it shouldn't matter what others think or how they feel about us, but isn't it their reflection and their treatment of us that makes us feel either valued and loved, or not?
Don't we all want a witness to our life, a cheerleader for our efforts, and an encourager when we struggle? Don't we all want and need to be loved?
And so I give my love to my family members and my friends in the best way that I can. I validate their experience, empathize with their feelings, and bolster their self-esteem whenever I can. I can't really give them answers because I don't have them. I can only give them my love and encouragement.
I think the story below is a good example of giving what we can to help others.
Two Men
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every after noon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the man couldn’t hear the band, he could see it clearly in his mind’s eye.
They shared these moments over the days and weeks that passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside that his dear friend had so beautifully described. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside his bed. It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased friend to describe such wonderful things outside the window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not have even seen the wall. She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”
Despite our own situation, there is tremendous solace and joy in making others happy. It is true that shared grief is half the sorrow, and that happiness, when shared, is doubled.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Reading Made Easy
I have a friend who has been struggling with macular degeneration. He has always been an avid reader but now struggles even to read books that have large type. I suggested books on tape and that has been a hit, particularly now since there are so many offerings available and modern recorders are so easy to use.
For those with computer and internet access, Audible.com has more than 23,000 digital audio books, magazines, newspapers and radio programs available for burning on CDs or downloading to desktops, iPods, Palm-handhelds and Pocket PCs. There’s no waiting for tapes or CDs to be shipped, and downloading onto the recipient’s equipment takes minutes. Visit www.audible.com for costs.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress (www.loc.gov/nls) provides free tape-recorded books to libraries within each state. These libraries are either called a Talking Book Library or the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
The Talking Book Program of the Texas State Library & Archives Commission offers more than 80,000 titles in fictions and nonfiction and more than 80 national magazines for adults and children in Braille and large print, and on cassette and record. The selections are sent to and returned from the door of the recipient free of charge.
The program offers free magazine subscriptions to adults and children in audio cassette, Braille and disc formats, and guides for librarians and teachers using TBP materials in the classroom for disabled students.
According to the Texas Talking Books Web site, “Texans of all ages who are unable to read standard print material due to visual, physical or reading disabilities, whether permanent or temporary, may avail themselves of this free library services.” Visit www.TexasTalkingBooks.org, call 800-252-9605, or send an email to tbp.services@tsl.state.tx.us for information and the certification-of-need form that can be signed by a teacher, doctor, nurse, librarian or social worker.
For those with computer and internet access, Audible.com has more than 23,000 digital audio books, magazines, newspapers and radio programs available for burning on CDs or downloading to desktops, iPods, Palm-handhelds and Pocket PCs. There’s no waiting for tapes or CDs to be shipped, and downloading onto the recipient’s equipment takes minutes. Visit www.audible.com for costs.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress (www.loc.gov/nls) provides free tape-recorded books to libraries within each state. These libraries are either called a Talking Book Library or the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.
The Talking Book Program of the Texas State Library & Archives Commission offers more than 80,000 titles in fictions and nonfiction and more than 80 national magazines for adults and children in Braille and large print, and on cassette and record. The selections are sent to and returned from the door of the recipient free of charge.
The program offers free magazine subscriptions to adults and children in audio cassette, Braille and disc formats, and guides for librarians and teachers using TBP materials in the classroom for disabled students.
According to the Texas Talking Books Web site, “Texans of all ages who are unable to read standard print material due to visual, physical or reading disabilities, whether permanent or temporary, may avail themselves of this free library services.” Visit www.TexasTalkingBooks.org, call 800-252-9605, or send an email to tbp.services@tsl.state.tx.us for information and the certification-of-need form that can be signed by a teacher, doctor, nurse, librarian or social worker.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Is it Crazy to Cruise?
As the horror of the ill fated Italian ship, the Costa Concordia, screams out from the television screen, we wonder if traveling on a cruise ship is safe. The industry says yes; that it is in fact the safest of all modes of transportation, and although there have been incidents of drunk and disorderly travelers, muggings in dark recesses, and the occasional disappearance of a new wife (not a great ending to any honeymoon), for the most part, they are right.
But like any time you leave the relative safety of your own home, using good sense and taking precautions is critical. We must be smart and careful whenever we travel, and barring the cowardly captain who steers the ship into the rocks (a real rarity), cruising is still a good option for seeing the world.
Seniors spend a lifetime postponing their needs and desires to fulfill family and work obligations. They've earned a retirement abundant with peace and pleasure, and travel is one route.
Cruising is a luxurious way to experience the exotic and explore the world. It is an all-inclusive, hassle-free vacation that seniors can tailor to their needs whether value-priced or deluxe, relaxing (lounging by the pool, reading, lectures and culinary demonstrations) or thrilling (singles parties, gambling, snorkeling and diving, and shore adventures).
Travelers can consider a special interest or theme cruise--roaring twenties, big band, 50's sock hop, arts & crafts, historical, and sports are just a few examples. For those singles who love to dance, they can select a cruise line that offers "social hosts" as an amenity. These dapper, retired professionals provide company (for dining, dancing and excursions) for women traveling alone.
Many cruise lines offer stateroom-share-options (economical and the way to make a friend). They guarantee a match with someone of same gender and smoking preference, similar age and compatible lifestyle. Ask for a room in mid ship-has greater stability and is closer to the dining rooms and elevators, especially important if walking is a problem. Choosing small to mid-size ships is an option for easier access to events, greater senior clientele, and an even more personal experience.
Diet regimens aren't a problem. Most cruise lines offer flexible dining schedules and menus (kosher, vegan, and low calorie, sodium and fat). Discuss any special needs you have at the time of reservation (three weeks ahead), and again when you board.
Contact your travel agent or cruise specialist for ship options, ratings, costs and travel secrets.
Visit www.mustcruise.com/cruise_info/seniors.html, and call 800-365-1445 to ask about AARP member discounts. Bon voyage!
But like any time you leave the relative safety of your own home, using good sense and taking precautions is critical. We must be smart and careful whenever we travel, and barring the cowardly captain who steers the ship into the rocks (a real rarity), cruising is still a good option for seeing the world.
Seniors spend a lifetime postponing their needs and desires to fulfill family and work obligations. They've earned a retirement abundant with peace and pleasure, and travel is one route.
Cruising is a luxurious way to experience the exotic and explore the world. It is an all-inclusive, hassle-free vacation that seniors can tailor to their needs whether value-priced or deluxe, relaxing (lounging by the pool, reading, lectures and culinary demonstrations) or thrilling (singles parties, gambling, snorkeling and diving, and shore adventures).
Travelers can consider a special interest or theme cruise--roaring twenties, big band, 50's sock hop, arts & crafts, historical, and sports are just a few examples. For those singles who love to dance, they can select a cruise line that offers "social hosts" as an amenity. These dapper, retired professionals provide company (for dining, dancing and excursions) for women traveling alone.
Many cruise lines offer stateroom-share-options (economical and the way to make a friend). They guarantee a match with someone of same gender and smoking preference, similar age and compatible lifestyle. Ask for a room in mid ship-has greater stability and is closer to the dining rooms and elevators, especially important if walking is a problem. Choosing small to mid-size ships is an option for easier access to events, greater senior clientele, and an even more personal experience.
Diet regimens aren't a problem. Most cruise lines offer flexible dining schedules and menus (kosher, vegan, and low calorie, sodium and fat). Discuss any special needs you have at the time of reservation (three weeks ahead), and again when you board.
Contact your travel agent or cruise specialist for ship options, ratings, costs and travel secrets.
Visit www.mustcruise.com/cruise_info/seniors.html, and call 800-365-1445 to ask about AARP member discounts. Bon voyage!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
20 Clever Ideas
The credit for these great ideas goes to Bed, Bath & Kitchen, Decor & Furniture, Organise & Personalise by Simone, but I thought they were so clever that I would pass them along.
* Remove crayon masterpieces from your TV or computer screen with WD40. (also works on walls)
* Stop cut apples from becoming brown in your child’s lunch box by securing with a rubber band.
* Overhaul your linen closet by storing bed linen sets inside one of their own pillowcases and there will be no more hunting through piles for a match.
* Pump up the volume by placing your iPhone / iPod in a bowl – the concave shape amplifies the music.
* Re-use a wet-wipes container to store plastic bags.
* Pack baby powder in your beach bag. It gently removes sand from your skin.
* Attach a Velcro strip to the wall to store soft toys.
* Put a stocking over the vacuum hose and use it to look for a lost earring or coin. The suction will find it but it will be caught at the mouth of the vacuum.
* Make an instant cupcake carrier by cutting crosses into a box lid.
* Mount magnetic strips behind a bathroom vanity door to store beauty items like bobby pins, tweezers andclippers.
* When you're packing shoes in a suitcase, cover them first with shower caps and get nothing else dirty. You can get the shower caps in any hotel you visit.
* Use a muffin pan with a cup in each hole as a craft caddy. Put a magnet at the bottom to make them tip-resistant.
* Turn your muffin pan upside down, bake cookie-dough over the top and voila – you have cookie bowls for fruit or ice-cream.
* Bread tags make the perfect-sized cord labels.
* Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones – so much more fun and easier for kids to eat.
* Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag. It is much healthier and cheaper than the packet stuff.
* Install a tension rod under your sink and then hang all your spray bottles.
* Freeze Aloe Vera in ice-cube trays for soothing sunburn relief.
* Create a window-box garden using guttering.
* Rub a walnut over scratches in your furniture to disguise dings and scrapes.
My own suggestion is to take a piece of velcro and dab sweaters that have little balls. You will make it look brand new!
* Remove crayon masterpieces from your TV or computer screen with WD40. (also works on walls)
* Stop cut apples from becoming brown in your child’s lunch box by securing with a rubber band.
* Overhaul your linen closet by storing bed linen sets inside one of their own pillowcases and there will be no more hunting through piles for a match.
* Pump up the volume by placing your iPhone / iPod in a bowl – the concave shape amplifies the music.
* Re-use a wet-wipes container to store plastic bags.
* Pack baby powder in your beach bag. It gently removes sand from your skin.
* Attach a Velcro strip to the wall to store soft toys.
* Put a stocking over the vacuum hose and use it to look for a lost earring or coin. The suction will find it but it will be caught at the mouth of the vacuum.
* Make an instant cupcake carrier by cutting crosses into a box lid.
* Mount magnetic strips behind a bathroom vanity door to store beauty items like bobby pins, tweezers andclippers.
* When you're packing shoes in a suitcase, cover them first with shower caps and get nothing else dirty. You can get the shower caps in any hotel you visit.
* Use a muffin pan with a cup in each hole as a craft caddy. Put a magnet at the bottom to make them tip-resistant.
* Turn your muffin pan upside down, bake cookie-dough over the top and voila – you have cookie bowls for fruit or ice-cream.
* Bread tags make the perfect-sized cord labels.
* Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones – so much more fun and easier for kids to eat.
* Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag. It is much healthier and cheaper than the packet stuff.
* Install a tension rod under your sink and then hang all your spray bottles.
* Freeze Aloe Vera in ice-cube trays for soothing sunburn relief.
* Create a window-box garden using guttering.
* Rub a walnut over scratches in your furniture to disguise dings and scrapes.
My own suggestion is to take a piece of velcro and dab sweaters that have little balls. You will make it look brand new!
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