Mature Focus December 2023

DECEMBER 2023

Rich Bassford Are you thinking of selling your home?

I give sellers options. I can buy your home for CASH at a very fair price with no repairs, no showings, no commission and no stress! If you’re in a hurry, I can close in as little as 5 days or you can take as long as you need.

I have bought and sold over 3000 homes in the Quad Cities and yours could be next. Call, text or email me today for a FAST response.

309-292-3681 www.RichBassford.com

Located in Bettendorf, Davenport and Moline 4555 Utica Ridge Road, Bettendorf, IA, 52722 Licensed in IA and IL

309-292-3681 2 December 2023 • Mature Focus

December • 2023

features 5 6 10 38 42

Game changer What does ‘next’ look like?

Magic of the bride doll Why Christmas trees aren’t perfect Savor precious moments

6

8

favorites 4 12 16 20 24 28 32

From The Desk Tinseltown Talks Humor Hotel Savvy Senior The History of Ordinary Things Midnight Gardener Talking Digital

health 18 30 36

JAK3 inhibition Do you hear what I hear?

Signs of stomach cancer

finance 14 34

The ‘Desiderata’ of estate planning Consider these year-end moves

16

recipes 8 40

Festive holiday flavor The perfect mashed potatoes

games 22 23 28

Mind Gym Super Crossword Trivia Test

32 12

extras 19 21 29 31 35

Moments in Time Now Here’s a Tip Strange But True All the News That’s Fit Mature Focus Volunteer Spotlight

Our Cover: “A Present for Peanut” by Susan Brabeau, see page 15 for more information.

24 Mature Focus • December 2023

3

From the Desk of the Publisher ByKevin Ferris

I knew eventually I would get a new asleep in my recliner and he has full dog and I knew it wouldn’t be long. run of the house without any monitorThat time has come. I have a new ing from me. Even with his chew puppy. A Shar-Pei. My fifth. toys, my socks seem to be a popular Following in the path of go-to item. Haven’t “It came to me that every time I lost Boomer, Jones, Jake and lost any yet but have a dog they take a piece of my heart Elwood, Maverick is my found several slathered with them. And every new dog who new boy. A pitch black with dog saliva. It’s a comes into my life, gifts me with a Chinese Shar-Pei. small price to pay. piece of their heart. If I live long At first, I wasn’t sure if I We’ve established a enough, all the components of my should jump so soon. As fairly consistent schedheart will be dog, and I will become so many readers know, it’s ule, but I’m not sure as generous and loving as they are.” incredibly difficult to lose he’s used to my end of In my October column I wrote a pet, but I can’t imagine the month, paper is on about my dog Jake. How difficult it my life without a dog. My deadline schedule was putting him down. The emptiness empty house is complete quite yet, which norof my house without my best friend. I again. mally requires several during Thanks- late-night writing sesbegan the column with the story of Even as I was debating, Maverick giving with my niece, The Rainbow Bridge, which brings a weighing the cost and sions. I’m not sure I’m Summer. tear to my eye each time I read it. commitment, my sister used to it. Maybe I Tonya told me I should do should follow his lead and take more it. Honestly, it didn’t take naps. much prodding.

Every day is a new adventure. He When I drove to encountered snow this past weekend Danville, Illinois to pick for the first time ever and discovered him up, he initially clung that snow tastes good. Like a snow to his owner, a little hesicone from the sky. tant to approach this new He’s very good at pushing open guy who he had never doors and squeezing into tight spots seen before. I fell in love and finding any chewable item I may with him immediately. have left lying around. And because After arriving home he he’s mild-mannered, he’s very wasn’t sure what to make stealthy. I didn’t even hear him disof his new surroundings. covering the joy of toilet paper which He didn’t even want to was unfurled all over the bathroom leave his kennel. floor. Another door that better remain After several sniffs, we closed. conquered the backyard, A recent Mayo Clinic article titled, the porch stairs and even “Why dogs are good for your health” Providing comfort and joy the back door. listed four significant ways pets can Since his arrival on help with your mental health for for over 70 years.

November 8, Maverick people who work at home. Reducing follows my everywhere.

If work-related stress, managing anxiety, Se Habla Español I get up, he gets up. My increasing activity and combating constant (black) shadow. I loneliness.

1305 Fifth Avenue • Moline, IL can hear him snoring outI wonder if he knows I’m writing side my office door as I about him. I hear something. I better 309-762-9423 write this. We are already check it out. inseparable.

My new adventure has begun. www.griffinsfloorcrafters.com Unless of course I fall Let’s go Maverick.

You Stand On Our Reputation

4 December 2023 • Mature Focus

Game changer

By Susan Goldfein We turned the clock back an hour recently. Unless you live in Hawaii or Arizona. Those states are on perpetual Daylight Saving Time. Unless you are a member of the Navajo Nation who happens to live in Arizona. In that case, like the rest of the 48, you did turn back the clock.

I see you scratching your head, so I will explain. To be in conformity with their brothers and sisters who live in neighboring states where clock-changing is a seasonal ritual, the Arizona Navajos have decided that if it’s twelve noon for a cousin who lives in Gallup, New Mexico, then it should be twelve noon for the cousin who lives near Flagstaff.

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P.O. Box 1031 Moline, IL 61266-1031 (309) 277-2000 email: kevin@maturefocus92.com Facebook.com/MatureFocusQC

However, what happens when someone leaves the tribal land and steps into the Daylight Saving Time zone? And then returns. Does their mobile phone keep flipping the hour back and forth? I wouldn’t want to be Siri in Arizona!

After this long digression about the southwest, let me get to my main point, which is sleep, or lack thereof. If you’re like me, messing with the clock can mess with an already fragile sleep cycle. Which reminds me of an essay I wrote several years ago that is every bit as true today as it was then.

considering rolling back happy hour.

What is referred to as “a good night’s sleep” has become elusive. As it has for my husband, who swears he hasn’t slept through the night since he was ten months old. His parents are deceased so I cannot confirm or deny this report, but I do know that another factor in my sleepus interruptus is the glow of his iPad at some ungodly hour.

As a result of this pernicious insomnia, we have become quite competitive, constantly challenging each other as to who has had the worst night. A typical morning conversation might go something like this: “How did you sleep?”

“Terrible.”

“Yeah, well, I slept worse.”

“I woke at 3:00 am and haven’t been to sleep since.”

“Yeah, well, I woke at 2:50.”

“No, you didn’t. I saw you. You were sound asleep.”

“I was just pretending.”

“So how come you were snoring?”

“I had to go to the bathroom three times.”

“I had to go four.”

- Goldfein, turn to page 41

The insomnia games I am not, by nature, a competitive person. If I even so much as win at a game of Scrabble, my inclination is to leap over the board, hug the loser, and say “sorry.” Yet, each morning, upon opening my eyes, I find myself engaged in a verbal duel.

I’m not exactly sure when this all began. Perhaps it started on that critical birthday. The one when my bladder decided to stop cooperating with my need for hydration, and instead taunt me during the night in two-hour intervals. Which I think is very spiteful.

I’m reminded of Independent Senior Living 55+ • 1&2 BRs my former dogs.

When they were old, I had to remove their ng k in water bowls no later a s! w cTa t i o than 5:00 PM to preo N li vent them from p awakening after bedAp time and having to 3425 60th St. go outside to pee. At Moline, IL 61265 65 least I don’t have to 309-764-7767 67 go outside, but I’m homewoodmanorqc.com Publisher Kevin Ferris

Associate Publisher Schary SantAmour

Layout Design Tonya Ranum

Mature Focus, Inc. is a monthly newspaper, distributed to the greater Quad-City area, Geneseo, Muscatine, Aledo, DeWitt, Iowa City, Coralville, Cedar Rapids, North Liberty, Solon, and Tipton. It is designed to inform, serve, and entertain mature readers.

Publication of columnists’ views, as well as advertising herein, does not constitute endorsement. Mature Focus reserves the right to reject or edit any advertising.

Letters to the editor must be signed and include the writer’s address and phone number for verification. All letters must be received no later than the 15th of the month preceding publication.

Annual subscription - $25. See page 33 for more information.

Image credits: Macrovector, master1305, jannoon028, pch.vector on Freepik.com.

© 2023 Mature Focus, Inc.

Mature Focus • December 2023

5

What does ‘next’ look like?

By Taprina Milburn The Christmas tree is decorated, stockings are hung, and a few packages have been wrapped. This is the season that I treasure the few weeks leading up to Christmas where I can sit in the morning, coffee mug in hand, in the glow of the lights on my tree.

This season, not the holiday, but this life season, has me meditating on what my purpose will be now that my family is grown. I’m closer to sixty than to fifty these days and everything I built my life around and the ritual of my days looks so different.

The nest has been emptied for a few years. The little kids who made the ornaments that I decorate my tree with are grown and married and have their own kids. I am grandmother of three.

On my own now, I am determined to show my kids that I can navigate change because although I may not always like it, it’s always around the corner. Change and learning to let go.

I know what I don’t want the future to look like: to be stuck in the past longing for old roles. We’ve all met (and sometimes have been) that sad, cranky person, and it’s uncomfortable for everyone.

What would you have me do now? I ask in my prayers and think of the Tao Te Ching quote, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

I am open to the teachers who’ve

appeared to help me shape this season the friends, the books, my writer’s group, sermons, podcasts, dreams, strangers, so-called coincidences, and experiences.

One of my best teachers, though, was an angry toddler.

Years ago, I watched a young mother wrestle with her renegade toddler in a grocery store.

He was giving his best performance while his mom practiced staying cool.

The toddler held dearly to a candy bar.

He wanted what he wanted and wouldn’t have it any other way. She pried the candy out of his hands as he kicked and screamed on the floor and then she scooped him up and led him out of the automatic doors crying the whole way - the toddler (maybe the mom, too; I don’t remember).

Some days I feel like that toddler fists clenched around what I want - a role that I loved and a time of life that slipped by too quickly. I no longer carry the responsibilities of caring for the many details of my loved ones lives. I’m involved in my kids’ and grandkids’ lives, but the time I have

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6 December 2023 • Mature Focus

on my hands these days is mine and, on some days, it feels like a lump of clay waiting for me to shape it into something new. There’s freedom in that, but also some grief as one season of my life fades away to make room for the next. The unease comes because I don’t know what “next” looks like for me. I have some ideas, but they are all over the place at this point.

Author Brianna Wiest believes this “not knowing” is the best place to be in one’s life and writes in her book, “The Pivot Year: “When you do not know what is next, you enter the realm of infinite potential.”

I came across something recently that I had scribbled down years ago when I was a 40-something mom raising teenagers and watching my purpose and role in that season shift: My purpose is to get up each day and ask God what would he have me do in this day? And then watch who he puts in front of me: my teenager, my husband, my co-worker, the elderly neighbor.

If I’m honest with myself, my role has changed but I don’t think the above prescription for purpose, or potential, is different. It’s still whatever and whoever is in front of me my neighbor, my grandchildren, friends, new learning or volunteer opportunities.

I don’t want to miss out on the growth or infinite potential Wiest writes of because I am sitting in the middle of my living room floor with photo albums longing, with a tight grip, for days gone by.

Life’s paths are never static, and the good news is that we are hard-wired for change if we loosen our grip.

Taprina Milburn is an essayist who lives in the PNW with her golden retriever, Scout. Contact her at writeyourstoriesworkshop@gmail.com.

Rich Bassford Are you thinking of selling your home?

I give sellers options. I can buy your home for CASH at a very fair price with no repairs, no showings, no commission and no stress! If you’re in a hurry, I can close in as little as 5 days or you can take as long as you need.

I have bought and sold over 3000 homes in the Quad Cities and yours could be next. Call, text or email me today for a FAST response.

309-292-3681 www.RichBassford.com

Located in Bettendorf, Davenport and Moline 4555 Utica Ridge Road, Bettendorf, IA, 52722 Licensed in IA and IL

309-292-3681 Mature Focus • December 2023

7

Brown Sugar Honey Glazed Ham Prep time: 12 minutes Cook time: 90 minutes Servings: 32 1 fully cooked smoked bone-in spiral ham (7-9 pounds) 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves Preheat oven to 325 F.

Remove ham from packaging and place in roasting pan with flat side down.

Bake ham about 1 hour until heated through to internal temperature of 130 F with meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of ham.

In medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, honey, butter, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon and cloves. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter is melted and ingredients are well combined.

Brush about half of glaze over ham, making sure to fill crevices or scored cuts.

Return ham to oven and bake 3045 minutes, or until glaze is bubbly and caramelized with internal temperature of 145 F. Baste ham with pan juices and glaze every 10-15 minutes while baking.

Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Perfect Roasted Little Potatoes Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Servings: 6 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 F. In large bowl, toss little potatoes with oil, salt and pepper until coated.

Spread potatoes in single layer on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Tip: For extra holiday flavor, add paprika, garlic and fresh herbs.

Mac and Cheese with Pecan Breadcrumbs Cook time: 50 minutes Servings: 6 8 ounces cavatappi pasta 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional for salting pasta water, to taste 1 tablespoon butter 1 block (8 ounces) cheddar cheese 1/2 cup raw pecan pieces 15 ounces part-skim ricotta

• Tree Trimming

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Call: 563-396-3894 Walk-in clinic to review Medicare plans & LIS/MSP screenings on December 5, 9-11 am. Bring Medicare card & current meds list.

8 December 2023 • Mature Focus

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cheese 4 tablespoons sour cream 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1 large egg, lightly beaten Preheat oven to 375 F. Cook cavatappi in salted boiling water. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Return pasta to pot and stir in butter.

Using box grater, shred cheddar cheese.

Using food processor, combine 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese with pecans. Process to coarse breadcrumb consistency.

Add remaining cheddar cheese, ricotta, sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to warm pasta. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add egg; stir.

Add 2-4 tablespoons reserved pasta water to loosen mixture; stir until smooth.

Pour into buttered 9-inch square or round casserole dish and top evenly with pecan topping.

Bake 30 minutes.

Ornament Cookies Prep time: 25 minutes plus 1 hour to decorate Cook time: 20 minutes Yield: 2 dozen cookies Cookies: 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 large egg 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt Royal Icing: 4 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons meringue powder

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1/3

cup, plus 2-3 tablespoons, warm water, divided desired food coloring To prepare cookies: In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg; beat until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl as needed. Add flour and salt; beat until just combined.

Dump mixture onto lightly floured surface and divide in half. Shape each half into disks and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Working on lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2-inch thick. Cut cookies using ornament-shaped cookie cutter. Place cookies on prepared pans and bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from

oven and cool at room temperature.

To make royal icing: In large mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup water.

Beat on low speed until combined.

Increase speed to medium-high and beat 8-10 minutes, adding 2-3 tablespoons warm water, as necessary.

Icing should be stiff enough to hold peak when tested.

Color royal icing with food coloring and decorate cookies.

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9

The magic of the bride doll

By Lynn Gendusa We all recall those Christmas mornings when Santa surprised us with the bike we wanted or the music box we didn't ask for but loved. Those special moments when enchantment seemed to whirl around our living rooms as flames danced in the fireplace. It was 1950-something when a magical Christmas morning transformed me into a bonafide sugar plum-filled, card-carrying member of Santa's spirit team forever.

Grandma and Granddaddy traveled to spend the Christmas holidays with us. Talk about nirvana! To have Santa, new toys, Mama's cookies, and my Grandparents colliding on the same

day meant this girl was in candy-cane heaven!

Many of you know my love for my Grandmother through my stories and how much she influenced my life.

However, this story about the spirit of Christmas begins with my grandfather, John.

Santa arrived on time that cold Tennessee morning. And when I spied the doll I had asked him for sitting on the bench near the tree, I began to squeal!

Let me digress a bit. I was the squealer in the family. The rest of the group were quiet, controlled folks who understood the word “calm,” which I have yet to grasp. Trust me, I could write a handbook on “over the top”

Classic Travels December 13, Christkindlmarket, Chicago Daley Plaza is hosting this year’s annual Christkindlmarket, the most renowned German winter holiday market in the United States. Over 50 local and international vendors from authentic markets and across Nuremburg, Germany. Leave at 7:00 a.m., back at 9:00 p.m. Price is $80.00. Payment due Monday, December 11.

February 18, 2024, “Squabbles,” at the Barn, Goodfield, IL. This hilarious play pits a father-in-law against a mother-in-law in a comedy of squabbles.

Jerry Sloan is a writer of advertising jingles married to an equally successful lawyer. The situation is complicated when Jerry’s mother Mildred, loses her house in a fire and needs a place to stay. Price is $119. Leave at 9:30 a.m., back at 6:00 p.m. Payment due Friday, February, 2, 2024.

February 22, 2024, “Jersey Boys,” at the Fireside Dinner Theatre in Ft. Atkinson, WI. Jersey Boys takes you behind the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons to discover the secret of a 40-year friendship as the foursome work their way from the streets of New Jersey to the heights of stardom. Leave at 7:00 a.m., back 8:00 p.m. Price is $154. Payment due Wednesday, January 24, 2024.

April 4-10, 2024, The Total Eclipse of the Sun and the Hatfields and the McCoys. This 6-night includes the Van Lear Coal Museum, Loretta Lynn’s home place, live entertainment at Webb’s Country Store, dinner and entertainment at the Lodge, morning elk tour, dinner at the Kentucky Opry Show, May Methodist Church with organ music, Country Music Highway Museum, East Kentucky Science Center and Planetarium, Middle Creek Battlefield, pontoon boat ride, the Eclipse Day with major entertainment and dinner, moonshine tasting, moonshine demo and entertainment, Kentucky dinner with inspirational speaker, and back stretch breakfast at Churchill Downs.

Included are 15 meals. A $50 per person holds your spot. Price is $1,899 dbl, $2,199 sgl. Final payment due Friday, February 16, 2024.

Check out our website or call (563) 332-0014 Jill Kirkpatrick • 3371 Eastridge Drive • Bettendorf, IA 52722 email: jill@classictravelsllc.com • www.classictravelsllc.com

10 December 2023 • Mature Focus

correctness, which I never corrected, no matter how many times the family tried.

God sent his son to us to teach the power of his love. No matter how flawed we are, our Lord still adores us.

While the clan rolled their eyes at my shenanigans, I began to look around the tree. I thought I had shaken, rattled, and studied the tags on all the presents underneath the branches, but an enormous gift was tucked in the corner.

“Was that big box always there, Mama?” I questioned.

“It came this morning, and I have no idea where or who sent it!” She responded as others noticed the gigantic wrapped mystery box.

I strolled over the papers and ribbons scattered around my feet and glanced at the tag. It said simply, “To Lynn.”

When the gift stood on its end, it was the same height as me, and I could not imagine what was inside.

I sat on the floor and ripped at the paper and ribbon. The revealed box was powder blue with silver bells emblazoned over the top. And when I pulled the lid off, my squealing hit a pitch that burst a few eardrums in several houses down the road.

She wore a white bridal gown with a veil attached to a tiara resting on her blond curls. She was as tall as I was and the most gorgeous doll I had ever seen. Everyone appeared surprised, but my smiling grandfather had a special twinkle in his eyes.

My Grandmother told the rest of the story. She and Granddaddy were shopping for presents a few weeks before Christmas. He rarely accompanied her, but on that day, he decided to join.

When he rounded the corner to the local Five and Dime store where one purchased all good and perfect things, he saw the bride doll prominently displayed in the window among other toys.

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“Nannie, I don’t care how much that is; I'm buying that for Lynn!” He announced as he pointed to the doll.

She was flabbergasted because he had never been involved in selecting the gifts for the grandchildren.

Grandma was still shaking her head as her husband grabbed the box, went to the car, and sat with the doll until it was time to go home. His shopping spree was over.

As for me, I don't recall feeling as special and loved as on that day when a bride doll came to me. Being the odd, over-the-top kid who often felt like an outsider in a family of rational, intelligent folks, I understood Granddaddy adored me for being uniquely me.

The doll represents all that is good about Christmas. Sometimes, we all need to be reminded of the magical gift of love. How tenderness can heal hearts and restore spirits is indeed glorious. God sent his son to us to teach the power of his love. No matter how flawed we are, our Lord still adores us.

We can squeal, scream, and squirm, but God keeps presenting us with His valuable gift of acceptance and forgiveness.

Granddaddy gave me more than a doll that day; he gifted me the spirit of Christmas, which I have kept all my life.

May you feel the love of Christmas magic each year and squeal because you do. I pray you never outgrow the

wonder of it all.

Lynn Walker Gendusa is a newspaper columnist in Georgia and a contributor to the USA Today Network.

She is the author of “It’s all WRITE with Me: Essays from My Heart” and her newest “Southern Comfort.” She can be reached at lynngendusa.com.

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11

Eddie Muller’s case of the missing marshmallow monkey If reading bedtime stories to the grandkids is a cherished family tradition, Eddie Muller has an unusual tale to share this holiday season: a gritty feline sleuth searches for a stolen artifact while encountering a host of seedy underground characters prowling through a shadowy urban setting.

If that sounds like the plot from 1940s film noir cinema, you’re not wrong. In his first published children’s book, “Kitty Feral and the Case of the Marshmallow Monkey,” the Turner Classic Movies host has channeled his film noir expertise onto the pages of a new book for kids aged four and up.

Toning down the traditionally dark stylized themes from early crime

12 December 2023 • Mature Focus

fiction thrillers was a no-brainer for Muller (eddiemuller.com) and Running Press Kids publishers. The result is a cute mystery tale with animal characters that cleverly reference popular classic noir films, including one of the best from 1941. “‘The Maltese Falcon’ seemed a perfect template,” said Muller from his home in the San Francisco Bay

Area. “Film noir themes revolvearound the most diabolical and dastardly motivations that are not suitable for a children’s book. But many are detective stories, so the idea of a simple quest, like a treasure hunt, seemed adaptable for kids.”

Just like private detective Sam Spade’s search for the precious “Falcon” statuette, Kitty Feral pursues a stolen artifact (a Marshmallow Monkey) and along the way, interacts with some interesting characters, driving the plot.

(Kitty is also on a mission to locate kidnapped crime-fighting partner Mitch the Mutt).

When originally approached by (co-author) Jessica Schmidt with the idea, Muller says he jumped at the opportunity, provided the artwork would emulate the style of a classic

noir film. Drawn by Forrest Burdett in glorious noir-ish black-and-white and distinctively skewed viewer angles, the Oregon-based artist added a splash of vivid blue highlights to Kitty who roams the dark alleys, deserted city rooftops, and eerie waterfront in search of a missing Marshmallow Monkey – a stolen sweet treat.

While obviously aimed at children, adults familiar with classic movies will enjoy the subtle references to noir films. For instance, Kitty begins the search at the Acme Book Shop – similar (but naturally less risqué) to a Humphrey Bogart scene right out of 1946’s “The Big Sleep.”

A dockside warehouse image captures a scene from “99 River Street,” a theater marquee acknowledges producer Val Lewton’s “Leopard Man,” and there are plenty of obvious references to “On the Waterfront,” “Casablanca,” “Shakedown,” and “The Postman Always Rings Twice.”

As for the book’s cast of supporting characters, rotund owl boss Casper Nighthawk and sleazy Wilmer the Weasel represent villainous Kasper Gutman (Sydney Greenstreet) and Wilmer Cook (Elisha Cook Jr.) from “The Maltese Falcon.” Sinister leatherclad Johnny Gila is distinctly reptilian, a nod to William Talman’s title role in 1953’s “The Hitch-hiker.”

“People have said he looked like a Gila monster,” notes Muller. And speaking of “Perry Mason” actors, there’s even a character representing Raymond Burr’s villainous roles (but we’ll leave that one for readers to uncover!).

As for Kitty, the character is modeled after actress Ella Raines, especially her sultry role in 1944’s “The Phantom Lady,” even though Muller doesn’t formally acknowledge Kitty’s gender in the pages.

“Kitty was clearly inspired by Raines – a smart, independent woman intent on solving a crime herself in the film, not the typical femme fatale character,” explained Muller. As a bonus, if reading the story to kids, grandparents can test

the youngsters’ powers of observation by asking if they can spot something intentionally omitted from the artist’s images of Kitty!

Of course, most of the book’s film references will be beyond young readers, but Muller thinks adults reading the story to their little ones will enjoy opening up a monochromatic world not usually seen on cellphones, laptops, or while gaming. And, perhaps, some may even come to appreciate the screen imagery in classic films enjoyed by their parents and grandparents.

“Since the book came out, I’ve attended film festivals that lasted several days and people told me they were buying the book for their grandkids,” recalls Muller.

“They’ve returned a second day, reporting they read it to them and that the kids loved it. So that’s really gratifying.”

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, in Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See getnickt.org.

H AP PPY

Ho Hol H lliiday day days ys y oollid Holidays W I S H I N G Y O U A J OY YO U S HOL I D AY S E A S ON H O W I T H P E AC E & C H E E R I N T H E N E W YE A R !

Mature Focus • December 2023

13

Elder Law The ‘Desiderata’ of life and estate planning

By Ben Bekel, Quad City Life Planning

have in mind. Asked differently, the question might be phrased this way: “What do you think I, as the client, am When the holiday season arrives, I most in need of here?” make it a point to re-read one of my Despite not knowing what tool they grandfather’s favorite poems, Max should use, however, virtually every Ehrmann’s “Desiderata.” You may client I meet with has a very clear idea not recognize the title immediately, of what they want their plan to be. but I’m sure many of you recognize Who should help me if I can’t help some of its more famous lines: “Go myself? How do I want my possesplacidly amid the noise and haste, and sions distributed after I pass? Do I remember what peace there may be in want to avoid probate or protect assets silence.” “You are a child of the from long-term care spend down?

When I ask my clients these questions, they almost always have immediate, well-thought-out answers.

My answer is this: What clients should most desire when engaging in life and estate planning is a way to lay out the plan that you have already created in your mind! The client who knows what they want to accomplish has progressed very far down the path to creating a good life and estate plan.

All he or she needs at this point is a team of professionals to convert it from an idea to a reality through the use of proper tools and techniques.

Last Call for the Perhaps a simple will is best for your San Antonio/ personal plan, or a trust, or a combinaTexas Riviera Tour tion of trusts. But the tools themselves are very little good without the client’s desires at their heart, and our ideas for An active lifestyle for 55+ what our plan should look like do us What better time for a warm very little good if we do not have a weather get-away than February way to communicate them to the 12-23, 2024, to San Antonio and the world.

Texas Riviera/South Padre Island.

Much as Max Ehrmann committed Starting in Dallas, you’ll discover Southfork Ranch and a delicious BBQ; visit the virtues he “felt most in need of” to Daley Plaza and the Texas Book Depository’s Sixth Floor Museum. Cruise paper, so too should we commit our ideas about life and estate planning to along San Antonio’s River Walk, savor a guided Missions tour, including Mission San Jose, the “Queen of Missions”, and the Alamo. At South Padre Island, writing and communicate them to others so our wishes are known to all visit the Birding and Nature Center, Sea Turtle, Inc., enjoy a dolphin cruise, who need to know. In that way, we beach and shopping time, and King Ranch tour and BBQ. Be amazed at the can all ensure that “the universe is Fixer Upper tour in Tulsa, OK, as well as the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame/Museum. Enjoy a stop in Kansas City with a Barry Williams dinner show and visit unfolding as it should” and “in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in the National Frontier Trails Center in Independence, MO. Check out the full your soul.” itinerary and pricing at tristatetravel.com/Plus 60 Club Tours. Deadline to Ben Bekel is the attorney at Quad register and $750 deposit is due December 15. Call Tri-State today at 1-800City Life Planning in Moline, Illinois.

779-4869.

He handles elder law and life planLike us on Facebook Membership information and all event and trip ning including probate/trust adminisFacebook.com/Plus60 details are always readily available at qctplus60.com. tration, guardianships and disability/ Interested in becoming a member of the Plus 60 Board?

Medicaid planning. Learn more at Contact us at the email address above. quadcitylifeplanning.com.

14 December 2023 • Mature Focus

universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.” “Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”

The title of “Desiderata” is a Latin word which, roughly translated to English, means “things that are desired, wanted, or needed.” The author, who coincidentally was also a lawyer, noted later that he wrote “Desiderata” in order to “counsel those virtues I felt most in need of.”

And there’s plenty of good advice in the poem, whether to “listen to others” or “take kindly the counsel of the years.”

One of the most frequent questions I’m posed in my practice by clients is this: “What should I have in my life and estate plan?”

The question is often asked by those clients who don’t yet have a clear idea of what tools or techniques they should use to effectuate the plan they

Why does my car still start?

By Dick Wolfsie

“Your fob was not inside?”

“Yes, it was inside, inside the This kind of thing could only happen house.” to me. (In a way, that's good, because Bob was no help. He reminded me if things like this happened to you, that a month ago I drove around with you'd have your own humor column.) my cell phone on the hood of the car, The other day as I climbed into my so this didn't surprise him. He suggested I go to the dealership.

I headed over and saw my friend Kevin, one of the service advisors.

“Kevin, you have great technicians, right?”

“Only the best, Dick. What's wrong?”

“My problem is that my car started.”

“Hmmm. I've been in this business 25 years and that's the oddest complaint I have ever heard.”

After I explained my quandary, car and pressed the button to start the Kevin asked where my spare fob was engine, my dependable sedan fired up and I told him that it had been missing as usual. But wait, my key fob was not for several weeks. “Bingo. Then it hanging on its little knob where I must be somewhere in your car,” he always put it. I remembered that I had said, suppressing a smile. “Go home left it on the kitchen table. and look for it. I have people here with Perplexed, I went inside and sure serious power train issues. I can't help enough, there it was. Huh? How could you right now.” my car start without the fob? It was Back in my driveway, I looked for it way out of its range. This scared me. It in every possible space, under the meant anyone could get in my car and seats, between the seats, under the drive off. floor mats. The problem was the fob is My friend knows a lot about cars black, the seats are black and the carand I was on my way to visit him, pet is black. Looking for it in the dayanyway. “Bob, my car started this light was not working, so I decided to morning but it wasn't supposed to.” wait until it was dark out and use a “Were you out of gas?” flashlight. Mary Ellen came out “No, my car is not supposed to start around 9 p.m. and found me on my without the fob inside.” knees searching the car. I explained what happened.

“Do you want me to call it?” she asked.

“Jeesh, it's a fob Mary Ellen, not a cell phone.”

I finally found the rascal, lodged on the track Make Our House...Your House that the seat slides back and forth on. I put the Now Taking Applications! extra key in a safe place A low income hi-rise for the elderly and disabled. and I felt relieved.

Close to shopping, banking, and restaurants By the way, I am not and on the bus line. the only one in my Meal Site • Elevators • Community Rooms family who loses things.

Social Club • Library • Beauty Shop • Bingo The next evening, Mary Ellen told me she want54-41st Ave., East Moline ed to prepare a holiday Call 762-1414 Special consideration for seniors (62+) with an annual income under $13,200. dessert ahead of time

Colona House

and couldn't find our electric mixer that we keep in the basement.

I told her not to worry, that I'd give it a call first thing in the morning.

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Santa Claus leaves a special treat for Peanut. What strikes the viewer first about a Susan Brabeau canvas is her uncanny talent for capturing people and dogs - their moods, idiosyncrasies and body language. For more information, visit susanbrabeau.com.

Mature Focus • December 2023

15

My dog would like a bottle of your finest bourbon

By Greg Schwem I recently received a concise text message that, depending on your affection for canines, was adorable or unbelievable:

16 December 2023 • Mature Focus

“Sorry, I can’t meet tonight. I have a swim class…for my dog. She is spoiled.”

“She” and her owner are exactly the types of travelers Harvest Hosts CEO Joel Holland has on his radar.

Holland, 38, purchased the 13year-old travel membership network from its original owners in 2018.

Aimed at “self-contained” travelers (aka campers and RV-ers,) Harvest

Hosts partners with thousands of farms, wineries, breweries and other unique destinations only too happy to host camping vehicles ranging from your basic fifth-wheel to your tricked out Airstream, for a night.

Occupants, and their pets, pay no camping fees; instead they are sort of on the honor system to purchase products — perhaps a wine club membership or a bottle of homemade bourbon — their gracious hosts are selling.

“We recommend a $30 purchase.

But it’s not a requirement,” Holland said. People are very generous and tend to spend $50. That turns into $50 million that goes back into these small businesses.”

Harvest Hosts takes none of those profits; participating properties pay a fee to join the program and get listed on its site.

So what about those guests who just can’t leave their beloved pooches at home? Harvest Hosts recently found 52% of travelers base their routes, and destinations, on petfriendly camping locations. If that location contains a body of water for dogs to show off their swimming skills, all the better. Holland estimates a quarter million Harvest Hosts travelers, mostly over 55 and empty nesters who consider a dog their “new kid,” take their pets along for adventures.

“We learned early on that we needed to have a filter that said ‘pet friendly,’” Holland said. “In the process of recruiting hosts, one of the things we angled for were pet friendly locations.”

Swilled Dog, a distillery of bourbon and cider in Upper Tract, West Virginia, has proven to be the perfect Harvest Hosts partner. Currently slammed with campers taking advantage of fall colors that complement their day hikes to Spruce Knob, Seneca Rocks and Smoke Hole Canyon, the property hosts up to four RVs per night.

Grab your pet and hit the road in your RV, booking “unlimited stays at unique camping locations” with Harvest Hosts.

Once parked, dogs have free reign. “ Dogs are allowed to relax alongside their owners in both our cider tasting room and whiskey room or even play a game of cornhole outside,” said Lauren Hagman, Swilled Dog’s operations manager.

Upon hearing this, I texted my friend and asked if her dog was currently enrolled in cornhole lessons. I have yet to hear back.

Most guests abide by the aforementioned honor system, purchasing bourbon or cider for family and friends, Hagman said. The distillery also donates a portion of its profits to various dog rescue and adoption programs.

Holland, a seasoned traveler who believes “there is something fun to do in every state,” is only too happy to share his unique adventures, which include getting a massage from an 84-year-old nun, a proprietor of Heartland Farm, an Alpaca ranch in Pawnee Rock, Kansas. Although not

listed on the property’s website, massages are a legitimately offered service.

“I learned it’s OK to be naked in front of nuns in the right context,” he chuckled.

With post-pandemic travel restrictions easing, Harvest Hosts business is booming as travelers opt for wide open spaces so they, and their pets, can roam freely. Holland says he’ll continue running the business, and seeking new dog-loving sites, “as long as it’s fun.”

What could be more fun for a dog than to belly up to a bar and join

their owner in a glass of locally produced wine?

Particularly if the dog has completed Wine Appreciation school.

Greg Schwem is a corporate standup comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com.

Visit Greg on the web at gregschwem.com.

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Mature Focus • December 2023

17

Nature’s answer to JAK3 inhibition: Discovering five herbal and natural remedies body’s background chemistry. It’s vital for cell signaling, influencing cell growth, your immune response, and cell differentiation. JAK inhibitors (meaning the drugs) target this pathway, calming an overactive immune response, which is a hallmark of autoimmune diseases and some cancers.

Inhibiting the JAK/STAT pathway can balance the immune response.

When you inhibit this pathway, it leads to reduced inflammation and some degree of symptom relief.

However, like all medications, JAK inhibitors have potential side effects, such as increased risk of infections, blood abnormalities, liver enzyme elevations, and much more.

Xeljanz is probably the most famous JAK inhibitor medication prescribed, but there are others.

Tofacitinib (Xeljanz®): Used for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis,

By Suzy Cohen, R.Ph. JAK3 inhibitors have become a buzzword in pharmaceuticals, with significant implications for treating various diseases, including autoimmune disorders and cancers. JAK (Janus Kinase) inhibitors, particularly JAK3 inhibitors, play a crucial role in regulating immune responses, offering therapeutic benefits in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and certain cancers.

Here are more details about the JAK/STAT pathway. Every human being has it running silently in the

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18 December 2023 • Mature Focus

and ulcerative colitis. Baricitinib (Olumiant®): Approved for alopecia areata and rheumatoid arthritis.

Ritlecitinib (Litfulo™): Prescribed for alopecia areata in individuals above age 12. Ruxolitinib (Jakafi®): Targets blood cancers like polycythemia vera and myelofibrosis.

Did you know there are some natural JAK/STAT Inhibitors? They’re much weaker than the medications as you might expect. But for those seeking natural options, I’m offering five today. I hope you will consult with your doctor about what’s right for you. These are all sold at health food stores, and online. One of them (curcumin) is found in a spice called turmeric. In alphabetical order, here they are: 1. Baicalein: Found in Chinese skullcap, known for its anti-inflammatory properties.

2. Beta-sitosterol: Present in various plants, helps reduce inflammation and modulate JAK3.

3. Curcumin: One active ingredient in turmeric spice, this is a potent anti-inflammatory agent.

4. Quercetin: Found in apples, onions, and capers, inhibits the JAK/STAT pathway.

5. Silymarin: Extracted from milk thistle, supports liver health and inhibits JAK3.

When considering JAK inhibitors, whether it’s a medication or a natural supplement, always be sure to weigh the potential benefits against possible risks. Speak to your practitioner.

Continuous use is common for pharmaceutical JAK inhibitors, but intermittent usage might be considered for people who experience serious side effects. The long-term safety of these drugs is still being studied, so regular monitoring is crucial and that’s why I’m suggesting natural options to use adjectively, along with your medication (if your doctor is happy with that idea of course).

For more information, visit SuzyCohen.com.

❖ On Dec. 13, 1776, American Gen. Charles Lee leaves his army, riding in search of female sociability at Widow White's Tavern, even though Gen. George Washington repeatedly urged Lee to reinforce Washington's position on the Delaware River. British soldiers captured Lee at the tavern two days

later. ❖ On Dec. 17, 1843, Charles Dickens' classic story “A Christmas Carol” is published. Dickens' father was thrown into debtors' prison in 1824, and 12-year-old Charles was sent to work in a factory. Dickens wrote about the miserable treatment of children and the institution of the debtors' jail in several novels. ❖ On Dec. 12, 1901, Italian physicist and radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi succeeds in sending the first radio transmission across the Atlantic Ocean. Detractors had told him the curvature of the earth would limit transmission to 200 miles or less. ❖ On Dec. 11, 1936, Edward VIII becomes the first English monarch to voluntarily abdicate the throne following his scandalous decision to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson.

❖ On Dec. 16, 1960, two airplanes collide over New York City, killing 134 people on the planes and on the ground. Christmas presents carried by the plane's passengers were strewn all over the streets, and multiple fires burned for nearly 72 hours. ❖ On Dec. 14, 1980, a CIA report claims that the Soviet Union delivered nearly $7 billion worth of military assistance to Third World nations in 1979, and made over $8 billion in arms sales the same year.

Syria, Iraq and South Yemen were the primary recipients. ❖ On Dec. 15, 2001, Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa reopens after a team of experts spent 11 years and $27 million to fortify the tower without eliminating its famous lean.

When completed in 1360, the tower was already leaning, having been built on marshy ground.

Mature Focus • December 2023

19

SAV VY SENIOR You ask the SENIOR question - We find the SAVVY answer

By Jim Miller Q: What is the best way to ensure my pets are taken care of after I’m gone? I have two dogs and a cat that are my four-legged family, and I want to make sure they’ll be well taken care of after I die.

A: It’s a great question. Every year, approximately 500,000 cats and dogs

20 December 2023 • Mature Focus

Protecting your pets after you’re gone

enter shelters when their pet parents experience an emergency or pass away. Without a proper plan in place for the future care of your pets, they are at risk of ending up in a shelter where they could be euthanized.

To avoid this terrifying scenario and ensure your furry family is cared for both physically and financially after you’re gone, you should consider including them in your estate plan. Talk to your attorney about how to insert them in your will or trust in accordance with your state’s laws. Here’s what you’ll need to do.

care with an explanation of how the funds should be spent.

To determine how much to leave, multiply your pet’s annual food, care and medical costs by their life expectancies. You may want to add a separate document, called a letter of instruction, describing your pet’s routine, food and medication.

But be aware that even with this provision in your will the caretaker is not legally obligated to follow your instructions, spend the money as you intended or send the pet to another caretaker that you’ve named. Once the money is distributed to the caretaker, it’s an honor system.

Wills If you already have a will or are planning to make one, you could simply add in a trusted caretaker clause for your pets, along with an alternative if your first choice falls through. You should also set aside money in your will for your pet’s

Trusts Another option is to create a pet trust, which provides more legal protections. Depending on your state’s laws (see aspca.org/pet-care/pet-planning/pet-trust-laws), you could set up either a revocable pet trust, which can be changed or canceled during your lifetime, or an irrevocable pet trust that can’t be reversed. A pet trust can be completely separate or part of an existing trust that encompasses your other assets.

Along with appointing a trustee to manage your trust’s finances, you name your pet’s caretaker (who could also serve as the trustee), and any alternative caretakers, as well as an optional trust protector for added oversight of the trustee

given that the beneficiary (your pets) can’t defend their own rights. Unlike a will, the caretaker has a fiduciary duty to follow your letter of instruction if you include one.

The cost for a living trust ranges anywhere between $1,000 to $3,000, while a will typically costs between $200 and $1,000. There are also cheaper do-it-yourself resources for making a simple will or trust, like Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker & Trust (Nolo.com, $99) and Trust & Will (TrustandWill.com, $159). Or, if that’s more than you’re willing to pay, you can make your will for free at

FreeWill.com or DoYourOwn Will.com.

Other Arrangements If you don’t have anyone who would be willing to take care of your pets after you’re gone, you should make arrangements to leave them to an animal retirement home, a rescue, humane society, pet care program or other animal welfare group. Many of these organizations find new homes for pets or offer lifetime care but may require a fee or donation. Talk to your vet about the options available in your area.

Medicare Open Enrollment Starts October 15 and runs through December 7, 2023.

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here’s a tip

By JoAnn Derson

☞ Mail service is a wonderful thing. Order what you want on the internet and it's in your mailbox or on your doorstep tomorrow. From efficiency to penny pinching, you can use the mail order to help out in numerous ways. Or, use it to bring a smile to someone's face: Keep a stack of stamped postcards with you. Jot a note and mail one off whenever the mood strikes. I almost guarantee a great response from the recipient! ☞ To save on prescription costs, ask if your health insurance participates in a mail order service where you can get three months of a drug for a discounted cost. Mine costs less for three months than it does for one month in my local drugstore, and I don't even have to go pick it up. ☞ One of the greatest assets in our communities is the public library, and mine has just added a new service that I'm over the moon about: mail delivery! I can search the card catalog from home and have the books I want delivered right to my house. Convenient! ☞ Looking for a unique gift? Try gift mail order memberships. We've done beer, cheese and fruit, and meats. They send a different one every month. You can find these services on the web. It’s a gift that gives all year long. ☞ Need pumpkin pie spice? Mix 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves for each teaspoon needed. ☞ I try to keep a backpack of just in case items in my car trunk. In the summer it has sunblock and bug spray, etc. I have just refilled it for winter. There’s a water bottle, snack items, large towels that double as blankets, tools and a road flare, socks, an extra pair of shoes, etc. It pays to be safe!

Mature Focus • December 2023

21

Answers on Page 43.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: 

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: 

22 December 2023 • Mature Focus

Answers on page 43 ACROSS 1 Holds inside 9 Scrams 16 Many millennia 20 Chart of the Pacific, e.g.

21 Eeyore's creator 22 “Blue Jasmine” Oscar winner Blanchett 23 Start of a riddle 25 Cawing bird 26 Collate, e.g.

27 Couch potatoes stare at them 28 Maple stuff 29 Thin coins 30 Prayerful plea starter 34 Designer Saarinen 37 Sparks' state 39 Riddle, part 2 45 Subject for Dr. Ruth 46 “Zip- -- -Doo-Dah” 47 “... Mac -- PC?” 48 Hostess snack cake 49 Onetime senator Trent 51 Hiccup or charley horse 54 Convents and abbeys 56 Colored rings of irises 58 About 4.2 millimeters, in typography 61 Footed vase 62 Agnus -- (Mass prayer) 63 Riddle, part 3 66 “This is SO frustrating!”

69 Beelzebub 70 Tools used in fixing flats 72 Huge fad 76 To date 78 Riddle, part 4 80 Ship's swerve 83 Brow's curve 85 Bygone Russ. states 86 Most speedy 87 She won eight Oscars for Best Costume Design 91 “Oops, I messed up” 93 Comic-strip light bulb 94 Sliding-open car option 95 Like below-zero nos.

98 “... -- it just me?”

100 Highway goo 101 End of the riddle 106 “Perhaps ... ask me about it later” 107 Band with the hit “Whip It” 108 -- date (plan for marriage) 109 Exuding testosterone 111 Catch sight of 113 Hobbit hunter 115 Tide type 119 Exhort 120 Riddle's answer 126 Aspersion 127 Carry in the uterus 128 They could use a welcome sight 129 Quick flights 130 Most bohemian 131 Tilting

DOWN 1 Milked beasts 2 Dos cubed 3 Close by 4 Body image?

5 Moreover 6 Texting shorthand for “I think” 7 Anti's call 8 Catch sight of 9 “Goldfinger” singer Shirley 10 French thirst quencher 11 Electric guitar connection 12 Pointers 13 Actor Everett 14 Customs worker 15 Golf bag item 16 Fender bender, e.g.

17 Tagged for a particular use 18 Plains tribe 19 Bulletin fodder 24 Iris' layer 29 Miles of jazz 31 Student transcript no.

32 Long-used adage 33 Least shallow 35 P-shaped Greek letter 36 Sculler's tool 38 Promising solemnly 39 Illinois city 40 Size

41 42 43 44 45 50 52 53 55 57 59 60 64 65 67 68 71 73 74 75 77 79 80 81 82 84 88 89 90

“-- culpa” Oreck product, for short St. Pat's land Lucy's Arnaz BBQ sides In present times Church topper Bishops' toppers Greg Evans' long-running comic strip Isolated Poker IOUs Fliers' military branch Neopagan practice Full of racket Autos such as Ramblers and Pacers Half of Hispaniola Tanzanian tourist treks Must Pant-length measure Perfume from petals Chevy SUVs Chuck Berry title woman Rural assent to a woman Together, in music scores Bringing to a conclusion Bracing drink Singers executing quavers With vehemence Genetic ID

92 -- choy 96 Conclusion 97 “Goodness!”

99 Mil. officer 102 Share, as a blog entry 103 Web-footed wading bird 104 “Me neither” 105 Pioneer Boone 109 Maudlin sentimentality 110 Guthrie of folk singing 112 Legendary snow beast 114 Hacienda house 116 “Orinoco Flow” singer 117 Yemeni port 118 “Hey, over here ...”

120 Org. for club swingers 121 No, in Paisley 122 Part of TGIF 123 “Just joking!”

124 Lingerie item 125 The, in Arles

Mature Focus • December 2023

23

The what and why of mistletoe traditions

By Doris Montag Mistletoe comes from two Anglo Saxon words “mistel” which means dung and “tan” which means twig or stick. Translated, mistletoe is “poo on a stick.” This is quite literally the case, because birds eat the red berries and carry the seeds in their poop. If the sticky seed lands on a tree branch, it sticks and begins to grow. The plant begins using photosynthesis to provide some of the energy it needs to grow. The seedlings then burrow roots into the bark of the tree and begins to sap nutrients and water from it.

Mistletoe isn't like a normal plant.

It's a parasite, which means it grows on trees to survive. Its favorite host trees include apple, hawthorn and poplar trees. It grows best on tall trees in sunshine. They do injure and can kill the host tree.

Across the world there are more than 900 mistletoe species. In some locations certain species contribute to

the habitat. Birds, deer, elk, squirrels and porcupines seek mistletoe berries when other food is scarce.

Raw mistletoe berries are poisonous and tend to fall off the plant easily. They contain a toxic substance called phoratoxin, which is particu-

larly concentrated in the leaves. If ingested mistletoe can cause seizures or death. It is especially lethal to children and pets.

Mistletoe is considered a symbol of life because it's evergreen and bears fruit in the winter. Druid priests thought it was a sacred plant because it didn't grow from roots in the

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ground. The faithful would wear mistletoe charms for good luck and protection from witches and evil spirits.

Sprays of mistletoe were hung over the doorway to ensure that only happiness could enter the home.

The modern story of mistletoe is one of romance. Kissing under the mistletoe was first referenced in 1784 in a song from a musical comedy called “Two to One.” The custom appears to have started in England around the 1720s. Mistletoe is included in English wreaths called the Christmas Bough or Kissing Bough from the 1700s through today.

Washington Irving wrote in the 1800s, “young men have the privilege of kissing the girls under [mistletoe], plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked, the privilege ceases.”

There were illustrations of kissing under the mistletoe in the first book version of “A Christmas Carol” published in 1843.

Another popular mistletoe song is “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus ... underneath the mistletoe last night.” The tune, written by British lyricist Tommy Connor, and performed by 13-year-old Jimmy Boyd, debuted in December 1952.

Somehow it doesn’t seem so special under a dried up sprig or plastic facsimile, but that kiss might be nice!

Follow Doris Montag on Facebook at HistoryofOrdinaryThings.

DECEMBER ChucklE What do you call a bunch of chess masters bragging about their games in a hotel lobby over the holidays?

Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.

24 December 2023 • Mature Focus

Mature Focus • December 2023

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26 December 2023 • Mature Focus

Mature Focus • December 2023

27

Fresh winter arrangements

Midnight Gardener Sponsored by:

qcgardens.com

309.764.0991

By Lori Rose Decorating the house with fresh greenery is one of the oldest winter traditions. Evergreens have been a part of winter festivals since ancient times, and were used to represent everlasting life and hope for the return of spring.

Greenery such as ivy, pine and holly will add a fresh, natural scent to your home and give your arrangements a unique look. There's a great feeling of satisfaction in collecting and arranging the elements of your own winter decorations.

Along with a beautiful wreath for the front door, experiment with gar-

lands, swags and centerpieces for indoors, and door toppers of greens and fruits, or containers of greenery, twigs and cones for outdoors. There are no rules for arranging, let the assortment you collect guide you.

When gathering live greenery from shrubs and trees, remember that you are actually pruning the plants.

Consider carefully which branches to cut and which ones to leave. Distribute the cuts evenly around the plant to preserve its natural form, and be sure to use a sharp, clean pruner. While you're outside, also look for acorns, pinecones, dried hydrangea blossoms, rose hips and bright orange pyracantha berries (watch out for the thorns).

When you bring your treasures home, smash the ends of woody stems with a hammer and soak them in water overnight before arranging. Tie florist's wires to sprigs of berries or rose hips, pinecones and acorns to make them easy to attach to your arrangements. Enjoy the fresh scent while you're working with evergreens, knowing that it’s fleeting. To keep your home smelling like fresh cut pine boughs, pick up a scented spray or candle at a gift shop. Don't think of it as cheating; think of it as enhancing

Trivia Test

By Fifi Rodriguez

1. What is the second-largest country in South America?

2. What is Dennis the Menace’s last name?

3. Who established the universal laws of motion in the 17th century?

4. What is the name of Marlon Brando's character in “A Streetcar Named Desire”?

5. What is The Dude's favorite beverage in “The Big Lebowski”?

6. Which long-running TV comedy features a character named Diane Chambers?

7. What item did this ad slogan say you should not leave home without?

8. What is chiaroscuro?

9. What was the name of the building where the former Beatle John Lennon was shot to death in 1980?

10. Which planet in our solar system is covered in sulphuric acid clouds?

1. Argentina; 2. Mitchell; 3. Isaac Newton; 4. Stanley Kowalski; 5. White Russian; 6. “Cheers”; 7. The American Express card; 8. Distribution of light and dark in drawing and painting; 9. The Dakota apartment building; 10. Venus.

28 December 2023 • Mature Focus

nature's bounty.

English ivy, Boston ivy and Virginia creeper are common ground covers, and can also be found growing up trees and phone poles. They make a lovely addition to any arrangement, but must be kept in water or they will dry out quickly. Use florist's water vials to keep them fresh in wreaths,

swags, or garlands and check the water frequently.

Just because it's winter, don't forget flowers when thinking of unique ideas for your decorations. Flowers lift our spirits throughout the year and are especially welcome during the hectic holiday season. Whether from the florist or the supermarket, no matter what colors you choose, adding flowers to your home will make you smile even on the dreariest winter day.

Make a jar of water enhanced with floral preservative to use for all the flowers in your decorations. Always place individual or small groups of flowers in a florist's water vial, and

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check the water daily. them over a mug of something warm Add the finishing touch to winter and sweet. decorations with groups of three bright Lori Rose, the Midnight Gardener, is red flowers tied together with holiday a Temple University Certified Master ribbon. Space them evenly around a Home Gardener and member of the wreath, or place them at intervals GWA: The Association for Garden along an evergreen swag or garland.

Communicators. She has been writing Add them to vases or pots of everabout gardening for over twenty years. greens, twigs and cones. Carry the Email Lori at midnightgardener@ look throughout the house by laying hotmail.com. flowers on a holiday tree, along a bookcase, or tucked into the china 1/2 Price-$29.95 cabinet. for 10 Weeks Place individual flowers (Reg. price $59.95 in beautiful glass orna20 Retirees Who & Fun! for 10 weeks) 20 Retirees Who Love Music ments filled with water New ClassLove Starts Thursday, August at 2:00 pm Music & 17th Fun and hang them from the Learn to play the EASY WAY for any Piano, Organ tree, chandelier, or as holior Keyboard! If you’ve always wanted to play music, day swag. Fill a crystal this is the class for you! No experience necessary! bowl with golden glass ornaments and tuck red flowers around or in the ornaments. Or, fill the bowl with white flowers and accent it with deep green ornaments. For a festive centerpiece, fill a silver bowl with blue glass ornaments studded with white roses.

Nothing goes together quite as well as candles and winter. But please, do not use candles around fresh greens. Instead, try vases of fresh flowers and Serving The Midwest with Music & Fun candles of different Since 1922! critchetts.com heights together on a side2406 E. 53rd Street, Davenport (Next to Jimmy John’s) board, hutch, or entry table. Then, to take the mood from festive to magical, stand a mirror behind the arrangement to enhance the glow. Turn down the lights, stand back, and enjoy.

Winter doesn't have to be dull. Step outside on a sunny winter day and gather some fun and interesting branches, twigs, berries and cones. Then come $79 inside and play with

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By Lucie Winborne ✐ That straight-line rise of bubbles in your holiday champagne glass is due to the soap-like compounds called surfactants that not only give the beverage its signature bubble chain, but also contribute to its unique flavor. ✐ If the human eye was a digital camera, it would have 576 megapixels. ✐ In 1994, a 75-pound bag of cocaine fell out of a plane and landed in the middle of a Florida crime watch meeting. ✐ Karl Josef Silberbauer, the SS officer who arrested Anne Frank and those in hiding with her during WWII, later bought a copy of Anne's published diary to see if he was mentioned in it. ✐ Alcohol kills one person every 10 seconds worldwide. ✐ Sand from the Sahara Desert, which contains phosphorus, is blown by the wind all the way to the Amazon rainforest, where it replaces the phosphorus annually washed away by rains and floods. ✐ While in prison in 1924, Adolf Hitler wrote to a Mercedes dealership in Munich to beg for a car loan for a limousine he admired, until his royalties for “Mein Kampf” came in. ✐ Chimpanzees can develop their own fashion trends. ✐ Christmas ham, originally a pagan tradition, was endorsed by the Catholic Church as a test of truthful conversion from Judaism. ✐ Death penalty trials are 20 times more expensive than those seeking a sentence of life imprisonment without parole. ✐ Doritos originated from the leftover tortillas at Disneyland. ✐ English phrases such as “long time no see,” “no go” and “no can do” come from literal translations of Chinese phrases. ✐ In Japanese mythology, Namazu is a giant catfish that causes earthquakes.

Mature Focus • December 2023

29

Healthy Eyes: Do you hear what I hear?

By Kyle Kuhlman, BCHIS When someone is sick or has a health issue they go to the doctor.

What is it about our hearing that makes a person put it on the back burner before resolving or addressing the issue?

People tell me from time to time, “I hear what I want to hear.” Hmmm, how do they know, if they aren’t hearing everything? What are the

consequences of neglecting to treat hearing loss and what are the advantages of treating hearing loss sooner rather than later?

First, we need to remember that the brain is interpreting the sounds or signals that make up speech. When a person has a hearing loss there are signals that are not being relayed to the brain. Our brain is like any other muscle in our body, it needs a workout. Without it, it tends to deteriorate.

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That old saying, “If you don’t use it, you may lose it,” definitely applies to your hearing. Researchers from Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging have also linked hearing loss with an increased risk in developing dementia and losing cognitive skills faster. The findings add to a growing list of health consequences associated with hearing loss, including increased risk of falls, hospitalizations, and diminished physical and mental health overall.

Hearing loss can lead to social isolation, depression and anxiety. It can affect work as well. One study found that improving hearing using hearing aids reduced the risk of income loss by 90 to 100 percent for those with milder hearing loss, and from 65 to 77 percent for those with severe to moderate hearing loss.1 Don’t wait. Addressing hearing loss can improve your quality of life, your health and your activity level. If you have a hearing loss it is in your best interest to be tested by a hearing healthcare professional. It’s an easy process, no studying or needles needed. Should it be determined that hearing aids are the best option, it is always better to receive that help sooner than later.

1 https://betterhearing.org/HIA/ assets/File/public/marketrak/MarkeTr ak-VIII_The-Efficacy-of-HearingAids-in-Achieving-CompensationEquity-in-the-Workplace.pdf Kyle Kuhlman is a board certified, licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist with Eye Surgeons Associates. His expertise is specifically in late onset nerve deafness in ranges from very mild to severe.

Hearing and vision problems frequently occur together as we age, at ESA you can conveniently take care of both.

The material contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your physician.

All the news that’s fit

By Scott LaFee Observation “Once a nurse, always a nurse. No matter where you go or what you do, you can never truly get out of nursing.

It's like the Mafia: you know too much.” - Deb Gaudlin, RN Get Me That, Stat!

In 2021, more than 71% of adults aged 50 to 75 years old said they received the recommended colorectal cancer screening, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

The death rate from colorectal cancer among persons aged 55 and above has decreased over the past 20 years.

However, it has increased among persons ages 45 to 54.

Body of Knowledge The glabella is the smooth part of the forehead above and between the eyebrows. A crinkled glabella is the sign of a serious thinker - or maybe just somebody frowning.

Doc Talk Uvula - The small, fleshy bit of tissue hanging like a punching bag at the back of your throat. It's there to help prevent food and liquid from going up your nose when you swallow, and it also secretes saliva to keep your mouth hydrated.

Curtain Calls Mike Edwards, a cellist and founding member of the band Electric Light Orchestra, was killed in 2010 at the age of 62 when a large round bale of hay rolled down a hill and collided with the van he was driving in rural England.

Food for Thought However you eat them, Oreo cookies are tasty. They're reportedly the best-selling cookie in the world, sold in more than 100 countries.

There is much debate about whether

the outer cookie or the inner filling is Blest be the man that spares these best. It's a matter of taste. stones, What isn't up for debate is what And curst be he that moves my exactly is in the inner filling, because bones.” that's a trade secret. One thing is for - On the tomb of English playwright sure: There is no cream in the creme William Shakespeare (1564-1616), a filling. But you can deduce some ing- heck of a writer to the end - and redients from the packaging: sugar, beyond. high-fructose corn syrup, soy lecithin, artificial flavor and palm and/or canola oil. These ingredients are also common in commercial white frostings.

FYI: A Double-Stuf Oreo does not contain UNIQUE GOLD JEWELRY twice as much creme, but AT AFFORDABLE PRICES! rather 1.86 times what's in Rings, Watches, Chains, a standard cookie.

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31

Talking Digital: Five cool tech gifts to give this Christmas Sponsored by: 3929 14th Ave. Rock Island, IL 309-283-7732

By Adam Cochran Gift-giving is one of my favorite things. Finding the right gift is a challenging puzzle with a significant purpose. But my empathy and habit of overthinking makes the whole process ridiculously complex. I have a hard time just settling for something that someone needs or might like. I try to find the thing that will somehow fill a void in the person’s soul.

With Christmas being only a few weeks away, I’m going to share my gift-giving superpower insights on current technology that will likely fit someone on your list. None of these are paid endorsements; they are simply items that I’ve had experience with, and/or I have given as gifts that have been appreciated by friends and family. And for you procrastinators, I’ve also indicated whether the items

are online only.

Aura digital picture frame ($100).

Aura picture frames are high-resolution picture frames that are connected to WIFI. Using a free smartphone app for iPhone or Android, family and friends can upload photos and short videos from anywhere to the frame owner’s Aura account.

A digital microscope ($70-$200, online only). These are a great gift for a coin collector, crafter or someone who simply loves cool gadgets. Digital microscopes are a microscope, digital camera and monitor all in one portable device that can also connect to a laptop, television or smartphone.

Most digital microscopes can view three-dimensional objects without a need for slides. They are also very light sensitive and have built-in illumination.

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smartphones have a built-in GPS and there are a number of GPS apps available. However, if you know someone who travels a lot or gets lost easily, a stand-alone GPS is an excellent gift.

Unlike the one in your smartphone, standalone GPS devices from companies like Garmin and TomTom don’t require any data service. All of the street maps are built in.

Occasionally, the maps are outdated, but all manufacturers allow updates to be added for free for at least a few years after purchase.

There are also GPS devices made specifically for hikers, off-road enthusiasts and boaters. The features and prices vary, but they can be a lifesaver for those with wanderlust or no sense of direction.

Shokz bone conduction headphones ($75-200). Unlike in-ear headphones, Shokz headphones wrap over your ears and rest on the bones and skin of your temples. The sound is created through vibrations. The

quality is good, but these headphones aren’t designed to drown out the world. They’re actually designed to keep you aware of the world.

I love wearing Shokz while I explore locations on foot. I can hear the sounds of a strange city, talk to others on the street and still hear the navigation prompts from my GPS or listen to music and podcasts. It might sound uncomfortable or strange, but your head doesn’t notice the difference.

Folding digital piano ($100-$200, online only). If you have a piano player or aspiring musician on your list, folding pianos are a cool gadget that most people have never heard of.

There are a number of models and manufacturers, but the one model that is always included on the best review lists is the Eastar EP10.

There are a few smaller models, but most folding musical keyboards have a full set of 88 keys. They’re designed for portability, storage, practice and situations that don’t require a grand piano or studio keyboard sound.

All folding keyboards double as a midi controller for composing music on a computer, and most also connect to smartphones and tablets for learning to play, composing or displaying sheet music.

I recommend you research before purchasing because some folding keyboards are more durable or offer more features and better sound. But no matter what model you choose, the cool factor of pulling a full-size piano keyboard out of a carrying case that is smaller, lighter and thinner than a guitar is pretty cool.

Send your technology questions to Adam in care of Mature Focus, or email him at AdamC@Talking

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GLASSES It’s good to give and receive.

Donate your old glasses to the Lions Club at any ESA location through g December and receive 25% OFF your new glasses.

(563) 323-20 020 (309) 793-20 020 ESAEYECARE.COM

Try on glasses online at home with our virtual try on or schedule an appointment.

Offer is good through December ’23 only on prescription and non n-prescription glasses.

Cannot be used with insurance or combined with any other discounts or previou us purchase. See optician for details.

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Mature Focus • December 2023

33

FINANCIAL FOCUS ®

By Edward Jones It won’t be long before we turn the page on 2023. But you still have time to make some financial moves that can pay off in 2024 — and beyond.

Here are a few to consider: • Review your progress toward your goals. Have you made progress toward

Consider these year-end financial moves your long-term goals over this past year? If not, you may want to revisit your investment and financial strategies.

• Boost contributions to your retirement plans. If your employer allows it, you may be able to increase your contributions to your 401(k) or similar retirement plan before the year ends.

And you have until April 15 to contribute to your IRA for the 2023 tax year. You can put in up to $6,500 to your traditional or Roth IRA and add another $1,000 if you’re 50 or older.

(Your ability to fully contribute to a Roth IRA is based on your income).

• Don’t waste FSA dollars. If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) through your employer, you’ve likely used it to take care of a variety of

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34 December 2023 • Mature Focus

health care costs, such as deductibles, co-payments and coinsurance. But FSAs are “use it or lose it” accounts, so if you have unspent dollars at yearend, you risk losing them. Make sure you know your employer’s deadlines for incurring expenses and submitting claims so you can take full advantage of your FSA. • Contribute to your HSA. When you have a health savings account (HSA), your contributions are tax deductible, your earnings generally grow tax free and your withdrawals are tax free, as long as they’re used for qualified medical expenses. Plus, an HSA isn’t “use it or lose it” — you can carry unused funds through retirement, when you can still use them for qualified medical expenses. And you’ve got until the April 15 tax deadline to contribute to your HSA for 2023 (Check with your employer on how to contribute to your HSA past December 31, 2023.)

• Strengthen your emergency fund.

If you don’t already have an emergency fund, see if you can start one before the year lets out. Eventually, try to put away three to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account.

• Think about tax-loss harvesting. If you have some investments that have lost value, and they no longer fit into your plan, you could sell them to offset gains from other investments, including capital gains distributions from mutual funds. And if your losses exceed gains for the year, you could use the remaining losses to offset up to $3,000 of ordinary income - and any amount over $3,000 can be carried forward to offset gains in future years.

You’ll want to consult with your tax advisor before embarking on tax-loss harvesting.

• Bundle your charitable contributions. A few years ago, a change in the tax laws resulted in a large increase in the standard deduction, which led to fewer people itemizing deductions and less incentive for making deductible charitable gifts. But if you can afford to “bunch” two to three years’ worth

of charitable donations, you may be able to itemize and gain a greater tax benefit.

It's always challenging to reach your goals and gain feelings of control over your financial future. But by reviewing your situation every year and making the appropriate moves, you can help yourself keep moving in the right direction.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones is a leading financial services firm in the U.S. with nearly 19,000 financial advisors serving more than eight million clients. Edward Jones, Member SIPC.

Mature Focus Volunteer Spotlight

By Ken Ferris Editor’s Note: First in a series highlighting area volunteers making a difference in our community.

Entering Genesis Clarissa C. Cook Hopsice House in Bettendorf, you may encounter the sound of a piano playing hymns.

The notes are flowing from a white grand piano located in the chapel played by volunteer Carol Schipper.

“And volunteering is my way of giving back,” she added.

Carol’s two favorite hymns are, “Softly and Tenderly” and “The Family of God.” Exiting the hospice house, Carol played “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”

“The heart of a volunteer is never measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.”

- DeAnn Hollis

The Beatelles

Volunteer Carol Schipper shares her joy of playing hymns at Genesis Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf, Iowa.

The Beatelles feature four powerhouse female vocalists performing the songs of John, Paul, George and Ringo with harmonious perfection. These ladies have shaken up the tribute world, offering a fresh and fun twist to a timeless catalog that spans from “Love Me Do” to “Let It Be.” Set to a backdrop of stunning multimedia, there is also choreography, witty banter, and trivia.

This is a must see show for any fan of The Beatles!

Genesis Hospice is supported by 90 volunteers. They make up approximately 40% of the workforce.

Carol started sharing her piano skills as a Genesis Hopsice volunteer in the summer of 2021. She also volunteers at the Milan food pantry.

Listening to her mother play the piano motivated her to begin lessons around third grade, she recalls.

Carol is retired and living in Milan after working 43 years for Thermo King in Des Moines and the Quad Cities.

In a recent conversation, Carol emphasized she is just one of many caring individuals donating time and skills to programs serving others.

“My mother received hospice in another community,” Carol said.

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Genesis Hospice serves patients in a 50-mile radius in Iowa and Illinois, including at the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf.

The Hospice House opened in 2006 and has served the community, providing comfort and dignity throughout the end of life journey.

Volunteers serve in a variety of ways, from sharing musical gifts to assisting in patient care. Genesis Hospice is fortunate to have such a robust volunteer program, filled with compassionate people who serve their community.

Visit facebook.com/maturefocusqc to view a video of Carol playing a portion of, “It is Well With My Soul.”

Do you know a volunteer who deserves to be recognized? In the coming months, Mature Focus will be highlighting Quad City volunteers who go above and beyond for their community, making a positive difference in the lives of others.

Email your volunteer nominees to kevin@maturefocus92.com and tell us why he/she deserves special recognition for their exceptional service.

Mature Focus • December 2023

35

Mayo Clinic: Signs of stomach cancer

By Travis Grotz, M.D., Surgical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Q: A 62-year-old man I worked with was diagnosed with stomach cancer earlier this year. He reportedly was feeling full even after eating small meals and experienced stomach pain above his belly button. I am starting to worry because I have recently started to experience similar symptoms. I’m only 38. Is it possible I could have stomach cancer? How do I get screened? What are the treatment options?

A: Most people diagnosed with stomach cancer, which is also called gastric cancer, are over the age of 60.

However, in the U.S., stomach cancers in people under 40 have been steadily rising. Overall, this form of cancer is not very common, but factors that increase your risk include eating smoked, salted, processed or charcoaled meats, and pickled vege-

tables, eating few or no fruits and vegetables, smoking, alcohol use, previous stomach surgery, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and

ach, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.

Unfortunately, stomach cancer doesn’t always cause symptoms in its early stages, and many symptoms may not happen until the cancer is advanced. The signs and symptoms of stomach cancer may include difficulty swallowing, belly pain, feeling bloated after eating, feeling full after eating small amounts of food, not feeling hungry when you would expect to be hungry, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, losing While most people diagnosed with stomach weight without trying, feeling cancer are over age 60, stomach cancers in the very tired and stools that look U.S. in people under 40 have been steadily black. rising.

If you have signs and sympobesity. toms that worry you, you should Inherited cancer syndromes such as make an appointment with your hereditary diffuse gastric cancer, health care team. Many other conLynch syndrome (hereditary nonpoly- ditions can cause symptoms that are posis colorectal cancer), familial ade- similar to stomach cancer. Your nomatous polyposis, gastric adenoma healthcare team may recommend and proximal polyposis of the stomtesting such as an upper endoscopy,

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also called an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, which is a procedure that is used to visually examine your upper digestive system. This can be used to screen for stomach cancer as the cause of your symptoms. An EGD allows the doctor to look at the inside of your stomach. Stomach cancer can appear as an ulcer, a mass or a thickening of the stomach wall.

Your physician then can obtain biopsies of the area to determine if you have stomach cancer.

The treatment of stomach cancer depends on the stage. Endoscopic ultrasound, a minimally invasive procedure to assess diseases of the digestive (gastrointestinal) tract and other nearby organs and tissues, CT or PET scan imaging, and a staging laparoscopy are used to determine the clinical stage.

While it is uncommon to find early stomach cancer, treatment for earlystage disease often only requires local treatment. For example, in early stomach cancers that involve only the mucosa, or inner lining of the stomach, and measure less than 2-3 centimeters in size, the stomach cancer can be removed using endoscopic submucosal dissection without the need for surgery or additional treatment. For other early stomach cancers that do not meet these criteria, surgery to remove the stomach cancer and regional lymph nodes is recommended.

However, if the cancer is found to have spread to the lymph nodes at the time of surgery, then the patient is at a higher risk of stomach cancer returning after surgery alone.

Therefore, chemotherapy after surgery is often recommended to decrease the risk of cancer recurrence.

Typically, patients are diagnosed with more advanced stomach cancer, which means a deeper involvement of the stomach or spread to regional lymph nodes. In this more common situation, combining chemotherapy and surgery is necessary for the best outcomes. Chemotherapy usually is given before and after surgery in this case.

Finally, if the stomach cancer has

been found to have spread outside the stomach and regional lymph nodes, then this is stage 4 cancer.

The primary treatment is systemic therapy. Additional testing can be done on the tumor to determine if the stomach cancer might respond to targeted therapy or immunotherapy. In some cases where there is a small amount of tumor spread to the lining of the abdomen, also called the peritoneum, surgery called cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy can be used to prolong a patient’s survival.

Treatment options to treat stomach cancer are complex and should be individualized to your particular situation. It is essential to seek out an experienced team to help with the accurate staging of cancer, management decisions and for high-quality endoscopic or surgical resection.

Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinic Q&A@mayo.edu.

For more information, visit mayo clinic.org.

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Again the little pine took pity and now tightly closed its branches, forming an impenetrable wall behind which the fawn huddled out of the gale.

By Dick Schneider They say that if you creep into an evergreen forest late at night you can hear the trees talking. In the whisper of the wind you'll catch the older pines explaining to the younger ones why they'll never be perfectly shaped.

There will always be a bent branch here, a gap there.

Long, long ago evergreens were perfect, with each taking pride in branches sloping evenly from crown to symmetrical skirt.

This was particularly true in a small kingdom deep in Europe beyond the Carpathian Mountains.

On the first Saturday of advent, the Queen's woodsman would search the royal evergreen forest for the most perfect tree. It would reign in honor in the great castle hall, shimmering with silver balls and gold angels that sparkled in the light of thousands of candles. While a huge Yule log

chuckled and cracked, the royal family and villagers together would dance and sing around the tree in celebration. In the hushed forest each evergreen vied for this honor, each endeavoring to grow its branches and needles to perfection. All strained at the task, fully concentrating on their form and appearance.

One cold night when a bright white moon glittered on the crusty snow as if it were strewn with millions of diamonds, a small rabbit limped into a grove of evergreens, its sides heaving in panic. Beyond the hill rose the yelping of village dogs in the thrill of the hunt.

The rabbit, eyes wide with fright, frantically searched for cover, but found nothing among the dark trunks extending upward into branches that were artfully lifted from the snow.

Faster and faster the cottontail circled as the excited yelping sounded louder and louder. The trees looked

askance at this interruption of their evening (when growing was at its best).

Suddenly, a small pine shuddered.

Of all the young trees, it had the promise of being the finest in the forest. Everything about it from its deep sea green color to the curl of its branches was perfect.

But now its lower branches began to dip down, down to the ground. In that instant before the slavering dogs broke into the clearing, the rabbit found safety within the evergreen screen. In the morning the bunny found its burrow. But the little pine could not quite lift its branches. But no matter, perhaps a little irregularity in a tree so beautiful would not be noticed.

Then a powerful blizzard lashed the land. The villagers slammed shutters closed while the birds and animals huddled in nests and dens. A small

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wren, blown astray, desperately sought sanctuary in the evergreens.

But each one she approached clenched its branches tight like a fist.

Finally, in exhaustion, she fell into the little pine. The pine's heart opened and so did its branches, and the wren slept within them, warm and secure. But the pine had difficulty rearranging its branches. There would be a gap evermore.

Weeks passed, and winter deepened, bringing a gale such as never before experienced in the mountains.

It caught a small fawn that had wandered from its mother. Head down, blinded by snow, it inched into the evergreens seeking a windbreak. But the trees held their branches open so the wind could whistle through them without dangerously bending or breaking their limbs.

Again the little pine took pity and now tightly closed its branches, forming an impenetrable wall behind which the fawn huddled out of the gale. But alas, when the wind ceased, the small pine had been

severely and permanently bent out of shape.

A tear of pine gum oozed from a branch tip. Now it could never hope for the honor it had longed for since a seedling.

Lost in despair, the little pine did not see the good Queen come into the forest. She had come to choose the finest tree herself.

As her royal sleigh slowly passed through the forest, her practiced eye scanned the evergreens now preening themselves. When she saw the little pine, a flush of anger filled her. What right had a tree with such defects to be in the royal forest? Reminding herself to have a woodsman dispose of it, she drove on, but then stopped and glanced back. As she gazed on the pine, she noticed the tracks of small animals that had found shelter under it and a downy feather within its branches where a bird had nested.

And as she studied the gaping hole in its side and its wind shipped trunk, understanding filled her heart.

“This one,” she said. Her attendants

gasped. And to the astonishment of the forest, the little pine was borne to the great hall. And everyone who danced and sang around it said it was the finest Christmas yet. For in looking at its gnarled and worn branches many saw the protecting arm of their father, others the comforting bosom of a mother, and some, as did the Queen, saw the love of Christ expressed on earth.

So if you walk among the evergreens today, you will find, along with rabbits, birds and other happy living things, drooped branches providing cover, gaps offering nesting places and forms bent from wrestling winter winds.

For as have many of us, the trees have learned that scars suffered for the sake of others make one most beautiful in the eyes of God.

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39

Crafting the perfect mashed potatoes

Avoid These Common Mistakes Choosing the wrong potato: For the fluffiest texture, opt for potatoes with thicker skins like russets. For the creamiest mashed potatoes, use

some steam escape. If not drained properly, they will absorb water rather than your flavorful butter and milk.

PHOTO: JasonCoblentz.com

There's something undeniably comforting about a bowl of mashed potatoes. It's that warm, creamy, buttery, perfect-vehicle-for-gravy-on-holiday dish. But why reserve that pleasure for just once a year? Mashed potatoes are so affordable they can make any meal extraordinary. Here's the ultimate guide to creating the fluffiest, creamiest mashed potatoes you'll ever taste.

Yukon Gold potatoes. My personal preference is to use some of each.

Avoid using red-skinned potatoes, as their waxy texture easily becomes sticky when over-mashed.

Adding potatoes to boiling water: Starting potatoes in boiling water leads to uneven cooking, as the outside of the potatoes will overcook before the inside gets tender. Begin with cold water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.

Forgetting to salt the water: Just like when cooking pasta, generously season the water to enhance flavor. If you forgot, season the drained potatoes generously.

Not draining the potatoes enough: Remember to drain and dry the cooked potatoes thoroughly before mashing. Return the drained potatoes to the pot you cooked them in to let

Mashing in cold butter and cream: Adding cold mix-ins lowers the dish's temperature and hinders absorption. Ensure the butter is at room temperature, or melted, and gently warm the milk or cream before adding to the potatoes.

Overworking the potatoes: Too much mashing, especially with a blender or mixer, can release too much starch and makes the potatoes gummy and gluey. Opt for an oldfashioned masher, ricer or food mill to avoid this pitfall. If it's too late, turn pasty potatoes into a delectable casserole with lots of melted butter, cheese and breadcrumbs.

That covers what not to do. Here's how to do it right.

THE ULTIMATE MASHED POTATOES Yield: 8 servings Total Time: 40 minutes 2 pounds of russet potatoes 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes 2 teaspoons table salt 1 cup of whole milk or half-and-half 1/2 cup salted butter Salt and pepper to taste Peel the russet and Yukon Gold potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Place the potato chunks in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Add 2 teaspoons table salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as they boil, reduce the heat and maintain a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until fork tender. This ensures even cooking.

40 December 2023 • Mature Focus

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the milk and butter in the microwave or a small saucepan over low heat. Don't boil it, just warm it gently.

Once the potatoes are tender, drain them thoroughly in a colander. Return them to the same pot on the stovetop over very low heat to release some steam. Mash them using a potato masher or ricer. Make sure to do this while the potatoes are still hot to create a smoother texture.

Add the milk and butter mixture to the mashed potatoes. Gently stir until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Be sure to taste and

adjust the seasonings as needed.

Transfer to a serving dish.

As we gather at the table for the holidays, remember that the magic of perfect mashed potatoes isn't confined to holidays. Let these inexpensive, creamy, fluffy spuds elevate any meal, and savor the comfort they bring yearround. Merry Christmas!

Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime - Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit divasonadime.com. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com

Goldfein -From Page 5 “Yeah, well, I had leg cramps.”

“I know. I heard you marching around the bedroom.”

“No, you didn’t. You were sleeping.”

The verbal jousting is halted by the current dog, who is covering his ears, and our need for coffee. This requires one of us leaving the bed, usually me.

I’m quite sure that competitive notsleeping isn’t limited to us. I believe we have entered a stage in life where sleep deprivation may very well be the new status age-related deficit, edging out other contenders, like the greatest number of body part replacements, who knows the best doctors, and HDL scores.

I’d gladly relinquish the gold medal in exchange for a few nights of sound, solid, restful sleep.

Conversations around a dinner table often focus on the virtues and pitfalls of Ambien over Lunesta, or how spraying lavender on your pillowcase is very soothing and will lull you to dreamland. I tried that. I wound up with a damp pillowcase and an allergy attack.

And don’t ever complain to a friend that you’re tired all the time because you average only four hours of sleep.

Sympathy will not be forthcoming, but rather, “you think that’s bad; I never sleep.”

As for me, I’m tired, and would like to withdraw from the game. I’d gladly relinquish the gold medal in exchange for a few nights of sound, solid, restful sleep.

And when my husband laments in the morning about how bad the night was, I would gently pat his hand, commiserate, and try my best to refrain from gloating. After all, I’m not a competitive person.

Born and raised in New York City, Susan currently splits her time between Florida and Connecticut.

Visit Susan’s blog, susansunfilteredwit.com.

Mature Focus • December 2023

41

How my little vacation taught me to savor precious moments

/.;;;;;;’/;...By Ana Veciana-Suarez Love, loss and age have taught me that some of the most rewarding moments in life happen unexpectedly, squeezed between big events and quotidian demands. In the never-ending clamor of responsibilities, we may not notice them, overshadowed as they are by milestones and forks-in-the road. However, I’m happy to report I had my share during a recent twostate, four-city, 12-day abuela tour to visit the grandkids.

Oh, and how I’m savoring them now! Remembering brings a smile to my face and a lightness to my step.

Even normal annoyances — dog hair on the floor, telemarketing calls, dishes in the sink —feel inconsequential.

Most of those precious moments happened in the car, while I was driving the older grandkids to school, play

rehearsals, and lacrosse practice.

Captive, guard down, they talked.

They told stories. They offered opinions and worries and glimpses into their hearts.

My job was simple. I listened. Sure, sometimes I nudged with an inoffensive question, but mostly I listened. I Rejection, however small or temporary, is as inevitable as a common cold, but you can treat it and build up your immunity by bouncing back and moving forward. did not attempt to pry, which was hard, really hard, because I’ve been a journalist for 45 years now and inquiring personalities always want to probe and prod. But questions are like chocolate — you can’t limit yourself to one. Or at least I can’t. I tend to go through the whole box, the who-whatwhen-where-and-why.

Anyway, by keeping my mouth shut and my mind open, I got a peek into thoughts and dreams, friend drama and romantic crushes. And nothing is as rewarding, as sweetly intimate, as a door flung open to the secret life of a teen. I learned, for instance, how

emotionally difficult it is for a young lady to do well, to perform at the top of her game, and still get passed up for a coveted spot in a particular class.

But that wasn’t even the most revealing part. At first she railed at the unfairness of it all. Then, after giving it some thought, she said she accepted the hard fact that not everything would go her way, despite her hard work, despite her efforts and lobbying and talent. And, you know, maybe it was for the best. Over time she would only get better, right? Over time she would only prove that clueless teacher wrong.

My chest tightened and my throat closed when my granddaughter recounted this ordeal. What would I not give to protect her from the lash of disappointment? The bitterness of being overlooked? And yet ... and yet, in my head I shouted, “You go, girl!

You go!”

I was secretly elated that she had figured out an important lesson.

Rejection, however small or temporary, is as inevitable as a common cold, but you can treat it and build up your immunity by bouncing back and moving forward. This skill is essential to success in both our professional and personal lives. Learning it will serve her in good stead.

Of course, not all these in-between moments were…well, so momentous.

Not all were expressed in words while riding gunshot on a winding Georgia road. One very early morning at another son’s house, his four-year-old

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son raced into my bedroom with the energy only a preschooler can own at that unforgiving time.

Though it was still dark outside and the other residents of the house, including the cat, slumbered upstairs, he found me pounding away at my laptop.

“What you doing?” he asked, stretching extravagantly among the tangled sheets I had abandoned an hour earlier.

“Working.”

“Why? There’s no sun.”

Why, indeed? I asked myself.

So, I stopped. I shut the computer off. I seized the opportunity and climbed into bed to snuggle. And for those brief minutes before the cat attacked, I thought: This, this, is what embroiders my life in such bright, colorful threads.

Ana Veciana-Suarez writes about family and social issues. Email her at avecianasuarez@gmail.com or visit her website anavecianasuarez.com.

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