And This is a good one. Different, too.

Anyone who has read my Newspaper Column or this Blog for any length of time knows my penchant for Brain Twisters, and so this can be no surprise.

But trust me, it’s a good one, and also, it’s not a brain-breaker. Just fun.

Following are ten groups of words. The three answers of each group are made up from the very same four letters. Find the correct answer to one of the three and then twist the letters around to find the answers to the other two.

Six correct is said to be good, and finding eight or more correct is said you must be a genius. I wasn’t a genius. Here goes.

1. (a). A benediction ______________________
(b), An appellation ________________________
(c). Long hair of a horse ___________________

2. (a). Small Body of water ________________
(b). A game _____________________________
(c). Doubling a Rope ______________________

3, (a). A cock, hen or chicken _______________
(b). Glide, as a stream _____________________
(c), An animal ____________________________

4. (a). To challenge ________________________
(b). Beloved ______________________________
(c). To pursue ____________________________

5. (a). Crippled ___________________________
(b). One of the sexes ______________________
(c). A repast _____________________________

6. (a). To spring over ______________________
(b). Sound, as a bell _______________________
(c). Wan, colorless ________________________

7. (a). A fruit ____________________________
(b). To cut covering off ____________________
(c). To Harvest ___________________________

8. (a).  A measure of land __________________
(b). Contest of speed ______________________
(c). To be fond of _________________________

9, (a). Chair or bench ______________________
(b). Point on Compass _____________________
(c). Satisfy the appetite _____________________

10. (a). Domesticated ______________________
(b). Set of Players _________________________
(c). Flesh of animals _______________________

This is a fun quizz and one you might want to share with your children. In fact, if they get it first, they will try it out on you.

Print this out and work on it, because I am not giving the answers out quite yet, and feel free to post your answers.

Oh, and I hope you had more fun solving these, than I had typing them. Almost gave up and deleted the whole dang thing.   Have fun and we’ll meet again next week, AND NOT WITH A QUIZ SUCH AS THIS.

Be aware, and don’t settle for less . . .

Now that the ‘baby boomers’ are retiring in full force, it’s said that over half of all Americans are in that ‘over 60’ group and while it puts our population out of balance, it’s not bad at all  for members of that Group.

I’ve been a member for sometime and kinda like it. Only a generation or two ago being a ‘senior’ was not an age to look forward to, but times have changed. Really changed, so grab your partner’s hand, if you’re lucky enough to still have him/her. And if not, you won’t be the only one.

First, pregnancy is no longer a concern, for while we liked that process, we’re now celebrating our grandkids, and can’t wait to have them come for an evening, or more. We also rejoice when their parents, (our grownup kids), come and get them, and we’re all happy with our unique, but changing place in the line.

One of the first gifts of seniority is that we can forget about schedules. We get up when we want, go to bed ditto, and if we want leftover pizza or pie for breakfast, well, we eat pizza or pie for breakfast. If we want to take a tray and eat out under a tree, or in bed with the TV, well, again, that’s what and where we will eat, and no explanations needed.

And now I narrow this down to myself. My partner died quite a few years ago, and what with a job I loved, and busy with friends, I chose to not marry again, and so, if I spend a whole day just reading and making meals from a well stocked freezer, augmented by the Micro, I have no guilt. And in the same vein, after years of trying to keep my yard up to Gram’s standard, I rid myself of all flower beds, let someone else mow the lawn, and . . . I . . . love . . . it.

Another bonus for we ‘over 60’s’ is never needing to justify to anyone what we buy or don’t buy. Of course we pay attention to the pocket book, but can you imagine freedom of not having to explain??? And, if I want to clean house, I clean. And if my home gets a trifle rumpled, well, it’s my house and I can grin and say, “It’s OK, Ethel,” knowing that in a day or two, Crystal will come and make sense of it all.

I like music and if it’s 24 hours of Beethoven or the same of good ole country songs, it’s my choice, and if you haven’t yet found Music Choice, go for it. Right there on TV is any kind of music you could want, with no commercials , or membership fees or joining some ‘club’. Click on Station 950, then keep going down through 949, etc. and you can make your Music Choice, and for free.

Then . . . we find ourselves changing former bedrooms into guest rooms,  office, studio, sewing room, grandkid’s playrooms, or a sun room, It’s fun. The feel of the entire house changes as we claim it for ours, and not for 3, 4, or 5 others, because those beloved ‘others’ are now grown and planning their own homes and rooms. And most of my ‘old’ furniture is welcomed by those who, not too long ago, used it all as children, and are glad to get it for their kids. Real re-cycling..

When I was a teenager, I loved being a teenager, had a ball during my 20’s, and never would I give up the years of having and helping my kids grow up. But now, we are different people, a different age, and whether   it’s you and a partner, or just you, everyone over 60 that I know is finding it good.

You’ll find so much that is unexpected and wonderful. Hair salons cater to us, restaurants put out ‘red carpets’ to lure us in. We are one of the biggest buying groups in all States, and retailers seek our favor.

Things and people, change. For us, every stage of life has been full of surprises and if you’re lucky and still have your partner, just know that is mainly the surprise gift of Health Care, almost solely the basis of all the changes I speak of. Yeah, life over 60 is good.

Your senior years will never be like your mother’s or grandmother’s and they would not recognize the opportunities now open to you. Take it all and make your over 60’s into the crowning glory of your years of work, planning, and maturing. Don’t settle for less. You earned it.

Pure God Stuff . . .

I’ve long been active with Utah’s metaphysical organizations, teaching or speaking at such groups and last week was pleasantly surprised when someone emailed me to comment upon a ‘talk’ I had given a decade or two ago, and as I read his words, I knew I had this week’s blog right there in my hands.

I had called my talk ‘The Golden Ring’, and my first words were to ask everyone to remove any Gold Ring they might be wearing, and to place that ring in one hand, and put the Gold in the other hand. Which of course is impossible to do, for after all, the Gold was the basic material used and the ring just the form given that Gold.

And I went on to explain that no matter how soiled that ring might be, or even if somehow it becomes crushed out of shape, until it no longer even looks like a ring, the inherent material will remain constant. Pure Gold.

And that, I continued, is what we are. You, me, everyone we look upon, our core is Golden. And, I went on, that core is glorious golden Spirit. and I call it God Stuff. That’s what we are.

And no matter how soiled, or ‘bent out of shape’ we may become in form, what nationality we are, what color our skin, or shape of our eyes, doesn’t matter, for our core, our very Being, is golden, pure ‘God Stuff.’

I taught for a few years at the State Prison, and yes, I often repeat some ‘talk’ that has had acceptance and appeal to other groups, and there, behind those steel and concrete walls, I spoke of the Golden Ring, and saw more than one man wipe away a tear or two, as they heard me repeat that no matter how twisted or bent out of shape we seem to be, or what we have done, or not done, the core of us remains pure. Like an old dirty, twisted ring , we too are Pure Gold, and nothing, absolutely nothing can change that Gold. That Pure God Stuff.

It takes a discerning eye to hold a dirty, bent-up ring in our hand, and be able to see past   the tarnished ‘facade’ and know there is uncontaminated Gold within. And many a piece of jewelry, or Person, is tossed aside as worthless while Real Gold, Pure God Stuff, lies therein.

And we must never think it too late, for it never is. The outer form constantly changes during our lifetime, but the ‘Gold’, unchanging, is always there. It is us, even from life after life. You. Me. The pure, Golden God Stuff remains ever the same.

Our skin and outer form, may be female, male, brown, white, yellow, black, or some mixture, just as Gold can be formed into a ring, pin, necklace, bracelet, and so forth, for the outer forms matter not, for they are endless, but the Gold is constant. We see only the ever-changing form, while the basic material, is changeless. Pure Gold, God in Spirit.

There are no baby Spirits; But Spirits in baby bodies.
No old worn-out Spirits; But Spirits in old worn-out bodies.
No African Spirits; But Spirits in African bodies.
No Far Eastern Spirits; But Spirits in Far Eastern Bodies.
No Criminal Spirits, But Spirits in Criminal forms.
No Handicapped Spirits, But Spirits in Handicapped bodies.
No Gay Spirits, But Spirits in Gay bodies.

Our many languages have given us so many different names, The Source, Allah, I Am, The Light, God, Spirit, so call it what we will, we know what we mean, and, no matter what  we have allowed to happen to our Human Machine, it’s only the form, and when we step from this Human body, and enter another of God’s Rooms where, with guidance, the soil and false images we’ve thought were us, will be erased and we’ll know what we are, and ever have been. Serene, unchanging, golden Spirit. Pure God Stuff.

And, the next time we glance at a Gold Ring on our finger, know that it represents You, Me, everyone else, and stand in awe to know there is no alloy or impurity in the gold or the Real Us. Just unsullied, Golden, God Stuff.

Fun in the winter sun, a man, his dog, and wild geese . . .

A man, or boy playing with his dog is a familiar sight and good to see. You can feel their joy as the dog leaps to the shoulders of the other and you know they both are having fun.

But last week I saw a man, his dog, and two separate flocks of geese, each of 40 or more birds, playing a game and having ‘the time of their lives’. I stopped spellbound at what I was seeing and didn’t move from my window until the game was over.

It began with a man I often see down on the Golf Course, taking a walk with his dog, who,  with no golfers on the snow-covered Course, can run free. With no one there but his Master, he runs across the field, then goes back to be reunited for a moment, and then off again. Both man and beast enjoying it all.

The snow-covered field was beautiful and I watched from a window as a flock of geese swooped in, and I didn’t think it odd at the time, but now I realize, and wonder, that the presence of the man and running dog made no difference to the geese. I often see the man and his dog, and also see the geese settling down for a rest, but never at the same time. This time it was different.

The dog started it when he ran, no, he almost danced, with tail flying high, toward the geese, NOT barking or any ‘attack’ mode, but in a ‘let’s play together’ way, and the geese, with no flurry or fear, took to the air, but didn’t go in fear, for I watched and they kept, believe it or not, just out of the dog’s reach, and would actually dip down, toward the playful dog, then up, circle, and the dog followed their lead, and the man just kept casually walking along the path. No yelling, no whistling, no calling, or flapping of arms. Just minding his own business and knowing both his dog and the geese were enjoying each other.

And then, and I repeat myself, but it is hard to believe, but another flock of geese came, settled not too far away from all the activity. And it surprised me to see the dog whirl and prance off toward them. And they, too, did not fly away. It was a game if I ever saw one and man, dog and two good-sized flocks of geese knew the game, and kept all the rules, too. No loud honking or barking. It was just like a bunch of kids playing their own game of TAG.

The man kept his steady calm, pace and ever so often the dog would run back to him, jump up to his shoulders, tail wagging, get petted, and then on his way back to the geese.   I swear if those geese could also have swooped to the man for approval, they would have too.

The geese, from both flocks, played their part by swooping to the dog as he danced among them, almost with a ‘Hey, I almost touched you’ manner. If those geese had been in fear they could and would have flown away in an instant. But both flocks, stayed and played with a happy dog. And I think the man was enjoying it, too. I watched them for easily ten to 15 minutes.

It was so apparently a game that I knew there was some sort of communication between those animals (and I include the man). A way of communication that we know not of, and seldom see. The two flocks of geese never mingled with each other, but one playful dog went back and forth between them, and one calm, UN-interfering man, were all enjoying themselves. And each other.

The man continued his calm pace and soon entered into another part of the Course. The geese and dog continued their play, but as the distance grew, with the man further away, I saw him stop, turn, put his hand to his mouth and I think he whistled. because his dog, abruptly stopped his play, turned and giving the geese one good last whirl, he obeyed the signal and joined the man,

Both flocks of geese, watched him go, and I swear flicked their wings in a ‘let’s do this again some time’ manner , and then as the man and dog went their way, the geese settled in their different parts of the field, and so did I.

The game was over. But what a game. for right in my own ‘backyard’, I saw a man, birds, and an animal, and with no fear, play together. People, with all our differences, could take a lesson from them.