Today’s BoomeR

Today’s

Vol.2 No.4

Featuring The Only B2B Featuring The Only B2B Featuring The Only B2B ---Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace!Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace!Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace!

Reassessing Reassessing Reassessing Retirement Retirement Retirement AssumptionsAssumptionsAssumptions

Social Security: Spouses have a significant benefit

Adventures discovering a whole Adventures discovering a whole Adventures discovering a whole new new new type of parentingtype of parentingtype of parenting

Parents to Grand ParentsParents to Grand Parents

Boomer Healthy Boomer Healthy Eating Eating Fresh from the Fresh from the Farm EFarm E--Z SweetsZ Sweets

Don’t Waste Your Time: 10 Worst Beach Reads

Boomer Travel Boomer Travel Car Show Cruisin’Car Show Cruisin’

2 Today’s BoomeR

Up Coming Cruises-

Book Now!

Paris to Prague River Cruise

“Credit Union Leadership Exploration Symposium”

August 16-27, 2013

Grand Mediterranean Odyssey 2013

“Credit Union Leadership Challenges Symposium”

September 15-27, 2013

Eastern Caribbean Adventure

2013 “Credit Union Volunteers Forum”

November 3-10, 2013

Today’s BoomeR 3

Founder John Vardallas & Alexandra Maragha

Editor-In-Chief Alexandra Maragha

Contributing Writers :

Karyl Richson: Social Security

Chef Eben Atwater: Healthy Eating

Advertising: Team

For Letters to the Editor, articles and feedback

as well as advertising inquiries email

Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomeR.com

The American BoomeR.com

John Vardallas CAE, CUDE

CEO/Founder Professional Speaker

Business/Lifestyle Strategist

Boomer Sage and Blogger

JohnVardallas@TheAmericanBoomeR.com

(608) 577-8707

Alexandra Maragha

Co-Founder, Editor-In-Chief Today’s BoomeR

Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomeR.com

Today’s BoomeR Vol.2 No.4 Today’s BoomeR is published

six times (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/ June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct,

Nov/Dec) a year by The American BoomeR.com

769 North Star Drive (Suite 207) Madison, WI 53718 All rights

reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission

is prohibited.

The American Boomer

@American_Boomer

Today’s

This Issue

July / August 2013

Volume 2, Number 4

Boomer Travel 5

Car Show Cruisin’

10 Worst Beach Reads 7

Reassessing 9

Retirement Assumptions

Social Security 11

Spouse Benefits

Boomer Healthy Eating 12

Fresh E-Z Sweets

Parents to 14

Grand Parents

B2B Marketplace 18

Business 2 Boomers Marketplace

4 Today’s BoomeR

(feature) p. 10

p. 4

p. 12

Moving to the Middle

EDITOR’S LETTER

Today’s

Alexandra Maragha

Editor-In-Chief

Send Letters and Feedback to: Alexandra@theamericanboomer.com

Holding a baby brings a sense of warmth, caring, responsibility and love for

any parent to come to realize within a matter of moments after that new

baby arrives. For the parents of the new parents, holding that new baby

brings a sense of new and old emotions and experiences, with an even

greater bond and tie formed, so I am told. Being a new parent of just giving

birth to my son six months ago, I have been able to appreciate, understand

and have a new connection with my own Boomer parents as I travel on this

new journey of parenthood and motherhood. I can begin to understand their

worries, fears, and concerns that they had and still have with me today, while

also transforming from just a daughter (and wife) to now a mother.

This issue features the experience of one boomer enjoying the new arrival of

her grandson and watching her son become a father. Our Boomer Finance is

about Reassessing Retire-

ment Assumptions, and Social

Security talks about spouses

having significant benefits.

Enjoy the rest of summer

with delightful treats from

Boomer Healthy Eating Chef

Eben Atwater, and avoid

taking the wrong book to the

beach, or instead plan a trip

to go Car Show Cruising!

Enjoy this issue and here is to

family!

Today’s BoomeR 5

B

OO

ME

R T

RA

VE

L

BO

OM

ER

TR

AV

EL

Car Show Cruisin’Car Show Cruisin’Car Show Cruisin’ Local classics to extraordinary exotics, Local classics to extraordinary exotics, Local classics to extraordinary exotics,

plan your trip this season!plan your trip this season!plan your trip this season!

Alexandra Maragha

Calling all car enthusiasts! If you are the kind to look, buy, remodel, collect or simply enjoy driving cars, plan a vacation to indulge in a day or longer trip full of cars! If you like muscle cars, antiques, classics or customs, car enthusiasts should not pass up a chance to visit a local car show or visit Barrett Jackson, one of the larg-est car auctions in the country this year holding shows in Reno Tahoe, NV, Las Vegas, NV and Scottsdale, AZ.

Local Car Shows

Summer time is prime time for local car shows to be the main attraction for small towns and

surrounding met-ropolitan areas. Check your local chamber of com-merce to know if there are any car clubs in your area and if they hold events. Most local clubs hold weekly or monthly car

shows and anyone who has hot wheels is usually able to enter

6 Today’s BoomeR

their car for show for a small registration or entry fee and has an opportunity to show off and enjoy the company of other collectables and their owners. This is a great way to spend a day or night just talking about cars and all aspects from engine size to custom parts available for different makes and models, both new and old. Local car shows also give an opportunity to travel off the beaten path and enjoy the more sce-nic route of an area, as many car show participants travel 50 miles or more to attend and enter their cars for a chance at a best of show trophy or the simple credit and public recognition.

Barrett Jackson: Reno Tahoe, NV

Wanting to get more bang for your travel and auto buck? Plan to take a trip to experience one of the largest and most extensive auto auctions

in the country. Barrett Jackson is in international auto auction that brings exotic collectables to the spotlight for the highest bidder to bring home. The Reno Tahoe show will bring over 700 cars ranging from early 1900 collectables to muscle machines of the 60’s and 70’s and custom editions of the most recent models out on the market today. The event takes place August 8-10 and includes the auction, car shows with handsome cash purses available to the best car in show. Accom-modations available and listed by Barrett-Jackson.com list hotel rates from $39 a night at the Circus Circus Reno, where the Barrett-Jackson Cup will be awarded during the Reno Show-n-Shine. The Show-n-Shine event is a daily competitions starting Wednesday, Au-gust 7 through Friday, August 9 and Finals on Satur-day, August 10. Best of show is awarded $20,000.

Cant make it? Plan ahead for a trip to the famous auction and car event in Las Vegas, NV September 26-28, 2013 and in Scotts-dale, AZ January 12-19, 2014. Visit www.barrettjackson.com for more information.

Today’s BoomeR 7

There are worse things than being stuck on a beach without a book

to read, but it's still a pretty miserable situation. There you are, tow-

el under your butt, sunscreen on your nose, and book in hand,

ready to enjoy a lazy day of sun, swimming, and losing yourself in a

good read.

And then …

And then you find out that the book is miserably written. Or impen-

etrably dense. Or the characters are awful, or the plot is dull, or

there's something else that makes you realize that you'd rather sit through dental surgery without anesthetic than

read another page. And so you find yourself staring at the ocean, sitting next to a book that you can't bring yourself

to pick up, twiddling your thumbs.

If you're looking to maximize the ROI of your beach reads,

you're in luck: Goodreads, the social media site for readers,

has released a list of the "most abandoned" books -- the

ones that the largest number of readers have given up on.

While there are hundreds of books on the list, a few

patterns quickly become clear. For example, the top aban-

doned classics -- "Catch-22," "Lord of the Rings," "Ulysses,"

"Moby Dick," and "Atlas Shrugged" -- include an impenetra-

bly dense Irish novel, a complex American classic, a couple

of morally ambiguous polemics, and one of the most richly-

detailed, geekiest fantasies every written.

Some of these patterns continue into the top abandoned

mainstream books. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," for

example, is overly detailed (at least in the beginning), while

"Eat, Pray, Love" suffers from the amazing self-obsession of

its author/narrator. For fans of "Wicked" the musical,

"Wicked" the novel's political machinations may seem a bit

excessive; similarly, fans of Harry Potter may find them-

selves thinking that JK Rowling failed to finesse the transi-

tion from Hogwarts to local muggle politics in "The Casual

Vacancy." As for "Fifty Shades of Grey," a large number of

readers just found it to be incredibly badly written.

So much for the bad books, but what if you want a good

By Bruce Watson, Daily Finance

Need a Beach Read Worth Your Time?

Here Are the 10 Worst Choices

Getty Images

8 Today’s BoomeR

bet to tuck into your bag? Luckily, Goodreads also has a

list of top-rated beach reads, which it updates annually.

Katherine Stockett's 2009 novel "The Help" tops this

year's ranking, followed by more recent arrivals

"Seduction," "The Wednesday Daughters," "Gone Girl"

and "Orphan Train." And, for those with more specialized

tastes, there are dozens of other suggested reading lists,

including compendiums of the best one-day reads and

the best socially-redeeming page-turners. In other words,

regardless of your beach-reading tastes, Goodreads prob-

ably has a list for you.

Bruce Watson is DailyFinance's Savings editor. You can

reach him by e-mail at bruce.watson@teamaol.com, or

follow him on Twitter at @bruce1971.

Today’s BoomeR 9

Reassessing Retirement

Assumptions

There is no "typical" retirement

Many baby boomers want one and believe that they will have one, and their futures may indeed unfold as planned.

For others, the story will be different. Just as there is no routine retirement, there are no rote financial moves that

should be made before or during this phase of life, and no universal truths about the retirement experience. Here are

some commonly held assumptions - suppositions that may or may not prove true for you, depending on your financial

and lifestyle circumstances.

#1. You should take Social Security as late as possible

Generally speaking, this is a smart move. If you were born in the years from 1943-1954, your monthly benefit will be

25% smaller if you claim Social Security at 62 instead of your "full" retirement age of 66. If you wait until 70 to take

Social Security, your monthly benefit will be 32% larger than if you had taken it at 66.1 So why would anyone apply for

Social Security benefits in their early 60s? The fact is, some seniors really need the income now. Some have health is-

sues or the prospect of hereditary diseases influencing their choice. Single retirees don't have a second, spousal in-

come to count on, and that is another factor in the decision. For most people, waiting longer implies a larger lifetime

payout from America's retirement trust. Not everyone can bank on longevity or relative affluence, however.

#2. You'll probably live 15-20 years after you retire

You may live much longer, especially if you are a woman. According to the Census Bureau, the population of Ameri-

cans 100 or older grew 65.8% between 1980 and 2010, and 82.8% of centenarians were women in 2010. The real eye-

opener: in 2010, slightly more than a third of America's centenarians lived alone in their own homes. Had their retire-

ment expenses lessened with time? Doubtful to say the least.2

#3. You should step back from growth investing as you get older

What makes financial sense for some baby boomers

may not make sense for you

Provided by Nick Abts

10 Today’s BoomeR

As many investors age, they shift portfolio assets into in-

vestment vehicles that offer less risk than stocks and stock

funds. This is a well-regarded, long-established tenet of

asset allocation. Does it apply for everyone? No. Some re-

tirees may need to invest for growth well into their 60s or

70s because their retirement savings are meager. There

are retirement planners who actually favor aggressive

growth investing for life, arguing that the rewards out-

weigh the risks at any age.

#4. The way most people invest is the way you

should invest

Again, just as there is no typical retirement, there is no

typical asset allocation strategy or investment that works

for everyone. Your time horizon, your risk tolerance, and

your current retirement nest egg represent just three of

the variables to consider when you evaluate whether

you should or should not enter into a particular invest-

ment.

#5. Going Roth is

a no-brainer

Not necessarily. If

you are mulling a

Roth IRA or Roth

401(k) conversion,

the big question is

whether the tax

savings in the end

will be worth the

tax you will pay on the conversion today. The younger you

are - roughly speaking - the greater the possibility the an-

swer will be "yes", as your highest-earning years are likely

in the future. If you are older and at or near your peak

earning potential, the conversion may not be worth it at

all.

#6. A lump sum payout represents a good deal

Some corporations are offering current and/or former

workers a choice of receiving pension plan assets in a lump

sum payout instead of periodic payments. They aren't do-

ing this out of generosity; they are doing it because actuar-

ies have advised them to lessen their retirement obliga-

tions to loyal employees. For many pension plan partici-

pants, electing not to take the lump sum and sticking with

the lifelong periodic payments may make more sense in

the long run. The question is, can the retiree invest the

lump sum in such a way that might produce more money

over the long run, or not? The lump sum payout does offer

liquidity and flexibility that the periodic payments don't,

but there are few things as economically reassuring as pre-

dictable, recurring retirement income. Longevity is anoth-

er factor in this decision.

#7. Living it up in your 60s

won't hurt you in your 80s

Some couples withdraw much

more than they should from

their savings in the early years

of retirement. After a few

years, they notice a drawdown

happening - their portfolio isn't

returning enough to replenish

their retirement nest egg, and

so the fear of outliving their

money grows. This is a good argument for

living beneath your means while still careful-

ly planning and budgeting some "epic adven-

tures" along the way. Your retirement plan

should be created and periodically revised with an under-

standing of the unique circumstances of your life and your

unique financial objectives. There is no such thing as ge-

neric retirement planning, and that is because none of us

will have generic retirements.

Nicholas Abts may be reached at 630-588-9070 or

nick.abts@tfaconnect.com.www.tfaconnect.com

www.tfaconnect.com

This material was prepared by MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make

no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other

professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on

for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices

are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment.

Citations

1 - www.forbes.com/sites/janetnovack/2011/02/15/the-big-decision-when-to-take-social-security/ [2/15/11]

2 - money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/2013/01/07/what-people-who-live-to-100-have-in-common [1/7/13]

Today’s BoomeR 11

Social Security:

Spouses Have a Significant Benefit

Social Security can be an important financial asset for married cou-

ples when the time comes to apply for retirement benefits. In many

cases, one spouse may have earned significantly more than the

other, or have worked for a longer span of years. Or it could be that

one spouse stayed home to do the work of raising the children or

caring for elderly family members while the other focused on a

career.

Regardless of your situation, Social Security will look at all

possibilities to make sure both spouses receive the maximum

benefit possible.

Even if you have not paid Social Security taxes, it’s likely you’ll be

eligible to receive benefits on your spouse’s record. If you did work

and pay into Social Security, we will check eligibility based on your

work record and your spouse’s to see which amount is higher.

You can apply for spouses benefits the same way that you apply for

benefits on your own record. You can apply for reduced benefits as

early as age 62, or for 100 percent of your full retirement benefits

at your “full retirement age. “ You can find your full retirement age,

based on your birth year, at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/

ageincrease.htm.

The benefit amount you can receive as a spouse, if you have

reached your full retirement age, can be as much as one half of

your spouse’s full benefit. If you opt for early retirement, your ben-

efit may be as little as a third of your spouse’s full benefit amount.

If your spouse has already reached full retirement age but contin-

ues to work, your spouse can apply for retirement benefits and

request to have the payments suspended until as late as age 70.

This would allow the worker to earn delayed retirement credits

that will mean higher payments later, but would allow you to re-

ceive your spouse’s benefit.

You can also apply for spouse benefits based on the earnings rec-

ord of an ex-spouse or deceased spouse if you were married for at

least 10 years. Spouses can consider a number of options and varia-

bles. We make it easier to navigate them. A good place to start is

by visiting our benefits planner at www.socialsecurity.gov/

planners. Take note of the “Benefits As A Spouse” section.

If you are ready to apply for benefits, the fastest, easiest, and most

convenient way is to apply online! You can do so at

www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline.

Whether you receive benefits on a spouse’s record or your own,

rest assured we will make sure you get the highest benefit we can

pay you. Learn more at www.socialsecurity.gov.

By Karyl Richson , Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

Your Social Security Questions Answered

Question: My wife doesn't have enough work under Social Security to qualify for Social Security or Medicare. But I am fully insured and eligible. Can she qualify on my record? Answer: Yes. The question you’ve raised applies to husbands as well as wives, Even if your spouse has never worked un-der Social Security, she (or he) can, at full retirement age, receive benefit equal to one-half of your full retire-ment amount. Your wife is eligible for reduced spouses benefits as early as age 62, as long as you are already re-ceiving benefits, If your spouse will receive a pension for work not covered by Social Security such as government employment, the amount of his or her Social Security benefits on your record may be reduced. For more infor-mation, take a look at the fact sheet, Government Pen-sion offset, Publication No, 05-10007 at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10007.html. For more in-formation visit www.socialsecurity.gov and select the “Retirement” tab. Question: What is the earliest age I can begin receiving Retirement benefits? Answer: The earliest age you can begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits is 62. If you decide to receive bene-fits before your full retirement age, which for most peo-ple is age 66 or 67 you will receive a reduced benefit. Keep in mind you will not be able to receive Medicare coverage until age 65, even if you decide to retire at an earlier age, For amore information go to www.socialsecurity.gov.

12 Today’s BoomeR

BOOMER HEALTHY EATING:

Say Granita:

I was introduced to this treat in Italy back in the '70s, and I've been a fan ever since; you will be too. Granitas are cool, refreshing, healthy as you want to be, and couldn’t be easier to make. Think of them as a grown up snow cone with dozens of options from fruit to coffee to herbs. Basically, a granita is a mixture of water, sugar and flavorings. With fruit in high season, you've got your best source for flavor and relatively healthy sugars wrapped in one neat package. Using refined sugar alternatives like honey or agave nectar means you can combine everything in one step, with no need to boil sugar and water to create a syrup.

OK, first off, a ridiculously simple, no-sugar berry recipe:

Rinse and de-stem one pound of your favorite berries, then freeze them overnight.

Next day, toss ‘em into a food processor blender and let 'er rip until you've got a nice, even consistency - Bingo, you’ve got granita.

Want something a bit more advanced taste-wise? Have at it! You're still looking at maybe 10 minutes work, tops!

1 pound fresh Strawberries, de-stemmed and rinsed

Juice of ½ to 1 fresh Lime

¼ Cup Honey or Agave Nectar

½ Cup fresh water

Throw everybody into the processor or blender and blend until you’ve got a nice, smooth consistency.

Pour the goods into a glass baking pan in the 9” x 12” size range.

Stick that in the freezer for a couple hours or so, then pull it out and with a fork, scrape the whole mixture to fluff

Recipes and Photos from

Chef Eben Atwater

www.urbanmonique.com

Summer's the time for quick meals and easier fare, as we take advantage of sunny warm days.

Often enough, desert is the first meal component to suffer, or worse yet, get

eliminated. Here's some fast and healthier options to bring it back into your meal.

Today’s BoomeR 13

Greek Yoghurt for topping

Throw the wine, water, lemon juice and zest and va-nilla bean into a saucepan small enough to allow the figs to be about ¾ immersed, over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to just main-tain the simmer and let every-thing incorporate for about 5 minutes.

Slice the bottoms off the figs so they’re nice and flat, de-stem them and carefully cut an X about ½” across the tops.

Carefully set the figs into the liquid and simmer for about 5 minutes until they’re tender.

Remove from heat and allow the figs to steep in the liquid for another 10 minutes or so.

Plate in a shallow dish with a spoonful of poaching liquid and garnish with a dollop of yoghurt.

it up, turn it over, etc. Do that again every hour for a couple more hours.

When you’re ready to serve, spoon the goods into martini or small margarita glasses with a nice little sprig of mint and wait for the oohs and ahhs!

Sweet Simple Figs

Want something that looks really elegant, exotic and in fact, a breeze? Try this wonderful treatment of fresh figs; a genuinely indulgent treat if ever there was one.

1 Cup Red Wine, (We like Old Vine Zinfandel or Petite Syrah)

8 fresh, ripe Mission Figs

1 Vanilla Bean, split and scraped

Juice and zest from ½ fresh Lemon

¼ Cup Honey or Agave Nectar

Eben Atwater is a Chef and writer who began cooking professionally in the 1970’s in Washington State and Idaho. In addition

to a food blog he publishes with his wife and partner-in-crime Monica, Eben is an accomplished musician and instrument

maker. He lives in western Washington State where he manages a bakery-café. Visit www.urbanmonique.com

14 Today’s BoomeR

From From From ParentsParentsParents to to to

Grand Grand Grand ParentsParentsParents

Grandparents.com columnist Sally Koslow describes her new

adventures as she discovers a whole new type of parenting;

Grand parenting

BBB BBB AAA YYY

Today’s BoomeR 15

When Your Child Becomes a Parent

Columnist Sally Koslow finds that hav-ing a grandchild also means she had a whole new relationship with her son.

Since the moment he presented himself in the breech position with a mop of red hair, my son Jed hasn’t stop surprising me. I could never have imagined a little boy who at age three would start living for Star Wars, nor did I foresee an adult who for his 36th birth-day would request Darth Vader and His Son, a book where Pops is like any other, if you don’t count being the Dark Lord of the Sith in a galaxy far, far away. Then again, I could-n’t have imagined my child as a father. Can anyone? One of grandparenthood’s sweetest perks is the chance to see your baby become a par-ent. My own mother, not given to gushing, remarked on how touched she was to watch me nurse, and I felt a similar pang when I first laid eyes on Jed cradling his newborn. Emil, my grandson, has now reached the ripe old age of seven months old, and each time I see him with his father, I’m impressed all over again by how Jed has so readily tak-en to this daddy business. Is it intuitive, or has my kid been inhaling parenting books? That Jed has joined the I-love-my-son-so-much-I-might-burst club has tiled our rela-tionship toward equality. Not that we’re peers. The advantage seems to be in his court, freeing my first-born to speak up when he feels I’ve erred as a grandmother.

I’ve gotten called on the carpet twice. My first demerit was for putting Emil in a playground’s baby-swing--carefully, with the hands-on support of my cousin, I must add. When I sent Jed a video of the escapade (guess who loves her smartphone?) he chas-tised me, saying Emil was too young for these experiences. Also, he wanted to be the first one to swing him, which I suspect was the real point. Like he’s going to remember, I thought as I took my licks, just as I did when I riled Jed by emailing my other son and daughter-in-law a picture of Emil wearing an adorable new sweater that had been a gift from them. “We like to send the picture when someone gives Emil a present,” I was told in a scold. I could have protested about being unfairly punished—I’d traveled an hour to babysit, after all. But I decided to laugh to myself. Jed’s the dad. He’s earned the right to make his rules, while mutual membership in the parenthood club hasn’t earned me the right to similar candor. It’s not my place to say why don’t you give the baby an occasional bottle of formula or let Emil get used to nap-ping in his crib, not on your bed? Whether I agree with them or not, I’ve got to respect the decisions Jed and his wife are making on Emil’s behalf. I am getting such a kick out of granny hood that I can live with this. Having Jed become a father does makes me hope he has grown to understand how when I made decisions that affected him, I always had his best interests at heart. Not allowing him to watch TV on school nights or get his ear pierced in eighth grade and insisting that

16 Today’s BoomeR

he to try to eat a fish that hadn’t been turned into a stick—I wasn’t being mean or arbitrary when I made these demands. I was just being a mom. I also hope that now that Jed has a child of his own who we both love deeply, it understands that it doesn’t mean I’ve stopped having big dreams for my son and his future. Some as-pects of a relationship never change.

There’s “Real Time” and then There’s “Grandmother Time”

When taking care of her new grandson, writer Sally Koslow finds that minutes

and hours exist in a whole different dimension

We’re all familiar with Greenwich Mean Time. We live

GMT every day, scurrying about, barely catching our

breath to comment on how quickly the years fly. When I

spend time with my infant grandson, however, I enter an

alternate universe, as if I’ve hopped on a train on Harry

Potter’s Platform 9 ¾ and exit into GMT 2.0—

Grandmother Time—where the wacky whims of babies

dictate how the minutes pass.

This realm of time is new to me, because when my kids

were born, like every other mother, I—silly mommy—tried to live my life in real time, hop-

ing my babies would comply. That worked out about as well as you’d expect; no matter how

much I multitasked, I was a rush-rush stress machine whose life operated like anything but

clockwork.

In Grandmother Time, the clock slows as I attempt to go with my grandson’s flow. When

we’re together, aware of how fleeting this infant stage is, I expect to get nothing “done” ex-

cept hang, the two of us, baby and granny. I babysit for a few hours at a stretch, ostensibly

in order to give my daughter-in-law a break; in truth so I get an up-close and personal view

of Emil, our tiny new family member.

During these dates, Emil and I exist in a luxurious bubble. Meals aren’t cooked, a home isn’t

cleaned, adult books aren’t read, and email isn’t checked—unless the little dictator chooses

to snooze. This doesn’t happen much. Emil, to the delight and shock of his parents, has

been sleeping through the night since he was less than two months old, but from, say, six

Today’s BoomeR 17

Sally Koslow is the author of four novels and the non-fiction book, Slouching

Toward Adulthood: Observations from the Not-So-Empty Nest. She became a grandmother in

June, 2012.

a.m. to eight p.m. he is a sentinel virtually always on alert, sizing up his big, new world

while he does aerobics, kicking his legs, flinging his arms, batting his mobile, lifting his

head, and practicing his flip turns. There is also singing and dancing—he seems to especial-

ly enjoy our special Charleston—and yesterday, I propped him up beside me and for the

first time, we read a book. Fun stuff. To keep me on my toes, Emil interrupts these antics,

of course, with occasional grimaces and howls—sudden and sometimes long-lasting—that

require me to guess whether he’s hungry, wet, dirty or in that Never-Neverland where he’s

mad as the proverbial hornet yet fails to realize that he and I would feel a whole lot better

if he’d give it rest.

When my daughter-in-law returns—a bit refreshed, I hope—I snap back to GMT. Yet when

I leave, increasingly, I’ve been trying to take a bit of baby-Zen along with me, struggling to

stay in the present tense rather than ruminate about the past or future. That is, unless my

head is wrapped around happy memories. Emil is already giving me plenty of those along

with returning recollections of those sweet forgotten years in his father and uncle’s life,

when they, too, were twelve pounds and everyone wondered if their eyes would turn

brown. Thanks, Emil.

18 Today’s BoomeR

B2B—BUSINESS 2 BOOMERS

The Marketplace for Everything Boomer!

Rates 1/4 Page 1/2 Page Full Page

1 time $200.00 per ad $500.00 per ad $700.00 per ad

6 times $150.00 per ad (When paid in Full)

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Here is a Sneak Peak of the Here is a Sneak Peak of the Here is a Sneak Peak of the

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Staying Fit After 50

Boomer Travel:

Fly Away for Fall

Tailgate Party Rehab

Boomers Hit the Books

Healthy Eating:

Food for Thought

And More...

September/October 2013 Issue:

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