JUST ONE YEAR TO MEDICARE!

Today, I turned 64 years of age. I don't feel any older than I did 10 years ago for which I am very thankful.

I have been thinking all day about that Paul McCartney song, "When I'm 64". It says: "Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64?"

Age has never bothered me except when I went from 29 to 30. I sure did not want to leave my twenties for some reason.

Now, at 64, I am older and wiser and more comfortable with myself. I don't worry about what others think. I know what I like and don't like. I think I have mellowed and I am more accepting of life.

I have finally realized that I will not live forever and I need to do the things I enjoy now.

I have found that I can be silly with my grandson and make a fool of myself and people think it is just my age! If I don't answer right away it is my hearing. If I give a stupid answer or can't remember or talk about the weather too much that just comes with getting older. I get the senior discount at Kroger and they carry out my groceries. Most of the time, I get doors opened for me. I don't worry so much about eating that dessert as I once did. Once I started thinking about the good things I could go on and on.

I am so thankful that at my age I do not take any kind of medicine and as far as I know I am in good health.

I had a great birthday with cards and calls from friends and family here and on facebook and in the blog world.

In the words of the columnist, Ellen Goodman, "These are my good days and not-quite-yet old days".

How do you feel about your age?

WHY OUR GREAT-GRANDPARENTS WERE HAPPIER THAN WE ARE

I received this in the mail and thought it would make a fun post.

A bottle of Bayer's heroin. Between 1890 and 1910 heroin was sold as a non-addictive substitute for morphine. It was also used to treat children with strong cough.

Metcalf Coca Wine was one of a huge variety of wines with cocaine on the market. Everybody used to say that it would make you happy and it would also work as a medicinal treatment.

Mariani wine (1875) was the most famous Coca wine of it's time. Pope Leo XIII used to carry one bottle with him all the time. He awarded Angelo Mariani (the producer) with a Vatican gold medal.

Maltine was produced by Maltine Manufacturing Company of New York . It was suggested that you should take a full glass with or after every meal.. Children should take half a glass.

A paper weight promoting C.F. Boehringer & Soehne ( Mannheim , Germany ). They were proud of being the biggest producers in the world of products containing Quinine and Cocaine.

Opium was used for asthma!

Cocaine tablets were used in the early 1900s by stage actors, singers, teachers and preachers for a maximum performance. Seems they soothed the voice.

Cocaine toothache drops were very popular for children in 1885. Not only did they relieve the pain, they made the children happy!

Opium was used for newborns. I'm sure this would make them sleep well (not only the Opium, but 46% alcohol!)

This may or may not be true but I know my parents had some weird cures for things at times. I can remember hiding under the bed from my father and him pulling me out and forcing me to take castor oil. It was the most vile tasting stuff I ever had and I can still remember the taste from childhood.

My dad thought that chicken noodle soup and ice cream would cure anything. The minute we came down with a cold or upset stomach, he was off to the grocery for those two items. It's funny that now they say chicken soup is good for the soul and a cold!

Do you have any home remedies for what ails you or remember any from childhood???

KENTUCKY'S FAMOUS CASTLE

Kentucky has been home to this castle since it was built by Real Estate Developer, Rex Martin, back in 1969. It is located on Versailles Road in Woodford County near Keeneland Race Track.

I will never forget the first time I saw this structure. I had moved back to Frankfort, our capital city, and gone back to work for state government. I had been away from this area of our state for almost 30 years. I was on my way to a meeting in Lexington with several co-workers. I could not believe my eyes! A real live castle on a hill with turrets, and a fence surrounding the place. I was mesmerized and could not stop talking about it. Of course, they all thought it was so funny that I had never seen it before.

Anyway, the castle set empty for 30 years and was a topic of conversation for Kentuckians as well as tourists that happened to pass by and stopped to take photographs.

It was purchased in 2003 by Tom Post for 1.8 million and has gone through extensive renovation and been renamed, "CastlePost".

CastlePost is now complete with lodging fit for a king for overnight guests, weddings, and charity fund-raising events. There are 16 guest rooms, 21 bathrooms, a library, dining room for 40 guests, ballroom, game room, 20' x 50' pool, tennis and basketball courts. There will be bowling lanes and a putting green on the roof. Cost of a room is from $375 to $475 a night or $1,250 for turret suits!

This link will take you to their website: http://www.thecastlepost.com/ If you scroll down to the spot that says: Check out the CastlePost on KET News, there is a very interesting video there that gives information about the castle's history and how Tom Post's dream is finally coming together.

So, if you want to stay in a real castle and live like a king while you are here visit us in the heart of Bluegrass Country.

Do you have an unusual place or structure near where you live that has been a curiosity to visitors?

BUSY WEEKEND, BUSY TIMES FOR ME

First of all let me say that my blogging friend, Balisha, is at home and doing well. Thanks again for all your prayers and concern.

I spent the weekend with my daughter, Anne, on the farm in Georgetown. (Leigh was out of town) We had a great time.

On Saturday morning, I went with her to get a load of hay for the horses and was able to help load some of it. Next, we road the backroads around Georgetown, Lexington, and Midway. It is beautiful here this time of the year with all the horse farms, board fences, and fall colors. We had lunch at a little place called Wallace Station where you can eat outside at picnic tables and enjoy the wonderful weather we are having.

That's Anne feeding hay to the horses on the left.

Later in the day, we went to the Peddlers Mall and Big Lots and then ordered a big pizza from

Fat Kats for dinner.

We stayed up real late and looked at old pictures of the farm the kids grew up on. The photo below is of me and a friend in 1978. It was 4 months after my twins were born. The girl with me in the photo is Cassie Durham. She is on the left and I am on the right.

For all you gardeners out there, the photo on the left below is our just plowed garden back then. We used to grow, can, and freeze all our vegetables on the farm.

On Sunday morning, my son, Rob, his wife, Sarah, and TW, Anne, Bob and I met at the Cracker Barrel for breakfast. The food was great and we all enjoyed seeing each other.

Thomas Wyatt came to spend the night with me on Monday. We watched videos, ate oats (his favorite thing to eat), and played with cars and trucks. Oh yes, we had to play hide-in-seek.

The picture below is TW hiding. He thinks I can't see him when he gets behind the shutters!

Look at his toes in this picture. I do the same thing!

He is getting sleepy when he lies down, wants his blanket and gathers all his toys, and cup around him. He is watching a Mishee Mouse video. He can't pronouce Mickey yet.

Today, was grocery shopping and a haircut. I am worn out! Now, to get around to all the blogs and make comments, finally! Hope everyone had a good weekend and is having a good week.

THANK YOU BLOGGERS AND AN UPDATE ON BALISHA'S SURGERY

Just a quick note to thank everyone that did such a great job of praying for Balisha and visiting her site. I am sure she is going to appreciate all the wonderful comments left by you for her.

Balisha's surgery went well and the neurosurgeon told them he was successful in removing all the tumor. Joe, her husband, says she is progressing nicely and had two tasks to complete today before she could be moved to a stepdown medical surgical unit from ICU. She was able to complete the tasks and has been moved. A CT scan was done early this morning and showed no bleeding or clot formation on the brain and the tumor was completely removed. Joe says she talked with family and went for a walk down the hall today. The surgeon says if she continues to recuperate at this pace, she may get to come home this weekend!

Please continue to pray for her total recovery. It is amazing to me to see bloggers from all parts of the world come to the aid of someone in need and send well wishes and prayers.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I know Balisha and Joe thanks you, too. Love and Hugs, Judy

A PRAYER FOR BALISHA

This is my blogging friend, Balisha. She is a wonderful person and today she is having surgery for a brain tumor. Recently, Balisha had a seizure during the night and when they did an MRI she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. There had been no problems until the seizure.

Balisha and her husband, Joe, are both wonderful people. He has been devoted to her and will keep us all up to date on her progress by keeping up her blog while she recuperates.

Balisha's blog is: Never Enough Time . Please, take a minute today, to say a little prayer for Balisha and Joe, that this will all be over soon and she will be her feisty self again. I am sure they would appreciate it if you popped over there and said hello as well. Balisha has been keeping a journal on her blog about how she has felt since this happened to her. Thanks so much, Judy