A special delivery came on Halloween

Did you have any Halloween surprises this year? I remember the surprise I got on Halloween night of 1946. My boys, then 4 and 6, were itching to be taken out trick or treating when I started feeling a bit strange as we sat at the dinner table.

I was "expecting" a third arrival in the next month or so, but something inside seemed to be speeding up. I checked with the doctor by phone, and he told me to go right to the hospital. It looked like taking the boys out would be impossible.

I knew they would be super upset, so I called my mother-inlaw, who lived nearer than any other relative, and asked her to take the boys out for me, while my husband went with me to the hospital. He leapt into the car and went to pick her up her, and I sat trying to stay calm, hoping he would be back in time.

Finally I heard the downstairs foyer door open. I rushed the boys, already in their pirate costumes, into Grandma's waiting arms, told them "have fun," and rushed out to the car for what seemed like a long trip to the Chestnut Hill Hospital.

The nurses greeted me like old friends and whisked me right to the delivery room, where I was soon the proud mother of yet another boy. It certainly was a Hallowe'en surprise, but not a trick, definitely a treat.

In those long ago days, everyone spent a week or more in the hospital after giving birth, and the nurses and I got to be good friends. I still remember them laughing when they wheeled me out to the car, saying "We'll be looking for you next year."

Well, I guess I fooled them - it was almost two!

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If Cole Porter is your all-time favorite, it's time to make your reservations for Pensacola Junior College's version of "Anything Goes," showing November 9th-11th and 15th - 18th. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances will be at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. The musical will be performed at the Ashmore Fine Arts Auditorium.

Musicals are always sellouts, so call for your tickets early. And remember, the special price for seniors is just $8. Catch the numbers we all remember, and brighten your day.

I'm ready to go - heavens knows, anything goes!

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We have heard a lot about the benefits of drinking water lately, but I want to tell you how they pertain specifically to seniors.

Studies have shown that people age 55 and above need to make a conscious effort to drink enough water. We have all been told that 8 glasses a day is optimum for health. Nutritionists now tell us it is water that transports nutrients to the cells, and cushions the spinal cord and the brain. It also removes waste products and lubricates the joints.

As we age, the thirst mechanism slows down and in many cases we simply don't drink the amount we really need.

Although water is found in all liquids, such as juices, tea, coffee, and even solid foods such as fruits and vegetables, this liquid does not replace the drinking water we need every day.

Most of our planet is made up of water, and for seniors, water makes a world of difference.

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THREE GREAT TRUTHS THAT SENIORS HAVE LEARNED:

1) Wrinkles don't hurt.

2) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.

3) Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

See you next week!