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Splash! Magazine

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Poll

Do you support the proposed Master Plan for Pensacola Beach

Yes, I'm all for it

Yes, but it needs some tweaking

No, it's too expensive

No, leave the beach alone.

View results

Senior Scene

Not heeding my mother's advice to "stay out of crowds," my visiting kids, resident daughter and I attended this month's Gallery Night in downtown Pensacola. The entire place was jumping with art displays, music, wine tasting and, of course, people. And don't forget "Canstruction," cans of food arranged in clever architectural and sculptural displays.

This was a far cry from the old days when my husband and I passed through many sleepy Southern towns on our way to the bright lights of Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Back then, before Interstate 95 was completed, there were long stretches of two-lane roads. As we made our way through many of those hamlets, the mournful sound of the train whistle used to send a shiver up my spine.

As a child at my grandparents' house, I often heard train whistles in the deep stillness of the night as distant trains passed, and clanks and rumbles as emptied freight cars were shifted onto the sidings. At the time, they lived on the outskirts of a much smaller city than my parents, and it seemed so isolated to me that I came to associate the sounds with darkness and, I suppose, loneliness. And that came to mind as, many years later, we watched the railroad cars from the dark windows of our passing car.

But now I have been walking the streets of this vibrant Southern city among friends and neighbors in Pensacola and Gulf Breeze for more than 30 years. I still hear the railroad cars at night, but it no longer sounds lonely.

Ironic, isn't it? As the borscht-belt comedians used to say, "Who knew?"

Many seniors are counting on investment incomes to a greater or lesser extent in maintaining their presently comfortable mode of living. Still other seniors count on this income just to make ends meet.

Both groups are interested in getting the best results they can from the money they have accumulated over the years. The Chairman of the Consumer Federation of America recommends that, if you are serious about making the most of your investments, you should send for the Older Investors' Bulletin. It is published jointly by AARP, the North American Securities, and Securities Administration Association. It can be ordered by mail from their address at 1 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 310, Washington DC 20001. Be prepared to do some homework!

I recently talked to a friend who has been a longtime member of the Over 55 Ballroom Dance Club. She told me that she and her husband look forward to the two weekly dances held at the Bayview Senior Center on Mondays and Fridays from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Hey, you'll dance to live music again! I guarantee you'll drop 20 years as you make your moves. Music is provided by the Mullen Band on Mondays, and Red Lane on Fridays. Once a month, there is a dance to recorded music at noontime for those like me who no longer drive after dark. For more information call 458- 0556, or contact the Bayview Senior Center at 436-5190.

From the wisdom of Albert Einstein:

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts."

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving."

Keep moving, and I'll see you next week!