3 Rules for Work

Each day as I'm driving my grandson to daycare, I feel it necessary to reinforce the Grandma Rules for Daycare.

1) "Don't let Miss Candy have to call me about your behavior."

2) "Don't be mean to others and make sure you share."

3) "Have a good day!"


Today, this little three-year-old decided to give ME some rules as I was preparing to meet a client.

1) He said, "Don't get in a fight with nobody."

2) "If you get some popcorn make sure you share it with everybody."

3) "Have a good day!"


Yes, our children do watch and listen.

Don't Let the Lack of Gray Hair Fool You

I used to believe stress was the reason our hair turned gray but if that was, indeed, the case I'd have a headful about right now.

But don't let the lack of gray hair fool you.

Being the primary caregiver for my three-year-old grandson is as challenging as any obstacle course I would ever compete in. My physical and mental abilities are called into question EVERY DAY. No, he's not a bad child by any means---because grandma don't play that---but he is so full of energy and life and seems to be on overdrive from the moment he wakes up until it's time to go to bed at night. And even then, it's a fight to get him to actually get in bed and close his eyes. Poor grandma has to resort to lying about a make-believe bogeyman who will take him away if he doesn't go to sleep.

OK, so here's what I've discovered...Stress won't turn hair white overnight. That's an old wives' tale. But according to Tyler Cymet, a researcher at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, consistent mental and physical stress—over the course of many years—may cause premature aging of the body, including hair.

Hair turns gray when the cells that produce pigment stop doing their job. Stress doesn't directly cause these cells to bow out, but it does affect how quickly hair is shed. The faster hair falls out and regrows, the more quickly pigment cells break down.

Cymet thinks that on average people today are going gray about five years earlier than they did in 1970. He attributes the difference to a faster lifestyle, poor diet and lack of sleep.

Like I said, don't let the lack of gray hair fool you.

The Tea Party May Be for Boomers But Not For Babies

Last month, my three-year-old grandson joined our neighborhood youth soccer league. I wanted him involved in some type of sport so he could burn off some energy and learn how to play with others. So far---so good.

But what I have come to discover is, his coach---"Coach John"---is a proud member of the Tea Party. You know them---the gun toting, we don't like anything President Obama does, Sarah Palin supporters who are stockpiling weapons and daring anyone to take away their second amendment rights.

How did I find this out? When I created a Facebook Fan Page for the soccer group the other day, I invited everyone involved to become a fan. He did. I then went to his profile page and read his comments and also saw the people he was connected too--very scary.

This is certainly not someone I would want to be an influence in my grandson's life but so far, he hasn't been anything but decent and helpful to the kids, who are mostly African American.

I'm writing this post as an advisory to parents and grandparents. With social media being as prevelant as it is today, you can find out about anybody with a little research. Do your homework and know who your children are associating with---even if it's for the little activities like soccer.

The High Cost to Live

Two weeks ago my 90-year-old mother in law was diagnosed with lung cancer. According to her son/my husband, she never smoked a day in her life so this was surprising news. But that's not what this blog is all about.

This blog is about the prescription charges associated with treating this form of cancer. The doctor who treated her during her stay in the hospital wrote a prescription for a drug called Tarceva and told us the cost for a 30-day supply would be between $5,000 and $7000 depending on her insurance coverage. Medicare, we were told, doesn't cover the expense because it is an experimental drug. We were also told there was no guarantee with the medication. It might prolong her life for six months.

My first question is, what ingredients could be in a pill that would warrant charging that much money?

My mother in law is 90-years-old and spent her entire career as a nurse. If she is being used as a guinea pig, why isn't the drug FREE?

How can a drug company in good conscious charge such an outrageous price for medication knowing the average person who needs it can't afford it?

As caregivers, we don't want to be put in a position where we have decide to let our loved one die because we can't afford the meds.

There are literally thousands of baby boomers just like us who are caring for aging parents and are facing similar situations. Please let us hear from you

And as for those people who remain adamantly opposed to health care reform, may God save you from yourself.

My Local Pharmacy versus Prescriptions By Mail

I went to my local pharmacy yesterday and found myself paying $25 more this month for my medication. When I questioned why, the pharmacist said he really didn't know and advised me to contact my insurance company directly to find out what was going on.

I did just that and discovered the extra money I paid was considered a penalty. My insurance company penalized me for patronizing my local pharmacy instead of using the prescriptions by mail plan. Apparently, I can only go to my local pharmacy so many times before the insurance company tacks on their version of a fine. The plan, according to the insurance company, is the one agreed upon by my husband's employer so they are just enforcing it. Is this a part of health reform?

So now, instead of having one on one contact with my local pharmacist, I will be at the mercy of my local mailman. I wonder if he will know what I should do in case of an emergency.

Do you use prescriptions by mail? If so, does it work better for you?

Mind Your Own Business Boomer Grandma

I witnessed a theft at the Family Dollar Store today. I think I was more shocked than anything to see this pre-school age child sneak a giant-sized lollipop into one of the store bags while the store clerk was ringing up her mother's items and the mother was busy chit-chatting on her cell phone. The little girl did it so slyly that it made me believe she has done it before or at least seen someone else do it.

As they were headed out the door, I told the clerk about the theft and the little girl was apprehended and the lollipop taken away. She started to cry. I could only think to myself, "If she were my grandchild, I'd be giving her something to cry about," and I would've done it right inside the store to make a point in front of others.

But then the unthinkable happened. When I walked out of the store, the little girls's mother starting cursing at me and told me I needed to mind my own f------ business! She told me I had no right to stick my nose in a place it didn't belong and since I didn't work there what difference should it make to me.

I just told her if she taught her child right from wrong now, the judicial system won't have to deal with her in a few years. She then told me to kiss her black ---.

I walked to my car trying to make sense of what just happened. Where was this mother's morals and values? Maybe I should've just kept my mouth shut. After all, it was only a lollipop. Or better yet, I could've just paid the clerk for it myself so they wouldn't lose money.

This baby boomer wants to know what would you have done under the same situation?

Life's an Interesting Trip on Facebook

For the past several months I have been re-connecting with old high school and college classmates from the '70s via Facebook. Some of these people were truly my friends, while others had very little to say to me back then because I wasn't a part of their "in crowd."

As I read through some of their posts I am somewhat amazed that these are the SAME people I knew back then. Back then some were ready to kick my butt over the smallest of things. Some just didn't like me because of my skin complexion or the fact that I made good grades while others were simply jealous over the fact that I made the cheerleading squad and they didn't.

These re-connections have made me realize a few things:

Kids really do grow up.

Thank God there is a God and some of my former classmates have discovered the Bible.

Holding on to old grudges serves no purpose--besides the other person has probably long forgotten what the dispute was all about.

Real maturity comes when you learn to start judging others from the inside out instead of vice versa.

Everyone deserves a second chance to be a better person.

It's still nice to be remembered.

Join me as a I take another trip down memory lane on Sunday, February 28 during my interview with a former high school school mate who went on to have a successful NFL career.

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