No, I’m not going to get all mushy over the joy of a frantic holiday season hastily approaching. The time of the year I’m excited about is the mesmerizing aroma I inhaled on the way to work for the first time this season! The Peace River Citrus Products began processing oranges, and the puffs of vapor rising high in the sky send me to a time of pleasant memories far away.
Rushing home from school on cold winter days and being enveloped with the aroma of fresh goodies baking in the old cookstove oven is a memory I shall never forget. And, that is exactly where the processing oranges send me.
When I saw the billowing cloud of aroma rising above the plant, I hurried to let my window down to trap the smell in my car. As I get past the plant, I close the window and trap the aroma with me all the way to work.
Our abundant Thanksgiving dinner also filled the house with wonderful smells emitting memories of many feasts in the past. The Butterball turkey on the table could never compare to the daily enjoyment we have of watching the flock of wild turkeys that visits our property early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The highlight of their visit is seeing the Tom’s fan their tails – what a sight to behold.
Someone always asks why we don’t butcher one for Thanksgiving dinner. In my lifetime, I have plucked chicken, duck, and goose feathers – all of which have an abundance of feathers, but nowhere near as many as a turkey must have – I think I’ll pass on that on, especially when you can buy one ready to cook so cheaply!
Kidding aside, we have so much to be thankful for, even if each year seems to bring a few more aches and pains, and being a little slower – but, we realize it could be so much worse.
Hundreds of seniors in our community are not so fortunate. For many of them, being alone is an every day occurrence. For many, getting out and about is not an option. For many, being able to fix themselves a meal, even a small one, is out of the question, even if they could afford to buy the fixings.
As for their health, would you believe many of our seniors average 8 to 12 prescriptions to take daily -- some have as many as 20-plus medications! Even with insurance, there’s not much left out of a meager income after paying for that sort of medical costs.
It seems the holidays can be extremely stressful for people of all ages. If you find yourself in that situation, we may have a couple of suggestions that would benefit you.
First, if your stress comes from being a caregiver for your loved one, you could join us on the third Monday each month at 2:00 pm for our monthly Caregivers’ Support Group. Visit with others facing the same dilemma as you to learn from and support each other.
Secondly, if your stress comes from being alone with too much time on your hands for worrying, you could join us at the Center for activities, socialization, and lunch. We’re open from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
Give us a call at 863-494-5965 for more information. This Holiday Season give yourself the gift of friendship -- join us and make a difference in your life!
Remember, together we can make DeSoto County a caring place to grow old.
Karen Blanchette is Director of Senior Friendship Centers of DeSoto County and can be reached at 863-494-5965.