You are worth more than that.

 

I took this in our community.

Living in a retirement community means seeing the constant movement of old residents being replaced by new residents.  For the old, most of them are in their 80s to over 100. Seeing smiling happy bingo players on a Friday becomes hearing about their deaths on Saturday.

It is time, time to realize your bucket list or any list should not be delayed.  That said, here is some of my list:

Life is too short to...

Order the cheapest entree on the menu. Don't bother.

Buy and eat store-bought sushi. You must be

really desperate.

Sleep on an old mattress. You

deserve a better new one.

Use duct tape to fix 

the same thing over and over.

Be ignorant of history. Knowing the past 
changes how you understand the present.

Be mean. You will regret this
all your life.

Stay silent when speaking out will help people
or situations.

Avoid puddles when walking. Splash in them, dang it.

Stay inside at sunset. God created them, they are amazing.

Put off sorting through the boxes of photos in your closet.
They are not going away. Having your heirs do this is
embarrassing.

Watch TV all the time, regardless

what is on.

Make judgments about people. You

are not the one in charge.

Eat stale bread. Bread is God's gift. He also made butter.

Gossip. Truth will out eventually.

Purchase absolutely the least expensive, most awful toilet paper.

Rage at and curse the TV.

Give up on someone.
Drink cheap wine.

this is from Calliers Chocolate factor in Switzerland. You have no idea.

Consume poor quality chocolate (go for the good stuff, like from Switzerland).

Avoid saying "I'm sorry".
Behave angrily and irrationally. Unless

you are 2 yrs old.

Be too proud to ask forgiveness.

Buy store-bought pie. I am a pie snob.

Be serious all the time.

Do not discount the power of prayer.

Make plans to do something or go somewhere, but then don't do it.

Wear cheap shoes. Spend the extra.

Eat an ice cream whose flavor you hate 
for some strange reason. 

Neglect friends or family.

Be serious all the time.

Forget what it was like to be a child.

Suppress a giggle. 

This list could go on and on. Do you have a list of your own? What is it? What should you do about it?

This is written in memory of Ed Repik, age 83, who died on a day after Bingo from a fall.  To say he was a good man is not adequate. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Bon Choix

Wine List

Fine Dining Here! Make a reservation.

Dillard Sanders had spent weeks trying to obtain a reservation in the new gourmet restaurant, Bouvillon Arrière-Train*****, to no avail.  When his cousin Jim plummeted from the hay loft that day after consuming a tankard of his best whiskey, Dillard managed to infiltrate by claiming Jim's reservation.

The maître’ de (the high school French teacher Mr. Wilder who was half-French) escorted Dillard to his table, handing him a menu.  Pour voux, Mr. Wilder bowed and gracefully withdrew to another table.

Dillard examined the menu, Man, I am gonna eat fine tonight:  A “Splendid Gastronomic Feast"!  He read the header at the top of the parchment paper.   

His first obstacle came when he examined the entrees, all written in French.  The half-French Mr. Wilder returned and solicitously awaited.

Dillard, filled with anxiety, merely pointed to the fourth entrée,

“Bœuf Fumé en Tranches Fines sur Pain Grille en Sauce Blanche”.**

“Bon choix”, Mr. Wilder nodded, handing him a wine list.

Dang!  I am out of my league here!  But, he thought red wine would be just fine and indicated the last one on the short list:

“Ferme du Aubaine”.***

Before returning to the kitchen, Mr. Wilder snapped the white linen napkin and tossed it on Dillard’s lap.  This was a bit of a surprise, as Dillard usually tucked it under his chin.  Must be a French thing…

The half-French Mr. Wilder returned with the bottle of red wine  and presented it to Dillard, who felt confident here, having watched Murder, She Wrote one hundred times and had seen how this was handled. 

Dillard nodded, and Mr. Wilder opened the screw top bottle, and poured a bit into the wine glass.  Dillard stuck his nose in a bit too far, but recovered by sipping carefully. 

Dillard again nodded abruptly as Mr. Wilder (who was half-French) poured the wine, then departed to the kitchen.

Mr. Wilder returned with a gleaming cloche (aluminum dome cover used to keep food warm) and removed it with a flourish, setting the steaming entree in one elegant move before Dillard.

Dillard exclaimed approvingly. Not one to dither about, he savored the first bite.

Chipped beef on toasted white bread in white gravy was an unexpected pleasure, Just like Ma made…


He swirled the red wine, a fine choice with an aggressive bouquet, and that it was his favorite, Boone’s Farm, not a high stuck-up wine.

***translation:  Bargain wine from a farm

***** Rear End of a Bull

Jim, you sure missed a treat tonight! And Dillard dug in, while Mr. Wilder (who was half-French) observed appreciatively, as his mouth watered.

Apologies for:  1.  Slaughtering the French language---using an on-line dictionary may not have helped; 2.  Making fun of anyone unintentionally; 3. Suggesting that Boone's Farm is sub-standard, having enjoyed it many times myself during college years; 4.  "Dillard" is the name of department store, not the name of a person, maybe; and, 5. Abusing the name "Mr. Wilder", since I do not know of any Wilder except Gene.

 The underlined words come from a Wednesday Words challenge started by Delores, now at Muted Mumblings as a way to challenge writers. I wrote this in 2015. With Christmas being a busy time, I am digging into the Vault, finding some of my personal favorites.

Wine to beat all Wines