A Cute Couple

Thermopolis, Wyoming  is small old cattle and oil town about 125 miles southeast of Yellowstone Park and home of the World’s (supposedly) Largest Mineral Hot Springs. We’ve been coming here every winter for about 25 years, soaking in the hot water relieves our aching joints.

Over the years, we’ve seen eateries come and go. We can usually find hamburgers, sandwiches, and several ethnic restaurants including Mexican, Chinese, and Thai. We were pleased to try “The One-Eyed Buffalo,” a steakhouse and sports bar. The décor consists of several television screens each showing the same view of a high school basketball game. Sheet metal adorns the lower sections of the walls and cowboy hats and boots, long beards, torn jeans, and tattoos prevail among the clientele.

It was our last night in Thermopolis, before braving the “Northeaster”, that was predicted. Since it was somewhat late on a Friday, with live music, we knew that the OEB would be noisy and crowded, but we had come from a water aerobics class and craved a rib-eye steak and a baked potato, half the size of your forearm, served with real sour cream. Draft beer also costs a fraction of the bottled beer sold elsewhere.

A sign requests that patrons seat themselves. We were conversing with a small party of people until two tables were available. We agreed that they take the larger table and then sat down at another table soon after.

When we requested our check, we were told that our new friends had paid for our meal. They insisted that they wanted to do this; we said it was not necessary. We thought we’d leave the tip for both tables and learned that this was taken care of as well. My husband, Marty, wanted to present our generous neighbors with a gift certificate, but they had already left. The waiter told us that one of the women in the group remarked that we were a “cute couple.”

Cute couple? We are both octogenarians! 

(Photo is from a few years ago, taken in Thermopolis!)

It was nice to be surprised by this act of kindness.

My other stories about Thermopolis:

https://wp.me/p3FbW2-5A

https://bestofbarbara.wordpress.com/2014/03/19/dan-the-man-from-thermopolis/

https://bestofbarbara.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/thermopolis-wyoming-hot-springs

 

THREE LITTLE FISH, NOT TO BE FRIED

About fifty years ago we had a pond dug at our poultry farm in Madison, Connecticut, to enhance the landscape and to provide water for the chickens in times of drought. When we converted our farm to a golf range some twenty years ago, and still rely on the pond to water the tee area when rainfall is insufficient.

The pond has not only been helpful, but has provided much enjoyment. Originally the State of Connecticut stocked it with trout. An amazing amount of wildlife found its way into our pond over the course of time. In addition to the trout, there were other fish whose eggs were carried to the area on the feet of ducks. Children loved to catch sunfish. We’ve had turtles and lots of frogs, even during the time when there was concern that the frog population was diminishing.

We swam, ice- skated and even paddled a canoe on the pond.

At a recent family gathering we noticed that our nephew’s pond was free of algae. He told us that he had carp in the pond, which feed on the algae and eat the mosquito larva as a bonus, and suggested that we contact the State of Connecticut Fish and Wildlife Service to see if our pond would be suitable for carp.

A representative from Fish and Wildlife assessed the pond and determined that three carp would be enough to eliminate the putrefaction of invasive algae, caused by a lack of oxygen and limited rainfall. He gave us a list of fish suppliers in our area, adding that we needed a permit from the State of Connecticut.

The fish, about $50 each, were delivered and tossed into the pond. They are only a few months old and about twelve to thirteen inches long, but they can grow to nearly four feet in length. The lifespan of this type of carp is between two to ten years. However we were advised to replace them halfway through their lifespan because larger fish have less of an appetite than the smaller ones, and would not be as effective. To control the population of the carp, electric shock is used to cause rearrangement of the chromosomes and render the fish neutered.

Apparently herons are apt to grab carp. We do see a heron at the pond occasionally and will cope with the predators as necessary.

The pond carp are related to Koi, seen in decorative landscape ponds and fish tanks, as well as pet goldfish. There are many edible varieties of carp that are also delicious, but I’m not planning to have a fish fry anytime soon.

After two days the carp seemed to have adjusted to their new habitat.

I’ll keep you posted!

 

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Seniors: Sign Up for SilverSneakers!

Recently I received a pamphlet from my insurance company with specials on fitness opportunities, including SilverSneakers, a free fitness program for all seniors, offered through Medicare. I had heard about this program and was eager to take advantage of it.

I have a membership at my local YMCA where I participate in an aquacize class twice a week. This swim class seems to address my health issues more effectively than other forms of exercise. SilverSneakers partners with the Y and pays the Y membership fee with no additional charge to me. (Not all Y’s partner with SilverSneakers but many private gyms do.) The program is available to those who are 65 or older, throughout the U.S. A member can enroll in as many activities as his/her stamina will permit.

A woman I met, Pat, used to walk with two canes due to a chronic back problem that kept her bedridden for several years. After receiving medical treatment, she’s working on her therapy at the Y, thanks to SilverSneakers. She can walk straight and swim laps.

The Affordable Care Act narrowly escaped disembowelment, but there’s still uncertainty regarding the future of health care in this country. It is incumbent upon all of us to insist that forthcoming health delivery provides fitness programs, free of charge or at a manageable fee. SilverSneakers ensures that seniors can improve their strength and agility and minimize the possibility of having a reoccurrence of a disability.

 

 

 

 

FEMMES of the FIFTIES

My friend, Janice Kaplan Carno is no stranger; I’ve introduced her to you before. One of her daughters was sorting through boxes of photographs and forwarded this picture of five beauties of the fifties. 

Although I don’t remember posing for this picture, I realize that it’s a few members of our house plan, taken during our sophomore or junior year at Hunter College, N.Y.C. The varieties of house plans were looser alternatives to sororities, organized for socialization. As members of a house plan we received invitations to events throughout the city and surrounding areas. Janie had invited me to join the house plan that she founded. In the picture, Janie is the cute one on the far left and I am standing next to her. I recognize one other woman in the photo. I’m second from the left, next to Janie.

I can’t imagine that we posed for a photo where we were all smoking. I guess we thought we looked so “sharp” and sophisticated, imitating movie stars smoking in the films. We didn’t realize that showing smoking on the screen were advertisements for the tobacco industry. It’s really amazing that pictures produced today tell a story without having the characters smoke. I smoked a pack of cigarettes a week, in the company of others and never while eating. I remember casually mentioning to my mother that all of my friends were smoking. She said that if I felt better smoking I shouldn’t spend money on cigarettes and gave me a pack from the carton that my father kept on hand. When I went on dates, it was assumed a date would buy you a pack of cigarettes. Things have changed.

We can laugh at the smoking, but the photo is a priceless memento, reminding me not only of our college years, but also of the enduring friendship that Janie’s family and my family share.

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