Ordinary Days . . .

The Best Laid Plans or something like that

    Today we were supposed to go to Columbia, SC for a doctor's appointment for my husband for a biopsy. He had already started on his course of antibiotics and we were more than ready to get on with this process.  Waiting and not knowing exactly what I'm dealing with has never been a strong suit for me.

    We were ready to leave for the two-hour trip, got in the car . . .  and, the car wouldn't start.  We couldn't even get it to move from park into neutral.  Not only that, but last night, we had pulled it around back to unload from shopping and left it there, blocking our other vehicle, my husband's truck.  We have a very narrow driveway around the side of the house that has a steep drop-off to the meadow, so there was no way to get the truck out.

    Thank goodness for AAA, but we knew they couldn't arrive in time for us to get on the road and make our appointment.  Bob called the doctor's office and they said if we were going to be late, we would need to reschedule it.   Now, we'll have to wait three more weeks for the biopsy and a week beyond that to sit down with the doctor for follow-up.

    AAA arrived in a big shiny red truck  
in about 30 minutes which was very prompt.  We're at least that far from any wrecker service.  We will NEVER cancel our AAA membership.

    We'll also try to remember to never leave the car blocking the truck or vice-versa.

    But the more important lesson today was the not so subtle reminder that no matter how much we plan and organize, we are often not in control of what happens in the hours of our days.  All we can control is our attitude.  Tonight, I'm grateful that the car was easily fixed by late afternoon with a new battery and some other parts.  And, I am  pleased that both of us fairly easily accepted the inevitable . . . more waiting!

Raspberry Delight

    I love berries, raspberries most of all .  My favorite are the wild native raspberries that grow in the filtered sunlight along the banks of the road.  One of our first years here, I picked 60 pounds.  The wild ones are smaller than the cultivated, but  firmer and sweeter.

    Sadly, over the past several years, the highway department has cleared the banks of Fork Creek Road of most of the precious wild raspberries.  We transplanted some of them successfully but an over-jealous yard helper, thinking they were weeds along the top of the bank behind the garage, pulled most of those out two years ago.

    We have also planted some cultivated raspberries  in the meadow under the ancient redbuts which are starting to bear fruit.  I was delighted yesterday to see a second fall fruiting on them and gathered a small bowl for dessert last night, barely enough to share with Bob, but what a treat!    

    It's time to go hunting and try again to transplant some of the wild ones.  It will take two years for them to recover and bear fruit, but it will be worth it.  Probably because I love them so much, I have learned to spot them in all seasons.   I've had my eye on a few that the highway department has missed!   .

Turning 60

    I turned 60 on August 23 of this year.  Decade birthdays seem to carry more weight for most everyone.  I had a lot of mixed feelings about turning 60.  I know a lot of people 60 and above that seem quite young, but how could I be that old?    Although I know time flies, how could I possibly be turning 60 already?

      My husband who is older was quite delighted that I was finally entering the decade he'll soon be leaving.  For several months I had some depression about it, some grief for goals not met and about the illness that continues to rob me of time and energy.    But, as I approached the day I also had some sense of freedom.  Looking at what I have achieved vocationally, even though I've been on medical disability for the  last eight years, I was pleased. Looking at how proud I am of the daughter I raised, I began to feel like I could lighten up once I turned 60.  Since I tend to be 'serious-minded', that felt like one of the greatest graces I have ever been given.

    My husband kept trying to figure out how to do something very special to help me with this passage.  He literally started worrying about it before the end of last year.  I had been taking some art classes that required sewing and he offered to buy me an expensive sewing machine.  I declined, but he ended up doing that for Christmas for both of us.  He then signed us up for classes and then quilting classes. We both made sampler quilts and he is still quilting.  I'm not interested in doing large quilts, but I'm happy to be learning to sew again.  Since he bought it last Christmas, he didn't count it as a birthday present, but I claim it as such since that was what got him thinking about it.

    As the time came closer for my birthday, my husband began to worry more about how to celebrate it than I was worried about turning 60.  I told him there was nothing I really wanted.  He surprised me and signed me up for an art class that I had really wanted to do and I was very happy with that.

    He also booked my actual birthday night at the Mountain Magnolia Inn and Retreat  in Hot Springs, North Carolina,where we have spent our anniversary for the past several years, including an hour and a half massage after an hour soaking in the springs. It is a charming and peaceful place This is the view from the room we always stay in.  The grounds include some wonderful old trees that I think are Japanese elms.  They are so large, I can't get a picture of the entire tree at once.  If you visit their website, you can watch a brief, beautiful video of the Inn which has been featured in This Old House, HGTV and Southern Living.  It is a charming and peaceful place The Appalachian trail goes right along part of Main Street in Hot Springs and their is a fascinating history of the springs themselves.

  Then, he invited our two best couple friends to come for the weekend and made reservations at La Bastide , a very special French Country restaurant, with Inn, winery and organic gardens on the grounds.  The food and wine and friendship the entire weekend could not have been better. My only regret is that we were all having such a good time all weekend that we forgot to take pictures.

    All of that was a lot more than anyone deserved for one birthday, but Bob also managed to surprise me.  First, with flowers, pink roses.  He is a Master Gardener and has willingly bought and planted any blooming thing I have ever requested, but he has only given me flowers from the florist several other times in our life together.  Along with the flowers was a card and inside, the biggest surprise . . . tickets to Cirque du Soleil.  Nothing could mean more than the birthday celebration shared with friends, but nothing could delight me more than seeing a Cirque du Soleil show. 

    We saw our first one in Columbia, SC last year.  This one was in Greensboro, NC about a four-hour drive from where we are in the mountains.  We saw Saltimbanco.  I didn't know until we got there that he had reserved floor seat. 

    This is the description of Saltimbanco on the official Cirque website:  "Saltimbanco -from the Italian "saltare in banco", which literally means "to jump on a bench"-explores the urban experience in all its myriad forms: the people who live there, their idiosyncrasies and likenesses, families and groups, the hustle and bustle of the street and the towering heights of skyscrapers. Between whirlwind and lull, prowess and poetry, Saltimbanco takes spectators on an allegorical and acrobatic journey into the heart of the city.  Saltimbanco is a Cirque du Soleil signature show inspired by the urban fabric of the metropolis and its colorful inhabitants. Decidedly baroque in its visual vocabulary, the show's eclectic cast of characters draws spectators into a fanciful, dreamlike world, an imaginary city where diversity is a cause for hope."  I adored every minute of it. I've seen many Cirque shows on television, but it is nothing like being at a live performance.

    I turned 60 a little over a month ago. The biggest change is that I think I see myself sometime in this decade being able to use the "A" word . . . Artist.   Visit my Blue Haven Studio blog to check my progress.  Oh yea, that's another positive change, I'm also writing and blogging again after two years of silence.

    Thanks Bob for making turning 60 such a special time in my life!  I wouldn't want to be any age without sharing life with you!

In Loving Memory of Dorothy

    The phone rang late this evening and I instantly knew as Bob handed it to me that it was not good news.   It was my friend, Barbara, telling me that her mother, Dorothy,  had died last night. 

    Barbara’s and my families have been close since we all belonged to the same church in my early teen years.  So, I have known Dorothy for almost five decades.

    Dorothy worked with our youth group and was a very important and special person in my life as a young person.  She is certainly one of several persons who indirectly influenced my decision to go to seminary and be ordained.   

    Our friendship has continued even though living in different states we didn’t see each other often.  Not long after I was married to Bob and we were in Charleston, I made a point of taking him to meet Dorothy.  She gave me a picture of herself in a small frame that I still have.  I did let her know over the years how much she has meant to me, but I wish I had one more op

    It is always an extraordinary moment and breathtaking moment when you have to realize that you’ll never again be able to see or speak with a person you love.  Still, they live on in our hearts and memories.   I did let her know over the years how much she has meant to me, but even as I wish I had one more opportunity, I know that would never be enough. My evening since the phone call has been filled not only with tears, but also precious memories and gratitude for the difference she made in my life. 

   
From the Book of Common Prayer:
    “O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered:  Accept our prayers on behalf
    of your servant, Dorothy, and grant her  an entrance into the land of light and
    joy, in the fellowship of your saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
    reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”


    Thank you Dorothy and Godspeed.   Your influence will always be with me.

The Joy of a Sincere Compliment

    Tonight we attended the first dance of the season of our Four Seasons Ballroom Dance Club.   We started ballroom dancing six and a year years ago and it has become a passion for both of us.  We belong to several clubs. This one meets once a month from September through December and March through June, skipping the hotter and colder months of the year.

    We enjoy the people, the food and the music, but most especially the dancing.  Tonight,as we left the dance,  I was sitting outside the country club where Four Seasons meets waiting for Bob to get the car and pick me up.  Another couple came out and she said:  "I want to tell you that you are such a beautiful dancer."  She repeated it twice.  It was a compliment that touched my heart.

    As a child, I took dancing lessons for one year when I was four years old. I adored it, but my mother did not drive and the lady that had driven her son and myself to classes moved.  In a few years, my grandmother generously offered to pay for piano lessons.  I appreciated the piano lessons, but always longed to learn to dance.

    When we signed up for our first eight-week series of classes in 2001 we mistakenly thought it would be easy to learn to dance.  We've taken weekly group and often private lessons for the past six years and we are still learning.

    Dancing is true joy for me and to have someone tell me that I do it beautifully brought tears to my eyes.   I celebrated my 60th birthday recently.  That little girl that always wanted to dance finally has a chance.   And, unlike piano for which I had little talent, that little girl knew she could dance if given lessons.

    The sincere compliment delighted me to the depths of my soul . . . an extraordinary moment in an ordinary day.  On reflection as I write this, I am reminded of the power of words and will look for more opportunities to give compliments.

    What is it you have always wanted to do?  It's never too late!

Arranging Fresh Flowers

    What a joy to have a bounty of fresh flowers from my own property!

    My paternal grandmother loved to garden, was a member of the local Garden Club all her life, and loved to arrange flowers.  I was fortunate to have my grandmother in my life for almost 50 years.

    When she died, I began to take an interest in flower gardening and floral arranging  that she had loved all her life.

    I  have a two small wall shelves in my kitchen with antique flower "frogs."   Most of them came from my grandmother's flower arranging cabinet and others from my husband's aunt; and, a few unusual ones I have bought at antique stores.                  

    We had weekend guests at Bluehaven last weekend and I had a wonderful time filling the house with fresh flowers  from my own gardens.

   . . . blue or blue and white mophead hydrangeas in several locations:   front porch,
guest bedroom, and dining room table

    . . .    on the front screened porch,  a "July 4 vase" with red bee and also an arrangement of multiple different hydrangeas, both mopheads and lacecaps.

    . . . native rhododendron arrangements in living room and dining room

    . . . also, Oak Leaf Hydrangeas in the living room  (we have two areas planted with them)

   . . . purple hydrangeas in an old silver teapot in the sun room

    . . . a coneflower and daisy arrangement in the guest bath

    . . . pink astilbe in the family room   

 

The Hope of Neurofeedback

    Today I had my first session of Neurofeedback.  Three weeks ago, my husband and went for the initial consultation and history intake.   I had been on a waiting list for over four months to see the only person within two hours of where we live that practices Neurofeedback and also qualifies for Medicare. 

     Starting today I will go to Asheville weekly on Tuesdays  for a 2  p.m. appointment in the hopes that this might be a crucial piece of the puzzle of rebuilding my health.

    The longer I have lived with Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome, the more problems I have had with my sleep patterns.  My sleep studies show that in essence, I rarely go into the state of deep sleep.  Every medication I have tried has done more harm than good and I have tried many.  This is one of the major reasons for doing the Neurofeedback treatments, but there are other issues, like my inability to stay focused, and the increasing depression over the past several years that we also hope it may help.

    Neurofeedback addresses problems of brain disregulation.  This includes the anxiety-depression spectrum, attention deficit, behavior disorders, various sleep disorders, headaches and migraines, PMS, and emotional disturbances.  It is also useful for organic brain conditions such as seizures, the autism spectrum and cerebral palsy.

       Neurofeedback is the direct training of the brain, which then learns to function with greater control and stability.  It is a gradual process.  Neurofeedback is also called EEG biofeedback because it is based on electrical brain activity, the electroencephalogram, or EEG.  Neurofeedback involves "operant  conditoning" of the EEG.  Neurofeedback is training in self-regulation,  biofeedback applied to the brain directly.   It is not yet taught in most medical or psychology graduate school courses.

    In Neurofeedback treatments, electrodes are applied to the scalp to record brainwave activity. The  brainwave signals are processed by computer to provide information about certain key brainwave frequencies. The key is to promote some frequencies and diminish others.  This is done by the person being treated "playing specific video games" with his or her brain and being given feedback by Neurofeedback practitioner.   

    It is hard to explain.  Today, during my first treatment, I watched a computer screen with a "pac-man" like disc in a maze.  As I focused on the screen, I got positive reinforcement beeps when the disc moved in the right direction with good speed.  If I produced an incorrect brain wave, the disc would stop or turn black.  At the  same time I was trying to influence the screen with my brain, the doctor was measuring several types of brainwaves.  He showed me print outs of my brain waves after each round.  It was very interesting, but much more complicated than I could fully comprehend.  Luckily I like and trust this doctor.

    The frequencies which are targeted and the specific locations on the scalp where the brain frequencies are recorded are specific to the conditions being addressed and each individual person. There is a lot of trial and error involved.

    I have tried so many things, so many drugs during the long course of this illness that has restricted  my energy and severely limits my ability to work and to participation in so many activities.  It may take over a year or more of treatments, but we'll know long before that whether it is making a positive difference.   
   
    I have a friend with a similar immune illness who has been doing Neurofeedback treatments for the past year.  She says she feels like she has her life back for the first time in 11 years.  I'M HOPEFUL.

    For more information on Neurofeedback, check out EEG  INFO.

Mad Hot Ballroom

    I've mentioned before that ballroom dancing is something I love and enjoy.   

    Friends invited us this afternoon to go to the art theater in downtown Asheville to see Mad Hot Ballroom.

   

    Mad Hot Ballroom:  "Irresistible!  A kind of SPELLBOUND crossed with STRICTLY BALLROOM!"   Kenneth Turan, Los  Angeles Times

  I had not heard about this movie before today, so I had no idea that it was going to be a documentary about a 5th-grade ballroom dance program in the public schools of New York City.

   I adored this movie.  It was absolutely  the best documentary I have ever seen.  It was exciting to see how the lives of some of these children were actually changed by participating in this program.  And, what these kids were able to accomplish was amazing. The dedication of teachers and principals was inspiring.

     The audience broke into spontaneous applause at the end of the movie and most stayed through the credits which included additional footage.

    Even after seeing it,  I don't really get the movie's title, but I do highly recommend it.   Even if you have no interest in dancing, this movie will energize and inspire you. 

    From the Paramount website: 

    “MAD HOT BALLROOM is an inspiring look inside the lives of New York City school kids on a journey in the world of ballroom dancing, an unexpected arena where they discover new frontiers about attitude, movement, style  and commitment.  Told from the candid, sometimes hilarious perspective of the  boys and girls themselves, the picture chronicles their transformation from typical urban kids to “ladies and gentlemen,” as their school teams strive towards a final citywide competition.

    Providing unique insight into the incredible cultural diversity that is truly the soul of New York City, first time feature filmmakers Marilyn Agrelo and Amy Sewell profile eleven-year-olds from three public elementary schools.  Shooting in neighborhoods, classrooms and in the  fifth-graders’  homes, the filmmakers  show all the contradictions of this dynamic and  intriguing age, when growing pressure to become a “cool” teenager vies with rambunctious childlike innocence. 

    American Ballroom Theater’s (ABrT) Dancing Classrooms is the nonprofit organization that  currently provides instruction in ballroom dance at over 60 public schools in New York City.  The program was introduced in two schools ten years ago.  In ten weeks of intense, required classes, the program’s skilled and passionately inventive teachers take their students through a dance repertory:  merengue, rumba, tango, foxtrot and swing dancing.  In the process, we see boys and girls learn a whole lot more than just how to make the right steps.

    Near the end of the program, schools are given the choice to compete in what is called the Rainbow Team Matches.  Each dance team is made up of five couples -- one  for each of the five dances, plus an alternate couple who must know how to do every dance well as back-up in case of illness."

    For more information, check out Mad Hot Ballroom

 

22nd Anniversary

    Last weekend, we celebrated our 22nd anniversary.  We spent two nights at the historic Mountain Magnolia Inn in Hot Springs, NC. 

    Hot  Springs is a tiny, quaint town, nestled among majestic mountains on all sides. It is named after its healing mineral springs.

    Native Americans used the healing springs for centuries before explorers happened upon them in 1778.  After that, as the healing power of the mineral springs became known, Hot Springs (originally called Warm Springs) became a famous healing center. 

    Three major hotels were built on the site.  The Patton Hotel was built the in 1831.  The 200-room Mountain park Hotel was added after the Civil War in 1885, and the Hot Springs Inn was  built in 1926.  Guests  came by rail from all over the United States and Europe.  Fire or flood eliminated all of these grand hotels.  The first time we visited the Hot Springs, a local waitress told us there is a legend that no structure can remain on the property because of a Cherokee curse.

      There are no major buildings left on the grounds of the springs. There are some guest cottages and camping sites.  Instead of bath houses built in earlier times, there are a number of locations along Spring Creek or the French Broad where tubs sit on decks with covered roofs and privacy trellising.  Water from the springs is piped into these tubs for the guests to soak.  The tubs are drained and cleaned after each use.

    The entire weekend could not have been more delightful.  We took our time driving up on Friday afternoon, checked in and went out to a delicious dinner at the Bridge Street Cafe where we opted to dine on the covered deck overlooking Spring Creek which flows boldly through Hot Springs. The French Broad River also runs through Hot Springs and a section of Main Street is a part of the Appalachian Trail.

   Saturday morning I made myself get up in time for last serving of breakfast so Bob wouldn't have to start our anniversary alone.     We lingered over breakfast on the porch watching robins enjoying the bubbling bird bath in the formal garden.    After breakfast we went into town and visited some of the local shops. Then, we drove around the area for a while. 

    The Inn had scheduled our soak at the Springs in our favorite Tub at 3:00 p.m. They furnished us a delightful "spa bag" with towels, large fluffy bathrobes and bottles of water.  The mineral water comes out of the springs at about 100 degrees which is ideal for long soaks.  We enjoyed our hour in the healing waters in Tub #7 which has views of both Spring Creek and the French Broad. It actually sits on a corner of land  where the two bodies of water connect less than a stone's throw from the tub.  It rained during part of our time in the tubs, but the sound of the rain on the  tin roof over the tub just added to our delight.

    Mountain Magnolia Hotel where we stayed was originally a four-story home with an 5th floor observatory room built in the 1800's by Colonel James H.  Rumbough and his wife, Carrie. The Colonel) brought his family to Hot Springs for safety during the Civil war. There is a fascinating history about the family and the house, including one room that is supposedly haunted by one of the  previous residents.

    Some of the furnishings in the inn date back to the original family.  The woodwork details, like multiple moldings, are wonderful.

    The house remained in the Rumbough family until 1988, but the top two floors and the observation tower were removed in the 1950s. The current Bed and  Breakfast owners did a marvelous job of restoring the house, but did not rebuild the top two floors. They did add an observation room as a 3rd floor which now serves as a massage room for guests.  The ceiling is delightful, and This room also has wonderful mountain vista views.

    The Inn had scheduled us for massages at 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. What a treat, especially after the long soak at the Springs.  I took the first massage so I would have time to wash my hair and fix myself up for dinner. 

    We stayed in the Buckeye Room which is on the front corner of the second floor with a very large  deck and heavenly views.  There is even  a large window in the thoroughly modernized bath with jacuzzi tub so that you can relax and bathe in   view of rolling mountain peaks.

    The Inn is open for walk-ins for dinner as well as guests. We had an eight o'clock reservation on the porch.   It was a perfect summer evening, the heat of the day cooled down from the rain and we had another delicious meal accompanied by a bottle of one of my favorite wines, a Pinot Noir, which Bob had brought with us.  The Inn serves wine, but also allows folks staying there to bring their own which is nice.

    The grounds of the Inn are delightful for strolling with hammocks and benches in numerous places. They have one of the most beautiful and largest trees I have ever seen,  a Chinese Black Walnut.  The only tree I've ever seen that is larger is the Angel Oak in Charleston which predates Columbus.  Bob paced off the width in each direction which was over 100 feet.  They have other very large trees including some very old and locusts and magnolias with blossoms bigger than both my hands, but the Chinese Black Walnut is the most magnificent of the Inn's old trees.

    We had another late breakfast on Sunday and enjoyed our morning leisurely since check-out  time was not until noon.

    This is a second marriage for both Bob and myself.  We are blessed to have found each other and to have had 22 wonderful years to celebrate.  This was our second visit to Mountain Magnolia Inn and our third time to soak in the healing mineral waters.  We're already planning a day trip to the springs later in the summer and I'm sure we'll return to celebrate special occasions at the Mountain Magnolia Inn.

Favorite Bridge Partners

   
    Is that a great smile or what?
   
    I've written before about our retirement avocation of playing duplicate bridge.

    Owen, the handsome young man above is one of our favorite bridge partners in team play.  At sixteen, Owen (young enough to be my grandson) has already earned his Life Master award and has been playing in duplicate bridge tournaments for years.

    Last week, there was a 7-day ABCL Regional tournament in Greenville, SC    . . . about an hour away from us.  We commuted back and forth on Tuesday and Wednesday and then went down on Friday and stayed through the weekend. There were over 1500 tables  of bridge played  during  the week by almost 900 participants.

    The tournament was held downtown  and Greenville's tree-lined main street was delightful for walking between afternoon and evening rounds . . . great restaurants, great atmosphere.

    We have several favorite pairs we like to play with at tournaments.  Owen and his partner, Sam,  are two of our favorite partners.  At sixteen, Owen has been playing longer than any of the rest of us.  We had a very successful tournament, but we also had great fun playing with Owen and Sam.

    Sam had work responsibilities on Thursday and Owen went home to be fitted for a suit for an event he is attending soon with his father. While we were at dinner on Friday evening,I asked Owen about his new suit and he offered to try it on and show me. He was not staying at the tournament hotel, but had his dad bring his suit. He went up to my room in the hotel and changed and came down looking really terrific as you can see above. We had never seen before him in anything, but pop culture T-shirts before.  Owen ended up with no time to change before the evening round, so he played in his new suit and tie. He got lots of attention.

    Owen is the kind of young person that makes you feel hopeful for the future.  His energy and enthusiasm are contagious.  And, he is so much fun.  No one is a stranger to him.  He knows and talks to all the pros.

    This picture of the "winning team" was taken in January at a Sectional tournament, the second time we all played together as a team.

    At tournaments, our favorite games are the team games.  There are two different kinds of team games, Knockouts and Swiss.  Which section or bracket you are assigned to depends on the total points of the team.  The  basic idea of team games is that we play a set number of hands against opponents whose team  partners play the same hands we do.   Our team partners are playing the same hands  our opponents are playing.  Score are compared after a round of boards.

    In Knockouts, there are two twelve-board rounds in each match with one team being knocked out in each round.  The fourth  round is genenerally played  between the two remaining teams for first and second place.  In Swiss games, you play against players of all levels and no team is knocked out.  You score Victory Points based on International Match Points for each round and the team with the highest score at each level wins in the end.  A "D" rated team can win in "C," or "B" with a high enough score,  but a "B" team can only win in "B."

    Because of my health, we rarely play mornings.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, we played an afternoon/evening Knockout event which we won.  We started another Knockout event on Friday afternoon and ended up in a much higher bracket where we were almost the bottom team in total points standing.  We won that event also. In the second round of one of the knockouts, we were down 33 IMPS (International Match Points) at the half. That is a huge deficit, but we ended up coming back to win in the second half . . . largely due to Owen's creative bidding and excellent play.

    Then on Sunday, we played an all-day Swiss team event.  Our points placed us as "D" players, bottom.  The A/X event is for the REALLY big players (over 2000 points), including the pros.  There is also a lower event for the novice/intermediate players (0-300 points)  Everyone else, 27 teams, played in the B,C,D  event. We ended up 1st place in D, 1st place in C and, 2nd place in B.  We were all pleased since most of the  teams we played in the 7 rounds were more experienced with more points.

    Each of us ended up in the top ten in overall points for the tournament for players with up to 1500 points (triple the amount any of us had). 

     I'll fondly remember our success at the Greenville tournament, but the best memories are of the great time we had playing with our good friends, Sam, and Owen.  Owen bought me a gift in one of the Greenville shops, a linen towel that says:  "All I have learned about life, I have learned playing bridge!"  One of the most delightful things I've learned is that you're never too old to have fun with young people.