Out and About – Week of October 10, 2016

I’ll start this week’s column by trying to get myself out of the dog house. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote on the subject of Living Wills. If I came across suggesting that a Living Will is the way to go, I apologize. I did some reading on the subject, and it seemed like a good idea. I do not have one, but I have heard of many people who do have one made out. My suggestion is to check with an attorney and listen to all the pros and cons concerning a Living Will, then decide for yourself. What is good for one person may not be good for another. Much like politics and religion, everyone is entitled to their opinion. My intention was to merely share with you readers something that had caught my interest. The one thing that I benefited from the sharing was to discover that more than one person reads this column every week.
I consider myself to be somewhat responsible. I have made arrangements to have my body disposed of when I die. I’ve even paid for a burial plot in the Veterans’ section out at Riverside Cemetery. I don’t have a will, but I plan to handle that sometime before I take my last breath.
Our cat, Dixie is still with us. A couple of months ago, we thought she was ready to cross the Rainbow Bridge. Every morning, we thought we’d find her stretched out next to the fireplace. She was slow in getting around and didn’t climb the stairs to our bedroom anymore. We were sure she would never join us again on our ventures in the motorhome. Lo and behold, she was right there with us a couple of weeks ago as we traveled to Omaha and back. She even manages to surprise my wife in the morning, when we discover her curled up on my wife’s pillow. I’ll never understand her, but I will continue to love her for as long as she decides to hang out with us.
With winter just around the corner, a lot of birds head south for the winter. Whether this is true or not, I’m not sure, but I do know that there are some birds who are not “Snowbirds”. In other words, they spend a good part of the winter here in Michigan. Here are some helpful hints for those who have a nice picture window that overlooks a spacious backyard, providing a nice sanctuary for our feathered friends.
If you have a bird feeder, place it near a natural perch, like a bush or other type of shrub. Then, during a busy feeding time, there’s a place for birds to wait their turn at the feeder. Don’t forget to place the feeder high enough off the ground so that predators might be discouraged to interfere.
I’ve never been much of a bird watcher, but I’m sure that, much like watching goldfish, it can be quite relaxing and one’s stress level might even decrease.
For those of the Jewish faith, Happy Yom Kippur!
See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman

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