WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
As I get Out and About, I can’t help but notice how many friends and acquaintances are doing the same, but with much more difficulty. The other day at the post office, I met a friend walking with a cane. He thought that he was experiencing problems with his leg. His doctor informed him that it wasn’t his leg that was giving him problems, but rather his hip. He’s pretty sure that a hip replacement is in his future. Five years ago, he was getting around without any difficulty. You never know when a physical ailment is going to strike and affect your lifestyle.
It’s often been said that one should not wait until they retire to do any traveling. Travel while you’re young and are able to enjoy yourself to the fullest. It’s only a brief financial setback, and being mobile is very important. It’s a fact of life that as you grow older, your body is affected. It tires out much too quickly.
I’ve been very fortunate during my lifetime. The only state that I have not visited is Alaska, and we’re planning to travel there within the next year or two. I’m doing the best I can to stay healthy, and if I can do something that I want to do, I do it. I have a very short bucket list.
I’d like to share a quote from Anne Lamott. She wrote, “Oh my God, what if you wake up some day, and you’re 65 or 75, and you never got your memoir or novel written; or you didn’t go swimming in warm pools and oceans all those years, because your thighs were jiggly and you had a nice big comfortable tummy; or you were just so strung out on perfectionism and people-pleasing that you forgot to have a big juicy creative life of imagination and radical silliness, and staring off into space like when you were a kid? It’s going to break your heart. Don’t let this happen.” This is something we should all take to heart, before it’s too late.
You can tell that spring has arrived in Three Rivers in several ways. The Weenie King is selling hot dogs, the weather changes from day to day, and the Farmers’ Market is open in Scidmore Park. The Weenie King opened a couple of months ago, the local weather changes constantly, no matter what time of the year it is, but the Farmers’ Market just officially opened last Thursday, May 28. From now through Labor Day, the market will be open every Thursday from 1 until 6 PM, whether it’s raining or shining. Mother Nature has no say on this matter. Every year the Farmers’ Market seems to get better and better. You can still purchase farm-fresh vegetables that have been grown locally, but you also have the opportunity to indulge yourself with tacos, ribs, pulled pork, chicken sandwiches, polish sausage, burgers, soft pretzels, and if you’re in to really healthy things, there are smoothies made from yogurt, locally grown berries, organic bananas, and raw honey. There are over thirteen vendors on-site, which means that there’s always something for everyone. Scidmore Park is located on West Michigan Avenue and Spring Street, in Three Rivers, with the entrance to the Farmers’ Market just west of the railroad tracks on West Michigan Avenue. Why not make Thursday a family day? Have lunch at the market, then take the family to the petting zoo, and let the kids enjoy the playground. You’ll need to pay for your food and other household items, but entrance to Scidmore Park is always FREE.
If planning a trip to Scidmore Park sounds interesting, take along a few empty plastic bags. As you walk around the park, please feel free to pick up any litter that those less appreciative may have dropped. It’s unfortunate that to most of us, Scidmore Park is a venue to be proud of, while some think of it as just a large trash can. If you happen to see someone litter, please remind them of their uncaring act. Hopefully, they’ll eventually learn to think of others first.
See you Out and About!
Submitted by Norm Stutesman
