Why "Two Reluctant Seniors"?

To begin with, I got a little hooked on blogging when we traveled for 3 weeks in Europe and I began a blog so that our friends and family would know where we were and that we were OK.  I also blogged to keep a record of our adventures to match up with the hundreds of photos that we took along the way.  Previously, we didn't track our days very well in a notebook and had some difficulty coordinating the photos and the days traveled....  I also found that I rather enjoyed keeping some kind of diary and doing electronically was so much easier than handwriting, and have decided to try keeping a regular journal.... here goes.....

As far a the phrase "reluctant seniors," Wayne and I have found that we are reluctant to be classed as "old" and are reluctant to slip into quietude as we see many people do.  We see friends who have become frightened or intimidated by travel, especially abroad, and who are worried about doing new or uncharted things.  We don't want to get that way yet and hope to keep active, inquisitive, and somewhat adventurous for as long as we are physically able. 

That being said, we have found that when faced with the complications of today's international travel, that we could easily be "scared off."  We have chosen not to be!  We do face the daily fact that we are less physically able to easily do some things, but choose to try anyway, knowing that we generally will prevail and be the better for it.  Humorous examples of this are the great variety in foreign bathtubs/showers.  Many are slippery....many are a big step up or a big step down....some have no soap or shampoo shelf....some must have been designed for people that are about 4 feet tall....some are dimensionally tiny.  We've found that we can just be extra careful not to fall...putting a small towel or washcloth in the bottom of the shower/tub to prevent slipping and making stepping in and out a breeze...the short and tiny showers are a challenge that any person has to figure out and contort to!

We travel with a Garmin GPS unit that makes certain, in almost all cases, that we get where we are going.  We download the most current highway and street maps of our destination countries before leaving the U.S. and use the Garmin even if the rental car has its own unit.  Garmin tends to be more accurate and much more user friendly.  It's even useful if one is walking or bicycling, but for those two activities, one's cell phone can provide great directions.

We've found that spending two or three (or more) nights in one place facilitate much more comfortable travel.  It saves lots of time in slogging bags in and out of hotels, and searching for the next hotel, and gives us more time to enjoy the areas being explored.  Exploring from one place works very well.

Travel isn't the only area  in which we are refusing to be reluctant.  We are determined to live in our own home and take care of our house and gardens for a long as we can.  We have no desire to move into a maintenance-free senior complex and thus grow more dependent upon others thereby pushing our independence away.  We both read, we both keep fully informed on current events, and we both try to keep our minds active.  Wayne wants to learn to play the piano....I want to get my very rusty piano playing spruced up.  We both love doing things with friends and value that interaction.  We are learning to shoot pistols and re-learning the skill of bike riding.  We love great coffee and good food.

So, while we freely admit to being "seniors", we are "reluctant" to grow "old."  We look in the mirror and see people that are different than the ones we feel we are in our minds.  It is taking time to adjust to the strangers in the mirror. 

My random blogging will follow some of our challenges, adventures, and interests.  I hope that some of it will encourage others to step out of the "safe" zone and keep minds refreshed and active for many years to come.