1.0The News Journalhttps://qa.thenewsjournal.netrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="IhbsA3fXSm"><a href="https://qa.thenewsjournal.net/89-and-holding/">89 and holding</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://qa.thenewsjournal.net/89-and-holding/embed/#?secret=IhbsA3fXSm" width="600" height="338" title="“89 and holding” — The News Journal" data-secret="IhbsA3fXSm" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); /* ]]> */ </script> https://qa.thenewsjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Bena-Mae-mug166.jpg20030089 and holding In a couple weeks, April 30 to be exact, I will be 89 years-old. On May 2, my son Steve will be 64. My Tennessee family will be celebrating our birthdays along with watching the KY Derby which is always held on the closest day to our birthdays, and Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday that is held on May 5th. The cuisine will be Mexican (no apologies to Mr. Trump) and shared with friends who always drop by. It’s always a gala affair. Birthdays are always a time of reflection. Our brain is like a computer that clicks to “rewind” at certain times in our lives with memories that have no “delete” button. They are there to stay. And now when my son turns 64, I am awed and dismayed at how fast the years have flown, From Captain Kangaroo to Breaking Bad, not to mention a tsunami of reality shows. And the changes in music, from the Big Band era to rock-and-roll, from Ella Fitzgerald to The Rolling Stones that hit like a sound barrier to my ears. I laugh when I think of the Beatles explosion and how I thought they were the ruination of music altogether. Later I would come to accept them, and oftentimes have found myself humming one of their tunes. My life has been decades of changes, from the depression years to the age of all things electronic. Although I’m reluctant to change for the most part, I appreciate the change in communications, the computer, for example, of which I am semi-literate. Then there are the great changes in the medical field, a field in which I have been the recipient these past five years. I hope that my sharing my life with you, warts and all, has given you back a small amount of inspiration that you have given me. When I was at my lowest, you were a network of friends with whom I could vent my utter frustrations.   When my health was at its worst. It was a catharsis that I needed I have come close to meeting the grim reaper more than once these past five years, and yet I keep snapping back. I don’t know why, but I am left to believe that it’s genetic. My DNA map is littered with relatives who made it to 100 years old and beyond. Whether that’s a factor or not, it’s some consolation. And you, dear reader, you have played a large part in helping me find the motivation for doing something I enjoy. And I thank you for it. *Footnote: When my son was 49, he received the following birthday card that we thought was funny.  I share it with you today: “This really old guy was walking along the beach one day.  He hears a tiny little voice calling  ‘hey, mister, psst, will you come here.’ He looks around and sees a tiny little frog. He picks it up and it says, ‘Hey mister, if you kiss me, I’ll turn into a beautiful young woman and your wishes will be my command.’  He takes the frog, puts it in his pocket and starts to walk back toward home.  The frog says ‘hey what are you doing. Don’t you want to kiss me?’ The old man says, ‘Well, to tell you the truth, at my age a talking frog is worth a whole lot more to me than a beautiful lady.’ This recipe may seem long but believe me it’s worth the effort.  A whole meal in one baking dish. VEGGIE MACARONI AND CHEESE CASSEROLE Ingredients 1-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni 3 cups fresh broccoli florets 2 cups fresh cauliflowerets 3 large carrots, halved and thinly sliced 2 celery ribs, sliced 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup 2% milk 1 cup chicken broth 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon paprika Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cook macaroni according to package directions, adding broccoli, cauliflowerets, carrots and celery during the last 6 minutes. Drain; transfer to a greased 13×9-in. baking dish. 2. Meanwhile, saute onion in butter until tender. Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Gradually stir in milk and broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese, mustard, salt and pepper. 3. Pour over macaroni mixture; stir to coat. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 12 servings.