Do what you will, but don’t take the keys to my car

Unabridged from my Bonus Years column in the Lifestyle section of The Sunday Capital, Annapolis, Maryland I am writing from southwest Florida — in Naples — where we are spending the holidays with my soon-to-be 96-year-old mother and are surrounded by many interesting and lively people, also in their bonus years. Some are here year around; others are…

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Consumables and experiences trump “stuff” on Christmas

Unabridged from my Bonus Years column in the Lifestyle section of The Sunday Capital, Annapolis, Maryland Buying a Christmas gift for a friend or relative in their bonus years can be a challenge.  What kind of gift do you buy for the person who has everything or for a parent or bonus years friend who is an empty-nester…

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The valuable wisdom of a grandparent educates the kids

Unabridged from my Bonus Years column in the Lifestyle section of The Sunday Capital, Annapolis, Maryland December is a good time of the year, especially in the world’s Judeo-Christian cultures.  For those of the Jewish faith, these weeks mark the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah, a time of joy, renewal and thanksgiving that commemorates a revolt by the Jews…

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Bonus years can work, for better or for worse

This past week, Pope Benedict XVI inspired many with his comment that it is “beautiful to be old.”  The 85-year-old pontiff, who now uses a cane and has eyesight problems, also acknowledged that age brings challenges and difficulties.  While visiting elderly residents of Sant’ Egidio Community in a Rome neighborhood near the Vatican, he said,…

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Something old, something new makes a portfolio

Unabridged from my Bonus Years column in the Lifestyle section of The Sunday Capital, Annapolis, Maryland “On April 9, 1940, the very day that the Nazis invaded Norway, a young Swedish nurse received a life-changing letter.  It contained an improbable wedding proposal from the man she loved – a Norwegian living more than three thousand miles away across…

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