for the abrupt departure from my last blog, but sometimes when I get on the computer time flies really fast,  I lose track of time and then I have to do what I did, leave in mid thought. I’ll try not to do that again. On that same subject of activities, yesterday I had invited two couples for a barbeque to thank them for inviting Sean for dinner while I was away, and also to celebrate Labor Day. When retired, holidays are not quite the same as when you worked,  as you don’t have the luxury of enjoying the extra day off. I still like to celebrate with friends so fiqured this would be a way to say thank-you. There were only six of us, and yet it was quite a feat to figure which day and which time. Wound up Sunday was good but it had to be in the late afternoon. Sean and Ed are both Golf Ambassadors and get off around 2:00pm, Carol plays cards so they can’t come until 4:30pm. Rich and Betty could come after the Foreign Film Club gets out, but it had to be at 3:30pm, as Rich goes to the Trivia Club at 6:00pm, loves it and wouldn’t miss it. There might have been a time when I would have hoped my function was more important than theirs, but living in the Villages is all about activities and they are our first priority. It is our enthusiasm about them and our unfailing attendance  that makes them great. I am a new member of the Foreign Film Club and I do have Water Aerobics but when you have invited guests to a barbeque, it is a given you stay home to prepare.  I know that I have spent quite a bit of time talking about activities and perhaps have you thinking…ok, I get it, you have a lot of activities, drop it.  I think I am having a hard time dropping it because I had the opportunity to attend a family reunion and there were many people my age, some older and some younger and all of them live year round in NJ.  I was flabbergasted at how frail many of them looked and  there was not a spring in anyone of their steps.  I couldn’t help but think the people in the Villages are still playing baseball, golf, pickleball, tennis,archery and the like well into their 80’s and none of them look as frail as did these folks.  I really feel the winters take a toll on a lot of things, including people.   Years ago when I was just coming down in the winter I had mentioned to my doctor how good I felt in Florida and he said it is a proven fact that you live longer in the warm climate.  I didn’t think too much about it until seeing my  aging contemporaries at this reunion, and thought that is what my doctor was talking about.   To be honest though  I also met other contemporaries that looked really good and were very spry and alive but they were still working and having fun at what they were doing,  so the secret perhaps is to have an  activity or passion you enjoy doing….and if you throw in warm winter weather you have just put the icing on the top.