Well, I did it.  I not only cooked a turkey but all the fixin's as well.  I went through the motions and they gave me something to do.  I have fixed a plate for a disabled man in my complex and frozen a bunch of food for Christmas and further use.

My mother always made Chex mix and I plan to do that for Christmas.  I might even make fudge. The reason: going through the motions makes us busy and happy.  It also reaffirms that we seniors matter and can still enjoy our life even if we are alone. 

Granted two sounds nice, but it is not always the rule.  And family may not always be a good choice if there is animosity there.  Many movies have been done on the "joy" of celebrating holidays with families that have issues.

So I am going through the motions of Christmas, too.  I will send Christmas cards to friends, make Chex mix, trim a small tree, decorate as if someone important is coming, watch my favorite Christmas movies, thaw out my "Christmas turkey" and generally enjoy the life I have - even if I am alone. 

I am going to continue going through the motions until the New Year.  I may even get a split of champagne to celebrate a new year of life and make a few New Year's resolutions.  Cheers!

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am trying to decide whether to cook or not.  You see, when we are seniors and live alone, cooking a Thanksgiving feast is a lot of work for one.  However, I ask myself why I will not do it for myself and would if there were two in my household.  I think it narrows down to self-worth when you reach a certain age.

I do not earn a living, which can determine my worth.  I have no spouse or children and that also determines value in society.  So what makes me valuable now that I am alone and living on a fixed income?  I have been alone before and earning a small wage.  What makes me worthless now; what makes me less valued now?

You know what it is.  I am old; I am a senior citizen.  As I watch TV I notice that, although I am part of the Baby Boomer generation that is quite large and in many ways quite wealthy, I see inane offerings to the younger generations who probably do not even watch TV.  I know it is all about advertising and making money, but the youth of today have other things to do other than watch network TV. I know I did.  So again why are we seniors not important?

Age – we are a country that does not respect our elders.  We want to push them away into special retirement homes that cater to them so we do not have to do so.

It is depressing to consider that I am not valued at all now – not my opinions, preferences, etc.  I really should show myself respect but it is hard when society doesn’t.

And I still cannot decide if I should cook a turkey dinner for Thanksgiving.

I hit a bump in the road last week and I had to stop for a while.  It was not a really large bump, but it did feel like one. That is what is infuriating to me now that I have grown older. 

When I was a young person I could just fly over any bump in my path.  I did not even give them a moment’s thought.    Even as I grew a little older, a bump just caused a pause.  Now, I have to stop and take inventory.  Oh, I wish it were not so.

As you know my byline on this blog is Miss Peggy.  All of the names for Miss Maudie's Menagerie are prefaced with "Miss" for a reason - they are all very old now and deceased with the exception of me.

I have become a "Miss" again since moving into the deep South.  "Miss" is a term given to elderly women as a sign of respect.  A young person would NEVER call an older woman by her first name alone.  Hence, I have become Miss Peggy for real.

I remember long ago, when I had first started teaching, being called "Miss" for the first time.  I felt so old.  This "Miss" was coupled with my last name and it was the first time I had been called that  name.  I had been a student, a young woman dating, a child of my parents, etc.  I was Peggy to everyone. That "Miss" floored me.

Now I am "Miss" again, only this time I am Miss Peggy.  My response to hearing myself referred this way was similar to when I first heard "Miss" attached to my last name. I immediately felt so OLD.  In fact, every time I hear a younger person (maybe someone I feel is an adult contemporary) call me Miss Peggy, I give a start!  I do not feel that OLD.  Call me by my last name with a prefix of Miss and I will be OK.  But by calling me Miss Peggy in public away from this blog, I feel insulted, especially if the person calling me that is not that much younger than I.  I do not feel respected - just OLD.