Senior Citizen

Today, I'm going to a Chinese restaurant in Closter with my friend Louise. She is treating me to lunch. The next day I'm going to another senior citizen friend's house for lunch. She is having four others.

Saturday, I'm going to a steak dinner at the American Legion in Closter. They will serve filet mignon, mixed salad and all the trimmings. It costs ten dollars a ticket. It's nice to meet old friends and make new friends.

My son John is commander of the Legion this year. He is working hard trying to keep everything in order and make a little money for them. I also belong to the American Legion Auxiliary. I used to be active when I was younger. Now that I am older I just pay my dues, give towards the cake sale, go to their different affairs and chat with the older members.

There is going to be a retreat at the Loyola House in Morristown starting June 22, 1979. My daughter Ann and I paid our deposit. I'm sure we will be very happy there. It also gives us a chance to relax and bring us closer to God. The first time I went was about three weeks after my husband passed away. He died on May 26, 1974. It is now five years my dear husband has passed away. I still miss him, especially on holidays. He loved holidays. He also loved having the children come over to our house for dinner. He enjoyed playing with the grandchildren. I can still hear the grandchildren calling for Pop-Pop. He would play ball with the older ones, go for walks with the younger ones or read books to them. He also gave them pony rides. They love to talk about their Pop-Pop, even today. We all love our memories of him, may his soul rest in peace.

Our son Tony doesn't look like his father but he does things just like his father did. He works so hard, he never knows enough to stop and take it easy once in a while. When I tell him to take it easy he will say, “How do you think Pop accomplished what he did in his lifetime. If he didn't work hard he couldn't have left you independent and able to take care of yourself.”

Since my husband died I have made many lady friends. I have two good friends. One gives me a ride to the Closter senior citizen meetings and back home. Her name is Ida. The other lady friend gives me a ride to Saint Mary's senior citizens and back again. Sometimes a few ladies get together and we go for lunch at different places. I think they are good friends to give me rides.

An old friend, Catherine, is picking me up and taking me to her house for lunch. She is a friend of ours from Massachusetts. Her mother and sister will also be there. This friend used to live close by; she moved to Massachusetts about a year ago. I have visited her there. She lives in an apartment building. She has a beautiful apartment. I went with another friend, Marion. Catherine treated us very well. She also drove us around to different historic places. We also had lunch at several quaint restaurants. One night Catherine, Marion, and I went to a Catholic church to play bingo. I won $100, I was so happy, I couldn't believe it. Later I treated everyone to supper. It was a good feeling.

Today, I will be happy to see Catherine. Kay came to pick me up at 10:30 a.m. She made a lovely lunch for me and seven other ladies. We were all happy to be together. We all chatted and caught up on the news.

On April 21, 1979, I went to another steak dinner at the American Legion. Carmela and Mario, Tony and Lorraine, John and Rosemarie and some of their in-laws and a friend Rose with her friend all sat at the table. About 90 people showed up. We paid ten dollars a ticket. It is the last big affair before John's time is up as Legion commander. He did a wonderful job while in office. We all danced and had an enjoyable time.

The Senior Citizen Club of Closter went to Radio City Music Hall to see an Easter show. About 50 of us went on a bus. The movies and live show were both good. It was going to be the last show. I heard that the building is going to be made taller and it will hold different kinds of entertainment for New York. After the show we all went to a restaurant and had something to eat.

Today, I'm going to town to buy wool. I'm going to start an afghan for my grandson Thomas. He chose red, white and blue. His brother Steven and he share a room together. Their afghans will match; they are both the same color. This afghan will be the 28th one now, one for each of my children and grandchildren. I bought 32 skeins of wool to make two afghans. I will be kept busy for a long time. It is an heirloom I'm leaving the children and grandchildren to remember me by. They all are pleased with their afghans. Right now it is Spring. I sit in the sun on my big porch and crochet for a few hours every morning. In the evening I look at television and crochet. My hands are busy doing something most of the time.

Today is Sunday, April 29, 1979. Carmela and Mario and about eight other couples from the Lions Club are going to New York state. They are going to stay for three days. They get meals each day. They will play golf most of the time. They love to play golf. I'm going to stay at their house with their 15-year-old daughter Marion. I will cook for her and clean around the house. We get along fine.

Sometimes my grandchildren think I don't understand them. They have the impression that senior citizens were always old. How wrong they are! We were once babies and little children. I can remember when I was 16 and then in the 20's so clearly. We are just in our golden years with all the experiences we have gone through.

Carmela and Mario enjoyed golfing, dancing and looking at shows at night. They were happy they went.

I signed up to go to the senior citizens' anniversary lunch at the Serendipity in Cresskill. I will be busy that day because the Lions Club asked all the past members' widows to join them on their installation dinner. My husband had been a member for 26 years before he passed away. The ladies don't pay anything. Tony and Mario belong to the Lions Club. I think it is very thoughtful of them to ask us widows to join them. I had two lovely dinners in one day and I enjoyed them both.