The Golden Girls

A nasty reminder came in the mail recently, it was another invite to join the AARP. No thanks! But it did get me thinking about retirement.

I don't have much of a plan but my sketchy dream is to live out my golden years with some BFF's in a condo in a warmer climate. We'll take walks on the beach every morning and we'll shop the boardwalk every afternoon. I hope to keep my car in the carport and do all my boardwalk commutes with a little shuffle and a little wiggle. Ah and then we'll rest up and get partied up for our evening dates. Assuming there's more than 3 eligible bachelors in our senior community.

Sounds familiar doesn't it? I think that show, The Golden Girls had it right. We women can have it all. Even if we can't remember where we put it, our BFF's will help us find it, ha.

I've been lucky to still have my very first friends. They were some of the first girls I met in the neighborhood, back in the day. We don't ride our Raleighs to Seven-11 anymore. We don't put on fake accents to meet boys at the beach. We've graduated in many ways. But we still meet up for brunch or lunch and laugh about the old days.

As life gives us some twists and turns we'll be there for each other just like Bea Arthur was for Betty White. I'm looking forward to my retirement and living out my Golden Years with my Golden Girls. So if in 20 years your phone rings and someone with a giggle asks....."Do you have Jim Bean in a bottle? Well let him out he's drowning" you'll know it's me and the girls pulling prank calls from our condo on the beach.

Enjoy the theme song from the TV show, The Golden Girls

http://www.myspace.com/video/noizyneighbour/andrew-gold-thank-you-for-being-a-friend/5510300

Out on the Streets (Bruce Springsteen)

As I scour the database at work editing addresses putting commas in place, capping proper nouns, and extending those nasty abbreviations I've come across some great addresses and it's given me pause to think about street names. I wonder, would the name of your street seal the deal when buying your next home?

We have a Columbine Avenue where I live. Selling a home on that block must be every realtor's nightmare. Or would your kids have nightmares....... living on Loch Ness Road? Every little girl would love waking up on Rainbow Drive or Enchanted Point.  How about Candy Cove or Sunnyslope?

Growing up in Richfield, we had a house a few blocks over that, despite having a practical and numerical address of 12th Avenue, was totally haunted. I never saw a soul in the place and it was old and rundown with busted attic windows frequented by bats and stray baseballs. Anytime I had to pass by I would quicken my step and always, always cross the street to be a safe distance away. And if on Halloween I made my way over there on that dark scary night.......well I knew I wasn't ringing their doorbell for treats (or tricks).

Neighborhoods get their reputations from the homes, the people that live in them, and the surrounding street names. Given my penchant for wanting to live like a Queen I've always felt drawn to the King's Highway stretch of gorgeous old homes in Minneapolis near the lakes. They are regal and old school with landscaped yards and inviting paths leading up to the door.

I wanted funky architecture and secret doors leading under the stairs in my first home but instead I found my way to a set of identical town homes set one atop the other. It wasn't old and it wasn't unique. There would be no Nancy Drew mysteries to solve under my stairs because I didn't have stairs. Ah, but it was new and so bright and filled with possibilities. What clinched the deal for this wide eyed first time home buyer? The address of course........Providence Drive!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qZbyLsiHzY

Enjoy this video of the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, singing Out on the Streets.

Rocking Down the Highway

As I'm listening to the Doobie Brothers sing an old classic, "Rocking Down the Highway," it makes me value the work of my mechanic that got me back on the road last month. Where would we be without those greased up guys in coveralls?

Repair shops outnumber donut shops - but it takes a special car crisis for the names of these mechanics to be whispered about. Like the rumored little black book that single men kept with the names and phone numbers of all their dates......today's married men keep a crumpled yellow post-it note buried deep in their wallet with the name of their favorite mechanic. More than once I heard the phrase whispered benevolently......well......yes....I've got a guy you can call.

My truck is back on the road thanks to Shakopee Midas and all their hard work. It comes and goes and hums and purrs in all the right places. Now I have the open road before me and all summer to plan my road trips. Did I mention how cute the mechanic was that handed me my keys? I might have to go back for the free tire rotation after 2K miles. Why you ask? Because I'm a little curious about how many pages are in his little black book, LOL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHJaqe12BIc
Check out the link above to hear the Doobie Brothers live.