My Epitaph

By Audrey T. Logan

I am a middle class senior I love people, places and things. My life has been very active;
wore out all my moving parts farming where I raised my two sons. We live in the Pacifi c
Northwest. I traveled extensively after becoming a widow; lived the courage of my convictions and try always to think positive. I would love to be an inspiration to others. Without my memories and my two sons and one wonderful daughter-in-law, life would have no meaning.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 12, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469139548

Audrey T. Logan

I am a middle class senior I love people, places and things. My life has been very active; wore out all my moving parts farming where I raised my two sons. We live in the Pacific Northwest. I traveled extensively after becoming a widow; lived the courage of my convictions and try always to think positive. I would love to be an inspiration to others. Without my memories and my two sons and one wonderful daughter-in-law, life would have no meaning.

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Copyright © 2012 by Audrey T. Logan.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2011962875

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4691-3953-1

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4691-3952-4

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4691-3954-8

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Dedication

This book is especially dedicated to Shirley Haller and Mary Anne Sullivan whom I’ve known at least 60 years. Of course to my family and Don and Marilee Havens who have always encouraged me to succeed.

This book is dedicated to those in life who have these decisions to make. Alone—it is a different world!

It sure isn’t the world as we knew it years ago. I’ve lived in the developing style of what is known as Retirement Centers for 4 years. I can see it declining rather rapidly. I wonder just what the next phase will be known as?

They refer to the existing level of living as: #1 Active Living, #2 Assisted Living and #3 Care Centers.

So far, I am in the Active Living level. How long that will last—who knows? When I started this, it was May 15th, 2008. Prior to this move, I had a nice one bedroom home, six hundred square feet, a perfect setup I had lived in for about fourteen years. It was a nice senior area, all modest homes, fourteen hundred of them to be exact. The required age to own your home there was 55 years or older.

It was known as The Senior Estates Country Club and Golf Course. It was a well kept area, modest homes, where those who owned their homes felt safe and secure. There was a Club House which had a Hot Tub, and Swimming Pool: an exercise area with all equipment needed to keep in shape; a craft room, a huge dining/meeting room, a kitchen and entertainment area. There was even a restaurant! It was open to the public and busy at most times, and looked upon the 9th hole of the Golf Course; very picturesque with a pleasant atmosphere. They served a nice breakfast, lovely lunch and terrific dinners. As with all Golf Course areas, one felt fortunate to be one among the residents.

There was a Pro Shop with a Pro who ran it; a meeting area and storage barn for carts, which could be rented, or to park your own cart. The club house of course had all the office’s necessary to keep the home owners doing all things within the rules. There was a meeting area for the board member’s and a card room, shuffle board, and of course there were four pool tables. It was a very up and coming place.

It was a living area for a senior who wants to be secure in their retiring years. We had lovely yards, clean streets and we all felt safe. The best part was, as long as we could ‘do for ourselves’, the yard work. It was great to enjoy the chatting with the neighbor as we labored in our yards. When we got to where we felt a bit insecure doing our yards we could hire a yard man. Nearly everyone had put in a sprinkler system rather than go throughout the day to moving the hose and sprinkler around. It was a very happy, pleasing area to live in. Among all the joys of living here—there was a men’s chorus as well as a woman’s chorus. The men, when performing, wore bright Green jackets and ties; the women wore bright blue skirts and white blouses. They were good at what they did, and went to many retirement centers to sing.

In most cases, the tragedies began with the loss of your spouse. My circle was known as ‘Widow’s Circle’. It seemed we lost our husbands too often. We had been neighbors for so many years and spent evenings or even afternoon’s playing cards or visiting—our losses were dynamic.

What a shock it is to lose your spouse—even if you are aware it’s coming. We had been told by my husband’s oncologist he would pass within 2 hours, 2 days, 2 weeks, or 2 months. The end is NEAR! Papa wanted to be alone for a bit—so I went to the local Nursery for a while. While there, I fell! Our cup already was running over, so I thought I’d do my best and maybe not tell him. But, it didn’t work that way. Within a few hours I was secure at the nearest hospital emergency room. My doctor’s had been notified that I was there and off I went to surgery to have my right hip unpinned and re-pinned. They found it necessary to place a hip screw pin in the femur, with a metal shield outside the femur from my hip socket to knee. I felt like the Bionic woman—since in 1987 these same doctor’s had done total replacements for both of my knees. Matter of fact, I recently wrote them a note thanking them for a job well done, as I reached my 85th birthday in 2011.

A sad note is that my ‘Papa’ died on the second day I was in the hospital. I never saw him again. He was buried in the Veteran’s Cemetery during my recovery. We knew it was coming, but when and how, we find out only as God’s will. I was sent to a nursing home from the hospital, where I had lots of therapy before