Life on the Fast Lane, after 75

Last year, I turned 75 and joined the “elderly" demographic. I thought the next turning point would be when I turned 80. But here I am, just a few weeks after celebrating my 76^th birthday. My life has more changes: a focus on health, no travel, being homebound, family visits, and new writing directions.

More Attention on Health

When I turned 65, I celebrated being a “sexygenarian" (being sexy in the 60s), in the middle of all our exciting travels. At 70, I began to feel older as digestive problems flared up. We changed to slower travel.    

But now, health problems have become more challenging. Bill’s health issues have grown from cardiovascular to neurological. My hypothyroidism has been cured, but GERD still haunts me. Worse, my blood pressure and cholesterol levels have risen.

After the Blue Zones captured the world's imagination in Netflix’s “Live to 100” documentary, I became a student of longevity. Because we are more plant-based, I have dropped 12 pounds, and Bill, six. We also try to move and walk a lot. Hopefully, we are on the road to better health.  

Practically No Travel

After we returned from winter in Mexico, a San Diego celebration, a visit to Colorado in April, and a trip to Honolulu for the wedding of Bill’s first grandson in May, we have not traveled again. In August, we canceled our 16th-anniversary trip to Leavenworth, Washington.

Bill did not join me on a 10-day trip to Manila to receive an award and a two-day visit to my first great-grandbaby in Santa Monica. Regrettably, our traveling days are over. We will no longer be the wanderers we once were.

Being Homebound

We sold our car last December before we left for Cancun. We now travel around the valley on Uber rides, primarily for doctor visits. Everything is delivered via Prime, by the grocery, and the pharmacy.

Our resort life has become busy. Every Thursday, I play Scrabble at a neighbor’s home, host a poker session at home on one Tuesday a month, and have Filipino friends come to the house for mahjong one Sunday a month.

There are Photography Club and Painting Group meetings, line dancing classes, and Karaoke sessions. Finding new, healthy, and flavorful recipes is a constant delight. Now that my dwarf Meyer has given me 110 lemons this year, new plants will be added to my garden in the spring.

Outreach projects have become easier to follow through on. Last month, our Fil-Am Gala project successfully raised funds for deserving UP students after meeting via Zoom throughout the year.

A new cause has also engaged my attention. I have become a participant in an NIH-funded study managed by the Mayo Clinic and Banner Alzheimer's Institute. It’s for the early diagnosis and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.  

More Family Visits

My son-in-law visited in May to help with the house improvements we needed, and my eldest daughter came down from San Francisco last month to help with my birthday parties and Christmas decor.

My two daughters' families in North America will come to celebrate with us in a couple of weeks, from Christmas Day to New Year's Day. I am renting another house to accommodate everyone.

Come and visit us. It has become the norm. Even if hosting is a bit stressful, I love doing it! I will cherish every visit.

New Writing Directions

With all these changes, I hardly write about travel anymore. Recently, my posts have been about leadership and management, inspired by the award I received last August. Health and longevity, retirement and renewal, and occasional reminiscences of our travels are other favorite topics.

My travel blog can no longer host these writings. My next post will discuss my plans for a new platform. In the meantime, new book projects have emerged. My MediterrAsian Kitchen: Cooking for Both Taste and Health is in the works and the idea for a fourth book about caregiving has taken shape.

Life can be in the fast lane, even after 75, even without travel. There are so many unrealized ideas. It feels like we are running out of time.