The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Tips for Father’s Day 2020

My dad was really good at guessing what was in his presents. One time, to fool him, I bought him a magazine subscription and I put it in a toy jack-in-the-box. When he turned the handle, boom. The clown delivered a note about the present. He was really surprised.

This year, in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, a lot of the activities we’d usually do with our dads, wouldn’t be a good choice for this year. For example, getting on an airplane to visit your dad is risky. Also, going to a restaurant with a large group of people isn’t advisable. Nor or hugs, unless you’ve been staying at home together.

But, you can order a present and make plans for a get together later.

Some gift ideas include:

• Tech gadgets. Apple iPad, Kindle or Nook, digital camera.
• Tools. Drills, rakes, hoes.
• Clothing. Shirts, ties, t-shirts, jackets. (For some dads, but not others.)
• Sporting goods. Book on sports, sports paraphernalia, new gear.
• Books. Check AARP’s list of summer reads.
• Music. Smart speaker, Apple AirPods.
• Photos. Favorite family photos, digital photo frame, photo book.
• Gift basket. Golf, fishing, grilling, baseball, brewing, coffee, beer, wine.
• Gift card. O.K. if you’re out of ideas.
• Limited funds. Small pocket knife, coffee mug with your photo, framed photo of you and your dad.

Baby boomers share stories of staying at home during these coronavirus pandemic times

Mother’s Day was different this year. Instead of celebrating with my daughter and her family in Spain like I often do, I was at home in the Seattle area following Washington state’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order.

I enjoyed a video call with my daughters and pizza and chocolate cake. I got the idea for the pizza and cake from my birthday request made earlier in May. It was so good, I repeated it for Mother’s Day.

While staying home gets tiring at times, it’s giving me a lot of time to work on my book “Follow the Money: My Life as a Financial Journalist.”

Meanwhile, boomer bloggers are writing about how they’re doing during the pandemic:

Top Mother’s Day tips in the coronavirus pandemic era

In the past, I’ve written dozens of articles on how to celebrate Mother’s Day. However, this year is so different.

Instead of being in Madrid celebrating with my daughter and her family, I’m at home by myself, picking up groceries once a week as my only outing.

Fortunately, except for the people who have to work, you can still order things for Mother’s Day gifts. And, in some states, restaurants are opening. However, in Washington state where I live, we are still under Stay Home, Stay Healthy orders. I think it’s too early to go out to a restaurant, so I’m not putting that on my list.

Here are some suggestions:

• Set up a Zoom or Skype meeting with your mom. If she isn’t tech savvy, you may be able to help her get started by a phone call. If you live in the same city with your mom, you can continue your social distance visiting.
• Check local flower shops in your mom’s city to see which ones are delivering. Many are saying that wholesale supplies have been interrupted so selections may be limited. In addition, some are requesting that you order your flowers to be delivered on alternate date to support logistical constraints.
• Order pizza or a special dinner. Although most restaurants may be closed to dining, many are offering pickup and delivered meals. For example, in the Seattle area, you can order food from the Australian Pie Co., Elliott Bay Brewhouse & Pub, Frank’s Smokehouse, Vietnam Café and Sandwich, Sushi In Joy, Anthony’s Des Moines, Theo Chocolate, Dick’s Drive-In, Ivar’s Seafood Bars, Pagliacci, Red Robin, Tutta Bella, Canlis, Sunlight Café, and many other restaurants.
• Buy a gift card for your mom’s favorite restaurant, department store, or spa.
• Give her a themed gift basket with snacks and chocolates. Or, order a box of chocolates. The choices are endless.
• Make a spring wreath and hang it on your mom’s door when you drop off your gift and card.
• Get copies made of family photos you love and put them in an album.
• Give her the gift of an online cooking class.
• Schedule a virtual happy hour or play a game such as Scrabble over Zoom.
• Order several different wines so she can have a wine tasting and have them sent to her.
• Order her a kitchen herb garden kit.
• Buy her a new pair of pajamas or sweats and slippers, since that’s what we all seem to be wearing. Or, a new spa robe would be nice.
• Give her a “Best Mom” or “I Love You” mug.
• Get a diary for your mom so she can record how the 2020 coronavirus pandemic is unfolding.
• Give her a card with a letter setting up a date to for a special occasion such as a concert or trip to a museum.
• Order a book, if your mom is an avid reader.
• Look for jewelry that you think she might like, although the prices sometimes go up just before Mother’s Day.

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Baby boomers have different reactions to stay-at-home orders

During the coronavirus Stay Home, Stay Healthy order in Washington state, I’m doing well. The time is flying by. It’s difficult to believe that we’ve been doing it for seven weeks.

Why are things going well here? I’m working on my book “Follow the Money: My Life as a Financial Journalist.” Since I love blogging so much, it’s been difficult to get my book finished. Now, I work on my book first, then, I get a reward to write a blog post. It’s working. I’m three-fourths done with my book.

The photo is my dining room table stacked with articles I’ve written: well over 1,000 print articles. When I finish writing about my Tacoma News Tribune articles, I’ll pause and sent my book proposal out to interested agents I met at recent writers’ conferences. While waiting to hear from them, I’ll undertake the huge task of writing the final chapter – describing my blogging work, which includes more than 6,000 articles.

However, it’s disappointing that I’m not in Madrid visiting my daughter and her family like I usually do in May. She misses me, too, because I’m good at cleaning the kitchen. In addition, we just figured out she and the kids probably won’t be able to visit in July and my holiday trip to Spain is unlikely to occur.

Here’s how boomer bloggers are handling being at home. They’re writing about:

What to buy and not buy in May

Depending on where you live, you may or may not be able to go out and shop during the month of May. However, even if you’re still staying at home you can shop from home.

While it’s important to continue to limit your shopping to essential items, because you don’t put a burden on employees who are still required to go to work to handle your order, there are important things going on in May, such as buying birthday presents for May birthdays and Mother’s Day. I mention that because my birthday is in May, and I’d like to get a present to cheer myself up.

Here are tips from DealNews for May shopping:

Star Wars items

Star Wars Day is May 4 — as in "May the Fourth Be With You" — and companies often celebrate by offering deals on different kinds of merchandise.

Even though May 4 is my birthday, I’m not longing for a Star Wars t-shirt.

Mother’s Day

Traditional gifts such as flowers and jewelry will likely jump in price right before Mother's Day, which is May 10 this year.

Baby boomer bloggers keep chugging on even in tough times

It’s been a tough week. I had to organize the hundreds of photos I took at the National Women’s History Alliance conference in early January, which meant I lost time writing my book, “Follow the Money: My Life as a Financial Journalist.”

On Sunday, the Super Bowl was so violent, the game itself and the ads, and sexist, the half time show, that I’m trying to get over it before it before I write about the Super Bowl ads. Then, the delay in results for the Democratic winner of the Iowa caucuses disappointed. Next came the state of the union address, which I didn’t watch, but I’ve had to endure dozens of clips on the radio and television. Then, Wednesday, the Senate voted to acquit President Trump.

Can I go to bed and cover up my head?

Meanwhile, my baby boomer blogging friends are writing about:

• A sailboat trip in the West Indies.
• The challenges of shopping at IKEA.
• The pros and cons of cruises.
• What to do when mobility starts to decline.
• The one thing you need to do to follow your dreams.
• How North Carolina isn’t turning out to be warm for a winter vacation.
• How to view your life with kindsight.

Carol Cassara of Heart•Mind•Soul writes about these articles in the Best of Boomer Blogs #635. Click here to get the links to the articles. And be sure to join in the conversations. Boomer bloggers enjoy hearing from readers.

Copyright 2020, Rita R. Robison, Consumer and Personal Finance Journalist

Tips for shopping on Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday has a reputation for being the leftovers from Black Friday. However, it can actually have the better deals. Americans spent an estimated 27 percent more money online on Cyber Monday than on Black Friday last year. One reason is probably it’s more convenient to order deals on Cyber Monday than fight the Black Friday crowds.

Tips for shopping on Cyber Monday include:

Make a plan. You need to have a holiday budget for spending. Don’t let possible deals on Cyber Monday lead you to overspent.

Do research. Know what the prices are for the items on your list. That way, you won’t be fooled by deals that really aren’t deals.

Doctor’s book, ‘Elderhood,” offers important insights on aging today

When I was returning from a trip to Bellingham Monday to help my older sister, I listened to a program on Fresh Air, a National Public Radio program, about why new ways of thinking about medical problems in elders need to be considered. It really struck a chord with me, because I help my sister with her medical issues.

Louise Aronson, M.D., talked about her book “Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life.” Aronson said elderly people react differently to medications, even over-the-counter ones, and the medical community often doesn’t take into consideration this possibility when elders are having problems.

She described a situation that happened to her father. He was doing well for a number of years after heart surgery, but then he fainted. In the hospital, his blood pressure dropped, and the staff gave him medication, but then, it dropped again. More medication was given, but it dropped a third time. Aronson went through the list of things that could have been wrong and thought he might be bleeding internally. She tried to get the staff’s attention, but was unable to get them to act. She asked her dad if she could do a rectal exam. A doctor, too, he said yes. When she showed the staff the bloody glove, her father was rushed to the ICU, then to surgery.

Facts and figures for the 2018 holidays

It’s that time of year. The holidays are upon us. Hanukkah has been celebrated and today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the day with the least daylight and the longest night. Christmas is approaching rapidly as is Kwanzaa, Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.

Celebrants

Nine-in-ten Americans — and 95 percent of Christians — say they celebrate Christmas, according to a Pew Research Center survey. These figures have generally held steady in recent years. Today, 46 percent of Americans say they celebrate Christmas as primarily a religious rather than cultural holiday.

What are your favorite stores for holiday shopping?

On Sunday, I went to the outlet mall with my daughter and her teenage son to buy his Christmas presents. Now that he’s a teen, he wants clothes for Christmas – and he wants to pick them out.

We went to Adidas. He bought a pair of sweats and we picked out a t-shirt for him also because the Black Friday deal was 25 percent off on the second, less costly item.

Next, we went to Nike. He picked out a pair of running shoes and a sweatshirt. My daughter was excited to find a rain jacket she could wear when running. And, she found a sweatshirt she liked. The deals were better Adidas. Thirty percent off on everything.

The third stop was at the store for my grandson’s sports team. He bought a coral-colored hoodie there.

It was a boring shopping trip. The shops were filled mostly with gray, black, and navy blue clothes. I looked longingly at the pretty patterns and bright colors when we passed by the women’s stores. Later, my daughter said.

My favorite stores for holiday shopping are: