Celebrating in North Carolina – The Perfect Place to Celebrate a 2/3 Century Birthday!
As you may remember, this year my theme is 26! It’s 2026 and my birthday is February 26, so I’ve been celebrating the 26th of every month. October 26th is my 66 and 8 months, which equals 66.6667 or my 2/3 Century Birthday!!
As you can see from the pictures, this area was like a Fall Foliage Fairyland! We hiked along the Blue Ridge Parkway and the tree colors were spectacular. This trip was also special because I went with Matt, Stella, and their new little dog, Lola.
October 26th is also National Pumpkin Day, so we enjoyed some pumpkin-flavored hot drinks and treats. The town was appropriately decorated for the season.
I know that most people don’t celebrate 2/3 Century, but it’s a very fun milestone! Now I officially feel like a wise elder. Looking forward to seizing many days ahead and celebrating 66 3/4 on November 26th – Thanksgiving!
If you’ve been following my blog you know that in 2026, I’ve been celebrating the 26th of each month. On August 26th, I celebrated National Popsicle Day with Mom, and I’m with her again for the September 26th celebration of Save Your Photos Day.
Celebrating National Save Your Photos Day with Mom looking through her original photo album
Capturing Mom’s Smile
Every time I visit, I experiment with different and new activities, hoping Mom will get excited and get that big smile on her face. Last month, I bought a turntable and found the Tijuana Brass Whipped Cream album that we played a lot in the ’60s and ’70s. Mom didn’t recognize either the album cover or the music. Come to think of it, maybe it was Dad and my brothers that were so enamored with that album.
But when we started looking through her old album she proclaimed what a cute baby she was! She actually is quite cute at age 90, too, so I had to shoot a video to capture that smile:
A Trip Through Time
There was baby Mom, childhood Mom, teenage Mom, and eventually Mom dating Dad. I’ve known her my whole life, of course, but it’s still fun to see photographic proof that she had an entire life before I showed up.
Best of all, Mom was excited to look through the album with me. She recognized and remembered the names of even her parents friends. It’s interesting that this early period of her life is what she seems to remember most. She often seems to wake up thinking her parents are still alive and that her home is in Villa Park, Illinois, a place she hasn’t lived at for over 70 years.
We lingered over the pictures, and she talked about them as we went. I loved watching her enjoy those sweet glimpses of her younger self. I especially loved the early pictures of her with my Dad. They were such a beautiful young couple.
Finding the Joy
A friend recently sent me Courtney Martin’s essay, “The 7 Stages of Elder Care.” One line especially stayed with me:
“The other thing you might remind yourself is that even the most painful of journeys have awe and meaning and intimacy within them.”
That afternoon with the album felt like one of those times. The challenges are tough, but they make the good days so sweet and meaningful.
Save Your Photos Day is a nudge to make sure our pictures don’t disappear into an old box—or the mysterious depths of our phones. I’m glad I saved Mom’s album. I’m even gladder I took it out and shared it with her.
I don’t know what our next visit will be like. This one was lovely, and I’m putting it in my own mental photo album.
August 26 is the day, and when I discovered this important piece of information, I immediately decided that Mom and I needed to celebrate. Not only is it celebrated on the 26th (which is my theme number for 2026), but I already have a cherry dress! (I celebrated Cherry Dessert Day on May 26!)
Life has been pretty heavy lately. A cherry popsicle seemed like an excellent antidote.
My original plan was ambitious. I thought we could make homemade cherry popsicles with some of the residents at The Preserves. Michele and I experimented with cherry yogurt and imagined a charming little popsicle-making activity where everyone could participate.
Well…that was the plan.
Let’s just say that homemade popsicles are considerably more complicated than I’d imagined. The recipe book that came with the kit included recipes with at least five ingredients. I thought it was as simple as putting cherry juice in a mold, but…no. We tried putting yogurt in the molds, but that ended up being both messy and not very tasty.
So we pivoted.
Instead of making popsicles with the residents, we bought popsicles for the residents.
Sometimes my Carpe Diem adventures are simply going to the grocery store.
And everyone was perfectly happy.
A Difficult Season
The popsicle celebration came at the end of an especially emotional couple of weeks.
Mom’s health and cognition have been declining, and there have been some scary and difficult days. She’s had moments of confusion and fear that have been heartbreaking to watch.
That’s part of why I came to Los Angeles earlier than I had originally planned. I wanted to be there for Mom—and for Michele, too.
I spent most days with Mom over those two weeks.
When I’m there, I know my presence gives her a sense of security, and she is generally calmer.
That doesn’t mean every day is easy. There are still times when she’s frightened or doesn’t understand what’s happening. Other days, she’s simply exhausted and sleepy.
But there are also moments when everything seems to come together and she’s happy.
And those are the moments I’m savoring.
Old Friends and New Memories
The popsicles weren’t the only sweet moments I’ve had with Mom lately.
One of my favorites was helping her reconnect with her childhood friend, Rolly, over FaceTime.
They hadn’t talked in years.
Watching them see each other again was incredibly special. They were both so happy to hear one another’s voices and catch up.
I wish I could have recorded the call, but Mom was using my phone, so I’ll just have to remember her laughs.
Life Doesn’t Stop for Hard Times
In the midst of everything happening with Mom, I’d had a weekend getaway planned. Mom had been doing better, so I decided to carry out my plans for a weekend in Santa Rosa.
Somehow, I packed three wonderful events into one weekend.
I spent time with my friend Shirley.
Shirley with her new Squirrel finger puppet at The Grey Squirrel Manor in Windsor, CA
I attended the wedding of the niece of my longtime friend Jack.
Jack and me at his niece’s wedding.
And then I got to experience something completely different: the joy surrounding a brand-new baby, born to another of Jack’s nieces.
A wedding.
A new baby.
Old friends.
A childhood friend reconnecting with Mom.
Popsicles with a memory-care community.
All of these things happened within the same few days. Happy tears welled up during the joyful moments. Maybe when you’ve been carrying sadness, the tears are already there, waiting for any excuse to spill over—and happy tears are the best.
Alzheimer’s is sometimes called “the long goodbye” because we slowly grieve so many losses while the person we love is still with us.
But maybe that’s exactly why I want to savor the joyful moments in the midst of the grief.
The Gift of Saying Goodbye
There have been days when Mom has desperately wanted me to stay. Leaving her has been heartbreaking on those days.
There have also been days when Mom has been surrounded by kind staff and familiar residents and has felt secure enough for me to leave without tears.
On Thursday, the day I was flying back home, she was sitting happily with her friend Debbie. They held hands and vowed to support one another.
That made leaving a little easier.
I’m also deeply grateful that Michele is nearby. Having someone who loves Mom and can be there when I can’t is an enormous comfort to both of us.
Carpe Diem, Even When Life Is Hard
Now I’m back home, slowly catching up with all the email and stuff I normally do when I’m here in Colorado. Celebrating my grandkids’ birthdays, cleaning my house, and (most importantly!) catching up on my CarpeDiemDay blog post!
I talked to another friend today who was feeling restless about aging and worrying about some recent health scares.
I told him, “I have a goal to find joy wherever I am and whoever I’m with. And that works pretty well, even when life is hard.”
Maybe that’s what these past few weeks have reminded me.
Finding joy doesn’t mean ignoring the grief or pretending the hard things aren’t hard.
It means noticing the joy that’s right there beside them.
Sometimes it’s a wedding.
Sometimes it’s a new baby.
Sometimes it’s hearing your mom laugh with a childhood friend.
And sometimes it’s a cherry popsicle on a hot day.
I’m going to do one of those easy blog posts… light on words, but I’ll let the pictures and smiles do the talkin’.
Winning 1rst place for my age group at the Arvada Summer Breeze 5K!June visit with Mom out in the courtyard community herb garden at The Preserves of Woodland HillsHosting a Summer Potluck Poker Party..…And winning! (Well… Will and I decided to split the pot rather than go to the end, but I had more chips.)Hiking with Cathy on National Flamingo Day! (After our weekly estudio de español leyendo *El Hobbit*Celebrating June 26th – National Food Truck Day with a Breakfast Picnic with J.J.Getting a Surprise “Squeeze the Day” Greeting Card from Matt & Stella in the mail! June 26 was also Tropical Drink Day so this was very topical as well as tropical!Celebrating my son-in-law, Chris’s 43rd birthday with an outdoor dinner around their cute firepit.
Another thing that I enjoyed listening to the audiobook Theo of Golden. Highly recommended!
How about you? What have been some of your fun summer moments? What are you looking forward to this summer?
Aging Adventurously Day with friends and family at Chautauqua Park, Boulder
When I first heard about Road Scholar’s Age Adventurously Day, I knew I wanted to participate. After all, that’s what this Website is all about! Seize the Day, Age Adventurously… Pretty much the same thing! And it’s even a quirky holiday, just like Carpe Diem Day!
Originally, I planned to hike Royal Arch in Chautauqua Park. Then my ankle started bothering me, and I switched to a gentler hike on the Mesa Trail. As often happens, some of my plans changed, but adapting is a big part of aging adventurously.
One of the things I love about adventure is that it looks different for different people.
My daughter Megan, son-in-law Chris, and granddaughter Reneya chose to tackle Royal Arch. Other friends joined me for a more leisurely hike through the beautiful meadows and forests of Chautauqua. We all met afterward for a picnic lunch, stories, laughter, and shared goodies (including my signature banana-walnut chocolate chip muffins!)
Honoring Dee – Now on the Ultimate Adventure
The hike itself was wonderful, but the real reason this day felt special was Dee O’Malley.
Dee passed away on May 25 at the age of 93. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about Dee before. She was one of those rare people who made everyone around her want to live a little bigger, love a little deeper, and say “yes” to one more adventure.
Most of us think of adventure as something external—a trip, a hike, a new destination. But Dee’s answer taught me that adventure is really an attitude. It’s the willingness to stay curious. To keep learning. To keep connecting. To keep saying yes, even when life becomes uncertain.
Adventure can be climbing a mountain.
Adventure can be learning Spanish.
Adventure can be making a new friend.
Adventure can be singing with a perfectly imperfect voice.
Adventure can be starting medical school in mid-life.
Adventure can be playing the piano for a memory care community you’ve grown to love.
Adventure can be facing the end of life with courage and curiosity.
The Age Adventurously Day Movie
To honor Dee, I created an iMovie slideshow from our day using “Climb Every Mountain” as the soundtrack. The music is special because it was Dee’s favorite song. The perfect song describing climbing mountains, literally and metaphorically! The recording features my mother and my son Scotty singing while I accompany them on the piano. Three generations, making music together, imperfectly but joyfully.
The movie has photos and video clips from our Chautauqua adventure today, an adventurous shot of my friend, Cathy (who wasn’t able to make the hike) and a few clips of visits with Dee and my mother.
I love how it turned out!
Connection, Learning, Growing, Sharing.
As we shared lunch under the trees, I felt grateful for my friends and family. I felt grateful for Dee and all the wisdom, humor, and adventures she shared with our family.
I know there are adventures still to come, mountains still to climb.
And some day, when I take that ultimate adventure, I feel grateful that Dee will be there again to lead the way.
Some people bring joy wherever they go. For me, Patsy is one of those people.
So when my lovely friend Patsy texted to say she’d welcome a visit from me, I immediately started looking at flights. She mentioned that her son, Chris, would be home in St. Augustine for the month of May, and she asked how my mother was doing. Patsy and I keep up with each other on Facebook, and I’ve always admired how engaged, curious, and tech-savvy she is. I had missed my visits with her, and when Patsy extends an invitation, I do my best to say, “YES!”
This year my theme is 26. I’ve challenged myself to have 26 adventures and to celebrate the 26th of every month. When I discovered that a May 25–28 trip would fit perfectly into my schedule and include my celebratory May 26th, it felt meant to be.
Even better, May 26th happened to be National Cherry Dessert Day. Naturally, I took that as a sign to buy a cherry-print sundress and matching jewelry for the occasion!
Patsy is like the cherry on the top of an ice-cream sundae
It seemed fitting that my May 26th celebration would revolve around cherries, because Patsy herself is like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae.
She has a gift for making people feel welcome, valued, and loved. Time spent with Patsy is like that sweet cherry you savor. While the cherry sundress was fun, the real treat was getting to spend time with her.
Patsy and My Mother – So Much Alike
One of the reasons I’ve always felt drawn to Patsy is that she reminds me so much of my mother.
They are both warm, kind, charismatic women who light up a room. My mother was popular with the boys as a young teenager, and, not surprisingly, so was Patsy. They were both young brides married to military men, and both embraced the adventure of raising growing families.
As my mother’s dementia progresses, I sometimes feel as though I’m slowly losing little pieces of her—her stories, her memories, and parts of the personality I’ve known all my life. That’s one reason my friendship with Patsy means so much to me.
Of course, no one could ever replace my mother. But learning about Patsy’s life and hearing her stories helps fill a space in my heart. While I am losing pieces of my mother’s memories, I feel fortunate to be gaining pieces of Patsy’s. Every conversation gives me a deeper appreciation for a remarkable woman and for the generation she represents.
Patsy’s Biography
During this visit, I had the opportunity to learn more about Patsy’s life. I knew she had been recording her memories and stories with her daughter, Bonnie, and I loved getting to read the finished biography.
That was especially meaningful because I’m working on my own life story this year through a MyStories subscription that Matt and Stella gave me for Christmas. Listening to Patsy’s memories and reading her book reminded me how important it is to preserve our stories—not only for ourselves, but for our children, grandchildren, and future generations.
Beaches, Games, and the Best Adventures
Biking to the beach with ChrisBeautiful Beach WalkPlaying poker with the Blakeslee Family
I also feel incredibly grateful to Chris for sharing both his mother and his family with me.
This short trip included a bike ride to the beach, good food, and an evening of poker and games with Patsy’s family. Beaches, games, and family are three of my favorite things, so it was hard to imagine a better combination.
What made it even more special was being welcomed into those family moments. Chris and his family make me feel like an honorary member of the group, and I appreciate every minute of it.
I’ve learned that the best adventures are spending time with people you treasure, listening to their stories, sharing laughter, and creating new memories together.
My May 26th celebration included sunshine, beaches, bicycles, poker, and family. But the best part (the cherry on top!) was Patsy—and that made it unforgettable.
Since retiring, one of my personal goals is to find joy in each day! Thanks to all the quirky holidays, there’s no shortage of celebration ideas. Last week, while I was in California visiting Mom, there was a big Cinco de Mayo celebration at The Preserves of Woodland Hills.
Today was the mother of all holidays, though.. Mother’s Day! I was able to celebrate Mother’s Day early with my Mom in California and again, this weekend with my son, Scotty, in Colorado Springs.
Celebrating Mother’s Day with Mom
Believe me, I don’t take my time with Mom for granted. At age 90, with dementia, Mom faces a lot of challenges. I’m grateful that she not only remembers me, but absolutely treasures our time together.
While I was out visiting her last week, we had an early Mother’s Day celebration. I made a little photo album for her. I hope it helps her feel less lonely when she’s in her room alone. (Although Mom remembers Michele, me, and Neal, she doesn’t remember our visits.)
Mom now lives very close to my sister, Michele, and Michele does a wonderful job of making sure Mom has all she needs. It’s always fun when I get a FaceTime call with them both, as I did today.
Mother’s Day Call
Celebrating Mother’s Day with Scotty
I’m grateful that not only did I get to celebrate Mother’s Day early with Mom, I got to celebrate the weekend, with my son, Scotty.
Scotty moved back to Colorado Springs this year. One of the traditions we have is to climb the Manitou Springs Incline together. The difficulty level is listed as “Extreme” and the Website says the visitors ages range from 7-70. I was surprised that 70 was the top of their age range! It’s not THAT hard if you go slowly. I absolutely intend to do it when I’m 71 and then I will suggest they update their Website with new age ranges (giving me credit, fame, and fortune.)
Top of the Manitou Incline at age 66
Afterwards, we celebrated with tacos and margaritas in the cute town of Manitou Springs.
This morning, we continued our celebrations with more delicious food and drink at Urban Egg in Colorado Springs. Check out that Tuscan Benedict I ordered! Yum!
Tuscan Benedict at Urban Egg in Colorado Springs
Our next stop was Magic Town in Colorado Springs. This was a very cool gallery highlighting the work of sculptor and artist Michael Garman. I’d read about Magic Town in my “Only in Colorado” newsletter and I’d wanted to check it out.
The scenes were miniatures, but also included illusions. Using mirrors, many of the houses had dual scenes or created the illusion of long alleys. The museum included challenging scavenger hunts which kept Scotty and I entertained for over 2 hours. They were fun and helped us notice many of the interesting details of the sculptures and miniature scenes.
Magic Town
As I drove home from Colorado Springs today, I realized how lucky I am to be celebrating Mother’s Day with my Mom and one of my adult kids. Life looks very different at 90, 66, and 31, but love, laughter, good food, and time together matter at every age. Whether it was tacos and margaritas after surviving the Incline, hunting for hidden details in Magic Town, or sitting beside Mom looking through photos, this week was a beautiful reminder to celebrate the people we love. That’s really what Carpe Diem Day is all about.
And next year, I’ll conquer the Incline again … or at the very least, enjoy the margaritas in Manitou Springs!
One of my goals in 2026 is to celebrate the 26th every month. Today, Hug a Friend Day was a perfect day to celebrate by attending an amazing, original play: “Mom and Baby are Doing Great.”
Amalia Adiv, the daughter of my dear friend, Rebecca Ritter, wrote and performed the play. Knowing Rebecca and Amalia made the play extra special for me. I could just imagine how proud Rebecca must be.
And wow… it was one of those rare performances that makes you laugh one minute and tear up the next. My favorite kind.
The play is currently in “workshop” mode—which, as someone not in the theater world, I assume means it’s not finished yet. Honestly, it felt completely polished to me, though feedback was being collected in the form of sticky notes.
Amalia, a new mom, shares her childbirth experience with such honesty, vulnerability, and humor that you can’t help but be drawn in. Anyone who has gone through childbirth will immediately connect—but even if you haven’t, you’ll walk away with a much deeper appreciation for what mothers experience (physically, emotionally… all of it).
Me, Rebecca, and Miriam
Hug A Friend Day
Seeing Amalia on stage was especially meaningful because I’ve known her—and her sister (Miriam)—since they were little girls. Rebecca has been one of my closest friends for over 20 years. I’ve been lucky enough to be part of many gatherings with their family over the years.
There’s something really beautiful about watching someone you’ve known since childhood step into their own and create something this meaningful.
Rebecca played an important role in Amalia’s play: Mother of the mother. You can bet she got a special hug from me.
Diane, me, Mary
Friends Diane and Mary joined me for this original performance. I felt lucky to be able to both watch this special play with girlfriends who were also mothers and then hug them!
I can’t think of a better way to spend Hug a Friend Day.
As you may have guessed from my last post, I’m a fan of celebrating. Last week, I visited my Mom and sister’s family in Southern California. Every day, there were a plethora of quirky holidays to choose from.
Dogs in Yellow Day – March 20Daffodil Days – March 22California Strawberry Day – March 21Red Nose Day – March 20
I’m back home in Colorado now, but I was proud to celebrate “Something on a Stick” Day yesterday!
No Kings Protest in Boulder – Something on a Stick Day – March 28
Check the home page of CarpeDiemDay.com for links to Websites that list Bizarre, Special, and Unique Holidays. The one I think is the most comprehensive is: Holidays and Observances.
A day is always better with a celebration. Seize AND Celebrate Each Day!
I’m rarely home in Colorado at this time of year. Usually, I’m off chasing the sun in Florida, California, or even Mexico. This year, I got a chance to go to all those places and still make it home for two very important celebrations!
Celebrating Scotty’s Promotion to Major in the Space Force
Scotty’s Promotion to Major
I’m so proud of my son, Major Scott Podlogar of the United States Space Force! On the afternoon of Friday, March 13th, we gathered for the ceremony held at Peterson Space Force Base with a big group of Scotty’s family, friends, and co-workers.
I was honored to be the one to pin on the new gold oak leaf insignias on his uniform during the ceremony, signifying the rank of Major. During the speeches there were quite a few references to this Major milestone and what a Major accomplishment it was.
The festivities continued throughout the evening with a family gathering at a Japanese restaurant (Scotty’s favorite), followed by a showing of Marty Supreme at Scotty’s house. (Our family likes to watch best picture nominees during Academy Awards season). The next day, 3/14, was our Pi Day Brunch. (Pi Day is another favorite quirky holiday celebrated by our geeky family).
Celebrating Cathy’s 70th Birthday
Cathy turns 70!
It’s hard to believe such a youthful woman as Cathy is actually 70 years old. Her birthday is March 15th, the Ides of March! It really is inspiring to know that 70 can look so gorgeous. Cathy is one of the most beautiful people I know, both inside and out.
She’s seated in the middle of this group photo with our friend, Susan, on one side, and her daughter-in-law, Anna, on the other side. Susan and Anna hosted her party yesterday with a gorgeous brunch of quiches, fruit, eggs, potatoes, sausages, mimosas, and more!
I’d made a slideshow with iMovie with photos of the many experiences and events I’d been to over the years with Cathy.
In the process of making this video, I was reminded of what a deep friendship I have with Cathy. She is always so supportive and helpful, whether I’m asking her to sing a silly song, or needing a friend to practice Spanish with.
She’s also talented in so many ways – with her music, her art, her poetry, with Spanish, and with her loving friendship. I’m so grateful to have her as a friend.
This is Love
This weekend I was able to celebrate my son, Scotty, and my good friend, Cathy. I was so grateful to be able to be at their special events and be a part of their lives. Over the years, I’ve thought so much about what ‘love’ is. There are so many different types and for many years I was focused on finding romantic love. But over the weekend, at both of these celebrations, my eyes welled up with tears watching these two. My heart felt full. And I thought, “This is what love feels like.”
