spending more aarp money!

I've been shopping like a woman possessed!

Some of these AARP e-gift certificates I've had for three years.

Why have I just been sitting on that free cash?

Let me say, that's coming to an end.

In the last two days, I've used nine e-gift certificates - NINE!!!

Yesterday, I spent a total of $35 on six of those AARP e-gift 'cards', with four used to benefit others and two just for me.

Today, I was out shopping again, this time with those three AARP e-gift certificates for Walgreens.

The impetus was the need for Vitamin C.

Usually I would go to CVS, so I could guerilla-shop.

I kno where everything is, so I can get in, get what I need, get out!

However, I had $20 of e-cash for Walgreens, so there I went, and look what I  found... a package of pretty new ponytail holders!

They were on sale, too.

(smile!) 

spreading the love, thanks to aarp gifts

What else can I call those gift certificates from AARP?

These were either won while playing a slot machine game, a la Vegas, or they were obtained by earning Reward points watching videos or such.

They didn't cost me a penny.

But today, I took a 10-buck certificate and three 5-buck certificates to Barnes & Noble and used them to buy three future gifts for others.

 

I have my brother Smitty to thank for the inspiration to make that use of the gift cards.

I had thought to use them to buy a new game, perhaps, but then I saw this. 

Smitty has been quite taken with gnomes for the last decade, and this practically screamed his name!

The sale price, down from $25, was a good reason to buy it for him, too, so that's what I did.

Then I saw this lovely and thought of Chloe.

I've never even heard of the Kawaii Fun artistic toys, but there were quite a few items at the store.

This Super-Cute Kawaii Fun Activity Case sounded like just the thing for bday8 of that great-niece!

Her big sister usually gets all the new art stuff, so I want Chloe to have her own case full of goodies.

I also liked that it was on sale for half the original cost.

Onward I went to search for more discounted treasures!

That's when I found this.

it's a rainbow-themed blank book with a velvety soft outer jacket.

I remembered how Leila had liked the blank book I gave Miyah, so I think she will love this one!

It was originally marked at $18.99, but was 75% off - what an incredible deal!

All totaled, the three future gifts for loved ones cost me $1.20 at the register.

Shopping smarter is what I try to do.

After all, I just finished my 8th year of being retired.

Thanks, AARP, for helping me stretch my money.

happy birthday from loyalty clubs!

Thank you, Bath & Body Works!

That Cherry Blossom body lotion is exactly what I recommended to my niece, Aubree, for her bday14!

With my AARP $5 gift card, all of this was mine for just $3.51 - woohoo!

Thank you, Texas Roadhouse!

The free Killer Ribs is what I eagerly await with an-ti-ci-p-p-pa-tion every year for my birthday, and this will be lunch tomorrow!

However, for today's lunch, I ate the Texas Chili poured over the baked potato, while it was all good and hot.

Oh, my, how absolutely delicious!!!

It's rather pretty, too, isn't it?

It's so good, too, while it's hot.

Sure, I've eaten it warmed up before, but nothing compares to it fresh!

Next time, I'll ask for sour cream for the baked potato - that will top it off very well!

Tonight, I'll dine on the House Salad for dinner.

That's the best part of that Country Dinner - I can get at least two meals off it!

And all of that lagniappe was $4.68 for me!

Thank you, Texas Roadhouse, for the free rib basket!

Thank you, AARP, for the $5 gift card!

Thank you, Tony and Laura, for that last little bit on the Christmas gift card!

 

letting my voice be heard: part 3

Alrighty then!

Today was the first monthly meeting of the new and improved AARP Georgia group, with Gabrielle in charge.

She started us off with an icebreaker: what was our favorite song, and why?

I gave her "Octopus' Garden", as it always made me think of walking down the street with my childhood BFF!

Then I added "Drift Away", as others had mentioned it, too.

Something we had in common! 

Afterward, she gave us a 15-minute training video to watch.

Titled "Strategic Relationship Building", it was all about determining what community bonds we already had in place for our future community awareness events.

The lecturer referred to building a Win-Win-Win strategy that would benefit the key person at an event, our group at the event, and the community members who came out to the event.

I like that "bigger picture" approach!

 

After the video lecture, we had breakout groups to discuss topics raised.

"Where do people congregate?"

"Where are important landmarks?"

"Where do we have a presence, or where do we need a presence?"

 

My group was a bit different from the others, as it had the blanched almond.

All of us - me, Wanda, Brenda, and Lillian - brought up the senior centers located throughout Savannah and Pooler.

I was the only one who suggested libraries and churches.

I even talked about Sisters In Faith, there at Asbury, who have a monthly speaker visit our luncheons.

I thought for sure they would jump on that as an event opportunity!

However, that didn't happen.

The MLK Civil Rights Museum, the Weeping Area, the NAACP center, those were mentioned by the others.

What I'm sure Gabrielle Richardson and John Strong gathered was that we had some work to do to make this group more diversified.

Let's hope we can be successful, for the good of the community at large, and not just a portion of it.

today, i had a luncheon with ATL peeps

It was at The Pirates' House, so that was very nice!

The folks in charge of AARP Georgia's volunteers wanted to show their appreciation for us, and they certainly did!

The branches in Macon, Augusta, Columbus, and Savannah all hosted luncheons for their members, but we were extra special!

See that young man standing there?

He's John Strong, the guy in charge of organizing the volunteers for the entire state and making sure they have what they need.

 

And see that young woman working on those red boxes in the corner?

She's "1 in 460", according to John Strong.

He went through 460 applicants for her position and decided she was the very best of the lot... and he's right!

Gabrielle Richardson has already been dealing with us via email, helping to set up our meetings on a regular basis.

As well as organizing this luncheon in the "Anne Bonny" room, she also brought those beautiful gift boxes!!!

I'm going to regard that as a bday68 present for me!

Just look at all the goodies she has in there!

There's an insulated mug and two stone coasters...

a journal and pen, no doubt for keeping notes during our zoom meetings...

a back-up battery for phones or laptops, so we don't drop out...

a mesh bag with body lotion and lip balm to keep us soothed...

plus all sorts of snacky foods to enjoy at the monthly ZOOMS.

Ah, but that's not all!

See that white envelope at the back?

It holds a VANILLA VISA gift card for $25!!!

And where someone's name might be, she had it imprinted with these words: "THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO".

I made sure to thank her copiously for all that bounty!

I even told her that giving us the luncheon at The Pirates' House would have been thanks enough!

This was the first time I'd met the other Savannah volunteers.

Sure, we'd seen each other onscreen, but not face to face.

They made sure I new I was welcome and they wanted me to stay...

after all, I'm the sole blanched almond in the brownie pan, to paraphrase what Kim Polote said.

She had referred to herself repeatedly as the "lone chocolate chip in the cookie dough" as she told tales two weeks ago of her school days.

I had known exactly what she meant.

I'm usually one of 100 white people at the Savannah Black Heritage events.

I'm usually one of 100 gentiles at the Savannah Jewish Cultural Arts Festival events.

I was the first-ever female of 50 US Navy sailors stationed at Galeta Island in Panama.

I was almost always the lone female CTM on shifts in Hanza, Okinawa, and in Imperial Beach, California.

Right now, I know that AARP GA has a mission to become more diverse.

I do hope to see that mission be successful!

What a great luncheon and gift from strangers, just for being a volunteer!

(smile!) 

zoom along with aarp-ga again!

"Now, wait just a hot minute! This isn't a third Thursday, so what gives?"

 

The State Director, Vanessa Payne, wasn't going to be able to make that, so we scrambled and settled on this Monday for the AARP-Georgia meeting. Ta dah!

 

"I see. And what's that bit of nonsense in the photo?

 

Well, that was the important part of the agenda for her. Changes are up with the Executive Council and she wanted us to be aware, even though none of that pertains until next year. I found out that Wanda Lloyd had once served on the Executive Committee and was an Ambassador after that. Those were all Atlanta positions. Then, in 2015, AARP in ATL sent a rep to see about forming a focus group in Savannah. Wanda and the Singletons have been with this group since then.

 

"Savannah is a 'focus group', not an actual chapter???"

 

Apparently. Besides the ATL, the other two chapters are in Augusta and Athens, I think. Nothing at all in Columbus or Waycross or any other towns of size. I only found out because I asked when the group here was started. Vanessa had asked me to introduce myself, so I let all know I was a local, then mentioned my 8 years in the Navy, being retired for 7 years from teaching chemistry at Armstrong, and now being ready to do more volunteering. Then I asked about the history of AARP-GA here.

 

"Well, good. I had a feeling the group was still young."

 

Yes, it is. The person who had led it - Jenny - has relocated to Alabama, so it's in need of a new head. I don't think I want to take that on, but I am wanting to be more active. Who knows, though. We'll have an end of year get together in December, in real life, and i may decide then to take on the mantle. I think that's what folks are hoping.

 

"Don't take on more than you can handle. I know the leader has to set up functions in town for AARP to be represented at, plus there are the bus trips to ATL for political rallies and such.'

 

Oh, I've already let folks know I won't be doing any of those northern trips. Seems those are in the winter months, so I'm out. Anyway, like I said, I'll see how things go when I get to talk to these people IRL. (smile!)

better than in June!

"What's that, dear?"

My cognitive ability. I just took another test on AARP and it showed excellent improvement from when I took it in June. Actually, it was a series of tests, but you catch my drift.

"Let me guess: you did that for AARP Reward points, right?"

Oh, you betcha. LOL! I can't help but hear Frances McDormand's voice in "Fargo" every time I say that! Gotta get that North Dakota accent in there!

"Yes, dear. Train - track - please?"

Yeah, guess I did run off the rails! Let's see, I was talking about... the cognitive tests. Right-o! As the photo above shows, I need to work on "sustained attention", but who doesn't in this day of cell phones? I also need to work on "processing speed", but I think that's more a reflection of my hand-eye coordination than anything else.

"You're probably right on your assessments there."

I think I am. The good news? My "working memory" and "cognitive flexibility" are doing very well and my "recognition memory" is just fine.  Maybe all those games of Mahjongg Solitaire have been serving me well? In any case, I'm considerably better than I was.

"Well, keep it up, dear. And it they'll give you points for those tests, do it as often as you can!"

That's the plan!

zooming to a meeting at last!

"What kind of meeting? Perhaps with the American Legion?"

May I need to suggest that to Doug. It's been a right good while since Post 36 met face to face. I will say that's made my role as Historian much easier. But, no, I speak of the AARP Georgia group of volunteers here in Savannah. I signed the list to join their ranks back in the beginning of August, then I missed that meeting.

"Oh, my! How did you miss it?"

I couldn't find out when it was supposed to be! I'd find an email, after the fact, welcoming me to the meeting... but got no response when I asked when the next one would be. Then, I almost missed the one this month, but the date was changed and I saw that email conversation in enough time to join in. So, there I was at 11 AM today, hair brushed and face washed, wearing a shirt.

"Hahahaha! So, no shorts, just panties I'm betting!"

Hey, it's still a bit early and I'm still not drinking coffee. Just sayin'.

"Oh, I read you loud and clear. So, how many were zooming with you?"

I think I counted lucky 13, not including me. There was one couple - Brenda and Herbert Singleton - plus a bunch of singles - Wanda Lloyd, Jeannnette Bacon, John Strong, Pat Patterson, Bernadette Perry, Lillian Sykes, Carolyn Barnett, Connie -something-, Adrian Bell, and Vanessa Payne. That last one is the State Director, stationed up in Atlanta. She made sure I knew that future meetings would be on the third Thursday of each month, always at 11 AM. That was good to know!

"Very good to know! Hard to plan to attend when there's no pattern."

Amen to that!

"So what went on at this meeting?"

Mostly it was about gathering volunteers for two events that are coming up. One is on October 17, the other on October 25. Both are early morning events, so I made sure to let all know that I was most def not available. There seemed to be a fair amount of confusion, too, since the previous leader of this local chapter has moved to Alabama - at least, I think that's where Jenny went - and no one has been advanced to cover her spot. I'm hoping the meeting next month will be more informative for me. I will say this: they are certainly a friendly bunch, so I look forward to knowing them better.

"Well, that's wonderful! Hopefully they'll have an evening event coming up that you can be a part of!"

Yes, that would be lovely!