Archives for May 2023

Lawn Ornaments?

May 19, 2023 By admin

Elder Flats? Lawn Geezers? Yard Ornaments? Grammie’s Pad? Okay, enough of that. The question is what do you call those tiny homes that people are putting up in the backyard so that their parents can live close by? Answer: the technical term is accessory dwelling units, hereafter known as A.D.U.s, which have become all the rage. If I was living in someone’s backyard, I would go with the term yardbird.

With housing costs spiraling upward, some boomers (the ones who won’t leave unless you drag them out kicking and screaming) are giving the big house to the offspring and transforming the garage or putting up an ADU in the backyard. That way the grandparents can help out with childcare, and the offspring can eventually serve as caregivers to their aging parents. It’s an especially attractive direction for parents looking on helplessly while their children are locked out of the housing market due to the high cost of entry level housing.

Think of it as something like a she-shed or studio conversion. The parents are close by but have their own space and privacy whenever they want it. Zoning and property taxes are hurdles to be jumped over and you can most likely forget the idea if the base property is located where you’re subject to an HOA. About 80 percent of the nation’s neighborhoods permit only single-family homes, according to AARP, so ADUs just won’t work for many who would like to pursue this option. The pressure to change single-family home zoning will build considerably when we need to figure out where to house all of us aging boomers.

It does have its allure. Think perpetual croquet, pickleball or badminton. If your kids don’t need childcare for their kids, maybe we can mow the lawn, water the plants and weed the garden in return for nesting rights. And when your kids want to take off in the RV for a few weeks or take that trip to Greece, you’ll be right out back to keep an eye on the manse. It’s a win-win situation (a tired phrase to be sure, but sometimes it just fits). You and your children can breathe easy and even more importantly, save a lot of money. And that’s more dough for the kids to inherit if they need any more incentive to give up the yard.

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here . His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.

Mown? Is that Past Tense?

May 19, 2023 By admin

Speaking of easygoing, I hate buying new stuff, but I do appreciate tools that make jobs less of a chore. The weather is starting to get really nice, so I took it upon myself to clean up the patio furniture. I used a brush and garden hose to get some of the dirt off, and then it was all over. You see the difference, clean versus dirty, and what can you do but keep going?

I was worried about my back and wrists, which are both sensitive. I called to Dale, who was conveniently absent for the ritual washing of the patio furniture. I asked about a power washer. Would this clean up without a brush if I had such a tool? He said yes, and I said let’s go.

Off we went to Ace, where we killed it with a credit card and dragged it home. It was pretty easy to set up and worked like a champ. I probably saved my back and my wrists and maybe Dale’s life, because you know, cleaning patio furniture – so not his thing.

Then there’s the lawn. We have a small patch of lawn in the backyard. It used to be thin and scraggly, and we I mowed it with a little push mower. Then late last fall, we had a yard makeover and got new sod. This is the real deal. Thick and hearty.

Here’s the agreement I made. I will mow and blow, but that’s it. Nothing else. Nada. Either we throw money at it, or it’s Dale’s job. Mostly that means we threw money at it and have a service that takes care of the rest. Just another marriage-saver tip from Retirement Confidential.

The new grass had time to grow over the winter, but I hadn’t mowed it yet. When the rain finally stopped, I got out the push mower and almost collapsed. I couldn’t get it through the grass. I did do it, but I had to use my whole body and stop several times to catch my breath. I thought, well, the grass is just thicker because of the rain.

A week later it was a bit easier to mow but still awful. I told Dale I thought we should get a small electric mower. He said nah, it would probably get easier. He reminded me of my father, who used to smoke and drop ashes on the floor, suggesting it was good for the carpet.

I said, OK, will you please try it once and see what you think? And that was when we decided to buy an electric lawn mower. It’s small thing, light as a feather and whips through that grass with ease.

Key word. Ease.

Donna Pekar is an aging badass (for real) who lives in California and writes Retirement Confidential.

Closet Visit

May 19, 2023 By admin

I own a collection of clothing with provenance. Like many Baby Boomers, I believe the ‘60s and ‘70s were peak fashion years, and there’s no reason to fix what isn’t broken. I’ve just returned from a visit to my closet, and this is the report.

Category One: New Clothes. We Baby Boomers believe new clothing is politically incorrect. However, one must maintain a small stable of this attire for occasions like the graduations of people who might otherwise find our appearance mortifying. I have a new dress. I feel about it the way one feels about an irritating neighbor who’s always out watering the lawn. You wave, you smile, you quickly part company.

Category Two: “Found” Clothing. This includes a pair of ancient blue jeans, worn to the texture of satin. I saw them wadded up on the folding table at the laundromat as I sat over my Mu Shu Pork at Happy Noodle restaurant next door. Even from a distance I knew they were divine. I monitored them all through dinner, lingering over tea and fortune cookie, praying their owner wouldn’t return. I claimed them when I left.

Category Three: Vintage. These are my nostalgia pieces, notably a 1920s mink jacket from the flea market, perfect except for some bald patches. Its owner said her dog kept attacking it. For some reason, she decided to sell the jacket and keep the dog. Also, a century-old gauze blouse to wear at friends’ birthday parties, so that something in the room will be older than the celebrant.

Category Four: Donations. This includes a red satin blouse, a gift from a sympathetic friend after I was jilted one Valentine’s Day. Also, high-end items handed down from the mistress of a criminal. I never met her, but she wore my size. When her paramour went to prison for embezzlement, she fled back to Italy and gave her clothing to a mutual friend who passed them along to me. They include a white suede blouse, leather stirrup pants, and a flowing gauze skirt and matching vest with crystal buttons. I never wear them. The dry-cleaning costs would bankrupt me, but I take them out on an occasional Sunday morning and worship them.

That’s one of many advantages of being a Baby Boomer. Our clothing is our history. We wear it proudly. Even stolen blue jeans, dog-abused jackets, and fabulous garments with a shady past.

Rose Marsh lives in Cloverdale, CA. Read more at https://www.marshroseauthor.com.