Thanks for the strong java, Jerry. I needed that. The English muffin was some good, too. I agree that elders have earned the right to be a titch ornery. We whippersnappers can let those little zingers roll off our backs. Cute comment about the 105-years-young woman. I think it was William O. Douglas who remarked upon looking at a lovely lady, "Oh, to be eighty again!"

I read somewhere that a group of researchers studied a number of the cultures around the world known for longevity, looking for commonalities that might cause their people to live extraordinarily long, active lives. Was it something in their diets? Exercise? Environmental conditions? Often the societies were quite impoverished, with poor diets. The women had given birth to 10-15 children. The people worked very hard. So what was up?

To the surprise of the scientists, the one commonality among the various societies was that elders were revered. Old age was considered a desirable thing, and seniors had the highest status. There's a lesson in this for our youth-obsessed culture, in which people are afraid of growing old.

Elmer