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Vol. 37, No. 2 February 2018 Trinidad Lighthouse Goes Down the Hill • Page 21 FREE The Loves of Our Lives Life Lessons From a Bird By Pat Bitton “Wisdom” the Laysan albatross is aptly named. The 66-year-old alba- tross from the northwestern Hawaiian Islands is the world’s oldest known wild bird, and she clearly knows what’s what when it comes to love and parenting. For more than 60 years, she’s suc- cessfully hatched dozens of chicks, and she’s still going strong. In fact, she’s been getting stronger in her golden years. Albatrosses normally breed only every other year, but the pull of maternal love has led Wisdom to hatch a chick almost every year since 2006. Wisdom may give us humans some clues to leading a long and happy life. Deanna and Elwood Bartlett may have been “late bloomers” when they married 46 years ago, but the Arcata Being an albatross means being on couple obviously found a formula that has worked. Ted Pease photo. the move (or on the wing) most of the time, and it’s estimated that Wisdom After 50 Years, What’s the Secret? has logged more than 3 million miles. For the first five years or so of By Ted Pease their lives, Laysan albatrosses don’t Nationally, the divorce rate is re- cata have been married for 46 years, it, because we were too old and set in land on solid ground at all. Albatross- ported at 40 percent, so as Valentine’s and know the secret to a long, happy our ways,” Deanna said. “And they es are built for long-distance flying, Day approaches, we thought we’d ask marriage: Toothpaste. said newlyweds who used different with long, narrow wings, and the some local couples for tips on their toiletries couldn’t change.” birds essentially return to land only The Bartletts say they were “late long-lasting marriages. for love and parenting. bloomers,” marrying in their 30s in “But we’ve always used the same Continued on Page 20 Deanna and Elwood Bartlett of Ar- 1971. “People said we’d never make Continued on Page 8 SINCE 1981 HEALTHY LIVING THEN & NOW LETTERS Published by Love Your Heart Trinidad Memorial Silver Sneakers HUMBOLDT SENIOR RESOURCE CENTER Page 5 Page 21 Page 22 Page 2 Focus: Loves of Our Lives February 2018 • Senior News Tedtalks: It’s About More IN THIS ISSUE LOVES OF OUR LIVES Than Candy Hearts FEATURES Published monthly since 1981 by By Ted Pease 50-year Marriages ............ 1 rowing up in New England, the best this issue we talk to some experts in the field Lessons from a Bird ......... 1 Gthing I could ever think to say about the — no love doctors, but couples who, after 50 Wooden Hearts ................ 3 Circulation 13,000 month of February was that it’s only 28 days. years of marriage, know how to do it right. A Hummingbird’s View .... 3 All opinions expressed in Senior The weather is always awful — cold, snowy, News are those of the writer and not What’s the secret to a strong and lasting Love and ‘King Lear’ ........ 4 wet — the days are short and dark, and sum- necessarily of the Humboldt Senior relationship? Marriage counselors list some It’s Lovely Alone ............. 10 Resource Center. HSRC does not mer seems a very long way away. building blocks — compassion, respect, endorse any products, services or COLUMNS candidates advertised in Senior Maybe that’s why Valentine’s Day was compatibility, patience — although one local News. All advertising is paid for by invented — a way to lighten up mid-February. therapist declined to offer an opinion, saying Tedtalks ........................... 2 the businesses involved, which are totally responsible for content. That’s almost true. The ancient Romans there’s no secret formula. The Doc: Love Your Heart . 5 celebrated the ides of February with a fertility Fair enough, but the couples we talked to Morse: The ‘Violet Hour’ . 6 Call Elizabeth Advertising: festival called Lupercalia, dedicated to their for this issue reveal what worked for them: Kellermann: Wet Dogs ...... 8 Whitley at 443-9747, ext. 1227, or god of agriculture. As part of the proceed- shared values, trust, openness, laughter . visit www.humsenior.org. Heckel: Dining Room ...... 10 ings, bachelors would pick the name of an and toothpaste. Submissions: Senior News may Rainwater-Gish: John Ash 16 accept unsolicited readers’ stor ies, unmarried young woman from an urn in a You don’t have to be part of a couple — or up to 400 words. Contact the editor, Roman-era dating game that often ended in even human — to appreciate love, an import- CALENDARS Ted Pease, at 443-9747, ext. 1226, marriage and children. or [email protected] at least ant point our contributors make about alba- Senior Centers ........... 12-13 one month prior to the desired The early Christian church outlawed the trosses, hummingbirds and those contentedly Community Event ........... 17 publication issue for details. festival but adopted the date for its own St. single. HSRC NEWS Subscriptions: Subscriptions Valentine in the fifth century. The first known Others in this issue of Senior News are $20 a year. Credit cards and written valentine was a poem by Charles, the celebrate the importance of love in theater, ‘Are You OK?’ Expands .... 11 personal checks are accepted. Call 443-9747 or mail to 1910 Duke of Orleans to his wife from a Tower of literature, health and music. It’s a joyful and Volunteer Spotlight ........ 14 California St., Eureka, CA 95501. London cell in 1415. It wasn’t until much varied subject. & ETC. later that greeting card manufacturers made a Next month, while Humboldt is still in the JOYCE HAYES, PUBLISHER Chamber Players ............... 4 fortune on the idea. grips of wet winter, Senior News will take It’s a little gross, really, what Americans Health: Coffee Time .......... 5 TED PEASE, EDITOR you to the movies. If you or someone you 707-443-9747, ext. 1226 spend on Valentine’s Day — an estimated know has a connection to the movie business, Music of Our Lives ........... 7 [email protected] $18.2 billion last year, or $136 per person, on if you have a story to tell about playing an Humboldt Then & Now .. 21 ELIZABETH WHITLEY, jewelry, cards, roses and chocolate, according extra, or if you have “Star Wars” props stored Letters to the Editor ........ 22 ADVERTISING COORDINATOR to the National Retail Federation. in your barn, we want to hear from you. 707-443-9747, ext. 1227 Senior News declines to get all commer- [email protected] — COMING NEXT MONTH cial, syrupy and candy hearts about February, HSRC Board: Jim Davis, president, Ted Pease is Senior News editor. AT THE MOVIES but love is always worth celebrating. So in Jim Aste, Kathryn Dunning, Elan Firpo, Willard Foote, Jack Irvine, Nancy Dye Leer, Richard Hanger, Susan Hansen, Sue MacConnie, Nanette Medin, Robin Smith. Community Advisory Board: GALE & NIELSEN John Heckel, Carol McFarland, Ralph Nelson, Dave Rosso, Jessie Wheeler Trusts & Estates Conservatorship Proofreaders: René Arché, (707) 269-0167 Ann King, Mark Larson Medi-Cal Planning 2850 Harris Street • Eureka CA Volunteer Distributors: Special Needs Trusts Diane Cohan, Steve Courington, www.galenielsen.com Probate Dean Davenport, Gaining Ground, Judy Silvers,Dave Woodson Business Law © 2018 HSRC Senior News • February 2018 Focus: Loves of Our Lives Page 3 Wooden Hearts to the Real Thing A Hummingbird’s View of Love By Jan Ostrom By Betsy Goodspeed Valentine’s Day at school was always a bit Last month, at 73 and 74, we celebrated 32 “Love Is Lovelier the Second Time Around” was #1 on the edgy for me. Girls were expected to wear red years together, long enough that we are known Hit Parade when I met my children’s father. The last thing or pink dresses with bows and hearts on them, as “AlexnJan.” either of us wanted was to try again after disastrous marriag- es that were casualties of the Second World War. which I thought We moved was stupid. from Los An- Rupert Goodspeed was a television cameraman at Channel In 1955, geles to Eureka 13 when black and white screens measured 5 inches. I was in when I was in in 1989, and front of the camera with a concert harp, singing love songs. the 6th grade, were married My father’s story at their 65th wedding anniversary our homeroom legally in 2008 convinced us that we were on the right track with our rather teacher let us in the Hum- unique approach to marriage. give each other boldt County “Thelma and I were sitting at the dining table after return- valentines in Courthouse, ing from a trip,” he said, “when a hummingbird hovered in class. A chubby amidst tears, the window as if he were curious about how humans lived. boy at the next laughter and Then he flew to a living room window. desk hit me in gay and straight “We followed, watching him peer into several windows the head with a applause. like he was searching for something. When Thelma opened fist-sized wood- Wonder of the solarium door to the outside, the hummingbird quickly en red heart wonders, we flew in to search the house, calling out his presence. he had carved were feted, “Then the curtains in the music room barely moved, and a with my name congratulated second frightened hummingbird emerged. She followed him on it. A sweet and gifted — back to the open door so they could escape.” gesture, if not VALENTINE’S DAY is a happy holiday for Jan Ostrom, something gay My father shook his head.

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