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Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
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Deck Hands -- The Over 80 Club

Deck Hands -- The Over 80 Club
Jo Petteruti

Author: Rachel Dahl

So, I have these girlfriends, and most of them are almost 20 years older than me. I met them when I had the Tea Room and we opened earlier in the day, My lady friends would come in for “afternoon tea” which was really unoaked Chardonnay with a side of Pinot Noir in disguise. We had a blast together and along the way, they adopted me.

The ladies are all in their late 70s and early 80s, and they just love to laugh and have fun. They travel together, golf together, play cards together, lunch together regularly – they have known each other for years and are such good friends.  Many of them have also lost the love of their lives, spouses that they spent decades with, yet they still manage to enjoy themselves every day even with that missing piece from their heart. As a matter of fact, they look out for each other, knowing that each can count on the other. I want to be just like them when I grow up if I ever do...

We get together on Fridays for lunch, always going to a different restaurant in town. We usually decide where we will go for the following Friday when we gather.  If I don't put the next lunch location in my calendar at that point, I forget where to be, and then I have to bug one of them to remind me where I’m supposed to be on that next Friday.  How bad is that?

We also get together for an afternoon of cards every week, each taking turns hosting the event. And it can be quite an event with 10 of us playing cards. Every week we discuss local rumors, the news of the day, and other current activities around town. Sometimes – most times actually, if I can help it – we have some silly conversations, as I just love to see and hear them laugh. It's so much fun to watch those you care about laugh to the point of tears, especially when it triggers those good old belly laughs that make your tummy ache – those are really good for you, you know.

Recently during one of our card games, we were discussing some new business ventures that are in the planning stages in town. We talked about how exciting the new businesses could be, and the contributions that they could make to the town. One of my friends who was sitting right next to me that day expressed how very interesting the new business ventures sounded.  The afternoon continued with more banter. And by the way, the card game is a two-drink minimum, meaning we generally have at least two glasses of wine during the game.  Heck, we are only playing for quarters, so we have to have some other reward.

The next day, my lady friend who was sitting next to me during our cards game texted me. She said she had just heard about this new business venture, and would The Fallon Post be interested in running a story about it? I chuckled, remembering our conversation from the prior day, and said, “I agree, and as soon as the owners have firmer details to release about the venture, we certainly will!”

I love the ladies in my “Over-80 Club.” They keep me sane and on track every day.

 

 


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Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I knew Sam as a member of our church growing up. He always had a warm smile, a kind word, and a great sense of humor! He will be great missed!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:57 AMComment source: Obituary -- Samuel Bruce WickizerComment author: Mike HinzComment text: Great teacher, great coach, but even a better person!!! Rest in peace Mr. BeachComment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:53 AMComment source: Obituary -- Jack Victor Beach, Jr.Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I had Mrs Hedges for First Grade at Northside Elementary in 1969. I still, to this day, remember her as a wonderful teacher…one of my favorites!!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:29 AMComment source: Obituary - Nancy Marie Hedges C Comment author: Carl C. HagenComment text: What are MFNs and PBMs ?? ............................ From the editor: This is a very good question and we apologize for not catching that wasn't in there. We reached out to the writer/submitter and got this info back...hope it's helpful. PBM: Pharmacy Benefit Managers are pharmacies that are owned by insurance companies. (CVS is one.) They negotiate with drug makers to get reduced pricing for medications, but they historically have not passed along those savings to patients. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/pharmacy-benefit-managers-staff-report.pdf MFN: Most Favored Nation pricing is a policy that means a country agrees to offer the same trade concessions (like tariffs or price reductions) to all member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). When applied to pharmaceuticals, it could disrupt global access, deter innovation, and obscure the deeper systemic issues in American health care. https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2025/05/22/the-global-risks-of-americas-most-favored-nation-drug-pricing-policy/Comment publication date: 6/23/25, 7:47 AMComment source: L E T T E R TO THE EDITOR
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