Having Fun in Hard Economic Times

One of the things I did to have fun was start a Red Hat Society Chapter in my neighborhood.  The size has been from five to eight women fifty years of age or older.  The first year we got together twice a month and each month one of the members would decide on the restaurant where we celebrated birthdays or just got together to share stories, laugh and have some fun.  The second outing was to get us out and doing something other than to eat.  So we went to plays, movies, spas, the race track, got together with other Red Hatters, went to teas, really enjoyed Friday Movie Night and pot luck, traveled to resorts out of town and did lots of fun stuff.

This year, beginning in June, our group now meets only once a month to save money, and mostly we have been celebrating birthdays and trying new restaurants.  We did go to the movies this month and we plan to see a play together in the new year, have a Pink Hatter's Tea, celebrate RHS Day and find more interesting things to do together.  We will exchange inexpensive but thoughtful gifts for Christmas and in the new year we may add a couple more women and a few more activities.  When this group started we didn't know each other and now we have become friends, praying for each other, helping each other, sharing resources, etc.  The Red Hatters were especially important to me the first year we began our group, since I was a new widow and trying to move forward with my life, from grief to recovery.  The old group stopped meeting for almost a year, but we are now in our fourth year and rebuilding our membership.

Another group that I joined was found on MeetUp.com.  They call themselves Girlfriends Entourage.  They are foremost a travel club, but also a virtual book club and a local meet up for different events.  One of the places they are traveling to next year is Italy.  The cost is way out of my budget, so maybe another time I can travel with them.  I will join them for some local events.  I especially can afford the monthly Dinner and a Movie at my favorite theater-- Valley View Cinema.

The third thing I have joined is an afternoon neighborhood library bookclub that meets monthly.  My first meeting is in December and I have just finished reading the book,  "The Christmas List," by Richard Paul Evans.  The author writes a Christmas book every year.  His most famous book is "The Christmas Box,"  which I may read on my own.  I am really looking foward to meeting the other members of this book club since they will be neighbors and discussing the merits of "The Christmas List."

The fourth fun thing that I do is to participate in the Mayor's village trips and events that he sponsors at a discount for us.  The cost is from only $5 to $15. There are a variety of things that we do year round.  One of the best was a summer trip to a small town in New York.  We took a boat ride on the lake, listened to an outdoor concert, had some homemade icecream and enjoyed walking around this beautiful, historic place and meeting some of the other people visiting.  This Saturday he is sponsoring a train ride to a village in Ohio to visit quaint little shops and cut down your own Christmas tree.  I may not be up for that.  It is very cold out.  But the annual dinner and theater night is coming up.  It is a Village favorite.

Getting together with my family on holidays is the best treat of all.  I love playing board games and other games with my grandson and granddaughter when she is home from college and my daughter and son.  I also love family travel.  We will try a new vacation place this summer at a resort in Canada.

Some things I plan to do in the new year is renew my membership at a neighboring community center and get back to water exercising, hot tub therapy and the heat of the sauna, and maybe an occassional massage.  This will be good for my aging muscles and bones.  I also plan to go walking again in the spring with my little dog.  We hibernate somewhat in winter and watch a lot of TV together.  And maybe I'll try bike riding again.  I had a little spill last year, but back at 'em.

Oh, one last thing.  Oakwood Village Community Center has a new volleyball exercise group!  It is Chair Volleyball.  This is something new, but it is a good way to socialize and have some fun as well as upper body exercise.  So, I think I am going to do this.  I love afternoon outings.  So this could be a good one for me. 

Oh, and, another last thing.  I discovered we have a Bowling Alley right in Oakwood Village.  So I might try to get our Red Hat Group to go bowling as an outing, and we might as well get involved in the Line Dancing when that gets started again at the Oakwood Village Community Center.  So I plan to get moving in the new year!  We also have a Weight Watchers Group-- so, maybe I'll do that too.