"SENIOR TIMES" JANUARY 2026

THE SENIOR TIMESTM

A publication of The Senior Network

GOLDEN NUGGETS

January is a month of ups and downs.  There is an air of excitement for getting a fresh start. 

However, there is the feeling of gloom because all the wonderful holiday festivities are over.  It is time to take down the tree and lights, say goodbye to family and distant friends and bid farewell to all those yummy holiday food and drinks that made you gain ten pounds that you now must struggle to lose. 

Like a roller coaster, our emotions are going up, down and sideways.  Our lives seem to be in a chaotic state with no hope in sight. This chaos causes us to be anxious.  There is a sense of restlessness and despair. 

BUT there is a source of hope.  The Bible states in I Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints.” 

Think how reassuring it is to know that God can give peace and order to the chaos in our lives. 

All we need to do is rest in Him!

Brain Teaser

(answer at the end)

George, Helen, and Steve are drinking coffee. Bert, Karen, and Dave are drinking Pepsi. Following this pattern, is Elizabeth drinking coffee or soda?

GRANDMA’S COOKING CORNER

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

Celebrate the Chinese New Year with this easy and delicious recipe!

Ingredients: 

·        2 pounds sirloin steak or boneless beef chuck roast sliced thin

• 1 cup beef broth

• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 Tablespoon of sesame oil

• 3 minced garlic cloves 

• 4 Tablespoons cornstarch

• 4 Tablespoons water

• 1 bag (12 ounces) frozen broccoli florets

• cooked white rice to serve with (if desired)

Instructions:

1.   In the insert of a 6-quart crock pot (slow cooker), whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.

2.   Place slices of beef in the liquid and toss to coat. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 5 hours.

3.   When beef is done cooking, whisk together cornstarch and water in small bowl. Pour into crock pot and stir to mix well.

4.   Add the frozen broccoli over the beef and sauce. Gently stir to combine. Cover with lid and cook 30 minutes to cook broccoli and thicken sauce.

5.   Serve over warm white rice. Enjoy.

Words of Wisdom “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” MARK TWAIN

Who’d A Thunk

January is the time of new beginnings and of making resolutions on how to achieve goals in the new year.  As time evolves you would think that resolutions would change drastically over the decades.  However, compare this list of the most popular resolutions made in 1947 with the ones made in 2025. 

Resolutions From 1947 - Gallup Poll

1. Improve my disposition, be more understanding, control my temper2. Improve my character, live a better life3. Stop smoking, smoke less4. Save more money5. Stop drinking, drink less6. Be more religious, go to church more often7. Be more efficient and do a better job8. Take better care of my health9. Take a greater part in home life10. Lose (or gain) weight

Resolutions in 2025

1.   Lose weight

2.   Get organized

3.   Spend less, save more

4.   Enjoy life to the fullest

5.   Stay fit and healthy

6.   Learn something exciting

7.   Quit smoking

8.   Help others fulfill their dreams

9.   Fall in love

10. Spend more time with family.

In general, it appears humans have the same issues, weaknesses and concerns regardless of age or if they lived in times past, now or probably in the days to come.

REMEMBER WHEN

Daily News Record magazine proclaimed 1967 the year of the turtle, as in turtleneck sweater, favored by beatniks and flower children. At its peak, the turtleneck was worn by such high-profile celebs as Johnny Carson, Sammy Davis Jr., Senator Robert Kennedy, Paul Newman and Steve McQueen.

Humor Me

 A businessman went into the office and found an inexperienced handyman painting the walls. The handyman was wearing two heavy parkas on a hot summer day. Thinking this was a little strange, the businessman asked the handyman why he was wearing the parkas on such a hot day.The handyman showed him the instructions on the can of paint. They read: “For best results, put on two coats.”

MILITARY SALUTE

Faced with disaster, Hitler made one final attempt to win the war.  Pulling together his failing resources, he planned to break through the weakly held 75-mile front of Belgium’s dense Ardennes Forest, severing the Allied forces in two.  The Germans planned their offensive with strict secrecy.  They kept radio communication to a minimum and moved troops and equipment at night.  Because the Allies were busy planning their own offensive, they failed to see what the Germans were up to.  Bradley commanded the US 12th Army during the battle.  On the misty morning of December 16th, more than 200,000 German troops and about 1,000 tanks launched their attack.  The four US units they targeted were caught by complete surprise as their superior air force was grounded by overcast skies.  The two forces collided throughout the day, but the Germans eventually broke through the American front.  They captured most of a division, as well as key roads, and then marched toward the Meuse River.  This created a large bulge in the Allied lines, which is where the battle got its popular name.  Immediately, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower sent reinforcements to prevent the Germans from pushing in any further.  Days later, Patton had turned his troops around and launched a counterattack on the German flank.  The troops at the front were often isolated in the forest and unaware of the situation in the overall battle but still did their part to slow the Nazi advance.  This included moving or destroying stocks of gasoline, which the German tanks needed to advance, and keeping them away from vital crossroads.  At the Bastogne crossroads, a German commander ordered the Americans to surrender, to which General Anthony McAuliffe famously replied, “Nuts!”  Patton led the US 3rd Army during the battle.  The Allies had the terrain in their favor, which set the Germans behind schedule, allowing for more Allied reinforcements to arrive.  As the weather cleared, the Allies were finally able to launch air attacks on the German forces and their supply lines, which proved to be one of the most determining factors in the failed German offensive.  By January 16, 1945, the Ardennes front had been re-established to where it had been a month earlier, though fighting continued until the last German troops withdrew on January 25.  The Battle of the Bulge was one of the war’s largest and bloodiest battles to involve the United States.  Of the 300,000 Germans that fought, up to 100,000 were killed, missing, or wounded.  Meanwhile, the Americans, 610,000 strong, suffered 89,000 casualties.  Following the battle, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill stated, “This is undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever-famous American victory.”

Non Profit of the Month

In 1947, Sidney Farber, MD, founded the Children's Cancer Research Foundation, dedicated to providing compassionate, state-of-the-art treatment to children with cancer while developing the cancer preventatives, treatments, and cures of the future. The foundation officially expanded its programs to include patients of all ages in 1969, and in 1974 became known as the Sidney Farber Cancer Center in honor of its founder. The long-term support of the Charles A. Dana Foundation was acknowledged by incorporating the Institute under its present name in 1983. Today, the Institute employs more than 13,000 paid and sponsored staff, faculty, and clinicians. Each year, they support over 398,000 outpatient visits, welcome more than 32,000 new patients, and operate over 1,200 active clinical trials. Dana-Farber is internationally renowned for its equal commitment to cutting edge research and provision of excellent patient care. The deep expertise in these two areas uniquely positions Dana-Farber to develop, test, and gain FDA approval for new cancer therapies in its laboratories and clinical settings. Dana-Farber researchers have contributed to the development of 35 of 75 cancer drugs recently approved by the FDA for use in cancer patients. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, a federally designated Center for AIDS Research, and a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, a federally designated comprehensive cancer center. Dana-Farber also maintains affiliations with several schools of nursing in the Boston area. Providing advanced training in cancer treatment and research for an international faculty, the Institute conducts community-based programs in cancer prevention, detection, and control throughout New England, and maintains joint programs with other Boston institutions affiliated with Harvard Medical School and Mass General Brigham, including Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital. Dana-Farber is supported by the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the generous support of numerous foundations and individuals who contribute to the Institute's individual research and clinic programs or to the Jimmy Fund, the principal charity of the Institute, named for one of its child patients.

Grandpa’s Sports Stories

On January 20,1967, Philadelphia 76ers center Wilt Chamberlain makes all 15 of his field goal attempts in a 119 – 108 win over the LA Lakers.  This beat the NBA record for consecutive shots made.  He beat the mark twice before the 1966 -67 season ended.

SENIOR OF THE MONTH 

January 2026

DONNY OSMOND

Donny was born in Ogden, Utah (the seventh child in the family) and made his debut when he was six years old,  singing “You Are My Sunshine”.

Over the course of his career, he has performed with his four brothers, the “Osmonds” and with his sister, Marie.

Donny was the winner in Season 9 of “Dancing With the Stars” and hosted the game show, Pyramid, from 2002 to 2004.

In 1978, Donny married Debra Glenn. They have five sons and sixteen grandchildren.

Some of Donny’s most popular hits include: “Puppy Love”, “Go Away Little Girl”, “The Twelfth of Never”, “Soldier of Love” and “Young Love”.

 Answer to Brain Teaser

Coffee, just like all the other names with two E’s. Those with one “E” drink Pepsi

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

THE SENIOR NETWORK

3650 Rogers Road, Suite #323

Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587

954-666-2040