SENIOR TIMES MAY 2026

THE SENIOR TIMESTM

A publication of The Senior Network

May 2026

GOLDEN NUGGETS

IT IS SPRING! 

How happy we are to see the lush young grass, green leaves on the trees and the beautiful and fragrant flowers that are blooming everywhere. That is why we chose the theme of “Flowers” for the month of May.  Looking around, the pastel colors of Spring are displayed in the lavender crocus, pink peonies, blue iris, white honeysuckle and yellow roses.  Each of them is displayed in breath-taking splendor.  The array of flowers is numerous and the sweet smell in the air is almost overwhelming.  Gone are the snow clouds of winter, the heavy downpours of March and the overcast skies of April with its almost daily rain showers.  Just like a gentle breeze, our mood seems to be lighter and more carefree.  But beware, the temperatures will go lower and the beautiful display in nature will change and rapidly fade away. 

In the Bible there is a verse that speaks about the grass and the flowers dying.  Isaiah 40:8 states, “The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand forever.”  What an amazing God to stay constant so we have an anchor that holds regardless of what the world might bring our way!  As beautiful as the flowers are, nothing can compare to the tender, loving care our Heavenly Father freely gives to His children.

Brain Teaser

(answer at the end)

A girl meets a lion and a unicorn in the forest. The lion lies every  Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and the other days, he speaks the truth. The unicorn lies on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and on the other days of the week, he speaks the truth. “Yesterday, I was lying,” the lion told the girl. “So was I,” said the unicorn. What day is it?

Who’d A Thunk

The world’s first glue stick was invented by the German company Henkel in 1969 after being inspired by the ‘twist-up ease’ of lipstick applicators. The convenience of this tubed glue resulted in the Pritt stick becoming available in 38 countries by 1971 – only two years after creation.  After being created in the 1960s, Pritt was first launched as a small-sized stick. Having gained widespread popularity amongst schools, a medium, large and even jumbo sticks were launched to help fuel children’s creativity.

GRANDMA’S COOKING CORNER

Cher’s Chamomile Loaf

Chamomile Milk Infusion

· ½ cup milk (dairy or unsweetened plant-based like almond or oat)

· 2 chamomile tea bags or 2 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers

Ingredients

· 1¾ cups all-purpose flour

· 1½ teaspoons baking powder

· ½ teaspoon baking soda

· ¼ teaspoon salt

· 2 large eggs, room temperature

· ⅓ cup neutral oil (avocado, sunflower, or light olive oil)

· ½ cup honey (preferably raw, floral varieties like wildflower or orange blossom)

· ½ cup plain yogurt (dairy or unsweetened plant-based)

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· Zest of 1 organic lemon (optional, but adds brightness)

· Chamomile milk infusion (from above, cooled)

Optional Glaze & Topping

· 1 tablespoon honey

· 1 tablespoon warm water

· Dried chamomile flowers or petals for garnish

Instructions

Infuse the milk

In a small saucepan, heat ½ cup milk until steaming, not boiling. Remove from heat and add 2 chamomile tea bags or 2 tablespoons dried chamomile flowers. Cover and steep for 10–15 minutes. Strain and cool completely before using.

Tip: Gently squeeze the tea bags to extract all the flavor. If you use loose flowers, strain through a fine mesh sieve.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a standard loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add cooled chamomile milk and stir until smooth.Your batter should smell like a spring garden with a touch of honey-sweet warmth. Add the dry mixture to the wet in two batches, stirring gently with a spatula until just combined. The batter should be thick but pourable—don’t overmix.Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45–55 minutes.

Humor Me

A young man from Minnesota moves to Florida and goes to a big box store looking for a job. The manager asks, “Do you have any sales experience?”  The kid says, “Yes. I was a salesman in Minnesota.” The manager likes the boy and gives him the job. “You start tomorrow. I’ll come back after closing and see how you’re doing.” His first day on the job was tough, but he got through it. After the store closed, the boss came in. “How many customers bought from you today?” The boy said, “One.” The boss said, “Only one? Our salesmen get an average of 20 to 30 customers a day. How much did you sell?” The boy says, “$110,500.00.” The boss says, “$110,500.00? What did you sell?” The boy says, “First I sold him a small fishing hook, then I sold him a medium fishing rod, then I sold him a large fishing rod, then I sold him a new fishing net. The boy continued: “Then I asked him where he was going fishing and he said he was going to the beach, so I told him he needed a boat, so we went to the boat department, and I sold him a Chris Craft with a twin engine. Then he said his Honda Civic wouldn’t tow him, so I took him to the automotive department and sold him a 4×4 Expedition. The boss said, “A man came in to buy a fishing hook, and you sold him a BOAT and a TRUCK?”  The kid said, “No, the guy came in to buy a bumper for his wife’s car and I said…”  “Dude, your weekend sounds awful, you should go fishing.”

MILITARY SALUTE

Matthew Ridgway (March 3, 1895 – July 26, 1993) was called in to take command when the Korean War seemed all but lost. Morale was low, and UN forces were in retreat, but Ridgway’s energy and determination quickly made a difference. He revitalized the troops, improved logistics, and launched counterattacks that pushed enemy forces back across the 38th parallel. Ridgway’s leadership helped stabilize the front and set the stage for eventual armistice.  His ability to inspire confidence and adapt to challenging circumstances made him one of the unsung heroes of American military history.

Non Profit of the Month

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK or MSKCC) is a cancer treatment and research institution in Manhattan in New York City. MSKCC is one of 72 National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.  Its main campus is located at 1275 York Avenue between 67th and 68th Streets in Manhattan.

It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Memorial Hospital for the Treatment of Cancer and Allied Diseases, founded in 1884, and the adjacent Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, founded in 1945. The two medical entities had formally coordinated their operations since 1960. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) is one of the world's oldest and most renowned comprehensive cancer treatment and research institutions. MSK is dedicated to providing exceptional patient care, conducting innovative research, and offering advanced education in the field of oncology. MSK offers specialized treatment for a wide range of cancers including breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and leukemia. The center employs a multidisciplinary approach, bringing together experts in various fields to develop personalized treatment plans for each patient.

REMEMBER WHEN

Leisure suits originated on the West coast of the United States in the late 1930s as summer casual-wear for the wealthy, possibly derived from the heavy tweed Norfolk jacket or khaki safari jacket worn by English sportsmen. Made from lightweight fabric and originally known as "Hollywood suits" these were worn until the 1950s, especially in the Southwest where, together with suits derived from the Ike jacket, they became popular formal-wear and often featured contrasting yokes, collars and cuffs Suits of this pattern, embellished with embroidery and rhinestones, were made by Nudie Cohn  for 1950s country and western musicians, including Tex Williams and the young Elvis.  Suits as casual wear became popular among members of Britain's mod subculture in the 1960s, but only achieved widespread popularity in the United States when—with the creation and popularization of synthetic materials—unprecedented inexpensive prices met with a culture that had come to hate formality. They are frequently associated with that era's disco culture. Leisure suits gained popularity by offering a fashionable, inexpensive suit which could conceivably be used in formal business yet was casual enough to be worn out of the workplace setting. The leisure suit height of popularity was around the mid to late 1970s, but fell from fashion in the very early 1980s. Leisure suits are still being offered and worn today, although not in the form of bellbottoms and pastel colors which came to be most associated with the term.

Grandpa’s Sports Stories

The 60th 500 Mile International Sweep-stakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 30, 1976. Polesitter Johnny Rutherford took the lead on lap 80, and was leading when rain halted the race on lap 103. Two hours later, the race was about to be resumed, but rain fell again. USAC officials called the race at that point, reverted the scoring back to the completion of lap 102, and Johnny Rutherford was declared the winner. Rutherford famously walked to Victory Lane, his second career Indy 500 triumph, having completed only 255 miles (410 km), the shortest official race on record.

	Words of Wisdom

“Doing nothing is hard, you never know when you’re done.” 

Leslie Nielsen

SENIOR OF THE MONTH 

May 2026

RICHARD PETTY

Nick named “the king”, Richard Lee Petty was born in 1937 in Level Cross, North Carolina. His father, Lee, was a race car driver, winning the first Daytona 500 in 1959 and enjoying being a three-time NASCAR champion. Richard followed in his father’s footsteps, competing in stock car racing from 1958 until 1992. 

Growing up in North Carolina, Richard enjoyed whittling, rebuilding engines with his dad and working in his uncle’s tobacco fields. Even though racing was his life; after high school graduation, he took a business course at Greensboro Junior College.

Richard was married to Lynda for over fifty years, until she died from cancer in 2014.  They raised four children. (Kyle, one of their sons, was also a NASCAR driver.)

Besides his numerous race car wins and his many honors and awards over the years, Petty also had appearances on tv shows and films. His car (#43 Plymouth/Pontiac) was recognized by many. He was popular because of his aggressive racing style and his accessibility to fans.

You can visit the Richard Petty Museum in Level Cross. In 2008, the Petty Family Foundation was established to support children, veterans and education in North Carolina.

Answer to Brain Teaser

Thursday. The only day they both tell the truth is Sunday but today can’t be Sunday because the lion also tells the truth on Saturday (yesterday). Going day by day, the only day one of them is lying and one of them is telling the truth with those two statements is Thursday.