• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact
Thursday, September 21, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
San Clemente Times
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Graduation Special
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Home Improvement Guide 2023
    • Money Matters
    • San Clemente Trolley Route Map
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
    • WSL Rip Curl Guide 2023
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Graduation Special
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Home Improvement Guide 2023
    • Money Matters
    • San Clemente Trolley Route Map
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
    • WSL Rip Curl Guide 2023
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
San Clemente Times
No Result
View All Result

On Life and Love After 50: It’s Time to Go

Staff by Staff
August 8, 2019 5:45AM
in Opinion Columns, SOAPBOX
On Life and Love After 50: It’s Time to Go

Photo: Pexels

0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Tom Blake

Tom Blake
Tom Blake

It’s hard to believe that almost a year has passed since my partner, Greta, and I departed on an 82-day cruise to the Far East. After the trip, people asked questions, such as “How did you two survive as a couple in a 390-square-foot stateroom for so long?”

Now, people—especially those who’ve read about our travels in this newspaper—ask, “Where to next?”

Our reply: “Ireland for 10 days—followed by a 20-day cruise stopping in Iceland, Greenland and Scotland.”

“When?” they’ve asked.

“Aug. 7 to Sept. 7, this year.”

So when you read today’s column, we may be having a Guinness Stout at the brewery in Dublin. As seniors, our philosophy is to travel as often as we can, while we are physically able to do so.

Greta and I are truly blessed in retirement to be able to travel to distant lands. We do not take that for granted. We realize there will come a day when we can’t. And we also realize that not all people aged 50 and older can take a trip like this.

Readers, who either cannot travel or elect not to, have often said they enjoy reading about our trips and travel vicariously, by reading about them.

Greta and I have friends in San Clemente. You’ve likely heard me mention Chris and Tina Anastasio’s names before. He’s 85, and she’s 77. They met 15 years ago, when Chris was a dance host on cruise ships. Tina was from England.

They had the longest, long-distance relationship of which I’ve ever known: 13 years and 5,419 miles. On Feb. 12, 2017, they married at the Dana Point Yacht Club. Greta and I attended their wedding and continue to admire their senior spirit.

Chris emailed this week: “I love that you and Greta travel as much as you do. I tell everyone: ‘Life is short. If you have the time, the money and the health, go see the world. Life is like a book. If you don’t travel, you have only read one page.’

“Tina and I are going to Moscow for a week while we are in England, and we have booked a two-week cruise over Christmas and New Year’s. We will spend New Year’s Eve in Dubai. Travel safely.”

“Why Ireland, Scotland, Iceland and Greenland?” people have asked.

Here’s why: Two years ago, Greta and I were on a Holland America cruise around South America. The future-cruises director made a presentation to a very captive audience (passengers already on board). He talked about a cruise departing Amsterdam Aug. 18, 2019, with stops in Scotland, Iceland and Greenland.

We were interested, because we hadn’t been to those countries.

Because the cruise was two years away, Holland America dangled perks to the audience, enticing them to sign up. For example: a reduced airfare to Europe and back, waiving the daily tips to the crew, and a refundable $100 deposit. We took the bait.

We added the Ireland land tour to our itinerary because we hadn’t been there, either.

It’s amazing how fast those two years went by.

I will do an article or two about the trip in this newspaper.

We will have internet access in Ireland and onboard the ship. So, don’t hesitate to email me. It might take a little longer to respond than normal, but I will.

Wish you were here to help with the luggage. It seems to get heavier every year. But these two late-70s seniors will do just fine, especially if we can locate that Guinness Brewery.

Tom Blake is a Dana Point resident and former business owner who has authored three books on middle-aged dating. For dating information: FindingLoveAfter50.com. To comment: tompblake@gmail.com

 

=

 

Break-out Box: The next Senior Meet and Greet will be at Tutor and Spunky’s Deli, 34085 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point, on Thursday, Aug. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Food complimentary. Beer and wine, $5. For information, 949.248.9008.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: CruiseIrelandLife and Love After 50San ClementeTom Blake
ShareTweetPin
Staff

Staff

Related Posts

Festival of Whales Logo Design Contest Opens to the Public

Festival of Whales Logo Design Contest Opens to the Public

September 20, 2023
Mystery at Sea: Source of Oil Spill off San Clemente Island Remains Unidentified

Coastal Commission Invites Amateur Photographers to Compete in Annual Contest

September 19, 2023
Council Votes to Form Citizens Committee on Initiative to Construct Local Amphitheater

Council Directs Arts and Culture Committee to Take On Amphitheater Discussions

September 19, 2023
Planning Commission Reviews Proposed Permit Streamlining Items

Council Introduces Ordinance to Streamline City’s Permitting Process

September 18, 2023
Next Post
At the Movies: ‘Hobbs & Shaw’ is Another Fast & Furious Spin

At the Movies: ‘Hobbs & Shaw’ is Another Fast & Furious Spin

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

SC Times Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get the SC Times delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Dana Point Times
  • The Capistrano Dispatch
  • Terms of Use
  • About Us

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Graduation Special
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Home Improvement Guide 2023
    • Money Matters
    • San Clemente Trolley Route Map
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
    • WSL Rip Curl Guide 2023
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media