The Sept. 3 Whidbey News-Times printed our People and Places column but eliminated our customary picture from the beginning of the column. It is probably the best picture we have taken since we started the column: a blank square.

Now that the long, hot summer has given way to wonderful rain, we begin to realize that change is the one thing we can count on in this life. Facing another birthday soon, we wrote this little jingle about the Golden Years.

The Golden Years! How lovely,

They sound when one is young,

Something to look forward to,

Before “goodbye” is sung!

But entering the Golden years

One finds a bit of rust,

Hampers the “golden” story,

And turns it into dust!

Between the gout and aching back,

And eyesight growing dim,

Our ears give up their hearing,

And leave us out on a limb!

We gave up dancing on tables,

Hang-gliding is a no-no,

The Golden Years? You are kidding!

The Years? Yes, but golden no mo’!

Coffee? Coffee? How many morning coffees? A great little morning builder, then the 10 a.m. builder, followed by lunch. Three o’clock in the afternoon and the coffee pot is never dry. Do you do your bit to hold the American average to 14.5 pounds of coffee per year?

Some European countries are slightly ahead with Holland leading with 18 pounds per person.

Coffee, so-called from the the Arabian pronunciation “gahweh” and the Turkish “gahveh.” In the middle of the 17th century it was introduced in England. The first coffeehouse opened in London in 1653 and coffee became popular. Coffeehouses were popular for 100 years. So great was their popularity and political influence that King Charles II tried to make them illegal.

About four-fifths of the world’s annual crop of coffee is produced in Brazil. Coffee is a stimulant for the nervous center. We had our first cup of coffee while on a job, writing a story that required an interview with a Navy personage once a week. Seated waiting for the individual, a Navy man brought us a coffee in a cup the size of a pint jar. He omitted the knife and fork, but we drank the black fluid without much complaining. We don’t remember driving home, but the car remembered where we lived.

Our doctor forbad coffee for us, and told us that chocolate had more caffeine than coffee. We are thinking of giving up coffee entirely, and going back to tea.

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