Cass,

Most of the folks I meet in the Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Centers are not there by choice--they're there because of some sort of physical problem them could not overcome. That's not the point I was trying to make. I have, however, seen people, including my own father, retire at age 62, sit down in front of a TV set and rapidly deteriorate. After 45 years of driving big rigs, he retired and said "I'm never going to work another day of my life." And, he meant just that. In less than 10 years he was dead. I meet folks in retirement communities that feel the same way. They figured that once they retired, the best thing they could do was nothing. Doing nothing will quickly bring about their untimely demise. As for me, on the other hand, I hope to be shot by a jealous husband at age 108 while climbing out of a second story window with my trousers down around my ankles, and a 19-year-old lady screaming "Don't Leave Me! (Gotta' think ahead. )

Cheers,

Gary