Opinions

Paul Rhodes | Publisher & Editor “...So if you have to, just ask Felix for his phone and take it away for a while.” Those were the final instructions from my daughter Abby as she dropped off my grandson in Kansas City Sunday for a week-long visit at my house. If you know any teenagers, you totally understand why those were her final words of advice for me.

Savvy Senior Dear Savvy Senior, How are Social Security benefits handled when someone dies? After a long illness, my 68-year-old father has only weeks left to live. I am helping my mom figure out her financial situation going forward, including what to do about my dad’s Social Security after he passes away but could use some help.

Random Thoughts This week’s Sedgwick County Fair presents an opportunity to stuff your face with all kinds of goodies. When I travel, I love to document my trip through the view from my stomach.

Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some good healthy meal delivery options for seniors who don’t cook or get out much? My 80-yearold father, who lives alone, has a terrible diet and I worry about his health. Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned, There are actually a wide variety of healthy meal delivery options that can help non-cooking seniors who live at home.

On behalf of three generations of my family, let me cordially invite you to next week’s Sedgwick County Fair. It is, as we say, that season.

I made a magic pork loin on Sunday. That's about the only reason I can come up with for what turned out to be a pretty tasty pork loin.

From the Editor’s Files Here's a scenario that I guarantee no one ever wants to go through: You're sitting at a restaurant out at the lake, just finishing up dinner, when your phone rings. The person on the line is with the local Fire Department, and asks, “Has anyone called you about what happened to your building downtown?” From there, everything about your evening – and I mean absolutely everything – just goes further downhill.

Savvy Senior Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend some good organizations or websites for locating interesting volunteer opportunities? I’ve been doing some volunteer work since I retired last year, but most of the jobs I’ve tried haven’t been very fun or satisfying. Retired Volunteer Dear Retired, For many retirees, finding a volunteer opportunity that meets your interests, utilizes your talents, and fits your availability can be challenging.

Random Thoughts This year’s Kansas City Royals baseball team is so bad... “How bad are they?” thousands, or at least dozens, of readers respond.

Kim and I kicked off June with something we hadn’t done in a long time – we traveled to the annual signature event, Symphony in the Flint Hills. The concert is always held...you guessed it...in the Flint Hills of Kansas.