A wonderful woman passed away last week.

My mother, Anne Drobot Gunter, passed away on August 24th, 2011. I will miss her so. She was feisty, witty, kind, generous and unique. She was also smart, disciplined and a wonderful wife, mother, auntie, sister and grandmother.

She patiently taught my kids to play card games; she helped me fend off bullies with word phrases that made them stop -- without me using any violence or cruelty. She never left the house without impeccable hair, nails, clothes and lipstick; she always set a lovely table and made a feast for guests. She prayed daily for all the members of her family, that God would guide us and protect us.

She suffered much: loneliness when she was far from her family; when her parents, my father, and her daughter, my sister died; when family members disappointed her; and finally when she began to be very sick and frail, when her body ached and she couldn't breathe normally. She tried not to complain, and when she did we didn't really listen, we were wrapped up in our own anguish, knowing that she was going to leave us soon.

She was opinionated and had strong beliefs: God's love and grace, family ties and loyalties, giving, cleanliness and neatness, discipline, thriftiness, humor, enjoying the goodness of the earth and people.  I grew up without Koolaid, boxed cake mixes, fast food, bought cookies (except for girl scout cookies) or sodas in the house - she believed in making and baking tasty, fresh and well prepared food for the family always. Cereal and milk for breakfast was the fastest food we ate, and that was only after she found herself a job outside the home and didn't have as much time as before. As a teenager, tv dinners, tang, bought pastries and coca cola were treats that I purchased for myself with my own money as she would never had brought them into the house. Homemade bread and pastries, baked chicken and real mashed potatoes or pot roasts and scalloped potatoes made with her father's potato mandoline were often on the menu at home; at Christmas she made fudge with a candy thermometer.

My father treated her like the queen he loved. They were devoted to each other, and had a friendship and partnership that never faltered. She never had to balance a checkbook, fill the gas tank, handle home or auto repairs, pay bills or do the taxes - she did the laundry, the housework and the cooking.  Until he passed away 16 years ago. Even so, she managed to cope and successfully adapted, even though she missed him immensely. She learned how to balance the checkbook and pay bills, even take care of the car and get her taxes done. She lived within her budget and yet still managed to send money to those in need - and also to her grandchildren on their birthdays. She was always gracious and welcoming to all.

She was a long time mainstay at her church, and a member for 58 years. She gave that church a lot of herself and her money over the years and spent much time there - as a deaconess, member, bible study teacher, collection money counter, and probably more tasks and duties that even I was ever aware of. She made friends with no less than 4 preachers, all of whom came to love and respect her - and I'm sure will miss her now that she's not there. There will be a hole in that congregation that will be difficult to fill.

She nursed me through asthma, cat allergies, measles, my tonsil and adenoid removal surgery; helped me pick out my first purchased dress from the Sears catalog (that wasn't a hand-me-down) and numerous pairs of gawdy glasses in the 60's; encouraged my studies; told me what she thought about each of my boyfriends (she never really liked any of them until she met the one I married); proudly watched me graduate from college and then later get married; entertained my children in so many ways that I hear about another one all the time; taught me to love reading novels and magazines; taught me the importance of a good first impression; and never let me grow too old for her to tell me what she thought about my clothes, my hair, my life, my plans.

I will always be her baby - her youngest child. I used to hate that, now I am sorry I didn't appreciate her efforts more. She always said she tried to do her best, I think she did pretty good. My dad died 16 years ago, I think of him almost every day, and miss him just as much today as I did then. I know I will think of her every day, too, and will miss them both tremendously. I wish I could pick up the phone and call heaven to talk to them, as I know they are both up there. I hope they are both smiling down at all of us. My promise to each of them is to try to live up to their expectations of me as a daughter, a wife, a mother, a person. They would want that.

I'm now a "published author"!

I've finally made it!!   I wrote 2 articles on Medicare: the basics, and finding additional coverage to cover out of pocket Medicare costs have been published on suite101.com .

Here's the link:  http://www.suite101.com/seniors-health-medicare

These two posts are currently unpaid posts, but if they are picked up and used elsewhere, I might get paid. I may even send them to my local newspaper and see if they want to publish them. Suite101 editors state that once you've got anywhere from 20 to 30 articles on their site, you start to make money. I hope! I also posted this link on my Facebook page, hopefully some of my friends will read it, too.

Someday, I hope to make a good living out of doing this.  Photo credit:  Ambro.

Back in the saddle again

Back home again, and back into the grind of work. I spent another week or so with my mother, helping her a bit after her surgery. I didn't do a lot, just errands and household cleaning and stuff. She is having difficulty with her loss of control over her life so it's a constant tug of war: how much does she want done vs. how much she will let you do.

I've agreed to work with one of the local banks, selling Medicare supplements and Advantage plans this fall, starting in September until January, during the Medicare enrollment period. I will be placed either in one of their bank offices with set appointments OR at a desk in a local grocery store, accepting walk in queries - and hopefully sales. This is something new and different for me, as I've never actively focused on the senior market. However, I believe that in the coming years, this will be the market of choice for health insurance agents (think of all those baby boomers!) so I'm going to give it the old college try. I've spent the last month completing forms, faxing/emailing resumes, licenses and E & O policy pages - basically showing them that yes, I am a licensed and insured insurance agent and I am capable of selling insurance. Now I will spend August going through the Medicare required education and certification to sell the products. The feds have made so many regulations that one must go through many hoops just to sell in this market, that I hope it is worth it all! I've already got a few friends asking me questions about the differences and details available in the supplement marketplace. At the very least, this will educate me on the subject.

On a similar note, I passed my first certification test with H &R Block. Tax professionals are given 3 tries and a passing grade of at least 80 percent is required to be hired back to HRB in January. I passed on the first try with 95 percent! The plan is to try the 2nd certification test next week. If I can pass that one, then I'll move on to the 3rd test before the season starts in January. I doubt if I will pass either of the next 2 tests on the first try, but it's ok, I get 3 tries!

This summer has been very hot, dry, and very boring. I'm looking forward to becoming productive again, soon. And that Panama Canal cruise I've always wanted to take is tempting me tremendously.....if I make a few good sales, I just might be able to book it soon.