I've spent the last twenty-five years fighting to stay one step ahead of old age. I turned 70 years old this past June, and the battle continues. I'm sure many of you can relate, regardless of your age. Before I proceed, I need to explain the title of this piece.

Mrs. G. has been an avid fan of Arsenic and Old Lace since she first watched the 1944 movie while babysitting in the 1960s. Decades later, she treated me to the play at the Spa Little Theater, and I, too, became a fan of this dark comedy. In the movie, Cary Grant plays Mortimer Brewster. Mortimer's delusional brother, Teddy, lives with Mortimer's eccentric aunts, Abby and Martha, who spend their days ministering to lonely bachelors by putting them out of their misery with homemade mulberry wine laced with arsenic. Teddy, who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt, helps by burying them in the cellar. Teddy believes the gentlemen are victims of yellow fever contracted while digging the Panama Canal. Our love of the movie (and the play) has seeped into our everyday lives. One morning, several years ago, as I grabbed my water bottle and headed to my makeshift gym in the cellar, my wife exclaimed, "Have fun in Panama, Teddy!" The phrase stuck and continues to sprinkle a little joy in our 51-year marriage.

We purchased our first treadmill in 2003. We were fast approaching our half-century marks and hoping it would fend off a prescription or two. Having two sons involved in sports, we had also accumulated a significant collection of weight-lifting equipment. This is when I began documenting my workouts. That process continues today. This morning's entry reads: Tuesday 8/19/25- 4:30 a.m. - Later start - Coffee first - Needed a little break. I have twenty-two years' worth of workout logs. They’ve varied in style and content over the years, but as a package, they make one thing quite clear: no matter how many times I stumble, I always get back up.

I write down the date and time. Sometimes I add the weather and my weight. I go through periods where I detail the specifics of what I did. I might include the miles on the treadmill or my weight-lifting sets. My creaky back demands that I include stretching. High school standbys like pushups and sit-ups are a given. There are long stretches where I disappear from the radar only to return when the doctor labels me "mildly obese." As I write this, I'm in my 11th week of continuous daily workouts. Turning 70 in June, I realized that if I'm ever going to reach a weight where I feel truly healthy, I need to do it now.

My very first log was on November 8, 2003. I ran 4 miles on the treadmill. I logged the time of each mile. On 2/27/09 at 5:30 a.m., I logged: I was in Panama when Joanne (my sister) called. Dad made it through the night. She stayed the whole time. I brought her coffee at the hospital, and we sat in the cafeteria talking for a while. I left to teach my Defensive Driving Course. She called around 9:30 a.m. or so and said Dad had passed. I didn't cry. I had 30 drivers sitting in a room waiting for me to come back in. I tried to finish up the class, but they insisted I leave. They all pitched in and completed the training together.

I offer one piece of sound advice for anyone starting to receive a barrage of AARP mailings and in need of a little kick start. Start with a nice walk. Bring some music, go slow, and when you get home, grab a notebook and start a new chapter.