24 – hour LeMans Race

Sorry for being AWOL from this column last week, but I had a good excuse; I was at the 24 Hour LeMans Race in France.

Well not exactly. Let me explain. First of all, the 24 Hours of Le Mans (French: 24 Heures du Mans) is the world’s oldest active sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, France. It is one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world and has been called the “Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency”. The event represents one leg of the Triple Crown of Motorsport; other events being the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix.

Several months ago I wrote in this column that in exchange for A “Cadillac” (Chicken) coupe, my wife agreed that I could go buy a sports car. So I did just that, before she changed her mind! I bought a new (to me) 18 year-old Corvette convertible that was just like new; (only had 34,000 miles). Naturally, then, I joined the National Corvette Museum club.

And lo and behold they invited me and some guests to a limited private showing of the 24 Hour LeMans Race last weekend. While the race is held in LeMans , France, the private showing was held at the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY, right across from the Corvette assembly plant. They even invited us to bring sleeping bags and “camp in” the museum like thousands of people camp out at the race in France. The museum event was fully catered and even included a midnight ice cream bar; not a bad way to go to the races, eh?!

Because the race coincided with my oldest son’s birthday and the 20th anniversary conference of Visiting Angels ® in Philadelphia, I invited my two oldest sons (and business partners) to go with me. How often do you get to spend an entire week with two of your married sons, especially while they’re collectively raising six of your grandchildren? Not very often, right? After promising their wives they would do an all night endurance drive of their own back home to help with the kids, their wives agreed to let them go.

Both the race and the conference were endurance events with “Non-stop” speakers and seminars at the Visiting Angels ® conference to motivate us and teach us how better to take care of seniors back home in Central Georgia.

While I was sorry to miss a column last week I was delighted to spend a week with two wonderful sons. Whether your sons are fishermen, hunters, musicians, race fans or whatever, if you get a chance to be with them, take it. Be sure they get permission from their wives first though!

Thanks for reading All About Seniors…..see you next week!

Bill Milby, CSA, is a Certified Senior Advisor and a Director of Visiting Angels® of Macon, a non-medical, living assistance service for seniors. If you have questions or comments about this column you can reach him at william.mercylink@gmail.com or search for us at https://www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsofCentralGA/