Teri’s new short “do” is the talk of the Co-op these days. Word is she’s 53, but she sure doesn’t look it! Rumor also has it she’s a grandmother now. Can it be?

We all know Teri’s popping pills (the vitamin type, of course), but this kat wondered if there wasn’t something more to her youthful exuberance, so we curled up in true feline fashion for a chat.

OHC: So what’s your secret, Teri-kins?

Teri: Ha ha.  My secret? Oh, I’ve got lots of secrets!

OHC: Yeah, to looking so young and vibrant and always having such a positive attitude. Inquiring minds want to know.

Teri: Okay, it’s a bit like a car. The older the car gets, the more care and maintenance it requires, at least if you want to get a lot more mileage out of it. Your body’s the same. When you’re young, you can ignore it a bit, put off that tune-up for awhile, but once you hit your 40s, and certainly your 50s, you really need to pay much closer attention. And it’s not just your body. You need to nurture your spirituality, your emotions, and your psyche, too. Unlike a car, once your body breaks down, it’s not so easy to trade it in.

OHC: You crack yourself up. It's true though, you humans don’t get nine lives like your feline friends, eh?

Teri: Alas, no. But the good news is it’s never too late to start making small changes that will repair some of the damage done in our wild and crazy youths and also, corny as it sounds, lead to a sense of well-being.

OHC: Okay, spill. What are some of the things you do?

Teri: Well, I’ve developed a regimen of sorts. I start each day with a little yoga. There are plenty of tapes and videos you can buy to guide you if you’re a beginner. I'm always amazed at how taking time for myself at the beginning of each day makes the rest of my day better. I also drink home-grown wheat grass shots every morning. Harley's not so big on the wheat grass, but he likes my trays of grass growing out with the orchids.  Anyway, I think everyone should read Bill Henderson’s book and learn all about the importance of greens to health.

OHC: Felines like wheat grass too, but that's a rather spartan breakfast, even for a health nut. 

Teri: Oh, no, I have a yummy shake for breakfast, with Constant Health and bananas and berries and enzymes and all sorts of things that I would rather drink than take separately.

OHC: Okay, the really big question, do you favor the chocolate or vanilla Constant Health?

Teri: I alternate. Honestly, I love them both. Today was chocolate. Just like Bill Henderson, I also add a scoop of Soothing Greens to my shake each day!

OHC: So what other secrets do you have?

Teri:  After my wheat grass and morning shake, I deal with my sinuses. Some of you know how many sinus problems I’ve had and about the surgery I had. I snort saline to flush out my nose. It’s a simple procedure with a cool machine called a Hydro-Pulse. Lastly, I meditate and do some stretching. Then I head out the door for the Co-op.

OHC: And how much time does all this take?

Teri: Believe it or not, it's only about an hour. Once you make a commitment, you actually start to miss your routine if for some reason you can’t start your day this way.

OHC: What about evenings? Any secrets for when the sun goes down?

Teri: Of course! At the end of the day, I massage my feet. Or better yet, I get Harley to do it for me! It’s amazing what a simple massage can do. You can literally feel the tension slipping away.

I pay close attention to my teeth, too. There’s a lot of talk about how inflammation of the gums can lead to much more serious problems. I use a water pick and I floss, of course. And I do that saline snort once again for my sinuses. I’ll take a long, hot shower to wash away the remains of the day.

At the end of each day, I also say a prayer. Mostly it’s a prayer of thanks for all the good things in my life, but I might also ask for guidance in working out a problem or issue that’s bothering me. You don’t have to be super religious to pray. It’s amazing how the simple act of pausing and giving thanks can help ground you.

OHC: So that’s the last thing you do every night?

Teri: No, the last thing I do is kiss my husband Harley good night!

OHC: Okay, now for the late-breaking news. What’s this I hear about you being a grandmother?

Teri: It’s true! Her name is Allison Malia and she’s 4 months old, the daughter of Harley’s son Michael and his wife Natalie. Unfortunately, they live in Hawaii so we don’t get to see them that often but with the Internet we get to watch her grow up virtually.

OHC: You know how we end all of our interviews, right?

Teri: Right.

OHC: So tell me, what do you think about the kat?

Teri: The kat has been quite generous with me over the years.  It doesn't hurt that the kat sometimes springs for dinner and doesn't hold it against me that I'm essentially a dog person.  Uhm, let's see, what else?  I get to put the infamous kat's mugshot on all our correspondence, which just makes me laugh every time I stamp 'em in red!

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