October 5, 2021 — A recent email from Cardie Toni Hoepf made me think our community should consider embellishing the Boy Scouts’ motto and making it our own. Something like “Be Beautifully Prepared,” because so many of you always and truly are!

Toni’s message read, “You’ll be happy to know I’ve sent probably six Cardthartic cards out this week. I enjoy sending cards to Hannlis, and already have a card for her birthday (11/4) picked out. It’s perfect for her.” Ha! It was Toni’s preparedness that prompted me to give you this HEADS UP! Cardie Oma Hannlis turns 98 on November 4th.

It was amazing … a year ago, more than 70 caring cardies sent birthday greetings to H. Should you be so inclined, we invite you to do so again. I pick up her mail, so the address remains:

Cardie Oma Hannlis
9241 Collins Ave, #10
Surfside, FL  33154 

While thoughtful Toni is among the most prolific, a good many in our community send Hannlis cards — and not necessarily ours — on a regular basis. And from the 70 or so she received last year, at least three messages that cardies had penned became new Passages cards! It was Teresa Bender who authored the great one above.

A number of you kindly email to ask about this dear friend and neighbor when we’ve not written about her in awhile. When I pass along your regards, it’s always so charming to see H shake her head, smile and say, “They are so thoughtful, those cardies! Most have not even met me!”

For the past two months, our favorite mermaid has been testing other waters …

Her beloved grandson, Kyle, flew to Miami and ferried her away in the rented two-door Mustang convertible she’d requested. She first visited one son on the coast of Rhode Island and is now with another overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, having a grand time being pampered by all her attentive men.

By the delight and pride in her voice when she phoned, it’s clear that a highlight of this trip was when, “Kyle told us he got engaged! After he brought me north, Kyle and Brian (in blue behind H) flew to Maui and there at the top of Mt. Haleakala they proposed to each other! Brian went first and then Kyle. I’m so happy for them both,” she said, “and so glad that I was here so we could all go out and celebrate together. I had the blue crab. Delicious!”

At least once a week I forward cardies’ cards to your appreciative pen pal, tucking them in with any other meaningful mail and, naturally, her favorite baked goods. 😋 Hehe, she recently left a voicemail that covered it all. “Hello, Jodee! I thank you for the package that included the letter from the IRS. Well that was a wonderful surprise … they’re repaying some of my money! I’m sorry to say that the cranberry bread suffered on the long journey up here, but the cookies, oh the cookies were wonderful. Love you, love you, love you!”

Hannlis has inspired 17 card designs so far. If you have not read her Cardie Profile recently, her wisdom brings me back to it often. 98. She says she’s having a bit of trouble breathing and, a two-time colon cancer survivor, she knows that her tummy is not acting the way it should. So along with the family that loves her so much, please hold a good thought and, if it might tickle you as much as it will her, wish her “an awesome day … to kick off an amazing year.”

Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative