Of all the Mycenaean palaces mentioned by Homer in the Iliad, the only two that have not been located so far are the palaces of the two protagonists of the Homeric epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey: the palace of Achilles in Phthia and that of Odysseus in Ithaca. The Mycenaean Spercheios-Valley Archaeological project combines archaeogeophysical survey, excavation, and digital technology to evaluate an excellent candidate for a potential regional palatial center on the ancient citadel (Akrolamia) of Lamia, Greece. In the summer of 2019, a test trench was dug on the Akrolamia to begin verifying if this is indeed a palatial site, and possibly the long-lost palace of Achilles. Mr. Wagman was a member of the excavation team and will discuss the Mycenaean civilization in general, and the 2019 dig season results from Akrolamia.

By the time we have entered a retirement community, we are facing the end of life. Because of this, we spend a lot of time thinking (and discussing) death and dying. Practical issues like pain, dependency, loneliness, financial burden, and spiritual issues like life-after- death and fear of the unknown become increasingly important. This presentation focuses on the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of aging, and how we can best prepare for the next stage of our journey.

“It is difficult/to get the news from poems/yet die miserably every day/for lack/ of what is found there.” William Carlos Williams, Asphodel, That Greeny Flower After participants share past experiences with poetry, we will engage poems that delight and evoke a sense of well-being, even laughter. Then we will read aloud and respond to poems on the pandemic, climate change, and systemic racism. We will tune in to voices of resistance and cries for justice and empowerment in poems written by poets of color, immigrants, refugees, and other marginalized persons. We will savor poems that nourish our souls, offer hope, evoke joy, and inspire loving action.