NANA READJUSTING AFTER MARCH BREAK TAKES PLANNING

Children like routines as much as parents. Being back at school to talk about all the vacation adventures can be fodder for stories, art and good discussion. So why not have the little ones do their own journal or story at home. Use pictures taken to add depth to the stories. Photobooks are fun. But even some print pictures with the information written will be a way to create memories. With the change in weather, sorting through clothes for warm Spring clothes until real warm weather arrives. For those that have done it yet, getting ready for the summer months of camps and other adventures starts now. Spring can be busier than Christmas planning for most parents with all the change. Hockey ends and soccer starts. Dance competitions abound. So take a deep breath and methodically plan for the next few months.

LIVING WITH CHRONIC HEALTH ISSUES

Aging brings life. But it can also bring chronic health issues. An overactive bladder. Breathing issues. Pain in joints that make walking long distances hard. Diabetes. Hypertension. Pills, testing and keeping well enough. Staying close to home can solve the problem but it is not much fun. Learning to manage the issues and get away for day jaunts, overnight or even longer trips takes planning. Many people do not want to look old. Won't wear a hearing aid. Drive when no longer safe to be driving. Sure don't drink and drive but are all the medications safe for many people. Learning to use a bus, a taxi or walk short distances can be simple solutions. Oh I hear from some that taking a bus is beneath them. In the GTA, the subway is a great way to get around the city core. Now there are more elevators in stations for those who have trouble with stairs. For those who can not walk long distances, most urban areas have mobility buses that come door to door for the price of a bus ticket. Living with the issues starts with a mind set. Recognizing that some tasks may take longer- so what if retired, you have time. Sharing the load with healthier individuals. Learning not to do activities alone. Having someone spot you. For example, when I wash the curtains, Adolph is behind me when I am on my little ladder hanging them back up. Five minutes of safety! Drive through fast food places are great too. My parents in their last years of living in their home would use the one at the Dairy Queen for their banana splits then go to a local park to eat them. A little jaunt. So more thought will be given to this issues. Aging creeps up on all of us so embrace it and live well! What are some of your solutions to change? What equipment do you use? What changes have you made to your home or surroundings?
#aging#chronichealthissues#mobilitybus#hearingaids

WRINKLES-WELL I LOVE MINE!

Yes I use moisturizer and cream on my dry skin. But living long enough means that lines, age spots and whatever else comes with being on this earth awhile will start to show on one's body. Cosmetics help to give a glow and yes I use makeup. I colour my hair. Although there will  come a time when it may be okay to go grey or white, but not today. My wrinkles mean that I have lived. I have smiled. I have frowned.  Do I like the fact I look so old? Not every day, but if I don't stare at myself in the mirror for long periods then I can not obsess about my wrinkles. Living a life that includes work, interests, family, friends means there can be little time to fret about all the wrinkles. I decided long ago that no matter how youthful I try to look, I am not a youth anymore. I am a Senior. A Senior with wrinkles! Aging also has its meaning! It means Life, wrinkles and all!
#life#wrinkles#aging

END OF WINTER-HERE COMES SPRING

Tomorrow is the first official day of Spring. Persians celebrate Norooz. For Canadians it is the hopeful end to winter and the beginning of a new outdoor fun. Like taking a stroll in running shoes and not boots. Rubber boots are good for now. If muddy or wet, no problem. There is the expectation that the snow is finished. However a late day snowstorm can often happen. Good for the garden and farmers but not so good for commuters and long haul truckers. Spring is present. The birdies are singing. It seems something is trying to make its way up through the leaves and dirt in the garden. The time change has brought a longer evening with lots of light. Change always bring mixed feelings. But this good change is a happy one.

                                                                    So Spring bring it on!

#24 BARB'S REFLECTIVE 150-ALGONQUIN PARK ONTARIO

Every camper has memories of their favourite place.

Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario is 250 km north of Toronto. Created in 1883 as a watershed for Southern Ontario it is a camper, canoer, lodger, fisherman paradise. Used to be logging companies along with the recreational features. Camping or staying at one of the pricey lodges is available.
Algonquin Park

Going through the Eastern gate on Highway 60 one entered the greenery of the park. During many years of my childhood, Algonquin Park was a summer home. Our family would secure a spot on Rock Lake, our usual spot in late June and usually stayed until early August. Our Dad would come back and forth on his days off from work. Sleeping in a tent on a air mattress if lucky was the norm.

The Natural museum had many artifacts and information about the Park's history. Algonquin an authentic Canadian word after one of the many Frist Nations tribes that used the park. Many canoe routes were established generations ago.There is a Logging Museum too.

Lots of wildlife. It was not unusual to see a deer at the side of the road.

The Western Gate had staff greeting the many car loads of people.
Hiking trails were established and could be enjoyed.
To day the vast majority of the Park's land is not accessible by car. As can be seen by the map, the highway goes through the southern tip of the Park.
I even joined a group on Facebook called Memories of Algonquin Park. I may upload some photos from those earlier times.
The last time I camped with my husband and friends on Lake Opeongo was August 1974. Ocassionally I meet people who have just returned from a stay in Algonquin. Not much has changed. It is still a haven for Canadians and others from around the world.
#Algonquin#campers#lodgers#canoe#tents

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH-HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY

St Patrick's Day is a fun day for all. One does not need to be Irish. So wear some green. Try some Irish stew. If you like beer, go to a Pub and get some green beer! Our family has some Irish roots so able to claim some Irish luck! Some pretty shamrocks are on the kitchen table. Now to find a rainbow and a pot of gold are on my bucket list today!

                                               Happy St. Patrick's Day to one and all!

WITTY OR SARCASTIC

Sarcasm can sting and hurt. Wit can be funny. So how to tell the difference in a group. How to be witty and not sarcastic? Thinking about this can bring the difference of a good relationship at work, home and friends. Being funny but good funny always lightens the mood. When I talk with my brother Rob, I always have him laughing. When I tell an event there is a funny twist. Comes naturally to me. However, there are times I wonder and do not say what I am thinking to others as I fear it is just sarcasm. A put down! So best left unsaid in that moment! There is enough negativity in the world so to have conversations challenged often just hurts. Silence is golden! So perhaps just not responding to others but staying silent goes a long way! Do you know any famous witty people? Do you have any good lines to share? Are you witty?