When I was a child, I always looked forward to my birthday.  A young child is so eager to say, "I'm 5 -- but I'm almost 6!"  Now that I am older I find that I don't look forward to birthdays anymore -- but I'm so grateful that I still have them.  I fought growing older until about five years ago when I finally realized that it was time to grow old gracefully and just go with it.  Age happens.

And the older I get the more I realize how very important it is to spend quality time with my family and friends.  They are what matter most in life ... "things" are so unimportant.  Nothing is more precious to me than spending one-on-one time with my little grandson, hoping that I will be around to see him grow up.   I cherish time spent with my grown children and I find that my relationships with my brothers (no sister) are closer now, and we appreciate each other more.  Friends become even more caring as we age ... and as we lose loved ones.   Today is my birthday -- and I am one year wiser. ♥

I just finished reading J. Michael Zenn's book, The Self Health Revolution.  It is a summary of everything we need to know about health and wellness, what we eat and how we eat it.  The book is wholesome common sense to which, sadly,  most Americans turn a deaf ear, thus the reason so many are morbidly obese and ill today.

My great-grandmother lived to be 96; she had twelve children and, prior to her death, she never had heart disease or any serious illness.  I recall seeing her shuck corn into a frying pan with bacon grease, but she never ate fast food or a frozen dinner filled with preservatives and additives, and she grew her own fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Why are cancer and diabetes so prevalent today?  Is it because there are so many chemicals (many which I can't even pronounce) in prepared foods, so many toxins used in processed foods, and (as previously noted in this blog) because our diets are so filled with sugar?  As Michael Zenn says in his book, "We are living to eat, not eating to live."  If you are interested in learning more about how you can improve your own health, you can order the book from http://www.selfhealthrevolution.com, from Amazon.com, or purchase it at your local Whole Foods Store.  ♥

I recall my dad telling me when I was quite young that rock n' roll would never last, that it was just a fad.  But I grew up loving rock n' roll, I adored all the performers, and I even hid a transistor radio under my bed so I could fall asleep listening to my favorite tunes.  I rushed home from school everyday to watch American Bandstand.

I learned to dance watching Bandstand, and not only tried to copy the regulars' dance moves, but even the hairstyles and clothes they wore.  I am saddened to learn of the passing of "America's Oldest Teenager" who brought so much joy to my youth.  He helped so many young singers achieve fame and subsequently became a major icon in the music and entertainment industry.  New Year's Eve won't be the same without him and "Auld Lang Syne" will be a little more poignant this year.  RIP Dick Clark. ♥

We are never to old to learn!  I haven't posted in several days because I have been working long hours in a flexible part-time job.  While working, I learned of a 73 year old man who just took the national engineering exam.  Imagine pursuing a professional license at the age of 73.  More power to him!

Lifelong learning keeps our bodies and minds engaged and improves our well-being.   There are so many benefits in furthering our education later in life, regardless of whether we are learning to dance or play a musical instrument, learning a foreign language, obtaining an advanced professional degree, etc., etc.   Pursuing new knowledge not only stimulates our brains but also gives us more self -confidence. 

My metropolitan city is fortunate to have Osher Lifelong Learning Institute classes at two local colleges.  The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, founded by the Bernard Osher Foundation which supports higher education and the arts, "is meeting the needs of older learners who want to learn simply for the joy of learning and personal fulfillment."  You can locate the nearest center in your area on this map:  http://usm.maine.edu/olli/national/map.jsp.   Osher (OLLI) also organizes educational travel programs for its members.  

If you are only interested in learning more about computers, SeniorNet provides computer classes for adults 50 and older:  http://www.seniornet.org/.   SeniorResource.com, which is a resource for a variety of needs by seniors, lists state-by-state educational opportunities:  http://www.seniorresource.com/senioreducation.htm.  "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."  W. B. Yeats. ♥

Wikipedia defines a hobby as "an activity, interest, enthusiasm, or amateur pastime that is undertaken for pleasure or relaxation, typically done during one's leisure time."   Well, if you're retired, then you have plenty of leisure time to pursue a hobby.  I have several hobbies which include growing orchids, watercolor painting (on the left is my very first attempt at painting water in a vase), photography (I took every photo you see on this blog), reading,  and exploring nature.  Admittedly, I am an amateur at all my hobbies.

I met a recently-retired man over the weekend whose hobby is flying miniature indoor helicopters by remote control.  My brother's hobby is flying outdoor model rockets and, when he was younger, he used to build model rockets.   Dancing, fishing, biking, sewing, knitting quilting, crafts, stamp collecting, antiquing, etc., etc., are just some of the multitude of so many hobbies to choose from.  And aren't we lucky that we now have the time to pursue them?♥

While engrossed in a book on my flight this weekend, my reading was interrupted by the guy sitting next to me laughing out loud while he was watching in-flight TV.  I had no earbuds but noted that he was watching scenes from Betty White's new TV show, "Off Their Rockers."  I didn't need audio to find some of the scenes hilarious myself.  The show involves senior actors in their 70's and 80's playing mischievous pranks "on unsuspecting younger folks."  (Imagine seeing a slight elderly woman holding several helium balloons suddenly ascending upward.)  The show airs on NBC on Wednesdays at 8:00 pm EDT, 7:00 pm CDT.

Heck, as we age, we need to be able to laugh at ourselves.   A good sense of humor helps reduce stress and is relaxing. Laughter is good for the soul. ♥

I will be traveling over the Easter weekend thus no more updates until next Monday.  I wish everyone a Blessed Easter and a Happy Passover.  Eat healthy and keep moving ....♥

Wow, I want to be a Volkswalker!  The American Volkssports Association  is a national network of 300+ clubs in 50 states conducting about 3,000 events annually.  The events include walking, swimming, cycling, snowshoeing, and cross-country snow skiing.  The AVA's walking clubs host walks in more than 1,877 self-guided trails in the United States, leading participants through a wide variety of areas, including everything from National Parks to small towns and big cities (http://www.ava.org/).  When you go to the link, click on "What We Are About" to see the video of members enjoying hikes and walks.   You can locate a walking club in your state from this list:  http://www.ava.org/avaclub/avaclub.htm.  Unfortunately, my city doesn't have an AVA walking club ... organizing one is something I should add to my "to do list" (with a little help from my friends).

My orthopedic surgeon told me that walking is the best exercise we can do for our  knees.  I am blessed to live in a climate where I am able to walk outside most of the year; however, during inclimate weather we can also walk at shopping malls or on a treadmill.  Walking provides emotional as well as physical benefits.  "Arthritis Today" reports that walking slows mental decline, improves sleep, lowers the risk of Alzheimer's disease, lightens mood, and can serve as a form of meditation.  Walking is an activity that costs nothing but brings numerous benefts.   Let's get moving! ♥

In case you are wondering, yes, today's photo is the oldest wooden schoolhouse in St. Augustine, Florida.   I have been feeling a little nostalgic lately about the past.  Maybe it's because I recently read  Stephen King's latest novel, 11/22/63.  I am not a Stephen King fan and I have only read one of his previous horror stories, but I loved this book.  After the first few chapters, I couldn't put it down and read the entire 849 pages in a little over a week.  It was that good.  The book involves a time traveler, Jake Epping, a high school English teacher,  emerging from a 2011 rabbit hole that leads to a particular day in 1958.  Jake's ultimate goal is to prevent Jack Kennedy's assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963.  By thwarting Kennedy's death, he can also save Bobby Kennedy, "save Martin Luther King, stop the race riots, stop Vietnam."  Jake becomes a neighbor of Lee Harvey Oswald and, through surveillance, stalks Oswald's every move. 

The New York Times review of 11/22/63 calls it "a meditation on memory, love, loss, free will and necessity . . . Can history be changed, or does it snap back on itself like a rubber band?   Does love conquer all?"  I highly recommend this book but, if you choose not to read it, I feel confident it will eventually be made into a movie -- a long one. ♥

We're damned if we do and damned if we don't!  For years doctors have been encouraging us to take statins for high cholesterol, yet just a month ago the FDA issued warnings saying that these drugs -- such as Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor, etc. -- can cause certain cognitive effects and increases in blood sugar levels.  Studies have shown that they can cause muscle aches, an increased risk of diabetes, and memory loss.  

High cholesterol runs in my family but it wasn't until recently that any doctor indicated my elevated LDL was a problem because my HDL, the good cholesterol, was always high,  thus placing me within a normal ratio (my triglycerides are excellent).  However, now my primary doctor is always after me to take a statin.  So, over a two week period, I took 1/2 the prescribed statin dose as well as  CholestOff (over-the-counter pills) and Integra-Lean Irvingia (which translates to African Mango) and knocked my LDL down 100 points!  Needless to say, improving one's diet is also extremely important by limiting red meat, fats, and eating more fresh vegetables and fruits (particularly berries).  The good news is that a glass of red wine is heart healthy and helps reduce our bad cholesterol.  Resveratrol in red wine may be a key ingredient  that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces bad cholesterol and prevents blood clots.  Also, antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols may help protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart.

We've known for years that we should cut back on sugar.  Last night 60 Minutes presented a segment about sugar and high-fructose corn syrup being toxic, actually poisonous, to our systems.    I have heard for years that cancer cells feed on sugar and this was substantiated in the report.  A portion of last night's 60 Minutes report may be viewed here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57407128/preview-is-sugar-toxic/.   The New York Times published an article last year suggesting that sugar can even cause cancer: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html?pagewanted=all. 

Needless to say, there is too much sugar in the American diet for people of all ages, particularly children.  But as we age, we need to especially focus on good nutrition in order to keep muscles, bones, organs, and other body parts strong for the long haul. Eating less sugar and fats and consuming more vitamin-rich foods will boost our immunity and fight illness-causing toxins.  Healthy eating! ♥