A Day at the Beach

Yesterday was hot and sunny and a beautiful day for a trip to the beach. We are fortunate because we live within a 45 minute drive to several beautiful beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. At this time of year the air temperature is usually several degrees warmer than the water temperature. The beach we chose was Summerville Beach, which is a provincial park with changing rooms. The beach was crowded...if you call 100 or so people a crowd. The beach is at least 1/2 mile long so 100 people are dots on the sand. Nothing like beaches in some of the other provinces.

It has been a while since I waded in salt water and felt the breath being sucked from my body as the cold water splashed over me. Wow! It was fun. I had forgotten just how much fun.

Our constant companion, our dog, wasn't sure if cold salt water was something he enjoyed but he did manage to get wet and covered in sand and seemed to be having fun.

As an added bonus, on the way home, we stopped at a beach on an inland lake and washed off the salt and sand. I went swimming there as well. This beach is within 10 minutes of where we live and I am quite certain that I will be returning there many times before the summer is over.

Although we live in lake country, the beach closest to us is full of eel grass and I am always hesitant to swim anywhere that has eel grass...you know what lives in places like that. This little beach we found is clear with a sandy bottom. You can see the bottom of the lake as you wade out from shore. The water was refreshing without being frigid. Heaven. And the best part is that I got exercise while keeping cool on a 33 degree day.

Temptations

This morning when I arrived at my day job there was a huddle in the kitchen area. One of the other people who have an office in this building, (a thin person I should add) had brought in several home made yummy desserts as a treat for the rest of us. It took will power on my part, but I got my cup of black coffee and my bottle of water and came back to my office. Temptation resisted for now.

Yard Sales

Our TOPS group had their annual yard sale yesterday...in the rain. We had hoped to be able to have it outdoors this year but the weather didn't co-operate. Of course at noon when we were closing down the sun started to peek through and the afternoon wasnt' too bad. We did fairly well at the sale, the bake table is always popular and some of the ladies in our group are very good cooks. Since they are all trying to lose or maintain a weight loss they don't do as much baking as they used to:-)

Today the sun is shining. I am hoping for a few days of sun, maybe my aches and pains will settle down. I know I have been overdoing things so that is part of the reason for all the aches...but it is summer and on the few sunny days we have it is hard to stay inactive.

Weekend Escape

We took a three day weekend and went to Portland Maine on the "CAT". Parked the car in Yarmouth, NS and walked onto the ferry. A shuttle met us in Portland to take us to our hotel. Saturday morning was foggy but good for walking. We took a trolly ride through old Portland, went on an old steam train trip on the East Promenade and had some wonderful seafood chowder served in a bread bowl. Back to the hotel for a couple of hours and then we finished the day at the Maine Mall with supper at the Old Country Buffet. Yum good. The sun came out about 2:00 and the weather was gorgeous for the rest of our stay.

Sunday morning, up and on the shuttle to the ferry. Walked on and really enjoyed watching all the activity in the Harbour. Beautiful day. The fog set in about 1/2 way across the bay and stayed with us for about an hour outside of Yarmouth and then beautiful sun again.

All in all a great trip and I managed to walk quite a bit. In fact my leg muscles are sore and tired but they will recover. I do want to be stronger before trying to walk that much again. I was so tired and sore on the way home. But I am so glad we made the effort and went. A lot of fun... and a great way to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary.

Pain Management

There will be a six week course on pain management for people with chronic diseases. Starts in late September in Bridgewater and another one starts in early October in Liverpool. I have registered. A couple of years ago, I took the program offered by the Arthritis Society and this one is supposed to be similar. It should be a good refresher. I find that good habits sometimes fade if I am not reminded of them.

I Ache

For the last several days I have been helping my husband split and move our woodpile. Our winter heating fuel. We have been approaching this in a rational manner...I think. We only work at it for a couple of hours a day and on the days that I go to my day job, we work for less than that when I come home. While I am gone hubby, stacks the wood that we split and moved the day before. He is doing the bulk of the work, but I am standing on my feet for longer than usual and I am certainly tired at the end of the day. I am sleeping very soundly. My muscles ache but the joints are not any worse than ever. Which is a good thing since we have a lot of work still ahead of us.

Weekend plans

Another beautiful sunny day...summer is here at last. I have had more energy and stamina and less pain during the past few days. The Lunenburg Arts Festival is on this weekend and we are planning on attending tomorrow. Should be a nice day for it. Homemade seafood chowder, 75 artists, and 17 art galleries all in one small town. Almost too good to be true.

Sunny Weather

The sun of the last few days has brought a reduction in arthritis pain. So I am definitely convinced that my pain levels are influenced by the weather. Sunny, dry weather...less pain. Rain and fog...I hurt. Maybe not a medical breakthrough but a fact that will help manage my pain.

I am still experimenting with foods, to see which ones may have a bearing on my aches. The citrus doesn't seem to influence it one way or the other. So back to eating grapefruit for breakfasts.

I wonder if a brace would help to reduce/control the pain in my right knee. Guess I will check that out with my family doctor to get his opinion. Maybe I need to talk to a specialist about it.

We are planning to take in the art show in Lunenburg on Sunday. I will be walking quite a bit so will see how I make out, maybe I should take my cane.

Clutter

A comment I read several months ago has stayed with me. "No wonder I feel so tired and drained all the time, I am living with clutter." The woman expressing the thought was struggling with her life being "out of control". Her words not mine.

I have been thinking a lot about the whole concept of clutter, mental, spiritual, and of course the physical. The piles of papers that may be valuable, at least too important to throw out. That type of clutter is easy to see and relate to. And slowly I am coming to grips with the excess, getting rid of the items that are no longer used, and donating the clothes which are now too big, even the really comfortable favourite items.

The other clutter that isn't always easy to deal with is the mental kind. The should have's, could have's and if only's. Fortunately I don't have many but who doesn't have a few of them? And again, I am coming to the realization that what is past is done, LET IT GO!

There are many types of clutter, and at this moment I can't think of any that are healthy. One of my projects for the next three months is to reduce my clutter, streamline my life, my work and my surroundings. Things truly are not what matter to me so why am I hoarding "stuff"?

Grapefruit

I have avoided citrus fruit for the past two weeks hoping that the pain in my knees and hips would decrease...no such luck. So this morning I had 1/2 grapefruit with my breakfast. I will monitor the situation to see if citrus makes any difference.

Tried a slow cooker recipe for chicken yesterday and it was tasty. Six Chicken breasts, cover with a layer or frozen or fresh cranberries (1 cup) , a layer of sliced, peeled apples and then pour 1 cup liquid with 1 T brown sugar over the layers. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or a combination of high and low for 4 hours. Makes six servings. Calories are 193 per serving. (Based on 6 chicken breasts and 1 cup of cranberries) This would be very good served over rice (whole grain or wild of course) or even over a thin slice of bread or mashed potatoes.

Also very easy to make which earns high marks in my book.

Friday - a long weekend

For the summer my work hours will be Mon, Tues, and Thurs with Wed and Fridays off. Since I am paid by the hour it will cut back on the $ in the paycheque but it will also give me a chance to get a few more things done...maybe. It is good to see the sun again today, but my knees and hips don't seem to realize that it is sunny outside...they ache. We will try a trip to the gym tomorrow am to see if some exercise will help reduce the pain. I am turning into an invalid and a whiner. Neither is what I want to be.

I always find eating healthy a challenge in the summertime: ice cream, barbeques, drinks on the deck and fast food. More reasons to stay active through the summer.

I have a newsletter to get finished and out this weekend so I will be stationery a lot of the time, another challenge when it comes to weight control and loss. Most of my work is in front of a computer.

Enjoy the weekend.

Another Pound

Good weigh in yesterday. I lost another pound.

We had a great Canada Day. Quiet. We went into Liverpool and then on to Shelburne to see sights and for a drive. Cloudy and misty but no heavy rain. This summer looks like a dud so far...hopefully the weather will clear soon. I am growing mold on parts of me where there shouldn't be any:-)

Happy Canada Day

July 1st doesn't have the hype that July 4th has to our south, but we still have some pretty darn good community events. Hope everyone gets to get out and enjoy some of them. Suppers, parades, dances, music, and much more.

The weather remains dull and dismal so hopefully events will be able to go ahead.

Remember that staying healthy is very important, avoid the poison ivy and oak and eat until you are full not stuffed. Walk or swim off that dessert and keep the stress under control. We forget that community and family events are supposed to be fun and stress over the small stuff to the point of making a relaxing outing into an ordeal.

Enjoy and relax!

Trial and Error

I have been experimenting with my diet to see if there are some foods that help/hinder my arthritis. I have eliminated citris fruit and alcohol and I am not sure if this change is having any effect. Maybe too early to tell yet.

Great Meeting

I just returned from the first meeting of the South Shore KOPS Honour Society. What enthusiasm and excitement in that room. A wonderful group of women who have achieved their weight loss goal and are now enjoying a healthier lifestyle. There were only two KOPS societies in Nova Scotia and now there are three. Congratulations to the women who agreed to take an executive role. If anyone is interested in finding more information about TOPS please visit http://www.tops.org

The next KOPS society meeting will be on September 12, 2009. Stay tuned for more details.

Miscellaneous Thoughts

I went to my TOPS meeting on Wednesday and recorded a weight loss...of 1/2 lb. Not a lot but better than a gain. Frank and I went bowling this afternoon. I know bowling isn't a summer thing but there isn't a lot of physical stuff I can do with the arthritis as bad as it is, so bowling it is. Not that I am very good, but it takes just as much energy to throw a gutter ball as it does to throw a strike. We had fun.

Tomorrow is the first meeting of the KOPS society that we are setting up for KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) on the South Shore. I am helping them get set up even though I haven't reached my KOPS status...yet! http://www.tops.org/ if anyone is interested in finding a chapter handy you.

Great to see the sun the last couple of days, but the humidity is making the air muggy.

Starting to look forward to our anniversary mini trip. Just a couple of nights in Portland, ME but we haven't been there in a while so it should be interesting. That isn't for a couple of weeks yet.

Looking forward to the weekend. I have a writing deadline that I want to get a jump on and since I have lost weight, I will need to go through my summer clothes and see what fits and what is gloriously too big!

Make yourself a great day!

The Power of the Medical Profession

Isn't amazing what masses of jelly we turn into while we wait for the results of tests, especially medical tests. My husband had some follow up blood work done recently and until he got the results the questions were always there, in my mind, disrupting my focus. Would these tests be clear or would the problem reoccur? A case of worrying into the future. I couldn't do anything about the results either way but that didn't stop the control freak me from thinking through all the possible senerios.

And the tests came back showing all is well. And the follow-up doctor's appointment yesterday was a good one...no problems, no reason to think there will be problems. Next appointment a year from now. A few months worryfree until...

I know that no one has that kind of power unless I give it to them, the logical thinking part of me knows that...the emotional, feeling part of me is another matter.

All is well, and today I am smiling. Life looks good and the summer is just starting.

Hope everyone out there has a great one!

Being a Boomer

There are some interesting statistics about the boomers and the impact they have had and will have on the rest of society. We are the first generation that used credit everyday and were comfortable owing more than we would make in a year (or several years). We are a very material generation, bigger homes, faster cars, more clothes, flashier jewellry. We are also the generation that will change what retirement looks like. The golden handshake at 55, 60 or 65 is not what many will want. Consequently it is projected that the segment that will grow the fastest in our economy of the next few years will be businesses started by retired boomers. (CIBC completed a study and found that seniorpreneurs will be be a sector that will continue to increase in numbers and in influence).

Often the businesses are completely different from the careers that the boomers have enjoyed throughout their working life. The artistic and creative side is finally allowed to be seen and heard.

Not only are boomers starting new businesses they are looking for services and products that may not be readily available. I spoke to one business owner, a tattoo artist, who told me the largest number of his customers were men between the ages of 60 and 65. The corporate leaders who didn't feel comfortable with a tattoo in the boardroom but who are certainly changing that when they retire.

Retirement has taken on a whole new meaning. Retirement is being alive, travelling, donating time to charities, fundraising, teaching in a foreign country, working part-time, socializing and building a lifestyle that centres around likes and passions and family and friends.

Healthy Thoughts

Slowly but surely my selftalk is becoming healthier and consequently my habits are also becoming healthier. I am exercising more...actually enjoying the way my body feels during and after physical exercise. My joints feel better, less painful, after gentle movement. I have arthritis in both hips and in both knees. Many days it is extremely painful and on those days I often don't exerices. But on the other days, I bowl or go to the gym for 30 minutes of gentle exercise. I am finding that I have reduced the amount of mindless eating that I used to do. Now I concentrate on each bite of food that I eat, savouring the smell, the appearance and the taste. I chew my food more slowly and enjoy the experience. Small things, small changes, lasting results.

A Rainy Sunday

A rainy Sunday in rural Nova Scotia. My husband and I moved into our "fixer-upper" four years ago. In the spring and summer the area is lush and green, in the fall the colours explode through the stands of hardwood and in the winter the area is quiet, white and sometimes a little isolated. We love it here.

My interests include business writing and consulting. I have a part-time job as the Executive Director of a Chamber of Commerce. I am also very interested in improving my health and my husband's health through improved diet and lifestyle. Following a sensible weight control plan I have lost 35 pounds in the past 7 months. I still have several more pounds to lose. This blog will focus on the success and slips in both the writing and health issues.