A cloud is my mother.
The wind is my father.
My son is a cool stream.
My daughter is the fruit of the land.
A rainbow is my bed.
The earth is my final resting place.
The above is a riddle and very appropriate. See if you can solve it. If not, the answer can be found at the end of this newsletter. For some of you who are good at riddles, I have given you too many hints. Remember to celebrate our dads on Sunday, June 16.
As summer and warm temperatures are not far off, I thought it would be a good idea to remind everyone of the importance of hydration and how to prevent dehydration. I did a little research, and according to the Mayo Clinic, dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. Anyone can be dehydrated, but it’s especially dangerous for young children and older adults. Older adults naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies or may take medications that increase the risk of dehydration. Thirst is not always a reliable early indicator of the body’s need for water. Signs and symptoms of dehydration in older adults may include less frequent urination, dark-colored urine, fatigue, dizziness, and confusion. As we age, our body’s fluid reserve becomes smaller, our ability to conserve water is reduced, and our sense of thirst becomes less acute. Dehydration can lead to serious complications such as urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and kidney failure. If our electrolytes are all off, involuntary muscle contractions, loss of consciousness, and low blood volume can occur. Without going into detail, please be aware that these are serious conditions. So drink plenty of water. There are many easy suggestions to remind you. Fill up a water bottle in the am or drink a certain quantity at certain times of the day. “Clear pee by three” is a graphic reminder, but if it keeps us healthy, keep it in mind. Water is free. We just have to bend our elbows, and it just might save our life!
With the weather improving, it’s a good time to think about day trips. I subscribe to the website, “Only in Vermont,” and maybe once a week, they send out a very interesting newsletter. A recent post highlighted 14 things that can only be found in Vermont. Some are close by, so grab your water bottle, see one of the 14 wonders of Vermont, and then have lunch at a nearby local place to eat. They are in no particular order…. Heddy Topper Beer, The Trapp Family Lodge, Vermont Maple Syrup, Nector’s, (a Burlington haunt famous for Phish’s songs and gravy fries), Flavor Graveyard (at Ben & Jerry’s), An arrest warrant for President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney (Brattleboro), Vermont Teddy Bears, A spider web farm (Williamsville), The world’s tallest file cabinet (Burlington), The world’s tallest ladderback chair (Bennington), the world’s largest zipper (Barre), a gorilla holding a Volkswagen bug (Route 7 N), a dog chapel, witch windows, a presidential birthday party (Calvin Coolidge was born on the Fourth of July in Plymouth, and a life-size replica of Fenway Park (Essex).
It’s a special month at the Sherburne Library, as the summer theme of “Color Your World” will be introduced. The summer programming will reflect this theme, and the library will be decked out in more colors than one’s imagination can imagine. The library will be closed on Thursday and Friday, June 5 and 6, so the library walls, floors, and ceiling can be decked out with color. The grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, June 7, and refreshments will be served.
“Touch A Truck” is also scheduled for that same day. So be sure to put June 7 on your calendars. We see all kinds of trucks on the road and parked by certain businesses, but standing next to one or even sitting in the cab of a really big one is a thrill. Everyone enjoys this special event.
Book Club, Thoughts on Aging, and movies are also available this month at the library. The book selection for Wednesday, June 25, is “My Brilliant Friend” by Elena Ferrante. The story follows the unusual friendship between Elena and Lila, which begins in elementary school. Their life in a neighborhood run by loan sharks and Camorrists (gangsters) and dominated by widespread violence perpetrated by both men and women leads to very interesting scenarios. Copies are available at the library, and everyone is welcome. Book club meetings start at 1 p.m.
Movies are shown every Monday and start at 1 p.m. Comfortable chairs, air conditioning (if needed), and popcorn are always available.
Thoughts on Aging will meet on Wednesday, June 18, at 1 p.m. at the library. The topic of discussion will be the “Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die.” This sounds depressing, but it’s anything but. Based on the book of the same name by John Izzo reminds us how to live a full and meaningful life. In fact, to prove just how uplifting the book is, the five secrets are as follows: Be true to yourself; Leave no regrets; Become love; Live the moment; Give more than you take.
Everyone is welcome, and what is said during the discussion remains confidential within the library, so everyone is encouraged to speak out and share their thoughts without any repercussions.
Since this is a newsletter for seniors written by a senior and we have a discussion group called Thoughts on Aging, how many of us would really like to live to be 100? In a recent article, it turns out that not many of us have that as a goal. It’s a club that only one in four Americans wants to join. Most of us approach the topic with a mix of wonder and fear. The thought of living that long evokes a long list of worries. Declining health, loss of mobility, outliving loved ones, and financial strain are real concerns. We are taking better care of ourselves, and medical research is offering cures and relief that were hardly imaginable years ago, so living nearly 100 years is a possibility. By this time, we know the routine…eat right, exercise, don’t smoke, don’t drink to excess, and socialize. All of these things will supposedly help us live a long life as long as other things fall in our favor. I recently read “The Longevity Plan” by Dr. John Day and his wife Jane Day. Dr. Day is a John Hopkins and Stanford-educated cardiologist who, at 44, found himself overweight, suffering from insomnia, degenerative joint disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. One wonders if you would even want him as your physician. While lecturing in China, he became aware of a remote mountainous region known as Longevity Village. It promised to be a Shangri-La free of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, dementia, depression, and insomnia, where living past 100 in good health is not uncommon. The book is a fascinating travelogue and a practical and accessible guide to a better life. As you can imagine, the people who live there have rules, but they are not aware of them.
They live a life that includes eating good, fresh food, staying in motion, having a purpose, and being part of a positive, supportive community. The book is interesting because it allows you to meet the people and become familiar with their philosophy. One of the things I recall reading is that the best way to cure your loneliness is to help someone else’s. Another man, when asked what he had gained from meditation said “nothing”. Then he added he had lost anger, anxiety, fear of old age, and death.
Many of you knew Jo and Henry Biathrow from their many years of working on the mountain.
Then, many of us knew them through their involvement with the Little White Church. After a long illness, Henry died this spring, and Jo Passed nine days later. A celebration of life will be held at the Grand on Saturday, June 7, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Please come and visit with the family and bring your memories. Respond to their daughter Deb by calling 617-212-2048 or emailing: [email protected].
We have a sister library just up the road from us in Pittsfield called the Roger Clark Memorial Library. They have new summer hours and new programs, so please check them out. The answer to the riddle is RAIN. This weekend may be the 24th straight weekend with at least some rain, so I thought the riddle was appropriate. Remember, summer concerts at the library start on Thursday, July 3. We will be coordinating our hot dogs and potato salad nights on three Thursdays. Additional information on this will be available in the July newsletter. Our weekly lunches have been held on Thursdays for a while. We meet at the Lookout at 11:30 a.m., talk a lot, and eat a lot. Please join us.
Remember to reach out to each other and always be grateful. Love who you can. Help where you can and give what you can.
—Gerrie
