Did you know that eating a cucumber can cool down a sore throat? How about running cheap vodka through a Brita water filter to turn it into the good stuff? I’m sure you all know that laughing for 15 minutes has the same health benefits as two extra hours of sleep. No piece of paper can be folded more than seven times. Doritos are great for kindling if you can’t find anything else. A duck’s quack does not echo. It’s possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs. And how about predicting the weather with your coffee….bubbles on the edge….high air pressure, and sunny weather? Bubbles in the middle…rain likely. Happy April Fool’s Day! I wonder how many Killington Active Seniors are trying to fold a piece of paper more than seven times. Maybe all of the above are true, and perhaps none of them are true, but April’s fool tricks are fun.
This past weekend kept most of us at home with lots of time on our hands. It reminded me of a book called “The Timekeeper” by Mitch Album. Try to imagine a life without timekeeping. You probably can’t. We are aware of the month, the year, and the day of the week. There’s a clock on the wall and a watch on our arm. We have schedules, calendars, a time for dinner, and a time for sleep. Yet, all around us, timekeeping is ignored. A dog does not check his watch. Deer do not fret over passing birthdays. Birds are not late. Man alone measures time. Because of this, man alone suffers a paralyzing fear of time running out. Regardless of our circumstances, we get a new beginning each day. This little book and the fact that I was stuck at home for a few days reminded me of the simple joy of living. Do I cherish the minutes? Am I grateful for what I have? I encourage all of you to read the book.
Recently, I was part of a discussion group that talked about feeling younger next year. It was based on the book “Younger Next Year,” by Chris Crowley and Henry Lodge, MD. There were a lot of scientific facts but a lot of common sense. We are not the hunter-gatherers that we once were and we do not live or die by the elements. Eventually, we get a little weaker, a little off balance, and our bones can be frail. Our brains are designed to function either in growth or decay mode. As we age, our brains can default to decay mode, and certain rules are more important, not less. The rules are simple, but as we go through them, it takes commitment. First, we have to exercise six days a week for the rest of our lives. We can walk, run, or join specific classes, but we must do it.
Second, do serious aerobic exercise four days a week. Third, do strength training with weights twice a week. Fourth, try and spend less than you make. Peace of mind is essential. Fifth, stop eating junk and write everything down you put in your mouth. If you know you have to write it down, you are less apt actually to eat it. Number 6 is to “care” about something and act on it. Live your life with that attitude. The last rule, number 7, is to connect and commit. Now, before the moans and groans start, this is all doable. Read on to find out what is available to our senior group.
April at the Sherburne Memorial Library offers a lot of choices. First, rule number 3 above suggests weight training. We have our very own Bone Builders Group that meets on Mondays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. There are weights available and trained instructors to lead the group. To help you connect and commit, there is a jigsaw puzzle challenge on Saturday, April 19, at 10 a.m. There is space for four teams to work on a 600-piece puzzle. The fastest to finish wins a cash prize. If you are committed to history, the historians will meet on Saturday, April 12, at 10 a.m.
Laser printing is quite a phenomenon. You are invited to come to the library on Tuesday, April 15, to learn all about what this machine can do. We’ll be making jewelry and key chains, and there is no charge. A large and opinionated book club meets the last Wednesday of the month, April 30, at 1 p.m. This month’s book selection is “A Tale for the Time Being” by Ruth Ozeki. Ruth, a writer who lives on a remote Canadian island, finds a lunch box washed up on the beach. It contains an old wind-up watch, some old letters written in Japanese, and a diary written in English by 15-year-old Nao from Tokyo. As Ruth becomes immersed in the story, the novel switches between Nao’s diary and Ruth’s narrative. Copies are available at the library. There are movies every Monday at 1 o’clock with comfortable seats and popcorn! And last, but not least, you can satisfy rule 7 by connecting with the senior group every Wednesday for lunch. We meet at the Lookout on Wednesdays at noon. The cost is $5, and there is a lot to talk about.
Exciting things are happening in Killington with the promise of a new village, a new town manager, two new Select Board members, and a new water system. Many conversations are going on, and now we have another opportunity to voice our opinion. In conjunction with Vermont Integrated Architecture, the Parks and Recreation Commission has drafted three potential designs for the Johnson Rec Center, which were presented on Tuesday, April 1, at the Public Safety Building.
I would also like to remind you to visit the website Soupbowlsrutland.org. This excellent organization supports the various food banks in our area, including our very own Little White Church. They will have a fundraiser at the high school on April 10. Rather than being a drive-thru pick-up, it is a sit-down event with various soups. Information on buying tickets and the two seatings is on the website.
National Parks Week is April 20-28. In a world that has become increasingly virtual, the parks remain places of visceral beauty. They can remind us that we are but a small part of the life on this planet. Earth Day is April 22. Earth Day should encourage us to reflect on what we are doing to make our planet a more sustainable and livable place. Arbor Day is April 26. Ancient trees are precious. There is little else on earth that plays host to such a rich community of life within a single living organism. When you take your first walk this spring, look around and be thankful.
Remember to reach out to each other and always be grateful. Love who you can. Help where you can and give what you can.
The very best,
Gerrie
