Spring Has Sprung A Leak! (BY SHIRLEY)

 

I was looking forward to the Spring Run-off this Saturday. Now with the uncertainty of the weather I am feeling a little meh.  Today was a beautiful sunny day.  Tomorrow is another day.  I have decided to not let the weather dictate my mood.  I am reading The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins. Her philosophy is that you can only control how you choose to react to a given situation.  You may not be able to control your environment, but you can make a choice on how you will handle it.  

I will be wearing my rain gear Saturday and enjoy the race.  Sharing the experience with my fellow participants as I fulfill my role as Back of the Pack.  Being sure to thank all the other volunteers who will brave the weather to make the event a success.

Come and join us.

COMMUNITY (BY PHILIPPA)

 One of the saddest things I heard about a few weeks ago, was the death of actor Gene
Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. What really struck me was the obvious isolation
and loneliness they were experiencing behind the walls of their gated community. How
could it be that no one, not a family member (Hackman had grown children) or a friendly
neighbour knew of their circumstances when alive? How could they have only been
discovered long after death by their scheduled maintenance workers? Sometimes I
think the nuclear family is not all it’s cracked up to be.
As our walking group ages, I know that each of us has begun planning how best to live
out our remaining years. Some of us want to “age in place” and are setting up a more
manageable space to live in. Others are planning to enter a residence where their
future needs can be met or perhaps, they are thinking of moving to a simpler space to
own or to rent. Still others may be thinking of joining children in multigenerational living.
Whatever the choices made, one thing remains of upper most importance and that is:
our community. No matter what our individual circumstance, we are interconnected with
each other as we walk together, in rain and in shine, and I like to think that not one of us is ever truly alone.

St. Patricks's Day - Is It Really Irish?

 Well, it is and it isn't.  Certainly, St Patrick was considered Irish, although he was an immigrant from Britain sometime around 450. He was named Ireland's patron saint long afterward and his feast day was established in 1631.  Still later, his feast day became a break in Lent (which is a very long period of abstinence!)

But the celebration we now know was developed by Irish immigrants to New York and Boston and embellished even further in Chicago. It was a way to maintain their identity and solidarity. By the 1900's Americans were wearing green, eating corned beef and cabbage, and holding huge parades.  It wasn't till 1904 that Ireland named it a holiday, following their American cousins.

So why the green clothes?  Green was the colour of the flag of the Great Irish rebellion against Britain in 1641. And why is the meal of the day corned beef and cabbage?  Immigrants to New York found corned beef a cheaper alternative to the traditional salt pork and cabbage is always a cheap veg.  And the parades are a sign of the solidarity of the immigrants. 

Oh! and the Illinois EPA says that the green stuff that gets poured into the Chicago River on this day is a non-toxic vegetable dye.  SLAINTE!

 

International Women’s Day (BY DANIELLE)

 

On March 8 we celebrate International Women’s Day. Don’t tell anyone, but it was celebrated by Lenin in 1922 to honour women who had been an instrumental part of the 1917 Russian Revolution. The day left the socialist/communist sphere and went mainstream in 1977 when the UN declared it an International Day.

 Historically, this day had a number of purposes. It was a day to march and call for women’s rights, specifically the right to vote; a day to celebrate the many achievements of women – and a day to call for the end of war. Some things just don’t get old.

As a group of strong and thoughtful women, TPW has much to celebrate. Not only have our members accomplished a great deal in their wide and varied working lives, we also continue to make significant contributions to the world around us. Did a know-nothing politician indicate that a certain African country was unimportant because no one knew of its existence? Well, a TPW member has been involved in a successful education program for girls in that country. And now more of us know what is happening in that part of the world. Are you interested in an art project, a new sport, a good book to read or film to see, or in finding someone who can repair something that broke? Or do you need to express your concerns about what is happening in the world today? We are here for one another, and we are here as women who make a difference. We may look like people going for a walk in the morning, but watch out. TPW walkers have each other’s backs and are not to be underestimated. Elbows are UP!

The 6 pillars of women's brain health (BY BARB)

 

This has felt like a very long winter, and as I write this it's freezing cold outside, but by Tuesday we're up in the plus range, so something to look forward to.  It's a big struggle these days to stay positive and forward looking.  We take solace and joy where we can, as in new additions, the human and four legged kind, both now with us and ones to come.  And the delights and adventures of travel.  

Which leads me, in a roundabout way, to the "Women's Brain Health Initiative".  This is an organization focusing completely on female brain  health, and how to protect your brain health at any age.  It's well worth a visit.  Did you know that 70% of all Alzheimers' sufferers are women?  This initiative talks about the 6 pillars of brain health:  Sleep, exercise, nutrition, stress management, mental stimulation and social activity.  Clearly some of these pillars are more challenging than others (sleep anyone??) but how fortunate are we to be able to say "yes" to mental stimulation (sharing books, reviews of films, digging deep into issues, all the travel  planning and logistics) and social activity (lots of coffee and treats and sharing such great company) - the many km's we walk (and other forms of exercise) and even stress management (yes holding a puppy does help:)) Many of us have said out loud how much better we feel after our walks and gatherings - with renewed energy and positivity to face the day.

And I'll add here a profound sense of gratitude.  

Here's the link to the site: https://womensbrainhealth.org/  There's a ton of information on this site, and also an option to become a member, which I did not. 

Here's to the warmer temperatures this coming week,  and all of us doing what we can to stay engaged, fit and healthy.