Rules at Grandma’s House

On Friday, teachers in Ottawa are having a holiday  professional development day.

So tomorrow evening my daughter is going to pick me up on her way home from work, to I can spend Friday with her two children and their dog.

The last time there was a PA Day, they came to our house and we went out on the buses, which they loved, and went to Tim Horton’s, which they loved, and to A&W, which they loved, and came back here to play video games, which they absolutely loved! We had a great day.

I told them that at Grandma’s, there is a different set of rules.

• You can eat what you want when you want to.
• You can read Archie comics all day if you want to.
• A visit to Tim Horton’s for hot chocolate is a must.
• Cookies are in the jar and you can have as many as you want.
• Our TV and Netflix can be accessed all day.
• Video games can be played for as long as you like.
• You can sit whereever you want to on the bus.
• You can change seats as often as you like.

It’s a wonder my daughter and son-in-law still want us to watch the kids!!!

But on Friday it is going to be VERY cold and I don’t want to be outdoors at all, especially not waiting for a bus. So I am going there, and the rules are different. Can you believe it???

I am looking forward to spending the day with Owen and Brynn. And Chip, the dog. The very cute dog.

I am going to stay over into Saturday so that I can go to watch the Moms play hockey against the Daughters. It should be a close match. On the one hand, the girls have been honing their skills all season long, but on the other hand, the Moms have size on their side. The girls are strong skaters. The Moms CAN skate (at least most of them can). The girls are good at passing. The Moms will try to pass, if their sticks ever touch the puck. The girls have energy. The Moms have energy bars.

Owen is coaching his Mom and putting her through the drills he himself practices before a big game. Apparently he is very encouraging. Brynn has been getting secret coaching from her Dad. I think she is going to try to get a penalty!

I just hope there is no fighting during the game. I’d hate to see how that would turn out!

I’ll have a recap of the game highlights in my next post.

Thanks for visiting. Have a good weekend. – Maureen

 

 

 

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Exercise for Seniors

I have given myself a challenge!

Recently, because I am a senior on a fixed retirement budget, I gave up my gym membership to save money.

So what things can I do to get exercise several times a week, which will cost me little or no money at all?

• Mall walking. There are several indoor malls within a short bus ride of my house which I can take advantage of if the weather outside is too cold or too hot (which is often the case).
• Walking on the trails around Ottawa. We have the beautiful Greenboro Trail which is half a block away and is kept plowed all winter by the city.
• Cycling. When the weather is good and the trails are free of snow and ice, nothing is better for making me feel like a 17 year old, which is great considering that I am now 71!!!
• Skating. There is the world-famous Rideau Canal, and every neighbourhood in Ottawa has an outdoor rink where one can skate free of charge. People of all ages take advantage of these rinks.
• Wii. I have a Wii console with Wii Sports and Wii Fit. It only takes a few minutes to set up and gives me the opportunity to practice my stretches and balance skills as well as tennis and bowling, which I enjoy.
• Fitbit. I got a Fitbit for Christmas and am able to track my exercise throughout the day. It gives me a running total of things such as number of steps, heart rate, stairs climbed, and total number of “active minutes”.
• Gym mat. Years ago I bought a gym mat which I rarely used but I got it out the other day, dusted it off, and started to use it to stretch and do exercises like crunches and planks.
• Weights. Another item bought years ago and almost forgotten. They are proving useful but I have to take care as the first time I used them, my shoulder problem resurfaced. Take it easy, and start (or restart) slowly.
• Stairs. Because of my Fitbit, I have made a little “circuit” in my house where I start with stretches, and then go to walking and stair climbing.

So far today I have walked more than 6,000 steps, which is 4.5 km. I have been “active” for 24 minutes, and climbed 11 floors.

I know there are probably other inexpensive ways to motivate myself to exercise. Can you think of any that I missed?

I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes last April and I know that exercise helps control blood sugar levels. I have lost 20 pounds since then and should lose 10 more.

I really hope that at my next check-up, my doctor will agree that I am making good progress toward my goal of good health.

Thanks for reading.  I hope to be making posts on a more regular basis. – Maureen