Today Is Your Day Boomer

Today is your day Boomer! And as we get closer to that fateful day when people ask, "what is your New Year's resolution for this year?" I will be able to say......"to get more fit!". Now, alot of Boomers say this, start off great in January, and then tail off. But I think you need three things to keep you going, keep you dedicated to better heart health and overall fitness. (1) you need a spouse, friend, or partner to help motivate you when "you don't feel like getting out". (2) you need a watch, like mine in the picture, which helps monitor your progress. (3) you need self motivation and determination to keep going. For example, 13 years ago I suffered through heart stent surgery because of a partially-blocked artery. Ever since, I have walked, hiked or biked almost every day to avoid a second episode. So far, so good. Boomers, we all want to live long, healthy lives......but we must be motivated daily to do something about it. Cheers!

Today is your day Boomer! Game on.....that is board game on. It is the holidays, it is snowing again, and-if you are lucky-some family is around. Now is the time to pick up that old game sitting in the closet downstairs and give it another try! I know some games like Monopoly may take a few hours to play, but I've got an idea for you. Many game companies are making "short" versions of the same thing(see picture). I like them. You may have a spare half to one hour before dinner, so play the card game Monopoly. I find the original game slow and frustrating, while this new game is flashier and quick. You can play a best of three easily in an hour! That's right....three Monopolies in one hour. So, spend some money, try some new games, challenge your spouse or family member, and live it up! By the way, my favourite game is Kings Cribbage. Cheers!

Today is your day Boomer! Christmas is the time of giving and sharing; are you doing your part? I'll give you a few examples from the neighbourhood I live in: (1) Just before Xmas, a neighbour worked at his job all day and then came over in the evening and fixed our kitchen sink plumbing issue. He wanted no money, so we gave him a plate of baked goods. (2) Yesterday, a neighbour phoned and said he had found a lost dog. He thought it might be ours, so he spent alot of time surveying the area trying to match master with dog. (3) Two neighbours brought over Xmas gifts to us. (4) One neighbour was all alone for Xmas, so we provided him with a special turkey dinner. (5) Last Christmas, my neighbour brought her tractor around and plowed all the driveways in the area after a heavy snowfall. No charge, no asking, she just did it. This is where I live in the Okanagan, in a smaller town(about 11,000 people) with a great sense of community! I have lived here for thirty years and never r...

Today is your day Boomer! Today is a day to think about your family. Some are home with you if you are lucky and some are far away and living in a virtual world. It is OK.....it is only for this year. Just be glad you have your health, if that is the case, because over 600 British Columbians have died from COVID. We just have to make do with what the rulemakers are telling us; it benefits all of us. And that's what you do in a civilized social democracy like Canada. It is more "we" this year instead of "me". Enjoy your Christmas in a unique way this year. Cheers, from my family to yours!

Today is your day Boomer! Two days before Christmas, you could be working Boomer! You could be working as a Santa at a shopping mall or community centre. Yes, that's right. But why? Six good reasons: (1) you make money which supplements your retirement income (2) you get to work and play with kids, and let's face it, some of us don't have grandchildren (3) you don't have to grow a big stomach, just use a pillow (4) you can take your "Movember" moustache(raise the money for prostate cancer!) and keep growing it into a Santa beard (5) you can stay active and "semi" retire (6) And you can light up the life of a little child! Now, you may want to save this idea for next Christmas when all this COVID stuff will hopefully be over. But, us Boomers, have to think outside of the box. Let's get out there, stay involved in our community, and make a difference. Cheers!

Today is your day Boomer! As we get closer to Christmas, sometimes we do unorthodox things. Two days before the first day of winter, my wife and I went apple picking! That's right.....it's been a cool autumn but not a cold one, meaning the beautiful left-over Ambrosia apples on my brother's orchard were still standing. And still good: large, crisp, cool, and a nice red/yellow combo colour. In the two days since, we have had apple slices for breakfast and lunch, apple cubes in our dinner salad, dried apples(see picture), and an apple pie. Wow, "only in the Okanagan". Hey....that could be the name of my next blog. Cheers! P.S. Thanks to my brother and sister-in-law for the free apples

Today is your day Boomer. Actually, it all depends on your attitude. For the pessimists, this is the first day of winter which means it is the shortest day of the year. You get the least amount of sunlight and so begins for Boomer retirees the longest, most-dreary days. Especially in a time of COVID, many of us are house bound and without family that cannot come home for Christmas. Look at the picture; many Boomers hate snow because it means endless hours of shovelling and slippery roads for any attempt at travel. In the Okanagan today, 15 cm of snow is forecast and follows a day yesterday where it hit 14 degrees Celcius and most people were outside recreating. In fact, my brother-in-law was golfing in Penticton. For the optimists, today is fantastic! It means every day from now will be getting a few minutes longer and we are officially on our way to spring. It means you can snuggle in at home with a blanket, a roaring fire, and a good book and just relax. It means you don...

Today is your day Boomer. Christmas is a time for a slight weight gain, isn't it? There are so many temptations, it is hard to say no to all of them. For example, my wife makes butter tarts and I buy a special bottle of Baileys to go with my dinner-time coffee. But if you check out the picture here, I may want to add one more thing to my over-indulgence list. These are "chocolate bombs".....a pretty new idea, apparently. Each one is about the size of a tennis ball, and boy do they ever look good! Just pop it in a large mug, add hot milk, and wait a few moments for an incredible cup of festive hot chocolate! I might add a bit of Baileys to mine as well.....you know, just for the fun if it. Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Today is your day Boomer! What does Readers Digest say? "Laughter is the best medicine".....or something like that. Well, I totally agree. In this time of COVID doom and gloom, we-as Boomers-need to seek out comedy, need to chuckle, need to laugh! It could be tuning in to Jimmy Kimmel, watching an old sit-com like "Friends", or accessing humour on the internet: a meme, joke, riddle, pun, or limerick. Have a close look at the attached picture, and you can see that I especially like puns, or play on words. I'll give you a few examples: (1) Ever wondered why you only get one when you buy a pear in a grocery store? (2) Is it hard to find Christmas tree sales on line? That's because you didn't log on. (3) Why do politicians find it hard to move to Ottawa after they're elected? Because it's just like capital punishment. If you are chuckling, shaking your head, or even just grunting......I know I got your attention. So live a little and l...

Today is your day Boomer! It is a very sad day when your daughter tells you she is not coming home for Christmas. Because of COVID restrictions and her job, she has chosen to stay in the Lower Mainland and will be celebrating the holiday down there. This is tough because this is first time she will not be with us "in-person", but Boomers there is a silver lining in this grey cloud. I know some of you are experiencing the same thing, but chin up......here is what we are doing. My daughter will be joining us virtually on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning, and Christmas dinner! We use Facetime which works well for family gatherings, plus my oldest brother has organized extended-family virtual get-togethers on Zoom.....one before Christmas and one after, which my daughter will be joining. We also sent her Xmas presents by mail ahead of time, so the present-opening experience will not be entirely lost. Boomers, this is not so bad. It is only for one year and we should be b...

Today is your day Boomer! 8cm of snow is in the weather forecast for the Okanagan tonight and tomorrow. Sounds like winter....even though winter officially isn't here until next week. But I've got a winter piece of equipment that will make your daily walking/hiking trips more enjoyable. Check out the rubber shoe spikes(see picture) that I received for Christmas last year. They are simple to use; just stretch over the bottom of your boots or even runners! They are great on icy roads and trails, frozen bare ground, light snow, and even mud. They are reasonably priced between 15-20 dollars and they get you outside on an iffy day.....a day that may not motivate you to exercise. Certainly the right footwear, clothes, gloves, and head coverings will get you out there Boomers!! We all need to get that heart pumping every day. Cheers!

Today is your day Boomer! Winter is a great time for pruning. Boomers if you still have that single-family home, you probably have some trees and bushes to cut and trim before spring. For me, I have six old cherries trees, one apple, and one pear to prune. You can pay a professional pruner megabucks to get the job done, or you DIY with a little help from your friends and YouTube. There is some great pruning advice online, but I found the best advice from my brother(an orchardist) and my friend....seen with a chainsaw in this picture. On the weekend, we cut down one of those old cherry trees and struck a deal. As an experienced woodcutter, he would tote the chainsaw and I would pickup the wood and cleanup. He also gets the wood delivered to his woodpile which, when dry, will be perfect for his woodstove next winter. We also kept a few of the bigger cherry pieces which he may be able to use for fancy furniture one day. It was a great bargain for one and all; we practised physic...

Today is your day Boomer! I live in B.C.'s Okanagan Valley which is incredibly beautiful in the summer: a big blue lake, orchards filled with fruit, vineyards teaming with grapes, and ponderosa pine mountains. But in the winter, the fog and clouds come in. It must have something to do with the "lake effect". On many winter days we see low cloud and grey, grey weather. It is rather depressing, and I'm sure one of the reasons why many Boomers go south. This year most, of course, are staying put. All the campgrounds and winter facilities are full as many COVID-effected snowbirds did not fly/drive to Arizona, California or Florida. So, they are seeking sunshine. Well, my advice is to go "up" not south. I mean up in elevation to the back country. Hopefully you have a vehicle with good snow tires and four-wheel drive. Try the Apex Mountain area near Penticton. You often rise above the cloud level and enter a winter wonderland of sunshine. Not every...

Today is your day Boomer! Another snowy, slow, pandemic day in retirement land! So, household chores are a good idea. Some cleaning and vacuuming, perhaps some Christmas present wrapping, and, ah.......apple processing. It is the simple things in life that make life more interesting. Check out the picture of the apple peeler/processor. Only in the Okanagan, right? Insert apple, turn handle, and it peels and cores the apple quickly. You can do 10 big ones in just a few minutes; cut them up and put them in a special dryer. Dried Ambrosia slices for Christmas, delicious!! Easy to make and great for presents. Thanks to my brother for the free apples and to my wife for doing most of the work. All I did was write about it and share with you. Cheers!

Today is your day Boomer! Well, actually yesterday was my day. Remember......the purpose of this blog is get Boomers out there doing things even in the middle of a pandemic and sometimes-dreary winter days. Yesterday, it was socked in with fog and cool temperatures but the forecast at the local cross country hill was clear, mixed sun and cloud, and 2 degrees. So, off to Telemark I went for my first day of crosscountry skiing this year. It was the "good, bad and ugly" to quote that famous Clint Eastwood movie. Good: (a) only a half hour drive from Summerland and not high elevation (b) the road was foggy, but in good shape (c) very few people were there, so no COVID concerns (d) great weather (as you can see by the picture) and 1/2 price early-season day pass (only 8$) Bad: (a) I had no one to go with, so a little lonely (b) conditions were very fast, so it took awhile to adjust (c) not allowed in lodge for lunch because of COVID Ugly: (a) just barely enough snow an...

  You can skate all day! Today is your day Boomer!   I mentioned winter hiking in my opening blog yesterday, but didn't go into any detail.  Now if I may, I'd like to emphasize early December in the South Okanagan.  My hiking buddy and I have made a few trips at this time of year to the Oliver area just before the snow flies and the temperature is crisp.  The trails are open and few people are about.  Some shady spots are icy and some sunny spots are muddy, but what is really "cool" is the lakes.  The small back country ponds/small lakes are icing up quickly and they have no snow!  They are usually shallow, so that means the ice gets thicker.....quicker!  You know what that means?  Bring your skates in a backpack as part of your hike!  Yes, a hockey stick and puck are optional.....but a lunch and warm gloves and a touque are not!  Just test the ice first......no falling into cold water a long ways from the parking lot and your ...

Today is your day Boomer!  This is how I will start every blog on this site.  It means get out and do something today and make the most of our lives!  Let's face it Boomers, we only have 20-30 years left on this planet......so let's live it up!  In winter, this often means colder, gloomy weather.  But it depends on your attitude.  Often it is sunnier up higher, so go up, go up into the mountains.  This is Mt. Conkle near Summerland where I live on a beautiful, sunny winter day.  What a day, what a picture as I looked down at the school where I used to teach for 27 years.  It was 3:00pm on a Monday and that is normally "staff meeting" time.  My hiking partner--another retired teacher--and I both reflected on this and we felt very good.  Boomer retirement is awesome;  you just have to "do it" and do it with gusto!  My teacher friends and I have started a new club; it is called STROKE, which means Summerland Teachers (Retire...