Exercise

How can it be fall already?

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Do you remember when you were a kid and summer seemed to go on forever? Me too, but now it seems to fly by in a flash. I have a love/hate relationship with fall. I love the crisp autumn air and the changing colours, but fall means winter is just around the corner and I’m never ready for that!

I try to hold onto summer for as long as I can, but the signs are all around me. Days are getting shorter and leaves are beginning to change colour. Teachers and students are back in school and soon our regular fall/winter activities will be in full swing again. Still, I have a hard time accepting the changing season. Reality definitely hit this morning though. When I first looked out it was -1ºC (30.2ºF) and there was frost on the roofs across the street! Frost in the first week of September!

For me, summer seemed to go by faster than ever this year. Perhaps that’s because with all the traveling we did to far flung places like Armenia, Germany, and Alaska, we didn’t spend as much time doing the things we usually do during the summer months. We did manage to fit in a fair amount of golf and we hope to do more of that in the few weeks before the course closes, but we’ve only spent 11 nights in our trailer, less than half our usual 25 or more. We are planning to get out for one more short trip, but after that it will be time for hubby to winterize the trailer. We’ve only had the kayak on the water four times, so I sure hope we can do that again too.

As a retired teacher, the beginning of September always feels like the start of a new year to me. As such, it’s a good time to set some goals or make some “new years” resolutions. Sharing them with you will make me more accountable and help me actually accomplish them, so thank you for that!

When I think about this summer’s golf and kayaking season, one thing that stood out to me was the fact that over the past few years, I’ve lost strength in my shoulders and upper arms. No surprise, as I used to lift weights all winter. Doing that is more than I can handle now, but I need to do something, so I’ve decided to add some work with dumbbells to the morning exercises that are already an established part of my year round routine. This website has some good information and exercises for seniors, so I’m going to do a set of the 5 upper body weight training exercises every morning Monday to Friday.

It’s been ages since I last published a Fashion Friday post, so that’s also something that I plan to resume doing on a semi regular basis. I haven’t shopped for clothes in quite awhile, but I have been paying attention to what’s on trend for fall and here are a few things that I’ve been noticing…

  • chocolate brown, lots of chocolate brown
  • off-white and neutral tones
  • blazers with jeans
  • bulky, oversized sweaters
  • capes
  • dark wash jeans in almost any style, but not torn or distressed
  • suede boots, shoes and handbags
  • loafers and mary janes
  • statement belts
  • statement necklaces
  • scarves, both silk and knit

While lots of these are very wearable and make me want to rush out and start shopping, my first step will be my semi annual closet changeover (but not until after that last camping trip!) At that point, I’ll take a close look at what I already have, then figure out what, if anything, I actually need. Then I might look for a few pieces that fit with my existing wardrobe and that I’m likely to wear for more than one season, pieces that fit my style adjectives… classy, comfortable, casual, confident, and authentic.

What about you? Are you happy or sad that summer is over? Do you have any goals or plans for the new season? Will you be wearing any of this season’s trends?

9 signs that I might be 70 going on 40

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Earlier this week, I played a round of golf with a group of younger women who were astounded to learn that I’m over 70. That got me thinking about a recent post by one of my favourite bloggers, Pamela Lutrell of Over 50 Feeling 40. Pam, who is the same age as I am, shared a very interesting article, 9 signs you’re 70 going on 40 — without even trying by Avery White, and then wrote a self evaluation based on the author’s 9 points. Today, I thought I’d do likewise.

I want to preface my personal evaluation by saying that I’m not interested in trying to look younger than I am. I love the introduction to White’s article… “There’s something magnetic about people who’ve crossed into their 70s but still radiate the spark, wit, and energy of someone thirty years younger. They’re not desperately clinging to youth or chasing trends — they’re just… alive. Fully, authentically alive. And they don’t even seem to be trying.” That’s definitely something I aspire to.

So let’s see how I’m doing.

1. You keep learning just for the thrill of it.

I think I’m doing very well in this category. I consider myself a lifelong learner with a love of reading and a passion for research. 50 years ago, I was that odd student in university who loved researching and writing papers and I haven’t really changed.

We live in an ever changing world, but even in my 70s, I try to keep up with new technology. Like Esther of the Old Testament, I believe that I was born “for such a time as this” and that it behooves me to learn to use the tools of today (although I do have to call on my more tech savvy offspring for help from time to time!)

2. You move because it feels good—not to punish yourself.

Again, I’d give myself an excellent mark in this area. I exercise for about 20 minutes before I leave the bedroom Monday to Friday mornings and I’m striving to walk at least 5 days a week, which reminds me that I’m very thankful to each one of you who has contributed to my Hoofing It fundraiser for neuroendocrine cancer research! I also enjoy bowling during the winter and hiking, kayaking, and playing golf in the summer.

I exercise, not because I’m trying to look younger or to achieve a perfect body, but simply because it feels good and because I believe in the old adage “use it or lose it”.

3. You don’t obsess over your age.

I really don’t. In fact, I’m proud of my age. When I was diagnosed with cancer 12 years ago, I had no expectation that I’d reach my 70s, so I’m just very thankful to be here. My age doesn’t define me and for the most part, it doesn’t limit me although I do get a bit frustrated when I can’t hit a golf ball as far as I used to!

4. You say yes more than no.

I’m not sure that I actually agree with this one. As I wrote in this post earlier this month, it’s okay to say no and to be able to do so without feeling guilty. I like to be spontaneous and I do say yes to lots of things, but I also know my limits and try not to overdo.

5. You have friends of all ages.

This has always been true of me, but these days most of my friends are younger than me, some as young as my own children. Sadly, some of my more elderly friends have passed away in recent years.

6. You laugh easily—especially at yourself.

I don’t know about laughter being the best medicine, but apparently it really is good for our health. According to the Mayo Clinic, one of my first go-tos for all things medical, “When it comes to relieving stress, more giggles and guffaws are just what the doctor ordered.” Knowing that, I admit that I probably don’t laugh as much as I should, but I’m definitely able to laugh at myself. Worrying less about what other people think is one of the benefits of aging for most of us and I certainly don’t embarrass as easily as I did when I was younger.

7. You still chase new goals—even small ones.

I think this fits well with #1, being a lifelong learner. I am always ready to try something new and while I don’t have a written bucket list, there are certainly a few things in the back of my mind that I haven’t done yet.

8. You don’t over-nostalgize.

I definitely do not live in the past. Parts of it are much too painful and dwelling there would rob me of joy. Instead, while trying to learn from the mistakes of the past, I try to live in the present and look forward to the future.

9. You make people feel seen.

As an introvert, this final point is one where I might give myself a failing mark, but it’s something that I’ve been consciously working on. Wherever I happen to be, I try to notice the people around me. Sometimes I simply smile as I pass by, but I’ve started to look for opportunities to offer a genuine compliment or an encouraging word. This is especially true when I’m in the cancer clinic where I know that people are often feeling stressed or overwhelmed and really need to feel seen.

Whether you’re in your 70s or not, do you recognize yourself in any of these points? One of Avery White’s final thoughts wraps up the topic perfectly. “The truest kind of agelessness comes from your mindset, your curiosity, your willingness to stay engaged — with people, with ideas, with life itself.”

The right hiking shoe

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screenshot-2024-05-09-at-7.40.11-pmWhile out on the trails earlier this summer, I began to notice that my hiking shoes, now several years old, weren’t as comfortable as they used to be. The shoes themselves were still in good shape, but the insoles no longer provided the cushioning that they once did.

One of the great features of Merrell hiking shoes is that the insoles are removable and can be replaced. Unfortunately, the insoles that I wanted were out of stock in Canada and I couldn’t find any information about if or when they might be available again. I could have ordered them out of the US, but by the time I figured out the exchange on our dollar and the cost of shipping, I decided that the total was more than I wanted to pay for a simple pair of insoles. Instead, I decided to order brand new hiking shoes and I knew exactly what I wanted!

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The Merrell Moab 3 was rated the #1 Best Overall Hiking Shoe for 2024 by Good Housekeeping and I’ve known for a long time that I wanted my next pair to be the boot style to provide extra ankle support. I wouldn’t normally order shoes online, but because these are my third pair of Merrells, I was quite confident that they would fit well.

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The Moab 3 comes in a variety of colours. You might think that I chose blue to coordinate with the Tensor knee wrap that I’ve been wearing on my arthritic left knee while hiking this summer, but I actually chose it because it was on sale for $50 less than the earth tone ones I might otherwise have chosen! 

I firmly believe that good quality shoes that fit properly shouldn’t need to be broken in and this pair was definitely proof of that! Straight out of the box, I gave them an excellent test run hiking three days in a row over a variety of terrain in Big Knife Provincial Park. The first two trails were easy ones, but the third one involved some very uneven ground and a couple of tricky climbs that required stability and surefootedness.

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This turkey vulture and his buddies were hanging around, perhaps hoping that I wouldn’t make it up that very steep slope. The shoes didn’t let me down though and they were comfortable from the moment I put them on until I took them off again.  

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We actually left the trails and climbed up to the top of a bluff where we’d never been before. The view was well worth it! 

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I wonder where else these lightweight, waterproof hiking shoes are going to take me? I’m sure we’ll have many great adventures together!  

Please note that this is not a sponsored post. I’m simply a big fan of Merrell hiking shoes and wanted to share that with you.  

The Trans Canada Trail

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The Trans Canada Trail isn’t a single trail. It’s the world’s longest multi-use trail network consisting of greenways, waterways, and roadways stretching across Canada from the Pacific to the Arctic and the Atlantic oceans. It crosses every province and territory and connects more that 15 000 communities.

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Last week, while camping at Hilliard’s Bay Provincial Park on Alberta’s Lesser Slave Lake, we had the opportunity to hike a couple of short portions of the trail that follows the north shore of the lake.

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It was while we were hiking there that I reached the 150 km point on my 150 day walking challenge. I’m halfway to my goal well ahead of schedule!

In the summer of 2021 , award-winning Canadian filmmaker, photographer, author and multimedia artist Dianne Whelan, became the first person to complete the entire Trans Canada Trail. Over a six year period, she travelled by foot, bike, and canoe chronicling her remarkable journey in her film, 500 Days in the Wild.

While I can’t even imagine attempting such a daunting venture, it did occur to me while we were hiking that if I were younger, I would plan to visit all 13 Canadian provinces and territories and hike a section of the trail in each one!

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Now that we’re home and getting back into routine, I just need to ensure that I keep on walking. I still have 147.3 km (91.5 miles) to go before October 5th!

A quick walking update

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Yesterday, I turned my computer on for the first time in over a week. I’ve been camping, spending time with family, reading, relaxing, kayaking, hiking and walking. On May 8th, I wrote about my 150 day walking goal and challenged some of you to join me. I planned to walk or hike 300 km (186.4 miles) before my 72nd birthday on October 5th.

Today’s post is just a quick update to let you know how it’s going. I’ve been caught in the rain a couple of times and in an extreme windstorm once, but mostly I’ve enjoyed being outdoors putting one foot in front of the other on sidewalks, walking paths, and hiking trails. With the first 55 days behind me, I’ve covered 120.82 km (75 miles), so I’m on track to complete my challenge on time.

Earlier this year, my younger brother and his wife moved north to the small town of High Prairie, Alberta. She’s the new pastor of the Church of the Nazarene there and they live in the parsonage next door to the church. When we visited, I was delighted to find that the Rianna Otto Memorial Walking Trails start just the other side of the church. Each day while visiting, we walked the paved pathways alongside the West Prairie River.

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I was delighted when two readers, a friend of mine and one of my sisters-in-law, decided to join me for this challenge, each choosing a walking goal that she thought was reasonable for herself. I know that one of them is on a cross Canada trip right now, so I hope she’s also been walking some interesting trails!

My 150 day walking goal

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If you’ve been following my blog for long, you may remember that several times in the past few years I’ve challenged myself to walk or hike a specific distance over the summer months. The first time, back in 2020, I walked as part of a fundraiser for NET cancer research, but after that I recalled how good all that walking felt and how much having a specific goal kept me motivated. Last year, I challenged myself to walk 350 km between May 1 and October 31 and actually exceeded that by approximately 60 km.

Today, recognizing that I’ve been unusually lazy over the past winter and realizing how badly I need to get out and walk again, I decided that I would attempt to walk 300 km between now and my 72nd birthday on October 5, which happens to be exactly 150 days from now. (For my American friends, 300 km is equal to 186.4 miles.) Not only does having a goal motivate me, especially on those days when I’m feeling sluggish or just plain lazy, but being accountable to someone else is another driving force. That’s where you come in and the reason why I’m writing this post! 

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So why walk?

Walking has many benefits including:

  • It’s accessible, easy, safe, and free.
  • It reduces stress and decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety.
  • It improves heart health and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
  • It increases blood flow and therefore improves energy levels.
  • It improves blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
  • It reduces the risk of some cancers.
  • It boosts the immune system.
  • It helps prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes (which I already have).
  • It burns calories.
  • It promotes more restful sleep.
  • It improves flexibility and helps ease chronic pain and stiffness.
  • It improves brain function.
  • It’s a weight bearing exercise that reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
  • It has even been linked to longer life expectancy!

If you’d like to partner with me, I’d love to share this walking challenge with you. Just choose a distance that you think is reasonable for you and share it in the comment section below.

There are several ways to measure the distance that you walk. In and around town, I use MapMyWalk which allows you to create and save routes that you use regularly. All Trails gives information and distances for trails around the world and I use a handheld Garmin GPS to measure unmarked hiking trails. 

Not a fashion post

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I don’t have a Fashion Friday post for you today. Hubby and I spent a few days this week camping, hiking, and kayaking in one of our favourite locations, Big Knife Provincial Park. Though less than an hour from home, we had no internet or cell phone service. It was a total and wonderful disconnect from technology and from the cares of the world.

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People enjoy camping for many different reasons. For me, I love the solitude; the opportunity to get away from the busyness of day to day life and reconnect with nature. Sitting in camp reading a book, I heard nothing but the whisper of the breeze in the trees, the buzzing of insects, and the music of birdsong.  Occasionally the chatter of a squirrel or, in the evening, a distant chorus of coyotes, interrupted the quiet. From time to time, I enjoyed looking up from my book and watching a pair of small woodpeckers (yellow-bellied sapsuckers) industriously pecking away at a nearby tree. Working from morning til night, they’ll eventually kill the tree, but others will grow up to take its place. That’s the way of nature.

We spent part of each day hiking, exploring every trail in the park. I was thankful for the 60+ km that we walked last month, a good start toward accomplishing my goal of 350 km by the end of October. Our legs were more than ready to tackle the trails even in the extreme heat that our province has been experiencing recently.

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In places, stands of wolf willow (more commonly referred to as silver willow here because of the silvery colour of its leaves) were in bloom giving off the strong musky-sweet scent that is such a an unmistakable characteristic of the prairie at this time of year.

Because we were in bear country, we carried bear spray and kept the bear bell dangling from our backpack jingling. Unfortunately, that meant that we were less likely to see other wildlife, but we did see one deer and we were almost back to camp on one of our hikes when a beaver slipped soundlessly across the path right in front of us! If we’d been any closer, we probably would have tripped over it! In both cases, the animals moved too quickly for me to get a photo.

We saved our shortest, but most strenuous hike for our final morning. Leaving the marked paths, we followed a narrow trail that we first found several years ago. Though you can’t see the upper part of the trail in this photo, it follows the edge of the tree line all the way to the top of the hill then continues for some distance along the top of a ridge. In the second photo, I’m looking back.

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The trail led us to the hoodoos, a geological formation found throughout the Canadian badlands. Formed by erosion, a hoodoo is a pillar of soft sandstone with a capstone of harder, denser rock. This area is also accessible from one of the easier marked trails.

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Not a fashion photo! 😄

From the bluff above the hoodoos we had an amazing view of the meandering river below. Looking at the photo, it’s easy to see why we can paddle for a long time and not go very far as the crow flies! Our first time out on the water this trip, which was also the first time we had the kayak out this year, we paddled for over two hours. By the last half hour, I could feel the burn of muscles not used enough over the long winter months and started making promises to myself about dusting off the hand weights in the basement and starting to use them again!

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Fashion Friday could be a little hit and miss over the summer months as we hope to spend more time on similar excursions, but I’ll try to post something at least once a week, fashion or otherwise.

Still walking, but not enough!

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It’s been two months since I last posted an update on my summer walking challenge. On May 2 of this year, I challenged myself to walk and/or hike 300 km by our 45th wedding anniversary on October 2. Five months to walk 300 km. Easy peasy! Right?

I got off to a really good start reporting 87.07 km by June 2 and another 63.59 km in the month that followed. Two months into the challenge, I was already half way to my goal. In my third month, I walked another 68.83 km for a total of 219.49 km.

That’s when I slipped off the rails and I’m sad to say that in the past month I walked and/or hiked only 38.41 km! What happened? Well, I could make plenty of excuses. There was time spent with grandchildren. We did go hiking while they were with us, but other than that, I didn’t take time away from them to go for regular walks. We’ve had some rainy days. I do own an umbrella, but it’s easier to stay indoors on those days. And then there’s the fact that I hurt my back again. That one was a pretty good excuse for a few days, but even though it’s still not 100%, I could be going for short walks. In fact, they might even be good for me.

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Most of all though, I’ve just been lazy! When it became obvious that I’d be able to reach my goal well ahead of schedule, I slacked off. Now it’s time to get off my butt, lace up those walking shoes, and finish the job! With only 42.1 km left to go and a full month until our anniversary, there’s plenty of time to get this done!

Halfway there!

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On May 2nd, I challenged myself to walk and/or hike 300 km by our 45th anniversary on October 2. Some days I really look forward to walking. Others, knowing that I’m going to be reporting my progress here on the blog is the only thing that gets me up and out the door!

This month, I’m a couple of days late posting an update because we’ve been camping without internet for the past few days, but I’m happy to report that by July 1, I’d logged another 63.59 km. That’s over 20 km less than I walked in the first month, but I’ve walked a total of 150.66 km. Two months into my five month challenge I’m already halfway there! At this pace, I should be able to complete my 300 km well ahead of schedule.

Again, most of my walking has been on the streets of town, but we hiked just over 9 km while camping at Big Knife Provincial Park in mid June.

In last month’s update, I mentioned that I needed to invest in a new pair of walking shoes. I tried on several different pairs, but as soon as I put these ones on, I knew I’d found what I was looking for!

It was obvious immediately that these were shoes I’d be able to walk many miles in! They’re very supportive, but incredibly lightweight, and as the name implies, they’re like walking on a cloud! That’s thanks to the flytefoam cushioning in the sole and the soft gel unit in the heel. I also love the fact that at least 20% of the primary material of the shoe’s upper is made with recycled material!

So, even on those days when I don’t really feel like it, I’ll keep on walking and report my progress again next month.

Walking challenge update #1

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This is just a quick post to update you on the walking challenge that I wrote about in this post on May 2nd. My plan was to walk (or hike) 300 kilometres in the five months leading up to our 45th wedding anniversary on October 2nd. The anniversary actually has nothing to do with the challenge other than giving me a good end date to aim for! I wrote about my plan because knowing that I’ll be reporting my progress on the blog makes me accountable. It gets me off the couch and out the door on days when I really don’t feel like walking! 

So, how have I done so far? In order to meet my goal, I need to walk at least 60 km a month. For my American readers, that’s approximately 37.3 miles. In the past month, walking 6 days a week, I’ve actually covered 87.07 km! 

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Most of my walking so far has been on the streets of our small town, but I also explored some of the Hardisty Nature Trails and this week we’ve been camping at Dillberry Lake Provincial Park where we did a short 2.3 km hike on Monday evening and then hiked 8.93 km on Tuesday. With a small group of friends I also took part in a 5 km fundraising walk for multiple sclerosis on Sunday. Together we raised over $2500! 

One thing that I’ve discovered in the past month is that I need to invest in a new pair of walking shoes. So far, I’ve been wearing old ones that don’t have much life left in them. I do have my trusty Merrell hiking shoes, but I don’t want to wear them out walking the streets of town. I could also use the ASICS running shoes that I bought last year specifically for the treadmill, but I want to save them for indoor use. Hopefully by the time I update again a month from now, I’ll be able to show you some new shoes as well as reporting another 60 km or more.