Tag Archives: SAIL program

Apr9

Back in Washington

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Back in Washington

Coming back after 6 months away is always a blur of adjusting and getting organized. We’re actually going to hit 60 today which is a far cry from 87. My sciatica is complaining. But in time it will settle down. It wasn’t exactly thrilled with the 4 hour flight back from Mexico.

I’m unpacked and getting organized. I went to AT&T and got my phone number for the year. I’ve been busy texting and messaging my new number to friends. My What’s App stays on my Mexican number. Also have been dealing with credit card companies to register the new number and access my online accounts. They don’t like it when I change countries and phone numbers as often as I do.

Adjusting to an English world. The only Spanish I’ve done since I’m back is on Duolingo, although I have texted friends in Mexico in Spanish.

Only one trip to Costco so far in terms of shopping. Joyce and I are going to Dollar Tree tomorrow after lunch at the Senior Center. I don’t really miss Waldo’s in Mexico and much prefer the American version of a dollar store.

Did a Bible study with my life group on Zoom this morning. We’re planning on getting together in person later in the month. Not everyone lives in Wenatchee or East Wenatchee so it does take some planning.

I just came home from a SAIL Lunch and Learn and it was nice to reconnect with everyone after several months away. But I don’t intend to do any teaching until I get back from Canada in June. Did I say Canada? Yes I’m back on a plane in 3 weeks to head up north.

Speaking of planes, I didn’t get sucked out of my window seat on the Boeing 737 on my way back from Mexico. No blown tires, cracked windshields or missing parts of the fuselage either. Great flights that left on time and arrived early. Even Immigration welcomed me back.

Yesterday was definitely one of the highlights of my first week back. I traveled to Leavenworth to Shears for my hair appointment. Lisa always has her hands full dealing with the mess the Mexican hairstylists make and she had her hands full yesterday. But as usual she did an amazing job.

Yesterday in Leavenworth I also got to see Linda. We picked up sandwiches at Dan’s and settled in to watch the Virgin River Christmas episodes. We’re also making plans to attend the Leavenworth Summer Theater productions.

I have a CPR refresher on Thursday and then I will finally have a day to relax on Friday, if you call doing laundry and housecleaning relaxing.

Another highlight was going in person to Sage Hills Church on Sunday. So much nicer than on-line. And I got to meet some of the women from my Zoom life group in person as well.

Sunday afternoon Clairesse and I went to Blue Spoon for some delightful frozen yogurt. We had a lot to catch up on. That happens when you don’t see each other for 6 months.

Sunday night Christina and I watched a movie together. We decided that Sunday nights will be movie nights while I’m here.

I haven’t even looked at my WIP since I’ve been back. I had a lot more time for writing when I was in Mexico. But that’s okay. I still have friends to see and places to go and things to do. And I have writers’ group next week!

And my dear tree in Cashmere, I haven’t forgotten you. I promise I’ll come visit you really soon.

Jun30

Friday June 30

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Friday June 30

In another lifetime I’d be taking my kids to pick up report cards and then we’d be off to Chuck E Cheese. Why does it seem like just yesterday when it was decades ago?

I had a Bible study on Zoom this morning. Then I edited the piece for my next writers group meeting. A productive morning. One more thing on the agenda and I need to stop procrastinating. I’ve been looking at flights to Winnipeg and the times and connections are awful. It’s easy to get to Mexico from Sea-Tac but not to Canada, especially not Winnipeg.

It’s a holiday weekend. Canada Day tomorrow. July 4th here on Tuesday so sadly no Tai Chi. It’s hard keeping track of what’s open and what’s closed. But fireworks are definitely on for Tuesday, as long as there are no more fires close by again. There have been a few already although it’s early in the season.

Yesterday I did my recertification as a SAIL instructor. Hard to believe I’m in my seventh year teaching. I subbed again in Leavenworth for two weeks. Although it’s not a big class it’s still my favorite class. Three of the ladies have been in my class for six years. They live in Mountain Meadows now but are still very active.

I was just outside with the munchkins and it is hot out there. They weren’t interested in staying out there very long. They were quite content to come back in and crash on their doggie beds in the air-conditioned house.

Who’s going to see the new Indiana Jones movie? I plan on doing that.

Happy Holiday Weekend! Stay hydrated and stay safe!

Jun24

Saturday Sentiments

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Saturday Sentiments

I just spent the morning taking photos off my phone and backing them up to two of my three external hard drives. The third one I left in Washington when I returned to Mexico last fall and it hasn’t resurfaced yet. While I enjoy taking photos, I despise the tedious task of organizing them into folders afterwards and backing them up. Alexa, why can’t I train you to do that?

It’s been quite a week. The main headline this week was all about the implosion of the Titan. A horrible tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with people who lost loved ones this week. Another terrible accident claimed the lives of sixteen seniors in Manitoba and nine still remain in hospital in serious condition.

Yay Washington State! It’s official. We have the highest gas prices in the nation!

I had a busy week. Two trips to Leavenworth to teach SAIL. Tai Chi classes and writers’ group. My characters have been quite animated so I’ve been doing a fair amount of writing this week as well. I’ve also had to do some medical research related to my book.

I’m halfway to my 180 so I’m starting to think about traveling. Canada is on my mind once again this summer before I return to Mexico in the fall.

Happy Birthday Kelsey. I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow.

Apr26

Tai Chi And Me

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Tai Chi And Me

I know absolutely nothing about Tai Chi. I’ve heard that it’s a good fit with the SAIL fitness classes I teach and A Matter Of Balance. I recently joined the Senior Center in Wenatchee and Tai Chi is one of the activities offered. Okay, Karen! Here’s your chance to try it.

And I did. I went to my first class yesterday. The instructor has the patience of a saint. He has me in his class. I’m really getting to know my right from my left. And I’m getting into these interesting forms we go through. Weird names. Part The Wild Horse’s Mane. Repulse Monkey. Golden Rooster. Needle To Sea Bottom. Those are just a few. I’m game. I’ll go to another class.

I’m more than halfway through the Suicide Prevention course I’m taking. Still doing Duolingo for Spanish. Two more sessions left in the Boundaries discussion group. I also need to select something to read at Writers’ Group next week. Life group on Zoom. Lots of activities at the Senior Center and at the library that I still need to check out.

Writing mode is diminishing. I think my characters are annoyed that I’ve gotten involved in so many other things now that I’m back in East Wenatchee. I think they may even be a little jealous of the time I’m spending with friends here. They’ll get over it.

Have A Great Wednesday!

Mar22

Last Post From Ags

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Last Post From Ags

It seems like I just did my first post from Ags. But this is my last one. I’m traveling next weekend and won’t post on Sunday. So I’ll be back a week from today.

By the way, no one has correctly guessed the place from my last post. No, it’s not my tree either.

The April calendar is already filling up with activities. I’m looking forward to getting back into SAIL classes and training for A Matter Of Balance. I’m also in an awesome group from The Ripple Foundation and can’t wait to meet everyone in person instead of on Zoom.

My friends here are teasing me because I have not really been a morning person this winter. My first morning back in Wenatchee church is at 9 am and then Monday morning I have a hair appointment in Leavenworth at 9 am. And then there are those morning SAIL classes too. Just for fun we’ll throw in the time change too. Washington moved their clocks and Mexico didn’t.

Yesterday was more goodbyes with friends; today too. Two of my friends are moving over to the Yucatan so that means more places to visit. The other day it was the taco stand and the hamburger stand. I’ll miss my chip guy two doors down. And I still have to stop in at the tienda to say goodbye as well as the bakery.

I decided to tune in to something in English on YouTube and found an old Guiding Light from 1980. Yep. A friend got me hooked on this soap. I was pregnant and needed an excessive amount of bedrest according to my doctor so I needed something to entertain me. Interesting. It’s now 2023 and I’m still using Dawn dishwashing liquid and baking Duncan Hines brownies, two of the too many commercials back then.

So far the snow is staying up in the mountains and it better stay that way. I do have boots and a ski jacket in my closet back home but I sure don’t want to have to use them. I’m traveling back in the warmest thing I have – a light hoodie. I will wear tennis shoes instead of sandals.

I’m listening to Blue Rodeo and am going to switch back to working on my book.

Have a great Wednesday, a great week and I’ll see you back here next Wednesday.

Mar5

In Three Weeks

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In Three Weeks

Another week has flown by. As I’ve been adding things to the calendar I noticed that three weeks from today I’ll be back in East Wenatchee. This past week I finished a five week bible study. Five weeks has gone by? We just started! And I started a new discussion group with the Ripple Foundation in Leavenworth. I also got a notice about an upcoming SAIL activity in Wenatchee. Winter is definitely coming to a close.

As I look around my room, I see that I still have some organizing to do before I’m ready to leave. The countdown is on and the last days before I leave go by all too quickly. I hear you people. The snow is mainly up in the mountains and not in the town. But it isn’t the 85 degree weather I’ve grown accustomed to here. At least all my warmer clothes are waiting for me when I get back to Washington.

I had a delightful lunch with Alethia and Raul yesterday. Alethia made the most delicious pozole, one of my favorite Mexican dishes. She sent me a video, in Spanish, and I’m going to attempt to prepare this when I’m in Washington. Hopefully I’ll be able to find the ingredients.

Mysteries? I just registered for a program offered by NCW Libraries. It’s called A Nicer Kind Of Murder: The Evolution Of Crime Fiction. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? I’ll be doing it online but can’t wait to get back and go to some programs in person. I’ve heard some great speakers and done some fun crafts in the past and am looking forward to doing more. NCW has a wonderful variety of programs for adults as well as kids.

My TV remote doesn’t always recognize my gringa accent so I’m back to manually selecting channels. I even got Alexa to talk in Spanish to it but the remote didn’t like her accent either. Sigh………………….

Have A Great Sunday!

Feb26

I’m Just A Little On Edge

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I’m Just A Little On Edge

A month from today I’ll be back in East Wenatchee. I’ve warned everyone that they snow better be gone. I don’t expect it to be 85 like it is here, but I don’t want to see any of that white stuff either.

Charlotte arrived in Calgary the other day to -37 and her car buried under snow. Sharon arrived in Portland after a detour to Seattle because there was too much snow in Portland and the runways were a mess. In the news all I read about is the cold and snow up north and as ready as I am to head home, I don’t want to experience another winter up there.

Yesterday was Koal’s birthday. It’s hard to believe he’s been gone for over fourteen years. I would love to have a dog again but it’s bad enough that I deal with three different Immigrations every year and I can’t fathom doing it with an animal. Of course I do have seven chihuahuas waiting for me in Washington lol.

Today is Madeline’s fifth birthday. It seems like yesterday that I flew to Ontario when she was born. As I recall an ice storm greeted me there. Happy Birthday Madeline! Grandma loves you and we’ll party when I come to visit you in Kelowna this summer.

I’ve been on Zoom a lot this week. The Writer’s Workshop was most informative. The bible study I do with Church of the Rock focused on forgiveness this week, very thought provoking.

Of course in person is still better. I’m looking forward to the next SAIL training in April in Wenatchee. I really miss teaching those classes when I’m here in Mexico for the winter. It’s much more enjoyable to be with other people.

I’ve been listening to a lot of country music while I’ve been writing this week, mainly from the 60s and 70s. I alternate between Spotify, You Tube and of course Alexa. That genre seems to go well with the stage of my main character’s life right now. Of course it also inspired me to revamp the chapter I’m working on.

Have A Great Sunday!

Dec20

2022 Part 1

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2022 Part 1

I have decided to divide the year end review into two parts. Part 1 will cover the first six months of the year.

I woke up January 1st in Jilotsingo where I had celebrated New Years Eve with fifty-nine others. The next day I went back to Angie’s home in Pachuca. I returned to Aguascalientes after King’s Day. The rest of the month was spent getting together with friends and writing blog posts. I also had a SAIL training session on Zoom.

February was an exciting month. My characters started talking to me again and I was finally inspired to continue working on my book of fiction. My granddaughter in Kelowna also celebrated her fourth birthday. And I went to Culiacan to spend time with my Mexican family before heading back up north for the warmer months.

On March 1st I crossed the border at Nogales and headed for Tucson, where I spent a few relaxing days by a pool at a hotel. Then came the rather unusual but interesting Greyhound bus trip to Seattle where I was finally able to pick up an Amtrak into Leavenworth. One of the first things I did was get a Covid booster. I moved around a lot staying in Leavenworth and Dryden and did some pet sitting before finally settling down in East Wenatchee. It was wonderful to be at Sage Hills in person again and to resume teaching SAIL classes.

April was a fun month of garage sales, different from the usual tienguis in Mexico. Life Group resumed and a series of library programs began on Zoom. My characters continued to chatter so it was also a great writing month.

May was a little on the stressful side. The results of a biopsy were not what I’d hoped for and I needed to have a growth removed. On a more positive note I celebrated a birthday and had a delightful day in Lake Chelan. And I also received great news that while the growth indeed had been malignant, there was only healthy tissue left and no further sign of cancer. So no need for more treatment.

I had training in the A Matter Of Balance program during the month of June and I’m looking forward to coaching it when I return to Washington in the spring. And towards the end of the month I found myself on a plane headed for Winnipeg for the first time in five years.

I’m taking a break from blogging so no post this coming Sunday. 2022 Part 2 will be on December 28th.

Merry Christmas!

Sep7

The Dream And The Usual

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The Dream And The Usual

The weekend was a dream that ended far too quickly. I got to hug my granddaughter live and in person. No more blowing kisses on a video call. Grandma is a real person who doesn’t live in a phone. And Maddie is no longer the baby she was when I last saw her.

It was exciting to see Leavenworth through the eyes of a child. I never realized how many “no touch” shops there are in town. Or how many candy and fudge shops there are. Or how much fun it is to run around in the gazebo or up the grassy hill. Or how a simple gingerbread butterfly could light up a child’s face so brightly.

Picnics. Maddie is a big fan of these. We had three of them on Sunday. The first was a snack picnic at Walla Walla Park in Wenatchee. The second was lunch in Cashmere at a playground. The third was dinner in my backyard at home in East Wenatchee.

I was determined not to cry when we said goodbye. But I did anyways. Maddie is four years old and I’ve only seen her three times. The first time she was only a few weeks old. The second time she was still a baby. Barring another crazy pandemic, I hope to be able to see Maddie more often.

But the weekend came and went. Labor Day found Maddie and Kimmy on their way home to Kelowna.

Back to the usual. Teaching a SAIL class in Leavenworth Tuesday morning followed by lunch at the golf club with Linda. Next was another afternoon bingeing Virgin River on Netflix. Then it was time to head back to East Wenatchee.

And now it’s another Wednesday, another humpday. The week is half over and I need to start researching flights back to Mexico. It’s almost October. The temperature is starting to drop and that means the leaves will soon begin to change color. Fall is my favorite time of year here in Washington state.

Aug27

SAIL Away With Me

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SAIL Away With Me

SAIL. Stay Active and Independent for Life. This program, geared towards seniors, has become very dear to my heart. The older I get, the more important it is to me to remain active, especially with my nomadic lifestyle. And the more important it becomes to me to encourage others to remain active.

I see all too well the dangers of leading a sedentary life. Not only do muscles atrophy, but mental health also faces its challenges.

I painfully recall the days prior to my knee surgeries when walking from one room to another in my house was an effort. Once I had my new knees, I began to really appreciate the new mobility. Who knew that the ability to walk more than a few steps could become so meaningful?

I’ve been an instructor in the SAIL program for six years now in Leavenworth. On Friday I expanded my territory into East Wenatchee. My new participants are now either in assisted living or independent living at Bonaventure.

Our initial session was to introduce the program and provide information about the benefits of remaining active. I actually ran out of course materials and am excited about the response at that first meeting. Walkers and wheelchairs are not preventing these seniors in their desire to stay active. Exercises can always be modified.

Fall prevention is also the underlying idea behind this program. There are exercises focusing on balance as well as an aerobics component. Explanations are provided as to the benefits of individual exercises. Flexing and stretching become as routine as brushing our teeth everyday.

Increased mobility brings along with it a sense of freedom. This may be in the form of vacation travel or merely the ability to meander leisurely through a grocery store or a mall. For some, this may mean even a simple stroll down the street. For others it means being able to play with grandchildren.

Mental health benefits accompany the physical health benefits. Increased mobility means more opportunities for socialization and less isolation. This results in increased levels of happiness and decreased levels of depression.

I hope that I have provided some incentive in this post for you to remain physically active, no matter what your age. If you’re in Leavenworth or in East Wenatchee, come SAIL away with me. And if you are elsewhere in the world, I encourage you to find a way to stay active.