Wise Boomers Walk This Spring

Rain aside, spring is a great time to start a healthy walking program. By summer, you will be a walking expert and able to withstand the higher temperatures.

To encourage new walkers to get moving and stay healthy, many of the libraries in Alleheny County, Pennsylvania, are providing free ten-week Wise Walk Progranms beginning this month and next. The library's partners in this program are the Allegheny Library Association, Highmark PALS and AARP. (Please check with your local organizations. Similar walking programs are being offered in other counties, states.)

Walkers over 50 can set their own goals and walk at their own pace using a complimentary walking guide provided to each walker by the local library. Supplies, walking materials such as pedomenters and healthy snacks and t-shirts are also provided for each participant through the program.

But beyond these supplies, this program gets boomers -- and seniors -- out walking with friends, enjoying nature, exercising as prescribed by their doctors, and a no-cost way to feel better. You just can't beat that.

For more information:

ACLA Wise Walk
AARP's Create the Good program

Avoiding worry where possible

I had to have a yearly physical this week, which actually was a 15 month one, since I put these things off as long as I can. Sound familiar?

Part and parcel of the checkup is the requisite blood test with the (gulp) 14 hour fast. As in most things, tell me I can't have something and I want it all the more. That's human nature. So when I have to have these blood tests done, I usually spend a lot of time figuring out when the absolute best, easiest time to do it would be. This can take several days if not weeks. So this time, I decided to heed some advice I read in a book on worrying. Do the difficult things right away, and save yourself all of that energy you would have spent worrying about them by getting them over with.

So that's what I did. I got the script yesterday and the ink was barely dry when I took it to the lab today for the blood work. The tech there is very good, and had no problems with my Vanishing Veins, which have discombobulated many other techs in the past.

Now the tests are done and I don't have to think about it for another 12, er...., 15 months.

I am going to try this get-it-over-quick technique again, sort of the yank-the-band-aid-off-in-one-quick-pull school of thought, but for today, I am resting on my laurels and feeling pretty good that I outsmarted myself.