CELEBRATING 11 YEARS
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FEB | MAR 2017
Prime Time LIVING
Inspired living in your ime
What
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INSPIRES YOU to MORE LIFE?
NAPA / SOLANO EDITION
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Napa/Solano Edition
Prime Time LIVING presents
ON THE COVER
6 10
Publishing/Contact
What Inspires You to More Life?
Owner/Publisher Tracee Stacy We want to hear from you! If you have any comments or questions to any of the authors of the articles youʼve read please send your letters to the editor to:
Solano Wine & Food Jubilee Returns in May
25
Chocolate Soufflés
Mailing 209 Glen Eagle Way Address Vacaville, CA 95688
Phone 707-449-1270
Fax 707-471-4082
Cell 707-628-9805
Email publisher@primetimeliving.org
Web www.primetimeliving.org
For Two
Editorial/Sales/Art Editor Wendy VanHatten PTLeditor@primetimeliving.org Account Executive Cindy Lewis CindyL@primetimeliving.org 707-685-6731 Account Executive Annette Vance Annette@primetimeliving.org 925-286-0133
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| NOV | JAN2016 OCT DEC 2016 2017
Maagazine M nee ine Magazine MagazMa gazin Mazingazi e nee Maga HARVEST TIME in Northern California
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AUG | SEPT 2016 2016 FEB | MARCH
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CELEBRATING 10 YEARS
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WHAT'S INSIDE
Points Of Interest 20 23 28 29
Sharps Recycle Recycle in the New Year Senior Community Centers Resource Guide
6
What Inspires You to More Life?
{8}
inspired YOU
By Terry Minion
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{16}
Finding the Power Within
By Paradise Valley Estates
16
H is for Heart & Vascular Heart Failure Academy Your Partner for Life
By NorthBay Healthcare
26
By Jill Hines E-RYT
14
Burano: The Cheeriest Little Island
Finding a Happy Heart and Mind with Yoga
{18}
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By Travel and Escapes
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The Being Mortal Project
By Louise Joyce
22
Book Review: Based on an interview with Bonnie, author of In Memory Of...
{26}
boom FOOD & WINE 10 25
Save the Date: Solano Wine & Food Jubilee Returns to the Nut Tree in May Chocolate Soufflés for Two
By Travel and Escapes
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Napa/Solano Edition
EDITOR'S CORNER
Words from Wendy
As
we jump into February and March, signs of spring are all around us. We’ve had our share of rain and everything is green. My plants are going crazy. While we need the rain, I’m sure many of us welcome some sunny days as well.
Longer days of sunshine…easier to walk in the mornings? Planning your summer vacation…and deciding on a new destination? Or, all of the above? Maybe you’re planning a wonderful Valentine’s Day dinner and you’re looking
Since spring is just around the corner, what does this season mean for you? Valentine’s Day…celebrating with chocolate, wine, and flowers? Spring training…if you’re a baseball fan?
for a delightful, chocolatey desert. We have one for you. Try it and let us know what you think.
Looking for In-Home Care? Let us help!
(707) 447-7734 www.americarenorcal.com
Sally Price
Patti Ruona
Debbie Doyle
Need some ideas for a fantastic trip? Have you thought about Burano? You probably know where Venice, Italy is. Check out another one of the Lagoon Islands…Burano. You’ll be glad you did. The pace is slower, the island is colorful, and the seafood is fresh. Whatever spring means to you and wherever spring takes you…make it special. Here at Prime Time Living…we do.
Wendy VanHatten, Editor
Thank you for trusting us to serve your Senior In-Home Care needs for the past 10 years!
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Napa/Solano Edition
YOU
What Inspires You To More Life?
By Terry Minion
R
ecently, a very dear friend of mine was diagnosed with a so-called terminal cancer. We spent some quality time together one day in December, and I asked him what seemed like a crazy question. I said, “do you want to live?” He wanted to know why I asked this odd question. I said that it is okay to want to and not to want to, but that it makes such a huge difference. It’s this kind of questions that we are often afraid to ask ourselves or others. This question of wanting to live is one that I was asking myself recently as I was considering what may lie ahead in my life. I had let go of some important
disciplines, growing in girth and weight, generally inactive, and more. Though I was writing my daily inspirations blog to inspire others, I was in want of some inspiration for myself. Then, in late December, I read a new book by Bruce Springsteen titled, Born To Run. I listened to Bruce read his entire book as an audiobook (my favorite way to read these days), and I was amazed. What a life he lived and he is still living it fully. I did some research and found that he and I are both 67, but that there is no way that I could keep up with him in what he does physically, let alone as a musician. He is lean and trim and strong and
can do a 4-hour non-stop show singing every song from memory, and then do it again a couple of days later. I saw some on YouTube, and I was blown away by his presence on stage. I was immediately inspired to change my life. I immediately decided that I wanted to LIVE! This inspirational moment was almost a month ago, and I am more committed than ever to reclaim my life and provide even more value to others by being the best that I can be. It’s interesting how something comes along and inspires one to make a major change in their lives. Whether it is the Law of Attraction, and that I was attracting Bruce and his
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book into my life or what doesn’t even matter. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have learned more about Bruce, who I knew so little about, and have him inspire me to want to move forward. We all can positively affect each other in our lives. Do you remember some of those major turning points in your life? You’re going along, bored maybe, uninspired for sure, and then something happens—a book, a song,Yolo a letter, County’s a photo, a friend’s concern, or a thousand other things. And then, your life is different. You’ve been inspired to change something or many things that take you from Solano County’s neutral into high gear. I can remember many of these turning
Solano County’s
❝Do you remember some of those major turning points in your life? You’re going along, bored maybe, uninspired for sure, and then something happens...❞ Yolo County’s
points over the years. This one with the book, Born To Run, was another. But, it was more than the book. If I had just read the book, I don’t think it would have Solano County’s had the impact as Bruce reading it. His passion, determination,
Solano County’s
mistakes, successes, pain, sorrow, and joy are in his voice because he is the one who lived it and wrote it. The book is pure poetry. He is an outstanding writer. I don’t want to live Bruce’s life. I have my path, and yet our paths have crossed so that he can help me be more inspired on mine. He doesn’t even know how much he has helped me, and yet on some level, we are brothers. Who inspires you? Are you open to being inspired? Do you want to live? Terry Minion is an owner/manager of www.UpwardTrend.org, a website, online marketing company based in Fairfield CA. He also writes the CTS Daily Inspirations at www.ctsdaily.net.
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Napa/Solano Edition
HEALTH
Finding the Power Within For a world-recordholding weightlifter, the number 280 could have many meanings. For Paradise Valley Estates resident Carrie Reese, the number is a painful reminder of a time the 80-year-old power lifter couldn’t lift 20 pounds. Carrie grew up a multi-sport athlete. She even considered a career as a hockey player. “My father was worried that if I got hurt, I wouldn’t have a way to make a living,” she recalls. “So I went to nursing school instead.” After a successful nursing career, Carrie later became a corporate attorney and discovered a love of marathon running that would eventually pose health challenges. “I ran so much I blew my knees out,” she says. Further saddled with a grueling work schedule, Carrie’s health suffered. Carrie ballooned to
Carrie’s world record deadlift of 229 pounds in August 2016.
280 pounds by the time she retired. The excess weight stressed her body and led to bi-lateral knee replacement after she retired. It was during recovery from her second surgery that things went awry. “During rehab, I fell and injured my wrist. I couldn’t even feed myself so I was very depressed,” she recalls. “There was a woman in my rehab who looked my age, but was very fit. She told me where she worked out. When I recovered, I went to that gym.” One year later, Carrie entered her first competition. Today Carrie is a svelte 159 pounds and member of the Napa Lifting Team, a group of seniors who compete together several times each year. The team is coached by Mike Dayton, who in addition to being a former roommate of Arnold Schwarzenegger, was Mr. America 1976 and holds nine Guinness World Records. Carrie maintains a disciplined blend of fitness and food, four gyms and three coaches. “I have a food coach, upper body coach and a lifting coach,” she says. One thing she refuses to do? Work out on Thursdays. “That’s my rest day,” she laughs. Hard work has made Carrie a legend on the circuit. Since 2012, she’s earned four state-level world records and captured five world records and Best Lifter honors at the west coast championships in 2016. She’s the only person in the world to hold four world records in four different weight classes, at once. She’s deadlifted 229 pounds, bench-pressed 95.7 pounds and push-pulled
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(a deadlift-bench press combination) 322.4 pounds. She’s achieved the fitness level of someone far younger than her actual age.
Assisted Living • Dementia/Alzheimer's • Hospice
Carrie finds many joys in weightlifting, but few are as cherished as post-competition days when she can eat anything she wants and relax amid the rolling hills of Paradise Valley Estates. Carrie believes her strength was forged of challenges and that perceived disadvantages such as her age have fueled her champion mindset.
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“It is important that seniors continue to set goals regardless of age, discomfort or disability,” she says. What’s Carrie working toward now? Induction into the World Association of Bench and Dead Lifters Hall of Fame before she turns 85.
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FAIRFIELD, CALIFORNIA
1/13/17 12:31 PM
Napa/Solano Edition
FOOD & WINE
Save the Date:
Solano Wine & Food Jubilee to Return to the Nut Tree in May
A
nostalgic Vacaville amusement park, which closed its doors in 2009, is getting a new lease on life as it becomes the grand stage for the 30th annual Solano Wine & Food Jubilee on May 20.
Harbison Event Center grounds. Multiple bands will perform throughout the evening. But, before dancers take the floor, the top prize in the Jubilee Raffle will be announced. That lucky
Thanks to a collaboration between NorthBay Healthcare Foundation, the City of Vacaville and Dunhill Partners, Nut Tree’s management entity, the Harbison Event Center at the Nut Tree will be gussied up to host Solano County’s largest fundraising event. “It’s a milestone year for the Jubilee, and we’re thrilled we can celebrate it at such a historic location,” noted Brett Johnson, president, NorthBay Healthcare Foundation. The Jubilee benefits the programs of NorthBay Hospice & Bereavement. The first Jubilee was held as a wine and cheese event in a Fairfield church and as the event grew in popularity, it needed larger and larger venues. It has been held in a hanger at Travis Air Force Base, in the then-new Jelly Belly manufacturing facility, out in Lagoon Valley and for many years under a tent adjacent to the Nut Tree. As in years’ past, 2017 Jubilee ticketholders will be able to sample an array of foods, wines, brews and non-alcoholic beverages offered by a number of Solano County’s most generous restaurateurs, breweries and wineries, as they stroll about the boom 10
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Napa/Solano Edition
FOOD & WINE
CHIROPRACTIC & ACUPUNCTURE
Providing Quality Chiropractic & Acupuncture Treatment with Supportive Therapies to include Chinese Herbal Medicine, Massage and Physiotherapy for: Headaches • Neck Pain • Whiplash Soft Tissue Injuries Arm & Leg Pain (Including Numbness & Tingling) Upper & Lower Back Pain Muscle Spasms • Sciatica
Wellness Care for Optimum Health & Performance Acupuncture
First Visit $30 Includes consultation, examination and treatment. With this ad. No expiration.
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First Visit $20 Includes consultation, examination, treatment and Xrays (if necessary). With this ad. No expiration. If you have worker’s comp, personal injury or group insurance, your insurance will be billed.
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ticketholder can chose from one of three brand new cars, offered by Rami Yanni of Vacaville Buick GMC, Vacaville Nissan, Vacaville Dodge and Vacaville Hyundai: either a 2017 Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, or Buick Verano. In addition to the choice of cars as a top prize, $10,000 in cash will be awarded, as well, according to Wendy Jackson, raffle chair. There will be 12 winners of $125, 10 winners of $500, one winner of $1,000 and one $2,500 winner. Raffle tickets are $50 each or buy two and get the third for free. They can be purchased by calling (707) 646-3133; with a credit card by fax at (707) 646-3135; or in person at the NorthBay Healthcare Foundation office at 4500 Business Center Drive in Fairfield, or at Jackson Medical Supply on Main Street in Vacaville. Odds of winning something are about one in 100, Jackson adds, as only 2,500 tickets will be sold. Presenting Sponsors for the 30th annual Solano Wine & Food Jubilee are Al and Patt Shaw, Freeman Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, Rami Yanni of Vacaville Nissan, Dodge, Hyundai and Buick GMC, Western Health Advantage, DPR Construction and Brett and Mimi Johnson.
The event gets under way at
May 20 | 6:30 p.m.
Tickets, for those ages 21 & over, are
$125
(plus an Eventbrite service fee) and must be purchased in advance by going to
www.wineandfoodjubilee.org For more information, call (707) 646-3133
2801 Waterman Blvd., Suite 260 • Fairfield Most insurances accepted • Special payment plans available
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Napa/Solano Edition
TRAVEL
B uThe ra n o … cheeriest Little island
By Travels and Escapes
Planning a romantic trip? Many cities come to mind. Have you considered Burano? Burano, an island in the northern Venetian Lagoon, has been referred to as one of the most colorful places on earth as well as one of the top 10 most colorful cities in the world. Approaching Burano from Venice, it’s easy to see why. Brightly colored houses, all of them, pop against the green waters of the channels. At first glance, their narrow streets and impossibly bright colors appear almost tropical. One more look and you feel like you’ve just stepped into a postcard view, as small boats line both sides of the
canals and the bright colors rise above.
and see how it leans. Yep, they have their own leaning tower.
Legend has it the houses were painted brightly so returning fishermen could see them from long distances.
The pace is slow here; slower than Venice. Flower boxes, overflowing with flowers, offer sweet scents; laundry, hanging from second story windows, is just as common as open shutters; bikes, sitting by doorways, wait for their owners; cats, posing for their close-up photos, lazily groom their faces. This is a real island with real Venetians living their lives. You just happen to be their visitor for the day.
When you take the vaporetto from Venice, get off at the small island of Mazzorbo, just one stop before Burano. Walk past the 14th century church of Santa Caterina, a local vineyard, and a park. Cross the foot bridge connecting the two islands and it’s easy to walk the island from one end to the other. Check out the Museo del Merletto or lace museum, Galuppi Square, and the campanile of the San Martino church. Now take a look from another angle of the campenile
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With tiny streets opening up to small squares and eventually to the island’s main square, you’ll find tourists mingling with locals chatting and drinking espresso or spritz. Elderly ladies work
This is a real island with real Venetians living their lives. You just happen to be their visitor for the day. on food shows around the world. If you visit during a street market day, be sure to look at the fish to catch a glimpse of typical Venetian Lagoon seafood.
on their embroidery as children whisk in and out. Find a little wider spot and you’ll find an impromptu soccer game. Lace making used to be a main industry with Burano lace exported worldwide. Leonardo da Vinci supposedly came here to shop for cloth to use at the main altar of the Duomo di Milano. Making lace was an exacting endeavor and each lady specialized in one stitch. Each piece, tablecloth, or shawl required seven different ladies to complete the stitching. You can imagine how long it took to finish.
It won’t take you long to walk the entire island, but take some time to wander away from the main squares to find a small bar to sip your espresso or spritz and people watch. Eat lunch here and sample the local catch of the day or fantastic risotto. Take photos…lots of photos.
Remember, it’s one of the most colorful places in the world. If You Go: Take vaporetto number 12 from Fondament Nove, departing every half hour. It also makes one stop on Murano Island so if you reach Murano from another part of Venice, you can transfer to number 12 at the Murano Faro stop. On the scenic 40-minute ride you’ll pass the cemetery island of San Michele, Murano, Torcello, and small islands in the lagoon. If you plan on being in Venice for several days, it’s cost effective to purchase a vaporetto pass good for longer periods of time.
Today most inhabitants are fishermen and that’s why you’ll have a fantastic lunch of the freshest seafood. A couple of restaurants have been featured
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Napa/Solano Edition
HEALTH
H is for heart & vascular.
ealthcare
By NorthBay H
Heart Failure Academy – Your Partner for Life
N
o one plans to have a heart attack, but if you have one in Solano County, you’re in close proximity to a comprehensive, hightech, full-service treatment facility. NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield is Solano County’s only designated Chest Pain Center and is equipped with highly skilled cardiac experts and medical staff ready to save your life and then coach you every step of the way in your journey back to health. The surgical program offers the latest techniques in a state-of-the-art operating suite, including offpump coronary artery bypass, valve repair and valve replacement surgery. Chest pain doesn’t always lead to open heart surgery. In many cases, interventional cardiologists can investigate whether a stent or balloon can open up blocked arteries and prevent a heart attack. NorthBay offers a full battery of diagnostic testing to assist physicians in making timely decisions, including the 12-lead EKG, the echocardiogram, Trans Esophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) and boom 16
treadmill stress testing. The sad truth for cardiac patients across the country is that there’s a 40 percent chance they’ll be readmitted to the hospital in the weeks and months after they’ve gone home. “That’s because it is difficult for people to not only change their eating habits, but their entire lifestyle, on their own. You need the education and ongoing support to make the necessary adjustments to stay on a path to heart health,” said Travis Head, practice manager for the NorthBay Heart & Vascular Center. That’s why Travis and his team and NorthBay Cardiac & Pulmonary Rehabilitation have established a Heart Failure Academy to teach those recovering from cardiac events what they need to do to ensure they won’t end up back in the hospital. Launched in the fall of 2016, the academy offers recovering patients four specific classes in diet, nutrition and exercise. “The Heart Failure Academy provides you with the tools and hands-on guidance to make the lifestyle changes needed for living with heart disease,” said Travis simply. “When you go home from the hospital, it’s easy to return to old habits. We started the Academy to give you a place to learn successful lifestyle strategies, a chance to ask lots of questions,
share tips and to connect with others, like you, who are living with heart failure. And it keeps you in close proximity to your care team who are available to immediately address any questions or concerns.”
Looking for your New
Home?
Because readmissions are a global issue, NorthBay Healthcare decided to create a multidisciplinary team to address patient issues.
Or selling your current property?
“It’s important that our patients know they are not alone. Your NorthBay team is, and will be, right there with you,” said Travis. “Of course you will still see your cardiologists. The Heart Failure Academy compliments that care. We show you how to monitor fluid and salt intake, exercises you can incorporate at every stage and how all of this affects your health. We also stay connected to our patients throughout the program, personally calling to check in and support their heart health journey. It’s about letting you know we are your partners for life.”
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17
Napa/Solano Edition
LIFE
The Being Mortal Project By Louise Joyce
(part two of a three-part series)
The Conversation Grows From our first event on June 10th we watched the power of word of mouth raise the conversation to new heights. Our second event on Aug 23rd at University Retirement Community in Davis was maxed to capacity three weeks after our June 10th event. We rushed to land a third event. Davis Community Church was in the process of creating a “Graceful Dying Adult Formation Series,� starting at the
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end of September. The series included guided conversations entitled: Graceful Dying Intro, The Five Wishes Document, Writing Your Own DCC Memorial and Tips on Writing Your Obituary, End of Life Option Act. It would end on Friday, October 28th with the End of Series Community Event: Being Mortal. With a capacity of 200, it would be our biggest event to date. Stephanie Koop, a volunteer for Citizens Who Care, called asking how we could bring it to the medical professionals and clinicians of the Vacaville Prison, of which her husband, Dr. Joseph Bick, was the Chief Medical Officer. Being Mortal was scheduled to hit the road for Vacaville on Aug 11th for the California Medical Facility. Of all of our events to date, this event was the most profound. To catch a glimpse into the daily lives of the inmates, to deliver Being Mortal into the hearts of medical professionals and clinicians who serve this audience, left us different, softer in a way that words fail to capture. I remember seeing the blue of sky afterward and thinking, it had never been so blue. As a member of the Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance, whose purpose is to promote the well-being of older adults through Education, Collaboration and Advocacy, we offered up a Being Mortal presentation to its members. Sheila Allen, Executive Director of Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance, understood our urgency, and Being Mortal was scheduled for the morning of June 27th. Twenty members of the Alliance, the frontline resource for our most vulnerable populations of Yolo County, received
Valley Estates in Fairfield, twenty professionals were so deeply moved by the conversation that the absence of tissues was a real issue, and the driving force for adding them to our Event Check List. Hearts were being blown wide open in receipt of the conversation. Ice-Breakers, a collaboration of Dignity Healthcare and Yolo Hospice, whose focus is to eliminate loneliness for seniors, scheduled a Being Mortal presentation at Yolo Hospice on August 26th. By then it was clear that the plateau we had been waiting for in the conversation was nowhere in sight for 2016. Thirty family members from all different ages joined us in our Suite C for the presentation and discussion. They left as everybody does, with their hearts a little closer to the conversation.
Dr. Atul Gawande, Author of Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
the conversation. We brought the conversation to more and more places. The professionals of the Senior Housing and Resources Exchange of Solano County consist of representatives of home care, home health, hospice providers, assisted living facilities, and skilled nursing facilities. Hosted at Paradise
The Being Mortal presentation at the Davis Senior Center on Sept 16th introduced the work of our Being Mortal Ambassador, Alison Kent of Listen Ink. The conversation was captured using graphic recording. Graphic recording is a dynamic
19
Napa/Solano Edition
LIFE and participatory process that captures discussions in real time, usually on large sheets of paper, using a combination of images and words. Everyone present can immediately see how their contribution fits into the whole picture. When Alison approached us about working with us on the Being Mortal Project, it was the signal that beyond our medical professionals and clinicians, there were other professionals with talents and passion for easing suffering at end-of-life that wanted and needed to come to the table. We welcomed her, and her work, gratefully. The pile of participant questionnaires from the Hospice Foundation of America, the tool that gathers the data of conversation, was mounting up. We needed a passionate soul for the work to become our master data keeper, to crunch the data into a
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format we could present at our Being Mortal ½ Yearly Report of Yolo County. Theresa Daniels of Winters came to us through the friendship of Janene Ramos, Executive Assistant to Craig, with a love and an eye for numbers, data and Excel. We claimed her immediately as a Being Mortal ambassador. (The project and conversation will continue in our next issue)
Louise Joyce is the Community Liaison for Yolo Hospice, providing education, resources and support to community partners, as we care for our hospice patients wherever they call home. She has extensive experience working with seniors and veterans which she obtained from her time at Brookdale Senior Living in Vacaville, formerly known as Merrill Gardens and as the Marketing Director for The Californian and Acacia Glen Senior Apartments in Woodland. She recently celebrated five years with Yolo Hospice.
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Napa/Solano Edition
LIFE
Book Review and Author Interview
Based on an interview with Bonnie, author of In Memory Of... What is this book about? It is an accumulation of thirty-two poems that I wrote over thirty years that have given me inspiration and helped me through times of loss. There are scenic photographs that accompany the poems and are placed there to lift the readers spirits. Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp? Yes, we do not grieve alone. Often times we don’t talk about our losses and I believe that sharing our perspectives helps us to heal and helps us in our relationships with others. What inspired you to write this book? I wanted something to share with friends and family, when they were grieving, or going through a rough time, that was beyond the standard sympathy card. What inspired you to write your first book? My first book was, “In Grandma’s Shoes.” I went on a journey that was inspired from notes that my grandmother wrote while traveling across the US to her childhood home. She was getting older and I think she wanted to visit and take photos to help her remember her memories from her youth. Do you have any advice for other writers? Write about things that interest you. Be prepared to do some homework while you’re writing. Think about what you will say to people to sell the concept of your book.
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What do you write and why? I often write poetry. It gives me a way of putting my thoughts and memories on paper so that I can put them away in a safe place. It frees me from the sadness but can also give me a sense of well-being with regard to any given event. Do you read the same genre that you write? Why or why not? I do, somewhat; I don’t want to put other people’s ideas in my head. I like my
writing to be original and completely from my heart. I also try to make my poems easy to read for everyone. I don’t want anyone to struggle with the thoughts I am presenting.
but I can write almost anywhere as long as I can gather my thoughts with some degree of silence. I am not above writing on coffee filters or fallen leaves to capture my thoughts.
Are you working on anything new? Give us a preview of what’s to come! I am working on a children’s book that I have had tucked away in my writing box for some years now. It is about a stuffed bear and a family that loves that bear and all it represents to them.
Where can readers find you and your work? Readers can find my books on Amazon or www.bonniedimicheleinmemoryof.com they can contact me directly for a signed copy at bon73sc@gmail.com I also have a blog site which is www.mymemorymill.wordpress.com
Who is your favorite author and what is your favorite book? My favorite author is Robert Louis Stevenson. This may seem odd, but my favorite book is Roget’s Thesaurus.
What marketing techniques have you used to sell your books and which ones have been most successful? I have done book signings and I am waiting for my new book to be printed on glossy photo paper with a hard cover that I will be selling exclusively. I have put together a video to promote the hard cover when I receive it. The photographs that are associated with the poems in the new book, “In Memory Of…” are placed in the book to uplift the readers spirits.
What is your goal as an author? I want to bring a sense of calm to people in a world that may seem to be in turmoil. Is there a special place that you prefer when you write? I have had special places to write
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Napa/Solano Edition
LIFE What’s your view on the self-publishing/traditional publishing thing? Ideally, which one would you prefer and why? I have only self-published and I think you need a following to be successful at that. The way we look at books, read books, and publish books has completely changed in the last few years. I am hoping that the younger generation learns to love the feel of a good book in their hands. I think traditional publishing has a better way of reaching a wider audience. PTS_Sol_OctNov09:Layout 1
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About The Author Bonnie lives in Fairfield, California. She studied social science and has taught music for over twenty-five years. She enjoys music, photography, writing, gardening, travel, and cooking. Bonnie began writing songs and poetry at an early age. It gave her a sense of creating a picture, through music and words. Those notes or words would flood her with treasured memories of the places or people that she was writing about. Bonnie believes that people have used poetry and song to capture their memories for nearly all of time. The simple act of putting words on a page can help her to fully recall a place or situation at a later date. It was a request to view her poetry that prompted her to look for various poems on loss that she had written over the course of thirty years. Bonnie was surprised to find that she had so many. She had written poems about many subjects but those revolving around loss seemed to be the most prevalent. It is her hope that sharing these poems will help people to be more open about their feelings during a time of loss. We all experience times of sadness and grief in our life though we don’t often speak about it. We are not alone in those feelings. Each loss that is experienced is uniquely different and so a bit uncharted each time we walk through the grief process. When we open up to we often 7:59others, AM Page 15 find the key that aids us with our own healing. (Proceeds from the sale of, “In Memory Of…” will be donated to Hospice.)
ica is about – helping each other, the foundation of our country,” she said. “There is a ton of information at the (Solano Community) Foundation and people should be using this resource.” The Foundation Directory Online is available to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at Solano Community Foundation, 1261 Travis Boulevard, Suite 320, in Fairfield. Please call ahead to reserve at spot at 707-399-3846. Andrea E. Garcia is Director of Communications for Solano Community Foundation. She can be reached at 707-280-8771 or at andrea@solanocf.org.
Vacaville Convalescent & Rehab Center
585 Nut Tree Court Vacaville, CA 95687 707-449-8000 Solano County’s best rehab team provided by
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McCune Garden Chapel
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FOOD & WINE Want to whip up a decedent dessert for Valentine’s Day? Love chocolate? You have to try this recipe.
C hocolate Soufflés for Two By Travels and Escapes
2 teaspoons cocoa ½ cup water ¼ cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 2 tablespoons skim milk 1 ½ teaspoons flour 1 large egg yolk ¼ teaspoon vanilla 1 large egg white ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 ramekins with butter and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons cocoa. Place on baking sheet. Combine water and next 5 ingredients over low heat and cook until thick (about 6 to 8 minutes). Stir constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Beat egg white and cream of tartar at high speed until soft peaks form. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites and chocolate mixture together. Place in ramekins. Bake 20 minutes or until puffy and set. (mine took about 25 minutes) Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve. 2 servings
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Napa/Solano Edition
HEALTH
Finding a
Happy Heart and Mind By Jill Hines E-RYT
A
with
Yoga
As a yoga studio owner, teacher and practitioner I get asked quite frequently about the health benefits of yoga. Though I’ve known personally how I felt in my own body post yoga class, I wanted to know more. Especially when my youngest son was diagnosed with type one diabetes, and several private clients kept asking me for help with stress relief and help with heart health and weight loss. All of these events prompted me to research a little deeper into the science behind the claims that yoga is “good for you”. As yoga grows in popularity and more people are looking for an upgrade in their current health habits and lifestyles, I would love to shed some light on the many benefits that yoga can provide. The first benefit I’d like highlight is the amazing value in cardiovascular health that comes from a regular yoga practice. A study published in the April 2015 issue of the Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome Journal found that yoga exercise improves the cardiovascular risk factors including central obesity and blood pressure in middleboom 26
aged and older adults with metabolic syndrome, (MetS) which is a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors, which is associated with diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Yoga researchers demonstrate that “yoga works” because it modulates the physiological system of the body, specifically its effect on the heart rate. This review is significant because yoga presents an effective method of treating hypertension that is nonpharmacologic and therefore there are no adverse effects and there are other valuable health benefits. Research suggests that stress is a contributing factor to high blood pressure; hence, yoga is a physical and mental exercise program, that truly looks to nourish the whole individual and not just a patients disease. Along with improved heart health, yoga has also been shown to help diabetic patients manage their disease. Of course this peaked my interest as a mom with a young son with juvenile diabetes. I was happy to find that there have been several studies siting that a regular yoga practice can help with managing healthy weight, blood pressure, blood
glucose levels, cholesterol and exercise self-efficacy. Meditation which is part of the yoga practice has also been found to benefit diabetics. A recent study sited through the American Diabetes Association suggests meditation helps through self-calming skills including non-judgment, patience, beginner’s mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance and letting go. The researchers also found that a meditation practice lowered the participants’ blood pressure levels and reduced stress and anxiety. The relaxation response from meditation was also found to promote the regulation of cortisol and other stress hormones.
muscle to move closer to the bone. It is not uncommon to see postures held for three to five minutes, even 20 minutes at a time. The longer holds and time spent in the postures allows space for meditation and deep mindfulness.
So with the science backing what I already knew in my own body and experience, I became committed to educating as many people as I possibly could about the wonderful benefits of yoga. I recommend new students ease into the practice with a gentle style of yoga such as Yin Yoga which is a passive practice done mainly on the floor with props such as blankets, bolsters, blocks and straps. In Yin Yoga your asked to relax in the posture, or “asana”, and soften the
It’s never too late to start a new habit, especially if it is good for you! Why not give yoga a try You may find what so many others all over the world have found, peace of mind, a place to destress, decompress and improve your overall health. Roll out your mat, take a deep breath in and exhale into a new life waiting for your there.
At Ebb and Flow Yoga we offer Yin Yoga 5 days a week and also have Vinyasa Yoga which is a flowing style of yoga which is great for cardiovascular health, we also have Barre which is a whole body workout and incorporates yoga, pilates and barre technique inspired from ballet.
1360 BURTON DRIVE, SUITE 150 VACAVILLE, CA 95687
707-446-6500
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Napa/Solano Edition
Senior Centers American Canyon Senior Center 2185 Elliott Drive American Canyon 707-647-4369
Napa Senior Activity Center 1500 Jefferson Street Napa 707-255-1800 Florence Douglas 333 Amador St. Vallejo 707-643-1044
Please contact your local Senior Center for Schedule & Event Information
Fairfield 1200 Civic Center Drive 707-428-7421 McBride 91 Town Square Vacaville 707-469-6660 Rio Vista Senior Center 25 Main Street, Rio Vista 707-374-3349
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Dixon 201 South 5th St. 707-678-7022 Suisun City 318 Merganser Dr. 707-421-7203 Benicia Senior Center 187 L Street 707-745-1202 Senior Center Without Walls seniorcenterwithoutwalls.org 877-797-7299
Resource Guide - Important Local Phone Numbers SOLANO COUNTY
NAPA COUNTY
AREA AGENCY ON AGING
AREA AGENCY ON AGING: 800-510-2020
The toll free number will automatically route the caller to the city of residence.
NAPA OMBUDSMAN: 707-258-9348
1-800-510-2020
Administrative Offices: F a i r f i el d: V a ca v i l l e: V a l l ej o:
PTS_Sol_OctNov09:Layout 1
9/29/09 8:00 ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION
644-6612 4 2 9 -6 2 3 5 4 6 9 -6 6 7 9 6 4 3 -1 7 9 7 AM
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1-800-660-1993
NORTHBAY ALZHEIMER'S RESOURCE CENTER
IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES: 707-253-3818 ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES: 707-253-4625 MEALS ON WHEELS: 7077-253-6111 NAPA VALLEY HOSPICE & ADULT DAY: 707-258-9080
707-624-7971
Reaching Across the Generations NORTHBAY ALZHEIMER'S DAY CARE CENTER When older adults across the generations 707-624-7970 Fax: reach 707-624-7969 to become mentors for children, everyone beneSENIOR DAY PROGRAM fits.FAIRFIELD It is for these reasons that the Solano Inter707-428-7742Partnership was formed. generational
CAREGIVER RESOURCE CENTERis a TheREDWOOD Solano Intergenerational Partnership 800-834-1636 composite of individuals and professionals representing andVolunteer senior’s services with FAITH INchildren’s ACTION: Interfaith Caregivers of Solano County, Caregiver Respite Program, Ride with Pride & Cancer Patient Navigator Program the goal of promoting intergenerational opportuSouthpractices Solano County: 707-425-6164 Solano nities, and policies throughout North Solano County: 707-469-6675 County. IN-HOME SUPPORTIVE SERVICES If you are interested in learning more(I.H.S.S.) about intergen-
Public Authority: 707-784-8259 erational initiatives and opportunities please contact I n t a k e L i n e: 7 0 7 -7 8 4 -8 2 5 9 Rochelle Sherlock at 707-864-3984 or rochelle_sherMEALS ON WHEELS of Solano County lock@comcast.net. Home Delivered Meals: 707-425-0638 i As cited in Zedlewski, S., & Butrica, B. (2007). Are We Taking Full AdDixon, Fairfield, RioPotential? Vista, Suisun & Vacaville vantage of Older Adults’ Perspectives on Productive Aging, Number 9, December 2007, http://www.urban.org Home Delivered Meals: 707-644-7444 ii When Older Adults are Involved in the Community, the Benefits are Mu& Vallejo tual,Benicia (2004). The AdvantAge Initiative. http://www.vnsny.org/advantage/resources.html#facts Congregate Dining: 707-426-3079 iii As cited in Zedlewski, S., & Butrica, B. (2007). Are We Taking Full AdSenior centers in Solano County vantage of Older Adults’ Potential? Perspectives on Productive Aging, Number 9, December 2007, http://www.urban.org
HEALTH INSURANCE COUNSELING & ADVOCACY PROGRAM (HICAP) 800-434-0222
We use gentle effective SOLANO OMBUDSMAN 24-Hour Hotline:technique 800-231-4024
ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES We specialize in Sciatica, 707-784-8259
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Providing 50+ seniors a resource for social interaction while providing support and information through social services, nutrition, recreation and travel opportunities.
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Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.• Monday through Friday
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Prime Time Living, 209 Glen Eagle Way, Vacaville, CA 95688
Independent • Assisted Living • Memory Care Growing older does not mean closing the book on adventure. Instead, it presents an opportunity to write the next chapter. Rockville Terrace Senior Living is the perfect place to begin again... We offer personalized service in a luxurious atmosphere. Whether you are looking for independent living, assisted living or memory care we are here to serve.
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4625 Mangels Blvd. • Fairfield, CA 94534 License #486803653
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