Sun City West - June 2024

Beat the Heat

June is finally here. It’s hard to believe we’re almost half-way to 2025. While the temperatures are rising, I’m certainly happy the traffic is decreasing. While driving Bell is definitely less nerving this time of year, I find myself wanting to escape the heat and head to Northern Arizona and explore all of the amazing historical sites.

Now that so many of our friends have headed to their summer homes, now is the time for you to enjoy a little slower pace, and perhaps invest more in those friendships that you may have not had time for. Or, it might be time to finish up home improvement projects that have been placed on the back-burner due to a busy social calendar.

If you have projects to complete, please consider supporting the many local businesses that make The Grand Season possible each month.

Happy Father’s Day to all of the fathers and grandfathers reading The Grand Season this month. I hope you have a great June and enjoy the slower days of summer as much as you can!

Remember, staying hydrated is critical for an enjoyable summer.

Melissa Whitton Associate Publisher/Editor

INSPIRE

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do. Pope John XXIII

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. Harriet Tubman

Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice, and, above all, don’t let anyone limit your dreams. Donovan Bailey

Your dreams are what define your individuality. They have the power to give you wings and make you fly high.

P. V. Sindhu

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt

Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. Napoleon Hill

If you want to have a life that is worth living, a life that expresses your deepest feelings and emotions and cares and dreams, you have to fight for it. Alice Walker

Freedom and democracy are dreams you never give up. Aung San Suu Kyi

You keep dreaming big, never put the limit on your dreams, and believe that everything can come true. Bianca Balti

The dreams and passions stored within hearts are powerful keys which can unlock a wealth of potential. John C. Maxwell

FACTS

The fastest any human has ever traveled was during the re-entry of the Apollo 10 module, at a maximum speed of 24,830 miles per hour, or 7 miles per second.

Football player Ronaldinho Gaucho lost a $750,000 deal with Coca-Cola simply by taking a sip from a Pepsi.

If you can convince yourself that you slept well last night, even though you didn’t, your brain will be tricked into thinking you aren’t tired. It’s called “placebo sleep.”

If you sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry, anyone who places a sales call to your number can be fined up to $40,654 per call.

A shopping mall in China offers “husband storage” pods, where wives and girlfriends can leave their partners while they shop. Each pod is equipped with a TV, a gaming console and a leather massage chair.

Blue-eyed people have the highest rate of alcohol dependence.

Forget “hair of the dog” — a banana milkshake sweetened with honey is one of the best ways to cure a hangover. The banana helps calm the stomach while the honey builds up depleted blood sugar levels.

Studies show that the human brain remains half-awake when sleeping in a new environment for the first time.

LOVE

WORK FOR IT

So, what can you do to make your marriage the relationship of your dreams? The key is becoming a better partner. Improve your relationship by practicing these steps:

1. Practice gratitude.

The key to having more passionate and fun feelings about your spouse is to write down the things your spouse does for you, both short-term and long-term, that make you feel grateful.

2. Let go of your resentment.

If you have a chip on your shoulder because your partner isn’t helping in the kitchen often enough or planning social outings, those negative thoughts could be affecting the love and good feelings you’ve created over time. Take a hard look at the expectations you believe your spouse isn’t meeting. To get the excitement back, first you have to get over your resentments and strive for acceptance of your spouse.

3. Get physical.

Reincorporating everyday physical gestures here and there can help stir up those loving feelings again. Start small with a gentle brush of the arm, a pat on the back, holding hands, or just putting your hand on top of his. Every gesture counts.

4. Avoid the negativity bias.

The longer you’re married, the more likely you are to pay attention to the negative aspects of your spouse, rather than the traits you found adorable at first. It’s part of human nature.

To counteract this tendency toward criticism, you have to change your mindset and look for what is good.

5. Learn how to de-escalate.

When those inevitable arguments happen, try this approach. One person gets to call “Stop!” It’s called “de-escalation.” Put the heated discussion on pause and send yourself back to a safe, quiet space in the house to calm down. The pause usually lasts 20-30 minutes, maximum, and it is miraculous how you can solve things in two minutes after a de-escalation.

6. Do new things together.

Experts suggest you can increase happiness by increasing novelty—meaning doing new things and sharing new experiences together! Suggest taking a salsa or ballroom dance class, go on a biking trip together—even trying a new restaurant can help to break up the monotony and build excitement again.

Our patio structures will not warp, twist or rot! These products look like real wood and are durable and solid. They’re maintenance free, are available in 7 baked enamel colors and come with a lifetime limited warranty We install various sizes of interior faux beams to add custom touches in your home. The beams are available in various stains, patterns, and can be painted. We offer K-6 seamless and half round raingutter in 30 baked on enamel colors. We also supply and install custom radiused gutter for rounded entryways.

1. Name the Beatles album that was the first to contain all original material.

2. “The Morning After” was the theme song for which film?

3. Which artist was the first to release “When a Man Loves a Woman”?

4. Name the group that released “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye).”

5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “But they’re cousins, identical cousins all the way, one pair of matching bookends, different as night and day.”

SAVOR MEMORIES

By Matilda Charles

Many of us have created our family tree, hoping to leave something for the generations that will come after us. Having a list of the names of our ancestors and all their important dates is valuable, especially if you have a budding genealogist coming up through the ranks in your family.

But we can leave them more than that. We can leave them our personal history, our life story.

If this is a project you’d like to consider, there are several ways to proceed.

• You can acquire an old-school cassette tape recorder, a stack of cassette tapes, and start talking. Label them as to the date you made the recording and the general topics you covered on each one.

• You can go more high-tech and use the recording feature on your cellphone. Be sure you know how to save and backup the file.

• If you prefer to use a computer, you can type your information, save the files and make

backup copies, even printing out the pages. With typed pages you can make a memory book, including photos pasted onto the pages.

The hard part for many of us will be what to talk or write about. What will future generations care to know about us and the life we’ve lived?

You might start by flipping through your photo albums and making a list of potential topics. Pull out your scrapbooks to jog your memory.

A partial list of topics to consider: beloved pets, living through tough times, awards you’ve won, elderly relatives you remember, important people you’ve met, your first car, where you met your spouse, fads from high school, the scariest moment of your life, best vacation, a childhood toy, inventions that have come in your lifetime, the first place you ever lived, the dumbest fashion you ever wore, the person who had the most influence on you, etc.

Ready to start?

1. Is the book of 2 Thessalonians (KJV) in the Old or New Testament or neither?

2. From Titus 1, Paul wrote that unto the pure all things are ...? Gold, Righteous, Worthy, Pure

3. What archangel is mentioned by name in the book of Jude? Gabriel, Silas, Michael, Melchizedek

4. In 1 Kings 21, who forbid Naboth to give his vineyard to Ahab? The Lord, Jezebel, Absalom, Balaam

5. Jared was the father of Enoch and lived how many years? 110, 450, 600, 962

6. In Psalm 103:5, what bird’s youth is renewable? Dove, Eagle, Raven, Swallow

DINING GUIDE

DAD ORDINARY HERO

A father is someone you look up to no matter how tall you grow.

Unknown

When my father didn’t have my hand, he had my back.

Linda Poindexter

No man stands taller than when he stoops to help a child.

Abraham Lincoln

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.

Jim Valvano

I’ve said it before, but it’s absolutely true:

My mother gave me my drive, but my father gave me my dreams. Thanks to him, I could see a future.

Liza Minnelli

My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it.

Clarence Budington Kelland

Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, storytellers, and singers of song.

Unknown

Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad, and that’s why I call you dad, because you are so special to me. You taught me the game and you taught me how to play it right.

Wade Boggs

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.

Steve Martin

When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.

William Shakespeare

A father is the one friend upon whom we can always rely.

Emile Gaboriau

By profession I am a soldier and take great pride in that fact, but I am also prouder, infinitely prouder, to be a father.

A soldier destroys in order to build; the father only builds, never destroys.

General Douglas MacArthur

Dinner and a Movie!

HEALTH BUCKET LIST

It’s estimated that approximately one in four seniors are diagnosed with a mental illness, including but not limited to conditions like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. While there are a myriad ways to care for one’s mental health later in life, including therapy and medications, certain lifestyle choices can make a significant difference as well.

In fact, a recent survey suggests over 40% of U.S. adults at least 59 years old have a bucket list they want to achieve during their retirement years—many of

whom believe it supports their overall mental health.

Staying active and engaged later in life is directly associated with more positive feelings about one’s mental health. Among typical hobbies and daily routines, the coveted “bucket list” can help provide a source of inspiration for activity, as well as a sense of focus, momentum and, ultimately, fulfillment.

A bucket list can be any predetermined set of tasks or goals a person outlines as important for them to complete

during their lifetime. Ranging from as general as “read more for fun” and as specific as “hike Machu Picchu,” bucket list elements typically aim to provide an individual with a sense of accomplishment and contentment.

For older adults nearing and navigating retirement, bucket list priorities seem to be spending more time with their family and friends (55%), prioritizing their health and wellbeing (52%), traveling to other countries (46%) and spending more time in nature (46%).

Meanwhile, respondents at least 78 years old are excited about traveling to other countries (87%), finding a new hobby (78%), focusing on their health and well-being (74%), seeing more of the world’s sights (74%) and trying a new sport (74%).

While it’s common to experience increased feelings of worry and apprehension as one age’s, it’s clear that framing the years to come with a bucket list or similar tool can be a boon for one’s mental health and an overall positive perspective toward the future.

FLASHBACK

Answers from pg. 14

1. “A Hard Day’s Night,” in 1964, had 13 songs, all written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The U.S. and U.K. versions differed in track listings and were released two weeks apart.

2. “The Poseidon Adventure,” released in 1972. An ocean liner, on her last voyage before being scrapped, flips over in a tsunami, trapping the passengers in the upside down ship.

3. Percy Sledge, in 1966. The song shot to No. 1 on all the U.S. charts. Michael Bolton followed with a cover in 1991. His version also went to No. 1.

4. “Gladys Knight & The Pips, in 1972.

5. “The Patty Duke Show” theme song, 1963-1966. Patty Duke played both parts, both the American cousin and her identical British cousin.

If you’ve seen a trailer online showing Henry Cavill as James Bond (with an American accent, no less), you’re looking at a fake AI video. Cavill had no knowledge or input in the video, but his people believe that his overzealous fans, who’ve been campaigning on his behalf to be cast as 007, took matters into their own capable hands. Frankly, Cavill, at 41, is already too old. James Bond is supposed to be 37 years old, and the next film won’t be out for at least two years.

Academy-Award-winning actor Eddie Redmayne received mixed reviews in the Broadway production of “Cabaret” for his portrayal of The Emcee. Unsuspecting audiences are led into an alley, past garbage cans to a dimly lit lounge, where greeters offer free shots of cherry schnapps. This is followed by 75 minutes of nightclub ambiance in various bars en route to the theater that has been transformed into the actual Kit Kat Club, where the show begins.

1. What member of the 1919 World Series champion Cincinnati Reds was head coach of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles from 1941-50 and was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969?

2. Name the Indiana University president who fired men’s basketball coach Bob Knight in 2000 and went on to become president of the NCAA in 2003

3. John Salley was the first player to win NBA championships with three different franchises. What were they?

4. What two college football rivals played in a dramatic 2016 game that became known as “The Block at the Rock”?

ANSWERS:

Greasy Neale 2) Myles Brand 3) Detroit Pistons (1989-90), Chicago Bulls (1996) and Los Angeles Lakers (2000)

The Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes.

YOU DARE TO DREAM

Dreams do come true! If you’ve been dreaming about changing your life, the time to start is now—regardless of your age. Change starts by creating a vision of who you want to become. Seeing is believing, so walk by sight and believe that your best days are ahead of you. Practice these steps as you make your dreams come true.

1. Picture your future.

Anyone who has achieved anything in this world started with a vision. Create a picture of who you’re becoming, not who you are today. Think of who you want to be and what you want to do or have. Imagine what it would look, feel, sound, taste and smell like. Snap that photograph of yourself according to your vision.

2. Focus on your potential.

Whatever you focus on expands, so shift your focus on your potential and the upsides of life, not your problems and the downsides. Seeing is believing, so now that you can see it, you can believe in the person you’re becoming. That picture becomes the new point of focus, your target, your measurable destination. Now you know exactly where you’re going.

3. Stick with it.

Keep your eyes on the prize. Never let your environment, other people’s beliefs or the limits of what has been done in the past shape your decisions. Even in the face of doubt or controversy, stick with it no matter what. Do not give up regardless of the difficulties you will face.

4. Walk in the direction of your vision.

Now that you know where you’re going and who you’re becoming, take daily action in the direction of your vision until you pick up momentum. Think of your vision as your destination and take steps in the direction of your vision.

5. Live it.

All the cumulative actions, thoughts and behaviors will lead you in accomplishing your journey to be the person you created in the photographs.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups fresh raspberries

3 cups fresh blackberries

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced 1-1/3 cups sugar, divided

4 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 cup orange juice

DIRECTIONS

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cartons (8 ounces each) mascarpone cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 packages (7 ounces each) crisp ladyfinger cookies

Additional fresh berries, optional

Place berries in a large bowl. Mix 1/3 cup sugar, orange zest and orange juice; toss gently with berries. Refrigerate, covered, 45 minutes. Beat cream until soft peaks form. In another bowl, mix mascarpone cheese, vanilla and remaining 1 cup sugar. Fold in whipped cream, a third at a time. Drain berries over a shallow bowl, reserving juices. Dip ladyfingers in reserved juices, allowing excess to drip off; arrange ladyfingers in a single layer on bottom of a 13x9-in. dish. Layer with half the berries and half the mascarpone mixture; repeat layers, starting with ladyfingers. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. If desired, top with additional berries before serving.

Contract with us between June 1, 2024 and December 1, 2024 and you will be entered into a drawing to win $2500! Drawing will take place the first week of December 2024.

Valid on all new orders contracted by 6/30/24. May not be combined with other offers. Must present coupon at time of estimate.

PURSUIT Answers on pg. 44

1. Which European country has the largest

2 Which sitcom features a character named Ron Swanson?

3 What are the three layers of the Earth?

4. Which 2001 movie has a famous “bend and snap” scene?

5. What is a modern U.S. penny made of mostly?

6 What is a common name for an animal in the Leporidae family?

7. Which children’s book contains the line, “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast”?

BEVERAGE CLUB

COOL DOWN

Pineapple Paloma

Ingredients

3 ozs. pineapple juice

1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

2 ozs. tequila

1 pinch sea salt

4 ounces Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit

Fresh lime slice, for garnish

Directions

Add the pineapple juice, lime juice, tequila, and sea salt to an ice-filled highball glass. Top the glass off with the Sparkling Pink Grapefruit mixer, give it a stir, and garnish with a slice of lime.

Coffee Manhattan

Ingredients

2 parts Maker’s Mark 46® bourbon

1/2 part coffee liqueur

1/2 part full-bodied amaro

2 dashes Angostura® aromatic bitters

Fresh orange peel, for garnish

1 Luxardo® cherry, for garnish

Directions

Add the Maker’s Mark 46®, coffee liquor, amaro, and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until wellchilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Squeeze the orange peel (peel side facing the glass) over the cocktail to release its oils and rub on the rim of the glass. Drop the peel into the glass and add the cherry as a garnish.

Ginger Fever Punch

Ingredients

1 1/2 ozs. blanco tequila

3/4 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed

3/4 oz. pomegranate juice

1/2 oz. grapefruit juice

1/2 oz. goji ginger syrup*

Fever-Tree ginger beer, to top Garnish: pomegranate seeds, grapefruit slice, rosemary sprig

Direction

Add the tequila, lime juice, pomegranate juice, grapefruit juice and goji simple syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until wellchilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

Top with ginger beer. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, a grapefruit slice and a rosemary sprig.

*Goji ginger syrup: Add 4 ounces ginger juice, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon goji berries into a blender and blend at medium speed. Strain and pour into a sealed container. Will keep, refrigerated, for up to two weeks.

Zingy Michelada

Ingredients

4 lime wedges, for garnish

1 pinch to 2 pinches celery salt, coarse salt, for garnish

1/4 tsp. celery salt for drinks

1 (6 oz.) can tomato juice or Clamato

1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. Tabasco or preferred hot sauce

2 (12 oz.) bottles or cans light lager (Modelo is ideal)

5+ handfuls ice cubes

Directions

Prepare the glasses: rub the rims of four tall glasses with the lime wedges, then coat the rims with either celery or plain salt. In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the tomato juice, lime juice, celery salt, Worcestershire, and Tabasco and mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste. Add a handful of ice to each of the prepared glasses, then divide the tomato juice mixture between them. Top up the glasses with half a bottle of beer each, then garnish with a lime wedge.

AAA SENIOR PLACEMENT AZ

A Message from Sue Royer

“I was born and raised in inner city Chicago, the sixth of eighteen children with fifteen brothers. Being the oldest daughter, I was always a caregiver which I believe influenced me to pursue work in the healthcare industry. Today, I have three daughters and five grandchildren.

Years ago, I volunteered for hospice and knew immediately that helping seniors was my calling. I was soon employed by hospice but I felt something was missing. I realized it was the limited time I was able to spend with my clients. Having my own business allows me to provide the intimate hands on service needed in our community. I am committed to our seniors throughout their lives and I thank the community for the opportunity to serve.”

Sue RoyerDirector

About Us

Since 2002, AAA Senior Placement AZ has been offering FREE services helping seniors find safe, affordable and loving assisted living.

When it becomes too difficult for you or your loved ones to safely manage daily living and/or manage medical needs, call Sue Royer for help navigating the many options available.

We are specialists in all levels of assisted living care resources with referrals to Arizona’s best:

• Group Homes

• Assisted Living Communities

• In-Home Primary Care Physicians

• Home Health Care Therapy

• Transportation

• Private Duty In-Home Care

• Respite Care

• Alzheimer’s Care

• Memory Care

• Hospice

• Support Groups

Assisted living resources accepting:

• Private pay

• Arizona Long Term Care-ALTCS

• Medicaid

• VA Benefits

6 Reasons You Should Call

AAA Senior Placement AZ

• We are well known and respected in the medical community.

• All clients are given a thorough assessment to determine proper placement needs.

• There is never a fee charged to the senior or their family for our service.

• We are NOT contractually bound to any outside business. This allows us to serve our clients with only their interests in mind.

• Years of knowledge and experience in the field of senior care.

• AAA Senior Placement AZ is family owned, allowing us to give you quality, personalized service.

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