DATE YOUR MATE

Keeping your love growing takes time. Most experts say the best way to keep your relationship fresh is by going on regular date nights with your spouse—whether you’ve been together one year or 50!

According to research, couples who have a monthly date night, foster stronger relationships and are 14% less likely to break up. Other findings from the research show couples who participate in date nights experience the following benefits:

Improved Communication

Couples are less distracted by other responsibilities, giving them the chance to talk about important topics and mutual pursuits and goals.

More Novelty

Couples in long-term relationships become used to each other and can grow bored in the relationship, taking one another for granted. Date night adds excitement and novelty to the connection which leads to more satisfaction in the relationship.

Heightened Romance

Date nights can help rekindle the romantic and sexual spark in the relationship when couples engage in intimate and romantic outings together.

Stronger Commitment

Date nights solidify your coupleness and the connection just the two of you share. It makes you feel more committed as you strengthen communication and romance. Going out together signifies to other people as well, that the two of you are a committed couple.

Stress Relief

Stress is one of the main culprits of relationship conflict that can threaten your closeness. Going on date nights gives you an outlet for relieving stress, as it allows couples to step away from the challenges of daily life. During date nights, couples can provide love and support to one another that is also stressrelieving.

Here are some ideas to start up your date night routine:

1. Put your singing skills on display and share your favorite songs with your partner at a karaoke bar.

2. Go to a comedy night or an improv show.

3. Go to a bookstore and browse the travel section. Plan your dream vacation together.

4. Make a bonfire outside (with or without friends) and drink hot cocoa.

5. Pick a room in your house to repaint. Get creative with a color that you wouldn’t normally choose.

Flashback Answers

From

1. Terry Jacks. The singer is dying and is saying goodbye to family and friends.

2. The Jackson 5, in 1970. It stayed at the top of the soul charts for six weeks. Michael Jackson was 12 years old at the time.

3. The Troggs, in 1966. Their name came from Troglodytes, who were cave dwellers. The Wild Ones version of the song in 1965 didn’t chart.

4. ”Celebration,” in 1980. It was their only song to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

5. ”Any Which Way You Can,” by Glen Campbell, in 1980. The song was the title track of the film.

Are you recently retired or unemployed, at loose ends and wondering what your next steps should be? If you’re looking for ways to help other veterans, here are some fun ideas.

As a place to start, ask if the Habitat for Humanity near you is building a home for a veteran. You might end up as a Habitat employee in charge of volunteer resources or running a Habitat ReStore full of building materials.

Look around online for organizations in your area that are raising and training service dogs for veterans. These puppies need to spend the first year of their lives in a loving environment to get them ready for their allimportant service dog training.

Volunteer on an Honor Flight. Keep an eye on the schedule in your area for the Honor Flights, those allexpenses-paid trips that take hundreds of veterans to Washington, D.C. They need volunteers for every trip to escort mostly elderly veterans to see all of their monuments and spend the day together.

Facts

All of the world’s pandas are technically owned by China. The country leases them to zoos in an act called panda diplomacy.

Bananas get their curves by turning skyward as they grow, to absorb sunlight.

Fingers prune in water to give you a better grip.

Michael Buffer has made over $400 million from his trademark catchphrase, “Let’s get ready to rumble!”

In the 2015 film “Jurassic World,” Chris Pratt’s character carries a stainless Marlin 1895 — the only firearm on Marlin’s website that’s rated for a T-Rex.

Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury’s overbite resulted from four extra teeth in his upper jaw. He refused to have them removed, however, for fear the surgery would affect his voice and vocal range.

Pentheraphobia is the fear of your mother-inlaw. There, folks, you now have an official name for it.

During a 1976 strike by Los Angeles medical doctors, the death rate decreased by 18%.

The only people guaranteed to get Super Bowl rings, regardless of a game’s outcome, are the referees, though their rings aren’t nearly as large or valuable as that of the players.

Crossword Puzzle

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.

FLIRTY FIZZ

Ingredients

1 part Pinnacle® Original Vodka

2 parts Cranberry Juice

Splash of Club Soda

Garnish with Cranberries

Instructions

Mix ingredients and serve over ice. Garnish with cranberries.

POMEGRANATE

BELLINI-TINI

Ingredients

1/2 parts Pinnacle® Pomegranate Vodka

4 parts Champagne

1 splash Grenadine

Instructions

In a champagne flute rimmed with sugar pearls, pour in vodka and champagne. Top with a splash of grenadine.

Chocolate Covered

Ingredients

2 parts Pinnacle® Red Berry Vodka

1 part DeKuyper® Creme de Cocoa White Liqueur

1 part Pinnacle® Chocolate Whipped® Vodka

Chocolate Shavings

Raspberries Instructions

Rim martini glass with shaved chocolate. Shake with ice, strain into prepared martini glass and garnish with raspberries.

Now that you know regular date nights are beneficial to your relationship, the next step is figuring out what to do on these special nights out.

Are you looking for something a bit more exciting or unique than just going out to dinner and a movie? There are lots of things to do on a date that you may not have considered. Here are some ideas to freshen up your date night routine:

1. Cook dinner together and enjoy it at home by the fire or out on the patio if it is nice outside. Make one dish that each of you remembers from your childhood to share with the other person.

2. Play with the animals at your local animal shelter. This will help you give back to the community while also enjoying the company of a dog or cat.

3. Find an outdoor concert that offers inexpensive lawn tickets and grab your lawn chairs for an entertaining date night.

4. Pretend you are in the PGA as you compete against each other in mini golf. Make sure that the loser buys ice cream when you’re finished.

5. Do a selfie photoshoot and update all of the pictures in your house of the two of you.

6. Go for a treasure hunt by shopping in all of the local thrift stores to see what kind of things you can find.

7. Make the ultimate throw-back playlist of songs that you both used to listen to in high school. Talk about the memories that the songs bring up.

8. Make a fancy pizza together at home. Get all of the ingredients from a specialty store and see what kind of combinations you can come up with.

9. Start learning a new language together. Once you get good at it, you can consider taking a trip to a country where the language is spoken.

10. Take your spouse on a surprise trip. Tell them what to pack, but don’t tell them where you are going. You can even blindfold your partner on the day of the trip if you need to.