Page 3 – Like fine wine we get better with age.

Have You Been Scammed!!

Steps to take if a contractor has left your project without completing.

Let’s talk about those people, who intentionally decide to scam folks. OK, they may not go out and think I am going to get you. However, in the end they do, mislead you to get your money. We will look at one case that I know of, and work through it.

Contractor offers to do a job. A contract is completed, a check for supplies is written. The following day the job has began. The contractor is on the job for a bit, then leaving to run to get more supplies. He leaves his crew at the site, to continue to work. Four people, to complete a two story deck. They work most of the day, get a good start. Day 2, only two show to work, on this two story deck. The contractor does not show up at all. Things are not being done correctly, phone call to contractor leads to contractor being busy and not coming to site. End result, contractor pulls his crew and says “we will be back”. That was the last time the contractor was seen.

Doing what was thought. to be a good bit of research prior to hiring the contractor, the home owner was very upset. What recourse does a homeowner have. Several options but, they led to nowhere for this home owner. Numerous phone calls, emails, reaching out on social media, lead to no response from contractor. The homeowner was contacted by 3 other individuals, that had the same experience.

Home owner decided to file a small claims case, more money spent and again no response. Homeowner sent information to local TV station that does investigations, no response. That could be that not enough folks had been scammed by this contractor. Attorney general, no response to them, from the contractor. BBB, no response from the contractor. So, While every step was taken that is available, the homeowner was left with an unfinished deck. They lost money and time. A lawyer was contacted, the amount in question was to small, so the lawyer would not take the case.

Here are some steps that you can take if this happens to you.

1)Call the place that the contractor uses to get their supplies. If they had supplies delivered to your site and did not pay for them. The company can place a lean on your property. These leans must be paid before a property can be sold.

2)If anything was stolen, make a police report. This is the one thing that does not cost money.

3)File a small claims suit if less than $5000. That is most you can get back. So, if your loss is higher, you may at least get back $5000. It will cost you court cost and fees, for serving the contractor. This will only move forward if they can find the contractor to serve them paper that they are being sued. So, could be wasted money, or could be a return of some of your hard earned money. Court cost are between $28-50 to file the case. Cost to serve the papers could be from $25-30 paid to the county. Most law firms will not take the case if not a large loss (to them) it has to be high enough to support the cost for taking to court.

4)Contact the BBB, they will try to contact the contractor. If the contractor does not respond there is nothing else. You are able to file the compliant online, so others may not be taken by this contractor.

5)Contact your states attorney general(look up the one for your state). If there are enough complaints they will investigate. They do try to contact the contractor also but unfortunately, if they do not get in contact the case is closed.

Before signing a contract, before writing a check for any amount research the company. When you think you have researched them, look further. Remember, to read their social media pages, look at BBB, call their references (ask if they are being paid to say good things.). Do not pay anything in advance.

These are hard lessons learned by many. Hours spent researching will save your money and possibly save from having a lean on your property. Do you have any hints or tricks that you have learned, please share your stories below.

SALE, FREE, DISCOUNT

Finding the best sales, freebies, and discounts. My four favorites.

Hey everyone, have you been just waiting to get out there and go shopping? Do you love sales? This week I plan to give some tips on saving money.

A friend of mine is remodeling her bathroom. We were discussing how expensive even the supplies can be. Even when it’s a DIY project, there are a lot of cost. So we got to talking about different stores and different sales. She said that her husband shops at Lowe’s so he can get his veteran discount. He get a 10% discount through Lowe’s. Home depot offers this discount also. This began the talk of discounts. In our area there is a Lowe’s, Home depot, and Menards. There are also a few smaller home improvement stores.

Lowe’s and Home depot both give a veterans discount of 10%. Menards, runs several sales that give you an 11% rebate. Home depot and Lowe’s also at different times run the 11% rebate. Both of the stores you can use your veterans discount at the time of purchase, and send your receipt for your 11% rebate. Depending on when you are needing to go shopping for your supplies, and what stores you have close. It’s worth checking out what sales are going on at what times. Obviously, if you’re not a veteran it just matters which store is offering 11% off at the time. Doing some research could save you both 10% at the store, and 11% in rebate. All three stores the 11% offer rebate, comes back to you in a gift card to use at that store. I don’t know about you but we always have some project, that we can use that money on.

We are not specific store shoppers. We are not affiliated with any of the above stores either. We have remodeled a home, therefore, found the best prices and discounts.

Another thing we have found, over the years is Menard’s crazy day sales. If you look at their sale ads. They will have items that might cost you upfront, but you will get a full rebate in the mail. We have a supply of paint brushes, windshield wipers blades, paint trays, liquid nail and silicone. We probably have many more items, than listed, I just can’t think of them right now. While I may not need these items right now, I will use them.

I watch for good Christmas gifts. Throughout, the year I watch sale ads. When they have things that would make a great Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers, I pick them up. Sometimes, I get them for free or at a very discounted price. When Christmas comes, it is as easy as wrapping the gifts.

Christmas gifts, Stocking stuffers. — Buying gifts when they are on sale!

Another store that offers some of these items, Harbor freight. Throughout, the year they will run sales. If you buy an item, you get a another item for free. The free items could be flashlights, small tarps, small packing blankets, screwdrivers, or other small items. These are great stocking stuffers.

I have a special way of organizing these gifts so that, as I buy them throughout the year I know who each gift belongs. Fortunately, that’s not something I’m going to divulge in this blog. I don’t want them to know where to look when they come to my house.

So this week I challenge you to look at those sale ads. Don’t just throw them away . You just might find there’s a great item that you could use that’s free. If you have a store sale or rebate you’d like to share comment below. If you would like to get an email with new post announcements sign up for our email list.

Reaching that Goal!

Lets talk goals and work on them.

How have you been doing reaching your goals? We started with standing during commercials. Then moved onto Standing during the TV show. To walking around the room. We have talked about many different things that you can do while in your home.

If you are still working on the previous post that is OK!! But if you are ready to move on, lets get going. The weather is getting nicer so let’s head outside. I know that during covid we are to stay home. So home it is, in your own yard. See that mailbox, walk to it(if it is in your yard and/or you can maintain social distancing walking to it). Walk it, two or three times a day if you can.

In case you prefer to stay indoors, or you are still going to work. I have looked for some links to chair exercises . While this says for seniors, anyone can start here and use them. I also found some chair exercises for your office. When you are feeling that mid day slump. Any movement, exercise can help you to gain strength and endurance. This is a blog post with great information about exercises you can do at your desk.

network, rectangle, rings — All you short term goals = success to your long term goal. Keep working.

Goal setting is key to better health. The larger goal can be set at any time frame that’s obtainable for you. Then set smaller goals within that time frame. This helps you see progress while you are working toward your larger goal. Celebrate small victories to keep you excited. Think back three weeks ago, where were you, and where are you now. If you’ve set a goal and if you’re meeting your goals. You on your way!! Soon you will meet that larger goal!

shoes, legs, boys — Stand up for your health!

Challenge for this time is that you stand up for your goals. Reach your small goals so that you can achieve your larger goal. The weather is nice, by all means go outside and do your walking if you can. Stand up for YOU!!

Lets head to Canada

Come to Canada with us! Travel from home during our stay at home covid 19.

We often make a vacation out of conferences, that I attend for work. We look ahead and see where the national conferences are going to be held. If that’s somewhere we want to visit, we plan a trip. So, when it headed to Toronto, so did we. This is the second country we had visited. This trip was planned around the national physician assistant conference. My husband’s mom went with us on this trip. She loves to travel, but not alone.

We flew to Toronto; I saw NY city out the plane windows. I had always wanted to know what New York was like. All the hype and all. I have not been back, not that I would not like to see it on the ground, but just that we have not traveled that way. We landed in Toronto and there was a hotel shuttle to take us to our hotel. We normally stay with Marriott and this time was at Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel. My husband worked for Marriott for a while, but they are just a good company that cares for their associates. Our hotel was 3 blocks from the conference center, where I would spend the next 5 days.

Each day was new and exciting. I have never lived in a place, that you would walk to work. The busy streets, cars honking at each other all the time. They yield to pedestrians all the time. Very different, at times, from the US. We did not rent a car while there, we walked and took the double decker bus around town.

The first few days, we got up, my hubby walked with me to my conference and then he returned at lunch, and then the end of the day. It was fun, new, exciting time for both of us. His mom would not walk over as much. We found that there was a theatre and you could get free tickets at 11am. So, a friend who attended the conference also and I walked over to get tickets. The theatre show for that evening could sell out if we did not get there in time. It was to be the four of us to attend. We were able to get 4 tickets, but not next to each other. It was to be a fun evening. My hubby did not feel well and walked back to the hotel. I did not realize he went back and thought he had gone into the theatre. So, needless to say that was a little distracting but the play was great! Hubby, was good when we returned to our hotel.

We bought a 3-day pass for the double Decker bus, for the last 4 days that we were there. The bus had 21 stops throughout the city and you could get on and off as you wished. We were able to stay on as long as were would like. We chose to ride the entire routes a couple times to get somewhat acquainted to the city. Then we would get off and venture out.

We attended a fun festival at the city Centre park, walked around shops, and saw homes and factories. As we were walking in the park, we noted they were giving away a car. We could not sign up, because we did not have a Canadian address. We were however, able to enjoy the rest of the Italian festival. We tried gelato for the first time. Booths with businesses, crafts, and music. It was a fun afternoon.

We took a bus tour from Toronto to Niagara Falls. This is a vacation destination for both, the US and Canada. We were I think lucky to have been on the Canadian side. I have not seen it from the US side, but it appears that it may not be as great of a view. There is a bridge that takes you from the Canadian side to the US side. We did not walk the bridge as it was a long bridge and we were limited on time. So, all my story is from the Canadian side. Our bus took us from our Hotel to Niagara Falls. We stopped in Niagara, Canada. This is a town on the edge of the falls. We walked around and stopped to eat lunch. We tried poutine for the first time. I loved it, my hubby, not so much. There were great little shops, the roads while straight, were up and down hills. These were not just small inclines; they were HILLS and steep ones.

Next was the park at Niagara Falls. We got off the bus to the mist coming from the falls. Glad we had ponchos. We took a tour on a boat called maid of the mist; we were able to get up close to the falls. It was massive. So much water, such a force. Back to dry (well misty) land and the gift shops and viewpoints. This is a trip I would recommend, it is hard to imagine, even with pictures.

Back on the bus to the vineyards, we stopped to have a tasting of frozen grape wine. Did you know that when grapes freeze there is only a two-week window to harvest them? Each grape only gives a couple drops of juice, to make into wine. Imagine the number of grapes, in the bottle of wine. I am not an alcohol drinker, but I did taste one. Not for me, my hubby and his mom did like the dry ones, but not so much the sweet ones.

We then headed back to the hotel and up early to catch our flight back home. Hope you enjoyed this trip to Toronto. Our lives are still not the same with the stay at home, still in many places. If you enjoyed this trip please share! Sign up for our email list if you would like to have updates on new post.

Come to Cancun with Us

Take a virtual trip to Mexico. Read about our trip and start planning yours!

So much is going on right now in the world. I chose to take this week’s topic South. In 2009, my husband surprised me with a trip to Cancun. We are adventurous, but not that adventurous, so he booked us in an all-inclusive resort. So off to Cancun we went.

We flew from Missouri to Dallas, then down to Cancun. We had read up on what to expect and the stories held true. When arriving at the airport, we retrieved our luggage and out the door to all the taxies waiting. We found the taxi that we felt was good for us and off to our resort we headed. When arriving, I was a bit surprised that the front office was open air. There were no doors, just up the steps, to the main area. You could see the pools and ocean from the front desk. We checked in and up to our room we headed.

We had the honeymoon suite, even though we had been married for 22 years at that time. It was like a honeymoon. Our room was at the end of the building. We had our own hot tub and deck. The view was fabulous. We could see the entire resort and the ocean from our balcony.

Looking down we could see the pools, the cabanas, beach, and ocean. So many folks out there, just relaxing. We decided to take a stroll. Down the elevator and out the corridor to so much beauty. We were finally alone, together. No cell phones (at that time it cost $$$$ to have cell service in another country). We were just us, for a few short days.

Making a decision about what to do while in Mexico. As with most any destination, you can fill your days with trips or choose to stay at the resort. We chose to take a bus trip to the market that everyone said we should check out one day. On other days, we took a trip. We went to the ruins Chichen Itza, and to the Island of women, Isla Mujeres. I had never been on a catamaran so the trip was intriguing.

Touring the city was very interesting. I was surprised by the filth. Maybe they did not see things the way I did. I wondered why, if this is a vacation destination, would they allow things to look dirty. We got to the market that everyone told us we should go to Market 28. It was like our flea markets here in the states. We went from booth to booth, as we heard them tell us what great deals they had. The American dollar was worth more than the paseo so they were happy to get a sale. Yes, we did buy some souvenirs. We decided that we would eat back at the resort.

Our trip to Chichen Itza started very early in the day. The bus loaded around 7am, for our 2-hour drive to the ruins. The ruins are villages, buildings, that have been found by digging. The Mayan tribe lived in these villages. They had large rock buildings for homes. There was a ball court with seating. On the way into the ruins there were vendors selling many different types of items. This also happened in the days that the Mayan people lived there. We were not able to climb on any of the buildings, like you can at some of the ruins. It was a very hot day. We used wash cloths soaked in water to help stay cool. In the middle there was a pyramid. The story goes that they told time by the stairs on the pyramid. The shadows, made by the sun and the steps, helped tell the time. The one story that still sticks in my mind, is winning the game. The story goes that the winner’s, have their heads chopped off. All I could think, was how happy I was to not be the winner. This was a long day of learning a new culture, eating foods that were “different” cuisine and learning that winning is not always winning.

We headed to bed early this night as the following day was another trip. We were heading to the Island of the women, “Isla Mujeres”. I am excited to go on my first catamaran ride and of course see the Island of the women.

Up early again, as we had to take the city bus, to the catamaran business, to get on the boat. The buses are paid, per ride, and they have a jar for you to put your money in. You need to have correct change for each time you get on the bus. We arrived early, but that it OK, since we didn’t want to miss the boat. They have scuba gear for those who are choosing to dive when we make a stop, on the way to the island. They say the coral wreaths are beautiful. I have never been able to figure out how to breath with my mouth, when wearing scuba gear. I am such a nose breather, I just fogged up my mask. So, I did not rent any gear, neither did my hubby. We were all loaded on the boat, and what a vast number of folks from so many countries were on the boat.

The ones that drew our attention the most, were the four ladies from England. They were in their 70’s, I am sure. Each one in a bikini (not that they had perfect figures) but they had confidence. One of the ladies did not have her straps on her bikini top at all. I am really, to this day, not sure how it stayed on. I am thinking duct tape on the inside. They danced and had a great time the entire trip.

Second was the lady who brought her son (age around 10). Yes, they did say this is a party catamaran, not a family one. But he did get an education as she kept him at the front and looking forward. Then was upset that the adult sized scuba gear did not fit him, to snorkel. With language barriers, she may not have understood it all. But I do think he had a good time; she was probably a little stressed the entire time.

We also had that one, you know the one with the perfect body and wearing a thong bikini, the one the guys all enjoyed and the ladies thought “was I ever there”.

We finally get to the Island and it was such a pretty place, nice clean streets, little shops, great picture spots. We walked around, shopped, sat at the park, and ate on the beach at one of the little shops. This was a relaxing time of the day.

Our trip back was without stops, but lots of partying. It was fun. I do not drink alcohol much at all. So only chose to have soda and water. However, many drinking games were played. Such a fun time. We were glad to get back to the resort to relax and enjoy our fine dining experience in the French restaurant that evening. With the honeymoon suite we were given one night of specialty dinning experience.

The last day was just relaxation. We met a couple that was from Italy and they had come to the resort for a two-week vacation. How nice I thought, two weeks of just relaxation. We finally took time to relax by the ocean. Then to bed, as we were headed home the next morning.

I hope you have a chance to go on a vacation, enjoy different cuisines and cultures. If only by doing it through reading and cooking in your home. Have you had any great trips you would like to share? If so, comment below. Also, if you are enjoying reading my blog please share with your friends.

Mask and Gloves Do it Right!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You just infected yourself with corona.

Corona virus or Covid 19 is a novel virus, meaning that we have not seen it before. We are fighting an enemy that we cannot see, hear, or feel. We are doing things, that we never thought about in the past. We have seen companies shut down, laid off workers, no dine in options (except at your own table, in your home). Many folks are working from home. Many parents are having to become teachers, and the list goes on. Today we are going to talk about those mask and gloves that are being worn for our protection.

A couple weeks ago I posted about hand washing. It seems that everyone is on board with learning new techniques. Actually, old ones, that had become, automatic for so many. Hand washing for 20 seconds. Cleaning under our fingernails. Not turning off the water, with our clean hands. Using a towel or paper towel to turn off the water. We have done fairly well at relearning this skill.

Now, let’s go on virtual trip to the grocery store. You walk in, you are told “the carts are sanitized, please stay 6 feet from others”. You are playing by the rules and try your best. You have a mask on, you have put on your gloves. You are feeling protected, now start shopping. You look at different soups, pick up the can and look at the nutrition label, and sit it down. Then look at the next, and the one after that. Your phone rings so you answer it, your spouse reminds you to pick up some milk. You put your phone back in your purse. Head to the milk isle, and pick out a gallon of milk. Your eye itches and you reach up and rub it. CONGRATULATIONS!!! You just infected yourself with corona.

You thought you were being careful. You are only as clean as those gloves. You have picked up and sat down many items. Not one time did you sanitize your hands (probably because you had on gloves). I would like to believe that this scenario would not happen, but it does every day. Worse, people are not trained on the proper way to remove dirty mask and gloves. Here is a link, to my Facebook page where I have a video about the proper use of mask and gloves.

https://www.facebook.com/102889964651305/videos/158572015484246

As you can see there is a safe way to put on your mask and gloves and to remove them. Following this technique will decrease your chances of infecting yourself with covid 19, or any other illness. Why is it so important to put on, and take off your gloves and mask correctly?

“More than one-third of healthcare workers were contaminated with multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO) after caring for patients colonized or infected with the bacteria, according to a study published today in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. The study found that 39 percent of workers made errors in removing personal protective equipment (PPE), including gowns and gloves, increasing the incidence of contamination.” Per study reported in ScienceDaily. “(https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190320110630.htm) March 20,2019.

If this happens within healthcare, where they have been trained properly, what is happening with those not trained? Here is a link to video from the CDC on mask and glove training.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

As in my scenario above with picking up many different items, with the same gloves. This is another example of what was found in healthcare. Again with staff that have been trained.

“The major break in compliance with glove use was failure to change gloves between procedures on the same patient.” Per review article https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26447080, May 15, 2015

The use of facial masks, has long been a belief, that only healthcare workers, working with someone ill should wear them. This is false. Not only do these mask help keep the ill person from spreading germs, they also help protect the healthy person from getting the germs. If both are wearing mask, that will decrease the spread of disease. I have not found any great studies to show figures and if you have some please share.

We are in the middle of a pandemic. We are all worried about becoming ill. We can help stop the spread by a few simple things.

#1 hand washing, at least 20 seconds with soap.

#2 When out in public or helping others wear a mask and gloves. Yes, the home-made ones are better than nothing.

hand disinfection, disinfection, mouth guard

#3 Social isolation as much as possible.

Thanks for stopping by, and reading my post. I challenge you to wear your mask, wash your hands and stay 6 feet from others. Do you have any great ideas, tips or tricks? If so, please share in the comments below. If you like my blog please share it with others.

EASTER-He has RISEN!

He died so we may live!

This weeks topic EASTER! Most years we are out buying up eggs, coloring kits and the such. Deciding which church service we are going to attend. Making plans to help with serving or cooking Easter breakfast or eating at church. Kids are excited that they will get to hunt for Easter eggs. We buy them gift baskets and such.

This year is different. We are all practicing social distancing. We are, or most of us are, on stay at home, city or state mandates. We are to only be out for the essentials. Well, Jesus is essential. While we are not to hold gatherings over ten, we can meet virtually and praise him.

If you have small ones at home, decorate those eggs, or use plastic ones. Have an Easter egg hunt at home. Remember to teach the meaning of Easter to the little ones, or attend a service online. Sunday we will all be exclaiming “He is risen, indeed! Faith Lutheran Church has many sermons and music online.

Happy Easter, He has Risen, He died so we may live. I challenge you to reach out via phone, text, internet to ones and share your heart with them.

Do you have a favorite Easter story or tradition? Share it in the comments.

7 ways to decrease your anxiety.

7 of many ways to help when you are suffering from anxiety symptoms.

Anxiety, what does it look like? Well the answer to that is different for most folks. Can it come on all the sudden? What if you have never had anything like that in the past? How do I cope with anxiety at home?

This week we will dive into anxiety. Anxiety is our bodies way of “warning” us that something might happen. The common symptoms are feeling of unease, heart racing, chest pain, feeling of shaking (may or may not be noticeable on the outside), sweating, pacing you get the idea. Anxiety can come on all the sudden, or can come on slowly. It can happen to anyone at any time. Most people can relate, that they had a significant event in life, that happened prior to the first time they experienced anxiety. There are many medications out there that can be used for anxiety. However, medication will take up to 40 minutes to take effect. See the list below on things you can try to do at home. Most of these will help in less than 40 minutes.

Now for the part that everyone is reading this blog to find out. How do I manage anxiety!!

1)Talk to a friend: While this seems simple, that is exactly what you need when you are anxious. Having someone to help you process the situation can be very helpful. Just hearing another view on a problem’s solution can be very comforting.

2)Take a walk: Just getting out and doing this can calm you. It takes you away from the place that the anxiety started. It allows for you to get some fresh air, see other things, and get your mind off of the situation that started your anxiety flare.

3)Take a bath, a warm bath with some soothing smells like lavender can help ease the spirit.

4)Listen to quiet music, water falls, light rain, birds chirping. You can get CD’s that have all these sounds and more. You could most likely find an app on your phone with the same types of music. These have been out for years and many people are able to relax when listening.

5)Read, do you have a favorite book? Do you prefer to look through magazines? Maybe you prefer kindle or online reading. Give this a try, next time you become anxious. Do not read about what makes you anxious, but look up things that are comforting to you.

6)Deep Breathing see this video on deep breathing exercises.

7)Exposure: Do you have a specific activity that causes you to become anxious. Slowly exposing yourself to this activity for only very short timeframes can help with overcoming your anxiety about that activity.

Do not turn to illegal drugs and/or alcohol. These are not good resources, drugs are addictive and while they may take away the symptoms for a bit, they are not great alternatives. Alcohol can cause many other diseases such liver disease, dementia, depression and more. When you turn to these, it can actually make anxiety worse over time.

The magic pill blog post, that I wrote, can be used here also. Many times, people want the pill that takes all their anxiety away. Pills do help at times, but are not great long-term options. They can help with as needed. However, sometimes you will require higher doses, the longer you take them. It is best to learn techniques that will help you at any time. Studies show that behavioral changes are better long-term treatments than medications in most anxiety type situations.

A little about medications for anxiety. There are both daily (maintenance) and as needed(rescue) type medications. You need to see your primary care or mental health provider to discuss if they are appropriate for you. I am not giving you medical advice this is only information to help you understand. If medication is warranted (by your provider) you will most likely be given a daily medication. These take 6-8 weeks for full effects and have some potential side effects (as do most anything you put in your mouth). These are the best for your control of anxiety along with behavioral changes. Short acting or rescue medications are sometimes used to help while getting the daily medication started. Sometimes you need to continue with rescue after the 6-8 weeks, but use, should be much less by that point. Again, talk with your primary or mental health provider about these options if you are interested. This is only for information purposes and is NOT healthcare advice.

So, if you are doing something daily that increases your anxiety, try to avoid that activity. You can try to have less exposure until it is not triggering your anxiety. For example, if you are watching the news several hours a day, and it increases your anxiety. Consider decreasing that activity and only watching 30 mins a day. You will get what you need without over doing it. Follow the information above to try to calm your anxiety, learning to use these behavior type activities, can be helpful anywhere, anytime. But like most things you have to practice. So when its needed you know what to do.

I challenge you to take the time and effort to use these techniques to help with your anxiety. If you have other tricks that help you, please, comment below.

3 things to help you stay healthy both physically and mentally during the corona virus.

Keeping healthy both physically and mentally.

In the last few months, our lives have done a 180. We have gone from moving about as we wish, to staying at home mandates. What was just an issue in China, is now here on our land. This is undoubtedly one of the hardest times we have seen. What a response we have seen, with others helping others.

Over the next several weeks, we will continue to need to stay home as much as possible. We will have to only go to the grocery store, gas station, pharmacy and doctor offices. During this time our normal social interactions will be greatly decreased.

Humans need social interactions, we depend on them to learn, love, and share. We love our families. However, being with only them, can become very irritating over time. Not being able to get out and do things can weigh on our mental health. Even the strongest mentally healthy folks can have anxiety and depression symptoms in these times.

What can you do to help yourself during these times?

First, stay healthy. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds. Read my hand washing blog here. Keep your family healthy by not getting out in public and possibly being exposed to the Corona virus. Simple things, like disinfecting your hard surfaces, cooking at home, keeping up on housework can all help you to stay healthy.

Second, learn, read, work on a hobby, teach others by writing or making a video. Find a reason to get up and do something every day. If we allow ourselves to just lay around, and not have a reason to get up, we can start feeling depressed. We can start having issues with anxiety. We have to be proactive and keep doing our daily task. Even though many are home working or laid off right now. This is the time for ourselves. Remember all those things you have said “I will do that when I have time”? This is the time!

Third, DO NOT allow all of this to take over your world. The corona virus is scary. It is happening. It is very contagious. We need to take it seriously. However, do what you can to keep calm during this time. If you need help, ask for it. There are others who can help you. If you are elderly, or you are immunodeficient allow others to help. This virus is not discriminatory, it will take any host that it can find.

I challenge you to check in on others (via phone) if you are able to help them. If you deliver needed items, drop them off at the door. If you need something, please reach out to your local community center, family, school district, or church family to let them know what you need. Please stay safe at home as much as possible. If you do get sick, contact your primary care provider by phone first, and follow their recommendations. While there are more testing sites available, talk with your primary care office first.

Keep in touch with us at Exploring life after 50!

[ctct form=”873″ show_title=”false”]