An Update and Thank You

Thank you to everyone for your kind comments and e-mails.
Monsieur Bear is now home after having a heart attack. Every thing looks much better now this week.
The prognosis looks good and I am so grateful to all the medical staff and the paramedics who have helped us get through this crisis.
I will be suspending my blogging for the time being but we again want to thank EVERYONE for your kind comments and well wishes.
When I have more time (and energy) I will be back blogging.
Until then, I remain--

Medical Emergency

Monsieur Bear has had a medical emergency.

I will be back later.

Saturday Funnies

Physical Fitness Helps Brains

From CTV.ca News Staff
*

"New research from the University of Calgary is providing yet another reason for women to stay physically active as they age.
The study, which is published in the international journal Neurobiology of Aging, has found that women who stay physically fit help their brains to function at optimum levels.
Marc Poulin, the senior author of the study, says physical activity helps blood flow in the brain -- and that leads to better cognitive abilities.
"The vascular benefits of exercise that have been reported previously in the heart and muscles are also conferred to the brain ... There are vascular benefits to the brain, as well, from exercise," he told CTV.ca by phone from the University of Calgary's Faculty of Medicine.
The study, entitled the "Effects of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cerebral Blood Flow on Cognitive Outcomes in Older Women," compared two groups of women whose mean age was 65 years old. It looked at a random sample of 42 women living in Calgary, splitting them into two groups. One group took part in regular aerobic activity and the other group of women was relatively sedentary.
Researchers then recorded and measured the women's cardiovascular health, resting brain blood flow and the reserve capacity of blood vessels in the brain, as well as cognitive functions.
Poulin says that the study proves for the first time that people who are fit have better blood flow to the brain.
"Our contribution is that we show there are benefits (from exercise) to blood vessels in the brain," he said.
The scientists found that compared to the inactive group, the active group had:
Ten per cent lower resting and exercising arterial blood pressure.
Five per cent higher vascular responses in the brain during submaximal exercise.
Ten per cent higher cognitive function scores, when the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood were elevated.
Poulin says the take home message from his study is simple: exercise helps women's cognition as they grow older. But he also said it also suggests that men could benefit as well -- along with younger women.
"The thing with exercise is that it has the potential to impact one's health at any age," he said."

*

So another good reason to get off my butt and to continue with my exercises every day, if I want to lose these 23 extra pounds that I have put on.

And maybe help with my brain functioning properly.

*

Rest In Peace

--------------------------Trooper Brian Richard Good

Another Canadian soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in the northern part of Afghanistan's Kandahar province early Wednesday, say military officials.
The soldier died when an improvised explosive device detonated near the armoured vehicle in which he was travelling. Three other soldiers were injured in the incident in the Shah Wali Kowt district, about 35 kilometres north of the city of Kandahar.
Trooper Brian Richard Good, 42, was a member of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, serving with the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment and stationed at the eastern Ontario Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.
Col. Jamie Cade, acting commander of Task Force Kandahar, described Good as an easygoing individual who would do anything for anyone.
"He was active in his community and the best neighbour you could ask for," said Cade.
"He had a distinctive laugh, a smile that reached from ear to ear. He is best remembered by his friends in the battle group for his love for his family; he spoke of them often."
Good leaves behind his wife, Sandra, and two daughters.

The fatality brings Canada's troop death toll in Afghanistan to 107 since the mission began in 2002.

And so again we stand on the Highway Of Heroes to pay our respects.
Rest in peace our 107th Canadian Hero.

ABC Wednesday-Y

YOGA is believed to calm the nervous system and balance the body, mind, and spirit. It is thought by its practitioners that YOGA prevents specific diseases and maladies by keeping the energy meridians open and life energy flowing.

*

YOGA is usually performed in classes, sessions are conducted at least once a week and for approximately 45 minutes. YOGA has been used to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve co-ordination, flexibility, concentration, sleep, and digestion.

*
For people with heart problems, studies have shown YOGA to help people young and old. Specifically, YOGA seems to promote heart health in several ways, including regulating high blood pressure and improving resistance to psychological stress.

*

ABC Wednesday is brought to you by Mrs. Nesbitt.

*

Mr. Linky can be found here.

*

*

The Epiphany

The three Wise Men (called in that time "magicians", although they were actually astronomers) saw from the far east the birth of a star over the town of Bethlehem, and they discovered the meaning behind the star: a savior had been born. They traveled to Bethlehem, and along the way they found King Herod, whom they told of the birth of the new King. Herod ordered them to find the baby and return to give the news of the place where the little Messiah had been born.


Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar found the baby in a manger where they offered their treasured gifts for the baby Jesus: Gold, which represented the spiritual wealth of the child; Frankincense, which signifies the earth and the sky; and Myrrh, the oil which was used for medicinal as well as spiritual purposes.


An angel warned them that they should not tell King Herod about the birth of Jesus because his plan was to kill the baby. So the three Wise Men returned by way of a different path to their homeland.

I'm Not Fat---

------------------I'm Fluffy


Also known as "Does this make my butt look bigger?"


It's that time of the year, the post-holiday season, when I finally got up enough nerve to step back on the bathroom scale. Yes I will admit that I have avoided checking my weight for the past three weeks. I considered the scale avoidance as my own little seasonal personal gift from me to me.

Why worry about it if you have no real evidence--right?---right???
Other than the fact that you are at your most comfortable wearing only a t-shirt, your LARGE t-shirt. Or the difficulty you have been encountering when you have to get dressed up and those pesky zippers on EVERYTHING in your closet are not working properly.

So I bit the bullet and stepped on the scale.

I gained three pounds!!!
Yikes that means I have to now lose 23 pounds.
Monsieur Bear lost a pound.

I am not speaking to him.

Saturday Funnies

Christmas Gift

I might be a little late in getting around to everyone's blog because I am busy reading John Grisham's novel "The Appeal," one of my Christmas gifts.

From the Publisher:

Politics has always been a dirty game.Now justice is, too.
In a crowded courtroom in Mississippi, a jury returns a shocking verdict against a chemical company accused of dumping toxic waste into a small town’s water supply, causing the worst “cancer cluster” in history. The company appeals to the Mississippi Supreme Court, whose nine justices will one day either approve the verdict or reverse it."

Again, another gripping novel written by John Grisham (his 19th.)
Grisham is one of my favourite authors.

Happy New Year

Courtesy of JeanMac

Happy New Year

And from Daryl.