ALL OLD GUYS SHOULD CYCLE

    Well, I admit I just wanted to get your attention so I could tell you about my cycling ! But that will come later . First , my heading begs for some explanation . I'm not going to leave out the female side . Second , I play fast and loose with the term "old." Let me keep age to retirees .


      I like cycling for a number of reasons . I'm sure other people would benefit from some of the same things .


     Cycling gets me out of the house . There are many good reasons to stay out of the house . Staying in the house leaves you vulnerable to being conscripted for many tasks such as dish washing , vacuuming or listening to an unwanted rant .


     Cycling gives me the opportunity to practise my falling techniques. As a senior one must be up on the tumbling abilities so that you don't get injured in a fall !


     Cycling leaves you open to many interesting opportunities . Quite often one will meet others on the trail who are more than willing to visit. Sometimes your mileage is greatly curbed by this visiting. Many interesting sightings are encountered out on the trails such as moose, deer , coyotes , foxes , ducks . geese ,beavers ....


     On a more serious note cycling gives us lots of fresh air and exercise .These good things benefit our health both mental and physical.


     I try to ride a minimum of 1000 kilometers per summer . Most of the time I exceed this goal and have at times reached 2000 km in a summer. All this is done on bicycle trails within our city which has about 100 km of paved bike trails. The mileage might seem large but it's not hard to do . If you average 20 km/hr it only takes 5 hours to do 100 km so 1000 km only takes 50 hours of riding . Now the visiting and scenery viewing will greatly add to that time .


     I tend to ride by myself. It's easier and safer to ride as an individual . You can also ride when you have the opportunity instead of waiting for someone else to get ready .

     As much as I like riding with my daughter , it meant that there were times I would not get away as I was waiting for her to get ready , My only serious accident occurred when I was riding with her although it was not in any way her fault .


      I highly recommend a good electronic odometer . You can get yourself hooked into cycling when you keep track of distance and times . The new electronic odometers have a high degree of accuracy.


       I ride a middle quality mountain bike but there are many excellent bikes to choose from . Make sure that you distribute your weight on hands feet and butt. This makes for less bodily discomforts . I have worn out two bikes . I don't like to rely on too many repairs as safety is a very important issue . So when things start to fall apart I buy a new bike . They last about 10 000 kilometers . A set of tires lasts about 3000 to 4000 kilometers .You want to ride a very reliable safe bike .


    I really think that seniors especially can benefit from cycling . Exercise and fresh air does us good, and we also enhance our balance.


     So I receive much pleasure and satisfaction from a lot of summer cycling. I hope you will enjoy some of the pleasures of cycling as well.

Bird Walk May 2

      You never know what might happen on a little old bird walk . Sometimes it can be just jumping with sightings and other times somewhat disappointing . Today's walk was one of the productive ones. We went to a 110 acre area which is a ravine which is mostly heavily forested with old spruce . A creek plants flows through the area . The area was previously used for agriculture by being pastured . The farmer took out the aspen for fire wood . The area is usually referred to as Bower Woods .

     Usually heavily wooded areas are hard to bird in as the birds tend to dwell in the tree tops . You can hear the birds and identify who's there by sounds . It's sometimes a challenge to actually see the birds . The usual suspects were flying by ...crows , magpies and mallards . After that we had to work for everything we saw . So what was there ? Black capped chickadees , boreal chickadees , pine siskins , juncoes , golden crowned kinglets , house finches , phoebes , robins, both red and white breasted nuthatches , downy woodpeckers , chipping sparrow ,Franklin's gulls and a number of gulls which were too far away to identify . 

     So, we did spot quite a few suspects in the area .

Early Morning Bird walk April 25

      This morning we visited the Kerry Wood Nature Sanctuary . This is an area of over 300 acres consisting of two oxbow lakes , old growth spruce and poplar and grass and wetlands in various phases . The area has two viewing stands which we used .Historically the area has never been logged so the disturbance is minimal. The grassland is where clearing took place and cattle were pastured .

     This morning was cloudy , about -3 C and no wind . Nine people showed up to see what was out there and to learn from each other . Can you tell the sex of Canada geese from the way they Call? Apparently the male goose gives a steady one toned honk and the female has sort of loud soft pattern .

     We saw many birds and a variety of species . Crows , magpies and Canada geese were flying about us almost continuously . On the lakes we saw mallards , canvass backs, golden eye, green winged teal , blue winged teal, red heads, coots and a red breasted grebe. We also saw Black capped chickadees, boreal chickadees , white breasted nuthatches , robins, bohemian waxwings , ruby crowned and golden crowned kinglets, American tree sparrow, and red winged blackbirds.

      Just as we were leaving someone said " I hear swans." 97 swans went flying by . We also heard quite a few woodpeckers . Since we were in a sanctuary we could not go off the trails and actually spot the wood peckers .

      So, the morning was pleasant and productive.

MORNING BIRD WALK

     This morning I led a group of people on a bird walk south of the Red Deer College . This is an area of open grassland, Buck brush, riparian and willows ,aspen stands and spruce . It's a rich natural area with a variety of bird and animal life .

     This morning was windy overcast and about +5 C...not a nice morning to see birds as they tend to stick close to cover .


     However, eight people met and walked through the area for an hour and a half . Birders tend to be an optimistic type so they cheerfully set out .


     Magpies, crows and mallards were flying in the area as we began , but things were fairly sparse . We expected to see some spring arrivals such as tree sparrows, white crowned sparrows etc. We spotted a large black bird about a kilometer away which turned out to be a bald eagle . At about the same time a flock of swans flew by . We could hear a woodpecker tapping but couldn't spot it . We heard juncos and saw black capped chickadees . Several robins were also spotted . On our way back we were able to find the female downy woodpecker.

     So our morning turned out to be fairly successful.

     I will be leading a Saturday morning bird walk for the next five weeks . You never know what to expect .Sightings vary each year . No matter what these mornings are always pleasant .

Hiawatha House

HIAWATHA HOUSE

     Where in the world would I come up with a name Hiawatha House for my blog ? Did I see something like this somewhere else? Did I have a streak of creativity . Well, actually none of the above .


     I went to a rural one room school for nine years from the mid forties to the mid fifties . Yes, you can think ahead and guess ... the name of the school ...Hiawatha School District #1720. I, like many others who attended such schools look back with fondness to such schools and therefore honor my old school a bit by naming my blog Hiawatha house .


     I looked forward to going to school as we were somewhat isolated on prairie farms and therefore it was a place to have many playmates and fellow students . We were active on the playground before school began at nine AM. Games were played . Activities from the previous day were continued such as building a snow house or fort .There were chores to be done like putting the horse away for the day, starting a fire in the big stove or getting the day's supply of water . All of these things were done with other kids . It was like a very large family as the enrolment was from nine to seventeen students while I attended .The day proceeded with classes , recesses and noon hours.


      Since there were one to nine or ten grades in a one room school, the teacher had to arrange to have all grades organized so that they were active in the learning process at all times . Much independent work was done by the students . Students helped one another . You couldn't help but hear other lessons or activities going on around you . If you were in grade one you could listen to a grade eight science lesson . By the time you got to grade eight you'd heard the lesson seven times ! Was it boring ? No, it was your turn to be involved in the lesson that you had waited so many years for . Teachers changed and the grade eight science lesson changed . Many activities involved the whole school ...Christmas concerts . All students performed and sometimes the little guys performed with the big guys as a school choir . Think how proud the little guys were to be in something with with the big guys . Our ball teams were made up from usually grade threes to nine. We were immensely proud of these teams when we played other rural schools .


     From grade four to nine I was the only one in the class . I proudly claim that I was top of the class for five years in a row . Besides this I liked working independently . I would do my work fairly quickly , and behave myself so I was not noticed . Why? Then I could read . I loved to read . I would quietly chose a library book from the small book case we had and read . Some of the books I read many times . The school had encyclopedias which I would spend hours thumbing through . I'm sure that most of the time the teacher appreciated me getting lost and not being a nuisance . I'm sure some of the teachers were bright enough to realize that what I was doing was certainly contributing to my progress . I would read and have one ear on what was going on in the classroom ...multi tasking!!


     So the country school was a very pleasant place to spend your time . I have always looked back with pleasure at the time I spent in a rural school . Was it a totally successful learning venue ? Not really . Apologies to those who look on country schools as great learning institutions . There were many positive things which occurred , but many things were absent . We learned the basics , but often not much more . I learned to be a good reader and independent , but didn't learn to be assertive or competitive . As a result when I went to a small high school and later university , I found it difficult to be very active and participate in learning activities . I had not learned to discuss , question or write with any degree of competence .


      However , I do look back with fondness to the time spent in a rural school . We were more than a school ...more a large family with community involvement .


     So here's to you Hiawatha school!


     Hiawatha School closed in June of 1955 with only six students attending in the final year .


     There are many interesting books written about the rural school . One author is John C. Charyk. He has written several interesting accounts of rural schools . Try "The White School House" or "Syrup Pails and Gopher Tails ."

Stroke of Luck

    Yeah ! That's right ! I had a stroke . The luck part ? Well, I survived with no harmful effects and I get to tell you about it and hopefully spread some useful information about strokes . Too often people do not survive strokes and many times are left with debilitation which is so severe they cannot function well enough to pass on information about strokes .
My wife had asked me to make a small shelf for her laundry room . I was outside on a fine May day and had measured and found a suitable piece of wood and tools to make and install the shelf. The next thing I knew I looked at the clock which said noon and wondered out loud where the last two hours had gone. My wife said ," Get your wallet . We're going to emergency." My wife doesn't drive ! Oops ! I remember getting in the car at the house and finding a parking place at emergency . I don't remember the rest of the drive. My wife is one of these people who after they've left home , wonder if they've locked the door . So I turned around and took her back to check the door . Afterwards she told me that I drove as usual.

     The emergency department was fabulous. They took some information and vital signs ... although I don't remember this. I was taken directly from triage to get a cat scan. My cat scan was done within 15 minutes of arriving at the hospital. My memory kicked in before the cat scan and I had continuous memory after that. The cat scan did not show any clots or bleeding .

     Now the incident I had was where the brain does not make any new memories. In other words no experiences you have during this time are retained in your memory. Thus I was able to drive with my usual skill , as I did not forget my driving skills . If I had met someone I knew , I would have recognized them and conversed with them , but I would not remember meeting them . For example, I had come into the house about 11:00 AM and asked my wife why the roaster was in the sink . She explained that I had put the roaster in the sink in the morning. I kept asking her the same question until she lost patience with me and I returned outside . I do not remember the roaster incident . So when I entered the house at noon and asked where the last two hours had gone , it immediately twigged with my wife that I had memory difficulties .

     So lesson number one is to be aware of those around you as to any out of the ordinary behaviours they may exhibit. The sooner a detection is made and you get to emergency the more successful treatment may be . The cat scan can detect any clots or bleeding. Drugs are available to break clots before they cause major damage . Lesson number two is don't let the suspected stroke patient drive . Further debilitation may occur on the drive which could lead to a very serious accident.

    I stayed in emergency for the day for observation. Appointments were set up for further tests. I have no history of high cholesterol or high blood pressure . I'm quite active ...run , walk. cross country ski , skate and cycle at least 1000kms every summer . I'm low key , I eat a good diet . My wife has high cholesterol so I'm fortunate to benefit from her misfortune. I was sent home with much information on strokes and told not to drive for 21 days . An incident is more apt to recur in that time and after that not likely.

     My incident was termed transic global amnesia. After xrays and an EEG I met with my stroke specialist and she reviewed the tests which were all clear . I was discharged from the stroke clinic .

     Since I'm rather low stress the incident did not cause me any worry . However , I realize that for my family there is worry that something may happen which could be much more serious. Later in the summer I was cycling with my daughter and did a major summer sault on my bike . My daughter was behind me and I heard some major screaming . She was afraid that Dad had the big stroke and had expired on the bike trail. No such luck. Tree branches had hit me in the face . I put on the front brake and the bike went over .

     So be aware of conditions that may indicate a stroke and go directly to emergency .

Sleep Clinic ???

      Last Friday night I slept at the sleep clinic . Now sleep clinic is an absolute misnomer as you don't get much shut eye . However , the sleep clinic is the end of my story .

      How did I get to the sleep clinic ? Was it when my daughter slept in the same hotel room and complained the next morning that she had a very poor sleep as one of us snored (my wife of course ) and the other choked . Was it when my children were infants ? Was it stress from my work ?

    Well, let's start from the beginning . I was born in 1939 to a young farm couple who had a very meagre residence ...three rooms ...no insulation or central heating . Eleven and one half months later I had a baby brother and by the time I was two years old I also had a little sister . My poor mother ! But that's another story . This one's on sleep . I can remember the three of us sleeping in one bed which wasn't crowded as we were little . As children we slept soundly even though three little bodies rolled and thrashed around and occasionally fell out of bed .
Later a new house was constructed and we had our own rooms ! Sleep was great . I was young . The house had central heating and was insulated .
I left after high school to attend college and lived in various boarding houses with shared accommodation . I did wake up from time to time with noise from other roomers coming and going . I changed localities very often in my early twenties as I taught and went to university . I spent three years in a very noisy single staff accommodation were there was much coming and going through the night . I remember being awake as I would hear people coming and going in the hallways . Sometimes there were all night parties .

    I lived in a remote northern settlement were my wife was the nurse . She was on call twenty four seven . Many nights she was required to attend to a sick person . We weren't in the habit of locking the house door until people walked into the house and into he bedroom to get the nurse .

     Children arrived and took my attention . I felt a great responsibility for the welfare of my children while they were infants .Hungry , cold or ill children had to be looked after . Teenage children were another thing . From a young age my son liked movies . He would try to sneak downstairs to watch a movie and would get caught . He said ,"Dad, I never got downstairs to watch a movie . You always caught me ."

      My children left home , but my interrupted sleep became worse . For many years I have set my thermostat so that the furnace does not come on after bedtime as I found a running furnace always awakened me . Through all of my poor sleep patterns I never felt fatigued and was always a morning person . I never needed an alarm clock .
In January of 2006 I began to feel fatigue and found it difficult to rise in the morning . When my daughter made the choking observation , I could immediately of sleep apnea as I would be waking up with a jump . In 2007 My family physician referred me to a sleep specialist . The sleep specialist ordered a sleep clinic experience .

     So there I was last Friday evening . Now the sleep clinic really wants to see how badly you sleep so they wire you up from head to toe . They will miss nothing . Sensors are attached to your shins and arms . A belt is put around your chest and another around your stomach . A box about twice the size of a mouse is attached to each belt . All these gizmos are firmly attached with liberal amounts of plastic tape . They tell you you can sleep in any position ...just try it . Then they say ,"Have a good night ."

     As you can well imagine I did not have a very successful sleep . It's not easy sleeping in a strange place with all kinds of material attached to you .
I have not received any results from this ordeal, but I would rather go through the investigation as it is well known , that sleep apnea can lead to many health complications . What happens with sleep apnea is you stop breathing and oxygen levels decrease and your blood pressure rises . The combination can lead to other health problems so I will put up with the discomfort as it may prevent other options which are not positive .

     So , Friday night in a sleep clinic !!! Kind of a bad joke !!!!