Back on Track

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our E-mail Digest or RSS Feed. We will then send you the stories that are posted each day in an e-mail digest. We use a service called Feedburner for delivery of these emails. You will receive an e-mail from Feedburner after you subscribe and you must click on that email to activate your subscription. Thanks for visiting and enjoy all the information! RV.Net Blog AdminBy Lynn Difley A big hello to all those on the road, or about to take off for summer activities.  I’ve been down but not out for a couple of weeks, due to a computer malfunction–as in “she’s done broke”. I’m glad to say I had purchased a long term warranty along with the computer from Circuit City. Oops, Circuit City closed and had their final sale. They are no more. My heart sank at the thought that I would have to buy another computer, and had perhaps lost all the material I had carelessly neglected to back up. Drat and bother, this blankety blank economy. But wait! The good news for me was that the warranty was still being honored by their warranty contractor. I had to take my computer into Radio Shack, where they helped me wade through a pile of paper work (who says this is a paper free society?) and I sent it off to a repair center. I waited, ok, I was a bit nervous about it, but we checked by Email and all seemed to be progressing normally. A part that was necessary was on backorder–isn’t the one part you need always on backorder?... Read more

Summer’s Here

By Lynn Difley It’s already past Memorial Day weekend, the launching of the summer barbeque season. Time to scrape off the grill and get ready for some good outdoor feasting. Summer barbeques can be a dangerous area for those trying to eat healthier or hold the line on the waistline. If you are hosting, I know you are looking for the best and healthiest offering for your guests, and if you are visiting others, or attending a potluck, you want to enjoy the offerings without padding your hips. Are you a burger and hot dog traditionalist? You can make alterations to enjoy healthier slimmer choices. Start by substituting a 100% wholewheat bun for the soggy white one to add fiber. And what about making it an open face, or single slice treat? Or use a big romaine lettuce leaf for the top layer. You can also reduce the fat; instead of a pork hot dog (300 cals and 25 g fat) choose a turkey burger (160 cals and 9 g fat) or even better, a veggie burger (110 calories 4 grams of fat). Instead of adding cheese, mayo, or bacon to your burger, go for mustard, lettuce, onion, and tomato to add lots of vitamins and no fat. Are you making a big potato salad?  Calorie red alert! More nutritious if you leave the skins on the potatoes–little red ones or Yukon gold have a delicious flavor on their own–no need to slather on dressings.  Substitute nonfat Greek yogurt for mayo. And add onions, celery, pickles, etc to add some crunch and zip. What about making a delicious veggie platter... Read more

Gotta Love This Boy

By Lynn Difley Just when you think it is getting all too bleak; another dealership closing, another friend undergoing foreclosure, still one more good program terminated for lack of funding, a ray of hope surfaces to remind us that we will survive this and it will all improve with time. I found just such a ray of hope I want to share. It is the project of Zach Bonner, an 11-year-old boy who has decided he wants to draw attention to the plight of homeless children. Zach has already walked from Tampa to Tallahassee, and from Tallahassee to Atlanta to draw attention to the fact that 13 children per day die due to homelessness. His goal on this trip is to go all the way from Atlanta to Washington DC. The trip is a journey of 665 miles. He plans to walk 11 miles a day for a total of over 600 miles, and figures it will take him two months. His mother will drive an RV, donated by Lazy Daze. He is asking kids to send letters, which he will hand deliver to President Obama, documenting the concern of other kids for the plight of the children who are suffering through no fault of their own. What a great project and kudos to Lazy Daze for donating their RV as his support vehicle. He is asking for letters to take to the president, and donations for the homeless project for kids. He invites everyone to join him along the way. You can go to his website and track his progress. If you are traveling anywhere along his path, make it a point to look for him. If you stay in a campground along his... Read more

Sitting Stretches

Lynn Difley While I am not a fan of prolonged sitting, I know all too well that many times those of us who live and travel in an RV are destined to spend more than our share of time in a sitting position. So are those who work at a desk or computer, and so I’d like to offer a few stretches to at least help alleviate some of the stiffness and soreness that comes from spending too many hours seated. The most efficient way to do these exercises is on a frequent basis; don’t wait till you are so stiff you are aching to do your stretching. I recommend every hour or two, especially if the drive is stressful. Naturally, these moves are not for the driver, unless you pull over to the side of the road to do them. Do each stretch gently and smoothly, breathing deeply, holding for 15-30 seconds while continuing to breathe deeply and slowly. Neck stretch: sit up tall with shoulders relaxed, back lifted and straight. Let your left ear drop toward your left shoulder and hold. Allow the weight of your head to carry the stretch deeper as you inhale and exhale. Roll your head toward the chest and hold it down, again breathing slowly and deeply as you feel the neck muscles stretch. Then roll your head back up toward the right and bring the right ear to the right shoulder, hold and relax. Chest stretch: Bring your hands behind your back and interlace your fingers, straighten your arms. Tighten the muscles of the shoulder and upper back and gently lift the hands up and away from your body. Keep... Read more

Senior Health Fair

On Saturday we got up before dawn and set off with no coffee and no breakfast. This is not a normal procedure for us, but we managed it, although we were both a bit befuddled without our caffeine. We wanted to take advantage of the local hospital senior health fair, and have both our cholesterol and blood glucose tested. In order to get an accurate reading, 8 hours of fasting is required prior to the test. Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

Swine Flu H1N1, Face Masks and Duct Tape

In a follow-up to the 27 APR post entitled, Swine Flu (Influenza) and the Best Tip for Surviving Its Spread I am amazed at the large number of news outlets (national and local) showing or suggesting the use of these tiny blue surgical/face masks as a part of their Swine Flu reporting on defensive measures. I’m sure you’ve seen them over the last few days bracketed by terms like contamination, outbreak, pandemic or deadly influenza. They sure dig props. Remember how shortly after 9/11 everyone was encouraged to go purchase duct tape to protect themselves? Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

Swine Flu (Influenza) and the Best Tip for Surviving Its Spread

Spending as much time surviving outdoors as I do, you learn pretty quickly how to combat a list of natural ailments. Cryptosporidium (Crypto), Giardiasis (Giardia), West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease are just a few of the “critters” one has to deal with in the wild. Swine Flu is making the rounds of late via human transmission and the media. As a strain of Influenza, it is something to deal with but not panic over. Could it be the beginning of a pandemic? Perhaps. Remember, the word “Pandemic” simply means wide spread or even worldwide and does not directly indicate the strength of the Flu in question. Either way, there are some things you can do to protect yourself from contracting the Flu. The CDC is a great resource to check out. Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

The Rally 2009

By Lynn Difley It was a Great Rally this year. Despite the fact that our economy is shaky, a whole lot of folks drove to Albuquerque to be part of what is one of the not-to-be missed events of the year. It is such an impressive sight, to see thousands of rigs, from the littlest cab-over to huge mansions on wheels. It doesn’t matter to the folks who love their free wheeling lifestyle, whether you have a little old gypsy caravan, or a wide screen luxury liner, you are part of the group. The long lines waiting for prime time bus transport were a good example of the good nature of motorhomers. Most of those who were inconvenienced by the long lines made the best of it. Many decided it was a good chance to make some new friends, so they set about getting acquainted with those nearest to them. Others grabbed their cell phones, using the time to check in with family or friends and to let the less fortunate who had to stay at home how great Albuquerque is. It started out cold, but the folks from up north scoffed at any complaints that 50 degrees is cold. “You ought to have come from Michigan…” was the gentle rebuke. The fairgrounds that housed the event were easy to get to, and there was plenty to snack on while walking around. The seminars were informative and for the most part, well attended. The classes that I gave were filled with fantastic folks. They were enthusiastic and eager to learn what they could about how to exercise on the road and how to take care of their own body... Read more

National Start Walking Day

By Lynn Difley Hey! We have a big event coming up, it’s my husband’s birthday today. So I want everyone to celebrate with him. It just so happens that the heart association feels the same way, they have declared this day, April 8, a very special day. They decided to celebrate by designating a national Start Walking Day. So I invite you all to join in. If you are already walking, see if you can find someone to join you and pledge to begin walking on a regular basis. It is getting to be spring in most parts of the country, which means warmer weather, and longer daylight hours, which translates as more time to take that walk. Start out with 30 minutes three times a week. April 8 can be your first day to begin a new and positive way to practice taking care of your health. Once you have established a regular routine you will find that the consistency and practice of walking offers many positive health benefits. Just a few of the many benefits to this daily walk routine are: Reduces the risk of heart disease Reduces the risk for cancers Reduces the risk for stroke Reduces the risk of Type II Diabetes Reduces stress Reduces the risk of hip fracture Helps control blood pressure Increases the good cholesterol–HDL Helps weight loss Helps with sleep at night So what are you waiting for? Get started today, April 8. Walking is such a great activity and can be done anyplace, anytime, with no extra fees or need for equipment. This one practice, a daily 30 minute walk can... Read more

Every Little Bit Helps

By Lynn Difley We live in a time challenged world. I don’t know about you, but it seems to me there are never enough minutes in a day. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life, but sometimes there just isn’t enough time to get it all in. Many people feel that they just don’t have time for exercise. This may be true, if you mean training for a marathon, or becoming an Olympic athlete. However, for the rest of us mere mortals, a little bit can make a lot of difference. Forget the all or nothing mentality. Fitness does not have to take up your whole day, there is an alternative. Short spurts of exercise, accumulated ov er the course of the day have been shown to share similar benefits to longer duration workouts. You will reap numerous benefits by becoming more active; so if you are currently not finding time to exercise, just get started with these suggestions for quickie 10-minute workouts. If you examine your day carefully, you can always find a few minutes here and there to squeeze in 10-minute exercise sessions. Add up three of these mini exercise sessions and you have the required minimum exercise requirement for optimal heart and cardiovascular health. Start out slowly, with a warm-up, work up to greater vigor as you feel more enthusiastic and finish off with a slowed down version of the activity. How about first thing in the morning? Instead of having a second cup of coffee and browsing the obituary column, do what Winnie the Pooh calls “Setting Up Exercises.” *... Read more

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