Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Time In Adelboden - Day Of Rest

Switzerland has unpredictable weather. The hike yesterday  was from Kandersteg to Adelboden.   It was tough but we made it through snow and rain. Today it is raining so we decided to hang out one more day in the cute village of Adelboden.
We did a local hike to a beautiful  waterfall called Cholerenschhluct.


 Even the garden sheds are cute here

The Hike From Hell

We had an 8 hour hike from hell yesterday.  We had to use our microspikes to get over a snowy pass with a foot of snow. Here is a photo from my hotel balcony of the pass we climbed over. We were so happy to discover a jacuzzi and sauna at out  hotel. After that we fell into bed without dinner.
 The ladies all saying the "f" word as we descended into a foot of snow.

Resting after the snowy  pass at a lodge that was closed for the season....no tea and crumpets unfortunately.

Switzerland Is God`s Country

We are in Kantersteg now. It was a beautiful sunny day. Twe hiked up  to beautiful oeschinensee. This is an iconic lake often featured in Swiss travel brochures.


We met some sheep herders on the way. I've  never seen border collies in action....another amazing  site. Here's  Mick the dog and his owner.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Arrived in Zurich after not sleeping a wink on the plane. Pretty funny that our neighbors Ken and Lori Vecchio were on my flight to Zurich.  What a small world!

After landing, I got through passport control rather quickly, then hopped a train to Grindalwald. The swiss are so very efficient. From landing, immigration  to arrival at the train station  in Grindalwald it took only 3.5 hours. Upon arrival I met my sister Heidi and rest of our hike mates to head up to what they call the top of Europe....cold and snowy Jungfraujoch check it out. Snowman....in Septemer?

This is how we all felt after a long, cold day. Ready for nap and a glass of wine.
Until tomorrow.....

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Hike Across Switzerland

Today I'm taking off for my hike across Switzerland. I'm  going with my sister Heidi, her partner Polly and 2 other women. This hike is in honor of my sister Heidi who recently turned 60! Both of our parents were born in Switzerland so we thought this would be an epic 60th birthday adventure. Kind of a full circle event in life....going back to my parents home country to celebrate. I know they are both smiling from above as I begin thus epic journey.

I checked the weather and it looks like we'll  have everything  from snow to sunshine. I've  never  really  hiked in snow before but do have some chainsen attachments for my hiking  boots to add traction in ice and snow. A different  way to roll for this fair weathered San Diegan!!

I'll land at the Zurich airport and take a train to Grindalwald where I will begin the hike. I have a 25 lb pack back which will carry all of my necessities for the next 2.5 weeks. I was aiming for  closer to 20 lbs but with all that cold weather gear it started  getting  heavier. Yikes I guess  I'll get  used to the pack eventually...lord knows that I looked like Dora the Explorer as I  hiked around the burbs training with my 10 lb sack of potatoes . Our end point will be Montreux. I'll send another post once I arrive in Grindalwald. Wish me luck  as I begin this big adventure.




Friday, January 29, 2016

How Is Menopause Effecting Your Life?

Menopause is often a time of much physiological and mental stress for many women, but how does  menopause affect husbands and partners who spend their lives with women struggling with all of the symptoms involved with menopause?
 Here are just a few of the physical and emotional symptoms that can affect our relationships:

This Article

  • Improved My Health
  • Changed My Life
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Mood Swings:  Hormonal changes during menopause may cause a woman's mood to fluctuate from being depressed, irritable and sad to extremely happy and calm. This can confuse partners who aren't quite sure how to adapt to such changing emotions. The key thing here is to learn to communicate openly regarding your feelings. 
Quite often, as menopause symptoms begin to appear, women are also dealing with other significant life changes. Children moving out of the home, upcoming retirement, and a change in life focus may cause increased stress in a woman's life. These huge life changes, coupled with volatile mood swings, may create an incredible amount of stress on an otherwise happy marriage.
Physical Changes: A woman's body goes through a number of huge physical changes besides stopping their periods and the beginning of hot flashes and night sweats. As hormone levels fluctuate, women have an increased tendency to gain weight. Thinning hair is another symptom some women experience during menopause. Often, the physical changes to a woman's body greatly affect her feelings about herself and cause sadness or depression which can add much stress to a  marriage.
Getting more exercise and eating a healthy diet can help you lose  extra weight  and improve one's mood. Exercise is also a great way to relieve the stress and anxiety which often bother women going through the menopausal transition.
Decreased Sex Drive:  It is common for  menopausal women to  experience a decrease in libido, which puts added stress on their relationship with their partner. Many also suffer from vaginal dryness, which may lead to uncomfortable sex, pain, thus resulting in less sex. The lack of intimacy and avoidance of sex can leave partners feeling unloved and unwanted.
For some women, the loss of menstruation indicates a lack of fertility, often making her feel less feminine. For others, a lack of communication in other areas of life causes arguments and hurt feelings, resulting in less interest in physical intimacy. It is extremely important to your partner about your feelings regarding sex and set aside time for each other. There are many treatments for vaginal dryness and low libido, so it is very important to discuss options with your physician.
 Bottomline....always try to communicate openly with your partner or spouse.  Talk about your symptoms and emotional struggles, so they understand and can be a part of the solution. 

Friday, April 12, 2013

Going Beyond Insurance Coverage: Actionable Ways to Protect Your Family’s Health

We found an interesting article about protecting your family's health.  We thought it would be good to share. As responsible adults, we can never assume that quality health insurance equates to happy, healthy children. No, we adults need to do the heavy lifting. As role models to our kids, we teach them that everyone must make their own healthy choices. In that spirit, whether you’re a parent or teacher, this guide has the information to help our youth lead healthier, happier lives.