MY SUN DAY NEWS
Letters for the week of September 8.
Marilyn Schnake has a message for Sun City residents: “You are never too old to make your own art, your work that satisfies you alone.”
Schnake takes pleasure in not only creating art herself but encouraging others to express themselves. She has an extensive background in art education.
Schnake said, “Creating art relieves stress, encourages creative thinking, and imparts mental health benefits. Art helps people express experiences that are too difficult to put into words.”
There’s expectation in the air. It’s my daughter laying out different outfits on her bed, deciding on the perfect thing to wear to high school. It’s my husband, giving himself a smart haircut early in the morning before heading out to his teaching job. It’s the expanding stash of dorm room supplies growing in a corner, in anticipation of my son heading off to his freshman year at the university.
I haven’t seen my old friend Quitman Sullins in close to thirty years, but his name came up at a dinner party with old friends last night, and this morning I spent a lot of time thinking about him.
At the January 20, 2022 Village Board meeting Lisa Armour, Huntley’s Deputy Village Manager, presented a retail store concept she called “Shops on Main.” This was presented as a small business incubator to be developed in the First Congregational Church parking lot at Main and First Streets in downtown Huntley.
A visit to Sue Wallace’s home is a journey through the magical world of Oz with Dorothy and friends. The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, an adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wallace said, holding up an original copy of Baum’s book.
The Sun City Charter Club, Prairie Singers, is looking for singers to join in the music-making.
This year, CRConsumerReports/On Health wrote that even taking a 15-minute stroll or relaxed walk can lead to protection against heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes as it improves mood, reduces stress, and helps you sleep better.
Fred Senft grew a mammoth sunflower that stands an estimated 12 feet tall outside his Sun City home. “I just planted a couple of seeds and it kept growing. Now, my neighbors are requesting seeds from the sunflower,” he said.
Fred Senft grew a mammoth sunflower that stands an estimated 12 feet tall outside his Sun City home.
“I just planted a couple of seeds and it kept growing. Now, my neighbors are requesting seeds from the sunflower,” he said.
The last time I was in a movie theatre was before the Pandemic, which coincided with my last column as Sun City’s resident movie critic. I had no plans to go until a number of friends told me about the movie Elvis. They, in fact, insisted I see it. I finally gave in and Annamarie and I went to an afternoon matinee. That was one of the best decisions we’ve made in a long time.
One dull rainy day we were sitting around the Dining Duo palatial estate bored out of our minds. Our lives are so hectic that we cannot stay at home for a couple of hours and do nothing but relax. How screwed up are we?
Letters for the week of August 25.
Sun City Huntley has stunning views and a very well-maintained nature area. There is a 3.5-mile trail that winds around Wildfire Lake and continues past the backyards of many houses. On one portion of the walk that goes past homes, a jogger, bicyclist, or a walker might find a sudden burst of color. This appears behind Neighborhood 24: Brentwood Botanical’s Adopt-A-Plot. This was started by Artie Tepper, a long-time resident of Neighborhood 24. How did Tepper go about adopting that area of land?
Sun City Huntley has stunning views and a very well-maintained nature area. There is a 3.5-mile trail that winds around Wildfire Lake and continues past the backyards of many houses. On one portion of the walk that goes past homes, a jogger, bicyclist, or a walker might find a sudden burst of color. This appears behind Neighborhood 24: Brentwood Botanical’s Adopt-A-Plot. This was started by Artie Tepper, a long-time resident of Neighborhood 24.
How did Tepper go about adopting that area of land?
When I was growing up, the weekends were for “real” breakfasts. During the week, especially during the school year, it was cereal for ten minutes and out the door. But on the weekends, we had pancakes or waffles or bacon and eggs and hashbrowns or any of the other beloved breakfast foods. But my absolute favorite weekend breakfast was bagels.
A few weeks ago, local community Facebook pages reported a dog that was running loose throughout Talamore. Residents kept reporting on the whereabouts of the dog for days but the dog could not be caught. She was reported in the fields and was sighted more than once in the middle of the road. Residents tried to call for it, but the dog was not responding to the pleas. Carol Johnson, Sun City resident, had a plan and a 10-year-old granddaughter, Lily Chrzanowski. They took charge and got the job done.
A few weeks ago, local community Facebook pages reported a dog that was running loose throughout Talamore. Residents kept reporting on the whereabouts of the dog for days but the dog could not be caught. She was reported in the fields and was sighted more than once in the middle of the road. Residents tried to call for it, but the dog was not responding to the pleas.
Carol Johnson, Sun City resident, had a plan and a 10-year-old granddaughter, Lily Chrzanowski. They took charge and got the job done.
Our annual family vacation took us more than 1,400 miles away to Utah: Our brand of vacation typically involves lots of driving, camping, and at least one National Park. This year, we visited Capitol Reef National Park and camped beneath a breathtaking view of a huge red cliff that took on ever-changing light and shadows from sunrise to sunset. Even after being home for a couple days, I’m still feeling mellow and happy in my post-vacation glow. Here are my top five takeaways from vacation.
Our annual family vacation took us more than 1,400 miles away to Utah: Our brand of vacation typically involves lots of driving, camping, and at least one National Park. This year, we visited Capitol Reef National Park and camped beneath a breathtaking view of a huge red cliff that took on ever-changing light and shadows from sunrise to sunset.
Even after being home for a couple days, I’m still feeling mellow and happy in my post-vacation glow. Here are my top five takeaways from vacation.
Can it really be August already? It seems like the snow has just melted, and summer is already almost gone. Oh, I know that there’s plenty of warm weather left before the air chills and the leaves tremble orange and red, but when you’ve spent your life hopping from square to square on a school calendar, the start of August means the beginning of the end of summer.
Can it really be August already? It seems like the snow has just melted, and summer is already almost gone.
Oh, I know that there’s plenty of warm weather left before the air chills and the leaves tremble orange and red, but when you’ve spent your life hopping from square to square on a school calendar, the start of August means the beginning of the end of summer.
On this particular morning in July, Pierre Pollin has already put in two hours on the pickleball court. At age 75, he enjoys a busy life in Sun City: he serves as president of his bridge club, he enjoys cycling, and he comments that men even older than he keep him on his toes during pickleball matches (“There is one guy who is 97 or 98 and he runs for the ball,” says Pollin, incredulously.) Pollin’s idyllic, slower-paced life now is in stark contrast to his long, successful career as chef and owner of a popular French restaurant for 30 years, followed by a dozen years of teaching at Kendall College at National Louis University in Chicago.
On this particular morning in July, Pierre Pollin has already put in two hours on the pickleball court. At age 75, he enjoys a busy life in Sun City: he serves as president of his bridge club, he enjoys cycling, and he comments that men even older than he keep him on his toes during pickleball matches (“There is one guy who is 97 or 98 and he runs for the ball,” says Pollin, incredulously.)
Pollin’s idyllic, slower-paced life now is in stark contrast to his long, successful career as chef and owner of a popular French restaurant for 30 years, followed by a dozen years of teaching at Kendall College at National Louis University in Chicago.
SUN CITY – The Sun City Board of Directors were shocked when, at the June board meeting, quotes for a new sign at Veterans Memorial Field came in at $85,000. The board rejected that proposal and sent the project back to the Strategic Planning and Advisory Committee (SPAC) for revisions.
What exactly is “brain fog?” According to CRConsumerReports/On Health, this kind of mental fog has become a common symptom of long COVID which is “the complex condition that sometimes emerges after a case of COVID-19.” It is “characterized by difficulty focusing, sluggish thinking, and memory lapses.” Brain fog also can be seen in other conditions: chronic insomnia, cancer therapies, drug side effects, head injuries, strokes, and depression as in a form of mental cloudiness. Difficult to treat, physicians tell us that they may be able to treat some of the conditions that cause it.
As a business owner, mom, and wife, my days can be quite busy. Each day is filled with errands, meeting with homeowners, consulting with employees, working in the office and working around the home. One business that I frequently stop in has an ‘easy’ button very close to the counter. It is so tempting to grab the button and just for a moment pretend that by pressing that button, my day would suddenly become less stressful and less hectic.
Bocce ball is one of the most strenuous sports in the world. You have to pick up a little white ball, roll it about 15 feet making sure it goes over a designated line. After this, you then have to pick up an even bigger and heavier ball and roll it as close to the little white ball as possible. It is a very complicated game. Even though Jim and I are trained athletes, after three rounds of this exhausting activity, we work up quite an appetite. Because of this, every Friday we go out with a group of our fellow bocce athletes to refuel at a designated restaurant. The latest post game oasis was Pub 47 in Huntley, which is under new management.
Bocce ball is one of the most strenuous sports in the world. You have to pick up a little white ball, roll it about 15 feet making sure it goes over a designated line. After this, you then have to pick up an even bigger and heavier ball and roll it as close to the little white ball as possible. It is a very complicated game.
Even though Jim and I are trained athletes, after three rounds of this exhausting activity, we work up quite an appetite. Because of this, every Friday we go out with a group of our fellow bocce athletes to refuel at a designated restaurant. The latest post game oasis was Pub 47 in Huntley, which is under new management.
When it was announced that HBO and A24 was working with Olivier Assayas on a series of his meta-remake Irma Vep, my skepticism ran high. Back in college a friend sat me down to watch his original, saying it was the most amazing thing he has seen. Afterword, I remained mostly mum. The film, despite having some interesting ideas, left me cold. A segment of critics still love this movie for its commentary on art and commerce in the film industry. Although I do concede that, couldn’t it be filled with more defined characters? After about twenty-five years later, it would seem that the director is remaking his remake. What sounds like a celluloid ouroboros is made surprisingly whole, primarily from its length. Instead of a crammed ninety-nine minutes, eight episodes allow Assayas to make subplots and character arcs more substantial.
When it was announced that HBO and A24 was working with Olivier Assayas on a series of his meta-remake Irma Vep, my skepticism ran high. Back in college a friend sat me down to watch his original, saying it was the most amazing thing he has seen. Afterword, I remained mostly mum. The film, despite having some interesting ideas, left me cold. A segment of critics still love this movie for its commentary on art and commerce in the film industry. Although I do concede that, couldn’t it be filled with more defined characters?
After about twenty-five years later, it would seem that the director is remaking his remake. What sounds like a celluloid ouroboros is made surprisingly whole, primarily from its length. Instead of a crammed ninety-nine minutes, eight episodes allow Assayas to make subplots and character arcs more substantial.
Treasurer Bob McGouey presented the Second Quarter financial report at the July Sun City Board meeting.
Sun City softball players wrap up National Night Out with Huntley’s first responders with their final play (below) followed by a round of handshakes.
My husband and I, along with our two boys (7 & 5), are visiting my husband’s grandmother in a few weeks. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen her, as we live out-of-state. She currently lives in a memory care facility. My father-in-law has told us that she mostly has good days. She’s very forgetful but seems healthy otherwise. I’m writing for suggestions as to what to do during our visit. She’s always been hard of hearing, and conversation can be challenging, even before she had dementia.
Letters for the week of August 11.
The Property Manager plays an important role in addressing the needs of Sun City Residents, supporting the boards, ensuring efficient operations, and planning for the future. Residents are familiar with those activities. But do you know the staff is making a difference in our surrounding community also? First Service Residential took on the challenge of bringing a glimmer of fun in the form of “Party in a Bag” to help a child celebrate their birthday. Deanna Loughran, Sun City Executive Director said, “As a parent, it broke my heart knowing that some kids would not be able to celebrate their birthday. I remember all the fun celebrations my kids had. One of the last ones I had for one of my daughters, was a Hawaiian-themed one.”
The Property Manager plays an important role in addressing the needs of Sun City Residents, supporting the boards, ensuring efficient operations, and planning for the future. Residents are familiar with those activities. But do you know the staff is making a difference in our surrounding community also? First Service Residential took on the challenge of bringing a glimmer of fun in the form of “Party in a Bag” to help a child celebrate their birthday.
Deanna Loughran, Sun City Executive Director said, “As a parent, it broke my heart knowing that some kids would not be able to celebrate their birthday. I remember all the fun celebrations my kids had. One of the last ones I had for one of my daughters, was a Hawaiian-themed one.”
I consider it a good day when I remove an even number of socks from the dryer. I always put in an even number, that I know. With military-like precision, I unroll each and every sock from the hamper and verify its mate before throwing it in the wash. But somehow, by the end of the drying cycle, something’s gone awry. There’s usually one, lonely sock. I keep the single socks. What else can an optimist do? Admittedly, I have looked up articles like, “37+ Unusual Uses for Lonely Socks,” but I just wasn’t really in need of a sock puppet or golf club covers or windshield wiper cozies. I once made a cardboard box to go above my wash machine and labeled it “Sock Orphanage.” Soon, it was overflowing with socks, yet when I dumped them all out to sort them, none of them seemed to match.
I consider it a good day when I remove an even number of socks from the dryer. I always put in an even number, that I know. With military-like precision, I unroll each and every sock from the hamper and verify its mate before throwing it in the wash. But somehow, by the end of the drying cycle, something’s gone awry. There’s usually one, lonely sock.
I keep the single socks. What else can an optimist do? Admittedly, I have looked up articles like, “37+ Unusual Uses for Lonely Socks,” but I just wasn’t really in need of a sock puppet or golf club covers or windshield wiper cozies. I once made a cardboard box to go above my wash machine and labeled it “Sock Orphanage.” Soon, it was overflowing with socks, yet when I dumped them all out to sort them, none of them seemed to match.
When we were young, the search began even before school let out in early June: Which kids would be taking a vacation outside of Illinois, and could they find a way to smuggle some fireworks home without Mom or Dad finding out? The grand prize, of course, was the cherry bomb. Its waterproof wick meant that it could be used to sink the ships of yuletides past. Every Christmas we asked Santa for plastic model kits of the great ships of America’s proud naval history. We assembled them through the dark, dreary months of late winter, and by summer the kits had been built, played with, and abandoned to the back of the closet.
When we were young, the search began even before school let out in early June: Which kids would be taking a vacation outside of Illinois, and could they find a way to smuggle some fireworks home without Mom or Dad finding out?
The grand prize, of course, was the cherry bomb. Its waterproof wick meant that it could be used to sink the ships of yuletides past.
Every Christmas we asked Santa for plastic model kits of the great ships of America’s proud naval history. We assembled them through the dark, dreary months of late winter, and by summer the kits had been built, played with, and abandoned to the back of the closet.
