MY SUN DAY NEWS
I spent about an hour this morning doing what I do almost every morning for at least half of the year – I ride my bike south along rural Sandwald Road as far as Big Timber Road, jingling my bike bell in happy greeting to the growing fields of corn. I watch the corn spend its entire lifetime from mid-May until late October — from first germination to final harvest — and along the way I reflect upon my own life and the many roads that got me here. For me, it is a kind of church moment to take that bike ride each day.
I spent about an hour this morning doing what I do almost every morning for at least half of the year – I ride my bike south along rural Sandwald Road as far as Big Timber Road, jingling my bike bell in happy greeting to the growing fields of corn.
I watch the corn spend its entire lifetime from mid-May until late October — from first germination to final harvest — and along the way I reflect upon my own life and the many roads that got me here. For me, it is a kind of church moment to take that bike ride each day.
It’s not often I personally address a public comment or argument. In fact, it’s only done when a reader submission disseminates incorrect or inaccurate information about My Sun Day News, as is seen in a letter appearing in this edition that presumes My Sun Day News is only distributed in Sun City. This presumption is in regards to the debate on whether or not My Sun Day News should publish Political Place letters.
With more than 50 years of experience in wellness, kinesiology, and injury recovery, Steve Ferry, known to many as “MedicineMan2,” is sharing his deep knowledge and caring approach in a new book to help seniors stay active. In Chair Yoga For Seniors: A Safe and Effective Guide to Manage Joint Stiffness, Mobility Issues, and Regain Muscle Tone, Ferry provides a clear guide to aging with energy.
“I cover everything from breathing techniques and foundational poses to focused exercises for joint health, balance, and muscle tone. Each chapter is designed to help you move with confidence and purpose,” he said.
Sun City Huntley residents have access to quality healthcare through the Northwestern Medicine Wellness Center. This facility, right in the community, offers premier medical expertise and is a trusted asset for residents’ well-being. Upon arrival, residents are welcomed by a cohesive medical team ready to address everything from preventive wellness to acute concerns. The Wellness Center’s daily team includes: Elena Makris, patient services representative; Lori Marcantonio, RN, clinical support; Gennesia Crowley, expert in phlebotomy; and Matilda Lutaj, nurse practitioner, overseeing primary treatments.
People trying to mail letters at Meadow View Lodge have noticed that the familiar blue USPS drop box is gone. It has been missing for several months, and residents like Donna Bodzin are asking what happened.
Nancy is crazy for coupons. Everybody knows that if you buy something you don’t need but you have a coupon for it, you’re saving money. She has saved us so much money over the years, we should be filthy rich! Nancy found in our mailbox the weekly sales flyers and in it was an envelope which contained a coupon for a local restaurant. We did hear good things about it, so we couldn’t afford not to go. We grabbed our coupon and with dollar signs in our eyeballs, we hurried off to The Annex Restaurant and Lounge in Lake in the Hills.
As soon as the ground thawed this spring, I excitedly ran outside and set three metal chickens within a flower bed. After taking great care with the placement and the spacing, I took a few steps back and smiled. These three chickens, set in front of an old chicken house, bring me a tremendous amount of joy.
I’m hoping you can help me think through a difficult situation that keeps popping up with my mom. My dad passed away nearly five years ago, and since then, my mom has been living alone. For a while, my wife would bring our kids over during the week to visit for a few hours. Now that our kids are older, they’re in school and involved in sports, so our visits have naturally slowed down.
I’m hoping you can help me think through a difficult situation that keeps popping up with my mom.
My dad passed away nearly five years ago, and since then, my mom has been living alone. For a while, my wife would bring our kids over during the week to visit for a few hours. Now that our kids are older, they’re in school and involved in sports, so our visits have naturally slowed down.
As we are about to head into some oppressive summer weather, some levity is in order. My wish was that I wanted to review Scary Movie 6 and another film. However, with scheduling, this isn’t going to come to pass here. Maybe next time. Columnists have been editorializing on the bummer summer we are getting. All the songs are about heartbreak and wistful longing. Beloved shows are making their exit. A farewell in late night has rocked the public. And in that view, one really big film event needed to be addressed.
Letters of kindness found in the Sun City Community.
Letters for the week of June 18.
Every great rock and roll story starts with a simple spark, and for bass guitarist John Dwyer, that spark was a deep-seated passion to play. His creative drive ultimately led to the formation of The Del Fossils, a high-energy rock and roll band comprised entirely of local talent. Dwyer proudly notes that all band members are Sun City residents, highlighting the tight-knit, community-based nature of the group.
Lately, granny squares have been popping up in unexpected places. Remember granny squares? I watched my mother work her crochet hook like a magic wand when I was a little kid in the 70s. The sight of her yarn morphing into squares, which were then stitched together to become handbags and blankets is a core memory for me. So is the click-click of her knitting needles. As well as the whir of her sewing machine. As I grew into a teen, I rejected all these things, because I was determined to be more contemporary, not wanting to continue these “old lady” hobbies.
Lately, granny squares have been popping up in unexpected places.
Remember granny squares? I watched my mother work her crochet hook like a magic wand when I was a little kid in the 70s. The sight of her yarn morphing into squares, which were then stitched together to become handbags and blankets is a core memory for me. So is the click-click of her knitting needles. As well as the whir of her sewing machine. As I grew into a teen, I rejected all these things, because I was determined to be more contemporary, not wanting to continue these “old lady” hobbies.
A remarkable partnership is flourishing in the Huntley community, bringing together the rich life experiences of Sun City residents and the energy of local youth. What began as a strategic goal by the Sun City Board of Directors to deepen ties with Huntley High School (HHS) has grown into a successful collaboration involving students, teachers, volunteers, and residents throughout the district.
Let’s talk about bugs, shall we? Well, technically it’s not actually bugs I want to talk about—it’s bacteria. But if I started by saying that, you might have stopped reading by now. But wait! It’s not the bad bacteria bugs I want to talk about. It’s the good ones. And yes, there are plenty of good ones to talk about.
Let’s talk about bugs, shall we?
Well, technically it’s not actually bugs I want to talk about—it’s bacteria. But if I started by saying that, you might have stopped reading by now.
But wait! It’s not the bad bacteria bugs I want to talk about. It’s the good ones. And yes, there are plenty of good ones to talk about.
Last month’s Health News Report summarized recent research on how the human body responds to the daily cycle of light and dark through a master clock nestled near the optic nerve. This clock responds to that circadian rhythm sending hormonal signals to all regions in the body throughout the day. Without your awareness the master clock sends out melatonin to promote sleep and decreases that hormone to wake you up each morning. But that circadian rhythm does not stop with just awake/sleep influence.
After a break for Memorial Day, its back to three days a week of softball fun for Sun City Softball Club players, fans and umpires, at Veterans Memorial Field. Fortunately for the increasing crowds, light jackets have replaced the blankets.
I’m a grandmother in my 60s, and I find myself in a situation I’m both excited about and quietly worried over.
It’s that time of year again, when a trip to our ophthalmologist is necessary. My arms weren’t long enough for me to read a book. Jim’s eyes are so bad (How bad are they?), when he went to take Rosie for a walk, he put her harness on backwards and couldn’t figure out why she only had one eye! After our examinations, we hurried off to get our new frames and lenses. Sparing no expense, we went to Sam’s Club. All of this activity worked up quite an appetite so we decided to stop at a nearby restaurant called Around the Clock Restaurant and Bakery in Crystal Lake.
The Star Wars Universe under Disney has taken quite a beating over the last few years for its lack of interesting storylines and uninspired character choices. Largely, the property has lived on in the era of streaming. Shows like Andor and The Clone Wars were there to feed long-term fans with content from a galaxy far far away. However, the loss of a big screen feature not since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker is telling.
Perennial flowers are a mainstay of most landscape settings. They add color, extend the bloom times, and can be low maintenance. Perennial flowers also improve the quality of the soil and act as food sources for pollinators and insects. The availability, selection and reliability of perennial flowers is the direct result of several very high-quality growers in our area.
Letters for the week of June 4.
Following his run for the Sun City Board of Directors last fall, familiar face Jim Fatigato is taking on a new position in community governance. The Board recently has appointed the Sun City resident to the Election Committee. But Fatigato has another role, too. Last Halloween, he stepped in and brought Mickey Mouse to Grandma, Grampa & Me’s traditional Halloween party. Fatigato has brought delight to children’s lives for 20 years, giving them the opportunity to meet Mickey Mouse through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Following his run for the Sun City Board of Directors last fall, familiar face Jim Fatigato is taking on a new position in community governance. The Board recently has appointed the Sun City resident to the Election Committee.
But Fatigato has another role, too. Last Halloween, he stepped in and brought Mickey Mouse to Grandma, Grampa & Me’s traditional Halloween party. Fatigato has brought delight to children’s lives for 20 years, giving them the opportunity to meet Mickey Mouse through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The statistics around bomb threats rank right up there with The Boy Who Cried Wolf. 90-95% are hoaxes. And yet, even these threats have to be taken seriously when innocent lives are at stake. That’s how I found myself helping to direct community members out of my workplace — a public library — on an impossibly beautiful spring day. A suspicious call came through to a public desk. The caller spoke through a voice changer and made threats to the building and the people inside. Immediately, staff called 911 to report the threat, and the dispatcher advised that the building be evacuated.
The statistics around bomb threats rank right up there with The Boy Who Cried Wolf. 90-95% are hoaxes. And yet, even these threats have to be taken seriously when innocent lives are at stake.
That’s how I found myself helping to direct community members out of my workplace — a public library — on an impossibly beautiful spring day. A suspicious call came through to a public desk. The caller spoke through a voice changer and made threats to the building and the people inside. Immediately, staff called 911 to report the threat, and the dispatcher advised that the building be evacuated.
I never imagined that Jeff Bezos and I would have much to talk about over a beer, but when I learned that he was a bit dissatisfied with the size of his “super yacht,” I had to give it a second thought. Because, like Jeff, I am also a boat owner. So I feel his pain. My first boat is a hundred-year-old 17-foot wooden canoe I’ve owned since 1973, and although I honor its natural beauty, it clocks in at almost a hundred pounds.
I never imagined that Jeff Bezos and I would have much to talk about over a beer, but when I learned that he was a bit dissatisfied with the size of his “super yacht,” I had to give it a second thought.
Because, like Jeff, I am also a boat owner. So I feel his pain.
My first boat is a hundred-year-old 17-foot wooden canoe I’ve owned since 1973, and although I honor its natural beauty, it clocks in at almost a hundred pounds.
In a society increasingly dominated by digital screens, there is something remarkably timeless about the sound of a hammer hitting a nail. Recently, the Woodchucks Charter Club and the Grandma, Grandpa, & Me (GG&Me) Charter Club teamed up to bring that hands-on experience to the grandkids. The event showed that the best way to bridge a generation gap is through a shared project. The GG&Me spring event proved to be more than simply a craft workshop; it displayed the Woodchucks’ mentorship. The Woodchucks Charter Club supplied not merely the physical tools and materials but also the expert-level patience to teach young children the fundamentals of woodworking.
In a society increasingly dominated by digital screens, there is something remarkably timeless about the sound of a hammer hitting a nail. Recently, the Woodchucks Charter Club and the Grandma, Grandpa, & Me (GG&Me) Charter Club teamed up to bring that hands-on experience to the grandkids. The event showed that the best way to bridge a generation gap is through a shared project.
The GG&Me spring event proved to be more than simply a craft workshop; it displayed the Woodchucks’ mentorship. The Woodchucks Charter Club supplied not merely the physical tools and materials but also the expert-level patience to teach young children the fundamentals of woodworking.
Sun City’s Fitness Department is filling a vital gap in local programming with its new Brain & Body fitness class. Led by Kelly Bertrand, Sun City Fitness Director, the session is every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in Studio A at Meadowview Lodge. The initiative sparked after a Kay Osborn and Marilyn Gustafson, Sun City residents, along with a local support group, noticed a lack of specialized resources for people navigating life after a stroke or living with Parkinson’s. “There was a clear need for fitness tailored specifically to neurological challenges,” says Osborn, who helped advocate for the program.
Sun City’s Fitness Department is filling a vital gap in local programming with its new Brain & Body fitness class. Led by Kelly Bertrand, Sun City Fitness Director, the session is every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in Studio A at Meadowview Lodge. The initiative sparked after a Kay Osborn and Marilyn Gustafson, Sun City residents, along with a local support group, noticed a lack of specialized resources for people navigating life after a stroke or living with Parkinson’s.
“There was a clear need for fitness tailored specifically to neurological challenges,” says Osborn, who helped advocate for the program.
Sun City is preparing to celebrate the heart the community: volunteers. Join in on Wednesday, June 10, from 4-6 p.m. at the Fountain View Pavilion for a special Volunteer Social Pop-Up Event.
A group of Sun City Tall Oaks Tennis Club (TOTC) members would like to have additional court time at Tall Oaks Courts. Spearheading the current tennis club’s campaign is TOTC member Nancy Fontana, with the main purpose a chance to grow the sport’s initiatives.
A group of Sun City Tall Oaks Tennis Club (TOTC) members would like to have additional court time at Tall Oaks Courts.
Spearheading the current tennis club’s campaign is TOTC member Nancy Fontana, with the main purpose a chance to grow the sport’s initiatives.
