MY SUN DAY NEWS
Just outside the Solarium, overlooking Whisper Creek Golf Course’s eighteenth hole, visitors to Sun City’s Prairie Lodge & Welcome Center might notice a new addition to the outdoor patio: a firepit. “We wanted to give the residents another gathering area, in this case one that was outside,” Dennis O’Leary, president of the Sun City Community Board of Directors, said.
Just outside the Solarium, overlooking Whisper Creek Golf Course’s eighteenth hole, visitors to Sun City’s Prairie Lodge & Welcome Center might notice a new addition to the outdoor patio: a firepit.
“We wanted to give the residents another gathering area, in this case one that was outside,” Dennis O’Leary, president of the Sun City Community Board of Directors, said.
Traveling is a common activity that many participate in throughout their lifetime. Betty “Lulu” Lucille Winkelman is no stranger to the world, having been to 19 foreign countries and on 90 cruises total.
What makes Winkelman’s love of adventure so extraordinary is that even on her 100-year birthday, she continued her favorite hobby on board a cruise to Costa Rica. A birthday trip made unforgettable by the 100 flowers gifted to her and the 4,000-person chorus singing “Happy Birthday.”
In cities and villages across the U.S., millions of people hugged their loved ones and called family members living further away. The emotions that poured out on September 11, 2001, and for the days and weeks that followed, ran very deep into the soul of America for we were tested in a way that we’d not seen since the attack in 1941 at Pearl Harbor.
We’ve had a very unusual summer in northern Illinois because of prolonged wet weather. But this doesn’t surprise Water Resource Specialist Scott Kuykendall. He’s always alert to extremes. A staff member of the McHenry County Department of Planning and Development, Kuykendall is very aware of increasing precipitation patterns. He is preparing for the annual McHenry County Water Forum on Flooding.
We’ve had a very unusual summer in northern Illinois because of prolonged wet weather. But this doesn’t surprise Water Resource Specialist Scott Kuykendall. He’s always alert to extremes.
A staff member of the McHenry County Department of Planning and Development, Kuykendall is very aware of increasing precipitation patterns. He is preparing for the annual McHenry County Water Forum on Flooding.
Sun City Softball reached the end of the season and dove into the week of playoffs. On August 19 in its bid for the playoffs, the #4 ranked Nationals beat the #1 Ranked Lumbarjacks with a stunning score of 12-2.
Sun City Softball reached the end of the season and dove into the week of playoffs.
On August 19 in its bid for the playoffs, the #4 ranked Nationals beat the #1 Ranked Lumbarjacks with a stunning score of 12-2.
A call for improvements in the world of mental health may seem a natural one after the recent mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton. The reaction to mass shootings in general seem to be based on the status of gun control regulations and perceptions that mental illness leads to violent behavior. The responses are two-fold; tighten laws for access to guns and improve the mental health system.
A call for improvements in the world of mental health may seem a natural one after the recent mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton.
The reaction to mass shootings in general seem to be based on the status of gun control regulations and perceptions that mental illness leads to violent behavior. The responses are two-fold; tighten laws for access to guns and improve the mental health system.
When I was a kid, Mom had a little pearl-handled pistol that she kept in her top dresser drawer. I wasn’t supposed to know where it was — but I did. And sometimes when Mom and Dad were in the yard I would sneak into their room, take the gun out and play with it because it was prettier than any toy I owned. I don’t know if it was loaded, because I never pulled the trigger. It may have had a safety that would have kept it from firing if I had pulled the trigger, but I don’t know. I just pointed it here and there and pretended I was shooting bad guys. I squinted one eye and stuck my other eye into the end of the barrel to see what it looked like down there.
When I was a kid, Mom had a little pearl-handled pistol that she kept in her top dresser drawer. I wasn’t supposed to know where it was — but I did. And sometimes when Mom and Dad were in the yard I would sneak into their room, take the gun out and play with it because it was prettier than any toy I owned.
I don’t know if it was loaded, because I never pulled the trigger. It may have had a safety that would have kept it from firing if I had pulled the trigger, but I don’t know. I just pointed it here and there and pretended I was shooting bad guys. I squinted one eye and stuck my other eye into the end of the barrel to see what it looked like down there.
Many new people have moved to Sun City in the last ten years. I am taking this opportunity to review ten items that you should address to keep yourself safe and avoid costly repairs.
Gardening is said to add years to your life and life to your years. In order for those years to pass more beautifully and easily for gardeners, the Perennial Plant Association has developed a Perennial Plant of the Year (PPOY) program. For the past 29 years, members of this non for profit organization have met each summer and voted on which perennial flower they best exemplifies certain characteristics. Characteristics of past PPOYs include low maintenance, disease and insect resistant, have interest over several seasons and are hardy. Here is a summary of the past 10 years’ worth of what could be considered the best of the best perennial flowers.
You may only think of the Dining Duo as charming, witty, and knowledgeable restaurant critics. While this is absolutely true, it is not the only avocation that we have. We are also bocce ball athletes!!! Every Friday morning we psyche ourselves up, jump into the mini-mobile, and head out to do battle at the bocce courts. This is the first year that I get to have Jim as my partner, oh lucky me!
My recently published story on the FASTING Diet has motivated me to continue the diet theme throughout my next three H&W articles. Each proposed change in your eating habits attempts to inform readers of a variety of ways to eat healthier and maintain/lose weight.
Thanks to one of our “email” readers, Dianne Morton who lives in Virginia. She tipped me off about this movie, as I had not heard about it. A little research suggested it might be worth our time, and as it turned out it most certainly was.
The Huntley Hoofers and for the first time including the new group the Sun City Spirits, are getting together to have an Open House/Show on September 11 in Drendel Ballroom in Prairie Lodge at 7 p.m. They are looking forward to demonstrating the dances that they have been working on and hope to provide an entertaining evening. They hope to dance, shake and cheer to delight the audience.
I am at a loss when it comes to making conversation with my grandpa. I have a good relationship with him but was always a little closer with my grandma. She passed away a few years ago, and since her passing, my grandpa seems a little withdrawn. He moved to assisted living about two years ago, and while he is doing well health-wise, he has occasional memory lapses. He lights up when I come to visit, especially when I bring my family (he loves watching my little ones toddle around the halls), but after the basic, “How are you, what’s new,” I find myself searching for conversation topics and ways to connect with him. Do you have any suggestions on how I can better engage my grandpa in conversation?
Letters for the week of September 5.
“My Dear Fellow Employee: We are sending you this special cachet envelope commemorating the launch and flight of Apollo XI…as a member of the Apollo Support Team for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.” This is an excerpt from a letter that was addressed to Sun City Resident Kenn Ellis. Ellis was there, in 1969, as the three astronauts readied to take their flight. Ellis had finished his shift at the Cape Canaveral Base and had the security clearance to view the historic walk of three men.
“My Dear Fellow Employee: We are sending you this special cachet envelope commemorating the launch and flight of Apollo XI…as a member of the Apollo Support Team for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.”
This is an excerpt from a letter that was addressed to Sun City Resident Kenn Ellis. Ellis was there, in 1969, as the three astronauts readied to take their flight. Ellis had finished his shift at the Cape Canaveral Base and had the security clearance to view the historic walk of three men.
The cover of the last edition honored the victims and families of the El Paso mass shooting. The day after the paper published, I received a rather abrupt voicemail from a reader asking about the victims of Dayton, OH, and my first thought was, “Oh no.” But not because I forgot about them. But because I didn’t know…well, not exactly. I was confused. But I’m not ashamed of the confusion. What I am severely disappointed in is that we live in a world where two shootings basically a country apart can happen concurrently.
As I stood on stage last week with my band, little brown-eyed Isabella smiled right in front of us, twirling her hula-hoop around her hips. She hula-hooped through our entire 90-minute show. And so near the end of the show I called for the band to swerve out of our set list so I could sing “Brown-Eyed Girl” and dedicate it to her. The crowd of more than 800 erupted in applause for this energetic little 8-year-old girl — the real headliner of the night.
As I stood on stage last week with my band, little brown-eyed Isabella smiled right in front of us, twirling her hula-hoop around her hips. She hula-hooped through our entire 90-minute show.
And so near the end of the show I called for the band to swerve out of our set list so I could sing “Brown-Eyed Girl” and dedicate it to her. The crowd of more than 800 erupted in applause for this energetic little 8-year-old girl — the real headliner of the night.
It was not a matter of an urgent facelift that caused the relocation of Huntley Fire Protection District Station #1. It was a matter of convenience and necessity: the current building at 11808 Coral St., in the middle of the village, had become a victim of Huntley’s success.
The speed of delivery of a flu shot today has changed in a way that removing the “I just don’t have time” excuse seems to make sense.
This is a summary of discussions held and actions taken at the Sun City Board of Directors meeting on July 24, 2019.
Fasting is one of the largest weight-loss and maintenance trends to arise in recent years. In 2018, it was the eighth most-Googled diet in America. Wall Street Journal’s writer and professor at Berlin’s Charite’ University Medical Center, Dr. Andreas Michalsen, has done extensive follow-up exploration on intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating. He calls it not just another fad diet.
Travel the main roads of McHenry County and you’ll find life’s important messages. In Huntley, along Route 47 and Del Webb Boulevard, you’ll pass Sun City and the message promoting an active and healthy lifestyle for today’s 55 and better. In Woodstock, drive around the downtown square and take in the visual message of a past worth preserving.
You might know the game as bags, sack toss, or bean bag. It is a lawn game in which players take turns throwing bags of bean bags at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. A bag in the hole scores 3 points, while one on the board scores 1 point. Play continues until a team or player reaches or exceeds the score of 21 using cancellation scoring.
Letters for the week of August 22.
On July 26, there were 167 driveways hosting parties and having a great time in Sun City, Huntley. Neighborhood Committee volunteers organized led by Bill Berendt, Neighborhood 10 Captain, coordinated another Sun City 20th Anniversary celebration event: The Largest Community-Wide Driveway Party, Drinks on the Drives, (DOD).
Before proceeding with the story line I have a timely comment. “Dogs are a connection. Dogs are a beacon of loyalty and family. Dogs are a man’s best friend. How could you not love dogs?
By the time you read this, my heart will be a little less full, my smile a tad forced and my eyes a bit red. Life is full of transitions and changes. Some are easier to work through than others. The transition that is taking place in our house is one that will result in three incredibly happy kids pursuing their dreams at the universities of their choice and two parents struggling to adjust and move on with their lives. We are officially empty nesters.
Nancy has not been to church in for longer than we care to admit. Our children are all married and most of our relatives have passed, so that takes care of the top two reasons for us going to church. Because I am an ex-altar boy, and survived 12 years of parochial school, I’d like to consider myself an authority on church matters.
Should I use LED lights in my garage door openers?
