It's A Grand Life

FEBRUARY 2020

It’s A Grand Life® A magazine for Sun City Grand residents

Estrella Publishing - It’s A Grand Life magazine

February 2020

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Published by Estrella Publishing LLC, PO Box 6962, Goodyear AZ 85338. Additional copies and article reproductions can be obtained for a fee by contacting info@EstrellaPublishing.com Catherine Uretsky, Publisher and Editor 623.594.9283 info@EstrellaPublishing.com Al Uretsky, Publisher and Sales Executive 623.594.9283 info@EstrellaPublishing.com

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Estrella Publishing accepts freelance contributions, there is no guarantee that materials will be used or returned. Some content is provided by Brandpointe and Family Features. Estrella Publishing is not responsible for the views of contributing writers and assumes no responsibility for errors appearing within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Publisher or Advertisers. Estrella Publishing reserves the right to restrict all advertisement to their proper classification and to edit or reject any copy at its sole discretion.

Neither this publication nor Estrella Publishing is an agent of or in any way affiliated with the associated Developer nor Homeowners Association, or any of their respective affiliates. This publication has not been approved by, sponsored by, or endorsed by the associated Developer nor Homeowners Association in any way.

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February 2020

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From Me To You...

Now we have text messages, that is something I do love.

Text messages allow you to think before you speak and formulate a crafted thoughtful February is the month of love and there are many response. Sometimes I don’t answer a text for things I love in my life; my family, my friends, a few days which may seem rude, but honestly my job, of course my dogs (when they are not if I’d shot off an answer based on my initial tearing up my house). There are also things that I response it would not have gone well. So if you don’t love that I used to... don’t hear from me immediately it is not always a bad thing.

I remember when I used to love to talk on the telephone. I would rush home from school after The downside of putting everything in writing spending a whole day with my friends, only to is that people decide what tone of voice you’re jump right on the phone as soon as possible and using when they read it. This can mean that if spend hours talking to them again. My father somebody is having a bad day and they read it would always say “What on earth could you in a frame of mind that is not the most positive, possibly have to talk about when you’ve been they will in all likelihood read the message in a with them all day?” I don’t remember what we negative way. I try to bear that in mind, myself, talked about but I do remember it was fun and when reading emails or texts. If I put a smile on I used have to fight for the telephone with my my face before I start reading then the whole sister and my brother. message can change. You should give it a try!

Now talking on the telephone is more of a chore than a pleasure. I think it started because of work - everything that I communicate in the area of my job has to be done in writing to avoid miscommunication, or when there are questions we have something solid to go back to. So I got in the habit of not talking on the telephone.

When my phone rings I barely even hear it! I am constantly changing my ringtone and I even tried to turn the volume up in an attempt to notice when it starts to ring. Even with those modifications, more often than not, I don’t get to it, or answer the calls in time. Just ask my children!

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Getting back to the telephone, if you call me I probably won’t answer, and if I don’t recognize your number I definitely won’t answer! If you want to communicate with me you should text me or send me an email. I promise to read it with a smile on my face and when I send you an answer I hope you will do the same.

Catherine Uretsky

Editor, It’s A Grand Life Magazine info@estrellapublishing.com 623.594.9283 - office number, don’t worry I am not responsible for answering this one.

February 2020

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February 2020

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On Our Cover

Major ‘Bud’ Hesterman was born and raised in Kansas. The son of a farmer he fully intended to take over the farm one day and was attending Kansas State studying for a degree in agriculture when the Korean War put an end to those plans.

Bud had 30 days to enlist or get a job and as he loved planes he decided to give the Air Force a shot. He became an aviation cadet and loved it “I enjoyed flying fast planes more than driving slow tractors,” he said.

That started a career flying everything from F86s in Korea to F105s in Vietnam. The F105 being his favorite plane - he flew that one in 52 missions over North Vietnam during the early part of the war.

Bud retired from the Air Force in 1971 when he was stationed at Luke AFB and tried his hand at selling cars and life insurance. He realized it was not for him and under the GI Bill took classes at NAU where he got a masters in counselling.

The Veterans Association was hiring counsellors for Vets returning from Vietnam and he spent the next 20 years there as a Vocational

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Rehabilitational Counselling Psychologist.

In his free time Bud loves to sing, having been a member of the Phoenician Men’s Chorus, Desert Air Chorus, West Valley Choral and even sang some occasional solos. His love of music also carried over to musicals where he has played the mayor in The Music Man and the sheriff in The Best Little Whore House in Texas amongst others.

Bud’s good friend Brigadier General Warner introduced him to the Military Order of World Wars (MOWW). Bud started attending meetings and liked the people and what the organization stands for. “I am so proud of the young men and women in the ROTC. I am glad we have them to be future leaders of our great country.”

MOWW works with ROTC and Junior ROTC programs, sponsoring awards programs and Youth Leadership Conferences for their members. Additionally, MOWW hosts “Massing of Colors” ceremonies in conjunction with Flag Day, the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The next Massing of the Colors is on February 25th at Palm Ridge Recreation Center, 13800 Deer Valley Drive in Sun City West. www.MOWWWestValleyAZ.org

February 2020

Furry Friends Dogs are the best. The best snuggle buddies.

And, the best road trip companions. But, just like humans, dogs have ruff days and health problems from aging and their active lives. They don’t always know how to tell us where they hurt or why they are acting differently, but there are some signs that pet parents can watch for.

1. Less pep in their step. It’s natural for dogs to be less active as they age, but with four legs and boundless curiosity, injuries can happen any time. If your fur family member isn’t sprinting around the backyard like normal, or they’re walking up or down stairs instead of running, they may be experiencing leg or paw discomfort.

A prolonged change in the way they walk or run could be a sign of hip or joint discomfort indicating a chronic condition, according to veterinarian Elizabeth DeLomba.

2. Missing your snuggle buddy. They’re always curled up beside you during a Netflix binge or keeping your feet warm in bed every night. But, when your best snuggler starts being anti-social, it may be a sign that they need something more

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than a cuddle. “A dog acting anti-social may be an indication of a physical problem or discomfort that they are trying to hide,” says Dr. DeLomba. A dog acting sensitive to petting or a gentle touch may signal underlying issues.

3. What’s that smell? Doggie kisses are also the best, but not so much with bad doggie breath.

If your dog has consistently bad breath despite special treats and regular teeth cleanings, they may have a tooth or gum issue. Likewise, if your dog is needing to “go” more often, or you start finding accidents in the house, it may be an indication of a urinary issue or problem. If Fido isn’t finishing meals or is not that interested in treats, that’s another sign of possible gastrointestinal distress or other internal issues that may not be obvious physically but may be detected with blood work.

Talk to your veterinarian if your dog is demonstrating any of the above behaviors.

Depending on the circumstance, your dog may benefit from a simple change such as a new diet or supplement regime. Our pets are with us for far too short a time. Watch for their signs of discomfort to keep them happy, healthy, and at your side for as long as possible.

February 2020

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Better Baking

Measuring, mixing, blending and kneading there is so much that goes into the art of baking.

You start with the right materials and techniques, but you also need to be familiar with how your oven works to get the best results.

Getting to know your oven could be the difference between a beautiful baked good and a not-sogreat one. Here are five questions to ask before you get started on your next batch of goodies.

Gas, electric or convection?

This is an important distinction.

This not only determines where the heat comes from, but also how it moves around inside the oven. Convection ovens - such as the LG ProBake Oven - are the best for baking as they circulate the air inside the oven for even heat on every rack. They have a bottom heat source but are also equipped with fans to blow the hot air around. Many gas and electric ovens are also heated from the bottom, but the heat is not

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evenly distributed.

When was it last cleaned?

Many people go months, or even years, without cleaning their ovens. But months of buildup can cause smoke and ruin your food.

Remember to wipe away any spills in the oven after each use or use a drip pan to catch any grease or drippings.

Are the nooks and crannies clean?

Crumbs and spills hiding in the gaps around your oven can attract pests. One easy way to get these areas clean is to wrap a damp cloth around a butter knife and run it through the cracks, shaking out the dirt and food morsels in the trash as you go.

Then, repeat this step with a vinegar-dampened cloth to ensure the area isn’t a welcoming home to mice, ants or other unwanted guests.

Where are your oven racks?

The placement of the racks inside your oven is more important than you may think. Most ovens get hotter at the top, so if you have two baking sheets in at once, the one on the higher rack tends to cook faster. For best results, place racks in the middle, and be sure to rotate your pans from front to back and top to bottom.

Do you have an oven thermometer?

Many home ovens are off by five to 15 degrees, some even up to 25 degrees or more. It might seem insignificant, but the wrong temperature can affect your final product. Use an oven thermometer to make sure you’re baking at the correct temperature.

Get to know your oven. Answer these questions and follow these tips for delicious, successful baking every time.

February 2020

Driven To Last

Did you know that one in four Americans keep their cars for an average of seven years or more?

Nearly another third (29%) say they typically own their car for three to four years. With Americans keeping their vehicles on the road for the better part of a decade, it’s important to implement consistent maintenance habits to ensure a smooth ride.

Hankook Tire rounds up tips for drivers looking to keep their cars cruising well into the 2020s:

1. Keep it on the calendar Whether consistency comes based on a mileage amount or a specific date on the calendar, setting and keeping regular tune-up appointments is a simple way to keep your car healthy. Regular maintenance inspections can be a great time to evaluate other parts of your car, not just what’s beneath the hood. And, be sure to examine your windshield wipers and headlights to see if they need to be replaced.

2. Repair and replace (when needed) Sometimes, a routine oil change will shed light on a maintenance issue that requires more attention. In that event, consider your repair vs. replace decisions carefully - is the option you’re choosing a temporary bandage, or will it help Estrella Publishing - It’s A Grand Life magazine

lengthen the life of your vehicle in the long run? For many, this depends on what needs replacing, and whether that part is considered “essential.”

For example, only 30% of drivers will replace their tire pressure monitoring system sensors if they were to break. However, these sensors can offer vital information about the pressure in your tires, which has a lasting impact on your entire driving experience.

3. Clean it up Keeping your car clean is about more than just appearances - it can also help keep it running smoothly for much longer because dirt and grime can cause corrosion to the paint and even more, especially if it gets into the mechanics of the car. For those driving over salted winter roads, regular car washes become an even more significant step to extending your vehicle’s lifespan, as winter road salt can be particularly corrosive.

No matter if your vehicle is brand new, or you’re looking to hold on to an old-timer a little longer, these tips from Hankook tire can keep you steering straight into the next year, decade and perhaps even beyond.

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Health Care Costs High-deductible plans are increasing in popularity as a way to curb rising health care premiums. Typically, people are offered a plan at a lower monthly cost in exchange for a higher deductible.

Whether you have a traditional plan or a highdeductible plan, outof-pocket costs often hit people the hardest at the start of the year when coverage is minimal due to reset deductibles.

Unmet deductibles typically mean you pay for the full cost of prescriptions, clinic visits, treatments and more.

Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to manage the influx of health care costs at the start of the year so you can save money and stay healthy: Budget Health care deductibles reset annually, so plan ahead and budget for expected costs. If you or your family members see a health care provider regularly, you can anticipate these expenses and create a budget.

If you have access to pretax savings plans through an employer, such as a health care savings account, opt in to save by paying with untaxed dollars. Additionally, consider setting some money aside for a rainy-day medical fund.

There are always unexpected expenses and having this cushion can help curb costs.

Inside Rx If you need a prescription but currently have 10 Estrella Publishing - It’s A Grand Life magazine

to pay out-of-pocket costs until meeting your deductible, consider using a free Inside Rx card to access medication savings. Inside Rx helps people who need to pay out of pocket for their medication by offering discounts that average 70% on brand and generic medications. Download the free Inside Rx card at insiderx.com. Remember, not all pharmacies charge the same price for medications. While on the website, use the costcomparison tool to learn which local pharmacy offers the best price for your prescription so you can save the most.

Use in-network providers Every plan is unique in which providers it considers in network and out of network. In-network providers are typically covered at a higher amount by the health care plan, which means you will be charged less for services.

Before visiting a doctor or clinic, call your insurance provider and verify that it’s in network so you aren’t surprised by a bill that’s higher than expected. If your provider isn’t in network, you can ask about comparable providers who are, so you can access savings.

Payment plans If you do end up with medical expenses and can’t pay the balance all at once, call the clinic’s billing office to work out a payment plan. Many health care organizations want to be proactive about finding a reasonable way for you to pay, even if that means specified monthly payments until you’re caught up.

Health care costs can be financially crippling, but with a few smart steps, you can manage these expenses with ease while keeping yourself and your family healthy.

February 2020

Be Prepared

Fires can occur when you least expect it, leaving little time to plan your escape, so the time to prepare for an emergency isn’t when your alarm sounds. Make time to plan and practice what you would do in case of a fire or carbon monoxide emergency. Consider the following tips when helping to prepare yourself and your loved ones: 1. Map it out. Begin thinking about a home fire escape plan by first drawing a map of your home, making sure to label each window and door. Identify two ways out of each room and walk through your home to make sure the doors and windows you’ve chosen as exits open easily.

If your home has a second floor, consider having escape ladders in each room.

2. Choose a meeting spot. After you have mapped out all of the ways you can exit, pick an outside meeting spot a safe distance away from your home, such as across the street, at a mailbox or in front of the neighbor’s home. Be sure that your family knows that once they are outside, they need to call 911 and stay outside.

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Additionally, explain it is important that everyone knows never to re-enter the home for any reason and to let a firefighter know if someone is missing.

3. Help your loved ones. Assign someone in your family who can assist seniors or pets during a fire.

The responsible person should be in good health and be able to provide the assistance needed.

4. Check your smoke alarms. Check that you have alarms properly installed throughout your home and remember to test all of the alarms regularly and replace them at least every 10 years.

5. Plan. Practice. Repeat. Once your escape plan is finalized, your job is not done. Gather your family together and put your plan in action.

Practice this plan at least twice a year, so if disaster strikes, your family will feel confident in their ability to exit the home safely. To make the drills as realistic as possible, conduct them both during the day and at night.

Planning ahead can save a life. For more information about escape planning and fire safety tools, visit www.firstalert.com.

February 2020

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Fitness Myths

3) Myth: Fitness needs to be a competition

Americans express growing frustration with fad fitness, social media “fitspiration” and the many myths believed to be true about health and wellness. Here are some commonly-held misconceptions about fitness and the real truth behind them:

Studies show that head-to-head challenges are demotivating to the majority of Americans who don’t currently belong to a gym. In fact, 68 percent find leaderboards specifically demotivating. When it comes to individual health, all activity counts, not just your position on a scoreboard.

1) Myth: You have to put in a lot of time to get results

4) Myth: Social media helps spread the message of health and wellness

On average, Americans believe they need to work out for 95 minutes for it to even be beneficial. However, recent guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services note that just 10 minutes of exercise will help raise your heart rate and maintain fitness levels.

Quite the opposite. Common “fitspo” phrases such as, “no pain, no gain” or “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” are ineffective, according to most Americans. On the flip side, 65 percent say that inspirational messaging like “investing in yourself” and “a year from now, you’ll be glad you started today,” is motivating.

2) Myth: Working out is like a five-day work week

“People can work out on their own terms and live healthy, happy lives,” says Rondeau. “Take that first step toward better health.”

Nearly half of Americans believe you need to work out more than five times a week in order for it to be effective - and that’s just not true. Every single episode of physical activity can provide temporary improvements in cognitive function and levels of anxiety. “You don’t have to work out seven days a week, two hours a day, to get healthy,” says Chris Rondeau, chief executive officer of Planet Fitness. “The key is to just get started and know that every minute truly matters, and over time, can www.estrellamtnpest.com have a significant Your full service pest control company positive impact.”

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February 2020

Men Of Vision

February is such a dull month. On the one hand we are eagerly awaiting the advent of spring, and on the other we relish the relief from ‘the warm weather that is fast approaching. It is like this is the in-between month. But then we look at the calendar and realize that we have a great deal to be grateful for, and February is the reminder.

President’s Day: How many remember when we celebrated both George Washington’s birthday and Abraham Lincoln’s birthday in February. Then, some bright minds got together and decided that we should combine the two holidays and incorporate them into one National Holiday – President’s Day – commemorating all the presidents of our great country.

These two men, in their own way, and in their own time, contributed to our survival as a nation: George Washington ensured our birth and continued existence by contributing wealth and fortitude to help break the shackles of ingratitude and arrogance as displayed by the treatment received from Great Britain. Can anyone truly imagine how difficult it was to distance ourselves from the one entity that gave us the ability to thrive in a free atmosphere only to have it encroached upon time and again because of greed and duplicity?

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we find a more noble cause nor a more justified example of what freedom meant.

Nowhere do we find a people so dedicated to self-determination that they were willing to sacrifice everything they possessed, both physically and economically. “They are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” was not a slogan but a call to the whole world that a new chapter in the history of mankind was on the horizon.

Abraham Lincoln kept us together as a nation as we attempted to dissolve this experiment called America. It was a time of brother against brother. It was a time when geography was the determining factor as to whether this nation could survive. It was a time when the conscience of our nation was tested in a racial divide that seemed to tear at the very fabric of our souls. It was a time when the true meaning of the words found in our Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men were created equal” was tested with the ultimate sacrifice of life and limb. “That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and the government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

This was, and remains, the majestic contribution of a simple and humble man.

America is still, through all its upheavals, the hope of humanity. The message that was transmitted by these two men through word and action still reverberate around the world. The lamp that lights the way at the entrance to our country remains lit for all to see, for all to enjoy, for all to understand that its glow lights the path to hope.

God continue to bless these United States. God bless the memory of George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, and……..

Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D.

February 2020

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Yum Yum!

Anyone who has known me since at least 2017 probably knows that I lost 70 pounds doing the “keto” diet. While I don’t claim to be an expert on the diet/lifestyle, I did amass a nice collection of favorite recipes during the 18 months I spent in ketosis. Although I haven’t been strict “keto” for several years now, I have managed to keep the weight off…well, most of it…by continuing to work those recipes into our family’s monthly meal rotation.

Most of the recipes I use are extremely simple… often just three or four ingredients. Some are recipes I’ve created myself and others are recipes that I’ve adapted from their “non-keto” original versions.

One of our family favorites is called “Salsa Cream Cheese Chicken.” The ingredients are…you guessed it…salsa, cream cheese, and chicken! I use El Sol Homestyle Organic Salsa from Costco (I believe they carry it as Sam’s Club as well). Real homemade salsa would be even better, if you have the time and talent, but the El Sol brand is the closest I’ve found to homemade.

Instructions: Place raw chicken thighs in the bottom of a glass casserole dish.

(You could use chicken breast, but if you’re following the keto 14 Estrella Publishing - It’s A Grand Life magazine

lifestyle, thighs are better because they have a higher fat content. They also just taste better, in my opinion!)

Pour salsa over the chicken. I use about half of the 50oz container from Costco, but you’ll have to use your judgment here.

Slice the cream cheese into thin strips (I use Philadelphia brand that comes in 8oz blocks) and place them on top of the salsa. I use two of the 8oz blocks, but again, you’ll have to use your judgment.

That’s it! Bake the whole dish, uncovered, at 450° until the chicken is cooked through, usually about 25 minutes. Serve with green beans or salad for a keto-friendly meal or add tortillas and rice for carbs.

Enjoy!

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February 2020

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February 2020