Mature Living Leinster

PROMOTING A HEALTHY & POSITIVE LIFESTYLE February 2015

FOR THE OLDER, BOLDER INDIVIDUAL IN LEINSTER The cheapest cure for Ageing

Chia seed recipes that will change your life

Are You Ready for Your Grandchild's Visit?

Guide to undoing your tech mistakes

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Spray foam insulation is by far the most efficient insulating material on the market today. It provides superior U-Value in comparison to traditional insulating materials such as rock wool, fiberglass, cellulose and polystyrene boards.

It is quick and easy to apply and causes very little mess and disturbance of daily activity. A typical Irish house can usually be insulated within a day.

Spray foam insulation not only keeps your home warmer during the colder months, but it also will keep your house cooler during the summer. Due to its composition and “Cell” structure, it allows the house to breath by permitting the escape of moisture laden air. It also forms an airtight barrier which envelopes your home, inhibiting the entrance of cold wind and driving rain. All other insulating materials available today fall tremendously short on this aspect and allow the heat in your home to be sucked away.

Spray foam insulation also acts as an excellent sound barrier. It dramatically reduces the noise from the exterior environment from entering the home. This is beneficial when a home or business is located in a highly populated or industrialized area, or when a home is situated near an airport. It is also used within the interior walls to deaden the sounds that may pass from room to room or between floors. It excels when applied to bathroom walls where the sounds from showers and flushing toilets can be a problem. It also eliminates the noises generated from in wall or underfloor piping by encapsulating them while insulating the pipes as well.

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www.matureliving.ie

February 2015

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S the snow falls in late January the country, in tandem with other Euro states, has received a timely boost from Mario Draghi’s, with a trillion or so to be pumped into Europe in a Keynesiantype New Year present. Greece has thrown down the gauntlet to other countries by electing an anti-austerity government while here in Ireland the political parties are getting into election mode.

So, change is on the way. Whatever the fall-out from the Greek “tragedy” we have to look after our own patch as best we can . . . and since we, in the words of many anti-austerity campaigners, have “rolled over” and taken our punishment, we shouldn’t be expected to foot the bill for anyone else’s indiscretions.

A man not much noted for discretion is writer, novelist and playwright Michael Harding, who speaks to Catherine Gilmartin in this month’s One on One. Michael’s sense of humour, coupled with his directness and undoubted honesty, has earned him huge popularity through the country, particularly by virtue of his weekly column in the Irish Times.

His memoirs, which depict a man constantly searching for a meaning to life, are beginning to strike a chord with literary enthusiasts everywhere and his latest, Hanging with the Elephant, provides the subject matter for his latest tour.

Followers will be delighted to hear about his scheduled appearance in the Hawkswell, Sligo, on February 12th.

Elsewhere, in our Travel Section, we recommend that you book that cruise you have been planning for years, particularly since the value is excellent. We also explore some cities that you may not have thought of before as a holiday destination.

It is never too late to switch careers and our tips on how to re-invent your work life might be of interest to some people in addition to some employment ideas for retirees or seniors.

If you are in that age bracket and looking forward to the first visit of your grandchild have you given thought to the preparation you might have to make for such an event? Turn to page 14 to read what we have to say.

We include the usual array of health advices, including some of the additional benefits of Vitamin D and for those who definitely expect to live longer, some useful advice on Life Insurance Cover. If you find yourself divorced and having to deal with adult kids then turn to our section on Relationships, which also provides advice on second weddings.

Our Fashion page has a plea from a mature reader to fashion designers to design clothes that will “fit” the more mature person. For our food and drink enthusiasts we offer a mouth-watering taste of Switzerland.

All of that . . . and so much more in our February edition . . . oops! And did I wish you all a happy New Year. Well, it’s almost February, but a hearty happy 2015 to all our readers and advertisers.

Seamus Casey - Editor Editorial: Seamus Casey seamus@matureliving.ie Design: Stephen Finney steve@matureliving.ie Advertising Sales: Lisa Gilmartin lisa@matureliving.ie

Bad marriage, ladies?

See a cardiologist Many Older People are Working for Longer – good or bad news?

Michael Harding - writing to seek a meaning to life Please make us clothes that fit!

Are You Ready for Your Grandchild's Visit?

Chia seed recipes that will change your life Health and Wellbeing Top European destinations off the beaten path A taste of Switzerland Competition A Guide to Life Insurance Cover The Cheapest Cure For Ageing The Bands of our Showband era: Pioneer/Premier Aces Second weddings: do’s and don’ts Motoring News Agony Angel Hotel Guide Technology Services Directory Dating Classifieds

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Published by: Benbulben Publishing Limited, PO Box 41, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford Printed by: Datascope Ltd, Enniscorthy • Tel: 053-9234493 Distribution / Deliveries: David Walsh: 053-9270857 • Email: david@matureliving.ie Tel/Fax: 053-9270857 Web: www.matureliving.ie • Email: info@matureliving.ie

The information in Mature Living is carefully researched and believed to be accurate, but the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions. Statements or opinions expressed herein are not necessary those of the editor or publisher. Advertisements within the publication are not endorsed by the publisher. Neither are any claims made within the advertisements. Before consuming any products mentioned in the publication readers are advised to consult with their general practitioner or equivalent professional for opinion or advice.

News

Nearing retirement ?

Financial advice is critical

J

ackie Mason once said: "I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something."

These sentiments are reflected in my own wife’s fears about retirement where shes expecting to get twice the husband and half the income.

But retirement is singularly the biggest life event that you’ll experience and there are so many pitfalls.

Annuities, Approved Retirement Funds, Final Remuneration calculations, pension lump sums are

all terms that have relevance for you but do you know what they mean?

Do you know what your options are?

Do you have to have to stay with the same provider after retirement?

What happen if you die in retirement or more importantly what happens if you live longer than expected?

People often avoid taking advice at this critical time as they think that it can be costly – but the reverse is more accurate. You can cost yourself thousands upon thousands by not taking advice – by making a bad decision which is irreversible.

This is what I do. I help people before during and after retirement…

Over the coming months I hope to cover retirement planning issues such as :Retirement Options Explained How best to mature your pension Ways of reducing an Inheritance Tax liability Peter Heuston FCA,QFA,FLIA,AITI is a Qualified Financial Adviser and Managing Director of Heuston Financial Planning Ltd t/a Retirement Ireland specialising in the area of Retirement Planning/Options .

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their dentures. When a person loses all their teeth, there is a significant effect on nutrition, diet and general well-being. The World Health Organisation considers edentulism (no teeth) to be a disability. In Ireland almost half of people over the age of 65 have no teeth. Older people who are classified as healthy generally have better oral health than those with systemic disease. Older people in Ireland are busier than ever and have opportunities now that didn’t exist in the past Dental implants have changed the way people think about their capac-

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He ceased to practice as a Chartered Accountant in 2007 in order to specialise in his role as Managing Director of Heuston Financial Planning Ltd Heuston Financial Planning Ltd specialises in the provision of financial services advice to both the private and corporate sectors and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland as a Multi Agency Intermediary as distinct from a "Tied Agent" who works directly for a bank, or insurance company and is restricted in offering only one company's product which may not suit your requirements.

• Commercial projects undertaken • Nursing Homes • Hospitals • Hotels, Restaurants, etc • Designers & Architects • Antique & Modern Pieces • Almost 50 yrs in Business

Heuston Financial Planning Ltd are members of the Life Insurance Association LIA and of the Professional Insurance Brokers Association PIBA Heuston Financial Planning Ltd – San Marco , Gordon Avenue , Foxrock , Dublin 18 . www.retirementireland.ie 014428120 peter@retirementireland.ie Heuston Financial Planning Ltd, t/a Retirement Ireland is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland

Replacing your Missing Teeth

eansgrange Dental Clinic in Deansgrange, Blackrock, County Dublin was founded in 2014 by husband and wife team; Dr. Alastair Woods & Dr. Noelle McCourt.

Their practice has a special focus on implantology, orthodontics and endodontics. They are joined by Dr. Ronnie O’Donovan, an associate, specialist orthodontist, two hygienists, two dental assistants and one office manager.

Dr. Woods has been working with dental implants for 10 years. His areas of particular interest are in helping people replace or stabilise

ABBEY VIEW UPHOLSTERY

He was a partner in Heuston Chartered Accountants since 1980 with responsibility for the "Financial Services" arm of the practice and set up Heuston Financial Planning Ltd in 1999 .

ity to chew the foods they like. This involves a short procedure to place the implants and a few months later they are ready to be used for chewing. Implants can be used to replace a single missing tooth or multiple teeth. For people who have dentures, procedures vary from using two implants to stabilise a lose denture to using multiple implants to hold teeth that stay in all the time.

Call Sinead at Deansgrange Dental on (01) 5580000 and we will arrange a treatment consultation.

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Prince Charles swaps glasses for monacle

Prince Charles has reportedly swapped his reading glasses for a monocle. The 66year-old royal is said to be conscious of being seen wearing his spectacles – which he was first spotted in at a British Asian dinner at St. James’ Palace four years ago – and has therefore decided to opt for a less obvious style of vision aid. The heir to the throne – who has sons Harry, 30, and William, 32, from his marriage to the late Princess Diana – unveiled his new tortoiseshell-rimmed eyepiece to his friends and family during a recent royal gathering at the Sandringham Estate

during the festive season. However, the Prince of Wales’ latest accessory was not greeted with many compliments, with one guest reportedly joking that he looks like ventriloquist Ray Allen’s dummy Lord Charles. According to the Daily Mail, they said: “You look like someone should have their hand up your jacket.” A spokesperson for the royal family has refused to deny nor confirm whether news about the Prince’s new eyewear is true.

A Clarence House spokesman said: “We couldn’t comment on such matters.”

Trying to find that someone special, particularly as we get a bit older can be a daunting experience. The unknown of on-line dating and some of the more traditional methods aren't for everyone. We established Unclaimed Treasures to specifically cater for the needs of the over 40s to active retired in Ireland Here at Unclaimed Treasures we want to bring the excitement of meeting new people back to our members.

Get in touch with us today for more information

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Our GP based Dry Eye clinics were established to asses and manage the complications of this condition.

In association with Spectrum Thea pharmaceuticals, we have devised a simple 5 point plan which offers clear guidelines on how to deal with many of the causes of dry eye.

In our experience eye drops are not always the best place to start treatment.

We know 80% of dry eye is caused by lid disease and it's subsequent affect on the tear film.

We offer full dry eye assessment to advise for those failing to manage this condition themselves.

Contact us directly on 01-779 0999 or book online from our home page www.opticalrooms.com Clinics in Hanover Quay Dublin 2 & Roselawn/Blanchardstown Dublin 15

News

Bad marriage, ladies?

See a cardiologist

Ballina Clocks Classic Grandfather Clock Brand New Hardwood Cabinets and German Brass Workings Whatever the occasion: Anniversary, Birthday, Retirement, Wedding Price includes: Two Year guarantee plus delivery and installation

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O

lder couples in a bad marriage — particularly female spouses — have a higher risk for heart disease than those in a good marriage.

That’s the finding of a new study by Michigan State University sociologist Hui Lui. She suggests there’s a need for marriage counselling and programs promoting marital wellbeing for couples into their 70s and 80s. “These results show that marital quality is just as important at older ages, even when the couple has been married 40 or 50 years,” said Hui. According to the study: * Negative martial quality (e.g., spouse criticizes, spouse is demanding) has a bigger effect on heart health than positive marital quality (e.g., spousal support). In other words, a bad marriage is more harmful to your heart health than a good marriage is beneficial.

* The effect of marital quality on cardiovascular risk becomes much stronger at older ages. Over time, the stress from a bad marriage may stimulate more, and more intense, cardiovascular responses because of the declining immune function and increasing frailty that typically develop in old age. *Marital quality has a bigger effect on women’s heart health than it does on men’s, possibly because women tend to internalize negative feelings and thus are more likely to feel depressed and develop cardiovascular problems. * Heart disease leads to a decline in marital quality for women, but not for men. This is consistent with the longstanding observation that wives are more likely to provide support and care to sick husbands, while husbands are less likely to take care of sick wives.

“In this way, a wife’s poor health

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may affect how she assesses her marital quality, but a husband’s poor health doesn’t hurt his view of marriage,” Liu said.

She analyzed five years of data from about 1,200 married men and women who participated in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project.

Respondents were aged 57-85 at the beginning of the study.

The project included survey questions about marital quality, and lab tests and self-reported measures of cardiovascular health such as heart attacks, strokes, hypertension and high levels of C-reactive protein in the blood.

The study, funded by the U.S. National Institute of Aging, an arm of the National Institutes of Health, is published online in the current Journal of Health and Social Behaviour.

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We offer comprehensive selection of services to the Commercial and Residential sectors. Providing variety of different trades we are committing to the company mission - that we like what we are doing and the quality of our services are as much important as the relationships that we build with our clients-that are more than happy to recommend us.

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News

OpticalRooms.com new clinic now open O

pticalRooms.com is a new clinic based opticians in Ireland that continuously provide top class eye care with equipment such as an OCT Camera, which takes advantage of digital technology to capture detailed images of the eye.

Each clinic also has a Henson Visual Field Screener, which meets the new RSA standards for Driving and Visual Field Assessment. Their aim is to reinvent the optics business and move the focus back to patient eye care and patient eye health and move away from the retail focus that has crept into the industry over the years.

They are passionate about what they offer but are not trying to compete with retail driven Optical Chain Stores, "we are trying to

give the best possible personal care and attention to each and every one of our patients".

Don Stack - Optical Rooms’ Professional Optometrist/Pharmacist/Dir ector OpticalRooms has highly qualified professionals in our employment. Our founder, Don Stack, is a qualified optometrist and a member of the Association of Optometrists in Ireland for more than 20 years. He also completed a degree in Pharmacy in 1994. Because of his dual qualifications he has a broader understanding of the causes and treatments related to specific eye conditions and problems.

Dry Eye Specialist/Glaucoma Specialist Other optometrists in our

team have also established their respected reputations in the field of optometry.

They have interests in specialist eye needs such as dry eye treatment and paediatric eye care and one of our optometrists is under the tutelage of Professor Colm O'Brien in the Mater Hospital, Dublin and working with his team.

Dry Eye is an area of great interest for us here at OpticalRooms largely due to the fact that we encounter people daily, in our clinics, suffering with dry eyes. It is estimated that up to 40% of people experience varying degrees of dry eye. For this reason, as part of our normal eye test, we assess everyone for dry eye. Often patients are unaware of the problem, but with some pointed questioning people can identify difficulties they

have become accustomed to and believe are normal.

Dry Eye symptoms include: •A stinging, burning or scratchy sensation in your eyes • Stringy mucus in or around your eyes • Increased eye irritation from smoke or wind • Eye fatigue • Sensitivity to light • Eye redness • A sensation of having something in your eyes • Difficulty wearing contact lenses • Periods of excessive tearing • Blurred vision, often worsening at the end of the day or after focusing for a prolonged period If you have any queries, contact them directly on 01 7790999 or through their website www.Opticalrooms.com

Home Safe Home Elderly Security

H

ome Safe Home Elderly Security is a Charity working in the community, meeting security the needs of older people living independent lives in their community.

As well as providing information and services to older people, we supply Pendant Alarms and some

other small security devices. We are also in the process of setting up a low cost counselling service for older people. Home safe Home Elderly Security is a non- profit organisation.

A Monitored Pendant Alarm is worn around the neck or on a wrist strap and its use is, to protect the

person while at home. It can also be worn in the shower and can bring peace of mind to older people as well as alert others to a security or medical emergency. The Pendant Alarm can relieve feelings of isolation often felt by those living alone and can be pressed in the event of a bogus caller trying to gain access to their home. It means that at the touch of a button help will be on hand from the 24 hour Monitoring Centre.

If you come into contact with an older person in your area that is vulnerable or suffering hardship in any way please let us know so that we can arrange help through our own organisation or maybe link them into other services available in their own local area.

If you would like to volunteer with us by befriending an older vulnerable person in your community or maybe help with the Annual Christmas shoe box appeal please call our office on the number above.

Our office hours are Monday to Friday 10.00am to 4.00pm. Thank you once again. your support.

Our aim is to support, assist and encourage independent living for people as they age. We work to alleviate some of

the issues that arise for older and vulnerable people living alone such as personal & medical security, weekly shopping trips, general advise and assistance with links to available services like local befriending organisations.

We believe that a lack of financial security should never limit an older or vulnerable person from accessing their basic needs in order to enable them live independently while feeling safe and secure in their home.

We acknowledge that loneliness and isolation causes anxiety and depression and it is our desire to be a strong community link for older people living in such circumstances. We aim to partner with other charities in Ireland and overseas who seek to help vulnerable older people live their lives with dignity and respect.

See our advert on Page 15 fore more details.

Many Older People are Working for Longer – good or bad news?

By Anne Dempsey

W

hile there is no fixed mandatory age of retirement in Ireland, many employers set 65 as the age when a staff member needs to leave. However, from the beginning of this year an issue affecting many older workers came into law.

Effective January 1, 2014, the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 has changed the age at which one can become eligible for an old age pension from 65 to 66. (This will rise to age 67 in year 2021, and age 68 in year 2028). The change, allied with pension provisions which tend to favour the employer rather than the employee, will almost certainly result in an increasing number of workers bidding farewell to any dreams of early retirement, and needing to remain on in work till 65 or beyond.

This new situation must be measured against the fact that during the boom years in Ireland, many people retired in their late fifties or early sixties, as they felt secure in their pension provision. So within a decade there has been a seismic shift to older people’s attitude and practice to work and retirement. More will feel they have no option but to work for longer, and others close to retirement may have to continue to work for some more years, whether they wish to or not.

Is this good news? For those who work to live, rather than living to work, probably not. Many employees dread Monday mornings and are unhappy at work. There are numerous square pegs in round holes, and gamut of occupation ills ranges from those who feel bored and underused to workers who are pressured, stressed and overworked.

On the other hand, there are many people who love their work. As well as giving necessary finances, work can offer companionship; a sense of belonging, challenge and routine, Work can provide purpose and meaning. Many sixty-plusses who continue to feel fit and well may relish the opportunity to continue working, to be part of the mainstream rather than being cast into the margins, which retirement can sometimes seem to imply.

The fair treatment of older workers is part of the equality and diversity agenda. The Employment Act 2004 deals with discrimination within employment on the basis of age. Older workers cannot be discriminated against in terms of job application, interview, working conditions and career opportunities.

In this context, the findings of a study ‘Labour Market Inequalities for Older People in Ireland’ published by the Equality Authority in 2002 are still valid – and all the more deserving of attention, as older people may be seeking employment. The study found the need to value the experience of older people, to promote their potential to continue to work effectively, and to provide training and retraining opportunities for older workers. Many older workers have a wealth of maturity, experience and skills to offer, which is not always recognised. Other research indicates that initiatives to encourage employers to provide options for their older workers who would prefer to keep working, or continue to work part-time, are relatively few. If we are going to have an increasingly ageing workforce, as it seems we are, there is a need for proactive measures to maintain the abilities, intelligence and knowledge of an older workforce. Older workers should not be passed over for continuous professional development, for in-house training or upskilling, particularly when they remain anxious to learn. Where it could suit both employees and employer, more companies could look at including flexible working, part-time hours or working from home as part of a timely arrangement.

Next month: a personal approach to retirement preparation compassion of all age groups.

For more information about WeDO, contact Anne Dempsey on 087-7450721

Feature by Catherine Gilmartin

Michael Harding writing to seek a meaning to life

Catherine Gilmartin spoke to Michael Harding, Irish short-story writer, award winning novelist, playwright and columnist in The Irish Times.

Following the huge success of Staring at Lakes, Michael’s latest memoir Hanging with the Elephant is currently experiencing huge sales in bookshops.

M

ichael Harding’s indelible sense of humour, combined with his brutal honesty, is like a breath of fresh air!

His memoir Staring at Lakes starts with the protagonist (himself) wanting to pursue a goal called perfect happiness.

The antagonist of the story (his wife), who he constantly refers to as his “Beloved”, has a habit of overfilling the dishwasher, which drives him to the point of despair. Eventually he takes off and begins his quixotic travels – the great plan – and of course he fails. He speaks incessantly about his ambition to go to Paris, but only gets as far as Mullingar.

The turmoil of his mind is revealed in the opening chapter: “I wanted to leave her, even though I loved her. In my 50s I needed space to myself.

Like all men of that age, I felt I was in the last-chance saloon.

And I needed to push more. So I did. I pushed hard and bust my gut. I got sick and depressed. I spent six months in bed remembering the sorrows of my childhood, and how my attempts to find meaning in life had all ended up in failure. I had been a Catholic priest for a short time and I had tried Buddhism for 17 years. I travelled as far as Mongolia in search of meaning, but in the end I was forced to let go of

magical thinking altogether.

When I was sick, I became so helpless that for the first time in my life I began to rely on someone else. And, ironically, the someone else who happened to turn up was the woman I had left.”

When we read Michael Harding’s work we see that he eventually achieves something of what he sets out for, but not in the manner in which he initially expected or hoped for.

His new book, Hanging with the Elephant, takes up the story of his journey. Harding remains a self-reflective thinker and his exploits are related with a wry, mordent humour. He has a gift for placing the reader slap-bang in the middle of his oftenawkward, sometimes cringe-inducing situations. The book, like its predecessor, is an enjoyable read. Despite the sometimes bleak nature of the tale, Harding keeps the tone light and his elegant prose makes the reading effortless.

Born in County Cavan in 1953, Harding attended St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, initially graduating as a lay graduate.

He became a teacher for two years, before working as a social worker in a prison. He returned to Maynooth as a seminarian and was ordained in 1980, after which he went to work in a parish in Fermanagh.

He left the priesthood in 1985 and spent seventeen years practising Buddhism. He is

Michael with Comedian Tommy Tiernan

Page 10 Mature Living

married to sculptor Cathy Carmen (whom he first met in 1984) and they have a daughter Sophia. They live in a cottage close to Lough Allen in Leitrim.

Two years ago, when Michael published Staring at Lakes, an account of his struggle with depression, he never expected it to turn into an award-winning bestseller. Set over a six-week period when Harding’s wife takes a trip to Poland, Hanging with the Elephant is his second memoir. From the start he is faced with a dilemma: as much as he values the idea of extended solitude, he worries that he might struggle to cope on his own. Anyone familiar with depression will recognise the mood swings and erratic behaviour that characterise the illness. He explains the condition in a powerful image: “It’s a merciless solitude, like a glass wall surrounding the

victim, leaving them alone, even in a noisy street, drenched with their own delusions and tormented by their own personal demons.” So anxious is he about feeling isolated that, the moment “the beloved” has boarded her flight, he decides to enjoy the camaraderie of city life for a couple of days.

When he finally leaves Dublin, he visits the home of a poet friend, in whose home lives a heavily pregnant woman. It is a fitting omen as it is mothers and motherhood that will come to influence the book.

It has been two years since Harding’s mother died.

Although his stories of her are filled with great fondness and affection, he carries an uneasy feeling that he has somehow let her down. Finding her diaries when he is clearing the house, her daily entries make for upsetting reading even though

it’s clear that in his care and devotion he has nothing to reproach himself for.

Michael was motivated to write Hanging with the Elephant after his mother died.

He explains: “My mother died when she was 96, two years ago. I loved her very much, but as she grew old and became more feeble, and the years passed, I suppose I became a bit hard and careless. And then when she died I felt a great sadness. So last year I found myself alone in my work studio in Leitrim for six weeks with no company, and I began thinking deeply about her death and about all our lives, and I thought it would be nice to write a book about that. And about how meditation can bring us great peace”.

Michael likens meditation to writing books, “I enjoy writing like I enjoy meditation.

In other words it’s difficult to begin. It’s difficult to go into the room and sit alone and listen to one’s dreams floating to the surface of the water. But it’s wonderful when you have begun and you’re in the middle of it”.

Michael’s expectations for his latest book: “You can never know how a book will go down. I was very happy that so many people read and enjoyed Staring at Lakes, and the response so far with the new book is great. It’s about my mother, and so I suppose it’s about all mothers.

It’s about how sometimes we regret things when mother has passed away. So I hope that touches a chord with people”.

Harding enjoys writing memoirs and in the spirit of people like John McGahern and Marcel Proust, aims to produce

great literature. He says: “I think it’s because the most personal story is one’s own. And yet how you remember things and how you fabricate those memories into a structure is itself a creative act. Very often memories are the chosen creativity of a person in the way they live in the present”.

“I began writing books and plays about the troubles in the North and about the collapse and moral vacuity of the clerical world in the Catholic Church, and those stories also were always close to the bone. Close to my own life - so they too were memoirs. But then I got an idea to write a very long chronicle of ordinary life in midland Ireland - a kind of history of nothing. And so I suggested it to the Irish Times as a weekly column and they

In the company of some eclectic friends

agreed and that’s how the column came about. And then from them the books unfolded”.

In his books, Harding – with great honesty – has explored aspects of life which were painful to face. Does he feel it was a cathartic experience?

“Yes it’s always cathartic to tell stories about oneself. It’s a way of reforming your identity in the making of memory. This process is private. But when you do it in public it becomes, at least I hope it becomes, cathartic for the reader. And that’s precisely what story and novel have been trying to do since Aristotle was a young fellow”.

Displaced in Mullingar, Harding’s column with the Irish Times, has come to be something of an Irish personal discourse which has evolved organically over the years. The column came about after the newspaper agreed to accept six episodes of the chronicle. When the six weeks were over he kept sending the columns in and they kept accepting them. “For a long while I worried when I’d get an email saying they had had enough. But that email didn’t come and eventually I realized I was settling in for the long haul!” He laughs as he says this.

Harding‘s books are underpinned by an analysis of their underlying search for meaning in life. It seems that this is his primary fascination – defining the essence of his – and our collective – psyche. Michael agrees: “Yes. I think everyone looks in the mirror in the

morning and tries to create a narrative for the day. This morning I’m going to do this.

Then I’m going to meet someone. Then I will do something else. It’s like a plan we confront ourselves with in the morning. And at the end of the day, the day makes sense if you have achieved some of it so our lives exist and happen as narratives. And therefore creating, constructing over arching narratives that try to selectively reveal our weaknesses, our flaws, our humanity is a creative act but also a deeply therapeutic one.

There is a real thing called narrative therapy. Create yourself, that is the idea create yourself beautifully out of beautiful moments. Instead of destroying yourself by slinging together a litany of negativities”.

Michael thinks that the Ireland of his writing – from his early novels to his current book and columns has changed a lot. “It’s for the better”, he states. “At least I believe that. We have more leisure, more free time, more education. We have technologies that our parents didn’t dream of. We are not terrified by religion in the ways our parents were. But of course that’s not to say that there aren’t terrible injustices now.

Like the centres for refugees and the prisons where people are suffering appalling injustices, and the streets where the homeless live and where governments won’t spend a penny. The troubles in the North

have died down and I think people are less angry than they were; so I suppose life is always a mix. The terrible atrocities of the Nazi era in Europe may or may not happen again, and so we will go on living with unfathomable darkness, but I think we have found some insights that help us work with compassion in our small individual lives and believe that goodness accumulates, and makes people happy”. It has been said that in Michael’s book, his titular ‘Elephant’ is an Asian metaphor for the ‘unruly mind’ – and that his new book documents his attempts to tame it! Michael laughs: “When I sit still my mind is a war zone of disturbing emotions. It’s not easy to be still. To be tranquil – so I have a very unruly mind. But I laugh a lot – at the elephant!”

He laughs that infectious laugh again.

Fans of Michael will be delighted to hear that not only does he have lots of plans to write more fiction and drama in the future, but he is currently on the road touring: An evening with Michael Harding Hanging with the Elephant, in February, March and April this year. You can see him in the Hawkswell, Sligo, on Thursday, 12th February, at 8 p.m. Full details of dates and venues can be found on his website www.michaelharding.ie.

Hanging with the Elephant is published by Hachette Books Ireland and is available in bookshops.

Pictured at a book signing

Page 11 Mature Living

Fashion

PLEASE MAKE US CLOTHES THAT FIT!

An open letter to fashion designers and manufacturers from a mature reader

By Karen O Neill

M

ature women say repeatedly they simply can’t find clothes to fit them. As a sewing teacher who specializes in “fit,” I’ve observed the changes in women’s bodies as we mature – and the lack of changes noted by clothing

manufacturers.

Clothing sizes for women seem to be based on ego now, rather than standardization. I know I can wear a size 12 in some clothes but can be a 14 to 16 in other brands. What has happened – and why – is an intriguing tale that, I believe, is ready to be told.

In 1969, I was one of the first women to show up wearing pants at my bank job in Bank Of Ireland. I chose an stylish knit pantsuit from my closet because it was beautifully tailored to my then young, trim body. I was called into the bank manager’s office and cautioned: it was okay for today, but I should not make a habit of this attire. Our mothers and grandmothers never wore pantsuits. Pants were worn on the farm or maybe in the factory.

Pants were never designed to fit women. Pants were men’s clothing. Our mothers wore housedresses at home – housedresses that were straight on the sides and never

encouraged to show a female form. Dress-up occasions and social functions meant a fitted dress, but under this dress was a full-length corset or a girdle. My, how we’ve changed.

Yes, we are true pioneers for the fashion marketplace. Women in their 60s and 70s are now much more vibrant and active than in previous generations and would like to own clothes that fit their lifestyle. We exercise, travel and work in a new world.

We don’t wear cotton stockings and laced leather oxfords, but manufacturers don’t seem to understand what to do to make the clothes they design fit our mature bodies. We simply aren’t ready for polyester pants with elastic waistbands!

I’m not thinking about the tall, slim young women we see modelling in current ads. Neither am I thinking of the women who have gained a lot of weight and have special sizes needs. I’m speaking of the average woman.

She’s five feet two inches to five feet eight inches tall and may have gained five to 20 pounds since her early 20s.

Designers and pattern makers are taught to work from a dress form. These dress forms are based on the flat-stomached, five feet seven inches tall, B cup brawearing 19-year-old with a 10-inch difference in bust, waist and hip. We were like that once – quite a while ago.

I’ll start from the top and work down just to keep this request orderly.

• To the manufacturer: please hear that just because our bust lines are a little fuller in front and our bust line diameter is larger, our shoulders did not grow. Please do not increase the shoulder width. Our shoulders are the same size they were when we were 20. Never have I heard a woman who has gained a few pounds complain that her shawl is too tight! Shoulders do not grow.

• Bust lines need to be fuller. If you considered allowing for a D or C cup rather than a B cup bra, we would be forever grateful. By the way, the apex of the bust line is usually an inch lower on mature women than younger girls. Darts should be a little lower to compliment the new

Page 12 Mature Living

fullness, and bust line buttons and buttonholes placed an inch lower to eliminate the gaping.

• Whoever told designers that mature women want sleeveless dresses was getting revenge.

Mature women can often have “angel wing” upper arms. Please, give us some sleeve! We have slightly broader backs now and a little of a high, round upper back. Necklines on clothing should reach the neckline of the body. Our neckline is where a chain necklace actually sits.

• Waistlines are thicker for us.

Please reduce the depth of the darts around the waistline in both front and back. We appreciate the slight fitting giving us the “illusion of waistline,” but it simply isn’t as pronounced as it used to be.

• Okay, let’s progress to pants.

We want to wear pants that look good on us and if we find some to fit us well, we’ll probably buy them in a minimum of four colours. Yes, we have mature bodies but we have mature visa cards too.

Mature women of a healthy weight seem to fall in one of two categories. First is the curvy girl where the hips and bottoms are fuller and the waistlines smaller.

For these ladies, I have a request: please increase the length of the pant zipper so she can get them on more easily. An adjustable invisible waistline elastic in the back, just like in children’s clothes, might fit the bill perfectly. This would eliminate the gaping at the back of the pant.

Speaking of waistlines, please put the waistline at the waistline.

The idea of dropping the waistline to five or six inches below was a great promoter of the “muffin top” effect. Yikes, we hope that’s over! A few manufacturers are producing a “curvy” fit now, and that’s an appreciated gesture.

The rest of us seem to be becoming a little more rectangular than the others. If we find pants where the waist fits, the hips and butt are too baggy. If we get the hips to fit, the waist won’t fasten, and there is still some bagginess in the

seat. To address this, please widen the distance around the waist; sometimes an inch or two is perfect. Please give pant hips less shape, we’re getting closer to having hips like young boys.

Now, the baggy seat. If the waist and hips fit, chances are there simply is too much fabric in the back just under the derriere. You can reduce the width here by an inch or two, and we’d love you for it! Fly-front zippers are a great convenience, but next on my fit list would be to end using metal zippers. Women have little tummies in front, and metal zippers don’t lock. They only work well for men because men carry their tummies above their waistlines.

Now, the final request. Please drop the crotch line in the back of pants for mature women. Even in very expensive looking pants that look great in the front, it is not unusual for the back crotch to fit poorly. Usually, you see the pants sneaking into the crack between the buttocks. This happens because the back crotch is designed for a “perky younger” bottom. It is easy to lower and square off the crotch curve at the back. Ladies, when you’re trying on pants, don’t forget to check the rear-view mirror.

Women, our generation has made a lot of changes in our world, and we should be very proud of them.

I honestly believe we deserve to have clothes that fit available in our stores.

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Grandchildren

Are You Ready for Your Grandchild's Visit?

P

reparing your home, and yourself, for a visit from the grandchildren can be complicated, and intimidating, especially if you're concerned about making your home safe for small kids. But a little advance planning can go a long way toward making the visit a memorable one — without leaving you desperate for a vacation of your own.

install a new car seat in your own vehicle, get help from SeatCheck.org.

After car crashes, drowning is the second-greatest risk to kids.

Experts remind families every year that even children who appear comfortable in the water can drown. In fact children under 4 cannot be trusted to “swim,” even if they’ve taken lessons.

Child-proofing ... and Houseproofing Serious accidents seldom happen at home — to the children, that is. But you may have legitimate fears that your prized china, delicate fabrics, and pristine wallpaper may be at risk when the kids come over.

First, take steps to eliminate or cover up any dangers to the kids — sharp edges, choking hazards, anything that can tip over with just a push, and breakable objects within reach of little arms. Then, look to protect your things: cover or relocate delicate upholstery and antique wood surfaces that can be threatened by crumbs, orange juice, sticky fingers, or sandy feet.

The Fun Stuff Preparing for the grandchildren to visit is about more than safety, of course; it's also about making them feel at home — and special. Before they arrive, make up a goodie bag stuffed with inexpensive toys and treats. “There’s just something about opening a bag" that gets visits off to a great start.

Snacks are key to spreading that welcome feeling, too. “The most important thing for teenage grandchildren is to have the foods that they love, and not to complain about the health or quality of their preferences, But don't go overboard: Before kids visit, check with parents on their usual limits for daily snacks, as well as their limits on TV, computer, and video game use. You may decide to violate those rules — it's a grandparent’s prerogative, after all — but you should at least know the baseline.

Anything but Routine Even on vacation, most children benefit from having a schedule.

But don’t plan every hour of every day. It’s just as likely that your grandchildren will be fascinated by quiet free time

Safety First, Second, and Third There are some crucial safety measures every grandparent needs to take before grandkids come over for an extended stay: Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for young children. Make sure your grandchildren's parents let you know what the kids need in terms of car-seat support. If they're not there to help you

Page 14 Mature Living

with you. Sort through old family photos with them or tell tales about your own childhood, or, even better, stories about “when your parent was bad."

Still, if you do have a list of activities you're considering, let the kids help make the choices.

Write a half-dozen possible outings for a given day on slips of paper, and let a child pull one from a hat. But don’t be surprised if they prefer just to stay home and talk. In today’s overscheduled world, a sleepover may be the only time the kids don’t have anything to do. Let them savour it.

And keep in mind that you’ll enjoy their visit all the more if your own routine isn’t completely disrupted. If you always walk on the treadmill on

Wednesday morning, don't give it up — see if your gym has childcare.

Make sure your grandchildren have books of their own.

Visit libraries and bookstores.

Reading Activities for a Rainy Day These literacy activities will keep your grandkids smiling 'till the sun comes out!

Libraries It would be impossible, not to mention incredibly wasteful, to try to buy copies of every book that might possibly work for your child. Libraries allow you to choose a variety of books on every visit, and to try books out before you buy the ones that your child really loves. This is a true gift. The library will have the big-name popular books, sure, but they'll also have books that you would never have heard of on your own. The array of choices can be dazzling.

Some of those books might become your child's favourites.

But there's much more to it than just the chance to try out books for free. A library is a celebration of books and reading, day in and day out.

Taking your child to the library is a way to show her that you aren't the only one who values books. Lots of people, from all sorts of backgrounds, work in and visit the library, and think that books are important.

Libraries also have events and read-alouds, programming centered around showing kids that books are fun. Yes, you can (and should!) read books aloud at home. But being surrounded by other kids listening to the same book delivers a powerful message to pre-schoolers.

Hearing someone besides Mum or Dad reading books aloud tells kids that literacy is a universal thing. All of this reinforces what you're already doing at home.

Sometimes a rainy day is a welcome change, but if you’re finding yourself short of fun ideas for the grandkids, we have a few that can help you keep the learning going when you’re stuck inside.

Discover a new book: Don’t forget that a day inside is a perfect time to read. Make sure you have a nice, comfy and well lit location for your grandchild to read.

Revive the art of letter-writing: Invite your grandchild to create a card or send a letter to someone. Maybe they can create something nice for mom, dad, or to send to their other grandparents.

Go on a letter scavenger hunt: Can you find something in your house that starts with every letter in the alphabet? If you have a digital camera or smartphone you can take a picture of each item and make a picture book later!

Tip for Growing Bookworms: Visit Libraries and Bookstores Here are five tips (translated for grandparents): Read aloud.

Read the books your grandchildren read.

Choose books your grandchildren enjoy.

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Healthy Living

CHIA SEED RECIPES THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE T

his tiny black seed is packed with beneficial nutrients from fibre and protein to antioxidants and calcium. It does not have a distinct flavour making it easy to incorporate into almost all of your meals. The best part is it absorbs up to 12 times its weight in water – with a gel-like consistency – expanding in your stomach so it tricks your body into thinking it is fuller with less calories. We’ve scoured the web for the best recipes using chia seeds.

6 BENEFITS OF THE CHIA SEED

G

rown in South America, chia seeds were commonly used by Mayans to help sustain energy.

Now, they are popular again due to their incredible nutrients.

If you’re on the fence, here is a list of why they are good for you.

A Dieter’s Dream Because the seed is filled with so much fibre, it absorbs up to 12 times its weight in water – with a gel-like consistency – expanding in your stomach. This tricks the body into thinking it is fuller with less calories.

Protein Power Protein is a key component in losing or maintaining any weight. Filled with amino acids, the chia seed is one of the highest plant-based sources of

complete protein. Since it is a complete protein, it does not need to be paired with any other foods for full benefits. This especially beneficial to those who don’t eat animal proteins.

Full of Fibre Who needs bran when there are chia seeds? Chia seeds contain more fibre than wheat bran, and eating chia seeds will not cause bloating. Fibre plays a significant role in weight loss and also helps the body regulate blood sugar levels.

Balances Blood Sugar Levels Speaking of blood sugar, chia seeds help the body modulate the conversion of starches and sugars so you don’t

VANILLA CHIA SEED PUDDING

T

he key to making this recipe work, is in how you handle the chia seeds.

Start by mixing the first five ingredients together {almond milk, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla and salt}. Next, stir in the chia seeds. {Don’t hold back on the chia… use the whole 1/4 cup! I know it seems like a lot, but it’s needed to thicken the pudding, not to mention… it adds a ton of nutrition}!

Allow the pudding mixture to sit on the counter for 30 minutes.

Stir occasionally so that the seeds don’t settle on the bottom. By the end of the 30 minutes, the mixture should resemble a thinner pudding consistency with chia seeds evenly distributed throughout.

Refrigerate the pudding overnight. By morning it will be perfectly chilled, thick, and completely delicious! Top with fresh berries, sliced almonds, and a drizzle of pure maple

feel sleepy after a meal. The body distributes energy evenly throughout the day.

Bone Benefits Chia seeds contain essential nutrients that aid in bone health. The nutrients include: phosphorous, magnesium, calcium and protein. In fact, chia seeds have five times more calcium than milk.

All About the Antioxidants Antioxidants are key in fighting the production of free radicals in the body that contribute to diseases like cancer.

The antioxidants found in chia seeds also protect its sensitive fats from going bad.

NO BAKE ENERGY BITES

syrup. Finally, report back to us and let us know how you liked the recipe! I promise, it will be a healthy staple in your house!

Enjoy!

Ingredients 1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk 1 cup plain low-fat (2 percent)

Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus 4 teaspoons for serving 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract ⅛ teaspoon salt ¼ cup chia seeds 1 cup strawberries, hulled and chopped 1 cup blueberries ¼ cup sliced almonds

Prep time: 40 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 45 mins Serves: 10 Ingredients 1 cup oats ½ cup mini chocolate chips cup organic unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter cup pure honey 1 tbsp pure maple syrup ¼ cup ground flax meal 1 tbsp whole flax seed 1 tbsp chia seeds 1 tsp vanilla extract pinch of salt (optional)

mixture into balls, about 1 inch diameter (makes about 15-20) Store in airtight container in fridge for up to a week

Method Toast coconut until golden brown in a fry pan over medium heat and set aside to cool (no oil needed) Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes Remove from fridge and roll

Win one of 2 Chia Bia hampers valued at €50 To be in with a chance of winning a Chia Bia hamper sponsored by Chia Bia Waterford simply answer the following question

When was Chia Bia founded?

Send your answer along with your name, address and telephone number to: Chia Bia competition, Mature Living, Office 3, unit 7, Northwest Business Park, Collooney, Sligo

BLACKBERRY CHIA BREAKFAST BOWL

LEMON CHIA SEED MUFFINS These Lemon Chia Seed Muffins are the perfect spring breakfast! They’re sweet and tart, and chia seeds give them an extra boost of fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids!

Just like Lemon Poppy Seed, but so much better! And adding pudding mix to the batter makes them extra soft and fluffy, plus it adds a little extra lemon flavour!

Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 tsp baking soda

4 tbs chia seeds 1 cup almond milk (can use any dairy non-dairy milk) 1 medium banana, halved and divided 6 oz fresh blackberries 1/4 cup greek yogurt 1/2 tsp honey 1 tsp bee pollen In a small bowl, mash half of banana. In a separate small bowl, mash 3 oz blackberries with a fork. Combine

1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest or 1 tsp lemon extract 2/3 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 Tbsp chia seeds 1/2 cup milk 4 tsp lemon juice 1 package lemon flavored instant pudding mix Optional: 1/2 cup powdered sugar Optional: 1 tbsp. lemon juice Instructions Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, lemon

extract or zest until creamy.

Mix in remaining ingredients until smooth.

Distribute batter evenly among muffin tin cups (about 15).

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Optional: whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice to make a glaze (add more lemon juice for a thinner glaze, add more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze). Dip the tops of the muffins in the glaze before serving for an extra sweet lemon kick!

bananas, blackberries, chia seeds, and milk. Stir thoroughly to combine and refrigerate, at least an hour to overnight.

To serve, spoon chia seed mixture into a bowl. Mix greek yogurt with honey and spoon in a dollop atop the chia seeds.

Slice remaining banana and place atop bowl. Add blackberries, sprinkle with bee pollen and serve.

(ALMOST) INSTANT DAIRY FREE CHOCOLATE PUDDING Vegan, gluten-free, grainfree, no bake/raw, oil-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free This chocolate chia pudding is decadent-tasting yet healthy at the same time.

Packed with protein, fibre, and omega-3 fatty acids this is a pudding you can feel good about! When blended with the almond milk ice cubes it's a treat you can enjoy immediately without waiting for it to chill. The texture is a cross between a smoothie and a pudding. It will thicken up even more if you put it in the fridge for a few hours. I recommend using a highspeed blender for best results since the dates, chia seeds, and ice cubes are

S

challenging to blend super smooth.

Ingredients: 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 4 large almond milk ice cubes (see note) 1/4 cup chia seeds 5-6 pitted Medjool dates, to taste 2-3.5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (see note) 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, to taste pinch fine grain sea salt or pink Himalayan sea salt Directions: Fill an ice cube tray with almond milk. Freeze until solid. You can use leftovers in smoothies or for more

pudding in the future!

To make the pudding: Add 3/4 cup almond milk into a high speed blender. Now add the rest of the ingredients, including the almond milk ice cubes.

Blend on the highest speed until super smooth. Enjoy immediately or chill in the fridge where it will thicken up even more.

Notes: Add the cocoa powder to taste. Some brands will be more pungent than others.

3.5 tablespoons of cocoa powder is great with my brand (camino) however you may need to use less depending on what kind you use. My advice is to add the cocoa powder slowly to

taste. You will want around 12 tablespoons of almond milk ice cubes added to the pudding. For my tray, this equaled 4 large cubes.

You can skip the almond milk ice cubes and simply add a splash more almond milk. Chill in the fridge the old-fashioned way.

If your dates are firm, I suggest soaking them in hot water for at least 30 minutes before you begin.

Drain well.

To turn this into a chocolate "frosty" add more ice cubes to make it super icy.

To make this nut-free, use a nut-free non-dairy milk of your choice.

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CHIA SEED PORK MEATBALLS WITH SPICY GINGER-SOY GLAZE

LEMON WATER WITH CHIA SEEDS

Ingredients: 1 pound ground pork 3 cloves garlic, minced 1½ teaspoons fresh grated ginger 1/3 cup minced yellow onion ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped 1½ tablespoons low-sodium tamari 2 tablespoons chia seeds

Have you tried Chia seeds?

This superfood is gaining popularity as a top “Superfood”. At One&Only Palmilla in Mexico, I tried chia fresco which is made by soaking chia seeds in fruit juice or water. I knew this was a fabulous idea because it’s SO healthy! If you’re not familiar with the health benefits of Chia seeds? Read on:

-Use your hands to mold the pork mixture into 1-inch meatballs, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they aren’t touching. (You should have approximately 20 meatballs.)

Transfer the meatballs to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned and

cooked through.

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the glaze. Pour the glaze into a large non-stick pan over medium heat. When hot, add the meatballs and toss to coat.

Serve meatballs warm over your stir-fried vegetables or noodles of your choice.

For the glaze: ¼ cup low-sodium tamari 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

Chia seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber at 10 grams per ounce (about 2 tablespoons).

They contain protein and minerals including as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. New research suggests that including chia seeds in your diet may help improve cardiovascular risk factors such as lowering cholesterol,

Preparing your Chia Seed Pork Meatballs with Spicy GingerSoy Glaze: -Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.

-Place all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl.

-Using your hands, mix all of the ingredients until well combined. (Kind of gross, but kind of fun.)

Cover and refrigerate the pork mixture for 20 minutes to allow the chia seeds to work their gelling magic.

5-MINUTE RASPBERRY CHIA SEED JAM Let me assure you that the texture of this jam is not funky at all. It’s just, well, like jam.

The awesomeness of this jam is in its simplicity: 3 ingredients. 5 minutes.

You are in control of what goes into your jam.

It’s much lower sugar than most jams.

And it’s full of chia

seeds! Are you new to chia seeds? They are powerful little guys.

Check out their healthy stats: they help prevent blood sugar spikes, are full of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and other minerals, and are also a good plant-based protein source!

Chia seed jam is a

triglycerides and blood pressure. It’s said that the amounts of omega 3′s can also work reduce symptoms of depression and increase brain function. You can also eat chia seeds raw or sprinkle ground or whole chia seeds on cereal, rice, yogurt or vegetables.

Enough said?

healthy, low-sugar alternative to regular jam. You can whip this up in 5 minutes and have an incredible, homemade jam in your fridge! I used this post as my guide for this recipe.

2 cups raspberry (if using frozen, defrost first) 2 tablespoons chia seeds 2 tablespoons warm water 2-4 tablespoons honey (preferably raw) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional) Add all ingredients (start with 2 tablespoons of the honey) to a blender or food processor, and pulse until the it is the texture you prefer. I didn’t want mine chunky, but you may leave it that way if that’s how you like it.

Taste and add more honey if you would like a sweeter jam. (I like it with 2 tablespoons, but with the raspberries being a tart fruit, it isn’t as sweet as regular jam, so add more if you want it like more traditional jam.) Transfer the mixture to a container with a lid (I used a mason jar) and allow to set in the fridge, about an hour. Enjoy!

BANANA CHIA BREAD Banana Chia Bread is moist and makes a great snack or quick breakfast; you could add just ¼ cup almond milk to the mixture and still get lovely bread.

But I added a ½ cup of almond milk the second time I made this bread and the bread took longer to bake.

I found that you should eye ball the mixture to see if you need the extra milk. It really depends on the size of your bananas.

If you cannot find muscovado you can always use maple, raw or brown sugar instead.

Banana Chia bread is loaded with chia seeds and lots of banana flavour. Cinnamon is a nice variation to the bread if you’re looking for a little more flavor.

Especially if you’re in the mood for that nice cinnamon flavour 1 ½ cup flour 2 tsps. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt 1 large egg (room temperature) 2 tbsps. whipped butter, softened ½ cup sugar (I used muscovado) 1/3 cup chia seeds 2 large bananas (smashed) ½ cup almond milk Recipe Directions: Preheat oven

to 400 degrees and grease a medium loaf pan and set aside. In a large bowl mix butter, egg, banana and sugar. In a medium bowl add flour, salt, baking powder and mix until combine.

Slowly add flour mixture

and milk to wet ingredients, alternating until incorporated. Fold in chia seeds. Place batter in loaf pan and place in the oven for 60 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Deansgrange Dental Clinic, 2 Clonkeen Road, Deansgrange, Co. Dublin 01-5580000 • info@deansgrangedental.ie • www.deansgrangedental.ie

“A reason to Smile”

As I have a terrible fear of dentists I was extremely nervous going to this appointment and had only picked the clinic as the reviews had been so positive. Had an initial consultation with Dr. Woods re. a root canal procedure. Was hugely impressed with his gentle manner, explanation of the procedure and his patience in answering all of my questions. Wish that I had found this clinic years ago ! - Doreen When I had a back tooth extracted by Dr. Alastair Woods recently and I had to decide between an implant or a denture, I had no hesitation in opting for an implant.

I would not be comfortable with a removable device of any kind in my mouth, especially when food can become lodged under a denture. I have been extremely happy that I made the right decision and my preference for an implant over a denture would always take precedence. I was a nervous patient and yet the procedure was painless and I was treated with exceptional care and compassion by a very professional dentist in Dr. Alastair Woods. - Ted

Before

After

DESIGN STORIES WITH LEONIE CORNELIUS

Tropical Winter

Stunning lush planting to brighten up your February

S

TUNNING orchids and ferns are a great way to brighten up the coldest month of the year. Inspired by a trip to Rio, Garden Designer and Interior Architect Leonie Cornelius creates some inspiring combinations.

There is no plant I know as beautiful and sensual as an Orchid. Its shape is so elegant and every time I see one I think of holiday and sunshine, and that’s exactly what inspired me to look a little closer at these flowers and create an arrangement. My recent holiday in Brazil, Orchid heaven I tell you, left me reeling with inspirational ideas and dying to have a closer look at the Orchid.

Everywhere you look in Rio de Janeiro, Orchids are tied to trees, producing aerial roots which feed off a minimal amount of soil and the moisture in the air. I had the pleasure of visitng the Jardim Botanico and their Orchid collection is stunningly set in a pure white glasshouse, a perfect backdrop for the colours of the flowers. Anyone that’s

ever had an Orchid knows that they are a tricky plant, fussy about soil and moisture as well as temperature. Below are some design ideas, colour combinations and tips for keeping your orchids looking great, year after year.

GET THE LOOK I chose a collection of orchid types for the arrangement based on heights and colours. I wanted to steer away a little bit from the expected Asian style single Orchid arrangement and instead create a more tropical kind of feel, a bold and fun colour explosion. For a while now orange and pink in combination have been a firm design favourite of mine. I love the peppery heat of the two combined, like a tropical sunset. The orchid colours I chose reflect every

allowing the roots to breathe.

The Wicker Man, Francis Presley, at Rathcormack Craft Village does some very beautiful ones.

These would be stunning contrast for a bright white space.

CARE There are over 21,000 types of orchid so for the sake of this article I will focus in a little on the amazing OrchiDiva® Cymbidium Supreme (top right and tallest in the main picture).

This orchid likes a place in the light, but not the full sun. The day temperature between should be between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius and a night temperature nuance of this idea. Glowing peachy oranges, golden yellows with dots of pinky-red and magenta pink with fuschia and cherry accents. Divine. If I could paint I would use those colours!

Speaking of art, having selected all these strong colours and focus plants I decided that they needed a little something to ground them. Like in a art composition or a song it is important to have both a main focus and supporting features. In this case I chose the Maidenhair fern and combined it with some moss at the base which creates a soft and moist bed for the plants.

CONTAINERS I love the idea of using wicker baskets for the this tropical idea as they give a bit of a rustic element to the very elegant and fresh arrangement, as well as

Page 20 Mature Living

between 10 and 13 degrees Celsius. Water this orchid approximately once a week, preferably with rainwater or soft water and treat once a month to plant food or special Orchid Nutrition. Tip: This orchid loves to get a dip bath of room temperature water once a month for 5 to 10 minutes, no wonder it’s called Diva!

DID YOU KNOW? Vanilla pods are the fruit of the Vanilla orchid. (V. planifolia) originally from Mexico?

Leonie Cornelius is an award winning garden designer-BLUME design house. @leonie_Cee

About Home Safe Home and Top Security

A

s a social enterprise we do all we can to alleviate anxiety and depression. We acknowledge that loneliness and isolation causes anxiety and depression and it is our desire to be a strong community link in Dublin and border counties for those who live in such circumstances.

We network with other charities

in Ireland and also with “Pashli” who are based in Belarus. These charities seek to help vulnerable older people live their lives with the dignity and respect that they so deserve. We provide Christmas Hampers to vulnerable adults that we encounter throughout the year. We work to alleviate some of the issues that arise for

older people especially those most vulnerable by offering general advice and help in accessing information and linking them into available services within their own community.

We have recently set up a low cost counselling service for older people which will deal with many issues including grief, depression,

loneliness and abuse which tend to be the main presenting issues for older people. Again this is a service that will be offered to older people regardless of their ability to pay a fee. Our Social enterprise helps to fund this and all of the above ventures within our very much needed service.

We have been serving the community since 2010 and our enterprise was born out of the needs recognized by many volunteers working on the ground dealing with issues relating to older people living independent lives in their own homes.We continu-

ously network with all in the community who share our vision.

We believe that Social Enterprise within the community is the way forward as it empowers local people to meet the needs of their communities and can even provide employment within those communities. Home Safe Home has partnered with Top Security for all our Monitoring services.

They are a wholly Irish owned Group of Companies dedicated to providing the best and most professional security and risk management services. Founded in 1979, they have grown to become one of Ireland’s leading providers of security services and products.

Contact: Home Safe Home Elderly Security LTD, 1st floor Community Building, Bawnogue Enterprise Centre, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 Phone: 01-4130556 • Fax: 014130555 • Email: ercommunitycare@eircom.net www.homesafehome.ie

REOPENING FRIDAY 13TH MARCH

Over 50’s Special Offer 2 Nights B&B and 2 Dinners only €278 Tea & Scones & Newspapers

4 Course Dinners / Full Use of Leisure Centre

Special Midweek Offer B&B for 2 People only €99 20% off Spa Treatments Available Sun-Thurs

Special Midweek Offer B&B for 2 People & Dinner only €129 Includes 2 Course Meal Available Sun-Thurs

Special Weekend Offer 2 Nights B&B and 1 Dinner only €238 Includes Full Use of Leisure Centre

20% off all Spa treatments with all offers ( excludes special offers / t&c's apply )

Local Activities:

Lough Key Forest Park www.loughkey.ie, Moorlands Equestrian Centre www.moorlands.ie, Electric Bike Trails www.electricbiketrails.com Arigna Mining Museum www.arignaminingexperience.ie, Indoor Airsoft Shooting & Archery www.carrickindoorshooting.com

Health & Wellbeing The Benefits of Reiki

positive and productive thought patterns. Once we begin to think more positively, our lives and our health become more positive too.

R

eiki is a gentle, yet powerful form of healing and the benefits are felt on all levels. As a natural healing system, it can benefit everyone, from young babies to adults and is a safe, non-invasive treatment. It

can be used alongside other complementary therapies or conventional medicine. Reiki can be given on a treatment couch or sitting in a chair, therefore making it an easy treatment to receive.

Reiki helps the body to reach an inner state of harmony, physically, mentally and spiritually. As well as helping many physical ailments, it can also promote the changing of any negative mental habits, turning these into more

Reiki and Stress Reduction Treatments with Reiki energy reduce stress within the body, thereby inducing a state of relaxation. The body can then be allowed to begin the healing process. While stress is not considered an illness, most people have experienced it.

When stress is being felt for a prolonged period of time, then the body can begin to be affected both physically and mentally, as it weakens the immune system. In todays world many people experience stress at a level that makes them ill and unable to work. In addition, to this many people are now taking antidepressants to allow them to cope with life. However, Reiki can and does help with stress reduction, which has the added

benefit of boosting the immune system. Reiki encourages and supports positive personal choices, such as improving diet, taking more exercise, devoting time for rest or leisure activities, any may reduce the need for alcohol and tobacco. Engendering greater inner harmony and balance, regular Reiki treatments promote a calmer response to life's challenges.

Reiki's gentle energy is easily adapted to most medical conditions and may be used safely by people of all ages, including the newborn, pregnant mothers, surgical patients, the frail and the elderly, in any situation. Being complementary, Reiki works effectively alongside orthodox healthcare and natural remedies, expanding treatment options.

Reiki can enhance everyday living and regular sessions may help to promote development of a healthier, more resourceful state of being.

Reiki: Our Path To More Well-being

R

eiki, an ancient healing art which originated in Japan, is the universal life-energy surrounding and pervading all life. During a 1-hour long Reiki treatment at one of our clinics (in Dun Laoghaire or in Dublin city-centre), the patient’s energy will be re-balanced and any blockages that show themselves as physical, emotional or mental difficulties, will be removed.

Some of the effects of Reiki are: • to experience a feeling of deep relaxation and peace • to reduce stress • to reduce anxiety • to improve sleep patterns • to stimulate and increase the body’s innate ability to heal itself • to assist in the healing of injuries • to assist in post-operative recovery

• to boost the immune system • to help in times of change or transformation • to help in the grieving process or other situations of intense emotional pain • to remove physical, emotional and mental blockages and pain • to enhance self-confidence & self-esteem • to increase energy-levels

Melanie Pelka is a certified and experienced Reiki therapist/teacher, Autogenic Training therapist/teacher and Mindfulness Meditation practitioner/teacher.

Appointments in Dun Laoghaire and Dublin 2 • Phone: 01-4302497 • Mobile: 087 1319891 E: info@dublinreiki.com W: www.dublinreiki.com Page 22 Mature Living

The physical, mental and spiritual practices of Yoga

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he term yoga comes from a Sanskrit word which means yoke or union. Traditionally, yoga is a method joining the individual self with the Divine, Universal Spirit, or Cosmic Consciousness. Physical and mental exercises are designed to help achieve this goal, also called selftranscendence or enlightenment. On the physical level, yoga postures, called asanas, are designed to tone, strengthen, and align the body. These postures are performed to make the spine supple and healthy and to promote blood flow to all the organs, glands, and tissues, keeping all the bodily systems healthy. On the mental level, yoga uses breathing techniques (pranayama) and meditation (dyana) to quiet, clarify, and discipline the

mind. However, experts are quick to point out that yoga is not a religion, but a way of living with health and peace of mind as its aims.

Yoga has been used to alleviate problems associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, migraine headaches, asthma, shallow breathing, backaches, constipation, diabetes, menopause, multiple sclerosis, varicose veins, carpal tunnel syndrome and many chronic illnesses. It also has been studied and approved for its ability to promote relaxation and reduce stress.

Yoga can also provide the same benefits as any welldesigned exercise program, increasing general health and stamina, reducing stress, and improving those conditions brought about by sedentary lifestyles. Yoga has

the added advantage of being a low-impact activity that uses only gravity as resistance, which makes it an excellent physical therapy routine; certain yoga postures can be safely used to strengthen and balance all parts of the body. Modern psychological studies have shown that even slight facial expressions can cause changes in the involuntary nervous system; yoga utilizes the mind/body connection. That is, yoga practice contains the central ideas that physical posture and alignment can influence a person's mood and selfesteem, and also that the mind can be used to shape and heal the body. Yoga practitioners claim that the strengthening of mind/body awareness can bring eventual improvements in all facets of a person's life.

Health Benefits of Complementary & Alternative Medicine

M

any people across the world use complementary and alternative medicine or "CAM" in addition to traditional or conventional treatments and therapies. In the United States alone, according to the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), the most

recently available survey data indicates that about 38% of all American adults use one form of CAM or another. In a recent joint study by researchers from UCLA and the University of California, San Diego, 75% of the medical students surveyed reported that "conventional Western medicine would benefit by integrating

more CAM therapies and ideas" into traditional medicine.

What is CAM? According to NCCAM and other experts in the field, CAM is defined as a broad range of "medical and health care systems, practices, and products...not generally considered part of conventional medicine." Medical Doctors and Doctors of Osteopathy are among the health professionals you'll find in traditional medicine. Physical therapists, psychologists, registered nurses, among others, are also important providers of traditional and conventional medicine. But, many of these same providers today have enhanced their health care practices, offering a CAM portfolio of viable treatments and therapies.

Expanding the Boundaries of Conventional Medicine Today, the boundaries between CAM and

conventional medicine are not absolute, and specific CAM practices have become increasingly accepted by the larger medical community.

Health care professionals also use both conventional and CAM treatments, blurring the boundaries between traditional and CAM. This is especially the case as patients themselves have become increasingly sophisticated health care consumers, so much so that they ask important questions about their treatment options.

What Makes CAM Attractive Today? Why is CAM growing increasingly popular? As health care costs soar and conventional treatments fail to produce intended results, more patients and their caregivers today seek kinder and gentler treatments and therapies to manage their diseases and health conditions, including pain. Patients and

caregivers are increasingly tired of throwing pills at their medical problems, opting for alternatives that may produce the same health outcomes at a fraction of the cost and without the side effects of costly drugs and treatments. CAM's Greatest Potential in Health Care Today CAM shows its greatest potential, it seems, when combined with conventional medicine. For example, CAM allows patients to manage pain without resorting to prescription drugs that may be addictive or whose side effects pose problems for patients. Or, patients can manage the side effects of much-needed cancer drugs with CAM treatments and therapies. Mindfulness meditation, yoga, and acupuncture, among others, demonstrate the power of complementary and alternative therapies and treatments that capitalize on the mind-body connection.

Trish Willams Ayurveda Specialising in Champissage Indian Head Massage and Kansa Vatki Foot Massage

www.trishwilliamsayurveda.com

Mobile Service available Dublin and Wicklow • Ph: 085-8417665 Arklow, The Arklow Natural Healing Centre, 8 St Mary’s Terrace, Arklow (Next to library in Arklow) Ph: (01) 9034210 – Allow phone to ring to get answer phone

Page 23 Mature Living

Travel

Maastricht, Holland

If you prefer not to feel part of the herd, shepherded from tacky souvenir shop to jam-packed monument in Paris or Rome, it’s time to try a European city you may not have heard of but will be glad to discover.

T

here are still plenty of European treasures that the cold war left out of bounds for decades or that the happysnappy hordes have for other reasons left alone. These under-the-radar destinations are, what's more, typically cheap. The lowest-cost flights are often to the least frequented airports, and you'll find city prices there aren’t inflated for tourists – all the more reason to visit in these credit crunch times. You heard about them here first: get the first taste of 10 unsung European beauties.

Birmingham, England Statistics show overseas tourists are flocking to Birmingham, yet many Brits still turn their noses up at the city. Perhaps they picture this one-time workshop of the world as still full of dark satanic mills and overflowing with polluted canals.

Avoid Britain's second largest city, however, and you're missing out on a roughand-ready treasure on your doorstep. In the heart of Brum your nose might lead you not to factories belching smoke but to the socalled Balti triangle – an array of inexpensive eating houses serving famously delicious curry recipes invented by Birmingham Pakistanis.

Grand old buildings and cutting-edge architecture vie for your attention in the city centre’s spacious squares. The mirrorball-shaped Selfridge colossus in the Bullring shopping centre, a former brutalist concrete blot, is worth the trip alone.

Klagenfurt, Austria

Surely Alpine towns have been fully tapped for tourism? Not so. Klagenfurt, the capital of the Austrian state of Carinthia, may have been overshadowed by Salzburg and Vienna but it lays plausible claim to being the country’s most scenic city.

For what Klagenfurt lacks in Viennesestyle architectural splendour (although it does boast grand Italian Renaissance buildings) the southern city makes up for in its setting. It sits beside the warm turquoise water of Wörthersee lake, with the Karawanken mountains bordering Italy and Slovenia looming behind it.

The city is also surrounded by 24 fairytale medieval castles. Don’t leave without trying the local barley broth or cheesy pastries called kasnudle.

the rest of the Netherlands: for a start, it’s hilly. The tongue-shaped peninsular in the south of the country is flanked by Belgium and Germany but has its own distinct (Catholic) flavour.

In contrast with some of the other cities here, many people will have heard of Limburg's capital, Maastricht, but for reasons that are likely to provoke a yawn.

Far more compelling than its association with the EU treaty, however, are the city's medieval ramparts, Notre Dame-like twintowered cathedral, jazz and blues bars and a convivial café atmosphere bolstered by university students.

Arguably the most fascinating sight is the chalk labyrinth inside Sint Pietersberg hill.

The former marlstone works are where the first dinosaur fossils were identified, in the 18th century. The walls are studded with the remains of prehistoric sea creatures and branch off with shelters used during the second world war and by refugees from the French revolution.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria This less famous city of seven hills was humming before Rome and Constantinople

were twinkles in the gods’ eyes. Bulgaria’s second city, founded by the Thracians five millennia ago, has hung on to its ancient treasures as well – Soviet vandalism didn’t destroy its 200 historic sights.

Jostling for attention with the Roman stadium and amphitheatres is the old town with its local Baroque-style architecture, lavishly decorative on the outside and inside.

The atmospheric city is oppressively hot in summer and covered in snow most winters; autumn is the mellow season. Any of the hills are good for sunset views; the old town, which covers three hills, is full of art galleries and painters’ stalls.

Charter flights have recently become available from most UK airports, a sign Plovdiv could be the next big destination.

Stavanger, Norway Since a ferry from Newcastle stopped running to Stavanger in September 2008, Brits have had a harder time getting to this picturesque Norwegian port city (although there are flights from Heathrow). The withdrawal of the service was a bit of a blow for Stavanger during its tenure as

Stavanger, Norway

European Capital of Culture, alongside Liverpool, but for the intrepid visitor it means you can enjoy the city without the crowds.

While Liverpool has the Fab Four, Stavanger has a fab fjord. Base-jumpers and paragliders head for a 1,000m sheer drop nearby the city, while Pulpit Rock is the safest place for more sedate visitors to enjoy the dramatic views.

Stavanger itself has the oldest cathedral in Norway, the Anglo-Norman and Gothic St Swithin’s, surrounded by 200-year-old wooden buildings.

Tirana, Albania

Tiraspol, Moldova In the capital of the unrecognised breakaway republic of Pridnestrovie, also known as Transnistria – a narrow, 250-milelong strip between the Dniester river in Moldova and the Ukrainian border – looks can deceive. The city appears stuck in an immaculate Soviet time warp, with statues of Lenin and red stars galore – yet the government is firmly anti-Communist.

The slim official tourist guide boasts about how green Tiraspol is and recommends a "tree garden" in the centre and, 10km out, the Butylka wine and cognac museum in "the world’s largest bottleshaped building", at 28m high.

Tiraspol is worth a look not for any grandeur or beauty – unless you find ultrafunctionalist concrete complexes alluring – but for the curiously kitsch thrill of being inside this living USSR museum, complete with a tank parked in the centre.

Tours, France This hub of the Loire Valley is ideal for French-language students, as locals are said to speak the purest, most eloquent and unaccented French in the world.

But even if you only parlez Franglais, Tours is worthy of a tour, particularly as it’s less than an hour’s flying time from London Stansted.

The best way to get around this city known as le jardin de la France is on two wheels. Pedal through the narrow streets to see the half-timbered restored rustic houses in the old quarter, marvel at the cathedral in "flamboyant Gothic" style and follow riverside cycle tracks to some of the 300 lavish royal chateaux situated along the Loire and Cher, which both flow through Tours. The restaurants in medieval Place Plumereau serve Touraine wines with rillettes, rillons and controversial foie gras.

Uglich, Russia Seemingly untouched by the ravages of Russian history, the mellow Volga city of Uglich, 130 miles downstream from Moscow, is most famous for being the site of the mysterious unsolved murder of Ivan the Terrible’s young son. The crimson Church of St Dmitri on the Blood ensures no one will forget the gory events of 1591.

The city's traders are prepared for cruise day-trippers, with souvenir stalls set up

close to the ships and brass bands playing on the quay, but Uglich deserves a more lingering look to soak up its rich architectural relics.

Be sure to visit the triple-tower Marvellous Assumption church and the medieval Alekseevsky monastery – or simply get wedged in at the Vodka Museum, where samples are included in the admission price.

Wroclaw, Poland

Tours, France

Maastricht, Holland Limburg province is quite different from

Birmingham, England

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Page 24 Mature Living

In the past few years, in an attempt to cheer up the populace, the concrete highrises have been painted in all the colours of the rainbow so the cityscape looks like an out-of-control version of the island of Balamory from the BBC children's TV series.

But Tirana’s most splendid sights have to be the mosque and huge mosaic in Skanderberg Square. They are perhaps the only constants within this city in full flux.

Welcome to Europe’s most anarchic city.

In two decades, the population of Albania’s capital has swelled more than fourfold, to 800,000 residents (at last count) as the impoverished rural population migrates en masse.

Poland’s answer to Venice (pronounced – if you can – vrotswahf) perches on an archipelago on the River Oder in Lower Silesia.

Now a buzzing student centre, the city of 100-plus bridges rose like a phoenix from its bombed-out shell to become a post-war cosmopolitan and cultural hotpot, thanks to its assimilation of high-cultured Poles from Lwow (Lviv, in Ukrainian) when that city was transferred from Poland to Ukraine in 1945.

The pride of Wroclaw is the Raclawice panorama, a 140m-long canvas depicting a 1794 battle in which the Poles beat the Russian Hussars.

Page 25 Mature Living

Travel

Maastricht, Holland

If you prefer not to feel part of the herd, shepherded from tacky souvenir shop to jam-packed monument in Paris or Rome, it’s time to try a European city you may not have heard of but will be glad to discover.

T

here are still plenty of European treasures that the cold war left out of bounds for decades or that the happysnappy hordes have for other reasons left alone. These under-the-radar destinations are, what's more, typically cheap. The lowest-cost flights are often to the least frequented airports, and you'll find city prices there aren’t inflated for tourists – all the more reason to visit in these credit crunch times. You heard about them here first: get the first taste of 10 unsung European beauties.

Birmingham, England Statistics show overseas tourists are flocking to Birmingham, yet many Brits still turn their noses up at the city. Perhaps they picture this one-time workshop of the world as still full of dark satanic mills and overflowing with polluted canals.

Avoid Britain's second largest city, however, and you're missing out on a roughand-ready treasure on your doorstep. In the heart of Brum your nose might lead you not to factories belching smoke but to the socalled Balti triangle – an array of inexpensive eating houses serving famously delicious curry recipes invented by Birmingham Pakistanis.

Grand old buildings and cutting-edge architecture vie for your attention in the city centre’s spacious squares. The mirrorball-shaped Selfridge colossus in the Bullring shopping centre, a former brutalist concrete blot, is worth the trip alone.

Klagenfurt, Austria

Surely Alpine towns have been fully tapped for tourism? Not so. Klagenfurt, the capital of the Austrian state of Carinthia, may have been overshadowed by Salzburg and Vienna but it lays plausible claim to being the country’s most scenic city.

For what Klagenfurt lacks in Viennesestyle architectural splendour (although it does boast grand Italian Renaissance buildings) the southern city makes up for in its setting. It sits beside the warm turquoise water of Wörthersee lake, with the Karawanken mountains bordering Italy and Slovenia looming behind it.

The city is also surrounded by 24 fairytale medieval castles. Don’t leave without trying the local barley broth or cheesy pastries called kasnudle.

the rest of the Netherlands: for a start, it’s hilly. The tongue-shaped peninsular in the south of the country is flanked by Belgium and Germany but has its own distinct (Catholic) flavour.

In contrast with some of the other cities here, many people will have heard of Limburg's capital, Maastricht, but for reasons that are likely to provoke a yawn.

Far more compelling than its association with the EU treaty, however, are the city's medieval ramparts, Notre Dame-like twintowered cathedral, jazz and blues bars and a convivial café atmosphere bolstered by university students.

Arguably the most fascinating sight is the chalk labyrinth inside Sint Pietersberg hill.

The former marlstone works are where the first dinosaur fossils were identified, in the 18th century. The walls are studded with the remains of prehistoric sea creatures and branch off with shelters used during the second world war and by refugees from the French revolution.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria This less famous city of seven hills was humming before Rome and Constantinople

were twinkles in the gods’ eyes. Bulgaria’s second city, founded by the Thracians five millennia ago, has hung on to its ancient treasures as well – Soviet vandalism didn’t destroy its 200 historic sights.

Jostling for attention with the Roman stadium and amphitheatres is the old town with its local Baroque-style architecture, lavishly decorative on the outside and inside.

The atmospheric city is oppressively hot in summer and covered in snow most winters; autumn is the mellow season. Any of the hills are good for sunset views; the old town, which covers three hills, is full of art galleries and painters’ stalls.

Charter flights have recently become available from most UK airports, a sign Plovdiv could be the next big destination.

Stavanger, Norway Since a ferry from Newcastle stopped running to Stavanger in September 2008, Brits have had a harder time getting to this picturesque Norwegian port city (although there are flights from Heathrow). The withdrawal of the service was a bit of a blow for Stavanger during its tenure as

Stavanger, Norway

European Capital of Culture, alongside Liverpool, but for the intrepid visitor it means you can enjoy the city without the crowds.

While Liverpool has the Fab Four, Stavanger has a fab fjord. Base-jumpers and paragliders head for a 1,000m sheer drop nearby the city, while Pulpit Rock is the safest place for more sedate visitors to enjoy the dramatic views.

Stavanger itself has the oldest cathedral in Norway, the Anglo-Norman and Gothic St Swithin’s, surrounded by 200-year-old wooden buildings.

Tirana, Albania

Tiraspol, Moldova In the capital of the unrecognised breakaway republic of Pridnestrovie, also known as Transnistria – a narrow, 250-milelong strip between the Dniester river in Moldova and the Ukrainian border – looks can deceive. The city appears stuck in an immaculate Soviet time warp, with statues of Lenin and red stars galore – yet the government is firmly anti-Communist.

The slim official tourist guide boasts about how green Tiraspol is and recommends a "tree garden" in the centre and, 10km out, the Butylka wine and cognac museum in "the world’s largest bottleshaped building", at 28m high.

Tiraspol is worth a look not for any grandeur or beauty – unless you find ultrafunctionalist concrete complexes alluring – but for the curiously kitsch thrill of being inside this living USSR museum, complete with a tank parked in the centre.

Tours, France This hub of the Loire Valley is ideal for French-language students, as locals are said to speak the purest, most eloquent and unaccented French in the world.

But even if you only parlez Franglais, Tours is worthy of a tour, particularly as it’s less than an hour’s flying time from London Stansted.

The best way to get around this city known as le jardin de la France is on two wheels. Pedal through the narrow streets to see the half-timbered restored rustic houses in the old quarter, marvel at the cathedral in "flamboyant Gothic" style and follow riverside cycle tracks to some of the 300 lavish royal chateaux situated along the Loire and Cher, which both flow through Tours. The restaurants in medieval Place Plumereau serve Touraine wines with rillettes, rillons and controversial foie gras.

Uglich, Russia Seemingly untouched by the ravages of Russian history, the mellow Volga city of Uglich, 130 miles downstream from Moscow, is most famous for being the site of the mysterious unsolved murder of Ivan the Terrible’s young son. The crimson Church of St Dmitri on the Blood ensures no one will forget the gory events of 1591.

The city's traders are prepared for cruise day-trippers, with souvenir stalls set up

close to the ships and brass bands playing on the quay, but Uglich deserves a more lingering look to soak up its rich architectural relics.

Be sure to visit the triple-tower Marvellous Assumption church and the medieval Alekseevsky monastery – or simply get wedged in at the Vodka Museum, where samples are included in the admission price.

Wroclaw, Poland

Tours, France

Maastricht, Holland Limburg province is quite different from

Birmingham, England

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Page 24 Mature Living

In the past few years, in an attempt to cheer up the populace, the concrete highrises have been painted in all the colours of the rainbow so the cityscape looks like an out-of-control version of the island of Balamory from the BBC children's TV series.

But Tirana’s most splendid sights have to be the mosque and huge mosaic in Skanderberg Square. They are perhaps the only constants within this city in full flux.

Welcome to Europe’s most anarchic city.

In two decades, the population of Albania’s capital has swelled more than fourfold, to 800,000 residents (at last count) as the impoverished rural population migrates en masse.

Poland’s answer to Venice (pronounced – if you can – vrotswahf) perches on an archipelago on the River Oder in Lower Silesia.

Now a buzzing student centre, the city of 100-plus bridges rose like a phoenix from its bombed-out shell to become a post-war cosmopolitan and cultural hotpot, thanks to its assimilation of high-cultured Poles from Lwow (Lviv, in Ukrainian) when that city was transferred from Poland to Ukraine in 1945.

The pride of Wroclaw is the Raclawice panorama, a 140m-long canvas depicting a 1794 battle in which the Poles beat the Russian Hussars.

Page 25 Mature Living

Food and Drink

T

hinly grated potatoes, panfried until crisp and golden, rosti is one of Switzerland’s iconic national dishes. Though no one knows when the first rosti was cookedup, farmers in the canton of Bern would traditionally eat it for breakfast.

Prep:25 mins Cook:1 hr, 25 mins Serves: 5-6 Ingredients 5 rashers streaky bacon

1½ kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled 5 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion butter, for greasing Method Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Dry-fry the bacon in a pan for 5 mins until crisp, then chop into small pieces. Boil the whole potatoes for 5 mins, drain, then place in a bowl of chilled water.

When cool enough to handle, pat the potatoes dry and roughly grate into a large bowl. Toss with the oil as you go, to stop

them from sticking. Roughly grate the onion and squeeze out any excess juice, then stir into the potatoes along with the bacon. Place a baking sheet in the oven for 5 mins to warm through. Liberally grease a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin with butter. Scatter the potato over the tin, trying not to pack it down, then dot all over the top with butter. Place on the hot baking sheet and bake in the oven for 1 hr 20 mins until the potatoes are cooked through and crisp on top.

L

eckerli have a long and treasured history in Switzerland, particularly at Christmas time. Though their ancestors, Lebkuchen, are German sweets, these spiced, gingerbread-like biscuits were given a tender hazelnut rendering in the Swiss capital of Bern centuries ago. Sticky, spicy, sweet, Leckerli are more than worthy of your Swiss culinary bucketlist, particularly when dunked in tea.

Ingredients: 3-3 1/2 cups flour 1 tablespoon yeast 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup rice milk 1/3 cup vegetable-based margarine Glaze: 1-2 tablespoons vegetable-based margarine, melted 2-3 tablespoons cumin seeds Method: 1. Whisk together the dry ingredients—flour, yeast, sugar, and salt—in a large bowl.

2. Heat the rice milk to a very warm temperature and add the margarine.

Stir to melt the margarine

completely. Mix this with the dry ingredients until it forms a dough.

3. Remove the dough onto a flat surface and knead it for about 5 minutes. Let the dough rise and double in size in a bowl covered with a dish towel or plastic wrap.

4. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and use a rolling pin to form oval shapes about 15 cm/6 inches long.

5. Use a sharp knife to cut four slits into each piece. Then, carefully stretch and place the rolls on a baking sheet. Let them rest for another 30 minutes.

6. Preheat your stove to 200°C/400°F. Brush the melted margarine over the rolls with a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, and then sprinkle cumin seeds over them.

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

F

ondue in Switzerland may seem clichéd, but it is indelibly woven into the country’s fabric. For centuries, Swiss living in the mountains relied on fondue as a way to use bread and cheese during colder months.

Ingredients For the fondue 2 tbsp cider vinegar 1 tsp cornflour 250g cheddar, grated 250g Gruyère, grated 3 tbsp crème fraîche Suggestions for dipping 4 thick slices bread, such as sourdough, chopped into chunks 2 tbsp olive oil 2 carrots, cut into batons 2 peppers, deseeded and cut into strips

2 celery sticks, thickly sliced 200g pack mini salami or 1 thin salami cut into bite-size chunks Serves: 5-6 Method Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the vinegar with the cornflour and place in a heatproof bowl with the cheeses.

Set over a pan of boiling water. Slowly melt the cheese, stirring occasionally.

When it’s nearly melted, add the crème fraîche and a little black pepper, if you like. Lower the heat and keep warm.

To make croutons, toss the bread in the oil and a little seasoning on a baking sheet, then bake for 10-15 mins until golden and crisp.

To serve, put the cheese fondue on a large platter and arrange the croutons, veg and salamis alongside it.

Food and Drink

S

cents of wood-burning fires and pine waft through Switzerland’s roads in cooler months. Step into most hillside haunts and the fragrance of pungent melted raclette cheese will also greet you. Hailing from the canton of Valais, raclette is a local cheese customarily grilled slowly over a fire, with layerby-melted-layer sliced off to blanket boiled potatoes, pickles and onions.

Contemporary raclette machines make grilling commonplace in Swiss homes, where friends gather for hours, waiting for slices of raclette to melt, while drinking copious glasses of local Fendant wine.

Ingredients 1 bunch tarragon (about 30g), leaves picked 100ml groundnut oil 900g-1kg pink fir apple potatoes (or Charlotte), washed 6 medium or 9 small tomatoes, halved walnut oil, for drizzling 2 red onions, thinly sliced

squeeze lime juice 450-600g mixed wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, ceps and trompette des morts, trimmed generous knob butter 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 200ml double or whipping cream 450g raclette cheese, rind removed and thinly sliced 2 tbsp broken walnut pieces, optional Prep:30 mins Cook:45 mins Serves: 6 Method To make the tarragon oil, chop the tarragon leaves, then warm the groundnut oil in a small pan. Add the tarragon, season with a pinch of salt, then liquidise until smooth with a stick blender. Set aside. Can be done up to 2 days ahead.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 20-25 mins.

Cooking them a bit longer than usual will give them a very soft, almost creamy texture.

Drain and halve the potatoes

lengthways and season with salt and pepper.

While the potatoes cook, arrange the tomatoes on a baking tray, season, then drizzle liberally with walnut oil. Put under a pre-heated grill and cook for 6-8 mins until they start to colour and soften.

Set aside to be served at room temperature. Add the sliced red onions to the cooked potatoes, with the lime juice.

Cover and keep warm. Heat oven to 220c/fan 200c/gas 7.

Rinse the mushrooms briefly and pat dry. Sauté in butter over a high heat, then season.

Add the mushrooms to the potatoes and red onions. Stir the mustard into the cream, then lightly whip the cream (see tip, opposite). Season and stir it amongst the potatoes, onions and mushrooms, then spoon over a large ovenproof platter. Lay the strips of cheese, overlapping haphazardly, on top. Can be done up to 1 hr ahead.

Now finish it in style. Bake until the cheese begins to melt and is tinged to a light golden

brown, about 10-12 mins.

Arrange the grilled tomatoes down either side of the platter, scatter the broken walnuts (if

T

artiflette was conceived near the French-Swiss border in the department of Haute-Savoie, home to the local Reblochon cheese.

Though the cheese dates to the 16th century, tartiflette was fashioned only in the 1980s by the Reblochon trade union in an effort to help sagging sales. And it worked.

Today, tartiflette is a staple dish at most ski resorts, particularly those in Swiss-Romande. This rustic plate is a starchy combination of thinly sliced potatoes, smoky bits of bacon, carmelised onions and oozy, nutty, creamy Reblocohon cheese (of course).

Ingredients 2 medium waxy potatoes, about 350g/12oz (try Vivaldi) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, sliced 175g smoked back bacon, not too thinly sliced, rind

using) Over the tomatoes and drizzle with tarragon oil. Serve the rest of the tarragon oil separately.

removed, cut into 1cm strips 100g vignotte cheese, cut into 1½ cm cubes (including the rind) 100ml double cream sprinkling of crushed chilli (optional) 25g fresh white breadcrumbs Ready in: 40-50 minutes Serves: 2 Method Peel and thickly slice the potatoes into about 1.5cm slices. Boil them in salted water for 6-8 minutes until just tender, then drain.

While the potatoes are boiling, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the onion over a medium heat for 5 minutes until it becomes transparent. Add the bacon to the pan and carry on frying for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns lightly golden.

With a slotted spoon, remove the onions and

bacon from the pan to a bowl, leaving as much fat in the pan as possible.

Heat the grill to high. Add the potatoes to the pan and brown briefly in the fat. If your potatoes are on the floury side they may break up or stick a bit, but this isn’t a problem, just keep everything moving and avoid too many burnt bits. Return the onions and bacon to the pan and lightly mix everything together.

Nestle the chunks of cheese among the potatoes and bacon then drizzle with the cream. Sprinkle with the chilli, if using, then evenly scatter over the breadcrumbs. Protect the pan handle with foil if necessary and grill for 5 minutes, until lightly browned and just on the point of bubbling.

Transfer to plates with a wide spatula – no hurry, the dish will not spoil – and savour with a glass of wine.

A FASCINATING GEORGIAN ESTATE TO VISIT

Heating Health

T

he magnificent 160 acre Lakeside Estate of Belvedere House, Gardens & Park, boasts a fully restored Georgian Villa, built in 1740 for Robert Rochfort, later Lord Belvedere. The estate has a fascinating Victorian Walled Garden, with one of Ireland's finest collections of rare and special plants. The naturalistic designed 18th century parkland, punctuated with Romantic Follies, includes the largest in Ireland “The Jealous Wall”. There is a licensed Restaurant and Gift Shop on site and there are also outdoor children’s Playgrounds, a Magical Fairy Garden & many Picnic areas. Whether you are part of a gardening group, historical society, school tour, active retirement association, family gathering or group of friends, a visit to Belvedere is a superb day out with a difference.

Belvedere House Gardens & Park, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath Tel: 044-9349060 info@belvedere-house.ie Web: www.belvedere-house.ie Location: 5km south of Mullingar on N52/1hour from Dublin, M4/N4 Exit 15 Sat Nav: Latitude/Longitude 53.4761 - 7.3552 Opening: Open 7days a week all year round from 9.30am Seasonal closing times apply Admission: Adult €8. Student/Senior €6. Child €4. Family Ticket (2 adults + 1 child) €20 -Each additional child €3. Group Rates 20+: Adult: €4 Senior/Student: €3 Child: €2 Catoca Fine Food and Giftware: Great food, great service, great location.

Belvedere House, Gardens & Park 2 for 1 admission offer, with this voucher (Not valid for Special Events - M/L 2015)

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Retirement

A Guide to Life Insurance Cover from the financial impact of your premature death, your Financial Broker will research your options.

If your Financial Broker recommends life insurance cover as the most suitable option for you, they will recommend a plan from the range of life insurance companies they deal with, providing you with a “fair analysis” of the market.

How can I protect my family financially if I die?

Nobody wants to think about the worst happening, but death is a fact of life and it’s a good idea to have a plan in place to protect your loved ones financially in the event of your death.

If you die prematurely this could have serious implications for your family; it could mean a significant and sudden reduction in their financial wellbeing as: Your earned income will stop.

Loans may become repayable.

Inheritance Tax could arise for your dependants, depending on what and how much they inherit from you.

While social welfare benefits payable on your death, such as the widows/widowers/ surviving civil partner’s pension may replace part of your earned income, the benefits they provide are low and are designed to cover only the basic necessities of life.

By taking out a life insurance policy you can ensure that in the case of your premature death, your family will be on a firm financial footing.

What is life insurance?

A life insurance policy provides money for your dependants when you die. As with any financial product, there are a number of things to consider before choosing a life insurance policy: If your children are young, you may need more cover than if you have older children, as younger children will be dependant for a longer period of time. Essentially, you need to think about buying enough

Page 32 Mature Living

insurance to: • Provide an income for your family for as long as they need it.

•Clear any loans or mortgage you may have (note: you may already have mortgage protection insurance to cover your mortgage repayments).

• Ensure there is money to cover larger costs that may arise in the future, i.e. third level education costs for your children.

Do bear in mind that you may not need life insurance or you may need less cover if: • You don’t have any dependants or your family is grown up and financially independent.

• You have sufficient death-inservice benefits through your job or pension plan.

• You have enough money or you have investments that could provide a sufficient income for your dependants to live on if you died.

• Your partner earns enough money to support themselves and any dependants.

Talk to your Financial Broker who can help you understand if you need life insurance.

What is a Financial Broker?

A Financial Broker is an expert in financial and pension matters who works with you to understand your financial goals and helps you create a plan to meet those goals. In helping you to make a decision about protecting your dependants

Why would I need to use a Financial Broker?

There are two key decisions you will need to make when taking out life insurance cover: • How much cover do you need?

• Which type of cover is best suited to your needs?

Your Financial Broker will be able to explain the choices available to you in simple language allowing you to make an informed decision. They can guide you on the level of cover you need and the best type of cover for you, based on your personal and financial circumstances.

They will then help you through the process of setting up your life insurance cover, help you to make sense of the cover provided and the restrictions and limitations of such cover.

Ultimately, your Financial Broker will ensure you choose the cover and product best suited to your needs and circumstances.

What are the different life insurance policies?

With life insurance, you have a number of options: you can arrange cover for a limited period, called ‘term life insurance’ or cover to last throughout your life, called ‘whole of life’ cover. You can also opt for a ‘joint policy’ or ‘dual-life policy’ with your spouse/long-term partner or joint borrower. There are also a number of optional extras you could add to your policy, including: conversion, indexation and income benefit.

Term life insurance: Life insurance policies pay a lump sum to your named beneficiary or your estate if you die during the term of the policy. Term life insurance is the most straightforward and one of the most affordable forms of life insurance. For example: you might take out a term life insurance policy on your own life for €100,000 over 10 years.

If you die within 10 years (the term), the policy pays out €100,000 to your dependants. If you don’t die within the term of the policy, no benefit is paid out and the policy ends.

Whole of life insurance: Whole of life insurance guarantees the payout of a lump sum whenever the policyholder dies, so long as the required monthly premiums are maintained. Premiums for whole of life cover are more

expensive than ‘term life insurance’ as the cover can potentially run for the whole of your life.

With whole of life cover, some of your monthly premiums may be invested by the insurer into investment funds. This exposes you to the risk of your premiums increasing. Some companies offer guaranteed whole of life rates. This means the premium will not increase for the same level of cover throughout your life and the policy and life cover will remain in force as long as you pay the premium.

Joint Policy/Dual Life Policy: If you are in a relationship and have young children, it may be worthwhile considering a joint life policy. This covers two people on the same policy and could pay out a lump sum when the first of you die (a joint life policy) or a separate lump sum on the death of each of you (a dual life policy).

Conversion: If you add a conversion option to a term assurance policy you can renew or extend the term of your policy at a future time for a cost appropriate to your age and the terms offered by the company at the time, regardless of your state of health at that time. This protects you in case your health deteriorates and you can’t get cover in the future. Make sure you talk to your Financial Broker about the

There is no inheritance tax on sums received from spouses/civil partners; your life cover benefit will be paid tax free if the beneficiary is your wife/husband/civil partner. For couples outside spousal/civil partnership relationships, it may make sense to arrange cover so that one partner owns (and pays) for the cover on the other. This ensures cover is paid to the intended party tax free.

Your Financial Broker can give you further advice on this option if applicable.

Inheritance Tax currently applies at 33% if your child inherits more than €225,000 from you or your spouse/civil partner. You can arrange life insurance cover to pay this anticipated Inheritance Tax

terms of conversion - when can conversion be exercised and are there restrictions on the options you can select on conversion?

Indexation: This allows you to guard against inflation eroding the real value of your cover over time. Premiums and cover increase annually at your policy anniversary date. Pay attention to the rate of increase in premium versus the rate of increase in cover. Some policies have a cheaper premium to begin with but have a higher rate of increase in premium over time.

Income Benefit: You may prefer to have a benefit paid as an income to your family rather than a lump sum (or in addition to a lump sum). This may be appropriate if you have a young family and need to provide for their day-to-day expenses until your children reach maturity.

Your Financial Broker can advise you on all of the options and their costs to help you to select the most suitable plan for you and your family.

How much does life insurance cover cost?

Your monthly life insurance premiums will depend on a number of factors: • How old you are when you take out the cover • How long you want the cover • The level of cover you want, and whether you want this cover to increase annually, say at 3% per year.

• Your general health • Whether you smoke or not (smokers will be charged more than non-smokers for the same cover) • What additional benefits and options you want to add on Remember: Extra benefits may

be added to a basic term policy for an extra cost. Some of these benefits could include: serious illness cover, where you could make a claim if you were diagnosed with one of the serious illnesses covered; indexlinking, where your cover increases in line with inflation each year; and a conversion option, which allows you to convert your policy into a new policy before the end of the term without having to prove your good health.

What are the medical obligations of taking out a life insurance policy?

Insurance companies will not usually request you take a medical examination unless you have a history of illness, you are over a certain age or you are applying for a large amount of cover on a life insurance policy.

Note: Life Insurance policies will generally not pay out if your death is caused by a medical condition that you were aware of when you first applied for cover and did not disclose to the insurer before your policy started.

You must fill out the application form correctly, disclosing all material facts about your health and circumstances. A material fact is one that is likely to influence the acceptance or pricing of the cover by an underwriter. If you fail to disclose a key fact you could render the policy void and the life cover would not be paid on your death. If in any doubt, disclose the fact. Your Financial Broker is experienced in completing these application forms and will be on hand to assist you with any queries.

liability to ensure that your child will be able to take their entire inheritance tax free.

Can I claim tax relief on my life insurance premiums?

Income tax relief is not generally available on life insurance premiums. However if you’re self employed or working for an employer who does not include you in a pension scheme for retirement benefits, you can arrange life insurance cover payable to your estate and the premiums may qualify for income tax relief at marginal rate, within certain Revenue limits.

This type of cover cannot be assigned to a lender; the proceeds on death must be paid to your estate.

What are the tax implications of life insurance for my family?

Although life insurance benefit is paid out as a tax-free lump sum, whoever inherits the money after your death, depending on their relationship to you, may have to pay inheritance tax. The amount of tax they pay depends on how much they inherit; their relationship to you; other gifts and inheritances they may already have received and Revenue rules at the time of your death.

Over 50s Life Insurance Guaranteed Acceptance

O

ver 50s Life Insurance gives you peace of mind that when you pass on, your family and loved ones can have the necessary funds to pay for funeral expenses or cover any outstanding loans or bills you might have. You may indeed wish to leave a nest egg to your grandchildren.

The main advantage of the over 50s plan is that you are guaranteed to be accepted for cover irrespective of any health/medical history.

The key features/conditions of the plan are as follows: • You must be between age 50 and 80 at entry.

• You can get cover of up to €25,000.

• There are no medical questions, your acceptance is guaranteed.

• No further premiums are payable after age 90 but your cover remains in place.

• If you die within the first 2 years of the plan, your family will get back what you have paid in only, unless you die in an accident whereby the cover you've selected will be paid.

This type of cover may suit you depending on your age and circumstances but you can of course apply for higher and less restricted cover by completing a health history questionnaire. You may also have to provide medical evidence or complete a medical examination but cover obtained in this way

may well work out less expensive.

Declan Maguire (Declan Maguire is an independent Life and Pensions Specialist,085 2271372,dmaguire@dmfs.ie )

Declan Maguire

Page 33 Mature Living

Health Matters

The Cheapest Cure For Aging

W

hen it comes to physical activity the more you do, the more you can do. Here, the top 10 things to start you out on the road to better health “We do not stop exercising because we grow old – we grow old because we stop exercising.” – Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the Father of Aerobics “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun, former world-class track athlete When it comes to physical activity, it is self-evident that the more you do the more you can do.

But then of course you already knew that, didn’t you?

You either knew because you’re a fitness fanatic who lives to move, incorporating exercise into your daily routines and reveling in the way it makes you look and feel, or you remember how great it was and how wonderful you felt back in the day when you were vigorous and active.

Yet despite the fact that anybody who’s ever worn a pair of running shoes knows we need exercise to remain healthy, most of us don’t get the amount we need, and we’re paying for it in innumerable ways both physiological and psychological.

According to Statistics, a mere 13 per cent of adults aged 40 to 59 and 11 per cent of those aged 60 and above meet the guidelines for moderate tovigorous physical activity, defined as 150 minutes of moderate-to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more, this in addition to “muscle and bone strengthening activities using major muscle groups, at least two days per week.”

The price tag for not paying this exercise bill is enormous, both to individuals and society; we’re aging faster, getting sicker more often and for longer periods, and constantly staving off — if not outright depression — a low-grade sense of guilt about the fact that we are neglecting our bodies, and that not a good thing, because as the entrepreneur and motivational speaker Jim Rohn put it, our bodies are the only place we have to live!

It doesn’t have to be this way.

There are many enjoyable and relatively easy ways to incorporate exercise into our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, and the benefits of doing so are enormous.

Regular exercise can significantly lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, and it can prevent and control risk factors for a variety of disease aggravators including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer. It can control obesity, boost energy levels, reduce stress, and improve both sleep and digestion.

People who are physically active feel better about themselves and have higher self-esteem, often leading them to take better care of themselves in innumerable ways, including making the right kind of lifestyle choices, such as eating better, and avoiding overeating, smoking, or excessive alcohol consumption.

Exercise also releases endorphins – the body’s natural feel-good chemicals – leading if not to the “high” many athletes claim, at least a sense of wellbeing.

And there are social benefits as well. Isolation is often a

consequence of aging, and one of the most debilitating from a psychological point of view because of its role in depression. Exercise can bring us into contact with others, people who can both encourage and reinforce our healthy choices, and broaden our social network. There are clubs and organizations dedicated to almost every exercise discipline you can imagine, from cross country skiing and canoeing to hiking and bird watching. The internet makes it easy to find kindred spirits in almost any discipline – just type the activity into Google along with word “club” and the place you live and invariably something comes up. These clubs are run by enthusiasts who meet regularly and warmly welcome new members.

Despite the fact that many aging Irish people have chronic health problems and legitimate concerns about injuries and falls, the major barrier to getting enough exercise is typically psychological. Aging Irish have what a salesperson would think of as “objections” to exercise: I’m too old to benefit from it now, I need to save my strength, I might fall and get hurt, I’m wheelchair bound and can’t do anything.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Research indicates that individuals of any age can benefit from exercise, and because exercise increases strength and stamina, reduces bone-mass loss and improves balance, it can significantly reduce the risk of falling!

Have I convinced you yet? Of course I have, but after a decade or more of sitting on the sidelines the prospect of getting started is intimidating. Well, to help you on your way we present the top 10 things you

can do to start out on the road to better health by incorporating exercise into your daily routines.

Check with your doctor if you have any concerns. Discuss the kinds of activities you’d like to engage in and the potential impact on any pre-existing conditions.

Start slow. Overdoing it at the beginning is the number one reason people give up. Pay attention to signals your body is giving you. If it hurts, don’t do it. If it makes you dizzy, stop.

Don’t underestimate the power of walking; it’s inexpensive and remarkably therapeutic.

Choose activities you enjoy doing. If you hate the idea of marching on a treadmill don’t do it. Despise running? Don’t run. Me, I love to ride a bike. I joke that it is both my gym and my psychiatrist. Even if riding it did not make me fit I’d ride it anyway, so I’m really just fit by default.

Establish some kind of routine. Commit to exercising three to four days a week for two or three months. Over time you will feel the benefits and it will become part of your lifestyle; you will look forward to it. Manage your goals. The object is not to look in the mirror and see the person you were 40 years ago, the object is to look in the mirror and see the best person you can be now.

You aren’t going to drop 50 pounds in a few sessions at the gym. This is a long-term project, see it that way and the pounds will melt away.

Find partners. Having a little company on your walk/ride/swim/hike or whatever can be both inspiring and make things a lot more fun.

Join a club.

Contact your local community center. Most have programs directly aimed at older people ranging from swimming and aerobics to Tai Chi and walking groups. These programs are inexpensive and attending them can help establish routines and habits, not to mention bring you in contact with kindred spirits.

Consider working with a personal trainer. A personal trainer can assess your needs and work with you, providing encouragement and guidance.

Keep your fitness equipment visible and available. I keep a tennis ball next to where I sit to watch television; because it’s there I squeeze it all the time.

It doesn’t have to an exercise per se to count – yard work and house cleaning can be just as beneficial.

Believe in yourself and have fun. Over time the benefits of fitness will reveal themselves, and you will enjoy discovering them. Now get up and move, because although exercise is not a cure for aging, engaging in it will certainly get you to the finish line in style.

Ian MacNeill is the author of The Beginning Runner’s Handbook, the internationally bestselling guide to running without injury, which has been translated into Spanish, French, and Korean. His plan is to die with his (ski) boots on.

Vitamin D key for healthy bones … and maybe a lot more too

C

ould it be that vitamin D is about to become the new super vitamin? Here, how much you need and the best ways to get it If you’re over 50 you should be taking vitamin D supplements.

That’s the bottom line.

According to Health recommendations people aged 19 to 70 need 600 IU a day. If you’re over 70 it jumps to 800 IU a day. The upper limit is identified as 4,000 IU. Experts have long known that vitamin D is key to building and maintaining strong bones, and now there’s increasing speculation it could be good for a whole lot of other things too.

There has been a lot of research around vitamin D having to do with its role in immunity, preventing infections, blood pressure and heart disease, and cancer prevention, so there’s a lot of interest and research is still evolving.”

What we do know, as far as bone health is concerned, is that 90 per cent of bone building happens during the period from childhood to the end of our teens, says Debbie. “It’s like putting money in the bank.”

After that we cruise along until our 40s, but that’s when we also start to lose some of our bone minerals.

Menopause brings on even more bone loss for women and once we’re all into our 60s and beyond that’s when our bones are most at risk.

Vitamin D plays a key role in supporting bone health as we age and combined with calcium (which it helps the body absorb) it can help guard against osteoporosis, a disease characterized by low bone mass and the deterioration of bone tissue.

While there are other factors involved, such as genetic predisposition, according to Osteoporosis society, one out of every two women over 50 will sustain an osteo-related fracture, as will one in eight men over 50.

Vitamin D won’t magically repair bones in your later years, but what it can do is help to slow down bone loss, says Debbie.

Okay then, so how do we get it?

While our skin produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun, as we age our skin can’t do the job as well, plus our climate keeps us bundled up for most of the year. Even during times when we are exposed to those glorious rays, sun screen further diminishes our ability to produce the vitamin.

Certain foods like canned salmon, canned sardines and egg yolks also contain some vitamin D, and so does milk which has been fortified. Certain orange juices, plus some soya, almond and rice milks are also now fortified, but you have to read the labels to see which ones.

Debbie says even doing that can be confusing since not all manufacturers have changed their labels to take into account the new, higher recommended daily doses. For example, if a label hasn’t been updated and indicates your cup of fortified soya milk contains 15 per cent of your daily vitamin D requirements, it could mean you’re only getting 15 percent of 200 IUs, in-

stead of 15 per cent of the recommended 600 or 800 IUs. While diet is always important for good health, it is very difficult to get the recommended dosage of vitamin D from diet alone. “Most people need to take a supplement to meet their needs,” says Debbie. Vitamin D3 (the most common type) is readily available in most pharmacies and grocery stores that carry supplements. It usually comes in 400 IUs and 1,000 IU, and sometimes in 2,000 IU. From a more technical viewpoint, experts know that once we ingest vitamin D, either in food or supplements, it undergoes changes as the liver and then the kidneys work to metabolize it, making it useable for our bodies. Now, scientists are discovering it can also cause chemical changes in many other tissues as well. “That’s where a lot of the interest is happening,” says Debbie.

Okay, so we get that it’s essential for good bone health, especially as we age, but could it be that vitamin D is about to become the super vitamin of the future?

Time will tell, but we do know one thing. “It is getting the most attention right now,” says Debbie.

Women Get Stronger Bones When They Get Satisfaction

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atisfaction, like calcium, can help make bones stronger in boomer women.

Women aged 60 to 70 who are satisfied with their lives have a higher bone density and suffer from osteoporosis less frequently than their unsatisfied peers, according to research at the University of Eastern Finland.

The Finnish study included 1147 women who underwent bone density measurements in 1999, and again in 2009.

Life satisfaction was assessed by four questions relating to the study participants’ interest in and easiness of life, happiness, and loneliness.

Based on the answers, the study participants were divided into three groups: the satisfied, the middle group, and the unsatisfied.

During the 10-year follow-up, the bone density of all study participants weakened by an average of 4 per cent; however, the difference between the satisfied and the unsatisfied was as much as 52 per cent.

Changes in life satisfaction during the 10-year followup also affected bone density.

In persons whose life satisfaction deteriorated, the bone density weakened by 85 per cent in comparison to persons whose life satisfaction improved.

And what contributes to women’s satisfaction?

Why, a man’s opinion of how attractive they are.

Another series of studies published this week suggests that women who are told that men desire larger-body women are happier with their weight.

Women in three independent studies confirm that a woman’s body image is tied to her perception of what she thinks men prefer, said social psychologist Andrea Meltzer, an assistant professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

“On average, heterosexual women believe that heterosexual men desire ultra-thin women,” said Meltzer. “Consequently, this study suggests that interventions that alter women’s perception regarding men’s desires for ideal female body sizes may be effective at improving women’s body image.”

The findings could have significant implications for women’s health and well-being, Meltzer said.

Prior research has shown that women satisfied with their body and weight tend to eat healthier, exercise more, and have higher self-esteem.

They also tend to avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as excessive dieting and eating disorders, and they suffer less from depression.

In contrast, other research has demonstrated that women unhappy with their body and weight have less sex, less sexual satisfaction,and less marital satisfaction.

The Bands of our Showband Era Memories

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here were hundreds of them. Irish bands of every size, description and musical genre travelling the roads and borheens of Ireland. They travelled the length and breadth of the country from the 1950's through the mid 1980's.

Although "officially" the term showband was coined in the late fifties and was used to describe bands that played a wide variety of music and usually included a "show" during the night, the term was gradually applied to all the bands that played in the 1960's. As the Irish music scene splintered in the late sixties into pop, country bands, the term was dropped but we still find it the best overall description of the bands of the "ballroom" era. In the early days, they travelled in whatever they could find...bread vans, hearses, and even cars (roof racks

and all). In later years, many (if not most) of them travelled in converted Ford Transit vans (like the one pictured right) that were normally used for delivery services. After a couple of windows were popped into the centre panels, a row or two of old airplane seats were installed and the band was ready to travel "in style." Although style was a matter of opinion...if you're stuck in the back of a van on a cold and rainy winter's night, it may seem like "a long way to Tipperary," but it's even further to Castletownbere, Co. Cork! It will be impossible to list all the bands that played the dance halls, ballrooms, marquees, parochial halls, community centres, hotels, and town halls across Ireland but each month we are planning to feature a band from the west with the help of Gerry Gallagher and www.irish-showbands.com . Apart from a few who enjoy near mythical status (such as the Royal Showband and a handful of others), most bands came together, played for a few years and then either reinvented themselves, changed their name, or just disappeared, their members either returning

All editorial and photographs are kindly supplied by Gerry Gallagher from www.irish-shownbands.com Over the years Gerry has built up what can only be describe as the definitive guide to the showband era. I would like to thank Gerry for allowing us to reproduce the articles and photos in Mature Living. If you would like to know more about your favourite band or who was number one in a particular year visit www.irish-showbands.com

to civilian life, or scattering to two or three new bands. For such a small country, it is difficult to comprehend the sheer number of bands that the country produced. Almost as hard to imagine, is the number of dance halls that once dotted the countryside, many out in the "middle of nowhere."

Pick up next months issue for another blast from the blast from the showband era...

Pioneer/Premier Aces Story (1954-1973)

by John Baird and Gerry Gallagher

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he pride of Ballintubber, Co. Roscommon, The Premier Aces started their careers known as The Pioneers Aces as none of the band drank alcohol and all were members of The Total Abstinence Society. The band was put together, in part, by the late Peter Shanagher, who had been the leader of the Ivy Caste Dance Band, also based in Ballintubber. However, Peter emigrated to England in 1956 before the band hit the road and handed over the reins to Stephen Treacy and Paddy Malone. The original line up was: Paddy Malone (alto sax), Andy Malone (drums), Sonny Ward (tenor sax), Stephen Treacy (accordion) Liam Treacy (RIP-sax) and Mickey Slyman (vocals and trombone).

In 1958, the band decided to turn pro and expanded to an eight piece adding Co. Galway man Frank O'Brien on Hawaiian/Steel Guitar as well as a very young (13 year old) trumpet player, Johnny Carroll (the same Johnny Carroll that is so popular in cabaret these days). This is Page 36 Mature Living

the lineup in the photo at the right.

The lads started to command quite a following on the regional scene and the bookings rolled in. However, after several years a dispute within the Total Abstinence Society as to their eligibility to continue to be associated with the society forced them to change their name, so they became The Premier Aces around 1959.

Around this time, the Treacy brothers (Stephen and Liam) decided to form their own band, The Rhythm Stars (also from Ballintubber) with three of their brothers, Aidan, Al and Sylvester, this made them somewhat unique on the showband scene at the time....five brothers in the same band at the same time.

At this point, the band added Larry Carolan on bass, and Jimmy O'Neill (brother of Glenamaddy's Joe O'Neill) on guitar. Jimmy would eventually switch over to keyboards.

The band would undergo another change when Frank O'Brien was replaced on guitar by Corkman, Billy Ryan. While playing the usual Lenten trips to the UK, they came to the attention of an English Country

singer, Houston Wells who was fronting his own band, The Marksmen. Houston, born as Andy Smith in Northumberland had a varied career and was once a

lumberjack in Canada before becoming a singer. He fit in straight away with the band and was very popular on the ballroom and marquee circuit as were the Premiers.

Left to right: Sonny Ward (sax), Paddy Malone (sax), Johnny Carroll (trumpet), Larry Carolan (bass), Jimmy O'Neill (keyboards),and Houston Wells (vocals).

Front: Billy Ryan (guitar) and Andy Malone (drums).

Article and Photos courtesy of Gerry Gallagher www.irish-showbands.com Now a nine piece, the band enjoyed new success across Ireland and had a number of Irish chart entries with Above and Beyond, When my Blue Moon turns to Gold, and Only the Heartaches.

The band went from strength to strength, becoming one of the top bands in the West of Ireland. Shortly after Houston joined, long time member Michael Slyman called it quits and the band reverted to an eight piece for the next few years. Although Houston's tenure with the band wasn't long (around a year), his impact on their popularity was immense. In late 1966, the band toured the United States and continued to draw large crowds in Ireland.

In April 1968, a major change took plan in the band when Houston Wells was replaced by former Royal Blues singer Shay O'Hara. At loose ends, Houston talked of forming his own band in an April interview in Spotlight, but ended up returning to England where he formed a group called The Masters.

After recording a couple of records with them, he would eventually return to Ireland to join The Trident Showband from Limerick.

Contributed by John Baird

Meanwhile Shay O'Hara, an excellent vocalist with a large following in the West of Ireland, recorded a single with the Premier Aces, the A side entitled Your Lily White Hands. Another change took place when Billy Ryan left and was replaced by guitarist, Bob Madden.

As the sixties came to close, the Premiers had undergone several changes, but were still at the top of their form, a 1969 Spotlight Poll ranked them as one of the top twenty showbands in the country in the same company with bands like the Capitol Showband. Yet, after a very successful run on the showband scene, over which they gave dancers and fans great entertainment, they played their last date at the Oranmore Carnival, Co. Galway in 1969. The band did come together for a time in 1970, but it was shortlived. However, in 1972, several ex-members of the Rhythm Stars formed a new version of The Premier Aces with local singer, Patsy McCaul out front. The lineup included Aidan, Sylvie and Al Treacy (brothers of original Pioneer Aces, Liam (RIP) and Stephen). Also in the lineup were Dene Lane

and Johnny Staunton. None of the band members had even been in the Premiers Aces themselves though. By 1974, both the New Premiers and the Rhythm Stars were history and Patsy McCaul went on to form a country band, Southbound. Since then, the Premier Aces have reunited a few times one of them being at a special dance in the Seapoint Ballroom, Galway just a few years ago.

Following the Premier's breakup in 1969, Sonny Ward, Jimmy O'Neil, and Johnny Carroll formed a country outfit, The Swallows, in 1970 which enjoyed some success early in the 1970's. By 1974 though, Jimmy and Johnny were on the move again and they formed Magic and the Magic Band with only Johnny Carroll and drummer Mickey Belton coming from the Swallows. The new band was originally Magic and the Swallows but soon became The Magic Band. Magic broke up in the early 80's, but Johnny Carroll went on to a solo career known as Ireland's "Man with the Golden Trumpet."

(Our thanks to Eddie Kelly for assistance with some details in this article.)

Top singles - 1971

1. Dermot Henry & Virginians - If Those Lips Could Only Speak (Ruby) 2. Pat Lynch & Airchords - When We Were Young (Ruby) 3. Brendan Shine - O'Brien Has No Place To Go (Play) 4. Red Hurley & Nevada - Sometimes (Play) 5. Hugo Duncan & Tall Men - Dear God (Release) 6. Red Hurley & Nevada - Kiss Me Goodbye (Play) 7. Brian Coll - These Are My Mountains (Release) 8. Tina & Real McCoy - I Don't Know How To Love Him (Ruby) 9. Dermot Henry & Virginians - Ballyhoe (Ruby) 10. Pat Roper & Spotlight - The Ring Your Mother Wore (Release) 11. Sands - Knock Three Times (Release) 12. Dubliners - Hand Me Down My Bible (Tribune) 13. Murphy & Swallows - Don't Take Advantage of Me (Play) 14. Tommy Drennan & Monarchs - O Holy Night (Columbia) 15. Tim Pat - Poor Poor Farmer (Dolphin) 16. Dermot O'Brien - The Old Claddagh Ring (Release) 17. Dana - Who Put the Lights Out (Rex) 18. Johnny McEvoy - Three Score and Ten (Target) 19. Gene Stuart & Mighty Avons - Don't Go (Velvet) 20. Angela Farrell - One Day Love (Rex) 21. Sands - Candida (Release) 22. Philomena Begley & Country Flavour - Here Today Gone Tomorrow 23.

Dermot O'Brien - The Galway Shawl (Release) 24. Sands - Lend A Helping Hand (RCA) 25. Dermot Henry & Virginians - What's the Reason Daddy (Ruby) 26. Brendan Bowyer & Big 8 - You Gave Me A Mountain (Play) 27. Dubliners - Free the People (Plough) 28. Brendan Shine - Sailor Boy (Release) 29. Dermot Henry & Virginians - Daddy What If (Ruby) 30. Dickie Rock & Miami - My Heart Keeps Telling Me (Pye) 31. Brendan O'Brien & Dixies - Sally Sunshine (Play) 32. Tommy Drennan & Monarchs - Taxes By the Score (Columbia) 33. Smokey Mountain Ramblers - Just Beyond the Moon (Ruby) 34. Gene Stuart & Mighty Avons - I'd Rather Love You and Lose You 35.

Mick Roche & Arrows - My Woman My Woman My Wife (Ruby) 36. Roly Daniels & Green County - Sunny Tennessee (Release) 37. Michael Landers - If I Could Be A Sailor Man (Ruby) 38. Pat Lynch & Airchords - Three Good Reasons (Ruby) 39. Big Tom & Mainliners - Back To Castleblaney (Denver) 40. Dickie Rock & Miami - Cathedral In the Pines (Pye) 41. Dermot Hegarty & Plainsmen - Two Little Girls In Blue (Release) 42. Dermot Hegarty & Plainsmen - I'll Be There (Release) 43. Roly Daniels & Green County - My Wild Mountain Rose (Release) 44. Larry Cunningham - Pride of the West (Release)

Page 37 Mature Living

Relationships

Second weddings: do’s and don’ts H ere, dos and don’ts in second weddings when you’ve got adult kids Getting married for the second time in your 50s, 60s, even 70s can be an exciting time and a big cause for celebration. But if you’re planning a wedding ceremony, big or small, and some kind of party or reception afterwards, there are things you might want to consider if there are adult children from a previous marriage involved.

“Above all, it’s important to stay sensitive to everyone’s feelings,” says Danielle Andrews Sunkel, owner of the The Wedding Planners journal. “It’s often a little difficult for older children who may be used to having their mother or father all to themselves. Now they have to learn to share that person. They’ve been an important part of their parents’ lives and they should also be an important part of the wedding itself.”

Here are a few ‘dos’ Danielle says can help make a successful and happy occasion: – Have a son or daughter walk the bride or groom down the aisle or through the garden, whatever the case may be. (Sometimes the wedding invitations come from the adult

children themselves. ‘Please join us for the marriage of our parents…’)

– Adult children can also be witnesses to the marriage and sign the marriage licence. Or the ‘kids’ might do a reading during the ceremony. Danielle has also organized second weddings where the entire wedding party was made up of adult children from both sides.

“The important thing is everyone feels a part of it.”

– At the reception, encourage the children to give brief speeches welcoming the other person and their children into the family. If any of the adult children don’t want to do this – perhaps they’re just shy – then don’t force the issue. “It all comes back to being sensitive,” says Danielle. “I wouldn’t push them at all.” You can also set up a family table at the reception which still shows you’re building a new family but you’re not forcing anyone to speak.

It might be obvious, but always include the spouses of married adult children.

Here are a few of Danielle’s ‘donts’: – Never spring the news on your children. In other words, don’t run off and get married then inform your

kids – “Hey, guess what? We got married! Let’s celebrate!’ That’s very insensitive to the children,” says Danielle. “If you choose to do a quiet destination wedding for just the two of you, fine. Just tell them beforehand. I think that’s the biggest no-no. It’s an emotional time for children when their parent is marrying someone who isn’t their mother or father and you need to be sensitive to their emotions. Even when you’re dealing with your parents as an adult child, you’re always their little kid at heart.”

– Don’t expect your adult kids to warm up to your fiancé the day of the wedding if they haven’t had the chance beforehand to get to know them. Same goes for the step-siblings.

Try and have them all meet well before the wedding so everyone can get acquainted – even a little. Distance can make this difficult, but it’s a goal worth shooting for when you can.

A lot of the weddings Danielle plans are second marriages of older couples.

Are those weddings more challenging? “They haven’t been for me,” she says.

“Most of the children are genuinely happy for their parents.”

Divorced with adult kids?

Here, tips on how to ease their stress Special holidays and other occasions like birthdays and weddings can be especially stressful for adult children of divorced parents. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

“Children are innocent victims of divorce but they can do really well if the parents have handled things positively right from the start,” says Gwen RandallYoung, an award-winning psychologist. “It’s important to remember that with divorce their world is suddenly divided into two.

The parents each still have their one world, but the children have Mom’s world and Dad’s world.”

And those worlds often come loaded with each parent’s expectations – including hopes of fairness and equality – all of which causes stress for the children trying to navigate them.

“While growing up it’s the

parents’ jobs to keep things fair for the children – as in if you buy a present for one child, you buy one for the other too – but it’s not the children’s job when they grow up to keep things fair for Mum and Dad,” says Gwen. “That’s because fair is for children. Wise adults don’t keep score. The inner child in the parent might say, ‘oh, you’re spending more time with your Dad than with me,’ but that’s not a wise adult response and it creates so much stress for the child. ” Here are Gwen’s top tips for divorced parents who want their adult children to actually be able to enjoy holidays and special occasions: Parents, adjust your plans to fit the kids’ plans, not the other way around.“It’s the parents who need to be adaptable. And don’t expect them to always be with you on the actual day – be it

Christmas, Easter or birthdays.” As Gwen points out, if your adult kids are married and their spouses also have divorced parents, there can be four or more parents to accommodate at big events. “Celebrate together when it can work for everybody. Be flexible.”

2) Don’t ever pull a guilt trip. “Don’t say anything if they don’t put you first or if they spend more time with the other parent. Just enjoy them and be positive when they are with you,” Gwen advises. “That will also make them want to spend more time with you. If you’re pouty, they won’t want to be around that.”

3) When adult kids get married: “Parents need to be gracious and get along throughout the planning stage and the actual day,” says Gwen. “Remember, it’s about the bride and the groom. Let the couple create the day they want, not what you want.”

Relationships & Family Matters ANTHONY ANSWERS There are many challenges and difficulties that can arise in relationships that can cause deep distress to our wellbeing. Relationship mentoring can create the vital emotional space. This space allows individuals to grow in the very strength which makes it possible to face and resolve conflict maturely.

Anthony Cross is a qualified Parent and Relationship Mentor, he is a member of IARM ( Irish Association of Relationship Mentors). Anthony runs courses and workshops and is also available for one to one and group consultations. Tel. 0872493878. Email apcross@eircom.net . www.apccounselling.com

The body never lies Q. Dear Anthony For the last two years I have been minding my two grandchildren (both under five) in my own home. My daughter drops them to me at 8am each weekday before heading off to work. By the time she returns around 5.30 in the evening I’m exhausted and worn out and just ready for bed. I initially offered to mind my grandchildren when my daughter decided to return to work because of the high cost of childcare and crèches, but I’m not sure I can continue. My daughter and her husband now need to work to pay for their mortgage etc. I’m very reluctant to say anything to my daughter about any of this as it will only cause her distress and I will feel I’m letting her down. Any suggestions on what I should do? Karen. Dublin A. Karen I believe some part of you already recognises that you have to let your daughter know that minding the grandchildren 5 days a week is affecting you.

Your inner voice should not be ignored but listened to. As Freud said “the body never lies” so take your lead from the message your body sends to you. Avoiding letting her know is a neglect of SELF. While the guilt of letting your daughter down is also passing judgement on the SELF. I suspect your daughter already senses that minding the children 5 days a week has put a big strain on you. The responsibility of arranging or facilitating child care always lies with the parents.

Of course you can contribute, you can support and stay open to any requests for child minding. There a needs to be safety in this relationship, which allows you to say when you don’t feel able to take care of the children 5 days a week. Talk with your daughter, speak “your truth” let her know how difficult it is for you lately. This authentic communication is much more likely to be met with compassion and understanding.

Social Safety Q. Hi Anthony, I’m 60 years old and have worked in the same company for the last 20 years. My employer has recently hired his young niece to help me out in the office. From the beginning I feel she’s been trying to take charge by making throw away remarks and changing the way I do things, in effect undermining me. I don’t want bad feelings or an atmosphere in the office. I’ve only 5 years to go to retirement and don’t want to leave as I love my work. What do you think I should do?

Kaye. Navan A. Whether in the workplace or the home no one has the right to demean or lessen the presence of another human being. It may be that your employer’s niece is keen to prove her worth in the office. However the way you describe her behaviours suggests they’re possibly coming from this young lady’s insecurities. It’s critical that you challenge any violation of your social safety from the time they occur. You need to create strong boundaries of what’s acceptable behaviour towards you in the office. Without healthy boundaries we are more likely to ignore any abuse, manipulation, imbalance or control in our relationships with others. My experience has shown me that if ignored “defensive behaviours” such as this young lady’s tend to escalate. So Kaye, in challenging not only will you be taking firm assertive action for SELF but you will also be educating her how to communicate and co-operate in a mature and respectful way.

Motoring

Prepare Your Car for BAD Weather W intersing your vehicle is a wise idea. An investment of an hour or two to have your vehicle checked is all it takes to have peace of mind and help avoid the cost and hassle of a breakdown during severe

weather. “The last thing any driver needs is a vehicle that breaks down in cold, harsh winter weather,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “A vehicle check before the temperatures drop is a sensible way to avoid the

inconvenience of being stranded out in the cold and with the unexpected expense of emergency repairs.”

The Car Care Council recommends the following nine steps for winterizing your vehicle. Have the battery and

charging system checked for optimum performance. Cold weather is hard on batteries.

Clean, flush and put new antifreeze in the cooling system. As a general rule of thumb, this should be done every two years.

Make sure heaters, defrosters and wipers work properly.

Consider winter wiper blades and use cold weather washer fluid. As a general rule, wiper blades should be replaced every six months.

Check the tire tread depth and tire pressure. If snow and ice are a problem in your area, consider special tires designed to grip slick roads. During winter, tire pressure should be checked weekly.

Be diligent about changing the oil and filter at recommended intervals. Dirty oil can spell trouble in winter. Consider changing to “winter weight” oil if you live in a cold climate.

Have your technician check the fuel, air and transmission filters at the same time. If you’re due for a tune-up, have it done before winter sets in. Winter magnifies existing problems such as pings, hard starts, sluggish performance or rough idling.

Blindly obeying satnav 'could endanger lives'

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ne in seven admit to making illegal manoeuvres on the road to get back on track when following a satnav, which charity Brake says risks causing "a devastating crash" Obeying the commands of a satnav without thinking could place drivers in

mortal danger reveals a survey which shows that more than one in seven have made illegal manoeuvres to correct mistakes.

The road safety charity Brake, which was behind the survey, said that this places “themselves and other road users at risk of

a devastating crash”. It also says that there is evidence that using a satnav can make you drive faster and be less observant.

Results also revealed that one in 14 (seven per cent) of drivers have had a near miss, having to swerve or brake suddenly to avoid a hazard, because they were distracted by a satnav. This rises to 11 per cent among young drivers aged between 17 and 24.

One in 14 drivers also admitted to having a similar near miss because they were fiddling with their stereo.

Through a campaign called Drive Smart, Brake is calling on all drivers to make a New Year’s resolution to keep their eyes on the road. That means programming your satnav before you set off,

and not attempting to reprogramme it, fiddle with your stereo, use a mobile, or do anything else while driving.

Research shows that carrying out a "secondary activity" makes you two to three times more likely to crash. Last month Jaguar revealed a “360 Virtual Urban Windscreen” which projects a ghost car on the windscreen for the driver to follow. The company claims that the ‘Follow-Me Ghost Car Navigation’ technology which is still under development but could one day be a feature of its cars - will keep the driver’s eyes on the road and reduce distraction to reduce the potential for accidents. And the virtual windscreen would give the driver a better view and prevent accidents

Have the brakes checked. The braking system is the vehicle’s most important safety item.

Have the exhaust system checked for carbon monoxide leaks, which can be especially dangerous during cold weather driving when windows are closed. Check to see that exterior and interior lights work and headlights are properly aimed. Motorists should also keep the gas tank at least half full at all times to decrease the chances of moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing. Drivers should check the tire pressure of the spare in the trunk and stock an emergency kit with an ice scraper and snowbrush, jumper cables, flashlight, flares, blanket, extra clothes, candles/matches, bottled water, dry food snacks and needed medication.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council’s Car Care Guide or for more information, visit www.carcare.org.

The safest cars you can buy

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he best performing cars in the independent Euro NCAP crash tests throughout 2014 revealed

The Nissan Qashqai scored more points for safety in the Euro NCAP independent crash tests than any other car in the small family car class tested throughout 2014. The Mercedes-Benz C-class was the best performing large family car. The new Skoda Fabia was the top-rated small hatchback. In the small MPV category, the Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan took the honours while the Land Rover Discovery Sport was named the best small off-road 4x4.

Page 39 Mature Living

Mystical Guidance Diadem’s Angel Light

Agony

if you have a question you would like an answer or advice, it could be to do with love, finances, family etc. please send it to susan@matureliving.ie

Angel

with Susan Hughes

W

e all feel stuck on occasion so it is good to get help where we can. Susan Hughes is a spiritual psychic medium and working with her angelic guides and psychic intuitions she can provide guidance and hope. Susan is based in Dublin where she carries out private one to ones. Add Susan Hughes Spiritual Medium on Facebook for information on classes and events or call 087 6771352 if you would like to arrange a private sitting.

SUFFERING IN SILENCE

Q

Dear Susan, I have a question for Angel Agony. Naturally, it's about love.

Two years ago a psychic friend of mine told me that I was going to be together with another friend whom I dearly love and care for. We have a close and loving relationship and this summer we almost made a commitment to each other but he then distanced himself. How could I have misinterpreted the message that I thought I was given? Suffering in Silence, Roberto, Wexford

A

Hi Roberto, firstly let me say I am sorry for your pain, love can sometimes feel to be a lonely existence but that feeling is a hiccup on this journey. I know I will probably sound like the bleating sheep mentioning over and over about freewill and I know that no prediction is solid due to it. When I see into the future on anything I point out that this is potential and not actual so you were caught out when things did not work out how another person interpreted it would. As I feel into this situation I sense that he still has friendly thoughts towards you but that there were situations in his life that left him unable to commit to a relationship with you. I do not want you to sit around waiting forever for his return as this will prevent you from leading the important life you need to lead. I sense you are loved by many but of course that is not the same kind of love as you want with the one you have chosen to give your emotional heart. My honest opinion is this, do not hang around waiting for him but I feel that in time he will return to make a commitment but he has ‘stuff’ that needs to be resolved which is part of his journey and needs to take place first.

COLOUR CARD FOR YOU: GOLD which calls for you to attract abundance in all that you seek. It is a colour of awareness and one that strengthen the spirit and the resolve so I know you are being support in this journey.

Stand on the Shoulders of Prayer As I sit and wallow in this pool of despair I hear my name called, it is whispered through the air The whisper says do not sit on your own in your pain and your sorrow Come sit and chat with my friends, Hope and Faith and you will find your suffering they can narrow They will point you to their supports, prayer and intent and when you stand on their shoulders you will see the real you that is by others seen With your radiant soul, your power of integrity and all the joy for others you have been So do not sit in pain and sorrow, instead come stand on the strong shoulders of prayer and intent Then you will see the bright world that is your new tomorrow © Suebh

Q A

AM I MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE?

Dear Susan I have a question regarding a big change I am planning in February and usually once I have made decision I am happy with it. However this time I would like a little help in assuring me I am making the right choice. Thank you! Jeanne, Athlone

Hi Jeanne, Ok so I so not know what your decision is about so I am just putting it out to the Universe for you and I will pick a tarot card to see what comes. As I shuffled the cards I felt that you are 95%& happy with your decision which in my opinion is as good as a 100% considering the most we can expect at any time is 60%! I feel this refers strongly to your spiritual self, the truth of you so to speak and I also feel this has been a long time in the making. This decision has not come without blood sweat and tears but now it is made I sense a balance has been found both within yourself and externally too. So all told it would seem that this is a correct decision you made but of course freewill always prevails and you can at any time make a new decision if needs be.

COLOUR CARD FOR YOU: EMERALD – Calm your mind, body and soul. I like this as it tells you that you can ease your thoughts and know that from more relaxed stance things will become easier for you. This colour will help you overcome fears and released frustrations whereby you can increase you self-esteem which attracts abundance. Good for you!

WILL I EVER TRAVEL AGAIN?

Q

Dear Susan, Do you feel I will ever be able to travel because every time I make plans to something happens to prevent me going? Four months ago my Grandad suddenly passed the day before I was going in to purchase my ticket and I stayed to support my Mam cos she took it really bad. Jacqui, Dublin

A

Hi Jacqui You will never know how grateful your Grandad is to you for staying with his daughter , your mother, in her time of great sadness and need and you did absolutely the right thing for all. He always prided himself in helping his family out in times of needs and I know he is so very proud of you for taking up that mantle when you did. When one door closes another one always opens but sometimes we just have to wait. Now I know you are impatient and chomping at the bit to get going but I feel that you were held back for reasons there were valid. Had the

passing of your Grandad happened while you were away you would have become very unsettled and homesick, perhaps even so much that you returned home so the travelling experience would not have been all it could be. I feel there is a new date for this to occur and I feel strongly drawn to April. Wishing you well on your travels, keep safe and enjoy them.

COLOUR CARD FOR YOU: INDIGO, improve your vision.

Ah now this is not about your physical sight, it is about how you see your future. You need now to bring .positivity to it and stop seeing why you didn’t go which is causing depressed energy, Look now at how and when you will go! Make your dream a reality

I GAVE UP ON MY DREAM...

Q

Dear Susan My question is on work/my purpose. About a year ago I gave upon my dream and what was my passion as I was feeling so stuck I didn't know where to go with it. I started down a totally different path where I have invested quite a bit of money and time yet every day is such a dread to work on it. Lately I have been missing my passion so much and feel I have been getting nudges to follow it again so the question is do I let this new path and the money go and follow my dream and my heart ?

Thanks xxx much love, Maxine, Carlow

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Hi Maxine, Your question is intriguing to me because it seems to contain the answer which means you know it. I'll bet if I told you to keep on with the new work which you dislike so much you would be upset and astounded wouldn't you? The saying about turning your hobby into a business and you will never feel like you are working is so relevant here. My feeling is that you are getting tired and worn out doing something that drags and drains you. Yes ok you have invested funds but your health and well-being is not a fund that can be replaced and that is where your thought process needs to be. The

choice is completely yours and I will not take from your expression of freewill but I will point out that you have been told already, do you really need me to tell you what you feel never mind know?

COLOUR CARD FOR YOU: WATERMELON. this is a card that reminds you to have fun and that your inner child needs her play time. It is a colour of gentleness and kindness and I feel you need this right now. You seem ti be a kind and gentle person caught up in a cold and sometimes cruel way of living and it just does not feel right for you. This colour brings the fun back, helps heals the scars of harshness and returns the joy to you.

Send all your questions into Susan - susan@matureliving.ie

Breakaways Explore Wicklow, Experience Dublin

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• Afternoon Tea for two on arrival (scone, sandwich, pastry, tea/coffee) • Two nights B&B and 2 course dinner on one evening of your choice • Bottle of House Wine with Dinner • Complimentary morning newspaper • Full use of The Merrill Leisure Club facilities • Concessions for Royal Bingo (one evening) • Bring the grandchildren, up to two children (u12years) share complimentary accommodation.

Complimentary Merrill’s Activity Camp starts July 1st

he Royal Hotel, set in seaside resort of Bray, offers guests the best of both worlds, only a short distance to the heart of Dublin city (30 minutes by DART) and on the border of Wicklow County guests are spoilt for choice with a range of activities, walks and places to visit.

Boasting 128 bedrooms , the hotel offers a choice of standard rooms, the recent addition of over 30 deluxe rooms which are contemporary and spacious in their design & we also have several family rooms to accommodate a family of up to five compliment the make up of our rooms.

The Quinns Bar with its olde world meeting modern day in its décor offers a sumptuous dining with our bar menu and live music every weekend with locally renowned musicians, the Quinns Bar is the perfect place to meet old friends and new.

The Heritage Restaurant serves a selection of carefully chosen Menus to suit all appetites using the finest locally produced ingredients. The Heritage Restaurant is the perfect venue for all occasions from an intimate meal for two to a family celebration.

Our recently refurbished and extended Merrill Leisure Club, exclusive to guests and members comprises of a 14 metre swimming pool, Children’s Pool, Sauna, Jacuzzi. Steam-Room, a fully equipped Gymnasium. The Merrill Beauty Rooms offers special discounts on massage and beauty treatments exclusive to our guests. Merrill’s Activity Camp, which is a complimentary service offers a wide range of activities to children aged 4 years and above.

The camp takes place daily from 10am – 1pm and 6.00pm – 9.00pm each evening, during all school holidays.

Sligo Park Hotel and Leisure Club HOTEL & LEISURE CLUB

Over 55’s Special Offer 3 B&B + 3 Dinners From

€150pps

4 and 5 Night Breaks also Available

Subject to Availability Available on Selected Dates

Pearse Road, Sligo • Tel: 071 919 0400

www.sligoparkhotel.com • Email: Sligo@leehotels.com

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warm welcome awaits you at the fourstar Sligo Park Hotel and Leisure Club, On the outskirts of Sligo Town in the Heart of Yeats’ Country set in quiet parkland and surrounded by some of the most scenic countryside in Ireland ranging from the majestic Benbulben to the gentle waters of Lough Gill. In the heart of Yeats’ country for over 40 years, the Sligo Park Hotel is a well established favourite.

Relax in the spacious lobby; take a stroll into town or venture to the nearby ancient sites including Carrowmore, Slish Wood, Dooney Rock & Knocknarea or an abundance of woodland retreats.

Wherever your interests lie, Sligo is sure to have something to offer.

Stroll along Atlantic shores taking in some stunning scenery. Why not try your hand at pottery, take a walk up Knocknarea mountain or go surfing in Strandhill?

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa

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ffering one of the best locations in and around Dublin, Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa has become known as one of the finest hotels in Ireland. The best of both worlds allow you to easily access all that Dublin city centre and surrounding shopping has to offer and yet the tranquillity of Dunboyne Village is on the doorstep.

Seiod Spa has 18 treatment rooms and a luxurious hydrotherapy pool.

The Terrace Lounge is a delightful conservatory area overlooking the magnificent gardens and is a perfect setting to unwind with a pre-dinner drink. The 2AA Rosette Award Winning Restaurant – The Ivy, where the journey through your taste buds takes over and for wine lovers a special treat is in store. Any visit to Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa would be incomplete without a visit to the Sadlier Bar, where locals gather and mingle with guests in a

friendly festive setting.

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa features 145 oversized modern guest rooms; 2 junior suites featuring separate bedrooms and living room areas and two presidential suites that must be seen to be believed.

Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa – a must visit hotel with great service and stunning facilities.

Visit www.dunboynecastlehotel.com and see the amazing special offers.

After a days exploring, sit back and relax in the jacuzzi before savouring the atmosphere of the Rathanna bar and Garden Terrace and enjoying the creative delights in the Hazelwood Restaurant.

Sligo is surprising !

Breakaways ...With so much to choose from, what better way to spend a day or so than at the beautiful Royal Marine Hotel…

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short drive along the South East coast will bring you to Dun Laoghaire, where overlooking the bay you will find the Royal Marine Hotel. Steeped in history, and a favorite with the locals, this landmark hotel is an impressive sight on the Dun Laoghaire skyline. A hotel has stood here since 1828. Many celebrities, and even royalty have passed through its doors over the decades. In 2004 this magnificent old building closed for restoration, a painstaking labour of love by the present owners.

Situated in an elevated site on 4 acres overlooking Dublin Bay, the hotel has stunning views that on a clear day stretch as far away as Howth; and yet is still only a short journey from down-town Dublin. The original hotel has been extensively but sympathetically renovated with precise attention to detail.

Discover the Mount Falcon Estate, Ballina

And it is just this same attention to detail, we extend to you as our guest – whether overnight or simply joining us for a drink in our bar or dining in our restaurant.

The large bay windows and high ceilings of the Bay Lounge highlight the grandeur and historic feel that is central to the hotel style. Lavishly furnished it is a comfortable and ideal venue to meet friends and family for coffee, lunch or perhaps to enjoy the age-old tradition of afternoon tea whilst overlooking the gardens, with spectacular views of the harbour. Our resident pianist completes the ambience every Saturday afternoon.

Or perhaps dine in relaxed style in our Dún Bistro where the delights of the Restaurant are matched only by the professional friendly service and stunning views over the harbour. Serving an Early Bird Menu, Table d’hote

and a la Carte Menus.

Try out lively Hardy’s Bar for a local drink (named after the famous actors and world famous partners Laurel & Hardy who stayed in the original Royal Marine Hotel). Food served every day until 10pm. Live music every Saturday night.

The Pier Health Club offers state-of-the-art cardio and resistance equipment, free weight area and a luxury 18 metre swimming pool. We are proud to offer our members a spacious, relaxed and welcoming environment in which to exercise. Or simply retreat into the hushed tranquillity of the sansanaSpa (the only Failté Ireland ‘comprehensive’ spa in Dublin) and choose pampering delights from our extensive treatment menu.

With so much to choose from, what better way to spend a day or so than at the beautifully restored Royal Marine Hotel…

Golden Years at Mount Falcon Estate €239 pp

3 nights Bed & Breakfast with 1 Bistro Dinner €25 Spa Credit (valid towards any 1 Hour Message or Facial) Complimentary use of the Estate Golf Driving Range Complimentary use of our leisure centre with 17m heated pool 100 acres of Estate woodlands, walks & river Moy Connaughts Best Restaurant 2013 (RAI)

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he fascinating history of one of Irelands finest surviving Anglo Irish grand houses awaits visitors to Mount Falcon Estate outside Ballina in County Mayo. After exploring 100 acres of mature forest and walkways, discover the archaeological remains of a 4,500 year old court tomb. A quick stroll around our 3 acre lake with resident ducks and then a few lengths in the 17 m indoor heated swimming pool, relax in our sauna, Jacuzzi and steam room and build up an appetite for traditional afternoon tea; served in opulent lounges in front of roaring open fires. Mount Falcon……something for everyone.

Transfers to local Bus & Train Station on request 10% discount at Foxford Wollen Mills Mayo on our Door Step

MOUNT FALCON, FOXFORD ROAD, BALLINA, CO. MAYO TEL: 096-74472 • FAX: 096-74473 EMAIL: EVENTS@MOUNTFALCON.COM • WEB: WWW.MOUNTFALCON.COM

Active Breaks at The Villa Rose Boutique Hotel and V-Spa

Winter Golden Getaways 2B&B+2Dinners €99pp / 3B&B+2Dinners €139pp Free Tea/Coffee on arrival - Free Spa Session Ballroom Dancing Holiday

4 Nights B&B, 4 Evening Meals Dancing to Live Bands & Tuition €239pp February 22nd - 26th 2015

Group Rates 2015

2 Nights B&B + 2 Dinners €109pp / 3 Nights B&B + 3 Dinners €149pp With Free Spa Thermal Session, Tea/Coffee, Entertainment & Activities Call Group Organiser Leona for more info...

4 Star, Family Owned, Town Centre hotel

Reservations: 074-9132266

Ballybofey, Co Donegal Email: reservations@villarose.net • www.villarose.ie

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t’s time to get those dancing shoes on and head to the Villa Rose Hotel in Ballybofey, County Donegal for their autumn Ballroom Dancing Holiday. This event takes place over four nights from Monday October 27th and is guaranteed to be an unforgettable week. Priced at €239pp and including 4B&B, 4Dinners dance tuition daily and dancing nightly to live bands, the week is finished off with a champagne reception and Gala Ball for all to enjoy.

Experience a relaxing midweek Getaway at the 4 star Donegal hotel with 3 nights B&B and 2 Evening Meals (2-course) for only €139pps from Sunday Thursday this autumn/winter. The Forge bar hosts live music every Sunday & Wednesday Night. Treat yourself to some retail therapy at McElhinneys Department Store where you can avail of 20% off as a Villa Rose Guest.

The Autumn Active Break is back from Sunday September 28th with 2, 3 or 4 nights to choose form and featuring a range of activities during the day and nightly entertainment to take part in during your stay. Enjoy 3 nights B&B, 3 Evening Meals (4-course) and activities & entertainment for only €159pps, (2

Nights €115pp, 4 Nights €189pp).

Set in the heart of Donegal in the busy town of Ballybofey, the Villa Rose is an ideal base to tour around or stay put and relax for the week, they also have competitive group rates available. Call Leona on 00353749132266 today to receive a 50+ Active & Dancing Brochure.

Travel Technology

OOPS, I DID IT AGAIN! The guide to undoing your tech mistakes How to undo and redo typing & other actions On your iPhone/iPad To undo something you just typed, just shake the phone. To redo, shake it again. Sometimes I wish I had an iPhone.

On your computer Ctrl-Z (Command-Z on a Mac) deletes the last action you took, whether it’s a copy-paste, a deletion or something you typed. I can’t believe I’ve been writing for 30 years and never knew this. If course, backspace is pretty handy as well.

If you’ve deleted a sentence by mistake and you’re using Word, click on the little curvy backwards arrow at the top and it will restore it. Or use Ctrl-Y.

I

t goes something like this: You’re having a candid discussion about your boss over happy-hour drinks and someone comes up with a sidesplitting nickname for her.

(OK, it’s “The Incredible Sulk.”)

But instead of texting it to your sister, you send it to--dun, dun, dun--the Sulk herself. Wanting to die is an understatement.

Instead of resigning on the spot (or avoiding eye contact for all eternity), what you need is a crash course in Tech Damage Control. That is, a lesson in how to solve all those horrifying rookie mistakes.

Whether you need to un-send an email or change an Instagram caption (damn you, autocorrect), head over to the slideshow with a notebook in hand. Your reputation is counting on it.

How to unsend email in Gmail If you use gmail, there’s a nifty way to unsend email. First, you have to set it up: Click Settings (the little gear icon on the upper right) Choose Labs (near the end of a list of selections in blue type

across the top) Look for Unsend and click Enable Scroll all the way down and click Save Changes.

Extra tip: Labs gives you the option to enable all kinds of bells and whistles. I had no idea this setting existed and clicked a few other options while I was there, like the Google Calendar gadget that shows my Calendar on the left side of my email.

Very handy.

You have at least five seconds to unsend the email; you’ll see an “Unsend” link in the “Email sent” notification that appears after you hit send; just click on that link. If you think you need longer to unsend, check out this tip from About.com on how to increase the time before the email gets delivered: Click the Settings gear in your Gmail’s toolbar Choose Settings from the menu that comes up Open the General category Pick the desired time to undo message delivery for Send cancellation period: __ seconds under Undo Send Click Save Changes.

How to unsend a text message Download the Tiger Text app It works for both iPhone and Android. You can recall any message and even set a time limit that the recipient has to view it.

The iPhone trick Pure Wow explains that “though you can’t un-send a text once it’s gone out, you can stop one that’s in the process of being sent (i.e., the little gray bar is still loading).” How? As soon as you’ve sent the text, put your phone on Airplane Mode. Of course, the text will fail to deliver because you have no signal; then you can delete the message. (Warning: This only works for texts sent through iMessage and for texts that are sending particularly slowly.) To enable Airplane Mode, go to your iPhone’s Settings, then move the slider next to Airplane Mode to On.

How to restore a closed browser tab Did you just close a browser tab or a bunch of tabs, either accidentally or because your computer slowed down? Lost that link to a great deal on a pair of shoes and can’t figure out how to find it? Hit CtrlShift-T (Command-Shift-T on a Mac) and the pages will pop right up again. (This works for all browsers.)

How to find a lost document If you use Word, I guarantee this has happened to you. Your document has disappeared and you are sure you have lost it forever.

Check your Temp folder on a PC This is the default folder for docs that Word wants to bury forever.

I’ve found many “lost” docs there. To find your Temp folder, go to Windows Explorer, paste C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Lo cal\Temp into your navigation bar and you may spot it there.

FYI, “<username>” is the Administrator name that pops up when you open Windows. I use <Erica>. Also check your <downloads> folder. It may have wound up there somehow.

Oops – you haven’t saved it? On PC, if it’s not in the Temp folder,

go to the File menu, click Open, then Recent Documents. Scroll to the end of all recent documents and then click “Recover Unsaved Documents.” If you find the Word doc you’re looking for, double-click to open it. Save immediately. I have lost hours of work accidentally closing docs without saving them. On Mac, look in your trash for a “recovered Items” folder.

Not there either? If neither of these work and you’re still having a panic attack, click the Start Menu ( in Windows 7 and above) and see “search programs and files” at the bottom. Put in any word or phrase in the lost document. This incredibly nifty little feature will search your hard drive and come up with a list of documents that contain the words you entered. This works for all kinds of documents, including PDFs. It’s also very handy when you’re looking for an old document and you can’t remember what you named it or where you put it. On Mac, use your Spotlight tool – the little magnifying glass at the top right of your Finder window.

How not to make mistakes in the first place Use a backup program I recommend Dropbox, which will save drafts of documents as you go along so you won’t lose anything, including those brilliant ideas that you mistakenly deleted. Check out my column on it. Never hit “send” in the heat of the moment Let that angry email to your ex sit until the next day, re-read it and then send it. There is nothing that can’t wait a day. I sure wish I’d waited to send that email to my tenant until the next day and called my lawyer instead.

Be very careful with group emails Make sure you’re not hitting “reply all” unless you really want all those people to see what you’re writing.

Mistakenly hitting “Reply all” has resulted in disaster for many hapless email senders.

Page 43 Mature Living

Retirement and Work

WANT TO REINVENT YOUR WORK LIFE?

Tips for switching careers in later years More and more Baby Boomers are deciding to either postpone retirement or take a completely different career path in their later years.

According to Statistics , the number of working people aged 65 and older has recently increased and will continue to do so.

So what if you’re one of those people who want to keep working, but do something totally different? What should you think about and where do you start?

“First of all you should think about doing something you not only love, but something you

feel passionate about,” says Kate Doyle, a certified retirement coach and clinical counsellor. “This is about the opportunity to optimize this chapter in your life.”

Kate says there are roughly seven to 10 core needs for people. That includes things like having a sense of purpose, a sense of autonomy, making a contribution, the need for growth, for variety, a level of certainty, freedom, status, selfexpression, spiritual nourishment of some kind.

Identifying your top three core needs is a good first start. Maybe in the past your job had to bring you a certain level of status, but that’s not so important now.

Perhaps having more freedom is more important, or a sense of purpose.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for a new job or creating your own new business, Kate says the process is essentially the same.

The next step is to identify your skills – “skills which you may well have been developing your whole life. But most importantly, identify the skills you enjoy using the most,” advises Kate. “What we’re most skilled at isn’t necessarily what we’re energized by the most.”

Kate has seen a lot of Boomers over the years transform their work life and priorities. One woman, who was a very successful financial advisor, decided to free up a huge whack of time to become a full-time foster parent. “She devoted her heart and soul to it,” Kate recalls.

Kate also advises you “try things on” before jumping into something whole hog. If you’ve dreamed of opening a jewelry store, first try working in one to see how you like it. “See if there’s a way you can downsize that dream where it’s still energizing and can still contribute to your overall satisfaction in a major way.”

“I knew a couple in their late 50s who used to work in the movie industry before they

decided to open a store,” recalls Kate. “It was the cutest storybook store in a heritage building with baskets of organic produce outside and they made lattes. What they discovered was it was also a lot of paperwork and unpacking boxes. Two years later they said, ‘whoa, this is way different than what we thought – and we’re really tired’.” It’s also important to assess the financial implications of becoming an entrepreneur.

“Only build a new business with discretionary income,” cautions Kate, “since there’s only so much time to recover any losses and new businesses come with a

very high risk. Some don’t make a profit for five years.”

(Needless to say, you also have to do a formal business plan, which as Kate puts it, “is just Business 101.”)

Regardless of what path you choose, aligning your priorities with your time can open doors, expand your heart and make the later years some of the most rewarding.

“Baby Boomers are looking at their retirement years very differently,” says Kate. “They have a sense of purpose and a need to feel connected. There’s certainly no disengagement going on here.

a number of companies allow customer service representatives to work from home.

Teaching Assistants and Tutors.

Retirees who enjoy working with students might enjoy being a teaching assistant or a tutor.

Universities sometimes hire teaching assistants for a small hourly wage or a flat fee. Tutors, on the other hand, can be selfemployed or work with a larger organization.

Childcare Services. Childcare remains a constant need for busy families. You can babysit as needed for friends, family, and neighbors for extra income, or offer daily childcare services in your home.

and data processing positions.

Assignment duration can range between one day and several weeks. If you need a break, you can pass on one job and wait for the next to come along.

Moreover, many temporary jobs don’t require a specific skill set, significant work experience, or an advanced degree.

Job Ideas for Retirees & Seniors Work as a Consultant Retired individuals with advanced degrees or specialized experience can consider a career in consulting. Consultants can leverage their years of expertise, training, and connections and set their hours to avoid a full-time workload.

For example, retirees with experience in programming, website development, finance, and litigation are highly sought after. In fact, many companies can afford to pay consultants high fees because they don’t have to pay for their benefits.

One drawback, however, is that you might find demand for your skills sporadic. This depends on where you live and how quickly you build your clientele.

When you begin working as a contractor or a consultant, think of ways to find more work once your current assignment ends.

Taking on short-term or part-time jobs can expand your network of

professional contacts, which may help you find work in the future.

Another option for consultants is to sign up with a headhunter or job placement firm. Though these companies may take a cut of your earnings, they have access to a large database of companies that may need your services.

mortar store, or rent a booth at a flea market.

If you plan to start your own business, look to your local chamber of commerce and the Small Business Administration for resources. You can also start a website to advertise your services, and utilize social media to promote your business.

Start a Retail Business Many retirees opt to open their own retail business. If you have a large collection of any kind, an attic full of dusty antiques, or boxes of books you no longer read, you may have the initial inventory needed for your own retail business.

The Internet makes it easy to start a new online business because of the relatively low overhead costs of selling and advertising online through sites like eBay and donedeal.

Additionally, you can sell items in a rented space at a brick-and-

Seek Out Low-Stress, Part-Time Work If you just want to stay active and in touch with other people, look for low-stress work with light responsibility. Here are some of the most popular parttime jobs for retirees: Retail Positions. These jobs don’t pay high salaries, but they do offer flexible schedules. Plus, they exist everywhere.

Call Centre Jobs. In a call center, employees spend most of their time sitting and talking on the phone, which can be great for seniors with low mobility. In fact,

Work as a Temp Temporary jobs can be an opportunity for you to alternate work with leisure. These jobs vary, but might include general labor or office jobs, including bookkeeping, customer service,

Give Back A number of retirees want jobs that allow them to give something back to the world.

These jobs tend to pay very little and might include teaching, tutoring, or working at daycare centers. Many retirees also enjoy volunteer positions, such as working with animal shelters or organizations. If you like the idea of giving back, but want an income while you’re doing it, consider a job in the healthcare industry. You can become a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in as little as one year.

Services Directory Puzzles

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Bawnogue Enterprise Centre, Clondalkin, Dublin 22

Medical Alarms From Spring to Autumn the classic Galley Cruiser plies the beautiful and smooth three sister rivers for which the South East of Ireland is famous worldwide. Meanwhile, delicious meals, prepared from fresh local produce by our own chefs, are served aboard.

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A1shutters & doors Manufacture & Install all kinds of Garage Doors, Roller Shutters and Industrial Doors

GARAGE DOORS €550 Installed Eric: 01-8497399 • Mob: 087-7654979 Email: a1.shutters@hotmail.ie www.a1shuttersanddoors.ie

The Biggest & Best Value Fireplace Showrooms in Ireland

Save €€€s by calling to us • Fireplaces • Stoves • Gas • Oil • Solid Fuel • Electric • Granite Worktop Specialists

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Working with the Community for the Community

Unit 6, Castlepollard Shopping Centre, Castlepollard, Co.Westmeath Phone:044 966 2721 • Mobile:087 7375221 marius@lakeshorehomestore.com

Large Selection of Rise and Recline Chairs and Orthopaedic Chairs Very Competitive Prices on all products Orthopaedic Chairs available in black or brown

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Emergency Pendants

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

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Addiction Treatment Centre "Our mission is to provide a dedicated centre of excellence delivering a quality client centred approach with compassion and dignity while respecting the values and beliefs of all our clients"

Fit Radiator Panels & Improve the comfort of your home, and reduce the heating bill up to 30%

Grave Maintenance Service • Headstones • Grave Maintenance • Grave Renova!ons • Wooden Surrounds

nior unt for Se vert o c is d % 25 ith this ad Citizens w

Who can come to the Centre?

Anyone who is concerned about their own or someone else's alcohol, gambling or substance use. A doctor's referral is not necessary

BEFORE

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An Average 4 Bedroom cost approx €300.

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Gulladoo Centre, Cornafest, Co. Leitrim, Telephone: 049-4339605 Mobile: 086-8638842 Email: info@gulladoocentre.com

Energy Saving Systems.

Coolarane, Athenry, Co. Galway • Ph: 091-797131 or 087-4172228 • Email: energysavingsystems@eircom.net

AFTER

It is important to all of us that the final res!ng places of our loved ones are looked a"er and cared for at all !mes. Due to age, distance, lack of !me or transport, you may not be able to keep family graves and their memorials well looked a"er as you would have wanted.

Grave Maintenance Service Ltd. Unit 4b Eklad Park, Malahide Road Ind Estate, Coolock, Dublin 17 Phone: 01-8904466 • Mobile: 087-2261943 Email: info@gmsireland.ie • www.gmsireland.ie Associate Member of Irish Associa!on of Funeral Directors

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Damaged Chimney Repair Contractors

Axis Business Park, Clara Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

Steel Garden Sheds, Garages & Tegkon Custom Steel Buildings

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MULTIPURPOSE GARDEN SHEDS & GARAGES All the main supports of our garages are constructed of heavy duty box section steel for strength and durability and are hot dipped galvanised for longer Life.

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Tel: 090-6627907

PETITE DUBLIN LADY Likes reading, travel, dancing, walking. Would like to meet a good man for friendship and companionship. Replies with a stamped envelope to box number 1107 at the address below.

BLUE ISLAND Single male mid 50’s, would like to meet single professional lady.

Foreign ladies can reply too!

Replies with a samped envelope to box number 1103 at the address below.

INDEPENDENT DUBLIN LADY (64) Would like to meet an honest, respectable, non smoking gentleman, My interestes are Dancing,

Cooking, gardening and having a good chat with a nice person.

Replies with a stamped envelope to box number 1060 at the usual address.

DUBLIN WOMAN 56 would like to meet a good man for friendship and companionship and fun. I am great company, independent, single, just stuck in rut at present, can you dig me out? If you can just get in touch and we can meet and see. Replies with a box number 1042 at the usual address SLIGO LADY 50 BUT LOOKS 10 YEARS YOUNGER Would like to meet nice, re-

FREE DATING* CLASSIFIED

spectable, loving, genuine, honest man for fun and dancing and see what happens. Replies with a box number 1023 at the usual address.

SHY SLIGO LADY lakes cinema, concerts and DVDS, Music etc. Would like to hear from a Gent 60+ with similar interests for a friendship maybe leading to a relationship Replies with a box number 998 at the usual address.

SLIGO LADY SEEKING MALE Late 50’s, likes music, dancing, walking and travel. N/S, S/D, profrssional l;ady, loving, caring, and honest. Interested in friendship maybe leading to a relationship. Replies with a blank stamped

envelope to Box number 1012 at the usual address.

GENTLEMAN WIDOWER 54 yrs. Landscape gardener W.L.T.M. female professional, not married. In the northwest for friendship and craic. 6ft 1', blue eyes, hair salt & pepper. Looking for lady 40 -47yrs. Longtime relationship. Replies with a blank stamped envelope to Box number 975 at the usual address.

SLIGO MAN WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM LADIES age 50 years onwards, my age is 55 years, friendship and romance. Replies with a box number 1011 at the usual address.

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Page 47 Mature Living

RETIREMENT IRELAND Options at Retirement €200,000

25% Tax Free €50,000 €150,000

€63,500 AMRF or Annunity €12,700 Guaranteed Income

ARF Annunity Taxable Cash Figures used are an example for illustration purposes

Retirement is one of the biggest life events that you’ll experience and there are so many pitfalls.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR OPTIONS ARE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE ??

People often avoid taking advice at this critical time as they think that it can be costly – but the reverse is more accurate.You can cost yourself thousands upon thousands by not taking advice – by making a bad decision which is irreversible.

Contact Retirement Ireland for a consultation at our expense.

Peter Heuston FCA,QFA,FLIA,AITI is a Qualified Financial Adviser and Managing Director of Heuston Financial Planning Ltd t/a Retirement Ireland specialising in the area of Retirement Planning/Options Email peter@retirementireland.ie Tel 014428120 Heuston Financial Planning Ltd, t/a Retirement Ireland is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland