Still waiting..............

Whilst the rest of the country is getting back to normal after the excitement of the voting and election process over the weekend, here in Wicklow we are still waiting for all 5 seats to be decided. It's day 3 for the counters, and it looks like today will bring a 14th count and even then that might not determine who gets in and who is out!

In the meantime, life goes on for the Joe Soaps, back to work, yawns and stretches abound. Here in Homelink, we are on the final countdown to our trek on Friday night/Saturday morning. we are all looking forward to sunrise but not so much the 3am start........

Election Day!

It's finally here, the day of reckoning, the day to get your voices heard, the day to make a change. For most of us getting to our local polling station is no problem but spare a thought for your elderly neighbours. They might not have transport, may not be able to walk the distance etc. If you know of someone who might be in this situation please knock on their door and see if they need a hand.

On that note, what do you do if you find yourself on a pre-booked trip out of the country on polling day - no vote. In  hospital - no vote. No way of getting to polling station - no vote.

We can chat via video links to friends and family on the other side of the world but we still have to vote using the same system for god knows how long. Electronic voting? Hmmm, best not to bring up that touchy subject......

Security and the Elderly

Yesterday I painted a picture. One of an elderly person living alone where simple everyday tasks we take for granted were no longer viable. I asked the question, what do you do if you find yourself in that situation? Or what can you do if you know of someone who might be in that situation.

This is why Homelink was established. A charity dedicated to helping the elderly and vulnerable in our local community. We help over 600 people on a daily or weekly basis through the following programmes -

• a scheduled phone call. At the least it is social interaction with someone who otherwise may not have spoken to a single soul that day. And we do more, if there is no reply, we will alert a relative or friend who can then check that all is ok. If there is still no response we will alert emergency services and this has saved lives.
• A basic maintenance service. All of those 'take for granted' tasks we do whether it's fixing a dripping tap, mowing the lawn or even changing a lightbulb, we're there.
• Social Outings - yep, we do even more. We arrange social gatherings for our members so they can laugh, chat and gossip with their peers.

One day YOU might need this service so act now to make sure we are still around when the time comes. Contact us or a similar charity in your area and see what help you can give. It's worth it!

Security and the Elderly

So, you've lived in your house all your life. Over the years, you've changed thousands of lightbulbs, mowed the lawn countless times, put things up and taken down things from the attic, raked up leaves, painted, sanded etc on numerous occassions. All things that you have taken for granted over the years.

You're still at home and want to stay there but age has decreased your mobility, strength and stamina and these simple tasks are not possible anymore. You may not have any family or they live far away, you have little or no income and cannot afford to pay professionals to do the jobs.

What do you do?

Holidays!

Looking out on a dark damp day has got me thinking of holidays and maybe it's time to start planning. So where to go, what to do? Here are some suggestions that may interest you -

Italy - beautiful scenery, lovely food and wine and of course, lots of sun. It wasn't that easy to find holidays in Italy specifically for the over 55s but this site offered both a holiday and learn the beautiful language as well -> http://www.clidante.com/italianlanguageschools/coursesprices/o55.html

For something a bit more adventurous check out this - http://lonelyplanet.worldexpeditions.net/lpuk/index.php?section=trips&id=170 WOW!!!

In the meantime, have a read of this delightful book to give you some inspiration. Culinary Travels Italy-Umbria, Tuscany, and the Veneto Italy-Lungarotti-Tuscan Cooking School-Hotel Danielli & Villa Cipriatti

Sunrise on Lugnaquillia, Wicklow Mountains

We're on the countdown to our first (of many) walking adventures. A group of us hardy lads and lassies are going hill walking. And not just any old hill, Lugnaquillia, the highest mountain in Leinster. The reason? To raise some much needed funds for Homelink with the added benefit of seeing the sunrise from this wonderful peak.

Considering the only exercise I have partaken in recently is from the couch to the kettle, I have a feeling I am gonna need some pushing and pulling to get up that mountain but it will be so worthwhile. I'll be taking lots of pictures along the way and posting them here so check back to see what happened.

In the meantime, I might just try some gentle walks over the next couple of weeks to prepare.

Pancakes!!!

Yes, I know it's a bit early to talk about this but Pancake Tuesday or the more correct term Shrove Tuesday is another day noted annually in February. So where did the tradition of eating pancakes originate??

Shrove Tuesday is always the day before the start of Lent. And Lent as we all know is when you give up something nice or indulgent, ie. chocolate, alcohol, sugar etc. This is a Christian tradition based on the fasting of Jesus Christ in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.

So why pancakes on the Tuesday before? Well way back when, people gave up a whole lot more than we do today so in order to use up all the supplies before the fasting period, milk, flour and eggs had to be used or thrown out. What are the ingredients for pancakes? Yep, milk, flour and eggs. Hence Pancake Tuesday!!!

And for that special someone, why not make some pancakes with a difference.....

Norpro Nonstick Heart Pancake Egg Rings, Set of 2

But this year there is a catch! Whilst Shrove Tuesday is mostly in February, this year it is in March (8^th) so you have another few weeks to go before getting out the sugar and lemon.

Leap Years

February is completely unique for many reasons. It is the only month to have less than 30 days, the only month that can have 4 complete weeks, and of course the only month that changes the amount of days it has thanks to what we call ‘Leap Years’. So we all know that Leap Years occur every 4 years but when did this start, why did it start and who decided that woman can ask men to marry them on February 29th?

As you can guess, an extra day is added in order to keep the calendar as we know it in line with the seasons. If we didn’t have leap years, eventually the Northern Hemisphere would be like our Southern Hemisphere cousins and sitting on the beach for Christmas dinner. Our calendar year is 6 hours short of the seasonal year, hence adding an extra day every 4 years (6 x 4 = 24 hours).

However, now it gets even more confusing as even by doing that we are still slightly off kilter. So in order to redress the balance, years that are divisible by 100 are NOT leap years. But if they are divisible by 400 then they are. Yes, I’m getting confused too. This is why 2000 was a leap year whilst 1700, 1800 and 1900 were not.

Adding a day to the year dates back as far as 46BC when the Julian calendar was developed. This practise was kept when the Gregorian calendar (the one we use today) was created.

So women proposing to men? What’s that all about. Well, there are two stories to back this up so you choose which one sounds right.

In the Irish Celtic tradition, St Bridget made a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men every four years. This old custom was probably made to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how the leap day balances the calendar.

According to the Scots, a 1288 law by Queen Margaret of Scotland required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man; compensation ranged from a kiss to £1 to a silk gown. Because men felt that put them at too great a risk, the tradition was in some places tightened to restricting female proposals to only Leap Day.

Similar traditions happen in other countries but it is primarily followed through with in the British Isles.

Finally, the Summer Olympics is always in a leap year and likewise for the UEFA European Football Championships.

St. Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine’s Day……how, why, when, where, what??

So, every year on February 14^th, cards, chocolates and flowers are purchased in abundance and bequeathed to the one you love or hope to love. But where did this day, the scourge of all singletons, originate?

Firstly, the correct term is Saint Valentines Day which would have you believe it is the feast day of Saint Valentine. Hmmmm, maybe except there are 3 Saint Valentines!!! Two of them celebrate their feast days on Feb 14 and one of them is buried right here in my hometown in Dublin but is he the correct one? Who knows as not enough is known about any of the Saint Valentines to connect them with love. The plot thickens.

Apparently, one of these Saint Valentines was executed for refusing to give up his Christianity. On the eve of his death he healed the blind daughter of his guard. This was then embellished to not just healing her but they were in love and he left her a note signed ‘Your Valentine’. Is this where it all started?

Jump to the 14^th century and Valentines Day is as we now know it with poets, kings and even courts embracing the day we dedicate to all things lurve.

What happened in between? Who knows but if you get nice choccies and flowers this year, thank ALL the Saint Valentines.

And if you are a hopless romantic, why not rest your weary head on these little gems. You'll be guaranteed sweet dreams....

BoldLoft "From My Heart to Yours" Couple Pillowcases-Romantic Valentine's Day Gifts for Couples, Cute Valentines Gifts for Him or Her, Romantic Anniversary Gifts

National Bird Feeding Month

In the USA, February is National Bird Feeding Month, maybe a practise the rest of the world should partake in!

February is a very difficult time for wild birds. If they have managed to survive the cold winter months, they still have the possibility of snow, ice, ground frost etc to contend with in February. Without a doubt, their strength has been weakened and to add to their trouble, they are now looking to get amorous!!

And there is more, as Spring is when we see migrating birds return to our countryside. One morning you wake up and all you can hear is the beautiful sound of birdsong. The migration of birds and the whys and wheres is one of the many mysteries and miracles of nature.

One of the most rewarding aspects of having a bird feeder in your garden is the utter delight this brings to the whole family, young and old. Kids adore looking at the various colours and sizes of birds and trying to name them. Why not set up a spot at your window with a book on the different types of birds and get your kids to try spot as many as possible. For reference try this one......About Birds: A Guide for Children.

Spring Cleaning - why and when?

February is the first month of Spring, even if the weather seems more Winter like. So what comes to mind when we hear it’s Spring……Spring cleaning!!!! Now where and why did this term come about?

Spring cleaning is traditionally a time set aside to do a thorough, top to bottom, spit and polish in your home. Depending on where you are from will dictate when and why this is done but for most of us, it is the first fine day in Spring where you can open all windows and doors, let fresh air flow through the house and all the nooks and crannies that have been ignored all winter are thoroughly scrubbed!

This year when it comes to doing your spring cleaning, blast up that radio and have lots of fun dancing AND cleaning in one go thanks to these little genies....Slipper Genie Microfiber Cleaning Slippers, Pink

Cute or what!!!

It has been suggested that the origins of spring cleaning date back to the Persian new year, which falls on the first day of spring. Iranians continue the practice of "khooneh tekouni" which literally means "shaking the house" just before the new year.

Another possibility of the origin of spring cleaning can be traced to the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the spring-time holiday of  Passover. In remembrance of the Jews' hasty flight from Egypt, during the eight-day holiday there is a strict prohibition against eating anything which may have been leavened. Jews are not only supposed to refrain from leavened foodstuffs, they are commanded to rid their homes of even small remnants of chametz for the length of the holiday. Therefore, for the past 3,500 years, observant Jews have conducted a thorough "spring cleaning" of the house, followed by a traditional hunt for chametz crumbs by candlelight on the evening before the holiday begins.

February!!!

This week is dedicated to the lovely month of February. A month when things get back to normal after the madness of the silly season. A month when we Spring starts peeping through. A month when we have finally got used to writing 2011 rather than 2010. A month when the resolutions we stuck at in January finally get forgotten. A month when we stop wishing people a Happy New Year.

February got its name from the Latin term Februum, which means purification. Februa was a purification ritual held on February 15 (full moon) in the old lunar calendar.

If you have any useful or useless information about February feel free to post to the blog.

Day 5 – Vietnam War

As this war continued for 20 years a summary of the addresses during this time would be a book not a blog so I am just going to look at the years 1970-1972. For a more in depth look at the Vietnam War read this excellent book The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War.

As I am sure most of you know, Richard Nixon was the President during this time and in 1970 the Vietnam War was still at a stalemate. He did, however, state the end of the War was the goal for that year. Interestingly, his address also stated that it was not the responsibility of the USA to defend or aid other countries (a big turnaround from the addresses during the WWI and WWII years) and he insisted that other nations play a role. He mentioned the desire to develop relations with Russia, China and Poland and the huge growth in the economy although crime, inflation and social unrest were at an all time high and during the 60’s the Government had spent more than it had earned so budget cuts were inevitable. However, Nixon also wanted a complete reform of the welfare system, to make amends for eco pollution with a costly pollution control programme and was going to win the war against crime.

The 1971 address saw no mention of Vietnam and all the acts that had been called for in 1970 were still waiting to be completed. Government departments were to be reduced and again welfare, unemployment, the environment and health care were all mentioned. It was planned to renew local governments to share policy between Federal and State.

The only mention of Vietnam in 1972 was that the USA involvement was coming to an end. The address this year had a completely different flow and feel to it, no doubt as it was an election year. Crime and civil disorders had been reduced during the previous 12 months. Strangely, there was a request to increase the defence budget in order to help other nations with arms. Unemployment was still an issue so a Job Creation Programme was to be implemented and at this time USA workers were the highest paid in the world. There was to be a change to the local property tax regulations and as in the previous 2 years, the welfare system reform and eco system reform were still not implemented.

Day 4 – World War II

During the years leading up to World War II, America were still recovering from the Depression and its affects on the economy. The address in 1939 could not have got it more wrong when they said that World War has been averted! The address went into great detail on how religion and democracy must be defended at all times. Although the people were assured that America was not at war, and had no intention of being at war, there was a call to increase the defences so as to be prepared for ‘quick attacks’. An ominous message considering what lay ahead, and bizarrely accurate. The country was still in debt but the credit system had improved so as to make it easier to get loans. The labour movement was created and taxes were increased. As in the 1914-1918 addresses, the railroad was still causing problems!!!

1940 seemed to mirror the address of 1915 with a reassurance again that America would maintain her friendship with other countries and will not be entering the war or making any foreign alliances. As seen before, the army and navy budgets were increased so as to grow their size and strength if only to maintain peace and protect democracy.  Unemployment was at its highest and the Trade Agreement Act was brought into being.

1941 saw a complete turnaround in opinion with the security of the USA in serious threat. The War in Europe was an ‘assault on democracy’ and the future of the USA was in serious danger. More funds were needed to build more ships and planes and munitions were to be made for other nations at war. Not only that, but these  munitions would be given to these nations with repayments for same to be organised at a later date and the repayments could be in goods not money. Again, an increase in taxes was called for to fund all of this. An interesting part of the speech was the call to ‘shame’ people who don’t agree and if that didn’t work, arrest them! So many books and movies have been written about World War II but for some it's the music that brings back memories, why not go over to your grandparents, make some tea and listen to their stories with this playing in the background --> Those Were Our Songs: Music of World War II

1942 saw a world at war and this was the subject of the whole address. It was the same in 1943 with a mention of the army population being increased from 2million to 7million.

In 1944 we saw a return to the more traditional State of the Union address. This year it was printed as the current President had flu! Again, security was a large part of the address but there was also a call for a change in the Tax Laws, War Contracts Law, National Service Laws and the Food Laws.

Day 3 – World War I

The next critical time in history was the First World War and the change in the subject and tone of  the addresses during this time is fascinating. In 1914 war broke out in Europe and America declared its neutrality saying they would aid if necessary but not get involved. This address mentioned how the war in Europe was hampering trade but the finances were still healthy. A sign of things to come was the request to increase the quantity of merchant and navy ships and to prepare for war. But Americans were also told ‘We are at peace with the World’. Again, what didn’t seem to add up was the request for everyone to volunteer for military training if America was not, nor intended to be, joining the war.

This remained the clear message in 1915, with the address stating that America was remaining steadfast in her neutrality. However, once again the army was increased, and citizens were asked to enlist in the army and navy. It was clear there was a concern of attack as the President stated that the army and navy were not big enough to protect the country. As a means of funding all of this, taxes were introduced / raised on petrol, cars and cheques. The pacific railroad, mentioned above, was causing a problem for the government due to work hours, conditions etc.

By 1916 the main focus of the address was the railroad issue. A legal 8 hour work day was decided with minimum wage for railroad employees. Very little was mentioned about the war in Europe other than it would be a government right to acquire railroad material and staff for military use if necessary.

1917 and all hell breaks loose, America is now at war with the Germans but not with her allies. This was to come at a later date. Most of the address focused on this war and by the 1918 address, the war was over with the address stating that it was thanks to the USA. To learn more about World War I check this out --> A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918

The railroads were still causing problems and taxes were to be increased. Most interestingly, it was decided that lands in the west would be claimed. So far the Pacific railroad has been in nearly every address I have read so I am off to get this and find out what was really going on, I bet it is a fascinating story --> Sunset Limited: The Southern Pacific Railroad and the Development of the American West, 1850-1930