What You Need to Know About Vascular Disease and Travel

September is Vascular Disease Awareness Month. Organised by UK charity The Circulation Foundation, the aim of the annual event is to raise the profile of a family of diseases that remain little understood and often overlooked by the public at large.

In truth, even medical science hasn’t fully got to grips with vascular disease yet. Our blood systems – the network of veins and arteries that carry blood to and from the heart around our body – are incredibly large and complex. There are 27 different known conditions and diseases that affect what medics call the vascular system. The causes of many are still not fully understood.

What we do know, however, is that vascular disease can have a debilitating impact on sufferers. It can cause chronic pain, reduced mobility, physical disability and mental impairment. It is also incredibly common. In the UK, one in six people will have a stroke, one of the most prevalent forms of vascular disease, in their lifetime. It’s also one of the most common killers.

A lot of people will also have some understanding that vascular disease is associated with heightened risks while travelling, especially if you fly. The most famous example is Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), which causes potentially painful clots in the veins and can be triggered by the changes in pressure the body experiences when flying at altitude. DVT can be life threatening if the clot becomes detached and starts to travel through the body.

DVT is a risk factor of other common vascular diseases such as peripheral artery disease (PAD) and carotid artery disease. PAD, for example, is a condition which sees the arteries in the limbs narrow due to the buildup of plaque and fatty deposits. This narrowing increases the risk of clots forming. It also causes painful cramping, weakness in the limbs and changes in the appearance of the skin, including sores developing.

Whether you are living with PAD, you have recently had a stroke or have been diagnosed with any other vascular condition, it’s worth knowing the risk factors associated with travel and what you can do to look after yourself. Here’s what you need to know.

Talk To Your Doctor –

Most vascular conditions shouldn’t prevent you from flying. But if you have had a recent bad episode or have seen your symptoms get worse, you should take your doctor’s advice on whether travel is a good idea or not.

If you have had a stroke in the past few months, for example, you could be putting yourself at risk of a relapse. It isn’t just the changes in air pressure when flying that could affect your health. Travel can be stressful, with potentially long queues at airports and cramped conditions on board vehicles.

Take Precautions –

Your doctor is also best placed to advise you on how you can travel as safely and as comfortably as possible. Again, this will depend both on the particular condition you suffer from and on your current state of health. But there are some general points that are well worth knowing.

One is that sitting stationary for long periods is often as much of a risk with vascular disease as the fabled changes in air pressure inside an aeroplane cabin. On long haul flights especially, all passengers, not just those diagnosed with a vascular condition, are advised to get up and stretch their legs by walking up and down the aisle from time to time. It’s important to get your circulation moving, even if your condition does cause you mobility issues.

On that front, it’s highly advisable to get in touch with your airline before you fly to explain your condition and request any assistance that might be appropriate. This could range from getting mobility support and priority access through the airport, to getting a seat on board where you are able to elevate your legs (a good way to guard against clotting for PAD patients).

Get The Right Travel Insurance –

Finally, it’s essential that you declare your vascular condition to your travel insurance provider. Like any pre-existing medical condition, vascular disease will alter how a travel insurance company views you in terms of risk. You are more likely to need medical assistance when you travel, therefore you are more likely to make a claim against your insurance. They will charge you a higher premium accordingly.

However, the inflated premiums many insurers charge for people with long-term medical conditions seemed designed to purposely put them off buying, they are that high. What you want is a dedicated policy for your specific condition offered by a specialist provider. Travel insurance for pre-existing conditions need not be prohibitively expensive, but should take into account your individual circumstances and current state of health. It should also offer cover for specialist treatments related to your condition, should you need them,

Don’t be tempted to hide your vascular condition from an insurer to get a cheaper deal. If you end up sick and need to make a claim, your insurer will investigate your medical history and declare your policy void for non-disclosure when they find out the truth.

Letting Go Of Those Worries On Mental Health Week

As a parent it’s not only a backpack full of stuff we carry around on our shoulders – we carry the weight of everyone’s worries.

Just as the countless snacks and water bottles weigh us down, so can all the mental pressures that raising a family can bring.


So on mental health week I just wanted to say that it’s ok to acknowledge things are getting on top of you, it’s ok to have a good cry and let it all out, it’s ok to have that extra long bath to get away from things for five minutes, it’s ok to close the door and take yourself for a walk to get that much needed alone time and most importantly it’s more than ok to let others know you are felling like this.


We spend a great deal of time checking in on everyone else and it’s ok to check in on ourselves too!

Four Simple Steps To A More Eco-Friendly Home

Are you trying to make your home more environmentally friendly this year? There are things you can do, both big and small to work towards a more eco-friendly home.

To learn some tips and tricks that can help you with home sustainability, keep reading. When working towards trying to live a more green-conscious life, the home is the perfect place to start.

Stay Conscious About Your Energy Use

The energy you use at home not only affects your energy bill but also has a huge impact on the environment. For starters you should begin to make sure you are not using home utilities more than needed. For example turn off fans, lights and other energy using sources when you leave a room.

Try opening your blinds and shades when daylight is bright enough to light up your home rather than using lamps and lighting. Things like only running your dishwasher when its completely full, or shutting down your electronics when they are not in use can also help.

Additionally making small changes with your heating and cooling system, such as turning temperatures down slightly or or turning them on low can also help.

These little things can add up to make a huge difference in your carbon footprint and your energy spending. The best way to manage your home’s energy production is to install solar panels in your residence. To do so contact Blue Raven Solar today.

Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Did you know the kind of products you use can have environmental effects? Harmful chemicals are present in many cleaning products such as bleach, toliet cleaners and even dish soap. When these cleaning products are washed down the drain they end up in rivers and oceans, where they can cause damage to water dwelling animals.

Eco-friendly cleaning products work to do less environmental damage. This can also help to make sure that certain toxic chemicals are not being inhaled by you or your family memebers.

Choose Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

The lightbulbs that you use at home can have an effect on the environment as well as your energy bill. Choosing energy-efficient lightbulbs over traditional ones can help. These lightbulbs tend to last longer, which allows you to not have to change them so often.

Consider Composting

If you have a large household in which you are often cooking, or feel that you are throwing away tons of waste, starting to compost can be a great way to use this waste that would otherwise end up at landfill. Composting your leftover food waste can work towards using this waste in your garden or backyard.

Eco-Friendly Home Tips

Having an eco-friendly home is only getting more and more important as our environmental situation worsens over time. Consider beginning some of these earth-friendly habits to be kind to mother nature while also cutting down on energy cost in no time.

Are you looking for home advice, tips or tricks? if so then head to the ‘interiors’ section of our site today!

Something For All:Christmas Gift Guide

[GIFTED] Last year I decided to mix things up a little and instead of making lots of separate gift guides I did one guide that included a little something for everyone, as let’s face it we don’t all fit into the same box do we!

I hope you manage to find something that takes your fancy here as let’s face it we all need a little cheering up this year don’t we.

Something For Our Tummies:

Chocolate Hamper – The ‘sweet dreams’ hamper from Willie’s Cacao is a chocoholics dream with this stinking g hamper full of goodies from gooey hazelnut spread, indulgent hot chocolate, tasty chocolate bars and much more!

Sparkling Kefir Water – I for one have been a lot more conscious of my health this year and have been looking for ways to enjoy things that are good for you but don’t compromise on taste, and this is exactly what you get from Agua De Madre low alcohol sparkling water that comes in three different flavours; making it a great alternative from the usual Christmas indulgences.

Pizza Making Kits – Gifts don’t always have to come in the form of a present under the tree and I personally prefer something a little more interactive, which is exactly what you get with the brilliant pizza making kits from Birtellis who deliver gorgeous stone baked pizza delivery lots directly to your door.

You can pick from a whole host of different toppings that are great fun to make as a family and sit down and enjoy in front of a movie or two!

Things For Teens:

PMS Gift Box – I put this one here for teens as I think it’s going to make the perfect gift for my teen daughter, but I know there are so many ladies out there that would love this gift box. Our Remedy have put together a whole range of gift boxes full of goodies such as their Our Remedy CBD oil, organic sanitary pads and tampons, vegan chocolates and lots more.

Smartphone Projector – Another one here that’s definitely not just for teens is the smartphone projector. This projector allows you to simply pop your phone inside the cardboard projector and let your favourite film fill your wall!

Cards Against Humanity – Now this game has been a huge hit in our family for many years now, but it has caused problems as for obvious reasons the younger ones haven’t been able to join in. The new Cards Against Humanity edition is a much fun as the iconic original game with a huge 600 cards you need to give it a try!

Car Lovers:

Carfume – Gone are the days of having a garish cardboard smelly tree hanging from your rear view mirror as you can now make your car small gorgeous in style with the Carfume Deluxe Edition that gives off the scent of some of your favourite scents in this sleek and stylish design.

Green Fingers:

Living Plant Food – Indoor plants are becoming more and more popular and this gorgeous looking indoor plant care set will help you look after your plant babies in style.

Feel Good Gifts:

Happy Kids Affirmation Cards – It can sometimes be a challenge for children to open up and talk about their feelings so things like these gorgeously illustrated affirmation cards are a great way to increase confidence and build a positive attitude.

Box Of Favours – Sometimes giving someone your time is far more important than a physical gift and this is exactly what you get with this Box Of Favours there are a deli of cards that offer simple things like a cup of tea or breakfast in bed which can mean so much.

All The Toys:

Teething Toy – Teething can cause such a problem for babies as well as parents so giving them something like the Matchstick Monkey to sooth their gums would make for a brilliant present!

Colouring:

Stib Colouring – I love anything that allows little ones to get creative and what’s more with these Stib colouring pencils you get to read a positive word that is embossed on the pencils every time you pick one up!

Stomp Rocket No batteries, no fuel and the ability to shoot 400ft in the air within minutes! Now what’s not to love about the Stomp Rocket!

Skateboard – Now skateboards have been on Santa lists for longer than I can remember and this Tony Hawkes board is perfect for those that are just starting out and wanting to practice their skills!

National Geographic Toys – Frankie is a huge fan of National Geographic and for me anything that gets kids engaged in something fun as well as educational is a win in my books! They have a great range of kits from shark tooth kits, to real bug kits and more!

Coding Toy – Coding is definitely a skill our littles ones need to learn as early as possible now and the amazing Botley is a fantastic way to help kids learn.

Botley is a coding robot that offers 100% screen free learning and allows children to build on their problem solving and critical thinking skills by taking part in a whole host of activities and challenges.

Getting Crafty – I love a toy you can make and keep and this is exactly what you get with the Fuzzikins Ice Cream Van Bag using the washable pens you can decorate the van and all it’s accessories which can then be taken anywhere with you.

Peppa Pig – Peppa Pig is loved by everyone and I have always been impressed with the amazing toys they come out with; and I’ve not been disappointed with the brilliant grow and play pots.

They allow children to learn about growing and nurturing alongside their favourite Peppa characters.

Subway Surfers – The Subway Surfer game is a huge hit with my youngest two so I know that the Spray Crew and Shorties collectibles would make for the perfect stocking fillers.

Pen To Paper:

Dairy Diary – I’m sure I’m not alone in having a pretty empty diary last year, so this year it would be lovely to receive a diary like this beautiful dairy diary to fill with hopes and plans for the year ahead.

This diary also gives you lots of recipes and tips for the home and garden.

Cookbook – Lots more people are choosing to opt for a vegetarian or vegan diet, or at least have a few meat free days, so the Zest For Life cookbook is a great way to find some super tasty recipes.

Something To Wear:

Leggings – Leggings have been a wardrobe staple this year and they won’t be going anywhere fast! I’ve been wearing them to workout as well and leisure wear and Love Legging is the place to go for all your legging needs. They have a huge range and my favourites have been their Energise Leggings for training and their high waisted Everyday Leggings for wearing anytime at all!

Something Special –

Last year I featured a gorgeous necklace from I Love Rachel and this year she has come up with another beautiful piece in this copper necklace with a mint green enamel disc…it’s the little touches of a chocolate surprise in the gift box that mean so much too!

A Little Glow:

Candle – You can’t go wrong with a candle as a present, but these candles from Kindred Fires are something a little special as they smell incredible and offer a personalisation service to make it your very own!

Something For The Garden:

Bird Feeder – We’ve been spending a lot more time outside this year and have really appreciated everything it offers, especially all the nature we need to look after.

This gorgeous Henry Bell Bulrush Feeder with its bulrush is a beautiful addition to the garden.

Last but not last is a bit of a funny one, but something my husband would love me to have…an anti snore ring.

This ring is worn an hour before bed and during the night to stop storing by using pressure points.

I know the gift of a good nights sleep would be the perfect gift for a lot of people!

Protecting Your Family With Life Search

[AD] There are a whole host of things to consider when we think about starting a family and to be honest it can be a bit of a daunting prospect.

Are we at the right stage in our life to bring a little one into the world? Is our relationship strong enough to deal with the responsibility? Have we got a good support network in place to help us out? Are we in a good financial position?

But it is this last question that I want to talk about today as most people take into consideration the financial position they are currently in, but don’t think more long term or consider what would happen if you or your partner were no longer around.

This is where life insurance is something we should all consider, no matter how old we are as sadly no one knows what could be round the corner and if you have the security of life insurance then this allows you to have a safety next if the worse should happen; and peace of mind that your loved ones will be looked after financially.

So what is life cover? – to round it up it is a payment made to your loved ones if something should happen to you. This is usually made as a one off payment, but some companies such as Life Search offer a family income benefit policy which in my opinion is a much better way of receiving payment.

Family Income Benefit is a bit different to other life insurance products in that it doesn’t pay out a lump sum to your loved ones should you pass away, but instead provides the beneficiaries with regular, tax-free income – either monthly or quarterly, to help cover household and living costs when the main earner isn’t around anymore.

When you take out a Family Income Benefit policy, you choose how long you want your term to last. For young families, this could be until the children are financially independent and would no longer need the income payments.

Loosing a loved one if one of the hardest things anyone could go through, so making the financial side of things easier gives you one less thing to worry about.

Is this the kind of policy you would consider?

Outdoor Activities For Children During Lockdown

I now have no idea what week we are on in lockdown but I do know that during this time we have all been trying to find ways of coping with being around each other 24 hours a day and for me I have found structure is key and trying to give the children some kind of home learning has been a must.

I am no teacher and so with the help of work set by school and the wonders of the internet I have been trying to find ways to keep the children happy and engaged.

We have been lucky to have been blessed with this wonderful weather and have tried to utilise this as much as possible and taking our home learning outside.

  • Most homeschooling activities can be done outside as it allows children to have freedom of movement, increases their physical development, helps build towards a healthy and activity lifestyle and hopefully makes them happier and more motivated to learn.
  • I have compiled a few of our favourite activities below and hope you find something that’s a good fit for your family to try:

    Den Building – The boys love building dens, so this was a great excuse to get something set up in the garden where they could play and read independently.

    Skipping – Skipping is a great way to get them using their gross motor skills as well as burning off a lot of steam!

    Climbing Tree – This is great for them to challenge their dexterity and build their confidence.

    Digging In The Dirt – All kids love to dig around in the dirt and without knowing it they are getting a real sensory experience. From making mud pies to hiding and finding different objects this is a great exercise.

    Getting Out For A Walk – The government is still allowing us out for 39 mins exercise a day, and we can use this time to clear our heads, strike up conversations to check that your little ones are coming with this situation and make it into a game by spotting different things on the way.

    • Planting – It’s the perfect time to plant seeds and flowers in the garden which can turn into a science lesson by talking about the lifestyle of plants and then drawing and labelling what you have planted.

    • Still Life Painting – There are so many things that can be painted in the garden, just pick something that catches your eye and get painting.

    • Rough And Tumble – This might not be for everyone, but my youngest two literally can’t keep their hands off each other; so for me allowing them to battle it out for a while works. It’s a way for them to relive stress, read social cues, make decisions on their own and of course have a good cardio workout!

    • Nature Collage – Take some time to walk around the garden and pick up anything you find interesting to create a masterpiece with.

    • Painting With Water – A big pot of water, some paint brushes and some space on the patio, a wall or a fence will allow children to create their own murals with no mess at all.

    • Shadow Drawing – Grab some paper and some objects that will create good shadows…our favourites are dinosaurs; position them on the paper so that the sunlight casts a shadow on the paper and the draw around the shadow.

    • Make A Bug Hotel – Find a space in the garden where you can put together as pike of bricks, logs, sticks, tiles and just about anything else mini beasts can create a home. The children can then go back and take a look at the insects and write up their finding.

    • Scavenger Hunt – Write a list of all kinds of different objects you might find outside such as leaves, flowers, rocks and set the kids a challenge to find them all.

    Bug Hunt – Lift up rocks, dig around in the leaves and see what insects you can find and them write down and discuss your findings.

    Tree And Leaf Rubbing – Grab some paper and crayons and find all kinds of different tree barks and leaves to rub over with the crayons and compare the different textures.

    Giant Bubbles – If you have a tuff tray or something large enough to hold a hula hoop then make up a bubble mixture using washing up liquid and water. Place the hula hoop inside and make as many giant bubbles as you can.

    Outdoor Gym – Nature gives us a huge array of items we can use to build our own outside gym which allows the children to left off steam and build gross motor skills. Stepping stones from logs, a rope placed between two objects to limbo under, a bench to do tricep dips from a just a few ideas. Let me know what else you would use!

    How To Deal With Men’s Thinning Hair

    I have written before about dealing with my thinning hair, but it is not just woman that have this worry – in fact it is a much bigger problem for men and it’s something they find much harder to talk about.

    There are many reasons that men’s hair begins to thin with the main reason being male pattern baldness. There is currently no cure for this, but there are many things you can do to slow down the process.

    Here are a few things that men can do to slow down the process and deal with thinning hair:

    The Right Hair Cut – hair usually begins to thin around the forehead and on the top of the head. Getting the right haircut is a great way to combat this.

    • Good Diet – as with a lot of things, what we put into our bodies had an effect on what we look like on the outside. A diet high in protein, omega 3 fatty acids, iron and vitamin C will go a long way to retaining those locks.

    Limit Heat Styling – adding heat to the hair with things such as hairdryers and straightness can add extra stress to the hair making the lifespan less, so avoid using these things as much as possible.

    • Hair Pieces – the good way to handle men’s thinning hair for many is to use a hair piece or toupee such as those from Hairbro. They create a full looking head of hair which can boost confidence no end.

    Constant Distraction:Four Coping Strategies For Coping With Tinnitus

    Despite how common tinnitus is, it’s still a mysterious ailment. What exactly causes tinnitus is still unknown. While there are treatment options, a cure to make tinnitus complete go away isn’t yet available.

    Hearing aids are an effective tinnitus treatment for my people afflicted with the aggravating condition. Your audiologist can help you find the right one for your specific needs, as the severity of tinnitus widely varies.

    Tinnitus:A Noise Only Hear

    One reason tinnitus is so hard to treat is because it manifests differently for everyone. Some people hear buzzing or ringing while others have a small orchestra playing in their heads.

    The American Tinnitus Association recognises two types of tinnitus – subjective and objective. Subjective tinnitus is a noise in the ears that only the patients can ‘hear.’

    Objective tinnitus occurs when others can hear the noises, not just the patient. This type of tinnitus is very rare. Most tinnitus causes are subjective, where only the patient is able to ‘hear’ it.

    Irritants:These Things Can Male Tinnitus Worse

    Just like there are things that can make tinnitus less noticeable, there are things that can make it worse. In the medical community they are know as ‘irritants’ or ‘stimulants’.

    Things that can aggravate your tinnitus include:

    • Anxiety

    • Stress

    • Alcohol

    • Caffeine

    • Smoking

    • Loud Noise

    • Earwax

    • Lack of sleep

    What can tinnitus suffers do to cope with the relentless internal noise?

    Four Tips For Coping With Tinnitus

    Without a cure, patients are left to their own means of finding a way to lessen their tinnitus. Here are four of the coping strategies for tinnitus.

    1. Avoid irritants and other activities that stimulate tinnitus – all of the irritants listed above affect the body in some way that makes the tinnitus worse. Drinking alcohol for example increases blood flow to the inner ear, which can stimulate tinnitus.

    2. Invest in a masking device – hearing aids help reduce tinnitus, but most people don’t wear hearing aids to bed. Quiet times such as when you’re trying to sleep are prime times for tinnitus to kick into high gear. White noise machines or other background noises can help drown out the sound of tinnitus.

    3. Protect your ears by avoiding excessive, loud noises – even if you don’t have any hearing left, loud noises can be dangerous to your inner ear. Protecting your ears from loud noises such as rock concerts or construction can help preserve your hearing and lessen your tinnitus.

    4. Continue interacting with friends and family – tinnitus can be isolating because it makes communicating over the noise in your ears very difficult. However, isolating often leads to depression, which isn’t good for your mental health OR your tinnitus.

    Living With Tinnitus

    Tinnitus is a chronic condition, but it doesn’t have to affect your quality of life. Finding a solution to cope with your tinnitus is essential to managing it. Since there isn’t a one-size-fits-all remedy; you may need to try one or more of the coping methods listed above to find one that works for you.

    The Best Home Office Locations

    More than ever at the moment people are having to find ways to work from home – with many finding this could actually be a better and more efficient way to work going forward.

    We are currently struggling at the moment as I am ordinarily the one working from home and I’m happy with my workspace in the dining room; but due to my husband having to move his business online and numerous children trying to create workspaces we are all having to move and adapt to cater for everyone.

    This has really got me thinking about how we could make room for extra office space at home and below I have listed a few of the things I find of upmost importance when planning your home office:

    The Perfect Space – First up of course is where are you going to position your office. Have you got a spare room you could utilise? Could you make room in a guest room? Could you transform an area in your dining room? Could you factor in the cost of a loft conversion?

    Home And Work Life Balance – For me it’s crucial to strike up a good home and work life balance, making sure there is a definite divide between your work space and your living space. Sprawling out on the sofa is great for when you’re relaxing but it’s not really conducive to being productive when working.

    Good Connections – Good connections to the outside work are vital so when planing your space you need to ensure there are plenty of plug sockets situated around your desk and there is a good internet connection.

    Lighting – If you can make sure there is a good amount of natural light which is good for a whole range of things. Getting the right artificial light is also imperative to ensure you don’t strain your eyes whilst trying to concentrate on the screen.

    Colour – Colour can evoke a whole range of emotions so when choosing a colour theme for your office you should choose colours they are going to stimulate your imagination and motive you.

    Greenery – Plants are known to promote happiness and give you that feel good factor so go ahead and fill your office with plenty of plants.

    Tidy House, Tidy Mind – This is a moto I always follow and I think it is just as important when it comes to your workspace. Make sure you have plenty of folders and boxes to store things away so that your desk space doesn’t become cluttered and overwhelming.

    What tips would you have for creating a home office?

    A New Way Of Life In Lockdown

    It was only a few weeks ago that I was moaning at my husband for not wanting to get on the tube due to the Coronavirus outbreak – fast forward to now and I have just had sweaty palms and my heart beating out of my chest as I prepared to leave the house to do the weekly shop.

    In such a short space of time the world has been turned upside down in a way none of us could have imagined, at times it feels like we are living in a movie scene.

    I feel grateful that for us it’s being confined under one roof and financial battles that are our only problems as I know that there are far worse situations going on around us and this helps me gain some perspective when things get on top of me.

    I developed a cough and felt unwell around a week before the official lockdown and we are now approaching our third week of social distancing.

    I’m not going to lie, the first few days were pretty horrific. We went from a family that are like ships passing in the night for the majority of the time, to being with each other twenty four hours a day was a huge shock.

    The dining room has had a bit of a turnaround and for the best part of the week is now a training area for my husband to train his clients via Zoom(something neither of us had heard of before) and get some exercise for himself…I need to utilise this more!

    With the youngest two I found early on that structure was key and a loose plan was put in place for their home learning was put in place. This hasn’t been without its tears and tantrums, but on a whole making sure their work is complete before they get free time has been working well. Dad comes into play with the teaching for an hour with a PE session to allow me time to get the house in order and I have been fitting my work in before they wake up, during their break times and once they are all in bed.

    The teens are a bit of a mixed bag and Izzy has been knuckling down independently, getting her set work completed and busying herself with cooking, crafts and helping me with the boys. Archie however has been less compliant. Getting him out of bed is a challenge in itself and trying to get him to work is impossible. I have my fingers crossed that by working together with his teachers we can get things on track after the Easter holidays.

    Food has been a battle ground as for the first two weeks none of us could leave the house and we had to rely on wonderful friends dropping things to us. I have had to ration what we are all eating and it hasn’t gone down well at all. Trying to explain to the children that only having two biscuits a day isn’t going to kill them really isn’t going down well but they are learning to get used to it; as after a very nervous trip to the supermarket, full of people taking little notice of the distance they should be keeping it’s not something I want to be doing to often.

    Trying to keep in touch with the outside world is something I’ve been trying hard to keep up and daily FaceTime calls to family and friends are the new normal. We have a very close relationship with our extended family and not seeing my parents, eldest daughter, grandchildren and my sister has hit us all hard, but keeping in touch virtually is a something we are very thankful for.

    None of us know when this is going to come to an end, but the importance of following these guidelines to protect everybody else is of the upmost importance and if we all hang in there and get this done then hopefully it won’t be long before we can all get back outside to embrace our love ones and enjoy those simply pleasures we are all guilty of taking for granted until now.