Author: HairWeavings Editorial Team

A month or so into winter now. Short days, lots of rain, sometimes heavy. And quite a few cold, grey days. It’s not all miserable and depressing though, as we have the wild Atlantic on our doorstep, with kilometers of coastal boardwalks for exercise and fresh sea air.

It’s a spectacle to watch the majestic waves curling and crashing onto the beaches when storms brew offshore.

But if warm, clear days and a sunshine fix is what one needs, it isn’t always practical to just up and jet off to some sun-soaked destination. What can one do?

What would be wonderful is a mental ‘tele-transporter’, to borrow an idea from Star Trek, to sidestep the less appealing side of winter for something more uplifting. We’re not there yet with tele-transporter technology. But might it be possible to improvise?

A great way is to have something exciting and memorable in the pipeline to look forward to. Everyone will make their own choices on what that might be, depending on their circumstances and interests.

Planning an Adventure

And for us this turns out to be our next adventure trip later this year. A trip to hike some of the Via Francigena trail in Tuscany, Italy. Probably about 10 days of hiking, or about 180km, from Lucca south towards Rome. For us this is super-exciting and adds to our experience of hiking in many countries.

Choosing and planning the trip is a great way for us to keep the winter months buzzing with a sense of anticipation. Giving the imagination some ammunition and freedom to conjure up scenes and paint mind-pictures around the possibilities.

I think we all do this – imagining people, places, things before the event, before we’ve ever set eyes on any of them. And it’s all part of the fun, part of human nature.

The reason we’ve chosen this particular adventure is we enjoy classic multi-day hiking trails and exploring the historic villages and towns along the way. And my lovely partner has a smattering of Italian from her younger years. It’s also within a couple of hours’ flight from the airport that’s very convenient to our home.

Planning Within Our Abilities

But, how ambitious or extravagant an adventure is enough, or too much? It all depends.

Setting the scene for us, our combined age is just one year shy of 140 years. So it’s not as if one has to be Gen Z or Millennial to push the boat out like this. Though if one has had a sedentary lifestyle over the long haul, I wouldn’t recommend starting with something at this level. We’ve been quite active for as long as I can remember and plan to keep that up.

The idea of where to go or what to do can come from anywhere. Maybe something we’ve read, seen on TV, or someone has mentioned. So, we’d recommend keeping an open mind if one is in the market for some kind of adventure.

For us, the best ideas have come from personal contacts, recommendations and conversations. A few examples would be the Camino Frances in Spain, the Le Puy Chemin in France, some adventures and hikes in Brazil, Ireland, the UK, etc. And so many still to do.

Of course the Internet is a great source of information and ideas. But we found it better for just filling in the blanks, like maps, prices, best flight and accommodation bookings, all that sort of thing, once we had discovered a really interesting idea and wanted to look closer.

Sixty and Me has tons of travel ideas to offer.

Look for Genuine Information

The issue with placing too much reliance on information from the Internet is credibility and verifiability. It can be a challenge to discern between genuine information and misinformation, such as fake reviews, exaggeration, bias, vested interests, and the like.

While companies like Google do a creditable job in the online security and safety space, one also needs to be careful of potentially malicious websites and bad online actors in general. A good motto is to take nothing on the Internet as gospel and use other methods to cross-check and verify critical information.

But a good balance between experience, ideas and recommendations from word-of-mouth sources, and online sources should set us up to have a great time. Wonderful aspects of a unique, ‘personalised’, adventure like this are many. Such as the planning, excitement of imagining what it could be like, packing our bags and departing, and finally coming back with stories and memories to treasure. And maybe giving others ideas for their adventures.

We Know What We Enjoy

I guess one of the important things for us is we have kept fairly close to themes that we’ve always enjoyed, and stable countries we know well. Due to the scope and depth of our experience , we haven’t felt the need to go for pre-packaged adventures. I guess another motive for our approach is we prefer to be independent rather than part of a group with a ‘tightly-defined’ program.

Others may prefer to leave the organisation and program to a tour operator. That’s fine if it’s what one prefers and there’s no shortage of great possibilities.

Certainly, the experience to put together a practical, workable plan is important. And it’s usually great fun to improvise on the finer details on the ground. We’ve found that’s where the most memorable and fun experiences come from, including connecting with and tapping into local knowledge.

The Italians are well-known for their friendly, helpful nature. And looking forward to the authentic Italian cuisine, hoping the hiking is enough to burn off some of the pasta and pizza calories.

If you like walking adventures, you can further read ARE YOU A WALKING ENTHUSIAST? 6 TIPS TO ENJOY A WALKING VACATION EXPERIENCE AFTER 60.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do you use the cold months to plan for warmer weather adventures? What are you planning for this year? Where did you get your trip idea? Do you prefer to plan your own trip itinerary or depend on tour operators?

If you are running through your entire stock of cozy winter socks every week, you might be wondering if there is something more you can do to keep your feet warm.

While chronically cold feet can indicate your footwear simply isn’t up to par, it can also reflect an underlying problem you may want to address, especially if you’ve entered your mature years.

Common Causes of Cold Feet

When it comes to feet that frequently feel frosty no matter what you do, there are a handful of potential causes that involve everything from circulation to nerves, genetics, and even stress.

Underactive Thyroid

Your thyroid plays an important role in regulating your metabolism, and when you don’t have enough essential thyroid hormones being produced, your metabolism can slow down leading to many issues, including cold hands and feet.

Smoking

Chances are you have heard the words “quit smoking” more than any other piece of health advice in your lifetime, and for good reason.

Smoking isn’t just bad for your lungs. It actually constricts blood vessels all over your body inhibiting good circulation and contributing to things vastly worse than just cold feet, like heart disease and cancer.

Peripheral Artery Disease

When fatty deposits cause arteries to narrow, they can obstruct proper blood flow to the limbs. Without normal circulation of warm blood down the legs and to the feet, you could experience chronically cold feet.

If you have existing risk factors like diabetes, atherosclerosis, or high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about this possibility.

Stress

Did you know that an important part of your body’s innate fight or flight response is to divert blood flow away from your limbs and to your core? If you are under a lot of stress or experiencing frequent anxiety, your fingers and toes may feel frostier than normal.

Sitting

An increasingly sedentary lifestyle could be affecting your body’s ability to properly circulate blood. Not only has excessive sitting been linked to early death but lack of movement when sitting for prolonged periods (i.e., watching a movie, working, etc.) can also make it hard for your blood vessels to properly supply your feet and nerves with the warmth and nourishment they need to adequately function.

Anemia

A shortage of red blood cells often associated with iron deficiency can compromise your body’s ability to deliver oxygen to cells. A cascade of problems can result, including reduced heat production, thus making your feet feel colder than normal.

Raynaud’s Syndrome

A rare condition known as Raynaud’s syndrome causes the body’s small blood vessels in extremities like the feet, fingers, nose, and ears to almost completely constrict when exposed to cold air.

This temporary halt in blood flow causes the extremities to become white and then return to normal, often painfully, once they are warm again.

Nerve Damage

Sometimes nerve damage from an injury or a condition like diabetes can cause you to feel sensations in your feet that aren’t actually real. For example, your feet might not feel cold to the touch, but if you have nerve damage, they could feel cold, numb, or prickly to you.

What to Do

Unfortunately, research shows that older women are much more likely to experience cold in their extremities than men. However, before you self-diagnose some rare and unforeseen medical condition to explain your cold feet, take these easy steps to warm them up:

Choose Good Socks

Ultra-thick socks can actually cut off your circulation in tighter shoes while cotton can quickly absorb moisture and stop retaining heat.

If you have cold feet, opt for comfortable wool socks that fit well with your shoes, especially if you use orthotic inserts, and that wick away moisture in the event your feet get wet outside in the winter weather.

Get Moving

Physical activity facilitates the best blood flow all over your body, especially in your feet. Keep up with your exercise routine during the winter and make sure to take frequent breaks when sitting for long periods to stretch your legs and move your feet.

De-Stress

Discover easy, effective ways to de-stress this winter and give your feet a boost of warmth. Try taking a warm bath, getting a foot massage with warm oils, or resting your feet by the fire with a cup of tea and a good book.

In the event you do suspect an underlying problem is contributing to your icy appendages, talk to your doctor. Symptoms like joint pain in your feet, unexpected weight changes, ongoing fatigue, fever, skin changes, and sores on your feet that won’t heal could indicate the need for stronger treatment.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Do your feet often feel cold, especially at night when you go to bed? What are some tricks you have for keeping your feet warm? Please share your experience and tips in the comments below.

Originally posted at: Alexia Echevarria’s Polka Dot Skirt and Crop Top

I remember passing notes to my bestie in grade school and waiting with exhilaration for her return message. It was all great fun even though we were sitting just a few rows apart in the same classroom and would spend our entire recess engrossed in conversation about what fifth grade girls find most interesting – fifth grade boys.

But now, decades later, having traded that primary form of written correspondence for abbreviated, less intimate Facebook and Instagram posts and texts, I’ve discovered that personal notes can hold some of the same delightful anticipation and emotional satisfaction.

I’m a writer, so it seems rather obvious that writing would offer me a feeling of deeper personal expression, but I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy and look forward to the return message.

It all started a few years ago, when a woman from Canada read one of my essays on Sixty and Me and sent me a message through my website. We began chatting via email and found we had much to talk about. So, periodically, when she crosses my mind, I drop her a line, and I’m always happy to hear from her.

Over the past years, it’s happened several more times, the exact same way, and again a few months ago, and now only a day ago. Women I don’t know, who I probably will never meet in person, since we live in different states, countries and continents, are now part of my life through an occasional, but strikingly candid series of messages.

The second and even more delightful surprise is the depth of our intimacy through these communiques. We’ve learned about our lifestyles, our loves and losses, our worries, and how much we have in common as women navigating this era of our lives. It’s truly wonderful and has added a new dimension to my life, for which I am immensely grateful.

I don’t think I am unique, nor special, but I do think this happened because I am open to it and welcome the opportunity. So, I believe anyone who wishes to can begin a pen pal relationship that suits their lifestyle, interest and needs.

How to Connect with a Potential Pen Pal

There are various Pen Pal Match Up sites online. Travel and Leisure published a list in 2022, some of which focus on special interests, like women travelers. I also found an online article on Martha Stewart’s site that offers links.

For those who enjoys taking a pen in hand, there is Snail Mail Pen Pals Ladies Only. 

If you’d like to brighten the day of an elder person, there are several Facebook pages, like Pen Pals for Seniors, where people post their requests.

A More Personal Approach

You might also consider being a pen pal to someone in your family. A friend of mine, who actually inspired this article, is pen pals with her 11-year-old granddaughter.

Even though they still talk on the phone, zoom and visit in person often, she says her granddaughter loves receiving actual written letters in the mail. My friend makes homemade cards, sends photos and writes special memories that will one day be this child’s tangible and lasting mementos of her grandmother’s love.

We are all eager, it seems, especially now, for a sense of purpose, connection and honest communication. Becoming a modern day pen pal has offered me all of that. I hope you will consider it as an opportunity to enrich your life as well.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Did you have a pen pal back when you were in school? What do you remember about them and the experience of corresponding? Have you considered looking for a pen pal? What would that correspondence look like?

*Her exact top is sold out

Originally posted at: Lisa Hochstein’s Black and White Printed Scarf Top and Pants