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8 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | JUNE 2023 By Harriet Brunner, Resident Back in April of 2012, almost a year after the Brunners and Larsons had moved to SDV, Sharon and Harriet asked Connie King why there was no use of the rear patio at the Lodge. The response was that it would be used for events once the weather was predictable. Not wanting that lovely seating and partying area to stay dormant was an irresistible challenge. So… we decided to meet on a Wednesday at 4:30 to share a bottle of wine and some snacks… the result is 11 great years of wine and wisecracks! Wine Wednesday was born of two couples; the following week the Rosenberg's joined us, then more and more neighbors stopped by. The numbers grew on that patio area, our most attended Wednesday netted a whopping 64 attendees. We've shared good-and bad-times, met family members, fed a lot of people food to a lot of "just passing by" dogs and their owners, laughed till our sides hurt, traded recipes, and in spite of the merriment, learned a thing or two about wine. The menu expanded to include other beverages as well. When flies/bugs/weather intervened, we took turns meeting in our homes. Don Harn preferred this; he always thought the snack selection stepped up a notch! Fast forward a few years, and the fly issue became so bad we had to retreat indoors. This was not an easy accomplishment as there was much to-do about letting us drink unsupervised (not a Lifestyle event) in the Lodge itself. Consultation with the attorney ensued and we finally got permission to imbibe as long as we weren't selling the alcohol — as if! We are very good at sharing. We continue to meet on Wednesdays at 4:30 pm, in the carpeted side of the Ballroom, hoping to migrate back to the patio, and are very happy to celebrate 11 years of our mellow, chatty, non- judgy, verrryyy casual group of residents. Come join us if you like. Bring whatever beverage you prefer, not everyone drinks wine. We have on any given Wednesday, beer, sodas, sports drinks, bottled water, and an occasional jug of pre-mixed vodka and lemonade (gotta use up those lemons). Like I said: no judging. Bring a snack to share, your own paper plates, plastic utensils, you'll be welcomed. By Clare Mendez, Resident Your body wants to move. It was designed to stay strong, vital, and pain-free for the full duration of your life, no matter how old you get. Your body has the ability to continually repair itself after damage whether you're mending broken bones, torn muscles, cuts, and burns, or fighting off invading forces with its immunity cells. The most powerful and most versatile tool for retaining your radiant ageless youth is not your heart, or your brain (that will be in a future article), or your lungs – it's your muscle. Your muscles have an innate ability to remain strong and flexible well into your old age, which helps every single body system function better. When your muscles are strong, you feel less pain, have better circulation, lower your glucose levels, increase your energy, grow more brain cells, lower your cholesterol, and many more advantages. Even if your life has been previously sedentary, miraculous turn- arounds are possible. Lazy days are okay as long as they are not the norm. The weather is currently in our favor to get outside walking, hiking, and biking. Of course, you already know all that there is to offer at our community for group sports but also consider the social benefits of being active together. We have a fantastic gym available to us with some state of the art machines, free weights, treadmills, stationary bikes, you name it. Call up a friend and make weekly plans to work out together or join a class. Teaming up has proven to help you stay on course. Immobility sets in place a chain reaction where stiffness leads to more stiffness, the end result of which could be a lifetime of chronic pain. Couch potatoes are actually at a greater risk of suffering from joint problems than the weekend warriors or hard-driving athletes. Sadly, sedentary people outnumber active people in the Western world. One resident was talking to me about the benefits of living at Solera Diamond Valley and the greatest benefit is with all there is to offer for physical exercise and social stimulation, we are living the best part of our life now into our old age. Keep moving, my friends. The ultimate reward - you'll live stronger for longer with increased memory retention and have fun doing all you were designed for. Let's Get Moving! Happy 11th Anniversary Wine Wednesday!