Downsizing and More!

August 6, 2021

We hope you are enjoying summer's harvest as so many wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables are available now! Do you have a favourite farmers market or store you'd recommend? Let us know and we'll share with everyone.

We hear a lot about the Delta Variant of Covid - here's a CTV report on everything you need to know about Delta.

If you are thinking of travel or know someone who is, here's an interesting site that informs you if you have been exposed to Covid while travelling. Check it out here!

Last call on masks! Stephanie will be placing another order shortly for CA-N95 Adult Black disposable masks, made in Canada. A package of 10 is $18. Please let her know at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com if you'd like to order a box or two asap.

In other news.....

Olympics Q&A. Do you have questions about different sports that aren't answered in the usual coverage? Check out this random list with the questions you may have been wondering about!

Are You Looking For Some Good in the World?

If you sometimes feel there is less "good" in the world, check out Brittlestar's video - where to find the good.

Happy August Birthday!

Happiest of August birthdays to

August 18th - Kris K

Widowed Friends Update!

Your New Home on the Web!

We have an exciting announcement!

With thanks to the Community Foundation of Canada/IRP program who awarded us a small grant, we have been able to develop a completely new website.

This was a highly competitive grant program and we were honoured to be one of the recipients selected.

The new website will contain all the usual information about our community, but will also house a new Member Portal which will be your online Widowed Friends home!

In the portal you'll be able to:

register for events (virtual and in person) simply, easily and quickly
check out event photos
pay securely for memberships or special events
check out sections on Healthy Lifestyles, Recipes, Member Spotlights and more
see the latest info from the Travel Club, photos and trip information
see our new resource directory for help from mental health support to home renovations!
newsletter archives and more.

We'll be sending you information soon about how to access the portal and log on instructions. It may be a bit of a transition at first as we ask everyone to login and register their name and select a password but, we hope it will quickly become a place you are comfortable using and will find lots of interesting and useful information there.

The site is currently in "testing" which means we're trying to ensure everything works!

We continue to develop our post-Covid plans for 2021 and 2022 including continuing a variety of virtual events, adding in-person events, increasing the number and variety of guest speakers and events, restarting the travel club and as always, continuing to support and find new ways to enhance the lives of our members.

Although the past few months have been difficult for everyone, we look forward to a bright future of possibilities, new opportunities and building an even stronger community. Thank you for your continuing support of Widowed Friends!

Recipe of the Week

Thanks to Carolyn P for this family favourite soup!

Polish Cabbage Soup!

Ingredients

3–4 pounds of meaty pork ribs such as country style ribs

6 ounces diced salt pork (4 ounces after removing skin. The fatty type not the meaty type)

1 ½ cups onion, about one large onion

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 pound fresh sauerkraut with juice (found in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets)

1 medium head of cabbage, shredded (about 1 1/2 – 2 pounds)

2 14½-ounce cans of stewed tomatoes

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1 teaspoon salt

4 pounds all-purpose potatoes

Rye bread and butter

Instructions

Place pork ribs in a large 8 quart heavy pot and cover the ribs with water almost to the top. Bring to a boil uncovered, lower to a fast simmer (low boil) and cook for 45 minutes, skimming off foam as they start to boil. Shut off burner and let them sit in the water for 15 minutes.
While the pork is cooking, in a medium frying pan, cook the diced salt pork on a medium high flame for 2-3 minutes or until just starting to brown. Add onion to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes until just starting to get tender. Reduce to medium heat, stir in the flour and sauté for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
Once cooked, remove ribs from the pot and let cool. Save the liquid in the pot.
To the pot of liquid, add the sauerkraut and juice, shredded cabbage, stewed tomatoes, caraway seeds and salt as well as the cooked salt pork and onion mixture.
Cook over medium high heat until cabbage is cooked, approximately 30-35 minutes. While the cabbage mixture is cooking, remove the meat from the bones, shredding the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return the cooked pork to the pot once the cabbage is tender and heat to serving temperature.
Peel and quarter potatoes and place in cold salted water while cabbage mixture is cooking. Bring to a boil and over a medium boil, cook potatoes for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Drain water and cool potatoes to room temperature. Once the cabbage mixture has finished cooking, cut cooked potatoes into bite sized pieces and either add to the finished cabbage dish or serve on the side. (cooking in quarters and cutting after the fact will make them more firm and less mushy since less of the surface touched the boiling water.
Serve with rye bread and butter for a traditional Polish meal.

Downsizing Report!

This week Karen Shinn from Downsizing Divas joined us for "It's Not Just Stuff, It's MY STUFF!"

Some of her presentation focused on these topics:

the best time to start downsizing is now!
her million dollar tip - our family and friends don't want our stuff, no matter how much we love it or how valuable it is - best to give it a new home!
her "spin the downsizing wheel" and a list of places to dispose of items ( the list is Toronto oriented but may give you some ideas) is available on the Downsizing Diva website
many charities and resellers are swamped with people downsizing, time to find new ways to clear out all the papers, books, photos and stuff!

We'd love to hear your tips on how you downsized and who you shared your old and treasured items with - we'd like to make a list of sources for everyone to use as we clear out the old to make way for the new! Just email us at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com with your tips!

Three downsizing tips:

Carolyn P recommends the Furniture Bank to donate furniture and other items
Habitat for Humanity - will pick up a variety of items or you can drop off items at the Restore in Burlington
Declutter Diabetes They will pick up from you or you can drop off! Check out the website for details!

Note: We recorded this zoom presentation from Downsizing Divas so if you missed it and would like to see it, pls let us know and we'll send you a link. Just email us at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com

Upcoming Events!

Friday the 13th!

Next Week! Lianne returns Friday August 13th at 3:30 for Superstitions!!

We’ve all heard of witches and their black cats, unlucky number 13 and saying ‘bless you’ after a sneeze. These stories linger in movies, urban legends and novels too.

Take a spooky hour long journey with Lianne Harris as we look at the fascinating history of witches and superstitions, their origins, their importance and why these ideas persist today.

NEW! Intro to Wellness & Self Care

Ana Nunes Freitas, Acclaim Health's Wellness Care Manager will be presenting a special topic on Wellness and Self Care on Tuesday, August 24th at 2pm.. The presentation will include Q&A.

If you normally attend Tuesdays at 2pm you will automatically receive an invitation. If you would like to come and don't normally come to Tuesdays, please let Penny know at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com that you'd like an invitation.

Life After Loss

Dr. Flavia Ceschin returns for another session focusing on life after loss, loneliness and Covid Friday August 27th at 1pm. Pls note there is a minimum attendance of 6 people for this workshop.

This session is $10 and all proceeds go to Heartache to Hope. Pls email us at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com if you would like to attend. This session has limited attendance.

August Events!

Sunday August 8th -1:00pm Travel Day to Australia! Send in your travel pics or tell us about where you'd like to travel in Australia!

Tuesday August 10th - 2:00pm Let's get together and share some positive thoughts!

Wednesday August 11th - 1:00pm - Book Club!

Wednesday August 11th - 6:00 pm Bring a glass of wine or cup of tea

for Name That Tune!!

Thursday Aug 12th-2:00pm Chat about Loss & Grief -Join us for a discussion of the grief journey and steps we can take to support one another.

Thursday Aug 12th 4:30 pm - Bingo! Join us for an hour of virtual bingo. Let us know if you would like us to email or mail bingo sheets to you and bring your own

Friday August 13th -3:30pm. Lianne returns with a chat about Superstitions (see the description above)

Sunday August 15th 1:00pm Travel Day in the Caribbean!!

Tuesday August 17th - 2:00pm Let's get together and share some positive thoughts!

Wednesday August 18th - 6:00 pm Bring a glass of wine or cup of tea

for a social with an entertainment/movie quiz or a quiz of your own if you would like to share!

Thursday Aug 19th-2:00pm Chat about Loss & Grief -Join us for a discussion of the grief journey and steps we can take to support one another.

Thursday Aug 19th 4:30 pm - Bingo! Join us for an hour of virtual bingo. Let us know if you would like us to email or mail bingo sheets to you and bring your own.

Sunday August 22nd 1:00pm Travel Day in Canada!

Tuesday August 24th - 2:00pm Let's get together and share some positive things

Wednesday August 25th - 6:00 pm Bring a glass of wine or cup of tea

for a social with an entertainment/movie quiz or a quiz of your own if you would like to share!

Thursday Aug 26th-2:00pm Chat about Loss & Grief -Join us for a discussion of the grief journey and steps we can take to support one another.

Thursday Aug 26th 4:30 pm - Bingo! Join us for an hour of virtual bingo. Let us know if you would like us to email or mail bingo sheets to you and bring your own.

Sunday August 29th - 1:00pm Travel Day to Iceland!

Tuesday August 31st - 2:00pm - Let's get together and share some positive stories

Please let Penny know at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com if you'd like to be added to the attendee list for any of these Zooms or if you have any questions! Penny sends out the link the day of the zoom, if you don't have it before noon, please contact her and she'll send the link to you.

BINGO!!

Join us August 12th at 4:30pm for our next game! Please email us at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com if you'd like to join us.

Winners from the August 5th game include:

Game 1: Leslie F

Game 2: Sushma

Game 3: Leslie T

Game 4: Donna

Game 5: Leslie F

Game 6: Sandra

Game 7: Chet

Game 8: Leslie F, Sushma, Joanna, Sandra

Game 9: Joanna

We are drawing a monthly prize from all the bingo game winners of the month's 4 sessions. Since a prize is offered, we ask members to use a dabber (or thick marker) for verification of each game. Widowed Friends has some dabbers available to give out during the lockdown. If you need a dabber or more bingo cards, please let us know at widowedfriendsltd@gmail.com.

Downsizing Diva, Karen Shinn, shared this poem/hymn with us.

We thought you might like it!

Come and Find the Quiet Centre

by Shirley Erena Murray

Come and find the quiet center

in the crowded life we lead,

find the room for hope to enter,

find the frame where we are freed:

clear the chaos and the clutter,

clear our eyes, that we can see

all the things that really matter,

be at peace, and simply be.