Happy feet make a happier life

An old-age crisis is much like a mid-life crisis. You are forced to slow down because your body is giving way.

Your energy is depleted and you sign on for fewer marathons. You sit more and reflect. Those highly valued relations with family and friends have often proved disappointing and you see less time in the future to improve matters.

The dreams of career, accomplishment, and so many of your fantasies have not come to fruition. I, for one senior, have been singing the blues a lot lately.

Then a couple of small things came to me in recent weeks and they added up to big things in my attitude and sense of gratitude.

For starters, Mike and I spent a week at Silver Hills, north of Vernon.

We signed on for the whole vegan meal deal, complete with cookbook and lessons.

I experienced a mild headache due to lack of coffee and my favourite Syrah, but soon came to appreciate the light-headed feeling of rejuvenation that results from drinking only water and fruit juice.

We love the nature trails at Silver Hills and the hot tub under the stars.

For the first time ever, I signed on for a reflexology treatment, which is one of several luxurious spa services.

I am so self-conscious about the appearance of my feet that I hide them in the sand at the beach. That bony bump at the base of my big toe has grown bigger and redder over the years. My mother had hammer toes and hereditary factors play a role in bunion development, too, which sometimes leads to arthritis.

In my case, the stiff toes and heels have always carried me well, with never any pain or discomfort unless my shoes were poorly fitted.

The reflexology treatment has changed my life, at least in the way I now bless my feet. And I will schedule more reflexology in the future.

I love my soft skin and the relaxation my toes and foot bones can now experience. All the thousands of nerves in the feet are directly related to the rest of the body so all your organs feel better. The pressure points are a subject I want to learn more about.

When we returned home, I learned my Colorado cousin was flying in from Denver with her granddaughter, Emily, to visit here and celebrate an early summer birthday with me.

Beverly could write a book, if she ever finds the time.

We were both born during the Depression to caring families who loved us and encouraged us to be the best people possible.

We graduated from high school the same year and set off to university months later. Beverly recovered from polio and the loss of her mother at an early age. She remembers us playing with paper dolls on the floor.

In all, Beverly’s father married five times and she herself had nine children. My parents were married 50 years and I produced a mere three daughters. To this day, whenever our families get together, it is a party.

When Beverly’s flight left Denver it was delayed due to a spring storm complete with high winds and hail.

When she arrived in Kelowna on that one hot day we had, she marvelled at the lush green colours on the hillside and in our back yard. Beverly’s last visit here was over 10 years ago so she marvelled at all the development and highrise buildings.

I served our company a lot of salads with my apple cider and sour cream dressing.

To make, just whisk 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sour cream,1 tsp dill, 1 tsp organic cane sugar and 1 tsp lemon with your favourite herbs.

Beverly prefers light wines so we drank a lot of Gray Monk’s 2016 Gewürztraminer. New York is a long way to go for Boylan Root Beer, but it truly makes the best floats to serve on the deck on warm nights.

We all enjoyed the Marlin Travel presentation featuring Don Burnett and a river cruise along Dutch and Belgian Waterways for springtime tulips next year.

A highlight of the week was lunch at Summerhill Winery and a gift taste of the 2014 Merlot icewine served by Stephen Cipes himself.

My first taste of a red icewine and I thought it had the classic Bordeaux flavour. I always remind the adorable Stephen I remember the morning he carved a driveway out of the hillside above the Lakeshore Road. He now employs 170 people and I am thrilled to view his creation in its continual state of expansion.

Mike made his famous red, white and blue waffles (strawberries, whipping cream and blueberries). We all had our toes done at the Cove Spa and found a whole collection of summer tops for Emily at the Ginger Lily on Pandosy in the Mission.

Could old age mean new life? Our youth is spent, the family is grown, our careers are past and yet I find myself at the end celebrating my poor, old misshapen feet.

Honestly, I thought I would end my life in celebration of fame and fortune. Turns out, I am celebrating my bunions.

Today, I am absolutely thrilled to be up and about and on my way to praise and bless my poor old hammer toes. Today I am on my way to say a prayer of gratitude for the fact I never encountered plantar warts or blisters. And thank you, Lord, I am going to make it to 84.

Jeanette Dunagan has lived in Kelowna for more than 40 years. Email her at jd2399@telus.net.