Tag Archives: family

How To Embrace Your Post Divorce Future

The “D” word. Stressful right? When your divorce is finally final, how will you begin again?

The transition can be liberating for some, daunting for others. Mixed feelings – anger, relief, sadness, joy, fear and uncertainty – are common and may take time to sort out.

Meanwhile, the clock on your new life is ticking, and regardless of your emotions, it is time for a freedom-inspired relaunch, says Jacqueline Newman, a Manhattan-based divorce lawyer and author of Soon To Be Ex: A Guide to Your Perfect Divorce & Relaunch (www.Jacquelinenewman.com).

The divorce proceedings – all the time spent with your attorney and in court,  all the hours burned while considering highly emotional and financial factors, from the impact on your children to the division of assets – put a big part of your life on hold, not to mention a major strain on it.  And now with the difficult process over, Newman says, it is important to focus on creating a brand new you.

“The last umpteen months have been about your kids, your ex, and your divorce,” says Newman, “thus, a little ‘me’ time is in order. Here is an opportunity to be free from having to answer to anyone but yourself. So live your life to its fullest.”

Newman’s message is that divorce does not have to be the worst thing that could have happened to you.

There are silver linings as you begin to take control of what you can, and she offers three tips on how to relaunch after a divorce.

     •    Treat yourself.  Right out of the divorce gate, buy something meaningful for yourself. Lose the guilt your ex made you feel for spending on clothes or expensive shoes. Your gift could be something symbolic and therapeutic that fires a shot back at your ex. “I would absolutely recommend you buy yourself a divorce present of some kind,” Newman says. “You deserve it. One woman I represented was constantly mocked by her husband during their marriage for being flat-chested. It is easy to guess what she bought as soon as her cash payment cleared.” Sexy White Lingerie for Bride Women's Lingerie Lace | Etsy

   •      Embrace single hood. This does not mean you have to hug your first post-divorce dinner partner. It means embracing a new stage of discovery, with the different, interesting people you meet while dating becoming part of your growth.  Newman recommends online dating as a way to “relearn how to date.” Many newly divorced people feel insecure about dating, but Newman suggests learning about people outside your comfort zone. And rather than trying to focus on finding Mr. or Mrs. Right, Newman says, “Give yourself some time to look around and meet different types of people. You may learn something that can broaden your perspective on life. If you can start seeing relationships not as the goal but as opportunities for growth, then you can start being more accepting with the outcome of each relationship.”  Cougar dating advice 1.

   •      Expand your freedom.  Use your new windows of time to catch up with friends you have not seen. Newman recommends Facebook as an easy way to reconnect. On weekends when the ex has the kids, strengthen your friendship circle and broaden it. Explore and re-discover yourself. Pursue new hobbies or renew ones you did not have as much time for in marriage. Advance your career. “Your post-divorce life is offering you a chance to go after the promotion you have been dreaming about,” Newman says. “Cougars” on the prowl in Colorado nightclubs – The Denver Post

By doing the things you long wanted to do, you can find the new you. 

“You are free to be who you are without judgment from a spouse,” Newman says, “and to do whatever you want. Learn to love yourself.”  For the Silo, Cathy K. Hayes. 

Supplemental– Silo archives: break up jewelry

 

 

Traditional Family Fades In Canada As Some Women Advocate For Revival

On her fridge door, along with numerous family pictures, Danielle Brandt has a handwritten quote by Dr. John Trainer: “Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work.”

A proud Calgary mother of three boys (Aiden, 10, Theodore, 4, and Silas, 2), Mrs. Brandt is a homemaker. Her husband, Adam Brandt, is the breadwinner. At the core of their parenting philosophy is the belief that strong families make strong societies, Mrs. Brandt says.

She was a music teacher before becoming a stay-at-home mom, but when she returned to work shortly after giving birth to her first child, she says she realized she wanted to be fully involved in raising her children.

“The idea that your identity is found at home with your family and not out in the world with your peers, and that your parents and your family are what matters first … that’s the reason I wanted to be home with my children.”

While Mrs. Brandt persists in adhering to her traditional role in the family, there is declining interest among young Canadian women to pursue the same path.

Canadians are “increasingly less likely” to form families, and if they do, they are choosing to have fewer children, if any at all, according to a May 2024 report jointly published by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI) and the Centre for the Study of Living Standards.

ANALYSIS: To Reverse Canada’s Declining Birth Rate, Cultural Changes May Be More Important Than Economic Ones

How Marxism Broke Down the Nuclear Family

How Marxism Broke Down the Nuclear Family

The same report, based on evidence from existing data and literature, found that traditional families enjoy more prosperity and better health.

Adults who are in a couple tend to earn more money per person than singles of the same age and, if married, they tend to live longer, have healthier lifestyles, and are less stressed. Similarly, children benefit from being raised by their two biological parents in a stable marriage, appearing to have a higher standard of living and educational attainment, and being less likely to engage in risky behaviour, the report found.

But a significant fraction of Canadian children will see their families break up by the time they are 14, and more than a quarter live in one-parent families, the report said. The author, Tim Sargent, deputy executive director of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards, concluded that the rates of family dissolution in Canada are higher than those in the United States and the UK, culturally comparable countries.

Janice Fiamengo, a retired University of Ottawa English professor who now gives talks on the role of women in society, says the downward trends in family formation are largely due to how women’s priorities are being redefined in Canada.

“Their primary goal in life is to be independent, to have a career, and to regard marriage and childbearing as secondary, if not undesirable in general,” Ms. Fiamengo told The Epoch Times, describing the trends and messages aimed at young women today.

Trends Among Canadian Women

Women are now taking longer to complete their higher education. From 2000–2022, the participation in education of women aged 20 to 24 rose by 12 percent (to 51 percent), according to Statistics Canada.

Only 37 percent of men in the same age range participated in education in 2022, and that rate grew by just four percentage points since 2000. Similar trends are seen among men and women aged 25 to 29.

Source: Statistics Canada 2023h, Table 37-10-0196-01. (Chart: Carolina Avendano/The Epoch Times)
Source: Statistics Canada 2023h, Table 37-10-0196-01. (Chart: Carolina Avendano/The Epoch Times)

Women’s participation in the labour market has also increased dramatically in recent decades, with fewer and fewer women choosing to be stay-at-home moms.

Employment among women aged 25 to 54 has almost doubled from 40 percent in 1976 to about 80 percent as of May 2024, according to Statistics Canada. Employment rates for women in general remain higher than they were prior to the pandemic in 2017 and 2019.

In addition, more women aged 25 to 34 now delay living with their partner. The proportion of those who live with their parents increased by 3.3 percentage points, from 12.8 percent in 2011 to 16.1 percent in 2021.

Marriage rates are on the decline while divorce rates are increasing, and women are waiting until later to have children.

At the same time, Canada’s fertility rate has been declining persistently for the past 15 years, with the national rate hitting an all-time low in 2022 at 1.3 children per woman.

A study by the think tank Cardus found that the top factors that diminish a woman’s desire to be a mother are wanting to grow as a person, wanting to save money, focusing on a career, and believing that kids require intense care.

“Any woman who decides that what she primarily wants to do is to marry and to have children, that woman is seen as having failed, having let down other women, and having failed herself,” says Ms. Fiamengo.

She says the prevalence of feminism in Canada has played a role in shaping these views.

Changing Views on Traditional Family Roles

It wasn’t until the second-wave feminism of the 1980s that an idea with communist roots took hold—the dissolution of the traditional family structure, Ms. Fiamengo says.

Feminism takes many forms and contains different ideas—in the 19th century, it was about women’s suffrage. The idea that the traditional family is at odds with gender equality and women’s fulfilment has its origins in communist ideology.

In his 1884 book titled “The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State,” Friedrich Engels, based on notes by Karl Marx, made the first allusion to the monogamous family as “the world historical defeat of the female sex,” in which the woman was reduced to servitude and turned into an instrument for the production of children.

He thus advocated for the liberation of the wife, the abolishment of the family, and for the care and education of the children to become a public affair.

“[Engels] explicitly makes that connection, that the man—the patriarch—is the capitalist oppressor. The woman is in the situation of being the oppressed worker or the sex slave in the family,” says Ms. Fiamengo.

“He saw no distinction between prostitution, in which a woman is bought by a man to have her body used for the man’s pleasure, and the situation of a woman in a marriage.”

Betty Friedan’s 1963 book “The Feminine Mystique,” a precursor of feminism as a struggle between genders, urged women to break free from the domestic sphere and find their own identity outside the home. Friedan promulgated that fulfillment could not be found through marriage and motherhood alone.

Ms. Fiamengo says feminism’s lack of encouragement for women to start a family makes them miss out on what she thinks is one of the greatest joys of human life—childbearing.

“The fact that our government doesn’t encourage marriage … or encourage couples to stay together for the good of their children, is doing a terrible disservice to the future generations,” she says.

Peter Jon Mitchell, program director for Cardus Family, says the prevalent view of marriage in Canada is that “it’s nice, but unnecessary.”

“We don’t really talk a lot about marriage and the benefits of marriage in our culture.” Mr. Mitchell also that, compared to the United States, where the two-parent privilege—the fact that children fare better in two-parent rather than single-parent households—and the benefits of marriage are part of the public discourse, Canada lags behind.

The May MLI report cites some studies showing that children in two-parent households fare better. One published by the National Library of Medicine in 2014 found such children do better physically, emotionally, and academically.

Likewise, in a 2015 research paper, David Ribar, honorary professor at the University of Melbourne, found that children who grow up with married parents enjoy more economic and family stability. Mr. Ribar argues that the benefits of marriage for children’s wellbeing are hard to replicate through policy interventions other than those that support marriage itself.

Consequences of Putting Family Role Second

Sociologist Brigitte Berger noted in her book “The Emerging Role of Women” that work is important for both sexes. Yet liberation through work means different things to different people.

To the working-class women and the poor, for whom work is a necessity, liberation means freedom from financial burden and the freedom to devote time to things that matter outside of work, such as family, community, and hobbies. Among women for whom work is not a necessity, modern thinking has led them to find identity and liberation through paid labour.

According to a 2021 survey by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, 28 percent of mothers reported difficulty keeping up with work demands, and half of mothers felt exhausted trying to balance work and childcare responsibilities.

“I think most mothers would prefer to be part-time,” says Mrs. Brandt. “They don’t actually want to leave their kids 100 percent of the time with someone else.”

She says the widespread notion that women can do it all is not realistic and can lead many to burnout. “I can’t fully parent my children well and fully do another job [outside the home], at least not the way I want to,” she says. “Something has to give; there’s not enough of me.”

Mrs. Brandt says she is not worried about her chances of returning to work at some stage.

“We live a long time nowadays. You can’t always have kids, you can’t always be with your kids when they’re young or get that time back when they’re young,” she adds. “But you could do a career later, and that’s the amazing thing about our culture, too.”

Last year, a study by the think tank Cardus found that half of Canadian women are not having as many children as they would like, and that this group reported lower life satisfaction than women who achieved their fertility goals.

Cardus senior fellow Lyman Stone noted low fertility rates are not because women want few kids, but the timeline most of them follow for school, work, self-development, and marriage leaves too few economically stable years to achieve the families they want.

One of the most striking findings of the May MLI report is that Canada has seen a marked deterioration in the mental health of young women over the last decade.

More than three-quarters of women aged 15 to 30 reported excellent or very good mental health between 2009 and 2010. Throughout the following nine years, that figure dropped 22.5 percentage points, to 54 percent. For women aged 31 to 46, mental well-being also declined, but only by 10.1 percentage points.

Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2003 to 2019. (Chart: Carolina Avendano/The Epoch Times)
Source: Canadian Community Health Survey, 2003 to 2019. (Chart: Carolina Avendano/The Epoch Times)

Motherhood and Women’s Happiness

A Cardus 2023 study concluded that women’s happiness and fertility are linked. The think tank surveyed 2,700 women aged 18 to 44 about family and fertility, and found that mothers are happier than non-mothers everywhere (except when they are under 25 or living in poverty).

“The role of the mother really is to nurture and to develop children,” says Mrs. Brandt. “My husband is a wonderful nurturer, he’s fantastic at it, but my boys, even the ones that have the closest relationship with him, they still need mom … I’m still the safe place.

“I am not saying that men can’t do it, but sometimes women are built for it, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Danielle Brandt with her youngest son, Silas, at her Calgary home on June 1, 2024. Mrs. Brandt homeschools her oldest son, Aiden, because she saw he was falling behind in class. Seeing the positive response, she now plans to also homeschool her other two children. (Carolina Avendano/The Epoch Times)
Danielle Brandt with her youngest son, Silas, at her Calgary home on June 1, 2024. Mrs. Brandt homeschools her oldest son, Aiden, because she saw he was falling behind in class. Seeing the positive response, she now plans to also homeschool her other two children. (Carolina Avendano/The Epoch Times)

She draws inspiration from her mother, who was also a teacher turned homemaker. Mrs. Brandt says her mother was always available for her and her three siblings, and would show up at their most important moments, including sporting events, school functions or field trips. “We felt like we were the priority because we were,” she says.

But being a stay-at-home mom is also demanding, Mrs. Brandt adds. Although it’s rewarding, she says the challenge is that there is no time off. “But at the end of the day, when I look at my children and see them peacefully sleeping, [I think to myself] ‘That’s it, that’s what this is about,’” she says. “They are the future generation. I want to pour into that, and there is no more valuable work than that.” For the Silo, Carolina Avendano.

Featured image- Danielle and Adam Brandt with their sons Silas (L), Aiden (C), and Theodore at their home in Calgary on June 1, 2024. (Carolina Avendano/The Epoch Times)

How To Prep For An Imminent EMP Attack

There you have it… from Dr. Peter Vincent Pry himself, director of the EMP Task Force on National and Homeland Security… An electromagnetic pulse (EMP for short) would literally send an entire country back in the 1800’s in a matter of seconds, by frying everyone’s electronics and leaving us in the dark.

Here’s Ben Carson explaining EMPs…

Mainstream media has been silent about this for the last decade.  And now folks are finally starting to see the truth…I believe an electromagnetic pulse is imminent and  I want to show you how to make this cheap set-up that can shield any device against an EMP.

Let me give you a few shocking stats and facts that have scared the daylights out of some top US politicians.

Wired Magazine said there was a 12% chance the Sun would blast a Coronal Mass Ejection (or CME) at 300 miles per second towards Earth by 20201.   

Now as far as we know 😉 that didn’t happen. But it seems mathematically certain to happen in the very near future.

A Space Weather study quoted by Gizmodo2 estimates it would cost the US $41.5bn / day, and it would take months if not years for the power grid to be replaced and for things to get back to some sort of normal.

Given that it produces an average of 3 CMEs EVERY SINGLE DAY3, the Sun is nothing but a ticking time bomb waiting to “explode”, destroy the grid and any device that’s plugged in, and ultimately paralyze society…

Then you’ve got nations such as Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, playing with high-altitude HEMP bombs, which can be even MORE devastating, because they can even fry electronics that are not connected to the grid, such as phones and flashlights.

In fact, Russia sold such devices to North Korea in 2014 4 5 and here’s why:

If you’re still skeptical about N. Korea’s abilities, keep in mind that they now have two satellites orbiting the Earth at low altitude, the KMS-3 launched in 2012 and the KMS-4 launched in 2016.6

…and guess what? They both hover over the United States7!

And let’s not forget ISIS, who’ve been planning grid attacks for a long time, are extremely self-motivated.

So what happens if any of these scenarios come true? Total collapse.

The large power transformers (that are keeping the power grid alive) will be completely fried, turning entire countries into a veritable electronics graveyard. Trucks will come to a screeching halt, and will stop delivering food, water, and medicine to stores across the nation.

People will be hungry and scared, turning against their fellow men in desperate attempts to feed their families. Looting will be the new national sport, and disease the new biggest killer… That’s when the real “fun” starts…

Law enforcement will be paralyzed and unable to communicate to keep things under control. And what will you eat when all of this happens?

EMP rehearsals

I like to call blackouts “EMP rehearsals”… because they too can leave entire cities in the dark for days or even weeks on end, and scare millions of people…Like this woman, for instance… who got trapped in an elevator during a blackout. If that were an EMP, she’d most likely experience a deadly free fall:

The aging US power grid is hit every FOUR DAYS on average by either a cyber or a physical ATTACK9… 225,000 Ukrainian households were left in the dark in 2015, after the power grid was hacked10.

The number of power outages doubles every 5 years11, mostly because of our increased energy needs, but also due to storms, earthquakes, tornadoes and even heat waves. And what will happen when millions of electric cars owners will plug their vehicles into the grid every night, all at once, and let them charge over night for 8 or 9 hours?

Look no further than 3rd world countries such as India to see what that would look like. In 2002, 700 MILLION souls were left in the dark… It was horrible… According to The Guardian13, “electric crematoriums stopped operating, some with bodies left half burnt before wood was brought in to stoke the furnaces”

In 2014, the entire country of Yemen was left without power for an entire week after al-Qaeda attacked it14. It wasn’t the first time, either…

Still, it’s hard to imagine what happens when an electromagnetic tsunami completely fries the aging power grid, phones, laptops, medical equipment such as pacemakers, fridges (keeping anything from food to insulin cold), and even some cars. The cost of replacing everything is unimaginable. Plus, even if your car does survive, remember gas pumps also run on electricity…

So what can you do to protect your electronics? All you need is this one weird box you can make at home called a “Faraday cage”, with simple materials lying around in your kitchen or garage right now that, if done right, will guarantee that all the electronics inside will survive.

“If done right” is key here, because there’s a lot of confusion on making them… Many folks are convinced that things like cars and microwaves will work, but they’re completely wrong.

I cringe every time I hear this, because I know that if the shield is not fully enclosed, the electromagnetic pulse will go right through and fry everything inside… Many Faraday cages have holes in them14 and are useless in front of a powerful EMP. What you need is a fully-enclosed shield.

There’s a simple 30 second test you can do right now, to see for yourself. Place your phone and a portable radio inside a microwave, trashcan, or anything else you think would work as a shield. Turn both devices on, and make sure your radio is tuned in to an AM station.

Now try calling your phone. Is it ringing? What about your radio, are you getting anything? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes”, then that is not a Faraday shield and it will fail you.

Why does the test work? Because EMP pulses hit on a very wide frequency range that those used by cell phones and radios.

Now, to make a real Faraday cage, there are two simple rules you need to follow…

Rule #1: the gadgets inside should not touch the outer metal casing…

And rule #2, the metal container must not have any holes or cracks in it, no matter how small.

A box full of working gadgets won’t cover your basic survival needs, so it’s critical that you get over your addiction to electricity. Just like a drug, you’re dependent on it because it makes everything so much easier… And when it’s gone, when you can’t use your phone or laptop, you feel totally helpless.

You gotta learn to live without it, because most people won’t…

Modern life made everyone soft, people can’t even change a tire these days. They can’t fix their house, cook on an open fire or grow their own food, heck, most can’t even change a tire…

The other thing we need to talk about is generating your own electricity post-EMP with parts kept safe inside these Faraday cages. You’ll then be able to run electric tools and appliances such as chainsaws, pressure cookers and washing machines. This is actually something you can do today to slash your electric bill…

To recap, the 3 layers of EMP preparedness are:

Layer #1: Faraday shields

Layer #2: living without electricity

and Layer #3: free energy…

Don’t worry, though, because we’ve already done all the hard work for you. Me and my amazing prepper writers at Survival Sullivan have once again outdone ourselves and came up with hands-down the best course for surviving blackouts and EMPs anyone ever made:

*This product is digital. The image is for information purposes.
We call it: “EMP Protocol”

…and I’m excited to give you a taste of what’s inside:

● Step-by-step videos and pictures on how to make these 3 Faraday boxes types that will protect your devices against even the strongest EMP. You don’t have to pay $30,000 for a copper chamber, or even $30 for Faraday cages advertised on various websites. We’ll show you how to make them for less than $5usd  each… You get the exact materials for every type of box, plus step-by-step instructions. Plus, one of these types of cages is small and light enough to fit in your bug out bag…

● What to do the moment an EMP happens. Whether you live in the city or on a farm, whether you’re bugging in or out, we’ll tell you how to move fast, stay safe and protect yourself and your family.

● The 3 best ways to safely generate electricity post-collapse. Just keep the spare parts in Faraday shields, and you’ll have light for years to come.

● 12 electronics you need to salvage in Faraday cages. Yes, flashlights and emergency radios are on the list, but if you truly want to be prepared for a long-term disaster, you definitely need the others.

● How to hide the fact that you have electricity… If someone sees light in your window, or if your kid is playing outside with a flashlight, they’ll instantly know you have it. These stealth tactics are what you need to make sure no neighbor or even the law enforcement will take your devices.

● How to prepare your vehicle for an EMP. Plus, a list of cars models that are sure to survive it.

● How to make bug out bags, get home bags and everyday carry kits for you and your family, that work not just in EMPs, but in any kind of emergency. We’re going deep down the rabbit hole, covering every possible aspect, making sure all the items inside are protected against shocks, water, puncturing by sharp objects, and even theft.

● How to bug out on foot. If your car won’t work, you’ll have no choice but to leave it behind. The roads could be dangerous, but fear not because we’ll tell you how to get to your bug out location safely and in record time.

● Last but not least, we’re going to have a conversation about how to survive without electricity  in the long hard years following an EMP event. Nothing is left out, including food and water procurement, hygiene and sanitation, alternative communication methods, and even things that are often overlooked such as home schooling

We really went out of our way to weed out the bad information about EMPs. Best of all, these things will help you survive and thrive in almost any other disaster or emergency, such as social unrest, hurricanes and an economic collapse. Click here to receive your EMP Survival guide.  For the Silo, Dan F. Sullivan.

References

1. https://www.wired.com/2012/02/massive-solar-flare

2. http://gizmodo.com/a-monster-solar-storm-could-cost-the-us-40-billion-dai-1791379797

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronal_mass_ejection

4. http://www.tokyotimes.com/n-korea-buys-russian-electromagnetic-pulse-weaponry-develops-its-own

5. https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/170563-north-korea-emp

6. http://www.wnd.com/2016/04/emp-alert-2-n-korean-satellites-now-orbit-over-u-s

7. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/14/north-korea-missile-strike-remains-a-real-threat

8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alleged_Saudi_role_in_September_11_attacks

9. http://time.com/3757513/electricity-power-grid-attack-energy-security/

10. https://www.wired.com/2016/03/inside-cunning-unprecedented-hack-ukraines-power-grid

11. http://insideenergy.org/2014/08/18/power-outages-on-the-rise-across-the-u-s/

12. http://www.electricity-today.com/state-of-industry/how-utilities-can-improve-aging-infrastructure

13. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jul/31/india-blackout-electricity-power-cuts

14. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/06/power-line-assault-plunge-yemen-into-darkness-201461164559672523.html

15. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jul/28/uk-can-expect-just-12-hours-warning-damaging-solar-storm-space-weather

How To Find Meaning Of Christmas In Our Politically Correct World

It seems that every where you turn these days, it is becoming incorrect to celebrate the Christmas holidays in “the manner in which you have become accustomed”- at least in the matter in which I have become accustomed.

To truly celebrate the Christmas season, and that’s what it is, no matter what anyone says, I have become open-minded and willing to accept EVERYONE’S ideas for the holiday season. If you disagree, please refrain from attending any “holiday” parties or dinners, taking the day off on December 25th or 26th (should you work for a company that still acknowledges these days as holidays) and carry on as usual. Should you happen to work for the government you are safe (for now) as they would never legislate against their own days off, although when it comes to politicians, I don’t believe never is in their vocabulary (particularly when it comes to matters involving taxes).

merry fucking whateverThe true “spirit” of the holiday season (oops, I meant to say Christmas) is for people to pause and give thanks. According to the man-made calendar of months and years, we are getting ready to start a New Year.

We give thanks for the things we have received in the past (not to be confused with Thanksgiving, another man-made tradition) and offer gifts to the people that have blessed us over the past year.

Being the humble (not humbug, Mr. Scrooge) creatures that we are, we also accept gifts from others (although for most it is not OUR birthday), all the while muttering that we aren’t worthy. Once these gifts are exchanged, a significant amount of “Why would she buy me this?” and “I don’t NEED another scarf” or “Does he think I’m that big?” are voiced in private, to be repeated over the next month or so. In the days immediately following Christmas, our thankful spirit has usually been diminished significantly.

The greatest reason for pausing at the end of the year (and any time, for that matter) is to be grateful for what you have. Being grateful does not mean that you have to thank every one in your life personally, and you DON’T have to buy them a gift. If you are expecting a gift from someone you are probably going to be disappointed, and if you don’t reciprocate in kind you are going to be REALLY disappointed. If you have chosen to be open-minded I want to thank you for getting this far. I hope that you will also be open to a spiritual suggestion that will make you feel happy inside even though you may have received nothing outside.

Whether it is Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, the Chinese New Year, Hanukkah or Guy Lombardo’s Rocking New Year’s Eve, let those people who enjoy these festivals enjoy them. When someone acknowledges you with a holiday greeting that you are unfamiliar with, don’t believe in or if it makes you blow a gasket, pause for a moment and reply with a hearty “That’s The Spirit!”. Unless they have an aversion to ghosts, that reply should be fairly safe no matter what the season.

Let others grumble and complain that Christmas is too commercialized, the spirit of giving has been lost (or is too expensive), kids are spoiled today, no one appreciates anything and the holidays are just too much of a hassle anymore. Bellowing “That’s The Spirit!” right back at them is a great stress reliever, and at the very least will allow them to walk away from you (quickly, perhaps) in much the same way Lucy was bowled over by Charlie Brown’s enthusiastic “That’s It!” in “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.

At the risk of revealing my upbringing, I wish everyone a “Merry Christmas”, “Happy New Year” and a “God bless us, everyone”. By the way, for me it truly IS a wonderful life… For the Silo, Rick Fess.

UN Invests 8 Billion USD In World’s Poorest Countries To Grow World’s Food

Rome, 17 July 2023 – In 2022, despite conflict, climate change and the continued stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic which threatened the food security and livelihoods of millions of rural people, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) invested US$7.96 billion in rural areas in the world’s poorest countries, according to its annual report released today.

“2022 was a particularly challenging year for rural people the world over. Rural communities have acutely felt the effects of this triple crisis on their food systems, which are a critical source of livelihoods – as well as essential nourishment – for them, and for the millions of people who depend on them,” said IFAD President Alvaro Lario in the report foreword.  

PR-67-2023

© IFAD/ Didor Sadulloev

“We need to support rural people to cope with present crises. But we also need to invest in building food systems that can support and nourish their families and communities, and help feed the world into the future.”  

The annual report captures the organization’s activities, special initiatives and new funding sources as well as impact data. Analysis of the 2022 total rural development project portfolio reveals that 90% of core resources went to low-income countries (LICs) and lower middle-income countries (LMICS). IFAD has since committed to increase that ratio to 100% going forward. Data verification also showed that more than 90% of IFAD’s climate finance is invested in initiatives that enable rural people to adapt to climate change. In addition, it showed that more than half of project participants are women.

In 2022, IFAD launched the Crisis Response Initiative to protect livelihoods and strengthen resilience in 22 countries most in need as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. It focuses on tailored interventions to prevent hunger and food insecurity arising, while supporting sustainable food systems.

In 2022, impact data reveals that between 2019-2021, as a result of IFAD’s investments: more than 77 million people increased their incomes; more than 62 million people expanded their productive capacities; more than 64 million people improved their market access and 38 million people strengthened their resilience. IFAD is the only international financial institution that systematically measures the impact of its investments.

Assessments of the Rural Poor Stimulus Facility – IFAD’s COVID-19 response initiative launched in 2020 to help people survive pandemic-caused financial losses while protecting the global food supply – showed that at least three quarters of participants maintained or increased their levels of production and income, despite the impacts of the pandemic.

 “Doing more to get more finance is critical; but we also have to continue to ensure that the people who need it most are the ones who benefit. This is another part of what makes IFAD unique, and we are maintaining our commitment to devote 100% of our core funding to the poorest countries,” wrote Lario. For the Silo, Julie Marshall.

Read the report

IFAD is an international financial institution and a United Nations specialized agency. Based in Rome – the United Nations food and agriculture hub – IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided more than US$24 billion in grants and low-interest loans to fund projects in developing countries.  

Four Great Ways To Transform Physical And Mental Fitness

Beth Linder-Moss got interested in health and fitness at the age of 16 after her father had his first heart attack. After this devastating event, she and the other members of her family changed their habits for the better.

This week on her Podcast, Beth discusses the importance of a positive mindset and taking responsibility for one’s life. Here are her suggestions on how to fix a negative mindset.

The Four Ways

1. The power of the mind:

Beth emphasizes the importance of having a positive mindset and how it can help individuals achieve their goals. She talks about how the mind can be programmed to focus on positive thoughts and how this can lead to a happier and more fulfilling life.

2. Taking responsibility:

Beth stresses the importance of taking responsibility for one’s life and not blaming others for one’s circumstances. She encourages individuals to take control and make the necessary changes to achieve their goals.

3. Overcoming challenges:

Beth talks about how challenges and obstacles are a part of life, but they can also be opportunities for growth and learning. She encourages individuals to face their challenges head-on and not give up when faced with adversity.

4. The importance of self-care:

Beth emphasizes the importance of taking care of oneself, both physically and mentally. She talks about how self-care can help individuals to maintain a positive mindset and achieve their goals.

“Focus on the positive, take control and do not give up when faced with challenges,” Beth told her audience. “It is easier said than done. To be at your best eat right, drink plenty of water, get your sleep and exercise.” For the Silo, Harold Nicoll.

Is It Time To Finally Outlaw Extreme Religious Shunning?

In an issue of The Watchtower magazine from a few years ago, no doubt was left as to how Jehovah’s Witnesses should treat family members who have been “disfellowshipped,” or ex-communicated, from the religion. “Really, what your beloved family member needs to see is  your resolute stance to put Jehovah above everything else – including the family  bond,” warns the magazine on page 16, before asserting, “Do not look for excuses to associate with a disfellowshipped family member, for example, through e-mail.”

Shunning.

Jehovah’s Witness is not the only religion that calls upon  its followers to ostracize anyone who leaves the faith. Described as  psychological torture by University of California-Davis Professor Almerindo E.  Ojeda, such social rejection is used in the United States by Anabaptists (the  Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites), Scientology, and the Baha’i Faith, among others.

Some contemporary evangelical Protestant churches have renewed the practice of  shunning, as in the case of a 71-year-old former Sunday school teacher who was  arrested on trespassing charges after questioning her pastor’s authority.

The practice can have devastating consequences.

In 2011, Eric Reeder was disfellowshipped from the Jehovah’s  Witnesses after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle accident that led to a blood  transfusion – a medical treatment prohibited by the religion.  His family subsequently shunned him in accordance with the faith’s rules.

Eric posted about his predicament in an online forum for  ex-Witnesses in August of that year, admitting, “The only thing I am really going to miss is my folks … my dad is a hardcore elder and has told me he will no longer be able to speak to me 100% of the time.”  In April 2012 he wrote that he was “still not used to my parents totally shunning me …” before adding, “It’s so hard … nobody should have to lose their parents twice.” By the end of September, Eric was found dead at age 51. He had killed himself.

Nobody can be certain what dark thoughts were swirling through Eric’s mind when he took his own life, or what finally drove him to such a desperate act. But we do know that in the preceding months, Eric was deeply tormented by the ostracism inflicted on him by members of his family.

While The Watchtower Society, the name of the legal entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses, proudly publishes annual statistics related to its worldwide evangelism work, there are no official figures for those who are shunned, and no way to confirm how many of these former members, like Eric, feel desperate enough to take their own lives. However, one can find a great deal of anecdotal evidence on Internet forums frequented by Ex-Witnesses. One well-known researcher, Terri O’Sullivan, reported that being shunned worsens one’s mood within 60 seconds.

Ex- witness Richard E. Kelly is the Managing Director of AAWA and the author of Growing Up in Mama’s Club: A Childhood Perspective of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Ex- witness Richard E. Kelly is the Managing Director of AAWA and the author of Growing Up in Mama’s Club: A Childhood Perspective of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

In the absence of any popular or political impetus to address the issue of religion-incited shunning, I am proud to be part of an organization that dares to face it head on. Advocates for Awareness of Watchtower Abuses (AAWA) has been established to educate the world via its website (www.aawa.co) about some of Watchtower’s most shocking practices.

While these are often pardoned in the name of religious freedom, there are instances where governments have successfully sanctioned extreme shunning:

“The Jewish tradition frequently confronted this issue in the many Eastern European communities where the government outlawed the use of excommunication and shunning. Not surprisingly, when confronted with significant governmentally imposed sanctions against this practice, the Jewish authorities ceased using exclusion as a method of community formation or maintenance,” states an article by Michael J. Broyde, academic director of Emory University’s Law and Religion Program.

My colleagues and I believe that the shunning of relatives and friends represents mental and emotional abuse. Modern society must no longer allow Watchtower to promote this barbarous practice through printed word or otherwise.  For the Silo Richard E. Kelly.

Surprising Truth Behind Toxic And Non Toxic Spring Cleaning Products

While spring brings warmer weather, sunnier days, and beautiful flowers, it also brings the reminder that it’s time to air out, declutter our homes, and do some spring cleaning. At the same time, it might be tempting to spray our homes with disinfectants, a lot of common household cleaning products are actually pretty toxic to our health. This is why we’ve provided you with some tips on how to get your home sparkling, but not at the cost of your health.

When it comes to cleaning products, we Canadians buy a lot of them.

In 2014 alone, we spent more than $641 million on products like window sprays and floor cleaners. When you break that down, we’re spending $200-$300 per household annually on products that we think help us maintain healthy homes, when in fact they could be doing the opposite.

The Guide to Toxic and Non-Toxic Cleaning Products — Pro Housekeepers

Some of Canada’s most popular cleaning products contain harsh chemicals and fragrance ingredients that can harm you and your family’s health. (Tell the Canadian government that we need better protections from toxics in our personal care and cleaning products.)

We tested the homes of 14 volunteers and found that indoor air quality quickly deteriorates when some conventional cleaning products are applied.

The good news is that safer options are widely available. Even better, DIY alternatives for many spring cleaning items are not only easy to make, they can provide significant cost savings over store brands.

How concerned should we be about the impacts of cleaning products on indoor air?

We put some of Canada’s most popular cleaning products as well as certified green products and products that had non-verifiable green claims to the test! We sampled the air in volunteers’ homes while they cleaned their kitchens for half an hour to test for VOCs.

Your Cleaning Products are KILLING YOU!
Things are pretty much the same in the United States.

(Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs for short, are a common type of air pollutant. VOCs are a broad category of chemicals, some of which are linked to asthma and other health conditions, including cancer. A key concern with VOCs is that some of them can react with other pollutants present in the air, and form other contaminants that are even more toxic).

So, what did we find?

  • For the nine homes where conventional cleaners were used, total VOCs increased by an average of 120 per cent.
  • For the three homes cleaned with certified green products with full disclosure labels, the VOCs increased by an average of only 35 per cent.
  • For the two homes cleaned with products that made a green claim on the label but did not disclose ingredients, total VOCs averaged 100 per cent.

TOXIC-CHEMICALS-IN-CLEANING-PRODUCTS-Infographic-SQUARE.-300x300 -  Integrated Health Solution

Handy tips to keep your indoor air quality in good shape while getting the job done:

  • Choose green products that list their ingredients in full. Companies are not currently required to fully list their ingredients, but some forward thinking businesses offer this information to customers voluntarily.
  • Avoid cleaning products that list “fragrance” as an ingredient.
  • Keep rooms ventilated by opening windows or turning on fans during and after cleaning. This is especially important if you live in a condo or an apartment. Better air circulation will keep harmful VOC levels from building up.
  • Try some simple DIY recipes with two simple ingredients: water and vinegar.

Following these tips, and choosing green products, or making your own when possible, are great (and toxic-free) ways to get your spring cleaning done without dirtying the planet and your health!

For the Silo, Sarah Jamal Program Coordinator, Toxics environmentaldefence.ca

How Can You Pay for a New Dishwasher?

A dishwasher is an essential appliance in any modern kitchen. It saves time, water, and energy, making cleaning up after meals much easier. However, a new dishwasher can be expensive, and only some have the money to pay for one upfront. This article will explore some options for paying for a new dishwasher.

Assess Your Finances

Before you start shopping for a new dishwasher, it’s important to assess your finances. Determine how much you can afford to spend and create a budget. Look for areas where you can cut costs to save money. For example, consider cutting back on dining out or entertainment expenses. Use the money you save to put towards your new dishwasher.

Consider Financing Options

Financing is a popular option for purchasing a new dishwasher. Many appliance retailers offer financing plans with low monthly payments and no interest for a set period of time. However, comparing financing options and reading the fine print is important. Ensure you understand the interest rates and fees associated with the financing plan.

One other form of financing that you may consider if you live in Canada is a payday loan. Payday loans in Canada are short-term loans that are typically due on your next payday. They are a quick and easy way to get cash and do not require collateral. They are unsecured personal loans that you can use for your short-term needs.

Whatever option you choose, carefully review the terms and conditions of any financing plan.

Look into Rebates and Discounts

Many appliance manufacturers and retailers offer rebates and discounts for dishwashers. Look for promotions on the manufacturer’s website or in-store. These promotions can include cash-back offers, discounts, or free installation. Some utility companies also offer rebates for energy-efficient appliances. Take advantage of these offers to save money on your new dishwasher.

Consider DIY Installation

Installation fees for a new dishwasher can add up quickly. If you are handy with tools and have experience with plumbing and electrical work, consider installing the dishwasher yourself. DIY installation can save you hundreds of dollars. However, ensure you have the necessary tools, knowledge, and experience to complete the job safely and correctly. If you need more clarification, hiring a professional to install the dishwasher is best.

Sell or Trade In Your Old Dishwasher

If you currently have a working dishwasher, consider selling it or trading it in for a discount on your new appliance. Selling a used dishwasher can offset the cost of a new one. Consider listing it for sale on local classifieds websites, such as Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Make sure to clean and repair any damages before selling it. If your appliance retailer offers a trade-in program, take advantage of it. You can receive a discount on your new dishwasher by trading in your old one.

Purchasing a new dishwasher can be a significant expense, but there are several options for paying for it. Assess your finances and create a budget to determine how much you can afford to spend. Consider financing options, but make sure to read the fine print and understand the interest rates and fees. Look for rebates and discounts to save money on your new dishwasher. Finally, sell or trade in your old dishwasher to offset the cost of your new one. By using these tips, you can make a smart and informed decision when purchasing a new dishwasher.

Amazing Things Happen After Using Coupons For One Year

I was doing a bit of ‘specific purpose’ shopping at a local grocery store to pick up some of their No Name Yogurt. I buy this all the time and use it mixed with fruit, or when making a smoothie with yogurt, milk and berries.

It is worth noting, that some consumers remain staunchly brand-loyal and even brand-dependent.

They believe that no-name products are ‘not as good’ as the brand name products that they favor. In reality many no-name brands are manufactured using the same ingredients and at the same factory as the brand product, the only difference being the price and the look of the label. That being said, I’m not ready to trade in my Heinz ketchup for the no-name brand….but Aylmer is a close second. Can you taste the difference?

From the urban dictionary. www.urbandictionary.com

As I was about to take several tubs (5) off the shelf, I noticed a pad of tear-off coupons right above the yogurt. They were for $1.00 (Cdn) off each tub of No Name Yogurt that you purchased. Since I had 5 tubs in my tote basket, I peeled off 5 coupons. When I got to the check-out, I put the coupons on each tub and the cashier deducted $5.00 off my bill. The regular cost was $1.97 a tub, which would have made the total cost $9.85. I paid $4.85. I was very, very happy. I got the yogurt that I intended to buy, and I got a bargain. Also the empty tubs can be put in recycling bins, or used as food-savers for leftovers.

 The ‘no-name’ brand Loblaws Canada use bright black on yellow packaging.

A friend of mine, Ken, who worked in the food  industry, once told me, “Coupons are an easy way for customers to save money. The store does not loose any money, the coupons go right back to the company.”

A few years back, I decided to see if coupons did save me money. Each week I went through the newspapers, magazines, online site and store coupons I had collected as well as free coupon bins in their stores. These bins are there for customers who don’t want to use their coupons, but throw them in a bin so that other customers strolling by can scoop up whatever they want to use. I used an old duo tang notebook to record my savings, a ruler, line paper, and a pen. I drew lines across the page. I also drew lines vertically down the page for categories.

The first category was NUMBER, and then ITEM PURCHASED, then COUPON PRICE, and lastly PRICE TOTAL. I found an old, very large mayonnaise jar with a lid (the kind they used in restaurants that buy in large quantities). I put a slot in the top of the lid so that it was more convenient to drop coins into the jar rather than unscrewing the cap each time.

I labeled the jar, “Coupon Money.” Every time I went to the store and used a coupon, I put the actual money I saved into the jar. It may have been only 35 cents, or 50 cents. Then I recorded the information in my duo-tang.

I decided to do this project for one year. I started in February. I never told anyone what I was doing. If my wife used a coupon, she also added the money to the jar, and recorded the information. Never did I use the proceeds from the jar during the year, but I was tempted many times. Over the months of the year, I took the change that was accumulating and transferred it into bills, starting with $5.00, then $10.00, then $20.00 bills. The idea was to use coupons on products that I normally purchased, not to get 50 cents off a product I wouldn’t normally buy.

I was very diligent with my project that year. It was kind of a game made especially fun when I would get the jar out and look with envy at all the bills stuffed in there.

As the year anniversary was approaching, my wife started telling people about the “Coupon Project.” I heard comments like, “How silly.” “Why would you want to waste your time doing that?” “When I get coupons I throw them out.” “You won’t make any savings on them.” But at the end of the year, the jar contained $520.00. As it turned out, we needed a new couch. We purchased a brand new bed-chesterfield, including delivery, for $500.00

A week later, two friends who had thought that my “Coupon Project” was nonsense, remarked on how beautiful and expensive our couch looked. They asked, “How did you afford to buy such a beautiful couch?” I replied proudly, “coupons.” For the Silo, Blair R. Yager. 

Fun Christmas Party Surprises To Wow Your Guests

Whether you’re hosting a family Christmas dinner or are planning the office holiday party, your goal is the same: to make it a gathering your guests will always remember. Fun, unexpected surprises are an easy way to delight your co-workers, friends and loved ones. From keepsakes to party themes to the menu, there are plenty of opportunities to get creative and serve up something your guests haven’t experienced at a Christmas party before. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Keepsakes that Keep on Giving

Hosts of a holiday party aren’t usually expected to give their guests gifts, which is one way to surprise partygoers. Ideally, a gift the recipient can use over and over again will remind them of the good times they had at your party. Custom-printed hoodies, sweaters or long-sleeve shirts definitely fit that bill. Once you find a company that offers screen printing in Ottawa for small and large orders alike, you can think up a funny saying, exercise your drawing skills, use digital images or simply commemorate the event with your family or company name. Your guests will have unique, comfy hoodies or sweaters to wear at the party and something to remember you by whenever it gets chilly for years to come.

Keep in mind, however, that regardless of what you gift your guests, it’s all in the presentation. A fun way to gift custom sweaters, or any other gift this holiday season, is in a personalized DIY gift bag. Making them can be a fun and creative activity for you and the kids to experience that involves them in the gifting-giving and helps them practice their crafting skills. 

Fun Christmas Dinner/Party Themes & Activities

Here are a few non-traditional Holiday party themes and activities that you can use to add a little variety to your annual dinner or get-together.

Outdoor Christmas Party Activities

Yes, Ottawa winters can get painfully cold outside in the wind. But there are also plenty of sunny winter days that are perfect for ice skating, tobogganing, a bonfire or building snow castles using sand & snow castle-building kits. Just be sure to have backup activities planned in case the weather doesn’t cooperate on the day of your party.

Photo by Nikita Vinogradov via Pexels

Karaoke, Movie and/or Game Night Christmas Party

If frozen toes, fingers and noses would interfere with the joy of an outdoor Christmas party, or your brood is just not the outdoorsy type, you can combine your Christmas party with one of your favourite nights of the week (or month) – karaoke, game or movie night. 

Unlike the impromptu sing-alongs, games of charades or traditional gatherings around the TV for a classic Christmas film, plan your holiday party as a night of full-on:

  • Board games. If your family and friends are board gamers, you already know that they’ve come a long way since the days of Scrabble, Monopoly, Snakes & Ladders, etc. They’re better than ever at teaching players of all ages critical thinking skills like logic, strategy and planning. Many newer games also incorporate teamwork, with players working together to beat the game itself. There are also numerous games based on popular movie franchises and streamable series, which can make a board game an exciting pastime that ties into a Movie/TV-themed party.
  • Movie or Binge-TV Night Christmas Party. Films and TV shows provide an infinite number of themes to help you plan an outside-of-the-box Christmas dinner party. You can base your party on a tried-and-true family favourite, the latest global smash hit or a movie or TV show that fits a pre-determined theme.
  • Karaoke Competition Christmas. If you have a family filled with aspiring pop stars or better-than-average shower soloists, you can plan a karaoke party of Christmas/holiday songs or curate a playlist based on the theme of your party. You can really spice things up by making it a competition with plenty of prizes for all the participants.

Christmas Pageant Dinner and a Show

If your party will have a significant number of kids (of any age) who like to put on a show, consider sending out scripts, holding rehearsals, and turning your home or party room into a dinner theatre. Costumes can be readily thrifted or thrown together, and if you really want to go all out, backgrounds and curtain frames can be assembled easily enough by enthusiastic DIYers. Don’t forget to have a proper video camera set up on a tripod so you’ll always have the recording to enjoy with (and at the expense of) the cast.

Alternate Holiday Dinner Menu Items

Your holiday dinner menu can be influenced by your party theme, it can be based on modern takes of classic Christmas dishes, or you can simply add random non-traditional dishes like the ones below.

Holiday Taco Night

Taco night is generally a fan favourite, so why not give the people what they want? You might have to use burrito shells depending on your meat of choice, but don’t be afraid to get creative and consider the following options:

  • Fish. Fish tacos are a popular choice taco choice, but when was the last time you had fish tacos at a Christmas party? Also, you can use fish sticks if you’re looking for a convenient, easy-to-prepare meat filling.
  • Steak or ribs. Try braising or marinating them in pomegranate juice with a hint of cinnamon and/or chile pepper to spice things up a little. As an added bonus, both pomegranate and cinnamon are recommended to strengthen your immune system and help you fight off colds and flus.
  • Turkey. The line between a taco and a wrap can get a little blurry here, but whatever you call them, using traditional turkey accompaniments, corn, cranberries, potatoes, gravy, mac & cheese, etc., make delicious toppings.

Christmas Jambalaya

Not much can hit the spot as well as a hearty helping of jambalaya can on a cold holiday dinner night. Really, the only rules to a jambalaya are that your ingrediants taste good with Cajun spices and that it’s all cooked together. Whether you go with Christmas dinner ingredients, New Orleans-inspired flavours or some type of fusion, a big pot can satisfy a lot of people.

Homemade Holiday Donuts

Puddings, pies, cakes and cupcakes are understandable go-to choices for Christmas dinner desserts, but homemade donuts with a holiday twist can ignite some excited chatter when they make their way to the dessert table. Feeling overly patriotic? Try maple glazed donuts topped with candied bacon crumble for a taste that’s both distinctly holiday and Canadian.

For the Silo, Jeg Duaso. Featured image:  by Nicole Michalou via Pexels

With Summer Winding Down Now Is Time For Air Conditioner Servicing

The summer may be winding down, but there are still a few weeks left to keep that air conditioner pumping fresh, cool air throughout your home and before you receive a professional furnace check-up for the winter months ahead.

Just like a furnace, with regular upkeep and maintenance, your air conditioner will enjoy a long and healthy lifespan. Your HVAC system is an integral component to your home because it not only provides comfort, but it also supplies high-quality and clean air for you and your family to enjoy.

It takes a lot to keep an entire high rise cool during a heatwave. Your home a/c unit requires regular attention too.

Without proper care, the system can become dirty and clogged which prevents clean air from flowing through your house, and even worse, a neglected system can become dangerous because of old wiring and electrical circuits.

You should get your AC unit fixed right away if you notice the following:

  • Unusual sounds coming from the unit
  • Your digital thermostat has gone blank or it has lost power
  • Water is leaking from your indoor unit (please note: attic units can leak and cause water stains on the ceiling)

Always work with a trusted and professional heating and cooling service provider who offers 24-hour emergency repair. Commercial or residence, it’s important to work with experienced technicians who can advise you with integrity and sincerity on the right solutions for your needs.

There are also a few things you can double-check before you jump to any serious conclusions.

Check the Temperature

Does it feel abnormally hot or humid in your house? Always be sure to set the thermostat to Air Conditioning Mode. If you notice that it is set to that, and it’s still muggy and hot in the house, it might be time to give your maintenance technician a call.

Often air conditioners can have trouble maintaining service if it’s hotter than 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit). However, most units should be able to maintain your home’s cool air within a couple of degrees of your setting. If it’s not working when it’s above 33 degrees, there might be a problem.

Check with your maintenance and installation provider if you think the temperature is hotter than it should be just in case something is broken so that you can go back to feeling comfortable and content.

Change the Filters

Dirty air filters can cause great damage to your AC unit. You’d be surprised at how much dust and debris air filters catch, and when they’re not cleaned or changed, the collected debris can clog things up and cause wear and tear on the system’s parts.

This prevents clean, cool air from flowing through. It also means that the AC unit will not live a long, healthy life because the extreme wear and tear of the dirty parts will cause it to breakdown faster than it should.

Take a look at your filters and investigate how clean they look. If you’re unsure how to locate the filters or how to do this, consult your trusted heating and cooling service provider to know exactly what to do. The best companies offer DIY tips so that you’ll be able to tackle any small problems yourself in the future.

Keep in mind to always switch off the unit’s power entirely before you attempt any maintenance or repair work.

Feel the Air in Your Home

If you’ve already checked the temperature and taken a look at your filters, check the air coming out of the supply vents.

If you have an outdoor unit, make sure it’s running and that the thermostat is in Air Conditioner Mode. You should feel cold air.

If you find that there is considerably less air than usual coming out of the vents, or if you find the air to be warm, it’s possible that there is an issue. If there is no air coming out of the outdoor unit’s vents at all, this could also be a problem.

In these cases, your evaporator coils may be iced over. Be sure to cut off the unit so that it can thaw before a technician arrives.

Pay Attention to any Noises

If you notice any squeaks, grinding, or grating sounds coming from your AC unit, chances are there are problems to be attended to.

These types of noises usually occur when a belt has slipped out of place, parts need lubrication, or the motor bearings have broken.

It’s critical that this is maintained right away because prolonged avoidance can result in additional and costly damage. It’s possible that you need a replacement unit or simply have repairs made.

Air conditioner repair is important because it keeps the quality of air in your home clean and safe.

Always remember to work with a trusted maintenance and installation company who offers round-the-clock emergency support, and one who you can trust! For the Silo, Mila Urosevic.

Why Utah’s Five National Parks Are On Many Bucket Lists

Canada has some world leading parks but our neighbours to the South sure have their fair sure as well.

Utah’s five National Parks featured on Utah.com offer adventure travelers and families a unique blend of accessibility and grandeur that have put these beauties on bucket lists since their birth a hundred years ago. Utah’s magnificence extends far beyond the borders of its national parks, as travelers logging on to Utah.com will discover. While visiting Arches you can explore mountain bike slickrock trails in Moab; stop by Coral Pink Sand Dunes on your way to Zion; ski the slopes of Brian Head after you hike Navajo Loop in Bryce Canyon; swim in Calf Creek Falls while exploring Capitol Reef country; and rock climb in famous Indian Creek on your way out of Canyonlands.

Utah's Five National ParksValley

Utah.com’s local expert team recently spent three days in Zion National Park where they browsed the area’s best rock shops, interviewed the park’s Director of Wildlife and went hiking with the locals.

They know where to take a six-year-old hiking; divulge the best spots to paddle a brand new kayak; and they’re keen to tell you which local bed and breakfast has the friendliest hosts and coziest fireplaces—and you can book all these experiences on the spot right on the site.

UtahNationalParkWeatheredSandstoneTravelers looking for meaningful and inspiring experiences in Utah can find itineraries about small towns like Kanab that are perfect for family excursions to national parks and other unexplored areas.

Utah.com also gives travelers practical hiking and biking trail information with difficulty ratings, photos, and waypoints. Adventurers can learn about places that locals have been quietly exploring for generations, and find the best base camps to maximize their limited time in the world’s top destination. For travelers on a budget, there are always tips about free admission days and where to take your kids when the weather rains on the outdoor parade.

And for the digitally dependent family member who longs to get off the grid? Utah.com’s off-season tips and information prove that Utah is a year-round wilderness of glorious solitude where Wi-Fi isn’t even a temptation.

Utah National Park Milky Way Galaxy

Utah.com helps travelers discover, plan and book intergenerational traditions. They’ll want to take their children to Bryce Canyon National Park and pontificate about geological uplift, erosion and the Paunsaugunt Plateau after days of wandering through hoodoos—humanoid sandstone pillars. Eyes may roll, but those littles will find themselves giving the same speech to their kids decades later–in the exact same spot. Utah.com will lead them to national parks and awe-inspiring places they’ll never forget and will always preserve.   For the Silo, Victoria George.

Spooky Missing Persons Stories

David Paulides is an ex-cop on a mission. After years of investigating missing persons and studying thousands of missing persons reports he has discovered strange coincidences and similarities that he has documented clearly and factually in several of his books including Missing 411 which was the focus of lecture at the University of Toronto a few years ago.

When pushed for a theory on what is causing these events David is reluctant to offer one and instead maintains that his role is to continue to collect and organize the vast numbers of cases and wait for an answer to come from an external source.

Perhaps even from someone like you or me…..

Missing Persons Cluster Map North American Distribution Pattern Historical records reveal that missing persons have occurred in North America for hundreds of years and what connects these cases is both frightening and confusing. David has discovered geographical connections that include- national park locations, urban locations near bodies of water, boulder fields, mountain elevations and other seemingly ‘safe’ locations.

He has found that there are vast differences in distance between reported disappearance and body discovery (or in rare cases when the missing person is found alive). Often mysterious events occur prior to the disappearance such as indications of strange behaviors or distress. In one case a man had reported repeatedly via cell phone that “people were outside” and in another case a man had fired a weapon as if in self defense.

Many times personal items such as clothing are found but not bodies or not complete bodies. In some cases clothes are found in organized piles- as if they have been left behind carefully folded. Even more confusing is that this may occur during the Winter or at an elevated location where the idea of removing clothing simply does not make sense.

David Paulides Lecturing University Of TorontoDavid’s research has shown that oddly, many missing persons in these cases are highly intelligent and healthy individuals that include doctors, scientists and marathon runners. In other cases the victims are hunters or seasoned hikers- people who would actually be most likely to prevent outdoor mishaps.

During the question and answer period, David was quick to rebuff any suggestion of paranormal causes such as ‘alien abductions’ or ‘bigfoot’.

He works hard to ensure that his research is taken very seriously and shows absolute respect for surviving family members and that’s when the eerie reality set in: there does not seem to be any explanation as to what is happening and families are being torn apart with no hope of closure.

Check out David on YouTube or pick up one of his books from Toronto Book Shop conspiracyculture.com to learn much more. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

ENDLESS CHRISTMAS RERUNS SPURS DIGITAL BOARDGAME DOWNLOADS IN UK

RESEARCH SHOWS 50% OF CHRISTMAS TV SHOWS IN THE UK WILL BE REPEATS

Take note viewers of British television programming- Christmas Day will be the worst for TV repeats with 55% of programs having aired before. Last year a similar situation resulted in Christmas 2020 seeing a massive 460% increase in downloads of Marmalade Game Studios games, which includes official versions of Monopoly, Taboo, Cluedo, Clue, Jumanji and The Game of Life. The studio believes that at least in part this trend was fueled by ‘boredom’ in watching Christmas TV reruns. The corresponding figure for 2019 is 54%.

Marmalade Game Studio

In addition, new analysis* from the UK’s leading digital board games publisher reveals 50% of the programs this Christmas on BBC 1, BBC2, ITV 1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 will be repeats. The channels will show 403 programs across Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and 202 will be repeats.
Marmalade Game Studio’s analysis reveals that 72% of the programs that will air on Channel 5 will be repeats, and the corresponding figures for Channel 4, ITV1, BBC2 and BBC1 will be 55%, 41%, 57% and 21% respectively.

Overall, Christmas Day will be the worst for repeats with 55% of programs having aired before, compared to 50% for Boxing Day and 46% for Christmas Eve.


Marmalade Game Studio’s analysis reveals that 52% of programs shown on the five channels across Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day in 2020 were repeats, and the corresponding figure for 2019 is 54%.

Picture
        Saturday 18th December 2021

      BBC One

       6.00am  Breakfast
     10.00am  Saturday Kitchen Live :
                      Countdown to Christmas
      11.30am  Mary Berry – Love to Cook 
(Repeat)
      12.00       Football Focus
       1.00pm  BBC News, Weather
        1.15pm  Bargain Hunt 
(Repeat)
      2.00pm  Escape to the Country* (Repeat)
      2.30pm  Film : Maleficent (2014)*
      4.00pm  Final Score*
       5.10pm  BBC News*
       5.20pm  Regional News, 
Weather*
       5.30pm  Superman & Lois*
        6.10pm  The Weakest Link Strictly Special*
       7.00pm   Strictly Come Dancing : The Final*
​        9.05pm  Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel*
      10.05pm  BBC News, Weather*
      10.25pm  Match of the Day*
       11.45pm  The NFL Show*
       12.15am  Film : The Lost Boys (1987)*
         1.50am  Weather for the Week Ahead*
         1.55am  BBC News*

     *Schedule was slightly changed due to AJ Odudo 
       being injured so couldn’t take part in the Strictly
       Come Dancing Final. Match of the Day was 
       reduced to 35 minutes because of postponements
       of some games due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

       Replacement Schedule
        2.00pm  Escape to the Country 
(Repeat)
        3.00pm  Film : Maleficent (2014)
        4:30pm  Final Score
         5:15pm  BBC Weekend News
        5:30pm  Regional News
        5:35pm  BBC Weather
        5:40pm  Superman & Lois
        6:25pm  The Weakest Link
         7:10pm  Strictly Come Dancing
        9:00pm  Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel
      10:00pm  BBC Weekend News
       10:15pm  BBC Weather
      10:20pm  Match of the Day
      10:50pm  Euro 2020 : Match of the Day Top 10,
                       Most Memorable Euros Moments
       11:20pm  The NFL Show
       11:50pm  Film : The Lost Boys (1987)
         1:25am  Weather for the Week Ahead
         1:30am  BBC News


     BBC One Wales (as above except)

        2.00pm  
 A Welsh-Italian Christmas
                        with Michela Chiappa 
(Repeat)
        2.30pm   Best Dishes Ever  (Repeat) (until 3.00pm)

       


​     
      
BBC One Northern Ireland (as above)







​       BBC One Scotland (as above except)

​      2.00pm  Escape to the Country 
(Repeat)
​      2.30pm  Film : Maleficent (2014)
      4.00pm  Landward
       4.30pm  Sportscene (until 5.10pm)
      11.50pm  Sportscene
     12.50pm  The NFL Show
        1.20am  Film : Lost Boys (1987)
        2.55am  Weather for the Week Ahead
       3.00am  BBC News

     Sunday 19th December 2021

      BBC One

      6.00am  Breakfast
       7.30am  Match of the Day 
(Repeat)
      9.00am  The Andrew Marr Show
     10.00am  Politics England
     10.30am  Sunday Morning Live
      11.30am  Heaven Made
     12.30pm  Bargain Hunt 
(Repeat)
       1.00pm  BBC News, Weather for the Week Ahead
        1.15pm  Songs of Praise :
                      Christmas at Westminster Abbey
       1.50pm  Film : How to Train Your Dragon 3 : 
                      The Hidden World (2019) 
       3.25pm  Frozen Planet 
(Repeat)
       4.25pm  BBC News
       4.35pm  Regional News, Weather
       4.45pm  Countryfile at Christmas
       5.45pm  Antiques Roadshow Christmas Special
       6.45pm  Sports Personality of the Year
       9.00pm  The Girl Before
     10.00pm  BBC News
     10.20pm  Regional News, Weather
     10.30pm  Match of the Day 2
     11.40pm  The Women’s Football Show
      12.15am  Film : Spider-Man : Far From Home (2019)
        2.15am  Weather for the Week Ahead
       2.20am  BBC News

      Monday 20th December 2021

      BBC One

       6.00am  Breakfast
        9.15am  Morning Live at Christmas
     10.00am  Animal Park Christmas Special 
(Repeat)
      10.45am  A Countryside Christmas
       11.15am  Homes Under the Hammer 
(Repeat)
      12.15pm  Bargain Hunt (Repeat)
       1.00pm  BBC News
       1.30pm  Regional News
       1.45pm  Lifeline
       1.55pm  Snow Babies 
(Repeat)
       2.55pm  Donkey’s Caroling Christmas-Tacular
       3.05pm  Film : Moana (2016)
       4.45pm  Wallace & Gromit :
                      A Matter of Loaf and Death 
(Repeat)
       5.15pm  Pointless (Repeat)
      6.00pm  BBC News, Weather
       6.35pm  Regional News
        7.05pm  Mary Berry’s Festive Feasts
       8.00pm  EastEnders
       8.30pm  Would I Lie to You? At Christmas
       9.00pm  The Girl Before
     10.00pm  BBC News
      10.25pm  Regional News, Weather
      10.35pm  Film : King of Thieves (2018)

       12.20am  Bad Education Christmas Special (Repeat)
       12.50am  Cuckoo Christmas Special (Repeat)
        1.25am  Weather for the Week Ahead
        1.30am  BBC News

     Tuesday 21st December 2021

      BBC One

       6.00am  Breakfast
        9.15am  Morning Live at Christmas
     10.00am  Animal Park Christmas Special 
(Repeat)
      10.45am  A Countryside Christmas
       11.15am  Homes Under the Hammer 
(Repeat)
      12.15pm  Bargain Hunt (Repeat)
       1.00pm  BBC News
       1.30pm  Regional News, Weather
       1.45pm  Spy in the Snow 
(Repeat)
       2.45pm  Film : Saving Mr Banks (2013)
       4.45pm  Wallace and Gromit : The Wrong Trousers
                      
(Repeat)
        5.15pm  Pointless (Repeat)
       6.00pm  BBC News, Weather
       6.30pm  Regional News
       7.00pm   The Goes Wrong Show :
                       The Spirit of Christmas 
                       
(Repeat)
        7.30pm  EastEnders
        8.00pm  Celebrity MasterChef
                        Christmas Cook-Off
        9.00pm  The Girl Before
       10.00pm  BBC News
        10.25pm  Regional News, Weather
        10.35pm  The Royle Family :
                         Barbara’s Old Ring 
(Repeat)
         11.35pm  Have I Got a Bit More News for You
                         
(Repeat)
         12.20am  The Graham Norton Show (Repeat)
           1.10am  Weather for the Week Ahead
           1.15am  BBC News

     Wednesday 22nd December 2021

      BBC One

      
 6.00am  Breakfast
        9.15am  Morning Live at Christmas
     10.00am  Animal Park Christmas Special 
(Repeat)
      10.45am  A Countryside Christmas
       11.15am  Homes Under the Hammer 
(Repeat)
      12.15pm  Bargain Hunt (Repeat)
       1.00pm  BBC News
       1.30pm  Regional News, Weather
       1.45pm  Snow Animals 
(Repeat)
       2.45pm  Merry Madagascar (Repeat)
       3.05pm  Film : Pete’s Dragon (2016)
       4.40pm  Wallace & Gromit : A Close Shave 
(Repeat)
        5.15pm  Pointless Celebrities Christmas Special 
        6.00pm  BBC News, Weather
        6.30pm  Regional News
        7.00pm  The Repair Shop at Christmas 
(Repeat)
        8.00pm  The Great British Celebrity Sewing Bee
                        Christmas Special
        9.00pm  The Girl Before
       10.00pm  BBC News 
       10.25pm  Regional News, Weather
       10.35pm  Film : Crazy Rich Asians (2018) Premiere
       12.30am  Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel 
(Repeat) 
         1.30am  Superman & Lois (Repeat)
         2.10am  Weather for the Week Ahead
         2.15am  BBC News 
        
     
    
Thursday 23rd December 2021

      BBC One

       
6.00am  Breakfast
        9.15am  Animal Park Christmas Special 
(Repeat)
     10.00am  Animal Park Christmas Special (Repeat)
      10.45am  A Countryside Christmas
       11.15am  Homes Under the Hammer 
(Repeat)
      12.15pm  Bargain Hunt (Repeat)
       1.00pm  BBC News
       1.30pm  Regional News, Weather
       1.45pm  Penguins : Meet the Family 
(Repeat)
       2.45pm  Revolting Rhymes (Repeat)
       3.15pm  Film : Cinderella (2015)
       4.50pm  Wallace and Gromit : A Grand Day Out
                      
(Repeat)
        5.15pm  Superman & Lois
       6.00pm  BBC News, Weather
       6.20pm  Regional News
       6.30pm  The Weakest Link Christmas Special
        7.15pm  The Wall Versus EastEnders
       8.05pm  EastEnders
       8.30pm  Ghosts Christmas Special
       9.00pm  Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook-Off

      10.00pm  Not Going Out Christmas Special
      10.40pm  BBC News
       11.10pm  Regional News, Weather
      11.20pm  Gavin & Stacey
      12.20am  Film : Late Night (2019)
        1.55am  Weather for the Week Ahead
       2.00am  BBC News


   
    Christmas Eve Friday 24th December 2021

      BBC One
     
       6.00am  Breakfast
        9.15am  CBeebies presents :
                      The Night Before Christmas 
(Repeat)
       9.50am  The Farmer’s Llamas
                       
(Repeat)
      10.20am  Room on the Broom (Repeat)
       10.45am  The Gruffalo (Repeat)
        11.15am  The Gruffalo’s Child 
        11.40am  Film : Brave (2012)
          1.05pm  BBC News
          1.20pm  Regional News, Weather
          1.30pm  Film : Frozen (2013)
         3.00pm  Film : Abominable (2019)  Premiere
         4.30pm  Film : Dolittle (2020) 
Premiere
         6.00pm  Shaun the Sheep :
                        The Flight Before Christmas
         6.30pm  BBC News
         6.55pm  Regional News, Weather
         7.00pm  The Repair Shop at Christmas 
         8.00pm  EastEnders
         8.30pm  Top Gear : Driving Home for Christmas
         9.30pm  I Can See Your Voice
       10.30pm  The Vicar of Dibley :
                        The Christmas Lunch Incident 
(Repeat)
        11.15pm  BBC News, Weather
       11.45pm  Midnight Mass from St Chad’s Cathedral
        1.00am  Film : Lost at Christmas (2020) Premiere
        2.35am  The NFL Show 
        3.10am  Weather for the Week Ahead
        3.15am  BBC News

      Christmas Day Saturday 25th December 2021

      BBC One

       6.00am  Breakfast
       9.05am  Zog  
(Repeat)
       9.35am  Zog and the Flying Doctors (Repeat)
     10.00am  Christmas Day Service from
                      Coventry Cathedral 
     11.00am   Stick Man 
(Repeat)
      11.25am   Shaun the Sheep : 
                      The Flight Before Christmas 
(Repeat)
     12.00pm  Top of the Pops Christmas 
       1.00pm  BBC News, Weather
        1.10pm  Film : The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)
                       
Premiere
       2.30pm  Superworm
       3.00pm  The Queen
        3.10pm  Film : Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
                       
Premiere
        5.10pm  Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special
       6.25pm  Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel
        7.25pm  Blankety Blank Christmas Special

       8.00pm  Call the Midwife Christmas Special
       9.35pm  EastEnders
     10.20pm  Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special
​     10.50pm  The Vicar of Dibley :
                      The Handsome Stranger 
(Repeat)
      11.50pm  BBC News, Weather
      12.00am  On Christmas Night
      12.05am  Film : Last Christmas (2019)
        1.45am  Would I Lie to You? At Christmas 
(Repeat)
        2.15am  I Can See Your Voice 
​                      
(Repeat)
        3.15am  Weather for the Week Ahead
        3.20am  BBC News


     
​      Boxing Day Sunday 26th December 2021

      BBC One
     
  
6:00am  Breakfast
   9:15am  The Snail and the Whale 
(Repeat)
  9:45am  The Highway Rat (Repeat)
 10:10am  Film : Shaun the Sheep: The Movie (2015)
  11:30am  Film : Trolls (2016)
  12:55pm  BBC News
   1:05pm  Regional News, Weather
    1:15pm  Songs of Praise :
                 Daniel O’Donnell’s Faith Journey
  1:50pm  Revolting Rhymes Part One 
(Repeat)
  2:20pm  Film : Beauty and the Beast (2017)
  4:20pm  Film : Paddington (2014)
  5:50pm  Around the World in 80 Days 
Episode 1
  6:40pm  Around the World in 80 Days Episode 2
  7:30pm  Death in Paradise Christmas Special
  9:00pm  A Very British Scandal
 10:00pm  EastEnders
 10:25pm  BBC News, Weather
 10:40pm  Match of the Day
  12:15am  Film : The Accountant (2016)
   2:15am  Weather for the Week Ahead
  2:20am  BBC News

       
  Bank Holiday Monday 27th December 2021

      BBC One

 
  6:00am  Breakfast 
    7:45am  Match of the Day 
(Repeat)
   9:20am  Film : Monsters vs Aliens (2009)
  10:45am  Film : The Boss Baby 
(Repeat)
   12:15pm  Bargain Hunt
    1:00pm  BBC News 
    1:20pm  Regional News, Weather
    1:30pm  Film : Finding Dory (2016)
   3:00pm  Film : Horrible Histories : The Movie
                   Rotten Romans (2019) Premiere
   4:30pm  Countryfile
   5:30pm  BBC News 
   5:45pm  Regional News, Weather
   5:55pm  Film : Paddington 2 (2017)
   7:30pm  EastEnders
  8:00pm  MasterChef: The Professionals
                  Rematch 2021
  9:00pm  A Very British Scandal
10:00pm  BBC News
 10:25pm  Regional News, Weather
 10:35pm  The Vicar of Dibley
                  The Vicar in White 
(Repeat)
  11:30pm  Not Going Out Christmas Special (Repeat)
  12:15am  Film : When Harry Met Sally (1989)
   1:45am  Weather for the Week Ahead
   1:50am  BBC News



      Bank Holiday Tuesday 28th December 2021

      BBC One

​    6:00am  Breakfast
      9:15am  Film : Planes (2013)
   10:40am  Film : Cars 3 (2017)
    12:15pm  Bargain Hunt Christmas Special 
(Repeat)
     1:00pm  BBC News
      1:15pm  Regional News, Weather
      1:25pm  Superworm 
(Repeat)
      1:55pm  Film : Wallace and Gromit in
                    The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
     3:10pm  Monsters vs Aliens :
                    Night of the Living Carrots  
(Repeat)
     3:25pm  Film : The BFG (Repeat)
     5:15pm  Pointless Celebrities (Repeat)
    6:00pm  BBC News
    6:20pm  Regional News, Weather
    6:30pm  The Weakest Link
     7:15pm  Worzel Gummidge : Twitchers
    8:10pm  EastEnders
   9:00pm  A Very British Scandal
 10:00pm  BBC News
  10:25pm  Regional News, Weather
  10:35pm  Match of the Day
  12:00am  Top Gear : Driving Home for Christmas
                   
(Repeat)
    1:05am  The Great British Celebrity Sewing Bee
                  Christmas Special 
(Repeat)
   2:05am  Weather for the Week Ahead
   2:10am  BBC News


      Wednesday 29th December 2021

      BBC One


  6:00am  Breakfast
  9:05am  Film : Monsters University (2013)
10:40am  Film : Big Hero 6 (2014)
12:15pm  Bargain Hunt Music Special 
(Repeat)
  1:00pm  BBC News
  1:30pm  Regional News, Weather
  1:40pm  Film : Inside Out (2015)
  3:10pm  Kung Fu Panda Holiday 
(Repeat)
  3:30pm  Film : A Dog’s Journey (2019) Premiere
  5:15pm  Pointless Celebrities (Repeat)
  6:00pm  BBC News
  6:20pm  Regional News, Weather
  6:30pm  The Weakest Link
   7:15pm  Worzel Gummidge : Calliope Jane
  8:10pm  The Repair Shop 
(Revised Repeat)
  9:00pm  Film : A Star Is Born (2018) Premiere
  11:10pm  BBC News
  11:35pm  Regional News, Weather
  11:45pm  Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special 
(Repeat)
 12:20am  Blankety Blank Christmas Special (Repeat)
  12:55am  Citizen Khan (Repeat)
    1:25am  Superman and Lois (Repeat)
   2:05am  Weather for the Week Ahead
   2:10am  BBC News


     
​      Thursday 30th December 2021

      BBC One

  
 6:00am  Breakfast
   9:05am  Film : Home (2015)
 10:30am  Dragons: Legend of the
                  Boneknapper Dragon 
(Repeat)
 10:45am  Film : Missing Link (2019)
  12:15pm  Bargain Hunt Entertainment Special 
(Repeat)
   1:00pm  BBC News
   1:30pm  Regional News, Weather
   1:45pm  Film : Zootropolis (2016)
   3:25pm  The Madagascar Penguins in
                   A Christmas Caper 
(Repeat)
   3:35pm  Film : The Jungle Book (2016)
   5:15pm  Pointless Celebrities 
(Repeat)
   6:00pm  BBC News
   6:15pm  Regional News, Weather
   6:25pm  The Weakest Link
   7:10pm  My Family 
(Repeat)
   7:40pm  EastEnders
   8:00pm  Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard
   9:00pm  The Great British Celebrity Sewing Bee
                  New Year Special
 10:00pm  BBC News
 10:25pm  Regional News, Weather
 10:35pm  Film : Ready Player One (2018) 
Premiere
 12:45am  Not Going Out : Resolutions (Repeat)
   1:30am  Weather for the Week Ahead
   1:35am  BBC News


      New Year’s Eve Friday 31st December 2021

      BBC One

  6:00am  Breakfast
   9:10am  Film : Captain Underpants :
                  the First Epic Movie (2017)
 10:30am  Dragons : Gift of the Night Fury 
(Repeat)
 10:55am  Film : The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)
 12:15pm  Bargain Hunt
   1:00pm  BBC News
   1:30pm  Regional News, Weather
   1:40pm  Meerkat : A Dynasties Special
                  
(Repeat)
   2:40pm  Film : Coco (2017)
    4:15pm  Top of the Pops New Year Special 
    5:15pm  Superman and Lois
   6:00pm  BBC News
    6:15pm  Regional News, Weather
   6:25pm  The Weakest Link
    7:10pm  EastEnders
   8:00pm  Question of Sport
   8:30pm  MasterChef : Champion of Champions
   9:30pm  Have I Got 2021 News for You
 10:00pm  BBC News, Weather
 10:20pm  The Graham Norton Show
                  New Year’s Eve Show
  11:25pm  The Big New Years & Years Eve Party
                  with Kylie and Pet Shop Boys
 12:00am  Happy New Year Live!
  12:10am  The Big New Years & Years Eve Party
                  with Kylie and Pet Shop Boys
 12:40am  Film : I Give It a Year (2013)
   2:10am  Weather for the Week Ahead
   2:15am  BBC News

   BBC Scotland  (as above except)

  
  10:20pm  Hogmanay 2021 – Preview
    10:30pm  Scot Squad Hogmanay Special
    11:00pm  Queen of the New Year
    11:30pm  Hogmanay 2021
    12:30am  The Graham Norton Show
       1:35am  Film : I Give It a Year (2013)
      3:05am  Weather for the Week Ahead
      3:10am  BBC News


     New Year’s Day Saturday 1st January 2022

      BBC One

      6.00am  Breakfast
     10.00am  Saturday Kitchen 
     11.30am  Nigellissima 
(Repeat)
    12.00pm  Football Focus
    12.30pm  Football Focus – Euro 2020 Review
      1.00pm  BBC News, Weather
       1.15pm  The Archbishop of Canterbury’s
                     New Year Message
      1.20pm  Attenborough and the
                     Mammoth Graveyard 
(Repeat)
      2.20pm  Film : The Sound of Music (1965)
       5.10pm  BBC News
       5.20pm  Regional News, Weather
       5.30pm  The Hit List
        6.15pm  The Weakest Link
        7.00pm  Doctor Who : Eve of the Daleks
        8.00pm  Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel
        9.00pm  The Tourist
      10.00pm  Mrs Brown’s Boys
      10.30pm  BBC News, Weather
      10.45pm  Match of the Day
       11.45pm  The NFL Show
       12.15am  Film : Man Up (2015)
        1.40am  Weather for the Week Ahead
        1.45am  BBC News

      Sunday 2nd January 2022

​      BBC One

        6.00am  Breakfast
        8.30am  Match of the Day 
(Repeat)
        9.30am  Film : How to Train Your Dragon :
                       Homecoming (2019)
        9.55am  Film : Paddington (2014)
       11.20am  Film : Paddington 2 (2017)
        1.00pm  BBC News
         1.10pm  Weather for the Week Ahead
         1.15pm  Songs of Praise
        1.50pm  Escape to the Country 
(Repeat)
        2.20pm  Film : Robin Hood : Prince of Thieves
                       (1991)
        4.55pm  BBC News
        5.10pm  Regional News, Weather
        5.20pm  Countryfile
        6.20pm  Around the World in 80 Days
         7.10pm  Around the World in 80 Days
       8.00pm  Call the Midwife
       9.00pm  The Tourist
      10.00pm  BBC News
      10.20pm  Regional News, Weather
      10.30pm  Match of the Day 2
       11.50pm  Film : A Star is Born (2018)
       2.00am  Weather for the Week Ahead
        2.05am  BBC News

      Bank Holiday Monday 3rd January 2022

      BBC One

        6.00am  Breakfast
​        9.00am  Film : The Railway Children (1970)
       10.45am  The Moment of Proof
        11.15am  Homes Under the Hammer 
(Repeat)
       12.15pm  Bargain Hunt
        1.00pm  BBC News
        1.15pm  Regional News, Weather
        1.25pm  Father Brown
        2.15pm  The Repair Shop 
(Repeat)
        3.00pm  I Escaped to the Country
        3.45pm  The Farmer’s Country Showdown
        4.30pm  Antiques Road Trip
         5.15pm  Pointless
        6.00pm  BBC News
        6.20pm  Regional News, Weather
        6.30pm  Attenborough’s Wonder of Song
         7.30pm  Still Open All Hours 
(Repeat)
        8.00pm  EastEnders
        8.30pm  My Family 
(Repeat)
        9.00pm  Four Lives
      10.00pm  BBC News
       10.25pm  Regional News, Weather
       10.35pm  Have I Got a Bit More 2021 News for You
                        
(Repeat)
       11.20pm  Question of Sport (Repeat)
       11.50am  The Graham Norton Show (Repeat)
       12.55am  Weather for the Week Ahead
        1.00am  BBC News
      Saturday 18th December 2021

      BBC Two

     6.25am  Our Wild Adventures 
(Repeat)
      7.25am  Blue Peter : Our Big Christmas Cracker!
​                    
(Repeat)                          
      7.55pm  Film : A Christmas Story (1983)
      9.25am  Film : King of Kings (1961)
    12.00pm  Nigella’s Christmas Table 
(Repeat)
      1.00pm  Mary Berry’s Country House
                     at Christmas  
(Repeat)
     2.00pm  Film : Great Expectations (1946) (b&w)
     3.55pm  Charles Dickens and the
                     Invention of Christmas 
(Repeat)
     4.55pm  Flog It! (Repeat)
     5.30pm  Chris & Michael
                    Under the Christmas Sky 
(Repeat)
     6.30pm  Film : Whisky Galore! (2016) 
     8.05pm  The Snow Wolf : A Winter’s Tale 
(Repeat)
     9.05pm  Madonna at the BBC
   10.05pm  Film : Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
    11.45pm  Film : Madonna : Truth or Dare (1991)
      1.35am  Impeachment :
​                    American Crime Story 
(Repeat)

     
 
























   

​         BBC Two Wales (as above except)
         
         4.55pm  The Man Who Took on a Mansion
                        
(Repeat)
         5:40pm  Coast (Repeat)
         6:00pm  Tudur’s TV Flashback (Repeat)
         6:30pm  Chris and Michaela :
                         Under the Christmas Sky 
(Repeat)
          7:30pm  Film : Whisky Galore (2016) (until 9:05pm)

        BBC Two Northern Ireland (as above except)

         
  5:30pm  Between the Covers  (Repeat)
           6:00pm  The Wild Gardener (Repeat)
           6:30pm  Walking With… Jim Moir (Repeat)
            7:00pm  Gardeners’ World (Repeat)
                            (until 8.05pm)











​   Sunday 19th December 2021

      BBC Two

     6.05am  Gardeners’ World 
(Repeat)
     7.05pm  Countryfile (Repeat)
     8.00am  Landward (Repeat)
     8.30am  TV Film : Falling in Love at Christmas (2021)
    10.00am  Saturday Kitchen Best Bites 

    10.30am  Nadiya’s Fast Flavours (Repeat)
    12.00pm  Match of the Day Live : Women’s Football
                     Chelsea v West Ham United
      2.20pm  Live Equestrian 
      5.00pm  Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat 
(Repeat)
      6.00pm  Last Woman on Earth with Sara Pascoe
                      
(Repeat)
       7.00pm  Film : The Guernsey Literary and
                      Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
       9.00pm  Beauty and the Beast  :
                       A Pantomime for Comic Relief
      10.00pm  The Ranganation Christmas Special
      10.45pm  Two Doors Down  Christmas Special 
                       
(Repeat)
        11.15pm  Inside No 9 : The Devil of Christmas
                       
(Repeat)
        11.45pm  Film : The Invisible Woman (2013)
         1.30am  Question Time 
(Repeat)
         2.30am  Holby City (Repeat)
     

   
      Monday 20th December 2021

      BBC Two

      6.15am  Mary Berry – Love to Cook 
(Repeat)
      6.45am  Between the Covers (Repeat)
       7.15am  Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (Repeat)  
      8.15am  A Very Country Christmas 
(Repeat)
      9.15am  TV Film : Heart of the Holidays (2020)
    10.45am  Snow Wolf Family and Me 
(Repeat)
     11.15am  Nadiya’s Party Feasts (Repeat)
     12.15pm  Inside the Factory Christmas 2016
                     
(Repeat)
       1.15pm  Great Alaskan Railroads Journeys (Repeat)
      1.45pm  Film : Carousel (1956)
     3.50pm  Film : South Pacific (1958)
      6.15pm  Porridge : The Desperate Hours  
(Repeat)  
      7.00pm  Dad’s Army : Turkey Dinner 
(Repeat) 
      7.30pm   Mastermind
      8.00pm  Only Connect
      8.30pm  Christmas University Challenge
      9.00pm  QI Christmas Special : Season’s Greetings
      9.30pm  Two Doors Down Christmas Special
    10.00pm  We Wish you a Mandy Christmas
    10.20pm  Motherland Christmas Special 
(Repeat)
    10.50pm  Cinderella : A Comic Relief Pantomime
                      for Christmas 
(Repeat)
     11.50pm  Merry Christmas Baby : with Gregory
                     Porter and Friends 
(Repeat)
    12.50am   Film : My Week with Marilyn (2011)
      2.25am   Countryfile  
(Repeat)
      3.20am   What We Do in the Shadows (Repeat)

      Tuesday 21st December 2021

      BBC Two

     6.10am   MasterChef : The Professionals 
(Repeat)
      7.10am  Celebrity Antiques Road Trip (Repeat)
      8.10am  Lifeline (Repeat)
      8.20am  A Very Country Christmas (Repeat)
      9.20am  TV Film : Dancing Through Christmas
                     (2021)
    10.50am  Snow Wolf Family and Me 
(Repeat)
     11.20am  Nigellissima :
                     an Italian Inspired Christmas 
(Repeat)
     12.20pm  Inside the Factory Christmas 2017
                     
(Repeat)
       1.20pm  Great Alaskan Railway Journeys (Repeat)
       1.50pm  Film : Doctor Zhivago (1965)
       5.00pm  Remarkable Places to Eat 
(Repeat)
       6.00pm  The Good Life : Silly But It’s Fun (Repeat)
       6.30pm   Mortimer and Whitehouse : Gone Fishing 
                       
(Repeat)
        7.30pm  Dad’s Army : Battle of the Giants! (Repeat)
        8.30pm  Christmas University Challenge
        9.00pm  A Taste of Christmas with Andi Oliver
       10.00pm  Impeachment : American Crime Story
                        
(Repeat)
        11.10pm  What We Do in the Shadows 
        11.35pm  What We Do in the Shadows 
        12.00am  What We Do in the Shadows 
        12.30am  NFL This Week
         1.20am   Mary Berry’s Festive Feasts 
(Repeat)
         2.20am  Bridget Riley – Painting the Line (Repeat)
         3.20am  Dolly : The Sheep that
                        Changed the World 
(Repeat)


     Wednesday 22nd December 2021

      BBC Two

       6.15am   Scotland’s Sacred Islands with Ben Fogle
                      
(Repeat)
        7.20am  Winter : Earth’s Seasonal Secrets  (Repeat)
        8.20am  A Very Country Christmas (Repeat)
        9.30am  TV Film : Christmas a la Carte (2021)
      10.50am  Snow Wolf Family and Me 
(Repeat)
       11.20am  Rick Stein’s Cornish Christmas (Repeat)
       11.50am  Rick Stein’s Cornish Christmas (Repeat)
      12.20pm  Inside the Christmas Factory 2019
                       
(Repeat)
        1.25pm  Great Alaskan Railroad Journeys (Repeat)
        1.55pm  Film : Kiss Me Kate (1953)
       3.40pm  Film : Guys and Dolls (1955)
       6.05pm  Dad’s Army :
                      For the Love of Three Oranges 
(Repeat)
       6.40pm  Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em :
                      Jessica’s First Christmas 
(Repeat)
       7.30pm  Christmas University Challenge
       8.00pm  The Hairy Bikers Go North for Christmas
       9.00pm  Inside the Christmas Factory
     10.00pm  Live at the Apollo Christmas Special 
​      10.45pm  Secrets of the Apollo 
(Repeat)
       11.45pm  Film : Great Expectations (2012)
         1.45am  Villages by the Sea 
(Repeat)
         2.15am  Surgeons : At the Edge of Life (Repeat)
         3.15am  MasterChef  :  The Professionals (Repeat)
         4.15am  MasterChef  :  The Professionals (Repeat)

     Thursday 23rd December 2021

      BBC Two

         6.15am  Gardeners’ World 
(Repeat)
         7.15am  The Polar Bear Family and Me (Repeat) 
         8.15am  Heaven Made (Repeat)
         9.15am  TV Film : A Christmas to Savour (2021)
       10.45am  Snow Wolf Family and Me 
(Repeat)
        11.15am  Mary Berry’s Festive Feasts (Repeat)
        12.15pm  The Hairy Bikers Christmas Special
                        
(Repeat)
        12.30pm  Inside the Christmas Factory (Repeat)
          1.30pm  Great Alaskan Railroad Journeys (Repeat)
         2.00pm  Film : The Battle of River Plate (1956)
          3.55pm  Film : The Heroes of Telemark (1965)
          6.05pm  Upstart Crow : A Christmas Crow
                         
(Repeat)
          6.45pm  Blackadder’s Christmas Carol
                         
(Repeat)
          7.30pm  Christmas University Challenge
          8.00pm  Blackburn Sings Christmas with
                          Gareth Malone

          9.00pm  Film : Last Christmas (2019) Premiere
         10.35pm  Top of the Pops 1984 : Big Hits  
          11.35pm   Elton John Christmas Concert :
                           Old Grey Whistle Test
(Repeat)  
          12.40am  Elton John Live in Hyde Park 
(Repeat)
            1.40am  The Kinks Christmas Concert (Repeat)
            2.40am  Amazing Hotels : Life Beyond the Lobby
                          
(Repeat)
            3.40am  Strictly Come Dancing :The Final
                           
(Repeat)
            





​     Christmas Eve Friday 24th December 2021

      BBC Two
     
      6.20am  Walking with . . . Jim Moir 
(Repeat)
      6.50am  Nadiya’s Fast Flavours (Repeat)
       7.20am  The Polar Bear Family and Me (Repeat)
      8.20am  Heaven Made (Repeat)
      9.20am  TV Film : Fixing Up Christmas (2021)
     10.45am  A Taste of Christmas with Andi Oliver
                     
(Repeat)
      11.15am  Homes Under the Hammer
                      
(Repeat)
      12.15pm  Bargain Hunt (Repeat)
        1.05pm  Great Alaskan Railroad Journeys (Repeat)
        1.35pm  Film : To Catch a Thief (1955)
       3.20pm  Film : North by Northwest (1959)
        5.35pm  Dad’s Army : My Brother and I 
(Repeat)
         6.15pm  Carols from King’s
        7.30pm   Christmas University Challenge
        8.00pm  Gardeners’ World
        9.00pm  Vienna Blood
       10.30pm  A Ghost Story for Christmas :
                        The Mezzotint  
       11.00pm  Film : Amazing Grace (2018)
       12.30am  Carole King and Friends at Christmas
                        
(Repeat)1.30am  The Carpenters at the BBC (Repeat)  
​         2.05am  The Hairy Bikers Go North for Christmas
                        
(Repeat)  
         3.05am  Inside the Christmas Factory (Repeat)  



​ 
    Christmas Day Saturday 25th December 2021

      BBC Two

      6.10am  The Polar Bear Family & Me 
       7.10am  Film : Tinker Bell and the
​                     Legend of the NeverBeast (2014)
      8.20am  Malory Towers 
(Repeat)
      8.45am  Carols from King’s (Repeat)
    10.00am  Gangsta Granny (Repeat)
      11.10am  Film : Casablanca (1942)
     12.50pm  Film : Meet Me in St Louis (1944)
      2.40pm  
Marvellous Musicals : Talking Pictures  
                      
(Repeat)
       3.10pm  The Two Ronnies Christmas Sketchbook
                       
(Repeat)
       3.40pm  The Two Ronnies : The Studio Recordings 
                       
(Repeat)
        4.10pm  Quentin Blake – The Drawing of My Life
        5.10pm  The Queen 
(Repeat)
        5.20pm  Film : The Adventures of Robin Hood
                       (1938)
        7.00pm  The Morecambe and Wise
                       Christmas Show 1971 
(Repeat)
         7.45pm  The Morecambe and Wise Show 1970 :
                       The Lost Tape 
(Repeat)
        8.35pm  A Musical Family Christmas
                       with the Kanneh-Masons
        9.35pm  Film : Pavarotti (2019) Premiere
       11.30pm  Pavarotti in Hyde Park 
(Repeat)
         1.05am  Beauty and the Beast –
                       A Pantomime for Comic Relief 
(Repeat)
         2.05am  Impeachment: American Crime Story
                        
(Repeat)
          3:15am  What We Do in the Shadows (Repeat)
         3:40am  What We Do in the Shadows (Repeat)
         4:05am  What We Do in the Shadows (Repeat)

     Boxing Day Sunday 26th December 2021

      BBC Two

   
6:45am  Film :  Mary Poppins Returns (2019)
   8:45am  Gardeners’ World 
(Repeat)
   9:45am  Countryfile at Christmas (Repeat)
 10:40am  Saturday Kitchen Best Bites
 12:10pm  The Great Food Guys Hogmanay Special
                  
(Repeat)
 12:40pm  Film : Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
   2:20pm  Film : Some Like It Hot (1959)
   4:20pm  Final Score
   5:20pm  The Two Ronnies : Christmas Night
                  with the Two Ronnies 1987 
(Repeat)
   6:10pm  The Perfect Morecambe & Wise
                  Christmas Special 
(Repeat)
   6:40pm  Anything Goes : The Musical
   9:00pm  Mortimer & Whitehouse :
                   Gone Christmas Fishing 
 10:00pm  Adele : The BBC Sessions
 11:00pm  Tina Live! 
(Repeat)
   1:10am  Film : Mr Holmes (2015)
   2:50am  Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special
                  
(Repeat)


     Bank Holiday Monday 27th December 2021

      BBC Two

  
6:15am  Mary Berry – Love to Cook (Repeat)
  6:45am  Between the Covers (Repeat)
  7:15am  North America : Our Wild Adventures (Repeat)
  8:15am  Cheetah Family & Me (Repeat)
  9:15am  Talking Pictures : Musicals (Repeat)
10:05am  Film : A Star Is Born (1954)
12:55pm  Doris Day – Virgin Territory 
(Repeat)
  1:55pm  Film : Calamity Jane (1953)
  3:35pm  West Side Stories – The Making of a Classic
                 
(Repeat)
  4:35pm  Film : West Side Story (1961)
  7:00pm  The Hairy Bikers Go North Christmas
                  
(Repeat)
  8:00pm  Only Connect Christmas Special
  8:30pm  Christmas University Challenge
  9:00pm  Film : Blade Runner 2049  (2017) 

  11:30pm  Film : Highlander (1986)
    1:25am  Film : Last Christmas (2019)
   3:00am  Countryfile at Christmas 
(Repeat)

      
      

   
​ 



    Bank Holiday Tuesday 28th December 2021

      BBC Two

 
     6:45am  MasterChef : The Professionals (Repeat)
      7:45am  The Frozen North : Our Wild Adventures
                     
(Repeat)
      8:45am  Cheetah Family & Me (Repeat)
      9:45am  Film : Suspicion (1941)
     11:25am  Film : Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
      1:20pm  Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond
​                     the Lobby Christmas Special  
(Repeat)
      2:20pm  Talking Pictures : Agatha Christie (Repeat)
      2:50pm  Film : Evil under the Sun (1982)
      4:45pm  Death on the Nile (1978)
      7:00pm  Inside the Factory 
(Repeat)
      8:00pm  Only Connect Special
      8:30pm  Christmas University Challenge
      9:00pm  Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
    10:00pm  Mock the Week  End of Year Special
    10:35pm  Joanna and Jennifer : Absolutely Champers 
                     
(Repeat)
     11:35pm  Absolutely Fabulous : Cold Turkey (Repeat)
     12:15am  NFL This Week
      1:05am  Mortimer & Whitehouse :
​                     Gone Christmas Fishing  
(Repeat)
       2:05am  Scotland’s Sacred Islands with Ben Fogle 
                      
(Repeat)
     

​      

​     
​     Wednesday 29th December 2021

      BBC Two

     
6:40am  See Hear
      7:10am  Villages by the Sea 
(Repeat)
      7:40am  Waterhole : Africa’s Animal Oasis (Repeat)
      8:40am  Bringing Up Baby (Repeat)
    10:20am  Film : The Nun’s Story (1959)
    12:50pm  The Best Dishes Ever 
(Repeat)
      1:20pm  Amazing Hotels : Life Beyond the Lobby
                     
(Repeat)
      2:20pm  Talking Pictures : Sean Connery (Repeat)
      3:10pm  Film : The First Great Train Robbery (1978)
      4:55pm  Film : Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
      7:00pm  Wild Tales from the Village 
(Repeat)
      8:00pm  Only Connect Special
      8:30pm  Christmas University Challenge
      9:00pm  Inside the Factory XL : Diggers
    10:00pm  Frankie Boyle’s New 2021 World Order 
     10:45pm  Frankie Boyle’s New World Order Unseen
      11:20pm  Lady Gaga at the BBC
      12:20am  Mock the Week
                      End of Year Special 
(Repeat)
      12:55am  Film :  Absolutely Fabulous :
                      The Movie (2016)
       2:20am  See Hear 
(Repeat)
       2:50am  Surgeons: At the Edge of Life (Repeat)
      3:50am  MasterChef: The Professionals (Repeat)

      Thursday 30th December 2021

      BBC Two

 
     6:45am  Gardeners’ World (Repeat)
      7:45am  Waterhole: Africa’s Animal Oasis (Repeat)
      8:45am  Talking Pictures : War Films (Repeat)
      9:35am  Film : Dunkirk (1958)
     11:45am  Film : Reach for the Sky (1956)
     2:00pm  Talking Pictures : Anthony Hopkins
                     
(Repeat)
      2:45pm  Film : Shadowlands (1993)
      4:50pm  Film : The Remains of the Day (1993)
      7:00pm  Mortimer & Whitehouse :
                      Gone Christmas Fishing  
(Repeat)
      8:00pm  Only Connect Special
      8:30pm  Christmas University Challenge
      9:00pm  Film : Judy (2019)  
Premiere
    10:50pm  Being Bridget Jones (Repeat)
     11:50pm  Eddie Izzard: Force Majeure (Repeat)
      1:20am   Film : Alan Partridge : Alpha Papa (2013)
     2:45am   Nadiya’s Fast Flavours 
(Repeat)
     3:15am   Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby 
                    
(Repeat)
      4:15am  MasterChef: The Professionals (Repeat)

 





     New Year’s Eve Friday 31st December 2021

      BBC Two


    6:20am  Sort Your Life Out (Repeat)
     7:20am  Waterhole : Africa’s Animal Oasis (Repeat)
     8:25am  Talking Pictures : Sophia Loren (Repeat)
     8:55am  Film : El Cid (1961)
    11:50am  Talking Pictures : Judi Dench 
(Repeat)
   12:30pm  Film : Jane Eyre (Repeat)
    2:20pm  Film : Tea with Mussolini (1999)
     4:15pm  Nothing Like a Dame 
(Repeat)
     5:35pm  Musicals : The Greatest Show (Repeat)
     6:55pm  Film : Dad’s Army (1971)
     8:30pm  Christmas University Challenge
    9:00pm  Film : The Aftermath (2019) Premiere
   10:40pm  Live at the Apollo Christmas Special 
                     
(Repeat)
   11:25pm  Jools’ Annual Hootenanny
    1:25am   Legends of Glastonbury
                    
(Repeat)


​     



 










​ 








  New Year’s Day Saturday 1st January 2022

      BBC Two

​      6.25am  The Dengineers 
(Repeat)
      6.55am  All Over the Place (Repeat)
      7.25am  Blue Peter (Repeat)
      7.55am  Film : Strange Magic (2015)
      9.25am  Malory Towers 
(Repeat)
      9.50am  Malory Towers (Repeat)
    10.15am  New Year’s Day Concert : Live from
                    Vienna 2022
    12.40pm  Film : She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
      2.25pm  Wild West : America’s Great Frontier
      3.25pm  Inside the Factory 
(Repeat)
      4.25pm  The Archbishop of Canterbury’s
                     New Year Message
     4.30pm  Final Score
      5.15pm  Flog It!
     6.00pm  Film : Porridge (1979)
      7.30pm  My Hero : Hugh Dennis on Ronnie Barker
                     
(Repeat)
      8.30pm  The Perfect Morecambe and Wise (Repeat)
      9.00pm  This is Joan Collins
     10.30pm  Film : Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
      11.00pm  My Generation 
(Repeat)
      12.20am  TOTP2 : The 60s (Repeat)
     12.50am  Film : A Town Like Alice (1956)
   

​   Sunday 2nd January 2022

      BBC Two

      6.30am  A-Z of TV Gardening 
(Repeat)
        7.15am  Life in a Cottage Garden with Carol Klein
                      
(Repeat)
        7.45am  Gardeners’ World (Repeat)
        8.45am  Countryfile (Repeat)
        9.40am  Beechgrove
       10.10am  Saturday Kitchen Best Bites
       11.40am  Nigel Slater’s Simple Cooking 
(Repeat)
       12.10pm  Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
                       
(Repeat)
         1.15pm  Talking Pictures : Michael Caine (Repeat)
        2.05pm  Film : The Ipcress File (1965)
        3.50pm  Film : The Eagle Has Landed (1976)
        6.00pm  Earth’s Tropical Islands : Madagascar
                        
(Repeat)
        7.00pm  Antiques Roadshow (Repeat)
        8.00pm  Ski Sunday
        9.00pm  Mary Queen of Scots (2018) 
      10.55pm  Frankie Boyle’s New World Order 
      11.40pm  Paddy and Christine McGuinness :
                      Our Family and Autism 
(Repeat)
      12.40am  Doctor Who : Eve of the Daleks
      
      
 


      Bank Holiday Monday 3rd January 2022

      BBC Two

      6.35am  Bargain Hunt 
(Repeat)
      7.20am  Bargain Hunt (Repeat)
      8.05am  Inside the Factory : Diggers (Repeat)
      9.05am  The Wonder of Animals (Repeat)
      9.35am  Film : Odette (1950)
     11.30am  Film : The Wooden Horse (1950)
       1.10pm  Talking Pictures : War Stories 
(Repeat)
       1.55pm  Film : The Train (1964)
      4.05pm  Film : Operation Crossbow (1965)
      6.00pm  Richard Osman’s House of Games 
(Repeat)
      6.30pm  Rick Stein’s Cornwall (Repeat)
      7.00pm  Tom Kerridge’s Fresh Start (Repeat)
      7.30pm  Mastermind
     8.00pm  Only Connect
     8.30pm  University Challenge
     9.00pm  Inside Dubai : Playground of the Rich
   10.00pm  Film : The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
    11.30pm  Frankie Boyle’s New World Order 
(Repeat)
    12.05am  Countryfile (Repeat)
     1.00am  Zara McDermott : Uncovering Rape Culture
                    
(Repeat)
     2.00am  Take a Hike (Repeat)

  



Michael Willis, co-CEO at Marmalade Game Studio, said: “Watching TV over Christmas as a family is one of the highlights of the festive season, but with so many repeats being aired, it can be easy to become bored. Playing board games can be a great way to tackle this and bring families together.
“We have recently introduced a new Bubble feature, which more than a million families have signed up to, helping people stay in touch by video chat, allowing gamers to add friends and family to group chats, start games from these, and video chat whilst playing.”

Marmalade Game Studio research** in November before the Omicron variant sparked renewed fears about the spread of COVID-19 found nearly six out of 10 adults (57%) expect to be playing a board game during the Christmas season this year with Monopoly or Scrabble the most likely to be played.


Average spending on a new board game will be around £22 ($37.88 CAD), the study found, with 828,000 people expecting to spend £50 ($86.08 CAD) or more on board games for the festive period.
Digital gaming has surged in popularity and over the period of the lockdowns Marmalade Game Studio estimates downloads have increased 144% in total compared with the previous 18 months.

Marmalade Game Studio is the UK’s leading digital board game publisher, and it recently secured a £22.5 million ($38.74 million CAD) investment from private equity firm LDC to support recruitment and the development of new games, has seen revenues more than double in the last three years.
Marmalade Game Studio, which has offices in London and Lisbon, has managed to boost staff numbers from 28 to 65 while its range of games which includes Monopoly and Cluedo has expanded from 3 to 10 titles with more planned.

More Exciting Activities for Seniors

If you thought that ageing was boring, you were wrong. Gone are the days of the bingo-playing Senior (although, there’s nothing wrong with a little bingo). Nowadays, you can find Seniors engaging in activities of all sorts.

Well-rounded activities aren’t limited to nursing homes or assisted living centres. Because more and more people are choosing to age at home, you can find Seniors participating in community and neighborhood events. Find the right home health care agency for your loved one so he or she can reap the benefits of a Personal Support Worker (PSW) and an in-home caregiving team!

With home health care, your family member or friend can engage in activities right in the comfort of their own home and community. Professional caregiving teams can help find clubs and activities for Seniors that are accessible and in the neighborhood.

Consider these fun activities that older adults can enjoy.

Walking Clubs

Walking around the community is an excellent way for Seniors to fit exercise into their daily routine. When done with others, it’s also a way to make friends and to keep social. Many communities organize special transportation so that club members can walk in nearby parks or walking paths.

Group Exercise Classes

Group exercise classes such as chair yoga, tai chi, or ballroom dancing are engaging ways to keep Seniors physically active. It’s also another opportunity to meet other people and to make friends who have similar interests.

Regular physical activity will also keep Seniors in shape and is a good preventative measure against falling because it increases stability through muscle strengthening and stretching.

Book Clubs

It’s also important for Seniors to exercise their minds, and to incorporate reading into their routines.

Senior book clubs exist in many community centres and churches, and becoming a member is always a good idea. It encourages people to read so that they can participate in book club discussions with fellow members.

Seniors will maintain sharp mental awareness and make a few friends in the process!

Gardening Clubs

Seniors have more time to devote to hobbies than when they were working full-time or had a family to raise. When people choose to stay at home and have access to a yard or even a balcony, they can cultivate a garden and exercise that green thumb.

Gardening is an excellent way to relax, and the feeling of harvesting flowers, vegetables, and fruits and watching them grow is a truly unique experience.

Participate in Charitable Works

Giving back to the community is a great way to stay engaged and participate in worthwhile and meaningful activities. Donating one’s time to a charitable endeavor gives Seniors a sense of purpose.

Contact local charities, churches and spiritual centers, museums and other cultural institutions, health organizations — the list goes on and on — to see if your loved one can contribute to particular projects and events.

It’s also a great way to meet people and to stay connected to the community.

Although playing bingo is entertaining on occasion, there are so many other fulfilling activities out there for Seniors. Explore what your loved one’s community has to offer! For the Silo, Mila Urosevic.

How To Setup A Low Budget Home Gym

Back in college, I used to be very fit.

I swam three times a week, ran a few miles every other day and on weekends, I would bike with friends. There was not an ounce of fat in my body. But as years passed, I became too busy with work and eventually with raising a family that exercise became less important and I didn’t bother going to the gym. It came to a point when I saw myself in the mirror and hardly recognized my own body. In a span of 14 years, I gained over a hundred pounds. Plus Minus 100 Pounds Man ExampleI realized I needed to do something about it and fast. So I browsed the best online shopping sites looking for affordable gym equipment that I could just set up at home. I can’t go to a gym because, well…… Covid duh! Plus  I can only workout in the wee hours of the morning when everyone else in my home is still fast asleep.

Start Cheap

Many of my friends made the mistake of investing in equipment that cost over a thousand dollars and ended up not using them anyway. The truth of the matter is that it’s very possible to create a home gym for very little money. In doing so, you won’t be wasting money in case you find yourself not using your home gym and if you do decide to fully commit yourself to a healthy and active lifestyle then you can always upgrade your equipment and machines in the future.

The following are the most essential things you’ll need:

1. Private Space

It’s difficult to work out when you have screaming kids running around you. Ideally, pick a room with a door so that you can exercise uninterrupted.

2. Full-Length Mirror

Being able to see yourself working out is a great motivator and it’s also a good way to check your form and technique. You can buy a full-length mirror for around $20 – $30.

3. Weights

Every home gym should have a set of dumbbells. For women, start with 5, 10 and 15 lbs. Men should use heavier weights. Or you can get an adjustable dumbbell that will enable you to add or swap weights easily.

Okay some old school equip has seen it's day but don't dismiss all vintage gym gear!
Okay some old school equip has seen it’s day but don’t dismiss all vintage gym gear!

4. Stability Ball

Old school trainers would never recommend the use of a stability ball but it’s actually very popular among fitness experts today. With a stability ball, you can improve your core strength and balance. Besides, there are many exercises you can do with this ball – body bridges, squats, crunches, hamstring curls, and others.

5. Resistance Bands

These bands are very versatile despite looking plain and simple. You can strap it to a door, bench or table to do squats, chest presses, and lat pull-downs, to name a few.

6. Cardio

You can get a skipping rope so that you can do cardio exercises in your home gym. Or you can just go outside to run, jog or walk. Cardio exercises are essential to help your body burn fat faster. For the Silo, Dimitry Karloff.

Supplemental– Looking for some examples of cool home gyms on a budget?

4 Ways To Fortify Your Marriage & Manage Your Differences

Marriage is a complex, ever-evolving relationship that challenges partners to remain active in their efforts to maintain the relationship.  While the components of a healthy relationship – passion, commitment and intimacy – may seem abstract, I have found specific actions through my practice as a clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist that couples can do to prioritize their relationship and make it last.

Continue or learn to communicate well. We all know to be polite to our bosses at work or strangers we meet, but it is often with those we are closest to that we slip into unhealthy habits of disrespect or inattentive listening. Most likely, at the point in your relationship when you plan to get married, you feel close and communicate well with your partner. It is over time that partners become busier, more distracted or simply make fewer efforts to communicate respectfully and openly with their spouses. But communication is a critical component to a healthy marriage. Couples must schedule time to check in with each other weekly. This “weekly check-in” may seem less necessary in the early years of marriage, but you will appreciate the habit later when work hours become longer and kids enter the picture. Use this time to coordinate schedules, check in about any issues in the relationship, and take time for each other away from technological distractions (that means no phones or TV in the background).

Create a budget agreement. One of the most common areas of newlywed conflict is managing a joint budget. Even if you cohabitate with your partner before marriage, it is unlikely that you pooled all of your resources, and there is a lack of education about shared budgets. But money is important for your personal and relational well-being. Talk with your partner about your financial goals and concerns. Your spouse should be an equal partner in financial decisions. It is helpful for partners to regularly check in with each other about financial changes and decisions (you can easily incorporate this into your weekly check-ins). I advise couples to set a monthly personal budget – say $500 – that each partner can spend on individual expenses without consulting the other. If a partner wants to make a purchase that goes above the agreed-upon amount, he or she should wait until the other partner is consulted and agrees. By forming healthy spending habits and open communication about finances, partners can avoid one of the most common areas of marital conflict and feel closer as equals.

Share responsibility for maintaining intimacy. In the early years of a relationship, intimacy seems to come naturally, so many partners take for granted the importance of actively maintaining a sense of emotional connection. This is not the responsibility of one partner, but a requirement that both spouses maintain an interest in fostering intimacy and keeping tabs on ways the other partner wishes to feel loved and cared for (because this does vary from person to person and over time). Date nights are a simple way to establish time to reconnect during a busy week, and they are essential in the early years of marriage and beyond. Take turns planning an evening for each other, and do not get trapped in thinking it has to be extravagant. If your lives are incredibly busy that week, find a time to relax at home or try to cook a new meal together.

Remember that human beings like novelty, so be willing to try new things together.

Never be afraid to manage your differences. If I had to pick one major takeaway for couples considering marriage, it is to ensure that you are able to tell your partner when you are upset with him or her. That way your partner stands a chance of trying to fix the problem. Without this, resentment takes root and will continue to grow over time until it is addressed. This is so important because resentment often underlies any deficit in the previous points I made. It may sound basic, but it is often difficult for partners to place themselves in a vulnerable position where they can voice their concerns about the person closest to them. For couples to manage resentment, it is essential that partners create a safe conversational space where each can be heard and listen without feeling defensive or attacked. It is inevitable that you will have a different perspective than your partner at some point – whether regarding the family budget, division of household labor, or even the right way to show intimacy. Use any and every opportunity in the early years of marriage to practice talking with each other when one partner is upset with the other. Skills such as empathy, active listening and managing anger and frustration can be learned and need to be regularly utilized in couple conversation.  For the Silo, Dr. Anne Brennan Malec.

Dr Anne Malec

National Conference On Gambling Addiction & Responsible Gambling To Be Held Online

It has been announced that the National Conference on Gambling Addiction and Responsible Gambling is to be held online this year. The event, which is organised by the National Council on Problem Gambling, has been rearranged with dates for both November and December with the event being held entirely on a digital platform for the first time.  

This year marks the 34th such event from this organisation, which has become the largest and longest-running of its kind in the United States. The event is designed to bring a range of industry professionals together, and this includes counsellors, researchers, government officials, gambling industry executives, and a variety of other professionals.  

Supporting Harm Prevention and Reducing Gambling Addiction 

As the name suggests, the conference is designed to help push forward measures to support harm prevention and reduce gambling addiction in the United States and North America. With gambling facilities and legalization increasing rapidly across the nation, the need to have proper measures in place has become all the more vital. 

By bringing together officials from all aspects of the industry, the conference has been helping to tackle this problem for many years. The needs of those that require support have changed over the years as have the measures and tools available to help and support them. The conference helps to ensure that professionals in the industry can collaborate and innovate in order to provide the most effective support possible.  

One of the directors of the NCPG said, “The familiar forms of in-person support from both professionals and 12-step programs for people and families affected by problem gambling have been sharply curtailed this year. And opportunities to gamble have changed, with more online gambling occurring, which poses some new problems.” 

The conference was originally scheduled for the summer and was meant to take place in Washington DC. However, in the current climate, organizers had to delay the conference so that it could be rearranged as an online event for this year. It will be headed by Loreen Rugle Ph.D., a well-known training expert and counselor with a global reputation for her work.  

Dr. Loreen Rugle

As part of the conference, many Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be available for those attending the digital event. Dates for the main conference are now scheduled for 5-6 and 12-13 November between midday and 4.00 pm. There will also be recordings of the sessions available for up to 30 days following the main conference events.  

In addition, the dates of Master Classes have also been changed and will be taking place online on 2nd, 3rd, and 9th December between 1.00 pm and 3.00 pm.  

Covering a Range of Topics 

A wide range of gambling-related topics will be covered as part of this year’s event. This includes some of the topics that have to be discussed and updated each year such as prevention, recovery, and treatment. Sports gambling is thought to be a particular concern this year, and this will be discussed in detail as part of the conference.  

One of the things that may raise additional concerns this year compared to previous years is the rise in the number of gambling states in the country. Since the Supreme Court overturned PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act 1992) in 2018, more and more states have been jumping on board. 

In addition, many states are now keen to aid their economic recovery, and for some this has resulted in a closer look at the viability of sports betting and casino gaming. With a lot of states legalizing online gambling and sports betting, this could lead to a sharp increase in the number of problem gambling cases across the country.  For the Silo, Filip Cakic.

Seniors Are Doing What Exactly Online?

With 80% of baby boomers using the internet, it is clear that seniors are a lot more adept at using tech than we give them credit for. If you’re not convinced, just have a look at the statistics that MedAlertHelp compiled.

You will see that seniors are using the internet and smart devices a lot more regularly than most people would think. But what’s more interesting, perhaps, is the reason why they are using the internet. In this post, we will go through those reasons in more detail.

 

It’s Convenient

Raise your hands – who still uses an encyclopedia instead of checking the answer online? Do encyclopedias even exist anymore? Seniors are just as keen on using useful shortcuts as the rest of us.

 

Consider other apps that might be useful, such as internet banking, for example. In most cases, you’re not going to need to go to the bank unless you need to change your address or get a new card. Just about everything else you can do by using online banking or ATMs.

 

Easy Access to Information About Things That Interest Them

Most seniors cited that they enjoyed using the internet because it was an easy way to access information about things of interest. We can all relate to that. Just 20 years ago, learning something about your favorite hobby meant finding the right books or a person who could teach you.

Now, thanks to YouTube, that’s all changed. There is a wealth of information on the internet. Not all of it is great, but the support for hobbyists is nice. Want to learn how to crochet a jacket for your chicken? Google it – you will find a pattern. And, yes, there are people who crochet jackets for their chickens.

 

For Shopping

Online shopping and the elderly can be a match made in heaven, especially when there are mobility issues to consider. Online shopping has changed the world for a lot of us – making it possible to gain access to items that we cannot easily get otherwise.

But it can also be infinitely practical. You can shop for almost anything online, from groceries to clothing. This can be a boon for the elderly with mobility problems or issues finding transport.

 

For Entertainment Purposes

I have to be honest; this one was a bit of a surprise for me. Especially since I remembered growing up and being told that video games would rot my brain. However, almost half of the elderly who regularly use the net, also use it for entertainment purposes, like gaming.

 

Communication

The internet does provide us with a number of different ways to contact our families and keep in touch with friends. Seniors are taking advantage of services like Skype, Facebook, and other instant messaging services to keep in touch with the people who are important to them.

 

Conclusion

There is no doubt that the internet is a useful tool to make day to day living less complicated. We’re not counting the potential for wasting time on it here, though. But, if used correctly, the internet can save you time and a lot of stress. Is it any surprise that seniors are taking advantage of these benefits? For the Silo, Tarun Reddy.

What Elderly Do Online Infographic

Can You Replace Your Windows And Doors During Winter In Kitchener?

C:\Users\Renae\Downloads\winter-670314_1280.jpg

There are a number of reasons why you might want to replace your windows and doors in the winter. Either you’ve just moved in and want to upgrade them because they are old, or maybe you feel like they aren’t performing well, or perhaps even you may just feel like they are out-dated and that your home needs a new look. 

Windows and doors are an essential part of any home. They allow us to enter and exit our home, to let air and light in, but they are also designed to protect us from the elements and intruders when necessary. When they aren’t performing optimally, windows and doors can be the cause of heat loss in a home which can in turn make your furnace overwork – meaning you will be paying more on your energy bills.

When considering window replacement, it’s important that you find a window and door company in Kitchener that manufactures their products according to the highest energy standards. Look for a company that can offer you ENERGY STAR® certified windows that can help you lower your household energy bills by an average of 12 percent. Bonus: by lowering your energy consumption you are also helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Best Time to Replace Windows and Doors

You might be thinking that the middle of winter isn’t the most ideal time to contact your local window installer. Not only may it seem like it would be difficult for them to work in bad weather, but you’re probably also worried about the snow and cold getting into your home while they work.

Despite your worries, professional, certified window installers are typically able to install your units in one day. They also take precautions to ensure that your home is protected while they work, like by putting up plastic sheeting to keep the elements out and your things protected.

You can trust a window company that takes the time to assess your home and give you a quote before beginning work. The best ones will even do the measurements and check the work being done twice before starting – this ensures that everything is exactly to your specifications.

Once a day has been selected, your window and/or door installation team will likely ask you to move items at least two feet away from the areas being worked on. They’ll also ask if there is anything outdoors that they need to be careful of – like a favourite bush or flower bed.

By providing them with the information they need upfront, they’ll be able to prepare properly to make sure that nothing gets damaged in the process. If it’s just a straight replacement, things generally go smoothly and quickly, and as already noted can typically be finished in a day.

With the right windows and doors, you can protect your home from heat loss this winter, lower your energy bills, and also beautify the inside and outside of your home.

How Everyone Can Afford Luxury Travel

There is no denying that travel would be a lot more fun if you could crisscross the globe in comfort and luxury. Unfortunately, this kind of experience can end up setting you back a considerable amount of money. Naturally, this is something that few people can afford… Or is it? There is actually a way for you to enjoy a better class of travel without having to empty out your bank account. Here are the tricks to doing this:

Find Ways to Book Private Flights

There is nothing particularly enjoyable about flying commercial. The lines are long, the seats are uncomfortable, and there is a limit to how much luggage you can carry. At the same time, private air travel can often seem out of your reach. If you play your cards right, though, this doesn’t have to be the case.

The Gulfstream G650

For instance, if you are traveling in a larger group, check out Gulfstream G650 as an option. When you combine the overall cost of the commercial plane ticket prices, you may just discover that hiring a single plane is cheaper!

Furthermore, there may be other ways to get you discounts on your Chicago charter or other flights as well. See in many cases, people will only book a one-way flight. Of course, since the plane has to head back to its original destination, it ends up losing money. To counteract this, certain companies will offer lower rates for these flights, if you can change up your schedule a little.

Explore Less Popular Parts of the World

If you are going to go to a place that is a popular tourist destination, you will be unable to afford the top hotels there. After all, there will be a much higher demand for these spots. This is why you may want to look at other less traveled locations.

Whether you are looking for beautiful beaches, culture, or good food, you can guarantee that you can find a more remote option. Since these areas aren’t visited as often, the cost of accommodation is much lower. Thus, you can enjoy a luxurious stay without having to pay nearly as much.

Splurge Wisely

In an ideal world, you would be able to spend on whatever it is that you want. The reality, however, isn’t quite as accommodating. This doesn’t mean that you can’t splurge on certain luxurious items, though. Instead, it is about being careful about what you splurge on.

Look at your holiday and think about which areas you wouldn’t mind skimping on. For instance, instead of eating at the hotel, you should be able to easily find cheaper venues in the city. This may leave you with more money to go shopping at some high-end stores. It is all about managing a careful balancing act.

These are all of the ways that virtually any individual can afford luxury travel. So, if you put your mind to it, you will be able to enjoy a truly wonderful experience. The next time you have to plan a vacation, keep these following tops in mind for the greatest results.

What We Learn From The Death Of A Spouse And How To Find Love Again

He had no idea his life would change so significantly……For 31 years, Dennis and Hope Freed had a fulfilling marriage. They raised a family, built a home, and shared their dreams with one another and their two sons.

Overcoming Spiritual Midlife CrisisThen Hope got cancer, and their lives changed drastically overnight. She fought a long brave battle, and went through over 250 chemotherapy treatments, but on April 7, 2012, on an evening that heralded Passover in the United States and Easter in Israel, she died.

Dennis Freed’s beloved wife and best-trusted friend had gone, leaving him alone to figure out a future he’d never imagined. For the first year, he sorted through what society expected of a long-term caregiver and widower. Eventually, Dennis emerged from mourning, his heart ready for life’s next chapter. Is there love after marriage?

In Love, Loss and Awakening, Dennis Freed tells the story of how he began to go out with women again. He shares the reality of dating at age 50-plus—how he endured the awkward and hilarious encounters and embarrassments a man experiences when he hasn’t been on a date with a new woman for decades. Dennis’s book chronicles how one finds love after the death of a spouse. He describes his courageous and uplifting journey through sorrow, his search for new love, and his rediscovery of love and happiness.

Drawing upon the wisdom and personal experiences he acquired dating middle-aged women in all the wrong places, Freed takes the mystery out of the many lessons he learned. Dennis found out that as a widow or widower you can find love again, but it’s a difficult road. Love isn’t unique to the person you loved first. That love never fades, but your heart has room for more. You can get love back in your life. Your new love becomes a special love in its own right.

Here are just a few of the valuable insights:

Hole Heart/ Whole Heart

When you lose your best, most trusted friend, the hardships just begin. You are now alone. Your whole heart collapses to half its size. It transforms into a Hole Heart. The process of resurrecting it to wholeness is like Lego construction, built one little brick at a time. At first, bricks of varying shapes and sizes are sorted through and meticulously placed. Slowly they assume the weight and shape of your newly imagined Whole Heart.

Learn How to Be Physical, Affectionate, and Intimate

You spent thirty-plus years kissing no one but your spouse. If you spend your time worrying about the “what if” instead of enjoying the right now, it will rob you of your joy today. Sometimes you just have to learn something new, like all the kissing pleasures one never experienced. It’s not such a bad idea. Understand that it takes time and practice, and that each person you meet is unique. You’ll make hurtful intimacy mistakes just like a teenager. You’ll make stupid and inconsiderate mistakes. It’s a fact. Practice and learn so that when the right person comes along, you’ll be ready.

A Hundred Bottles of Beer on the Wall

You are going to date a lot of people. It is okay to be sad, mad, depressed, empty, lost after a date that isn’t perfect. Embrace the journey! Feel! Live it! Then get on to the next one so your failures don’t consume you. Have fun searching. Let your dating escapades become the target of jokes for your friends. Entertain them with style!

LoveLossAndAwakeningDennisPFreedBookCoverLove, Loss and Awakening

Dennis P. Freed

 List $ 12.95US

88 pages, trade softcover, also available in ebook version

ISBN 978-0-9971916-1-5

Tolawaken Press

 The death of a loved one is devastating, and can leave us questioning our new path. Will I ever want to find love again, and if so, how do I find it? What’s appropriate behavior for a widowed fifty-four-year-old? Should I explore dating sites? Meet women in bars? Rely on introductions from friends? The questions far outnumber the answers. In Love, Loss and Awakening, Dennis Freed shares his experiences and his journey to new love and the rediscovery of happiness.

For more information, visit www.LoveLossandAwakening.com

 

About the Author

Dennis P. Freed is a native of Brooklyn, New York, and, from age three, grew up in Oceanside, Long Island, where he later raised his family. He earned a BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Rhode Island. After a stint as a structural engineer, he entered the Construction Management and Development profession in New York City, where he has led teams to construct and develop more than sixty-five buildings. Also an associate professor at Pratt University in New York, he teaches Construction Management to architecture students.

Sunset

What People Are Saying

“Love, Loss, and Awakening is an engaging story of how one man bounces back after losing the love of his life. It is an ode to the power of being in relationship, especially when faced with incredibly difficult and heartbreaking loss. And it is with much humor that Dennis Freed takes the reader on a journey to find what we are all looking for to be joyous and fulfilled in relationship.”

Harville Hendrix, Ph.D., and Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D., Creators of Imago Therapy and authors of Getting the Love You Want

“This is a story of digging deep after loss, finding that being with another is worth the risk, and staying open to lessons both human and Divine. At times an excruciating memoir of living with cancer, at others, a combination of ‘How To’ and, more useful, ‘How NOT To’ of middle-aged dating. Those who have loved deeply will be reminded of what they have or have lost; for others, it’s the promise of how good a relationship can be. The book has a happy ending, yet acknowledges that seeking love must always include a willingness to lose again.”

—Cynthia Wall, LCSW, author of The Courage to Trust: A Guide to Building Deep and Lasting Relationships

“Get ready to cry, laugh, cringe, and howl with wonder and delight as you go through Dennis Freed’s amazing experiences after the loss of his wife. He offers heartfelt real-life insights on how to cope with the despair and overcome the pain so you can face the world and find love and happiness anew.”

—Paul J. Krupin, author of Words People Love to Hear Simple Verbal Recipes for Making the People Around You Feel Good

Top Ways Folks Go Broke

Being broke sucks and you don’t have to come from a wealthy family, have the next  billion-dollar idea or work 18-hour days to become rich, says self-made millionaire Mike Finley. In fact, you don’t have to be extraordinary in any of the headline-grabbing ways. What you need is the self-awareness to avoid wasting Financial Happiness.

“Money used wisely can give you financial security ”

Finley lists 10 of the most common money traps that lead to consumers going broke:

1- Making the appearance of wealth one of your top priorities by acquiring more stuff. The material trappings of a faux lifestyle, as seen in magazines and advertisements, are not good term happiness.

2- Working a job you hate, and spending your free time buying happiness. Instead, find fulfilling work Monday through Friday so you are not compensating for your misery with expensive habits during the weekend.

Even worse than living paycheck to paycheck- advance loan on your paycheck.
Even worse than living paycheck to paycheck- advance loan on your paycheck.

3-  Living paycheck to paycheck and not worrying about saving money. Don’t live for today, as if that’s all that matters. Have you already achieved all of your dreams by this moment? If not, embrace hope and plan for tomorrow. (Appreciating your life today doesn’t require unnecessary expenditures.)

4-  Stopping your education when someone hands you a diploma; never reading a book on personal finance. Just about any expert will tell you that the most reliable way out of poverty is education. Diplomas shouldn’t be the end of learning; they should be a milestone in a lifetime of acquiring wisdom.

5-  Playing the lottery as often as possible. While you’re at it, hitting the casino! Magical thinking, especially when it comes to money, is a dangerous way to seek  financial security.

6-  Running up your credit cards and making the minimum payments whenever possible. Paying interest on stuff you really don’t need is a tragic waste of money.

7-  When you come into some free money, spending it. Feeling like you deserve it. By that logic, you’re saying that a future version of you doesn’t deserve the money, which can be multiplied with wise investments.

8-  Buying the biggest wedding and the biggest ring so everyone can see just how fabulous you really are. Nothing says “Let’s start our future together” like blowing your entire savings on one evening.

9-  Treating those “amazing” celebrities and “successful” athletes as role models. Trying to be just like them whenever possible. As far as we know, there’s only one you the universe has ever known. Don’t dilute your unique individuality by chasing an image.

10-  Blaming others for your problems in life. Repeat after me: I am not a victim. The victim mentality is an attempt to rationalize poor habits and bad decision-making.

“If you’re feeling uncomfortable with your financial situation, don’t just sit there in a malaise of ‘If only I had more money,’ ” Finley says. “Instead, use it as motivation for a better life; that’s why the discomfort is there.”

Like most North Americans, Mike Finley was raised with no education in personal finances. Joining the Army out of high school, he realized he didn’t understand money management and began the task of educating himself. After 26 years in the service, during which he practiced the principles he learned, he retired a millionaire. Finley is the author of “Financial Happine$$,” and teaches a popular financial literacy class at the University of Northern Iowa.  For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

New Wearable For Pets Is Lifesaver When Animal Is Lost Or Injured

Next to our children, our pets are some of the most important members of our families. We do everything we can to make sure both our kids and pets are safe, but eventually kids can shoulder some of the burden themselves. But when “Spot” runs off, we can’t expect him to tell the nice neighbor that finds him that he has a medical condition, or who his veterinarian or owner is.

Though your pet will never learn to talk, there is a way to provide whoever finds your lost -or injured- pet with the information they need to offer aid. A new ‘wareable’ technology, MyEndlessID Pet, gives veterinarians and good samaritans all of the information they need to render aid in an emergency.

Inventor- Gustavo Rubacha

“Even the best trained pets might head off on an adventure sometime,” said Gustavo Rubacha, one of MyEndlessID Pet’s inventors. Worse still, Rubacha notes, is that from time to time those ‘adventures’ can result in injuries, sometimes serious.  “We believe that it’s important to prepare for these emergencies ahead of time and that’s why we created MyEndlessID Pet.”

MyEndlessID Pet jams the latest Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology into a tag small enough to hang from a pet’s collar. Utilizing the same tech that until now has only seen mass deployment in payment systems like Apple Pay and Google Wallet, the NFC tag will emit radio waves to any capable smart phone held close to it, providing vital information about your pet with just a tap.

When the device is activated, pet owners receive immediate alerts by text, email and a phone call, along with a geolocation of where their pet is located when the tag is activated. Most importantly though, MyEndlessID Pet provides rescuers and veterinarians instant access to vital medical information that could save an animal’s life in an emergency.

Vital information including medical conditions, medications, vaccinations, allergies, medical history and veterinarian history, insurance information, and more are all instantly available with the simple tap of any modern smartphone.

Unlike an implanted microchip, MyEndlessID Pet does not require special equipment beyond a smartphone to work, and priced at $20USD it is far more affordable than a vet visit to have a device implanted.  And unlike recently introduced ‘smart collars’ – MyEndlessID Pet never requires charging or battery changes.

MyEndlessID Pet is also water resistant, allowing it to withstand whatever mischief your pet might wander into, while continuing to deliver critical information when someone comes to help your pet get out of whatever mess he or she has found himself in. For the Silo, Timothy Williams.

Wellness Blogger Offers These Healthy Summer Snack Recipes

“Every story and every memory from my childhood is attached to food,” Dawn Lerman writes. Our relationship with food starts at a very young age: what and how we eat is often determined by our environment and our upbringing. Our eating habits and snack tastes are cultivated by our family members’ relationships to food, for better or worse. Dawn knows this first hand. The author of the New York Times Well Blog series, “My Fat Dad,” shares her food journey and that of her father, a brilliant copywriter from the “Mad Men” era of advertising at Leo Burnett and McCann Erickson, in her book, MY FAT DAD: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Family, with Recipes (Berkeley; September 29, 2015; Trade paperback/$USD16.00).

Summer Snack Book Dawn And FatherDawn’s father was known for his witty ad campaigns; he was responsible for such iconic slogans as “Coke Is It,” “This Bud’s for You,” and “Leggo My Eggo.” Unfortunately, he was not able to use the same problem-solving skills when it came to his weight. Dawn’s father was obese as she was growing up —450 pounds at his heaviest. His weight would go up and down like an elevator, depending on what fad diet he was on–or what ad campaign he was assigned to. He insisted Dawn, her mother and sister adapt to his saccharine-laced, freeze-dried food plans to help keep him on track. Dawn’s mother never cooked and she witnessed her mother eat only one real meal a day—a can of tuna over the kitchen sink—while she dashed from audition to audition pursuing an acting career.

“As far back as I can remember, there was an invisible wall that separated me from my dad, a distance that I could never completely penetrate,” Dawn remembers. “His closest relationship was with the bathroom scale – his first stop every morning and his last stop every evening. The scale controlled his moods, our days, what we were going to eat and basically ruled our family life.”

Snacks were a particular downfall of her father, especially when he was working on fast food marketing campaigns. “My dad felt that in order to create a good slogan, you needed to believe in the products you were selling,” Dawn explains. “He was always the best customer for the food and drinks he advertised, testing them excessively—especially when Wells Rich & Green promoted him to head creative director for Pringles potato chips”

Listening to him crunch away canister after canister on the crispy snacks in the privacy of his room– trying to come up with the perfect slogan, Dawn knew she had to get inventive to help her dad get healthy while still staying inspired. At 9 years old Dawn had become the official chef for her family, turning her maternal grandmother Beauty’s Jewish weekly recipe cards into diet friendly meals and treats that would keep her dad motivated. It was her grandmother who instilled in Dawn a passion for cooking for oneself and others as she learned that the best food is prepared with the freshest ingredient.

One recipe Dawn developed during that time was her special homemade hot air popped corn coated in ranch seasoning. Upon trying it her father declared “Dawn now that you popped, you can’t stop!” That statement of delight was the kernel of an idea that took her dad around the world– filming highly attractive people on beaches and other fun places, joyfully indulging in Pringles potato crisps that exploded out of the can as the top popped off while the voice over announced…” Once You Pop, You Can’t Stop!”

My Fat Dad Summer Snack Book CoverDawnLermanThis spring and summer try these healthy and delicious snacks from My Fat Dad with no stopping required. The potato chip recipe, derived from that long-ago hot air popped corn recipe, can be enjoyed throughout out the day as they are satiating and nutritious. Pair it with Dawn’s Hummus recipe, which is loaded with protein. The combo of complex carbs, protein and healthy fats –will fill you up without weighing you down. A win-win for both mood, energy, and weight control!

Recipes below from MY FAT DAD: A Memoir of Food, Love, Family, and Recipes By Dawn Lerman

Berkley Books/2015

MY FAT DAD: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Family, with Recipes By Dawn Lerman  Berkeley / 2015 Trade Paperback/$16.00

Dawns Potato Chip Recipe

Herb Infused Ranch Style Sweet Potato Chips with Coconut Oil

Yields: 4-6 servings

These sweet potato chips are crunchy, slightly salty, and have that wonderful ranch taste. They are a healthy take on traditional store bought chips. They are fried in coconut oil– which not only helps the chips to brown beautifully, but aids in speeding up your metabolism. They are a constant staple in my formerly fat dad– 450 pounds, now 210 pound –snacking regime.

4 large sweet potatoes, can also use white potato’s or beets

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 teaspoon of dried parsley

1 teaspoon of garlic salt

I teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of minced onion

Sea salt for seasoning

Fresh thyme for garnish

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees, scrub potatoes to remove dirt. Then slice into thin, even pieces. You can cut them by hand or use a slicing attachment on a food processor. Rinse your potato slices in cold water. Now soak the slices in cold water for 30 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and lay them on a paper towel or paper keeping them slightly moist. Dip in bowl with herb mixture –dried parsley, garlic salt, and onion powder. Make sure chips are coated.

In a skillet melt the coconut oil over medium heat. When the oil sizzles place them in the oil for about 1 min till they get slightly brown. Do not over crowd the pan. Best to do in small batches. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove your chips from the coconut oil. Drain the chips on a layer of paper towels, and repeat till all chips have been fried and blotted.

Then place all the cooked chips on a baking sheet and bake for 1 minute. Remove and serve warm. Sprinkle with sea salt and garnish with fresh thyme.

*NOTE: if you do not want to fry the chips you can take coated chips, lay them out on a baking sheet sprayed with coconut oil and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown.

Sweet Potato Hummus

Yields: 6 servings

If you are looking for a light, healthy snack this sweet potato hummus is bursting with flavor, spice and color. Because of its high protein content, it will help control your appetite and mood. My dad named it the caviar of hummus—exclaiming, that it was almost illegal for something so nutritious to be this delicious. Pair this with my Potato Chip recipe for the perfect blending of protein and carbs.

1 large sweet potato (about 9 ounces)

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

5 tablespoons olive oil (plus additional, as needed, for thinning)

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch of nutmeg

Position the baking rack in the middle and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Wrap the sweet potato in foil and bake in a shallow baking pan until it can be easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow the potato to cool completely.

Peel the skin off the sweet potato and transfer to a food processor fitted with a blade. Add the chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt, and nutmeg, and process until smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add a little extra olive oil or water and process until the desired consistency is reached.

MY FAT DAD is as much a coming of age memoir as it is a recipe collection from Dawn’s upbringing and culinary adventures in Manhattan. Her recipes include some of her grandmother’s favorite traditional Jewish dishes, to healthier interpretations and creations. Her father’s life-long struggle with food, along with her grandmother’s love of cooking fresh foods, led Dawn to become a well-respected nutritionist, NY Times blogger and chronicle her story in her best-selling book. Today her dad is a healthy 210 pounds and vegan.

“Dawn Lerman grew up Jewish in the 70’s. I grew up Italian. Might sound different, but for the most part, it’s the same. Especially when it comes to food. The philosophy was simple, food = love. My Fat Dad hilariously and poignantly captures that essence. Whether you’re Italian, Jewish, or anything else you can relate to how family, food, and the love of both affect how we grow up, and live our life. Mangia!”

—Ray Romano, Emmy award-winning actor

“The Manhattan nutritionist was raised by a diet junkie who tried every regimen under the sun and food — or the lack of it — ruled her life. My Fat Dad is about her eccentric upbringing and her constant state of hunger as Albert imposed his wacky ways on the whole family.” The New York Post

“My Fat Dad is an exploration of the many ways food shapes our connection to family. It also includes many delightful recipes.” Michel Martin, NPR, All Things Considered

“It is clear Lerman ‘s life is centered around the table and she gives readers a seat at hers” Baltimore Jewish Times

” ‘My Fat Dad’ is a memoir of food, love and starvation” New York Daily News

ABOUT DAWN LERMAN, MA, CHHC, LCAT

Dawn Lerman Nutritionist Blogger AuthorDawn Lerman is a Manhattan based nutritionist, bestselling author of My Fat Dad: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Family with Recipes, and a contributor to the New York Times Well Blog. She has been featured on NBC, NPR, Huff Post TV as well as several other news outlets. Her company Magnificent Mommies provides nutrition education to student, teachers and corporation. Dawn counsels clients on weight loss, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diet-related conditions. She is a sought-after speaker and cooking teacher and lives in New York with her two children.

For more information about Dawn, go to www.DawnLerman.net .