These days, retirement might just be another word for your second career. And that can be rejuvenating, says Meaford’s Liz Scott.

Liz has long had a passion for music. And for the last 12 years, she’s brought musicians and audiences together at her home on Irish Mountain overlooking Meaford and the sweep of Nottawasaga Bay. (The 100th Irish Mountain House Concert is scheduled for July 27.)

“What I love about live music is that we can all sit together and experience something, but each person gets something different from a song or lyrics or melody,” says Liz “It speaks differently to everyone. The rewarding part is being able to enjoy myself and know that other people are experiencing something special and that I’ve helped to bring the musician and the audience together.”

Booking her non-profit concerts, along with her involvement as a judge and presenter with the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals, kept her in the thick of the folk music scene, and Liz would often informally recommend artists to other presenters and promoters. Gradually, she found herself being called on to program for-profit gigs, such as the Village Vibe series at the Village at Blue Mountain. She became manager for Canadian roots and blues artist Mark Reeves. And then she was asked to become Artistic Director for Ontario’s Eaglewood Folk Festival. All while continuing her career as a full-time teacher.

But a year ago, she decided to retire from teaching and take up music and artist promotion more seriously. “I decided after 25 years of teaching, I felt like doing something a little bit different,” says Liz. “And since my passion has been music for the last bunch of years, I thought I could do more to help bring music to people and help musicians.”

Before long, she’d also been recruited by Firebones Management, a major Canadian artist management company, and she now represents a number of acts, including Suzie Vinnick, Wendell Ferguson, David Celia, Rob Lutes and Steve Poltz, along with Reeves.

Liz Scott with husband, Rich Fletcher, left and Canadian icon Valdy.

The shift hasn’t been a total breeze, but Liz is enjoying her second career.

“It’s tough work,” says Liz, “and I still miss the kids at school and that part of my life. But it’s a brand new energy for me. The learning curve is really high, and it will take awhile to find my feet, but it’s exciting. It’s rejuvenating. It’s injected something different into my life.”

As Meaford Haven moves ahead in finding and evaluating builders for this unique small town Ontario retirement community, North East Grey Health Clinic is moving full-steam ahead on plans to have Meaford’s new health clinic in operation. Last fall, Desmond von Teichman told Meaford Council that the need for new doctors in Meaford means it’s important to build the $2.1 million clinic sooner than originally planned.

A Meaford property owner has donated land next door to Meaford Haven for the 6,000 square foot clinic, which will be able to accommodate four doctors and a physiotherapist.

“Very simply, and in Thornbury it was proven, without a clinic we’re not going to get new physicians,” von Teichman told council. “Immediately after the [Thornbury] health centre was opened we [leased] every spot in it, and we now instead of two doctors, we have four doctors, and a fully fledged physiotherapy office in there as well.”

In addition to the clinic, Meaford Haven’s plans include a commercial block which will be aimed at offering additional space for health and medical practitioners and suppliers.

Super-fast nordic skiing at Highlands Nordic

This skate skier, with a camera mounted to his head, is flying. Warning: you might get a bit dizzy. It’s a little like one of those racing video games where you have to dodge the slower-moving vehicles. In this case, he’s dodging around less speedy skiers… watch out! About 40 minutes from Meaford Haven

Dick in the ditch at Kolapore

This is not Dick’s finest hour, but while he struggles up from the snow, admire the scenery in this one tiny section of Kolapore Uplands Wilderness Ski Trails – which offer 50 kilometres of varied terrain. About 20 minutes from Meaford Haven.

Snowshoeing at Scenic Caves

Up on the heights of the Niagara Escarpment, the cross country trails are great, but so is the snowshoeing. This tour gives you a taste of what to expect, including a trip across the 420-foot suspension bridge with its vista of Collingwood and Georgian Bay. About 30 minutes from Meaford Haven

Jarryd Hughes at the Blue Mountain World Cup during training with Jonathan Cheever

Blue Mountain held the Snowboard World Cup a couple of weekends ago, just 20 minutes from Meaford Haven. If you never, ever plan on “snowboardcrossing” – in which up to half a dozen snowboarders race side-by-side down a challenging course with bumps and jumps and obstacles – here’s the next best thing. Pretend you’re Jerryd Hughes, and see the course through his eyes.

Had a chat with a friend the other day, and was surprised to learn she has just begun her “continuing class” (that is, the next level after beginner) of Taost Tai Chi, right here in Meaford. The two-hour sessions, which involve numerous excercises, just got more complicated and intense, she says.

Based on the traditional schools of this internal Chinese martial art, Taoist Tai Chi is a set of gentle, slow moving exercises aimed at improving your health and fitness, no matter what your age. Classes continue pretty much weekly throughout the year.

If you’re interested, now’s the time to check it out. On Monday, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the group is holding an open house at Meaford Arena. Meet the instructor and learn more about this complex and rewarding practice. Visit the website. Or contact Judy Birch at 519-538-0288.

While you might dismiss this as common sense, Newsday recently reported this “startling” fact, citing a recently concluded study by researchers at the University of Western Ontario and the Yale School of Public Health.

But seriously, the results suggest – as the researchers noted – that you might want to include psychological planning for retirement along with more traditional planning – such as financial planning, travel and activities.

The long-term study followed 394 retired folks from small-town Ohio for 23 years and concluded that those who said they enjoyed retirement lived almost five years longer than those who confessed they were unhappy in retirement (after adjusting for employment status, health and socioeconomic status.)

The important variable seemed to be a positive attitude toward retirement (or ATR, as the researchers dub it.) Those with a positive ATR lived a median 4.9 years longer while those with a negative ATR were 1.71 times more likely to pass away.

So working on building a positive attitude toward retirement (and aging in general) is a worthwhile investment. This might involve envisioning how you want to spend your retirement years, where you’d enjoy living, what activities you’d love to participate in, and what social activities you’d enjoy – and then taking steps to build these into your retirement lifestyle. The act itself can be a positive step to help you have good feelings about retirement; by planning to enjoy a meaningful and active retirement, you probably will.

Bill Monahan moved to Meaford three years ago after a varied career, including 15 years in the electronics field. When he took to the stage as a contestant in this week’s Dragons’ Den Meaford, he was asked if moved to Meaford to retire? “No,” replied Bill. “I moved here to start a new business.”

But Bill’s most recent venture, a spin-off from his HomeButtons Electronic Systems, is directed at Meaford retirees. HomeButtons Special Care is devoted to sales and installation of electronic devices that can help people age at home.

Yes, retiring can be cool! Here are some of the latest tech tools and toys Bill has on offer.

For some retired folks, email is more of a hassle than it’s worth. Not so with the MailBug email system. Instead of using a computer, this handy device uses your phone line to send and retrieve email from trusted senders. No need to learn complicated software, and no worries about virus attacks.

The doctor just gave you yet another prescription or recommended another daily pill. Yet another hassle, you mean. Enter the e-pill Multi-Alarm TimeCap. Pop it on your pill bottle, and you not only get a reminder of when to take your medication – but it reminds you of when you took your last one.

As we age, a simple stroll can be better with some safeguards. The SafeLink GPS Wander Monitor is a small bracelet or pager-size communicator that allows loved ones to monitor the wearer on Google Maps – including the option to set an alert when he or she goes beyond a geographical boundary. And an SOS button lets the wearer send an alert in case something happens. Just to make it cooler, it also functions as a watch and a cell phone.

In addition to selling these devices, Bill recognizes that some less-than-e-savvy retired folks might be more tempted to throw them out the window than to use them – so he also handles the installation and training to make sure people are totally comfortable with their new toys.

Check out more of Bill’s devices here.

Talk about an active retiree. Nearly 60 years after Marilyn Bell’s historic swim across Lake Ontario, the 74-year-old still coaches the sport along with her regular exercise in the swimming pool.

An article in the Toronto Star yesterday profiles Marilyn Bell Di Lascio, who now lives in a retirement community in upstate New York, but finds every opportunity to enjoy the water, despite a degenerative back condition that makes it painful to swim.

Back in 1954, the then-16-year-old surprised everyone by coming from nowhere to be the first person to swim across the lake. An American was the odds-on favourite to set the record, with backing from the CNE, but Bell achieved the milestone. Both started around the same time, but Florence Chadwick dropped out partway across, and after a 21-hour swim, Bell climbed out of the water at Sunnyside Beach.

Here are a couple of ideas to keep you warm, fit and well-nourished from Blue Mountain’s Activity Central and the Apple Pie Trail.

Ski at Scenic Caves and finish off with a great post-ski snack. Indulge yourself at Scandinave Spa, and indulge your taste buds with a delicious dinner. Or snowshoe at Blue Mountain, warm up with hot chocolate, and then warm up some more at an area restaurant. Here are the details.

MONDAYS ~ Cross Country Skiing Package ~ Save 20%
Self-guided

Ski through a quiet forest of sugar maples, beeches and oaks high atop the Niagara Escarpment at Scenic Caves overlooking Georgian Bay. Use your Apple Pie Trail certificate at one of the many area Trail locations and enjoy local apple products from pie to cider.

Price from: $38.90 pp +tx
(package is based on adult rates, includes ski rentals, trail pass and $12 Apple Pie Trail certificate)

TUESDAYS ~ Spa Rejuvenation Package ~ Save 20%
Self-guided

Refresh with a relaxing spa experience at Scandinave Spa, featuring Nordic baths, cold plunges, sauna, and steam room. Use you Apple Pie Trail certificate at the on-site Café Chartreuse or one of many other Trail locations in the area.

Price: $48.00 pp + tx (19yrs +)
(package includes bath pass and $12 Apple Pie Trail certificate)

FRIDAYS ~ Blue Mountain Snowshoe Tour, Hot Chocolate & Apple Pie Trail Voucher ~ Save 50%
Guided

10:30am A guided 1 hour tour for nature lovers will wind gently up the mountain, through the nature trails at Blue and descend back down. Warm up afterwards to a complimentary hot chocolate at Grand Central Lodge and use your Trail voucher at any of the 20 Apple Pie Trail locations from Collingwood to Owen Sound – including five stops in the Village.

Price: $15.00 pp + tx
(package includes snowshoe rentals, guided tour from Blue Mountain Village, Hot Chocolate at Grand Central Lodge and $12 Apple Pie Trail certificate)
(Excluding February 20, March 12-16, 2012)

That’s just a few. Find more here.

You’re fuelled, you’re fashionably kitted out, and you’re ready to get fit. Just a few more winter fitness tips to make your retirement fitness fun and beneficial.

Even if you’ve outfitted yourself with grips on your shoes or boots, be careful of ice. Assume that any wet-looking pavement or dark areas on pavement are icy or slippery, and be aware. You might want to consider working out with a buddy (or two!) If you’re alone, let someone know where you’re going and what time you’re leaving.

Colder temperatures can mean your muscles take longer to warm up, so make sure you warm up and stretch – get the blood flowing – before you step outside. You can even do a pre-workout inside. Kick off with some step reps on the stairs, jumping jacks in the living room, or turn on the Wii or Kinect and do a little dance. Outside, start slow, warming up your upper body and muscles as well with some lunges and stretches.

Check the weather. You probably don’t want to run in freezing rain, snow squalls, extreme cold or high wind-chill anyway. And you probably shouldn’t. Fire up the dancercise again.

Pay attention to how you feel – and take action of you’re getting too hot or too cold. And make sure you cool down after your workout. Slow the run to a walk a couple of blocks before home, then stretch a bit once you’re back inside. Finish up with a shower and some fresh, dry clothing to warm up, and pat yourself on the back for taking care of your health and fitness, winter or not.

You’re all geared up for your cold weather fitness routine – or just plain old fun in the snow. Is your body ready?

Nutrition is possibly more important to healthy exercise in the winter. Naturally, normal healthy eating and sleeping routines put you in good shape. But you can do more.

Complex carbohydrates are even more important in the cold months, and if you can have them warm, you help regulate your body temperature to fight the cold Mother Nature’s sending your way. Indulge your body’s natural desire for hearty foods in the winter, and enjoy oatmeal, pasta, toasted whole-grain sandwiches or bagels, and other carb-laden energy sources.

Staying hydrated deserves more attention in the winter, too. When you breathe in cold air, moisture in your body condenses and you exhale it, and sweat evaporates more quickly in cold, dry air. On top of that, studies have discovered that people don’t feel as thirsty in cold weather – even when they should. Start drinking water well before your workout and carry a bottle of cool (not cold) water or sports drink with you on your trek.

(Water also helps your skin, which is fighting a battle against dryness with the wind and the cold.)

To keep your energy level high, carry a healthy snack – an energy bar, nuts or raisins – with you. It can also be a welcome emergency supply if a slip or disruption leaves you outside longer than you planned.