Four things we need to live past 100

I was listening to NPR this morning as I was driving to various stores to put together a "baking basket" for my church's youth auction tomorrow.

I always get carried away but it is so fun to create. I must admit I wondered how Jane would do it. As I was in William Sonoma (after I had been to Pier One) and I was walking around trying to decide what to purchase and picking one thing and then putting it back and picking something else, I wondered if it would be easier for Jane and how I wished she was here to help me. Anyway, I ended up spending too much money (I should have just written the youth a check). The lady who checked me out offered to put the items I had purchased together in the basket I'd bought at Pier One. Though I enjoy putting things together myself, I decided to let her do it. Twenty minutes later she brought out a beautiful basket filled with mixing bowls, measuring spoons, tea towels, cocoa and vanilla with the yellow spatula tied to the basket with a ribbon. I would never have done as good a job. So I took the basket to the church. I'd also gone to Borders to buy a cookbook to go with the basket but didn't have her wrap it with the basket because I am planning on making two of the brownie recipes (it is a chocolate cookbook of course) this evening and including it with the basket. On the bid sheet I put Baking Basket, retail value $100, Judy's brownies, priceless. If someone doesn't buy it for at least $150 I am definitely going to just write a check next year.

Ok, back to the real reason for this blog and what I heard on NPR. Four things that will help us stay young. 1) Drink lots of good water; 2) exercise; 3) eat healthy food; 4) relax;

I don't do any of these four things. If I did, I would probably lose weight without even trying and feel a lot better. I am sure I would. I believe we all know the right things to do, we just aren't willing to do them. Why is that? Or maybe it is just me who knows what to do but doesn't do it.

In the past few months, I have had a general physical from my GP; a mammogram from the mammogram place and a gynocological exam from my OBGYN. I seem to be healthy.

So I am going to try to do the four simple things that will help me live long enough to see my grandchildren grow up. Should I start with one of the four or just start doing all four at once? Do the brownies that I am going to bake tonight constitute good food?

As soon as I finish this blog I am going to get a large glass of water (non-tap), take it outside to our new screened-in porch and sit and do nothing for half an hour except enjoy the beautiful weather and the birds in our back yard. Then maybe later I'll put on my WII Fit and exercise or maybe even ride my bike. Good food? Maybe that will come after I sample the brownies.