Wednesday, August 30, 2006 · Page 11 Taking Care of Our Emotional Health Back to School Mode I'm in back-to-school mode this week. I have to be. . . my wife is a teacher! This week she is busily preparing a new classroom in a new school for the new grade she is teaching. While students and parents have a few days remaining of their summer school break, there is a beehive of activity going on in area schools, as a new year is about to begin. The thought of and experience of going back to school reminds me that it can be good for our emotional health, whether we are a student or not. Here's what I mean: · Routine: Returning to school means getting back into some routines which summer vacation may have taken us away from . . . bedtime, wake-up, mealtime, bus schedules, lunches, etc. Routines give our lives structure and stability, in the midst of emotions, which can change constantly throughout any given day. · The Classroom: It teaches us discipline, interacting with others, organizational skills, managing our frustrations and impulses, focusing our attention, and communicating ourselves to others . . . all important for healthy emotional development. people in a helping profession. Who and what have been formative for you from your old school days? · Life-long Learning: Every school start-up twigs a yearning in me to be back in school and a reminder that learning is a life-long process. Some of the healthiest and happiest people I know are taking night courses, or enrolling themselves in new hobbies or community activities that stretch their minds and expand their horizons. St. Clair College and the Board of Education offer continuing education courses for people of all ages. So next Tuesday morning, when our residential streets become quiet and our area school playgrounds become active after a summer of relative dormancy . . . and as we see those school buses on their first "run" of the new school year, we might prompt ourselves to consider how "back-toschool" mode can be good emotionally for all of us. Now, if only I could find someone to teach me how to hit my new golf club properly! Next: Marital Infidelity From: Her Desk Drawer Sweet red cherries are the stars in this low-fat upside down coffeecake that's ideal for a summer dessert. 1 tbsp . . . . .soft margarine 2 tbsp . . . . .brown sugar 1 1/2 cups .Ontario Sweet Cherries, pitted and chopped 1 cup . . . . .granulated sugar 1/4 cup . . . .soft margarine 1 tsp . . . . . .almond extract 1 . . . . . . . . .egg 1 cup . . . . .all-purpose flour 1 tsp . . . . . .baking powder 1/4 cup . . . .sliced almonds 1/2 cup . . . .buttermilk . . . . . . . . . .icing sugar Low-Fat Sweet Cherry Coffeecake JOHN POSTONS (M.S.W) · Change: The start of the new school year marks the traditional end of summer and the beginning of the fall season. Endings and new beginnings are part of the cycle of life. The ability to adapt to change and integrate it into our lives is a necessary healthy part of human growth and emotional health. · "Old School Days": This time of year might cause us to remember our old school days and the teachers along the way who have been influential in our lives. My Grade 8 teacher taught me the fun of learning and a high school teacher instilled in me a desire to work with In 8" square cake pan, mix 1 tbsp margarine with brown sugar. Add cherries and mix well. Spread evenly in pan. Set aside. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar with 1/4 cup margarine until light and fluffy. Beat in almond extract and egg. Stir in floor, baking powder and almonds. Mix in buttermilk, being careful not to overmix. Spoon over cherry mixture. Bake in 350oF oven for 40 to 45 min. or until cake tester inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool on rack for 10 min. Run knife around edge; invert onto serving plate. Cool completely. Dust with icing sugar just before serving. ANNOUNCING ... Helping You Control Your World HEATING & COOLING ROOFING & SIDING BOOK EARLY! KEN-CO 776-8340 KEN COLENUTT Call for a FREE Estimate TO SERVE YOU BETTER - LOCKS OF LOVE Sisters Kenzie, left, and Krystelle Grymonprez of Essex dis- NOW OPEN IN ESSEX! (ACROSS FROM ZEHRS) play the 16-inch ponytails that each girl had cut on July 11. The girls decided this summer to donate their hair to "Locks of Love". They raised over $450 in pledges for the program. Brad Graham of Salon 29 in Kingsville helped the girls by cutting their hair. ALL WORK GUARANTEED New Phone Number: 519-776-4021 ANNOUNCEMENT Dr. Andrew Hager and Dr. Richard Kniaziew are pleased to welcome = CARE-A-VAN GIFT CERTIFICATES are available and make an ideal gift. The Essex Care-A-Van provides transportation for residents in the Essex and surrounding area. A second bus, the Harrow Care-AVan, provides transportation to residents of the Harrow and Colchester South area. Adults with physical disabilities and seniors 55 and up are eligible to use the Care-A-Van. For more information on schedules and fares, please call our office at 776-4231 or 738-1105. FOOT CARE GIFT CERTIFICATES are available and make an ideal gift. Our Foot Care Clinic is open to those aged 55 and up, or younger, if you are unable to care for your own feet. We have registered nurses on site who are specially trained in Advanced Foot Care. An appointment is required, as the clinic books up quickly. YMCA NEWS Our Fall Program schedule will be out in September. Session 1 classes begin October 2 and go until December 8. Look for Babysitting, Home Alone and Safe, and First Aid classes along with our Karate, Fun N Games, Indoor Soccer, and Basketball classes in Essex. We are also accepting resumes for Program Instructor Positions until the end of August. Please fax to (519) 776-6852 or mail to 35 Victoria Ave. Essex, ON N8M 1M4 HARROW PARADE Look for the Harrow Care-A-Van and the Essex Care-A-Van in the upcoming Harrow Parade. The parade starts at noon and zigzags through the town of Harrow, ending at the Harrow Fair Grounds. For more information on any of these items, please call 776-4231. DR. JULIE RICCI ESSEX 113 Talbot St., S. 519-776-8211 LEAMINGTON 225 Erie St., S. 519-326-6194 to their optometric offices. She is now practising in both the Leamington and Essex offices. New patients are always welcome. Call now for back to school eye exams!