Whining, wining and Poor Richards

When I was in college in the 1980's, Thursday night was the traditional start of the weekend.  After long study halls we often headed to Poor Richard's Pub in Amherst for a little disco and drinking.  Perhaps those were the good old days.

A lot has changed since then and the challenges to our simple everyday pleasures may keep many of us on edge.  To retain some level of sanity I have sought out fun new ways to socially distance while remaining safe at home during the Covid pandemic.   

Those who know me, know I love good food and entertainment.  I also really enjoy good wine.  A glass of wine is a great way to destress and reduce "whining" while relaxing in my now daily prism. Since the start of the pandemic I have been exploring new ventures using virtual and socially distanced tools. I will share one such venture in this post.

Online wine tastings has become a big "thing" and I recently learned that I am joined by many others in this pursuit.  Since there is opportunity to buy much online these days, I recently joined the NakedWine Club , thinking I would test it out for a few months. I have since made two full orders and have enjoyed the opportunity of sampling wines from the comfort of my own living room.  

I thought I would share an article about this emerging trend. There are several online ways to join wine clubs and mine is just one.   Now is a great time to expand your horizons and have a little fun while exploring.  If you would like an invitation to join my wine club I am happy to share their promotional link (click here. ).  

As it is Thursday evening I am ready to start my weekend and hope you enjoy this post.  Comments welcome.   

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  She enjoys coffee, walking her dog, theater/arts, reading, writing, travel and meeting new people.  She always welcomes the opportunity to have a virtual coffee now that we are amidst the “new normal”.  Check out her website at www.wendybcb.com or her fb page @wendybcb as she posts up to date content to meet the ever changing marketplace.

At Home With Diversity: How to Create An Accessible Bedroom Without Breaking The Bank

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham.  Her greatest passion is to connecting people with the right resources.  As part of this goal she is excited to share this guest blog post by Patrick Young.

How To Create An Accessible Bedroom Without Breaking The Bank

As far as rooms are concerned, the bedroom is one area of the home that’s non-negotiable. Beyond just being an area for rest, the bedroom is also a space for healing. There’s simply no place for stress in the bedroom, which is why it’s crucial to adapt it for accessibility, like the rest of your home. At the very least, it must fully support your mobility needs, while at most, your bedroom can be your personal sanctuary. Here’s how you can achieve this, and more.

Don’t scrimp on space.

Space is a huge factor in any accessible home, and this is no less true for your bedroom. Fundamentally, there must be ample room to maneuver a wheelchair or walker with ease (usually a floor space of about 5’ x 5’), as well as enough clearance (ideally 3’ to 5’) between furniture and fixtures. Per Accessible University, 10’ x 12’ is a good-sized bedroom for accessibility modifications, but this varies with personal circumstances, too.

The doorway is one feature that’s also worth considering. Again, it needs to be able to accommodate mobility aids, and while a 36-inch frame is usually enough for such a purpose, you can go as wide as 42 inches for a more seamless entry. Additionally, your door should be fitted with swing clear hinges to completely clear the entryway, as well as a lever-style handle for easier opening.

Devote more attention to your bed setup.

As the focal point of the bedroom, your bed deserves a great deal of thought. You want to be able to get in and out of bed as easily as possible, which means you’ll need to make a few key adjustments. Ideally, the top of your mattress should be roughly the same level as your wheelchair seat, which is approximately 20 to 23 inches from the floor. This is the optimum height that makes it relatively easy to go from bed to wheelchair (and vice versa), with or without assistance.

One thing that’s also worth investing in is adjustable beds. This is especially good for those who spend most of their time supine. Essentially, an adjustable bed can be adjusted in a number of ways so you can comfortably—and with little effort or assistance—adopt different positions. This is a fantastic way to reduce body pain and address circulatory issues.

The Sleep Judge notes there are more bedding and sleep solutions that you can consider, as well, such as overbed lifting poles, grab handles, and wedge supports. Some may be more appropriate for your specific disability than others, so take the time to consider your mobility needs to determine which tools work best for you.

Don’t break the bank.

Lastly, cost can be a real concern when remodeling your bedroom or home for accessibility. However, you should know that there are several financing options you can explore as your eligibility can help you easily cover the expense.

Home refinancing is one such solution, and with today’s lower interest rates, this might be your most viable option. You can also consider a VA streamline refinance if you’re a veteran with an existing VA loan. As a bonus, these loans are easy to apply for and have shorter closing periods. You could even lower your mortgage payment in the process.

In conclusion, your bedroom must be a space you can truly call your own, so take measures into making it as accessible as you need it to be. Start by acknowledging your need for sufficient space. To help with this, you should hire real estate professional Wendy Bornstein with Coldwell Banker, who recently earned her AHWD (At Home with Diversity) certification and has expertise in helping clients find the appropriate space to fit their needs. From there, it’s just a matter of fitting it with the right features and solutions. Ultimately, it’s an investment for your quality of life that simply can’t be beaten.

Thank you to Patrick for sharing his expertise and knowledge.  Since I have earned my AHWD Certification it is an honor to be able to share the blog of experts providing resources in areas beyond my knowledge base,

WendysWeekendAdventure: Woods Hole

La Shana Tova and Staying Strong Together

Tonight marks the start of the Jewish New Year of 5781. During this holiday we focus on how to make ourselves better for the year to come.  It is a time to reflect on past mistakes and the lessons we learned to build a better future.  The theme of my Temple this year is Staying Strong Together (Chazak V' Amatz).  

It is a good time to reflect on our past years experience and how we can make the year 5781 a better year for our personal and professional life.  

Coincidentally, I was watching a segment on Good Morning America this morning with entrepreneur GaryVEE on Re-Invent U. He suggested we should all practice the term "GAP" which stands for Grateful, Accountability and Perspective.  This ties in directly with the reset ideology to start a new year cycle.  I did not know much about him but found this to be very inspiring and just subscribed to listen to his podcast.  

In Gary's framework I thought I would share my reflections.

Grateful:

I found the resilience and adaptability of my company, Coldwell Banker to have been a huge benefit to my life. The Company redesigned our platforms early on in the first months of stay at home to provide the highest level of virtual service to clients.  The training is unmatchable and there are new courses offered weekly to be in the forefront of the industry.

Accountability:

I have taken advantage of numerous webinars and technologies that I am also able to bring into my daily routine such as using platforms of Zoom, Google Meet, Facebook and InstagramLive, LinkedIn, Microsoft Teams and even FaceTime to interact and share a personal interface social distancing.  In addition, I was able to improve my knowledge base and recently to earn a Certification for AHWD - At Home With Diversity. 

Perspective:  I am now able to reach more clients and have much more flexibility to serve a wider and diverse range of buyers and sellers.  My virtual tool kit is continuously being updated and I am excited to face the opportunities to share these with clients this coming year. 

These themes also can be reflected in my personal life.  I am grateful to have a nice home in the suburbs with the most needed comforts. I am also thankful to have had time to work on a few projects around the house since I have had more at home time such as my family tree.  

Adaptability has allowed me to be able to social distance adjust most of my daily needs by planning ahead when going out to keep safely social distanced and masked while avoiding crowds. At times this can be challenging.  I have also redefined my errand and shopping experience to buy more online. I have adapted my fitness routine to online yoga and pilates classes and take long walks.  I have also taken advantage of working harder to connect with people I have been out of touch with.  

Perspective: Being home has given me more opportunity to reach out and reconnect with many family and friends I had lost contact with over the years. In many ways I have learned new skills and am living a stronger healthier lifestyle.    I believe I have actually become a better cook and make almost everything from scratch with much healthier ingredients including local farm fresh vegetables, a more vegan diet and baked from scratch sourdough breads.  

The year has been challenging and many of these adapted behaviors will be the new normal until this virus is fully mitigated.  There was an informative article in Medium yesterday about the continued obstacles we will be facing as we head towards colder weather.  Basically we still need to remain vigilant and continue to 1) wear masks 2) social distance and 3) make sure we have good air infiltration.  

As we head in to the New Year it is also important to think ahead.  As I watch the upcoming Presidential campaign I believe Joe Biden's plan to BUILD BACK BETTER aligns well with the Staying Strong Together.  His plan to unify and lead our country needs to start with each of us working toward a common goal.  This can happen if we  work together as a country to defeat the virus and share goals for the common good.  I hope I can optimistically look forward to celebrating his success in the next election and will work hard to help this campaign.  

I wish all of my readers a wonderful new beginning.  I truly look forward to Staying Strong Together as we head toward the New Year.  La Shana Tova.

Wendy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Needham. In her free time she enjoys connecting with friends and clients,  travel, cooking and walking her dog Delilah.  She loves coffee and is happy to have a socially distanced Zoom coffee anytime.