Diversions: Fitness, Family, Fiction

Diversions once explored ideas in the world of fitness for the older adult as well as the dynamics of family history, both real and fictional. It was an eclectic mix of writing in two different, but sometimes related, categories. Many articles have been removed for various reasons which will not be discussed here. Suffice it to say that this page now only announces my fitness classes, has articles about my family and my husband’s family, and some excerpts from novels I have written:

• fitness for older adults, which I teach in downtown Vancouver, Canada
• the history of my family and my husband's family, particularly the Overturf, Hansen, Ingraham, and Herrick families

Plus more diversions. In some ways these topics couldn’t be more different, and yet they have also inspired and informed each other.

Susan Ingraham

Highlights

• FITNESS

After retirement from 32 years of public school teaching, at the age of 57, I started exercising for my own well being and found that I wanted to impart my knowledge to others. It took a year to earn my qualifications: several courses and a pretty tough exam from the British Columbia Parks and Recreation Association. Plus, I’m expected to update my qualifications every year, including CPR and First Aid. I have also had special training in teaching Older Adults and Adapted Fit. Today, at 80, I continue to teach four classes a week.

Light Fit encourages men and women of any age (though the emphasis is on the older adult) to get active: warmup, strength training, cardiovascular exercise, balance training, stretch and flexibility. If you have been away from exercise, had a recent injury, or you are just starting to exercise, you should find this class a good one to start with, but many participants are "regulars" who enjoy the general mood and tone of the class. It meets from 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the West End Community Centre, 870 Denman Street, in Vancouver, BC.

Adapted Fit is a fitness class for older adults (usually 55 and older) who may have strength or mobility issues. Participants do many exercises in a chair and they stand up for some activities while using the chair for support. It meets on Mondays and Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to noon.

Fitness Articles: You will find here many articles about fitness and the older adult.

• MY FAMILY HISTORY: I have done research on my own family which includes: Overturfs, Hansens, Mahoneys, and McDonalds.
• MORE FAMILY HISTORY: I have also done research on my husband's family history which includes: Ingrahams, Herricks, Moshers, and Brands.
• FAMILY INDEX: Looking for a particular ancestor? An index of the couples on my family history pages, with links to every page where each person appears.
• A CHAPTER OF A NOVEL: Adeline in Nebraska (Adeline gives birth and waits for her house to be built): Family Legacies, Chapter 1
• A CHAPTER OF A NOVEL: Janie in Illinois (a little girl says good-bye to her mother): Family Legacies, Chapter 2
• SISTERS: A true story of five women attempting to thrive in 19th Century America when women's rights were limited.

How I Create My Web Pages

I research and write my web pages myself, with help from Claude, Anthropic’s AI assistant. As a former English teacher, I know the value of a good editor, and Claude is among the best.

Claude catches my typos, questions my dates, names, and claims, suggests where a passage could be clearer, and handles most of the formatting. When its suggestions don’t tally with my experience, I check them. Claude does make mistakes, and sometimes admits them and apologizes before I notice. If it cannot find an answer I need, it asks me to justify what I’ve written or do more research. In the end, my web pages are mine, not Claude’s.

Another Site of Interest

My husband, Bob Ingraham, offers you a very different web site. He says: “Ephemeral Treasures is a mostly philatelic web site which reflects my interests in early commercial aviation and the Second World War, and showcases items from my collections — old envelopes (aka covers), stamps, and postcards. But it also highlights some of the adventures I've had in my life, including surviving a plane crash in New Mexico's Black Range and being badly wounded in Vietnam when I was a Marine Corps hospital corpsman.”