Chelsea Community Hospital to Merge with St. Joe's

Chelsea Community Hospital will be merging with St. Joe's this year, according to multiple news sources flooding my news feeds this morning. Here are some links to provide more information:

• Chelsea Community Hospital to join St. Joseph Mercy Health System (Crains Detroit Business, 3/21/08)


• Ann Arbor News, 3/21/08 and 3/22/08:


• Chelsea, St. Joseph plan would share resources
  


• Residents see pluses, minuses in hospital mergers


• Chelsea calculates sum of St. Joseph changes Mixed opinions on proposed merger


• Deal would merge hospitals (Jackson Citizen Patriot, 3/22/08)
  

Happy Easter!

Easter is one of my favorite holidays for many reasons, not least of which is the fact that it truly feels like the beginning of spring. (I know about the pending snow storm... let's just say I'm opting to pretend it doesn't exist.) It's also a good time to visit with extended family and enjoy a wonderful meal, without all the stress of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season.

My family has always celebrated Easter in the usual way. Easter baskets, the a.m. service at my parents' church, and a big celebratory meal. My mom is an excellent cook and we always look forward to the feast she prepares. (Except for that one year when I went out of town and she cooked a rabbit for Easter!!! With a chuckle, she claims it was partly to get a reaction out of me. It worked.)

My husband's Polish Catholic heritage brings many new Easter traditions to our family. We prepare kielbasa and a homemade babka (a breakfast cake) the night before to eat along with the colored Easter eggs. Needless to say, with TWO feasts in one day I need to pay special attention to the rest of the week if I'm to stay on track with my health goals. Let's hope the Easter Bunny brings candy that I'm not terribly fond of... like Peeps (ick).


Easter Events in Chelsea
Easter events in town this weekend:

• 15th Annual Easter Egg Hunt - Saturday
  

• Bunny Brunch and Easter Egg Hunt - Sunday
  

If you are looking for a church service in Chelsea, please visit our Places To Worship page for a complete listing of churches in town.

Other Weekend Events
Check out the other events in Chelsea this weekend, including classes at the Middle Bead and the Garden Mill, and music at Pierce's Pastries.

• Events in Chelsea the weekend of March 21-23

Wireless Hotspots in Chelsea

If you're visiting Chelsea, or are a local resident who is between errands and dropping kids off to their various activities, it's nice to be able to stop and check email or look up something on the Internet. Perhaps you need to double-check the address or time of an event you found on the Things To Do In Chelsea website. :)

For your reference, I recently added a page to the Things To Do In Chelsea website listing places that offer free wireless access (WiFi).

• Wirelss (WiFi) hotspots in Chelsea, Michigan
  

If you know of other locations in town, please let me know and I'll be happy to add them.

Note: Free wireless often means "free with purchase". So be a good neighbor and buy a cup of coffee or something while you're there!

Finding inspiration to get healthy (again)

I'm inspired. Perhaps it's a bit of spring fever now that the sun has reappeared, or perhaps it's a new year's resolution for someone with serious procrastination problems. Hate to say it, but I'm on a health kick. I often talk about the great places to shop and eat here in Chelsea, but as someone who lives here and is not just here visiting for a lovely afternoon, it's good to note that we have a great variety of health resources, too.

Here are a few I'm feeling enthusiastic about at the moment:

• The Chelsea Farmer's Market will return in May (just a few weeks away!)
• The Just Try Club is an online community group for people to share ideas, resources and workouts. I have met many helpful and supportive people both directly and indirectly through this group.
• Waterloo Recreation Area - Did you know there are 47+ miles of hiking trails at our very own state park? I'll be spending a lot of time there once the frozen mud and slippery ice have safely retired for the season.
  
• Walking Map of Chelsea - As I started typing about these maps, it started sounding vaguely familiar. So I browsed the archives of Things To Do In Chelsea and found this news brief from a couple years ago. And it's still good information to have:
  

Walking Maps of Chelsea Available
News Brief from Things To Do In Chelsea, May 2006

Thinking about getting in shape for the summer? Why not start by walking from Chelsea to Manchester? That is the basic premise behind the Healthy Communities Walking Program. You track your walking in increments of 15 minutes or 1 mile. As you record these small steps, they add up to total the distances from Chelsea to Dexter and Manchester, all the way up the U.P. Visit the Healthy Communities website for details and how to join.

Walking maps of Chelsea, Dexter and Manchester are available at many locations in town including the Chamber of Commerce, library, and city offices. Each map features routes of varying distances, with suggestions for where you might find water, restrooms, and places to rest. To download a PDF copy of the walking map visit the Healthy Communities Walking Program website. A large version of the walking map is also painted on the exterior wall of the Chelsea Market.

My current plan involves a major overhaul of my horrible diet that started around Halloween and kept going strong through Valentine's Day and beyond. I know a lot about healthy eating, and feel much better when I put that knowledge into practice. I'm also using the moral support and motivation from the JTC club to get out of my blogging chair and into the fresh air.

So, in terms I can really relate to, it's time to "reboot"!

Learn More
For more resources, see the Chelsea e-Directory and browse the Health category and the Recreation category. The directory can always use more additions, so if you see your favorites missing, be sure to add them or email me.

Last, but far from least
Oh and I couldn't write on this topic without mentioning Running Into the Sun. This is a blog from another local resident who has shared her journey from overweight and out of shape (like me!) to running like a fiend and *loving* it. You are a true inspiration, Sarah.

Don't forget to reset your clocks!

Today is the day to set your clocks an hour ahead (spring forward) for daylight saving time. Since we are losing an hour, I suggest making good use of the ones you have left. Perhaps you can forget about that one extra load of laundry and do something fun instead. :)

Celebrating books and wine from Michigan at Mom's Night Out

Thursday night, I attended the first "Mom's Night Out" hosted by Cranesbill Books. The topic was "Women Business Owners in Chelsea". It was an opportunity for moms in the community to ask questions from women who own businesses, and most of all to socialize, meet new people, relax and have fun.

At the event, I had a chance to talk with Sharon Kegerreis, who along with co-author Lorri Hathaway, wrote "From The Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries." Did you know that this Chelsea mom's book is listed on the 2008 Michigan Most Notable Books list? Did you know that there are Michigan wineries all over the state... in fact, just miles from Chelsea? Oh, and that they are open all year long? Did you know that Michigan's climate is similar to many of the places in Europe that make world renowned wines? Like most people, when discussing Michigan wines, I had always thought of certain grocery store types that were just "ok" but not really anything I'd serve to guests. After sampling some of the Michigan wines and speaking with Sharon, I have a whole new curiosity and appreciation for our wineries and am eager to plan a road trip (*purely for research, I assure you*).

Learn More

• Purchase a copy of the beautiful and informative book From the Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries by Sharon Kegerreis and Lorri Hathaway by calling Cranesbill Books in Chelsea at (734) 433-READ. You can have it shipped directly to you, or pick it up at the store and start reading it in one of their comfy chairs upstairs. If you ask nicely, I bet they can even get a signed copy for you. (Yes, it's available from national book sellers, too.)
• Visit Sharon and Lorri's website and blog about Michigan wines and touring Michigan wineries at MichiganVine.com
• Read more about the Michigan Notable Books distinction and see the other 19 recipients for 2008
• Buy Michigan wines - The New Chelsea Market carries a great selection of Michigan wines that you would be proud to serve to your guests. The owners have even created "Made in Michigan" stickers to make it easy for you.
  

Even though I was a featured guest at this event and felt a little nervous about it, I had a great time and am very much looking forward to the next Mom's Night Out.

Oh and speaking of wine tasting...
Speaking of wine events, the Common Grill is hosting a Wine Tasting fundraiser on April 21. The proceeds will go toward Chelsea's annual Summerfest event. I attended this event last year and the wine, food and company was outstanding. Tickets will go quickly this time around, so if you would like to attend, please call the Common Grill at (734) 475-0470.


P.S. I know there are few "foodies" that read my blog. You should really check out this book and try some of the recommended Michigan wines!