Baker's heartbeat

       This home is located on the High Trestle Trail in Ankeny, Iowa.      Iowa is a state which needs more walking trails, not fewer!     According to the Iowa Department of Public Health , Iowa is one of 19 states with an obesity rate of plus/minus more than 35 percent. That's one-third of the state's population!     Being overweight or obese increases health risks, the state reports, including: High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and several types of cancer.     The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , or CDC, study shows that obese children are more likely to grow into overweight adults. This, in turn, makes it more likely they will be bullied, become depressed, or develop diabetes, bone or joint issues.     I bring this up because lately, two communities in the greater Quad-City area have refused to allow exercise paths be built near residential neighborhoods.     While this is somewhat understandable, I offer a photo, above, of a high-end

  The Iowa DOT office in Davenport. This is where you go, in Scott County, Iowa, when you need help with your Iowa Driver's License.     I  often think that my brain works in thirds: One part looks ahead, one part is in the present, and one considers the past, history, etc.     This translates to occasional "dumb" mishaps. The latest was a few  incidents where I managed to lose, not one, not two, but three important cards. This was discovered over a period of days when the many cards I had fell out of a cute  little, old card holder.       I have no idea when, or where.     Disappeared: The Iowa Driver's License, a Citi Visa card and my bank's debit card.     This was a catastrophe of sorts. The cards are more important than you might think, but after a lot of panic, I researched the solutions and now, all is better. ( As one example: When you lose a Driver's License, you can carry a passport around to prove your identity.)     Turns out, when you lose a Drive

Steve Baker looks out over the Mississippi  River on an outing last Sunday        It was warm, sunny and relatively windless last Sunday: In other words, a most perfect day to boat on the Mississippi River.     Luckily, one of our three girls, and her husband, (Jill and Kevin Hansen) invested in buying a cute speed boat recently, and we had the pleasure of spending the day with the family on it.     We have not boated on the Mississippi River in several years. We can boat where we live, but it's not the same as the river community.     We found, with some surprise, the wide interest of the hundreds of folks who hang around the river on the weekend. There was live music at several venues, and several fun boats to look at and admire. Not to mention the friendly folks at the various places we stopped.     Husband Steve had a speed boat some time ago, and he boarded it at a place near Muscatine, Iowa, called Fairport. We returned to that spot on Sunday and were surprised to see all the

  That's my Mom and me, when I was about four years old. We used to check out books at the Edina (Minnesota) public library on a regular basis in those days.      I don't think I'm the only person in the world who has a little trouble with Mother's Day.     I should say I had a great Mother's Day this year. We got out on a pontoon boat, I cleaned up the beach area we oversee, and had a nice float, and then we visited with neighbors we hadn't seen in months.     My kind of day.     It hasn't always been so fun. Years ago, when I was in my late 20's, I wrote a newspaper column with a title like this one "Why I Hate Mother's Day." That was one column I'd like to take back because among other reasons, my future mother-in-law, a saint of a woman, questioned my sanity at the time.     Well.     Sanity aside, it's problematic to those of us who had somewhat dicey childhoods. I had a wonderful mother, by the way, but she became ill when I w

       It's important -- for many women -- to locate the restrooms, wherever they are!     I'm 66 years old and actually in very good health.      That said, I have a consistent worry that I share with a whole lot of other women. To wit: Where is the restroom?     Yep, bladder issues are a common concern for many women. According to the Mayo Clinic News Service , this worry occurs in 1 of every 4 women over 20 years of age. Issues includes leakage of some kind, or other related matters.     "Where ever I am, I go ahead and find the restrooms," a friend said recently. That was comforting to hear as it's something I do myself!     As an example: My husband Steve and I walk several days a week at Scott County Park, all year long. For part of the year the restrooms are closed and that encourages planning. I generally walk two miles, come home to "rest" a bit, and head back to walk or run two miles.      This is pretty fail-safe but I have had incidents, and

                                               This is an example of a list that I make every day.                                                      This is a list that I make before shopping      I love to make lists as I aim to be productive each and every day.     I do this as a habit and I also believe it is comforting to have hobbies, goals and the like.       In addition, I can't seem to remember what I want to do unless I make a list!     I read a daily newspaper, and that is my top goal. Second most important goal is exercise, on a somewhat daily basis. The house is kept clean, and I mark that on lists, as well as normal items. As an example: Wednesday is Trash Day, so husband Steve and I make sure the trash is out and bin is filled.     There is  research to support this practice, which I have been doing ever since I can remember. See an article from The Guardian, online :      "Dr. David Cohen, an author and  psychologist, explains our love of lists is due to thr