The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Al-Anon Family Group meetings: for families and friends of alcoholics-- One Day at a Time Group, 10 a.m. at Knox Church starting on Dec. 7 and Acton Al-Anon Family Group, 8 p.m. at Trinity Church, 70 Mill St., Acton. Info: 1-888-425-2666. Networking Thru the Holidays: 2 p.m. free at Links2Care Employment Resource Centre, Acton. Learn the dos and don'ts, how to build and use your network, and make free business cards that will keep you on people's minds. Info: 519-853-5014. Holiday Magic on Main in Downtown Georgetown: Businesses will provide an assortment of events for the evening including horse and wagon rides, caroling, shopping opportunities and much more, 6-9 p.m. Info: 905-873-4970, www.downtowngeorgetown.com Farmers Parade of Lights in Rockwood: Come watch as local farmers decorate their tractors and farm vehicles with Christmas lights and parade down Rockwood's main streets. Rain, snow or shine. The Parade route this year will begin at 7 p.m. on the Fifth Line (Main St. in Rockwood) just north of the village limits. The parade will proceed south to the stoplight and then turn west and travel towards Guelph on Hwy 7. Finally, the parade will turn north on the Fourth Line of Eramosa as it heads back to the North Pole. In order see the parade in Rockwood, be sure to get there early! Parking is available on the Fourth Line, and the parade reaches there at about 7:40 p.m. Info: 519-856-4789, www. Wednesday, Dec. 7 Community Calendar rockwoodfarmersparade.org Senior Men's Luncheon: will be held 12 noon at Georgetown Christian Reformed Church. Enjoy a lunch and Christmas carol sing led by Hayden and Gwen Evans. Cost is $10. Info: 905-877-6029. POWER Annual General Meeting: 7:30 p.m. at the Waterscapes exhibit in the Georgetown Market Place. Info: www.powerhalton.ca, 905-873-1820. Halton Hands in Motion Knitting and Crocheting Guild: meets 7-9 p.m. at the Georgetown Seniors Centre, 318 Guelph St. (rear entrance) in Georgetown. This month will have be the annual Christmas meeting. Visitors and new members of all skill levels are welcome. Celtic Christmas Concert: Georgetown and Oakville Celtic Fiddle Orchestras perform traditional Celtic tunes and Christmas carols in support of Trinity United Church, 7 p.m. at the church, 70 Mill St., E., Acton. Tickets: $10 adults, children $5 under 12. Info: www. georgetowncelticclub.com or 905-877-2770. Youth Dance: Youth in Grades 6-8 can attend well-chaperoned youth dances where paid Town staff and volunteers are in attendance at the Acton Community Centre, 7:3010 p.m. Tickets: $8. More details at www.theifp.ca/whats-on/events Ask Elayne M. Tanner PhD (C), RSW, BA, BSW, MSW, Dip Soc Adm Professionals Elayne Tanner & Associates Inc. Counselling & Psychotherapy Milton 905-854-0801 www.etasolutions.com the about this NEW special feature can be directed to: Any Questions 7 Independent & Free Press, Tuesday, December 6, 2011 Amy Sykes 905-873-0301 ext. 237 asykes@the IFP.ca Thursday, Dec. 8 Mountainview Residence & Terrace owned and operated by the Summer family Elayne M. Tanner 222 Mountainview Rd. N. Georgetown, ON L7G 3R2 Bus: 905-877-1800 Fax: 905-873-9083 www.mountainviewresidence.com Christoph Summer Owner/Administrator Q: A: Friday, Dec. 9 We don't want a divorce. We love each other but when we talk we always end up in a fight. When couples have been together for a long time communication often starts to slip. People get tired. We assume that we know what the other one wants or thinks. Everyone is stressed and we tend to snap at the ones we are closest to. Other forms of communication then go by the wayside and intimacy and sexual relations become less frequent so that both partners begin to feel rejected and unloved. From there it becomes a downward spiral. Each partner begins to dig in to a position and if you could stand back and watch your fights, I bet you will find that you each regularly take the same position. One of you is "always right" and one of you "acts like a child". Or maybe you both are always right or both bring up every wrong that ever happened like a grocery list of injustices. In families, if someone loses, the whole family loses. Families have to work like a team. No matter how poorly one team member plays one night, if the rest of the team wins, everyone wins. You and your partner must become a team again. In order to change the destructive pattern start by talking to your spouse so that you both can get on the same team by acknowledging that you do love each other and do not want to fight any more. Next, start looking at your roles in the fights. In all family communications each person takes on one of three positions: the parent; the adult or the child position. If one person adopts the role of parent, always right; always "teaching", always better than the other person; it is likely that the other person either adopts the same always superior position or alternately adopts the petulant child role whining, crying and not listening to reason. Our goal is to teach you how to be two adults communicating rationally with respect and love. I wish a peaceful and loving Holiday Season to all. Q: A: Do you have any winter walking tips? We all know that we must keep all walkways and steps clear of snow and ice. An adequate supply of shovels and ice melter should also be handy. Don't forget the following: · Watch out for ice. If you must walk on ice, slow down and take tiny steps or shuffle. Consider using a cane or walker for better balance · Sunglasses help reduce the glare which is so prevalent in the snowy/icy winter months. · Carry as little as possible. Carry parcels by your side in bags with handles so you can see ahead of you. This will also allow one hand to be free. (When possible, take advantage of home deliveries.) · Wear lightweight, waterproof winter boots that provide warmth, traction and have a low wide heel. Avoid smooth leather soles or high heels. You might also try ice grippers that can be removed easily. · If sidewalks are impassible, forcing you to walk on the street, walk facing the traffic. · Wear something bright or reflective to enable motorists to see you better · You need to keep your center of gravity over your feet so avoid twisting or reaching · Always remember to take your time! . . . Lend Me Your By Cory Soal Ears R.H.A.D. Tooth Chatter DR. ANOOP SAYAL Family and Cosmetic Dentistry located in Georgetown Marketplace Mall DR. ANOOP Meryl DaCosta B.Sc. (P.T.), B.Sc.(KIN) Registered Physiotherapist, Clinic Manager 905-873-3103 333 Mountainview Rd S Georgetown, ON L7G 6E8 Noise induced hearing loss is insidious because it's invisible; we don't necessarily know it's happening to us and the damage is permanent. The two factors that cause noise induced hearing loss are the intensity of sound and the duration of sound - often we don't protect ourselves from either. We risk permanent hearing loss when we're regularly exposed to sounds of 110 decibels or greater - a power saw, a rock and roll concert - for more than one minute at a time. Exposure to such noise is like wearing a path through a fine carpet: your inner ear contains minute hair cells which help transmit sound to your brain, and every loud sound or session with the leaf blower is similar to parading heavy feet back and forth on those hairs. Eventually, the wear and tear is permanent and can't be reversed. Several studies indicate this wear and tear is showing up at younger ages, due mainly to the noise we listen to for fun. A study of 15 -23-year olds by researchers recently confirmed higher levels of hearing loss among youth due to exposure to rock concerts, discos, car and home stereos and Walkmans. Of course, you can sustain as much damage listening to Beethoven as Oasis if you pump up the volume. SUNG TO THE TUNE OF Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings Bundles of magazines tied up in string These are a few of my favourite things Cadillacs and cataracts and hearing aids and glasses Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings These are a few of my favourite things When the pipes leak When the bones creak When the knees go bad I simply remember my favourite things And then I don't feel so sad Hot tea and crumpets, and corn pads for bunions No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions Bathrobes and heat pads and hot meals they bring These are a few of my favourite things Back pains, confused brains, and no fear of sinnin" Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin' And we don't mention our shrunken frames When we remember our favourite things When the joints ache, when the hips break When the eyes grow dim Then I remember the great life I've had And then I don't feel so grim SAYAL "MY FAVOURITE THINGS" (905) 877-CARE (2273) Dental Anxiety? Not! It's a well-known fact in this country that large numbers of people are afraid of going to their dentists. Some people are so afraid that they neglect even the routine examinations and professional cleanings. It doesn't have to be that way. Here are some tips to help reduce your anxiety. First, see your dentist before treatment is needed. Get to know your dentist and get comfortable discussing your concerns with the dentist and staff. Set you appointments for a stress-free time of day, not on your lunch hour or immediately after work. Second, have the dentist explain the dental treatment to you. Knowledge of the procedure should let you be more relaxed. Third, let you dentist and hygenist know that you're scared. It's nothing to be ashamed of and you're most certainly not their first patient to feel that way. Fourth, understand that times have changed. There are new methods of controlling and eliminating discomfort that weren't available until recently. Don't let dental fears keep you from having a healthy mouth and teeth. www.eramosaphysio.com I have had some tingling in my hands, worse when I wake up in the morning, is it carpal tunnel syndrome? Q: A: The Carpal Tunnel is a narrow tunnel in the wrist, which houses the median nerve and muscle tendons. The median nerve controls sensation to the palm side of the hand. Occasionally the tunnel can become narrow as a result of swelling of the tendons and irritation of the median nerve. This can result in pain, weakness and or numbness in the hand and the wrist. The symptoms of carpal tunnel include burning, tingling and numbness in the palm of the hand, especially the thumb, index and middle fingers. The symptoms are felt mainly at night initially as most of us sleep with our wrists flexed and can progress to tingling and weakness during the day as well as a lack of grip strength. Muscle wasting or atrophy of the hand muscles can also be a result in more chronic and untreated cases. Conservative treatment of carpal tunnel would include mobilization of any joints in the wrist and hand that may be stiff, stretching and massage of muscles that may be causing compression of the carpal tunnel and strengthening exercises to re-establish any strength losses may be utilized. Modalities such as a TENs or acupuncture can also be helpful for decreasing any pain. Your doctor or physiotherapist may also recommend the use of a night splints to decrease symptoms at night time and should also provide you with education on which activities you should avoid to decrease your symptoms. Diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome is made using a physical exam where sensation, strength and flexibility of the upper extremity is examined, other tests that can be utilized to aid in confirmation include X-rays(especially if trauma is in the history) and Nerve Conduction studies. The Georgetown Creating confident smiles since 1982. We care about your hearing! Professional Arts Building 99 Sinclair Ave., Suite 210 Georgetown Alexander Trenton, DD, F.C.A.D. (A) Denturist Georgetown Denture Clinic, 18 Church Street, Georgetown, Ontario (905) 873-6642 905-877-2359 (Across from the Library and Cultural Centre) "When in doubt, observe and ask questions. When certain, observe at length and ask more questions." ~ Author Unknown