September 2019
Why I Love the Fall Football and the Changing Seasons
I’m someone who enjoys every season. Each has its pros and cons, but I’ve never found myself wishing for the next season to roll around. However, fall is by far my favorite. When fall comes around, the leaves start changing and certain sports, specifically football, start up again, which I look forward to every year. As far as I’m concerned, there are only two seasons of sports: football and everything else. I grew up loving football because my family loved it. My dad went to college on a football scholarship and played through his upperclassmen years, even becoming captain of his team. When he graduated, he was considered by both the Giants and the
for our district. We all had a really good time, and I enjoyed it. But my high school and college didn’t have football teams, so I wasn’t able to play. Instead, I joined the soccer team and did pretty well in that sport for about eight years. When I had my son, Andy, I was happy to encourage him to join the football team, but he didn’t get to play until he was in high school. Once, my wife and I were at a game where a kid broke his arm, and she wasn’t too keen on watching her own child go through that. But when Andy went to high school, he asked if he could join the team, and we said yes. He was a skinny little guy, but he played really well. My son was good enough that the upstate NewYork division invited him to play up there. At the time, he probably weighed around 120 pounds soaking wet and was around 5 feet, 8 inches tall.The first day of his practice, he was looking at linebackers who were all at least 6 feet tall and outweighed him by over 100 pounds. He came up to me afterward and asked, “Dad, you don’t mind if I don’t play football in college, right?” And thus ended his football career. Even though I’ve spent 60 years as a football fan, know how the game is played, and have logged a lot of time playing myself, I’m a terrible coach. I tried it for a little while, but I knew pretty quickly that it wasn’t my thing.Today, I support the sport by going to every game I can. Beyond my football fanaticism, fall is just a beautiful time of year. Fall means harvests, colors, and the anticipation of the late fall holidays, when I get together with friends and family. I really enjoy taking walks with my wife and grandkids to enjoy the changing leaves, the stars, and eating all the great food that comes with fall. I love a good pumpkin pie and anything and everything apple-related.
Lions, but he never played pro. Around that time, Uncle Sam was interested in him, too, withWWII happening, and my dad decided to fight for his country instead. As a kid, I played as much football as I could, but mostly flag football. Usually, these games turned into tackle football, and my friends and I didn’t much care about which position we played. It wasn’t until seventh grade that I played in an organized game. At that time, helmets didn’t have bars to protect the face, and the pads were a lot smaller.We weren’t
required to wash our uniforms as often either; by the time the end of the football season came around, we’d all be playing in grimy uniforms that couldn’t be salvaged even if you tried.
I hope that all of you have a fantastic fall this year in any way you decide to enjoy it.
I remember my team being pretty good at the time; we were 6-2 and even went to the football championships
–Dr. Kevin Norige
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Staying Connected HOW TO KEEP YOUR FAMI LY CLOSE IN A BUSY WORLD
happy REMEMBERYOUR RITUALS Rituals make up the backbone of individual families and society at large. Most people wouldn’t dream of abandoning their holiday traditions, so why forgo the smaller rituals that bring families together?Whether it’s eating dinner at the same table each evening, watching a movie together everyThursday night, or going on a monthly getaway, make sure these traditions aren’t canceled. If your family doesn’t have many rituals, a great way to connect is to start some. If you feel like you’ve hardly seen your kids since the school year started, you’re not alone. Americans are way too busy — from childhood onward, we’re always running hither and thither, packing in as many after- school activities, work-related meetings, and social engagements as possible. It’s a problem so pervasive that it has a name: time scarcity. Families feel time scarcity keenly after school starts in September, when children’s schedules explode with engagements. But all hope for close ties isn’t lost; there are ways to stay connected with your spouse and kids, even in an increasingly busy world. Here are some ideas from counselors, teachers, and psychologists who claim to have mastered the art.
MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT As cliche as it sounds, when you don’t have much time together, it’s crucial to be present for every minute of it. If you have a rare half hour at home with one of your kids, make a point to spend it in the same room and try to start a conversation. If you squeeze in a romantic dinner with your spouse, turn off your phones before the food comes. Listening to each other without distractions will strengthen your relationship.
HUG IT OUT Physical contact is vital for
closeness. When you get the chance, hug your kids, hold hands with your spouse, and do physical activities
as a family, like hiking, biking, or even playing group sports. It’s been scientifically proven that physical closeness leads to emotional closeness, so if you’re low on time, take advantage of that shortcut! Patients friendly too. Dr. Norige is always pleasant.We get along well and he makes sure I am relaxed during my dental appointments.” –Kristine J.
“Dr. Norige and his staff are always friendly and helpful and go above and beyond to make your dental experience as pleasant as a dental experience should be for every patient. I have been a patient for years and couldn’t imagine anyone else being my dentist. I have referred him to many friends who are now longtime patients!” –Lorrie C. “I have not been to a dentist for many years and I was very nervous ... but that changed when we opened the door. Everyone was very friendly and outgoing. I was at ease getting my teeth cleaned and am not afraid see you all in six months!” –Brenda P. “I had a small chip in a filling, and Dr. Norige worked me into his schedule but also took the time to fix the chip quickly. I didn’t have to make another appointment to go in and wait.The front desk people are always very welcoming and friendly, and the hygienist was upbeat and
and teeth andType 2 diabetes. I had to undergo a lengthy scraping to get my teeth cleaned and a rigorous approach to getting my gums healthy again. Dr. Norige and Debbie, plus Heather, worked as a team over the years to get me to a place where I now have regular cleanings without novocaine or a topical. My gums are 100% better, and I am about to embark on a wisdom tooth removal procedure.What has helped calm my fears is the information and help I am receiving from SW Smiles in regards to pre- and post- surgery questions. (SW Smiles is not doing the removal but takes the X-rays and works closely with the dental office.) SW Smiles is also great with scheduling appointments around your schedule. I own a landscape company, so my appointments are difficult, as we work around the weather etc., but they always find a spot for me and also send out reminders and texts that make it easy to add to your calendar and as reminders.” –Christopher B. www . southwindsorsmiles . com
“So far, I am impressed. Dr. Norige has great bedside manner and the staff is very friendly and welcoming.The hygienist was knowledgeable and efficient.This appointment was a result of a less-than-positive experience at my current dentist’s office. I liked the way Dr. Norige gave me background info. He didn’t form an immediate conclusion but wanted to rule out the possibility of another cause before jumping in with a procedure. So far, I am very pleased and totally expect to be a new patient here.” –Terri K. “Mine is a tale of a person who, before coming to SW Smiles, let his teeth go for many, many years. And to make matters worse, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.When I was finally convinced to get my teeth and gums taken care of, I had no idea of the relationship between healthy gums
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Thank You All for Coming and Having Fun! The South Windsor Smiles Family Block Party get balloons inside laundry baskets while the adults relaxed under the provided tent.There was also a taekwondo master who could answer any questions about classes or martial arts and a cartoonist for people to get caricatures drawn. Dr. Norige had a great time talking with patients, interacting with parents, and being dunked in the dunk tank. Although he planned to unveil the dunk tank later in the day, he decided at about noon that he was getting in early; it was over 100 degrees that day! He wore a 1920s one-piece, striped swimsuit as a visual gag, and everyone loved it. When we first announced the dunk tank, we asked that people bring a dollar to donate for each chance to throw a pitch at Dr. Norige. Everyone had a chance to dunk him into the tank — even a few of our team members. People had a great time whether they were throwing or watching him get repeatedly dunked into the water. At the end of the day, we raised nearly $200 to go to theWoundedWarrior Project. Our whole team had a great time talking with our patients and their families. We’re glad that the families, friends, and patients who attended had so much fun!
First and foremost, we want to thank everyone who came to the South Windsor Smiles Family Block Party at the end of July!The idea behind this event was to gather patients, staff, and families together for a fun and exciting event. Our goal was to provide entertainment, lunch, and, most importantly, say thank you to our patients for continuing to choose us as their providers and for referring friends and family members to our offices. However, we didn’t actually manage to make any announcements since everyone was carried away with how much fun we were having. Throughout the day, we provided lunch for everyone who came, which included a catering service that took excellent care of us and our guests.They served a great variety of foods you would bring to a family barbecue. We also provided games and entertainment. Kids enjoyed playing our beanbag toss, trying giant Jenga, and using pool noodles to
CLASSIC
Puzzle Your Brain
Apple Crisp
i ngred i ents
Inspired by Food Network
TOPPING: •
FILLING: •
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
5 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
•
1/3 cup brown sugar
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1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
•
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
•
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
•
1/4 tsp salt
•
2 tbsp maple syrup
•
6 tbsp chilled butter, cut into pieces
•
1 tbsp lemon juice
•
1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
d i rect i ons
1. Heat oven to 350 F. 2. In a mixing bowl, mix all filling ingredients together.Transfer to individual serving ramekins. 3. In a different mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping. Mix in butter until it forms lumps roughly the size of a pea, then stir in pecans. Sprinkle topping over filling. 4. Bake for 35–40 minutes, let stand for 10 minutes, and serve.
P ublished by T he newsletter P ro | www .T he N ewsletter P ro . com
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Inside
www.southwindsorsmiles.com
th i s i ssue
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Football and Fall
How to Keep Your Family Close in a Busy World
Testimonials
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The South Windsor Smiles Family Block Party
Classic Apple Crisp
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Celebrating Math and Puzzles
International Sudoku Day
Solve Your Favorite Math Puzzles!
International Sudoku Day brings puzzle and math lovers together to enjoy the perfect in-between! Specifically chosen on Sept. 9 by theWorld Puzzle Federation, this holiday is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the beloved 9x9 puzzle game. HISTORY OF SUDOKU One of the first mathematical puzzles was published in La France, a French newspaper, in 1895. However, the puzzle we now see in newspapers, sudoku books, and newsletters wasn’t invented until 1979 by Howard Garns. Originally published in Dell Pencil Puzzles and Word Games magazine, Garns named it “Number Place.” It was later given the name “sudoku” in 1984 when it was published in Japan. However, the puzzle didn’t catch the interest of Americans until 2004, when it began to be regularly published in newspapers. INTERESTING FACTS The name “sudoku” is short for the Japanese expression “suji wa dokushin ni kagiru,” which
translates to “the numerals must remain single.” In Japan, sudoku quickly became very popular, mostly because it’s so much easier to play than other puzzle games like crosswords. Sudoku continues to be a popular puzzle choice in Japan where, according to Sudoku.com, over 600,000 sudoku magazines are purchased every month. OBSERVING SUDOKU Celebrating this holiday has never been easier! Grab a sudoku book, magazine, or newsletter and start solving!The best thing about sudoku is that the puzzles can be done anywhere: while you’re enjoying breakfast, during a lunch break at work, or while you’re relaxing at home.They can also be done in one sitting or over an extended period of time. Filling out a puzzle doesn’t have to be an individual task, either. Challenge family or friends to see who can finish a sudoku puzzle the quickest or work on one together.
Pick up a few sudoku puzzles today and start solving!
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Win 3 Nights in Miami! Escape the cold this January with a long weekend in South Florida!
Refer a friend or colleague to be entered to win! No Limits!
Refer a New Patient to Enter the Contest Contest Runs 7/20/19 - 12/31/19 Trip Dates are Jan. 17-20, 2020 Airfare & Lodging for 2 Included
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