An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep. Sanda Island lies between Scotland and Northern Ireland, off the southern tip of the Kintyre Peninsula, made famous by the 1977 song “Mull of Kintyre” by Paul McCartney and Wings. Over the years, it’s had historical connections with monks, saints and kings. It was visited by Scottish King Robert the Bruce and Norway’s King Hacon and its chapel has associations with Saint Columba and Saint Ninian. The island has had numerous owners over the years, but the most famous is Jack Bruce from the rock band Cream. Access to the island is by boat – there are stone slipways at both ends – or by helicopter. There, amongst the rolling bucolic greenery edged by rock escarpment, are seven residential properties – four at the northern end and three at the southern, right next to a picturesque lighthouse perched on an outcrop. The accommodation can host up to 26 people, which is enough for a small crowd at the Byron Darnton Tavern, named after a ship that wrecked off the island in 1946. It was established in 2003 by previous owners Dick and Meg Gannon and for a number of years served customers arriving by boat, but closed after the island was bought in 2010 by Swiss businessman Michi Meier. A pub of one’s own The pub “got a lot of press coverage and was open during the summer months,” explains Tom Stewart-Moore, head of rural agency for Scotland at Knight Frank, the agency handling the sale. “For the next owner it offers an opportunity to keep the property either as their own private getaway, or to diversify and extract some money through offering exclusive use, unique stays with high-end accommodation. There is also the option of reopening the pub to offer something for people sailing up and down the West Coast.” It still has an alcohol licence, should the next owners wish to revive the tavern, and it has a registered farm code too. The island previously had a small farm and a flock of 55 black-faced sheep still call the island home. “The sheep look after themselves, they’re the island lawn mower and require little management,” says Stewart-Moore. “They are included as part of the sale.” There’s wildlife as well as livestock: Bird-watchers can delight in the colonies of puffins, kittiwakes, cormorants, shags, razorbills and many more feathered residents. If the whole thing wasn’t charming enough, Sanda is also known locally in Argyll and Bute as “Spoon Island,” due to its resemblance to an upturned spoon. It’s also one of a few Scottish islands to print its own stamps. The island comes with seven residential buildings. (Courtesy Knight Frank via CNN Newsource) The island is 23 meters tall (75 feet) at its highest point and on a clear day you can see Northern Ireland’s Antrim Hills, some 20 miles away across the North Channel. Campbelltown, in Scotland, is the main access to the island by boat, and has a large marina, several whisky distilleries and Scotland’s oldest cinema. The money bit Knight Frank says the vendor is looking for offers in excess of £2.5 million (US$3.1 million). A couple of extra islands are being thrown into the sale too: 31.72-acre Sheep Island and itty bitty Glunimore Island (4.41 acres). Most of the accommodation on the island is recently refurbished, with new double glazing added. “Energy is currently generated on the island by three generators,” says Stewart-Moore. “however there is the opportunity for the next owners to explore renewable energy sources to supplement or enhance the electricity on the island.” He says they’ve already received “a large number or viewing requests.” As for the profile of the kind of people who can throw a few million at an island purchase, Stewart-Moore says, “The potential buyers will predominantly fall into two categories; either a wealthy individual will purchase it to use for themselves and keep private. Or it will be someone who will look to commercialize the pub and the buildings, enhance or increase the farming operation over the ground and potentially go down the route of being self-sufficient.” If this year has you yearning to tend your sheep and go off-grid, start checking the back of the sofa for pennies. The island of Sanda is waiting.

When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.

Likewise, in weight training, most traditional exercises center on forward and backward motion, occurring in what’s known as the sagittal plane.

But there is another plane of movement that deserves your attention: the frontal plane, where movements go from side to side.

The importance of stepping to the side

If the majority of your workouts take place in the sagittal plane, you risk creating muscular imbalances and leaving yourself susceptible to injury during lateral movements in everyday life. Incorporating frontal plane exercises, such as the side lunge, into your fitness routine can prepare your body to move better and be more durable in daily-life activities.

The side or lateral lunge is one of the best exercises for building lateral stability and mobility in the often neglected frontal plane. This exercise strengthens the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, adductors and core to help protect you against injuries such as groin pulls and hamstring tears. The side lunge also improves the mobility and stability of your hips, knees and ankles to avoid related strains and sprains.

Consider the activities in your lifestyle that require you to move laterally and how side lunging could prove beneficial:

Navigating crowded spaces: In environments such as busy streets, shopping malls or public transportation, you often need to sidestep or maneuver laterally to avoid obstacles, step off curbs and move through tight spaces. Training with side lunges can improve your ability to navigate these environments.

Household chores: Tasks such as vacuuming, sweeping or mopping often require lateral motion as you move from side to side to clean different areas of your home. By strengthening the muscles involved in lateral movement with side lunges, you can accomplish these chores more efficiently while reducing your risk of muscle strain or injury.

Playing with children or pets: If you have kids or pets, you’re likely familiar with the need to move quickly and react to sudden changes in direction. Side lunges can improve your ability to change direction rapidly and maintain balance, helping to keep playtime pain-free.

Recreational sports: Many recreational sports, including pickleball, tennis and basketball, involve lateral movements such as shuffling, cutting and sidestepping. Incorporating side lunges into your training regimen can enhance your lateral quickness, agility and overall performance in these sports.

Outdoor activities: Whether you’re hiking on uneven terrain, walking in deep sand on the beach or participating in more extreme activities such as skiing or snowboarding, lateral stability and mobility are essential for navigating varied landscapes and maintaining balance. Training with side lunges can increase your lateral movement strength, enhance your mobility and boost your confidence to be more adventurous outdoors.

Editor’s note: Consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. Stop immediately if you experience pain.

How to perform a side lunge

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and toes pointed forward.

With your hands on your hips or clasped in front of your chest, take a wide step to the side with your right foot, while your left foot remains firmly grounded.

Bend your right knee to 90 degrees, aligned above your ankle, while pushing your hips back.

Your left leg remains straight with both feet pointing forward.

Although you will naturally hinge at your hips as you sit back, try not to lean forward too much. Keep your chest up as much as possible with your back neutral.

You do not need to hold the side-lunge position for more than a second or two. Get into the position and then push through your right heel to return to the starting position.

Repeat for 10 to 12 reps total on each side through two to three sets.

Depending on your fitness level, you can lower or increase the suggested repetitions and set totals. I recommend adding side lunges to your workout routine at least twice weekly for best results.

Side-lunge modifications

If you don’t have the strength or mobility to step wide to the side or bend your knee all the way to 90 degrees, shorten your stance and/or how far you sit back and bend your knee. You can slowly increase your stance as you get stronger and more mobile.

If you struggle with strength or balance in this exercise, you can place an armless chair behind you on the side you are lunging, enabling you to sit back on the chair seat during each repetition. Also, if you have access to a suspension trainer, you can hold the straps for stability as you perform the exercise.

Side-lunge progressions

To increase the intensity, you can increase the speed of your repetitions.

You can make the exercise more dynamic with a greater focus on agility by alternating back and forth with a small jump in between as you shift from side to side.

You can also add weight by holding a kettlebell or dumbbell at chest height. Use the appropriate weight for your fitness level.

Remember, moving laterally is a natural part of daily function, so incorporating side lunges into your workouts not only adds variety, it also plays a crucial role in enhancing your ability to move well and prevent injury. Next time you hit the gym or feel the need to move your body, remember your side lunges to unlock the full potential of your frontal plane fitness.

Some people love to wash their car, and for others, it’s their most hated chore. It’s a necessity for car owners, so no matter where you fall on the love-hate spectrum, you want a car wash that’s going to give your car a deep clean that lasts. Automatic car washes are at almost any gas…

  When you take your car to the car wash, there are multiple add-ons available, and one common choice is spray-on wax. It may seem like it doesn’t make a difference, but there are some important benefits. And these benefits go beyond how shiny your will car looks. What Are the Benefits of Waxing Your…

Even when you are lucky enough to start with an empty room, it can be overwhelming to design an interior that you can enjoy for years to come. Following some basic interior design principles, you can transform your space into a relaxing room you will be comfortable and happy with. Decide what your focal point will be and build out from there.  For best results, keep proportion and scale in mind as you decorate as well as these tips!

 Deciding on Your Focal Point
Do you have a magnificent bay window with an incredible view?  Is there an ornate mantle that is the reason you fell in love with your home? Or is there something you absolutely MUST HAVE in the room? Situate your furniture around your chosen focal point to create balance and equilibrium. If your room does not already have an existing focal point, create one with oversized art or add an accent point like a free-standing fireplace, they come in a variety of sizes and styles. Symmetrically balance the room evenly so that both sides mirror one another.  This will help your chosen focal point stand out all the more! Use matching accent tables to flank your sofa or use different pieces of furniture to create a copacetic visual impact, like two similar armchairs to balance a sofa.
Repetition for Rhythm
Rhythm creates a flow and helps direct the eye to the differing visual elements in your room. Just as the notes of a favorite song repeat to create the rhythm, repetition in decor will create a rhythm throughout a home. Establish visual interests with a rhythm throughout your space by placing similar colours or patterns at intervals and repeat in artwork, cushions or area rugs.

Perfect Proportion and Suitable Scaling
Who doesn’t love a large, overstuffed chair? But if your room is on the smaller size it may look out of place and make your room seem even smaller than it is. Keep proportion in perspective. Proportion is the ratio between a piece of furniture and the size of a room. Scale is the size of a piece of furniture in relation to the other pieces of furniture in the room. A super large chair will overpower an apartment of loft size sofa or loveseat and create a sense of unbalance in the room.

Have your room humming harmoniously
Creating harmony will enhance how much you will continue to love your finished. Pull the room with a subdued colour palette for a pleasing, harmonious vibe.   together for a pleasing, harmonious look with a subdued color palette. You can also use a single colour for elements that vary in size and shape. Check out our blog on Doing White on White Right! for more tips!

What is the focal point in your room?  What is your best tip to find harmony and balance through your home?