This week, I had something I’d known was coming, but I tried to dismiss it from my mind. I needed cataract surgery. When my ophthalmologist told me, rather matter-of-factly, that I would need cataract surgery, I was shocked. I thought that I didn’t have any issues, other than glaucoma in one eye. I’ve always been […]

I need to have my cozy mystery ready for editing. The thing is, before I can get the cozy ready, I need to get a couple of non-writing things done.The first thing was to finish cleaning and decluttering my garage. For the last 10 days, I had planned to get the garage cleaned, but something […]

image credit - Jolene Rispin Lorteau

This winter seems to have been so long. Is it because I’m older? On the West Coast, we usually have a pretty mild winter; sometimes we get snow, sometimes we don't. This year, the snow stayed on the mountains.Once we start in on March, spring has arrived. Not this year. It’s like the season said, […]

It is another gloomy Monday as I write this. It's funny how one does what one is supposed to do if it involves someone else, but not always when it's only for oneself. We need to remember to treat ourselves the way we would treat others. The current term is 'self-care'. My granddaughters (ages 8 and […]

Grandchildren help.Sometimes, we forget about the innocence of childhood. I am fortunate to live within 30 minutes of my eldest son and his family. The granddaughters were 3 and 6 years old, and the excitement of Halloween that year was palpable.First, we went to the pitch to watch both girls play soccer, if you can […]

Memories really are roses in the winter.  I read one of my favourite bloggers, John P. Weiss, yesterday. It was on the value of keeping small mementos that bring memories to you. He is a painter, a cartoonist, and a writer. John weaves stories of his family life, past working life, and current life. He […]

Safety is always in style Once we leave childhood, we think poison prevention is no longer needed. But if that’s what you think, you would be wrong. I worked in the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre for over 25 years as a Certified Specialist in Poison Information. Many calls come from the hospital emergency […]

And you thought getting old was just a number. How often did you not do something you really wanted to because of peer pressure? Were you afraid your friends would laugh? You remember how you needed to fit in as a teen. Wear the right clothing, buy cool running shoes, and sit at the cafeteria table […]

My Perspective on walking has changed. I recently posted an article about wanting to do the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. I want to do this in about 18 months. I am very active; I run, walk with friends, and take exercise classes. I’m also 72 years old. Age That last part is incidental. I’ve always believed the […]

This was so easy, and my granddaughter made it with flair. Sometimes, you must admit that you either don't like doing something or don't care enough to spend much time on it. Do I like cooking? Not particularly. Half the time, I would make something that sounded good and was not too complicated, and at […]

I know I’ve been touched by Angels.  I have always believed in angels. Some people call it luck, and others call it being watched over by angels. Have I ever had bad luck or hard times? Of course. But mostly, I’ve been fortunate. I have always felt someone was watching out for me. Having been […]

Truly excellent desserts can come from anywhere.  One of my favorite things to do is read cookbooks. I like to know where recipes come from. Recently, I read one of Julia Miller's recipes for a bundt cake. That recipe is made from a boxed cake mix with a few added ingredients, such as packaged jello, […]

Hint — Check in with the young children in your life.  Magic can be seen in unexpected places. The problem is that, as adults, we don’t believe in magic, so we don’t look for it when it’s right in front of us. Just ask my youngest granddaughter. I have two granddaughters. One just turned nine […]

The first steps to Santiago began with determination and a sense of adventure. I have a plan for next year. I’m 72 years old, and I want to walk one of the Camino de Santiago Routes. Most people say, “Are you nuts? And yes, maybe I am a little nuts, but that isn’t new. People […]

I will not go gently into that good night … or words to that effect. Lots of people do not want to acknowledge their age and it is not a wonder why. Something happened when I became a senior and I don’t like it. Don’t like it at all. Since turning sixty-five a couple of […]

Getting ready for Christmas  I started with the first thing I needed to do for my “Christmas Baking” last night. Do I mean Christmas cake or shortbread? No. I don’t do them quite this soon as I know we will have to bake again before Christmas actually gets here. Somehow they get consumed by somebody […]

It’s like a comfort dessert!  While you certainly wouldn’t say we are poor, we aren’t rich either. The fact is that I would make it rich or poor. No matter how rich the food or how much you ate, this dessert is soothing and slips down into the cracks of your stomach after dinner. Desserts […]

Probably having more fun than you!  As a senior, people have many pre-formed ideas about us. One is that we can't do anything athletic. I have six medals for completing half marathons and one for participating in a soccer tournament. People usually ask which son I coached. They couldn't fathom that I could have been […]