With summer on the horizon, many of us start thinking about vacations. If we want to include other generations — adult children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews — in our plans, we need to confirm arrangements soon. Multi- or intergenerational vacations require a considerable effort in conceiving, coordinating, executing. I’m not talking about adult children visiting us […]
SPECIAL OCCASIONS: FETE OR FEAR?
I don’t have cherophobia, an aversion to happiness, but may have acquired a mild case of situational phobia, a fear of specific situations. As year-end nears, for instance, I anticipate the special occasions — Christmas, our wedding anniversary on Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve — and admit to feeling slightly anxious. Perhaps it’s because we cannot […]
GREY UNION OR GREY DIVORCE
Canadians continue to see a steady increase in life expectancy; between 1921 and 2017, men’s went from 58.8 to 79 years of age, women’s from 60.6 to 83 years. Concurrently, grey divorce is also on the rise. The longer we live, the more time we will spend with our life partners. Some couples don’t relish […]
BUCKET LIST: TO HAVE OR HAVE NOT
The expression “bucket list” came into wide use after the release of the movie Bucket List in December 2007. It derives from kick the bucket (to die) plus list, hence a list of things to do before we die. Although the prospect of a bucket list may seem morbid, there are sound reasons to craft a list — by […]
GRANDPARENTS: NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL
Marina and Andrew welcomed Elizabeth Katherine, a healthy 7 lb. 8 oz. sister to Henry and Charlie, into the world on August 15 at 8:40 a.m. EDT, making Glen and me grandparents for a third time. On this joyous occasion in Toronto, we were at home in Vancouver — because we don’t live in the […]
BACK TO SCHOOL
The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure to curiosity.” Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) We can fill the days of our sunset years in many ways, but going back to school rates near the top of my list of diversions. I don’t mean earning another degree, though many mature individuals do. I mean going to […]
TRAVELLING SOLO
Half the fun of travelling for me lies in the planning, but travelling solo means we cannot share the anticipation of adventure with anyone. The trip’s in our own head, from beginning to end. On the other hand, we can choose the destination and activities with no regard for another’s wishes. In retirement we may […]
LIBRARIES: A GO-TO PLACE
If we downsize in retirement, as Glen and I did, we need to adapt to small spaces. This process involves efficient furnishing, putting every square inch to maximum use. But it also means devising ways to spend time — and not always money — away from our home, to ensure our walls do not feel […]
A DAY TO REMEMBER FATHERS
The first Father’s Day in the U.S. was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Washington state. However, it took 58 years after President Wilson made Mother’s Day official for President Nixon to sign the public law in 1972 making Father’s Day a permanent holiday. Now many countries declare the third Sunday in June as a […]
SUNSET TO SUNRISE: FAMILY REUNIONS
Families may get together on the joyous occasion of a wedding or the sad one of a memorial service. Other times they might organize a reunion — choose a date, location, accommodation — and then encourage everyone to attend. Our family has held reunions in 1990, 1997, 2000 and 2009, with participants coming from four […]