Although it’s been a few months since Glen and I went on a sojourn, we can easily recall the pleasure of our last one to Parksville and Victoria. Sojourns bring happiness in the planning and anticipation before departure, enjoyment at the destination, and in the memories to discuss once they’re over. Studies increasingly show that […]
LIVING OBITUARIES
Recently I had occasion to write a tribute on behalf of the McPhails to a longtime family friend, Nancy Power. Since Nancy attended the memorials of our Dad and Mom, true and loving friend that she’d been since 1958, the McPhail children were happy to send a few recollections to a celebration of her life. […]
DONATING ORGANS
Forty years ago I became an organ donor, on paper that is, by registering with the Kidney Foundation of Canada and the Eye Bank of Canada. I also volunteered to recruit new donors, which at the time was no easy task. Many people feared they would not receive the utmost care from doctors if their […]
MUSEUMS AS MEDICINE
Today is International Museum Day (IMD). Every year since 1977, the International Council of Museums has organized IMD to raise awareness that “museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.” In 2018 over 40,000 museums in 158 countries participated. In recent years […]
MY LOVE AFFAIR — WITH BOOKS
Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people – people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.” E.B. White (1899-1985) On the 24th edition of World Book Day, April 23, 2019, I choose to write about a favourite pastime: reading. Although I […]
FUN FACTS FRIDAYS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY VANCOUVER!
A FFF post of September 2017 gave a dozen facts about Canada’s 3rd largest city. In this post, I provide an additional baker’s dozen facts about Vancouver in anticipation of its 133rd birthday tomorrow, April 6th. In 1892 Charles Woodward established the first Woodward’s department store in Vancouver. He opened a second store in Edmonton in […]
THE HAPPINESS PURSUIT
Happiness is a butterfly which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-64) Just as a butterfly has never landed on me, happiness continues to elude me, even when I sit quietly. Instead I follow measures recommended for feeling happy […]
WHAT’S IN OUR GENES?
Genetic-testing kits have become hot-selling items as gifts in recent years. For a reasonable cost, individuals can learn about their ancestry. A brother requested posts about controversial subjects. This might be one! Although I’ve neither given nor received a kit, I looked into the process and formed an opinion. As a boomer growing up in […]
FUN FACTS FRIDAYS: FEBRUARY
What do we know of February, on this its first day? It’s the second and shortest month of the year, with 28 days in common years and 29 days in leap ones that occur every four years. February is named after Februa, an ancient Roman festival of ritual purification or spring cleansing, later incorporated into […]
SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF SUNSET YEARS
Two years ago I went public with Sunsetyears.ca, after pursuing our son’s recommendation to combine my interests in writing and photography into a blog. Glen conceived the name to reflect the proposed content. I tackled the technology. It took me a few months to prepare the launch. I bought a domain name from Rebel.ca, subscribed […]