Category Archives: Healthy Lifestyle

Aug10

TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES # 2

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TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES # 2

I know, I know… it’s back to Wacky Wednesdays.  So hard to keep on a schedule while traveling and working on one’s book!

YOU WANT PRAIRIE GIRL TO DO WHAT?

-A SAILING GET-AWAY? ARE YOU CRAZY?

My boyfriend (now husband) had enthusiastically sailed in his earlier years, and when he suggested that we should charter a boat for a weekend and give it a try, I somewhat reluctantly agreed. After all, I was PRAIRIE GIRL, what did I know about sailing the Pacific Northwest? Absolutely nothing! He, on the other hand, had apparently moved to Vancouver Island for a stint in his early 30’s and immediately notified the Royal Victoria Yacht Club that he was … Read the rest

Jun28

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

MEET INSPIRATION #2

I’m finally getting back on track after a chilly Spring Cruise with SCYC (our yacht club), an overhaul landscaping job of our front yard, a trip to Portland, setting up publishing files for my picture book, WHO’S the CAPTAIN? … just to name a few distractions from TENDER TUESDAYS!

On FREAKY FRIDAY, I explained how meeting Dave Alavoine (the cartoonist for COCKPIT CONFESSIONS in PACIFIC YACHTING MAGAZINE) and starting our collaborative process together was inspired. I had already written this repetitive language picture book with a sassy nautical glossary, and had prepared notes for what the action in the cartoons would look like and the dialogue that the sailing family on vacation would be … Read the rest

May31

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

THE BINGO QUEEN

                        –“BORN TO BINGO”

We have a 92 year old BINGO QUEEN in the family. She has a Sunday/ Monday routine that includes prep for BINGO Mondays. Sunday evenings, she makes her lunch, has her bath, and her BINGO day outfit is laid out in preparation. Her daughter calls this their “Girls Day” outing together. This is great, except the odd hiccup may occur with this scheduled date. Her brother is never going to set foot in the BINGO HALL (that’s understood…), so guess who is the next best thing… that’s right- her daughter-in-law- ME!

I never realized what a serious business playing BINGO is, until my sister-in-law handed me a written plan, well in advance, detailing … Read the rest

May24

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

POST CRUISE SHIP BRIDGE LESSONS

                                               -Anyone Playing?

Welcome back to the Post Script of Cruise Ship Bridge Lessons.  I wonder if I’ve totally put you off enrolling in bridge lessons aboard after reading about our instructor, Christine, last week. I certainly hope not!  Believe me, she’s still in my head when I deal a game!  This memorable character left quite an impression on all of us!  My husband says I shouldn’t have been so polite when I mentioned one of the male passengers had declared, “Christine, you scare the ” s_ _t ” out of me!”

All teasing aside, our cruise did come to an end after 58 short days! My husband and I experienced a bit of emotional reluctance … Read the rest

May17

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

CRUISE SHIP BRIDGE

                               – YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO PLAY…

Welcome back to Part 2 of CRUISE SHIP BRIDGE. This segment introduces my readers to a whole new level of lessons. Let’s just say, it was a darn good thing that I started off with the instructors and the forgiving friends that we began with on the first leg, as the intensity was about to be ratcheted up by about 100%.

The first day that we were abandoned by all the fantastic friends we’d met and with whom we enjoyed playing and socializing, we felt somewhat lost. We knew we had all the Australian ports to look forward to and experience, but we weren’t entirely convinced we’d make the … Read the rest

May11

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

CRUISE SHIP BRIDGE

-The GOOD, The BAD & The UGLY!

Part 1

Last fall, my husband and I embarked on a trip of a lifetime. Our cruise ship left Vancouver, British Columbia and travelled through the South Pacific Ocean and Islands, ending up in Sydney, Australia. But that was only the first leg of the trip. We then circumnavigated the entire continent of Australia visiting Bali, Indonesia and Komodo Island, as well. The entire cruise lasted 58 days! And I know what you’re thinking… What could this couple possibly do on a small ship (1200 passengers) with all those sea days between ports? Well, let me tell you, we were never bored; in fact, husband Ryan often complained of being … Read the rest

May3

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

SENIORS CARING for SENIORS (Part 4)

COMING HOME

Thanks for returning to Tender Tuesdays! This week’s installment captures our dad’s “great escape” from the 5th Floor of our local hospital. This is Part 4 of senior kids managing the care and affairs of their parents living long and healthy lives, with many surpassing the not so unusual 100th Birthday milestone! In fact a friend of mine, only yesterday, excitedly relayed her plans to celebrate her own mother’s upcoming 100th birthday party. See what I mean?

Our father’s stay on the 5th Floor was short-lived. As soon as we met with the hospital’s Social Worker and understood our options, we unanimously agreed that he’d be moved as quickly as possible. … Read the rest

Apr26

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

SENIORS CARING for SENIORS (Part 3)

What Happens on 5th Floor, Doesn’t Stay on 5th Floor

Welcome back to Tender Tuesdays! This week’s installment moves forward with our father’s brief stay on 5th Floor of our local hospital. As you’ll recall, we’re the senior kids caring for parents living long and healthy lives- many surpassing the more normal 100th Birthday milestone. This is the new norm!

Picking up from last week’s post, our dad was being moved out of Palliative Care and sent up to 5th Floor. We went up with him, the orderlies pushing his cot through the crowded hallways into a room with two beds. When we arrived, the nurse who accepted our father, was curt, ill-prepared, … Read the rest

Apr19

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

Seniors Caring for Seniors (Part 2) – Navigating Paliative Care

Thank you for following Tender Tuesdays, as one reflects upon the next stage of our father’s journey through the medical system and the effects upon his wife and his senior citizen care-giving kids. Thankfully, there were many tender moments along the way…

The kids had their hands full leading up to the decision to place Dad in Palliative Care. As the days progressed, Dad required more and more nursing care. He was sleeping the majority of his days away, and required assistance to get to the washroom throughout the day. The Government’s Home Care Program was arranged to arrive during the day to help with this, but at the … Read the rest

Apr12

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

I have decided to share tender stories on Tuesdays with my readers.  This doesn’t mean they won’t have humor and a bit of cheek, but most of all, hopefully they’ll  touch you personally.

TENDER TUESDAYS will be a series of posts that will start with sharing post installments of Seniors Caring for Seniors. Enough time has elapsed since the passing of my father-in-law, that one feels compelled to write about the humorous, tender moments experienced with this 93 year old that is so dearly missed.

With people living longer these days, there’s a new phenomenon occurring within society where life expectancy for healthy people to exceed expectations has become the norm. Celebrating one’s 100th birthday is now an everyday … Read the rest