Go to the Water

What prompted this post was when I heard a breast cancer survivor tell her story on the news. She was preparing to run a 44km marathon. She felt by sharing her story it may inspire others. She ended her interview by saying, "beautiful things woven into ugly things".   Just recently, my Dragonboat team had a practice day, as opposed to our regular Wednesday night practice. Pink Ladies were everywhere. As I watched them get ready to paddle, I was curious as to how many accumulated survival years this team would have. They all have their own unique story, not one journey is the same as another paddler. There is one exception, their stories all end the same, they are all breast cancer s urvivors. Being on a Dragonboat with other breast cancer survivors is a perfect example of a beautiful thing woven into the ugly things.  When I first joined the team, as a supporter, I assumed it be like a support group; there would be lots of talk about breast cancer. Dragonboat paddling is ...

Since I got my Ford Escape in 2019, I have only had the oil changed at the dealership. Clearly, I had missed something because the "Change Oil Soon" notification was showing up every time I started my vehicle. Never ever in my lifetime of owning a vehicle has this happened. I made the decision that an independent oil changing place would be my new practice. I decided it would be the "Great Canadian Oil Change". I have to say, during the last 7 years there have been many changes in the oil change world. Although, I have had my oil changed this way, the young man that had to maneuver my questioning must have wondered. He was very nice and patient as he had to keep asking the same questions until I managed to come up with the answer he required. Once the Q&A was over, the mechanic then presented the oil options and price list on a big computer screen. I made a huge decision to go with the middle of the pack oil choice. He punched in my decision, and I handed over m...

I was leaving Mark's Work Wearhouse when I nearly collided with another woman. We were the only two in the entire parking lot, but somehow, we ended up doing the two step to avoid a collision with each other. I believe the reason this was happening was because she was looking at the dress I was wearing. I know that because she said, "I was just noticing what a nice spring dress you have on". Of course, a simple "thank you" is not adequate for Faye. Oh no, no, I have to launch into a long explanation. I informed the total stranger, that I love to wear dresses, and I just said to myself, "you have to wear the dresses you have in order to buy more". I am sure that information she will carry to her grave. I did spare her my usual reply which consists of, where I bought it and how much I paid for it.  I love wearing dresses, except in the wind. For some reason it brings out the little girl in me. My dress collection consists of at home dresses, spring dress...

I am very hopeful that many of you will relate to this post, and that I am not the only person that feels on some days, by 9 am, there is simply no way of rescuing the day. There are a couple of options to consider, going back to bed and resetting or push through the day with the hopes since there is nowhere to go but up, things will turn around. I am going to start by sharing an example.  I have a wired in smoke and carbon monoxide detector. The life span for the detectors is about 10 years. The last time it notified me it was needing to be changed, I simply did it. Off to Canadian Tire, I purchased a new one, switched it out and done. When a detector is done its life span, it will make a repeated ungodly sound, often at an inappropriate time in the day. Last time it was late at night, this time it was 7 pm on a Saturday evening. Trip #1 was to go to Canadian Tire to get a new detector. Trip #2 was to go back to CT a few minutes later to return the first detector and this time to ...

When I do things, I do it in a big way, that includes jet lag. As you know I was recently on a River Cruise in Europe. Traveling is amazing. To get on a plane and in a few hours, you are in another continent is just short of a miracle. Having the privilege to embrace the culture and history of European countries will stay with me forever.    Then the stark reality hits, you have to go home. My first night back I was in bed at 7 and up at 3. I stumbled through day 1 in a state of exhaustion. On Day 2, I was tucked in bed at 8 and up at 4. I have a history of being a poor sleeper so waking frequently and up early was my norm. This was different, I just couldn't seem to shake that feeling of total body exhaustion. On Day 3, I learned something I didn't know. For every hour of time change you need a day to get over it. I love direction and deadlines, and I shouldn't expect myself to return to normal for 4 more days. Day 3 was the absolute worst. I was consuming incredibly large...

A C ancerversary is a definition that was created by Bestie which means a celebration to honor breast cancer survivorship.  It all began two years ago when I suggested that we should celebrate with a trip for what was going to be her 10-year mark of survivorship. She could pick whatever she wanted to do, and I would do it. We attempted to make plans, some as simple as a weekend in Winnipeg and some more elaborate like a cruise down the St. Lawerence. For one reason or another, we couldn't make anything happen. Life stepped in our way and said, "you aren't going anywhere", and we didn't for two years. Then out of the blue  I got a text from Bestie that said, "do you want to go on a Rhine River Cruise?". This was it; she had picked how we would celebrate and I was in. Yep, we planned what would be the biggest trip of our lives in a few minutes by text. That was nearly a year ago. There is considerable planning that goes into a trip like this. Our roles wer...

I t began way back in Canada in January 1943. Princess Juliana from the Netherlands had fled her country three years prior to live in Canada. Nazi Germany had invaded the Netherlands, and the Canadian government welcomed her family with open arms. Princess Juliana was due to give birth to her third child. Dutch law stated that anyone in line for the throne had to be born on Dutch soil. They had to physically enter the world on territory belonging to the Kingdom of Netherlands.  It was far too dangerous for the Princess to return to her home country. The ocean was filled with German U-boats. If the baby was born in Canada, they would be born on foreign soil which meant they would disqualify them form the royal succession under Dutch law.  In December 1942 Canadian lawyers drafted a special proclamation under the War Measures Act as a solution to this problem. The document declared that whatever room Princess Juliana gave birth in would be temporarily extraterritorial. That mean...