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PEACE COUNTRY & NORTHERN ROCKIES Aug 20th: 9 Days
Travel the Alaska and the Yellowhead Highways and tour the largest earth filled structure, the WAC Bennett Dam and the site of the proposed Site C Dam. Other highlights include; West Edmonton Mall, Jasper, Mt Robson & Maligne Canyon. $1,695.00 Cdn pp plus GST. Book by June 20th and save $50 pp.
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Cover Author Hudson Mack revels in retirement. Photo: Mathieu Powell
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n o s d Hu ack M
Retooling (Not Retiring)
“W
BY JAMES ELLSWORTH
here I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest.” –Georgia O’Keefe, famed American artist Hudson Mack may not agree entirely with the New Mexico painter. Accomplishments are important but the way they are done, the colour of them, is also important. Indeed what Hudson has done with where he has been is significant, colourful and, yes, even inspiring. Hudson left his job as news director and senior anchor with CTV, Vancouver Island in February 2014, ending a 35-year career as a broadcaster. He was only 54 years old, a senior defined by retiring to a pension, but too young to collect government benefits. After the initial shock, Hudson needed to take stock and retool. Hardly described as the retiring type, Hudson wasn’t ready to don the mantel of being retired either. Once he had reorganized cupboards at home and packed the dishwasher his way (by his own admission, he’s sometimes a control freak), he took on two projects dedicated to “giving back.” That attitude is worthy of anyone who has finished with a life-long career and faces the daunting task of re-defining oneself.
Reflection time is always healthy. As Kierkegaard said, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” Hudson took that aphorism to heart when he decided to write his biography, Unsinkable Anchor. It would take a full year of disciplined work, but it provided a routine and a combination of looking backwards whilst living forward. His first chapter title, “The End,” revealed his process. “This is the end. But really, it is only the beginning.” In a manner of speaking, Hudson re-searched his life. First of all, it forced him to consider the legacy from the work years that underpinned him. He recognized that, for years, viewers welcomed him into their homes via the evening news and that his job gave him opportunities to meet and greet celebrities, as well as be a minor one himself. Hudson considers meeting the Queen and Prince Philip and receiving the Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002, as well as attending a White House meeting with President George W. Bush and hosting a speaking engagement for Bill Clinton as apogees of being near the famous. But equally cherishing was meeting favourite television stars like the ones from Coronation Street; or news icons like Dan Rather and Lloyd Robertson; or helping Jeneece Erdoff, the fundraising wunderkind whose penny
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Snapshot with Hudson Mack
Snapshot Q &A
If you were to meet yourself at age 20, what advice would you give yourself? “Don’t procrastinate. Mastering the art of time management will serve you well in every aspect of your life. Do the thing you don’t want to do most, first.” Who or what has influenced you the most? And why? “My family. My parents and brother and sister, growing up. And Patty and our three children. There is no greater joy than watching your kids grow, helping them find their way in life, and no greater pride.” What does courage mean to you? “Grace, in the face of adversity.” What does success mean to you? “Putting others first, and doing the best you can. Accepting imperfection. Being happy. Having fun!”
Unsinkable Anchor can be found at independent bookstores, on BC Ferries, at Indigo, Chapters, and Coles stores, and everywhere online, including Amazon.ca and harbourpublishing.com $24.95 retail
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INSPIRED SENIOR LIVING
drives she began as a seven-year-old him. In fact, he wondered about writing for Variety: The Children’s Charity and another book with more details about the raised millions of dollars. people he had to leave out due to editorial Two other meaningful accolades durparing. One would be his late father-ining that work career that spoke to Hudlaw, Ron Moores. son’s dedication to community Hudson lost his own dad at an early work were the Canadian Associaage and adds that he was lucky to have tion of Broadcasters (CAB) “Gold had a father-in-law like Ron. A former Ribbon Award for Outstanding sailor who survived going overboard off Community Service” in 2002 and Acapulco once and endured being caught the Royal Roads Chancellor’s in a North Pacific hurricane on a weather Community Recognition Award ship, Ron had had an interesting life. He, in 2009. They spoke to his giving too, had retired early, after being a fireback to the public he served. He fighter in Oak Bay and at the Department was a recognizable figure and of National Defence. Hudson attests that popular, which went some way to his “Ronzie,” a nickname earned in the fire book making it onto the BC Best Sellers hall, could not have been a more supportlist for a period of time in November and ive parent. For years, he was Hudson’s December 2015. unofficial archivist, amassing a boxful Brian Wood who was the agent for of clippings and memorabilia. Ron had a Hudson and another West Coast newsterrific sense of humour, and a deep and caster, Tony Parsons, said, “Hudson has abiding faith, which may have helped him a no-stress, no-ego approach and, in this through his own difficult upbringing. “He business, that’s greatly refreshing. You can learn a lot by reading his memoir.” Part of Hudson’s motivation for writing was to inform his viewership about his career and decisions to leave, plus to tell about the important people in his life that he could never really thank while on the air. Hudson Admittedly, deadlinesending out driven from years in live tweets the newsroom, Hudson while on air. worked up to the last minute on the manuscript. Like many first-time authors, he found that truly saw the glass as half-full,” Hudson some days the stories would come easily; says, appreciatively. on others the blank screen would stare Another project Hudson adopted was back at him for hours. After polishing up connected to his recognition by Royal a final draft, he worked with an editor, Roads University. In January 2015, he who helped condense some stories and agreed to teach a course, a venture he had eliminate others that may have been too never done before. It was in his area of “inside.” If he has any regrets about the expertise, “Writing for the Media” in the book, Hudson says it’s who and what got Bachelor of Arts in Professional Commuleft out. nication program. However, he was, and Both in his book and in interviews, is still, impressed with the time involved Hudson was quick to include the imin teaching, lecture preparations and portance of family to his career (wife, marking. He is even adapting to educadaughter and two sons, parents, brother tional instead of newsroom jargon, such and sister) but also of friends and work as creating rubrics in assessment. A plus colleagues that meant a great deal to for his students, he hopes, is the advanWWW.SENIORLIVINGMAG.COM
tage of 35 years of media networking. He can bring in high-profile guest lecturers, and get his students to visit and witness “behind-the-scene” newsrooms. He also recognizes that teachers never really know when they are being influential or inspiring, though the official assessment by his students has been very positive. But how did he colour his work? Some of it is quirky. Hudson likes brilliantly coloured ties. He wore a plethora on air and, if someone admired a tie, he would often take it off and give it away. He even wore a tie the same hue as an infamous Lewinsky dress when introducing Bill Clinton at a lecture. “Give what you like away,” Hudson advises. Another idiosyncrasy was toast. Perhaps, subconsciously, he was reminded of his father’s morning show called Toast and Marmalade when he became instrumental in helping to organize a Breakfast Club under the auspices of CHEK and then at CTV for George Jay Elementary School, an innercity school in Victoria. He helped secure an industrial toaster for the school and the aroma of toast each morning still brings back a “feel-good” memory and a sense of it being the right thing to do. He also counts the 2009 Tour de Rock as a highlight, an annual Vancouver Island 1,000-km cycling tour under the umbrella of Cops For Cancer to raise money for cancer research. Hudson was working for CTV (then known as A-Channel) with a very good support team behind him. Together, through fashion shows, car washes, beer and burger nights, and golf tournaments, he was able to raise $146,000, a record individual total. Hudson believes in giving his time to causes where and when he can. “I simply believe each of us has a responsibility to help, whether we are in the public eye or not.” Hudson bristles at the label of retired and would rather believe he was given the opportunity to retool. “I’m not finished yet,” he avows. It began with having the time to do what you want after a steady diet of 10-hour days for decades. Writing and teaching have been wonderful re-directions. He warns though, “what we do is not who we are. And how we do what we do can have an impact beyond our knowing.” SL
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Adventure
Kayak-tion Attraction: Four Ways to Get Into Ocean Kayaking
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOAN BOXALL
SKABC volunteer trip leader, Karin Hartner, Desolation Sound.
K
ayak-tion happens over time with repetition. The Nike slogan (borrowed from the Latin root, actio, to do) says, just do it, and we did. We took it up over 25 years ago as a hiking replacement once knee and hip concerns put an end to lugging backpacks. Whether launching a kayak with a week’s supplies, or a day-trip picnic basket – both offer a feeling of adventure and refreshment. The word kayak comes from Greenland’s Inuktitut traditional language (qajaq or hunter’s boat) in which the covered deck contains one or more cockpits, and one or more spears and harpoons for fishing or whaling. Propulsion occurs with a double-bladed paddle. The Inuit learn to roll their boats after capsizing, since swimming isn’t an attractive option in frigid Arctic waters. The 4,000-year-old activity moved mainstream in the second half of the 20th century. Modern kayakers traded in weaponry for cargo capacity (food, tent, tarps). Kayaks are packable. But then again, some choose to pare down for speed with newer innovations like the sit-in/sit-on hybrids with self-draining cockpits. Seaworthiness and maneuverability remain as important as ever. Carry the minimum amount of gear on deck (an extra paddle, tow rope and a pump) in case you need to clamber aboard. Wear waterproof booties, a brimmed hat with an underthe-chin tie, sunglasses and sunscreen, a life jacket (also called PFDs or personal flotation devices) with whistle and spray skirt over layered clothing, wetsuit or dry suit. Spray skirts cinch high to prevent water sloshing into the cozy cockpit where paddling action generates heat. Running one’s fingers along the spray-skirt attachment at the front of the cockpit establishes contact with the release loop – a kind of parachute 10 8
INSPIRED SENIOR LIVING
tab that will, if needed, pop you from the boat like a cork. In case of tipping, we practice “wet exits” (out and back in as quickly as possible) whereas many kayak keeners roll in similar fashion to the Inuit, without lifting their skirts. Ocean paddlers don’t expect to go over like their river-kayaking cousins, but it’s good to be prepared. Even though we’ve never had an unplanned capsize in our boat (ocean touring kayaks are very stable) it’s good to run-through some basic paddling techniques and safety practices to be proactively aware and comfortable out on the water.
“A man of wisdom delights in water.” –Confucius Here’s how we got into it and stayed with the sport. Go on a Guided Trip with the Pros We’ve done guided trips with Gabriola Cycle & Kayak, Powell River Sea Kayak, and Mothership Adventures among many reputable British Columbia companies. We started out with Gabriola Cycle & Kayak back in the late 1980s, and the legacy of Peter Marcus, and his wife, co-owner, Ana Lopez Uriarte (now primarily in bicycle touring). Peter passed away in 2008. His kayak legacy lives on with Matthew Bowes and Jennifer Smith of Gabriola Sea Kayaking (since 2008). Baja Kayak Adventures and Green Coast Kayaking (Queen Charlotte Islands) are outfitters who received Peter’s kayak torch. They’re on the same wavelength. With Powell River Sea Kayak, we circumnavigated Cortes Island, west of Desolation Sound. Offering day trips and multi-
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day tours, Powell River accesses rich marine-life viewing and includes snorkeling for the intertidally-inclined. Day tours, multi-day tours or a stay at Cabana Desolation Eco Resort satisfy all levels of paddlers. Desolation Sound has warmer waters than most BC locales since tidal flow doesn’t quite reach around Vancouver Island: a bit like a belt that doesn’t quite buckle (tidal exchange in the central Salish Sea waterway isn’t absolute). Taking a dip in May is a therapeutic way to ease back, shoulders and core muscle stiffness. With Mothership Adventures, we toured Broughton Archipelago and the Great Bear Rainforest with a cabin (and kayaks) aboard the historic Columbia III. Captain Ross Campbell says, “Our goal is to provide you with attentive service, great food, a spotless ship and a warm family atmosphere while exploring this spectacular part of Canada.” Goal accomplished, Captain Campbell!
Get a Season’s Pass (rent a boat, take a lesson or a tour) Deep Cove Kayak (DCK) is located in North Vancouver’s 18-kilometre inlet of Indian Arm, a half-hour’s drive from downtown Vancouver, and provides rentals, lessons, sales and repairs to single and double kayaks, surf skis (a sleek sit-on-top kayak) and other paddle craft. Co-owners, Bob Putnam and Erian Baxter, prolong summerspring seasonal fun with guided winter kayak tours in Indian Arm, Ambleside, Whytecliff Park and Porteau Cove. Erian’s mother, Ingrid, started the business back in 1981 (she went out shopping for a canoe and came home with a business). Bob and Erian took over most of the business in 2000. I ask Bob about recent trends. “The way people are paddling is different,” he says. “They take shorter excursions, much like bicyclists heading out for a bike ride. Sometimes, I stand up; sometimes, I sit down. I just adapt my paddling technique.” Bob shows me some of the lightweight fitness kayaks like the 12-kilogram composite Kevlar and fiberglass single kayak,
ideal for those who want to put in easily or mount the boat on their vehicle’s kayak rack. “It’s good to change it up,” Erian adds. “Some people can’t sit in a boat for that long. Our Monday Night Social SUP (stand up paddleboard) is terrific for the core. Bring your own board or rent one.” There are two DCK introductory workshops for Women on Water (WOW), which started in August of 2001. Erian is enthused about the workshops. “There’s a two-hour morning lesson with a half-hour break followed by another two-hour lesson and an hour-and-a-half lunch. Clients build their own menu of SUP, kayak or surf ski tutorials (pick your top three) at an introductory or more-advanced level, led by our all-women team of instructors.” Once paddlers gain confidence on the water, Thursday evenings become regular social events on the calendar, as they did for Erian, and for many who’ve told her it’s helped them through tough times. Bob went to Tahiti’s World Ocean Sea Racing Championships 2015, where he scooped a third place finish in his age category (55-59) for the 40-kilometre event. Fellow Canadian paddler, Warren Bruce, was second in the 60- to 65-year-old age group, his second World-Cup-podium finish. “Somebody told me that the conditions we experienced in Mara’amu (Tahiti) were very similar to what you could expect at Molokai (Hawaii)… I am now inspired to train hard and improve for longer distance and open ocean conditions,” Bob blogs. “Once you get a taste, it’s hard to forget.” This kayak-tive duo walks the walk and paddles the paddle. Join them Mondays for social SUP; Tuesdays for a fun way to race any paddlecraft you like; Thursdays for WOW; or Fridays’ cheap-date night.
Buy Your Own Boat (BYOB) Once ready to own our own, we visited Doug Simpson: founder, owner and designer at Feathercraft on Granville Island, who outfitted us with a Klondike Double, a folding kayak with aluminum tubes (hollow and light like feathers).
Rethink your bucket list. As our region’s only not-for-profit burial park, we’re in no hurry to have you here.
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False Creek was rough that day with a strong westerly blowing, yet our Klondike handled smoothly, and we felt the undulation of waves under the tough urethane hull. We fell for (not from) that boat and we’re now in our fourth buoyant season.
“Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.” –Michael Caine Join a Club We joined the Sea Kayak Association of British Columbia (SKABC) for its proximity to meetings and paddling partners in the Lower Mainland. Some SKABC members have dual membership with the Pacific International Kayak Association (PIKA), which holds its monthly meetings in Langley. Both clubs focus on safety and boat-handling techniques and encourage Paddle Canada Skills Training. They also lead trips and courses with trained volunteers. We’ve done excursions with SKABC volunteers Bruce Pickwell, Karin Hartner, Tony Clayton and Heather Kirk. With Bruce, we base camped on Pender and Mayne Islands. With Karin, we ventured to Desolation Sound, and with Tony and Heather, we crossed to Gambier Island in Howe Sound for a Kayak Cuisine team-cookery session. “The idea was to help give an insight into what you can do, kayaking and preparing meals,” says Tony, in his twelfth year leading kayak-cookery with another one in the books.
A cheese fondue kayak-etizer, home-style stew (with or without the chicken), shrimp-lettuce wraps with peanut dipping sauce, Thai-style sweet and sour veggies and a Red-Thai curry, fresh pineapple in coconut-citrus sauce, tiramisu and Turkish delight… give just a taste. Tony and Heather shop in advance, lay the ingredients and recipes out on a tarp, and allow participants to pair up and get cooking. SKABC outgoing president, Roxanne Rousseau, says of her two years as SKABC club president, “I’ve learned so much about myself, been humbled by what I’ve learned and realize I have so much more to learn… in the connections with other groups, which has led me to stewardship… saving special places for future generations.” Alice Purdey and Ted Shumaker deliberate over packing.
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Roxanne went to her first club meeting after building her own boat, saw one familiar face who informed her it was the annual general meeting, and wouldn’t she like to become the club’s vice president? “What started as my own need to find people to go kayaking with brought connection and a channel to worthwhile causes,” says this upbeat UBC research assistant. Roxanne, 55, cites two “senior” club members, Nick Heath and Mick Allen, for inspiring ecological awareness and, in partnership with Canada Trails and Recreation Sites and Trails British Columba, helping clear six new campsites along Howe Sound’s Sea to Sky Marine Trail in June of 2015, with 20 more in the works. Randy Chatterjee, 53, has served as a club officer and has now taken over the presidential role from Roxanne. Randy has a new mission in mind. This former Yale rower and Boston University MBA, plans to circumnavigate Vancouver Island in a surf ski, his Epic 18X. Surf-ski technology evolved from rescue surfboards that lifeguards use, into sit-on-top kayaks. They are longer, narrower and lighter than kayaks with a capacity to surf ocean swells. “It’s impossibly light at 16 kilograms… has the shape of a surf ski with the carrying capacity of an expedition touring boat… just right for a record around the island.” That record is Russell Henry’s in just under 13 days (and more than half Randy’s age). Randy made two counter-clockwise attempts this past summer from Port Hardy to the southern tip of Vancouver Island before wind and wave thwarted his recordschedule. Randy launched his boat with Salishsea.org stenciled onto the white fiberglass. The Salish Sea is a term that marine biologist Bert Webber created to complement the indigenous cultural heritage of Coast Salish peoples and the already-existing Puget Sound, Strait of Georgia and Juan de Fuca Strait of southwestern British Columbia and northwestern Washington, and to raise awareness and champion a marine sanctuary for the restoration, conservation and protection of natural animal populations (whales, sea otters, dolphins as indicator species for so much more). “I hope my circumnavigation in 2017 might call attention to this wonderful initiative, which brings together great citizens across our biosphere and is now supported by every First Nation from Oregon to Alaska.” Kayak-tion – whether doddling or racing, affords a safe and low-impact footprint: physically and environmentally. It puts paddlers in touch with each other and our most-treasured spaces. Get into it. You’ll fall… in love with the sport. SL
“I think a lot of people want to go back to basics sometimes, to get their bearings… to get into nature by (paddling)… to take myself as far away as possible from everyday life, from its complications and from the artificial wants created by civilization.” –Pierre Elliott Trudeau For more information on guided trips, boats & gear and clubs, visit online at www.seniorlivingmag.com/ articles/kayak-tion
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Adventure
Hiking the Kumano Kodo: A Pilgrimage with a Twist STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATE ROBERTSON
A
board the flight to Japan, I reflect upon how I’d been wanting to do a pilgrimage to honour my empty nest and ponder the next phase. That pilgrimage was going to be the Camino de Santiago, but because the route I wanted to do would take a month, I hadn’t been able to free up the time. When a Walk Japan tour to hike part of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail arose, I jumped at the chance, not because I particularly thought it would be a “real” pilgrimage (I thought it was too short, and because it was a guided tour with luggage being transported from inn to inn, I thought the tour would not be ascetic enough to qualify as a pilgrimage), but because it was a trip that would combine two of my passions, exploring new places and physical activity.
Nachi-taisha
The Plan
Shojin ryori at Temple Lodging.
Most have heard of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, but I learn few have heard of the Kumano Kodo, the only other pilgrimage declared a World Heritage route by UNESCO, located in the Kii Peninsula just south of Osaka, Japan. We are going to hike the Nakahechi trail, which connects three important shrines. More than 1,000 years old, Kumano Kodo was worshipped as a place of rebirth where spirits going to the after-world gathered and prayed for their happiness in the next world. Pilgrimages became popular for imperial families between the 9th and 12th centuries, for samurai warriors and commoners by the 14th century and, 300 years later, they had widely spread to all. The trail embodies a unique (and convenient) mix of both Shinto and Buddhist religions. Traditional lodgings on the trail, each one unique and interesting, make multi-day trips like we did possible.
The Path Our nine-day tour starts in Osaka, where an hour-and-ahalf train ride followed by a cable car straight up the mountain (my first indication of the steepness of the terrain we would be hiking) takes us to the women’s 7.5-km pilgrimage route, which skirts the perimeter of the town of Koyasan. This austere training ground, established by Kukai 12 centuries ago, was prohibited to women until 1872. We barely pass anyone on the trail and stop often at breathtaking vantage points on the moun14
Zen Rock Garden at Koyasan. INSPIRED SENIOR LIVING
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tain ridges, where the women would have caught glimpses of the holy shrine. Koyasan is still a bustling monastic centre, as evidenced by frequent sightings of monks with closely shaved heads in bright saffron robes. Flocks of tour buses full of pilgrims (a pilgrimage can take any form, I learn), are everywhere, but that doesn’t take away from the beauty of this town, which has me snapping photo-after-photo of exotic traditional architecture and Japanese maple trees. There are over 100 temples in Koyasan, and we stay in one of the many that offer accommodation for tourists (shukobo). Like most traditional accommodations, at shukubos there is an onsen, or public hot springs bath, meant for socializing and enjoying the mineral waters’ healing powers. Here, I let all sense of modesty drop, as tradition holds you don’t wear a bathing suit (male and female baths are separate), and by the end of the journey, I am in love with this relaxing before-dinner ritual. Dining here is shojin-ryori, traditional vegetarian, made with simple ingredients like goma-dofu (sesame tofu), seasonal wild mountain edible plants, sweet-and-sour seaweed, familiar favourites like miso soup and tempura veggies and, of course, rice. Our energetic, ginger-haired British guide, Ben, tells us it is considered polite to finish every grain of rice to show respect, as the Japanese way of growing rice is time-consuming and laborious. Ben has lived in Japan for 12 years and married a Japanese woman, so he is full of historical tidbits and cultural anecdotes. At dawn, I join sutra chanting and a goma fire ritual, where we are invited to write a wish on a wooden stick called a gomagi, and the monks burn them, to represent Buddha burning away the root of our suffering. After that, we get a ride to the Taki-jiri entrance, a popular starting point for the Nakahechi, and we start our journey to the first of the three shrines. Unlike Canadian hiking trails, here you will often spot statues, like the one we see after our steep ascent up the Hashiori-toge Pass, called gyuba-doji, which depicts Kazan, (968-1008), one of the first emperors to pilgrimage to Kumano, riding a horse and a cow as a boy. Two-and-a-half days of trekking through misty mountain passes, quaint villages, bamboo groves, mossy Japanese cypress forests, terraced rice fields, rows of hanging dried fish and vegetable gardens, brings us to Hongu-Taisha, the first shrine. Here, we start to meet more Japanese henros (pilgrims) on the trail, often clad in traditional conical straw hats and carrying walking sticks with a bell. A dramatic entrance up 158 stone stairs, and we see four small shrines in a row with traditional roofs showing spectacular workmanship with layers of foot-thick cypress bark. The next day, our pilgrimage continues. I’ve left behind my busy life, my senses are heightened, and I can tune into the quiet of the forests. We pass waroda-ishi (round-shaped cushion rock), where the Kumano deities are believed to meet and chat over tea. The three carved symbols are bonji Sanskrit characters assigned to buddhas and bodhisattvas, and I swear I can hear whispers of the ancestors in the wind. The final two-days of hiking are through the most difficult
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and steepest section of the trail. Emperors lamented over the steepness here, and I silently commiserate. But the climb is well worth it when we drop down the other side to the second shrine, Nachi-taisha, the most visually stunning with its colourful vermilion gates and shrines, and which I appreciate for its remoteness, located halfway up Nachi Mountain. We walk another 15 minutes without complaint, knowing the hiking part of our journey ends here, to see Nachino-taki, the largest waterfall in Japan. “In Shinto tradition,” Ben advises, “shrines were largely built where things in nature, like large rocks and waterfalls, were located.”
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The final day, we take a train along the coast, to Hayatamataisha, the last of the three major shrines, and I marvel at seeing the Pacific Ocean to the east, rather than the west. Here, we find Gotobiki-iwa, a gigantic rock that was revered as a deity, located halfway up the mountain and reached by climbing a steep set of 538 rock-hewn steps (yes, really!). The rock has the Kamakura shrine at its base, which is believed to be the first shrine to which the god of Kumano descended.
The Pilgrimage Learning so much on this journey about the culture and history of Japan, so different from the West, was impactful for me. I enjoyed the peace and nature along the trail, and reveled in knowing I was following the footsteps of the samurai, shogun and emperors who came before me.
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View from Takahara Village. But the real twist, in the end, was the personal pilgrimage I experienced. Ascetic? Maybe not, but definitely a challenging journey, both physically (it was only by the end of the trip that I was getting used to the 17-hour time change, and I also came down with a head cold by Day Two) and mentally (I’m an ambivert, so although I enjoy people and delighted in getting to know the great people in my group, I also need my space). Sometimes, I had to work to remain friendly and open, important values for me, even when I was tired and cranky. Although it is alone time that allows for introspection, I was also reminded how it is others who provide a mirror for us, especially in challenging circumstances. As Rumi so wisely said: “You know how it is, sometimes we plan a trip to one place, but it takes us to another.” SL For more information, visit: www.walkjapan.com
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Travel
Concord Waterfall Photo: Chris Doyle
Grenada Falling for
BY JANE CASSIE
R
ed volcanic slime squishes beneath the soles of my white Nikes as I slither along the pathway that descends into the depths of the forest. A network of protruding roots and pond-size puddles need to be frequently navigated. And the adjacent steep-sided slope that falls away to no-man’s land prompts a short prayer. My hands feel clammy and my heart rate does double time. Sweat drips from my brow. Although it could be due to the humidity that hangs heavily in the air, my gut feeling says it’s sheer fear factor. Hiking boots weren’t on my packing list when making plans for this trip to Grenada, but they sure would have come in handy while hiking the hills in Grand Etang National Park. “No worries, Ma’am. I’ll lead you down, safe and sound,” my guide, Paul, says with an optimistic sense of calm. His coal black body is athlete-lean and, in spite of his flimsy flip-flops, he’s as graceful as a gazelle on his feet. “Just follow me, in the steps of righteousness,” he bellows out, then belly laughs at the creation of his original gospel tune. The singing continues and, while easing my tension, we plod on. The people of Grenada seem to have a spirited nature. Maybe it stems from the love they feel for their country and the relaxed laidback lifestyles they share. The paradisiacal island, (pronounced gre-NAY-da) is located in the Eastern Caribbean, just a 160km north of Venezuela. It boasts 440 picturesque square kilometres, one sixth of which are preserved as parks and natural wildlife sanctuaries. As well as being the island’s central focal point, Grand Etang National Park is 20 18
INSPIRED SENIOR LIVING
home to a five-hectare lake in a volcanic crater 530 metres above sea level, and to numerous hikes, such as this one, leading to Seven Sisters Waterfalls. For over three decades, Henry’s Safari Tours have been instrumental in literally leading the way through the dense tropical rainforests, and as I discover during this journey, our guide’s easy rhythms are matched by his skilled leadership. Paul shares his vast knowledge of the abundant flora that embraces our route, and rattles off the names of tropical flowers as if they were his best friends. Towering mahoganies and giant gommier trees unite with broad-leafed ferns and vine-draped Fijis. Bunches of bamboo shoot skyward like piles of pick-up sticks, trunks of banyon trees fan out like well-played accordions and countless towering palm fronds billow above in the sultry breeze. As well as hosting opossums, armadillos, mongoose, and Mona monkeys, the lush vegetation provides shelter for frogs and chameleon-like lizards that can grow up to four feet long. Although we aren’t privy to any sightings today, Paul’s authentic cries of the wild are certainly close enough for my liking. There’s a special hush about the rainforest that infuses an inner peace, a definite tranquility and oneness with nature, and during the trek I feel a sense of wonder, and the realization that I’m just a small part of this picture. We saunter on in our own quiet thoughts and, in just under an hour, we reach our aquatic oasis. Clear, emerald water funnels through a narrow gorge and plunges from a steep precipice, into the white frothy pool. The torrent cascades over a second, smaller rocky outcropping, before
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spilling into another pond, where I’m lured in for a dip. Other than a school of tiny fish, there are no intruders. It’s truly a place that epitomizes paradise. Included in this tour package is a basket lunch, which Paul splays out before me: fried chicken, sandwich fixings, bananas, oranges, papaya and enough locally-grown goods to feed a hoard of hungry hikers.
the island at the edge of a forest reserve. The first stage is easily accessible by road and is very suitable for swimming. The second and third stages, known as Au Coin and Fontainbleu, respectively, are only accessible by foot, but well worth the journey. At Fontainbleu, the water cascades down a 20-metre cliff into a crystal clear and very chilly pool.
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Royal Mt. Carmel Waterfalls This 21-metre aquatic cascade is also known as Marquis Falls. The trailhead is located a few kilometres south of Grenville and the 30-minute jaunt is an easy one that winds through a private plantation of local fruit and spice trees. Although there is an entrance fee, there’s no need to worry about getting lost on this one. The perpetual sound from the falls will lead you directly there.
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Grenada is home to sandy shores.
We picnic on river boulders and reflect on the surrounding beauty. Sunshine filters through the overgrowth and glistens off the clear plunge pools. Multihued birds twitter from forest flora. The sounds and smells of nature fill our senses. And though my white Nikes now look like muddy galoshes, when we eventually stroll away, I have a newfound feeling of humility.
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Paraclete Waterfalls ED IR INeniSP vinngg Liivi or L If you’re looking for a good trek, this S one-hour hike, located in the parish of St. Andrew may be your best option. Although there’s actually no plunge pool where you can take a dip, when standing inside the wake of this tumbling force, you’ll receive an invigorating reward.
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Actor, singer and
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Cycling strengthens this mother-daughter bond.
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Annandale Falls A well-trod and easy trail leads to this popular cascade of water, located on the outskirts of St. George. It’s bordered by indigenous fruit trees and plant life. En route, and especially during rainy season, is a second an even greater (unnamed) waterfall.
Tufton Hall Waterfall Calling all die-hard hikers. This one’s for you. You’ll traipse through tricky terrain for about three hours to get to the largest waterfall on the island. From its pivotal perch, located in St. Mark’s parish, the water drops from a whopping 25 metres. And while weaving your way along this adrenaline-making adventure, you’ll be privy to incredible sites, plunge pools and sulphur springs. Guides are highly recommended. SL
Concord Falls Not one, not two, but three waterfalls! This trio is accessed on the western side of
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Grenada’s Other Waterfalls
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2015
Adventure
On the Loose in Peru Cusco and the Inca Trail
L
BY CHRIS MILLIKAN
ike many today, Marian Lowery and husband, Bruce Dolsen, embrace retired life with enthusiasm. Regularly taking on new projects and challenges, they engage their minds, expand their interests and enrich their lives. Recently, they planned and realized their long-time dream of visiting South America. Thorough pre-trip preparations included strict training… and even Spanish lessons to polish language skills. Easing into holiday mode around Lima, Peru, Marian and Bruce approached the next few days differently than most. Separately, they headed for Cusco and devoted some time to solo endeavours, each immersing themselves in activities of personal interest. Ruins along the Inca Trail.
Bruce in Cusco
Flying into Cusco earlier than Marian, Bruce landed amid a general strike. Workers protested contracting out the reconstruction and privatization of heritage projects to foreigners. No taxis or buses entered or left the airport. What to do? He set out walking, dragging his suitcase behind him for six kilometres. Halfway into town, he was picked up and driven warily through the backstreets, until the cabdriver became nervous and suddenly dropped him off. “It was indeed a festive two-hour walk through streets packed with people, no cars,” Bruce recalls. “And a quick introduction to the culture!” Located over 11,000-feet in the Peruvian Andes, Cusco was once capital of the mighty Inca Empire. Known today for its Spanish colonial monuments and Inca ruins, exploring the city provided Bruce delightful encounters. A passionate artist, he absorbed Cusco’s lively ambience through drawing. His pencil captured characters, scenarios and activities around the main plaza and along side streets; his sketchbook filled with illustrations of residents going about their day. In Museo Inka courtyard, one weaver sat on the cobblestones, chewing coca leaves while creating ancient textile patterns on a backstrap loom, a portable device that uses the weaver’s body to provide needed tension. Others busily spun wool using wooden bobbins. Bruce later colourized the sketches with watercolours; these “snapshots” became a detailed experiential record, often the basis for future paintings. Occasionally, he sold his work on the spot. Wandering into the School of Fine Arts, Bruce exchanged ideas with fellow artist Elias Rodriguez. While there, a special music and dance event illustrated the strong pride of cultural identity. Peruvian students had gathered for a traditional folk22 20
INSPIRED SENIOR LIVING
World Heritage Machu Picchu site, high in the Andes Mountains, Peru.
dance festival. In elaborate regional costumes, groups competed for small cash prizes. “What high-spirited, enthusiastic fun,” Bruce recalls. Invited afterward to the Rodriguez home, high in the surrounding hills, he saw how Elias, also an instrument maker, created the 10-string “charango,” carving its body from a single piece of orangewood. Widespread throughout the Andes, this popular musical instrument belongs to the lute family. Small local buses routinely gathered riders along routes into the countryside. One such “collective” ride brought Bruce another compelling connection. Delivering books from Canadian friends, he visited a family in Chinchero village, known for Sunday markets. The welcoming family returned the favour, sending
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Marian’s Story
Meanwhile, Marian met with her group of multi-aged hiking enthusiasts. Strolling Cusco’s marketplace oriented everyone before touring the Sacred Valley. “At one co-operative, women demonstrated spinning, weaving and using natural dyes,” she journalized, a dedicated weaver herself. Pisac fortress ruins show Incas as excellent builders of terraces, aqueducts, granaries and military quarters. “The glorious light shining over the hillsides and small town of Ollantaytambo helped us imagine what the solstices might look like,” muses Marian. The three-and-a-half-day Inca Trail expedition to Machu Picchu begins. Marian’s motivation for this rigorous hike in the Andes involves her dedication to physical health and fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Association. Setting goals and working toward them helped her train hard and prepare vigorously with purpose for many months. As with her past journey up Mt. Kilimanjaro, high altitude treks present parallels to the Alzheimer journey: good preparation, a strong team of supporters and a focus on the present… not simply the end target.
Walking, Looking, Remembering
“Along a little-visited section, the narrow Inca Trail is paved with flat rocks; you can’t get lost,” Marian says. Climbing slowly amid towering peaks required a personal pace, good care with trail surfaces and, importantly, stops to breathe and appreciate views down the Urubamba River valley. Each night, tents are pitched on narrow terraced ledges. Curious llamas sometimes roamed through camp with their herders. “And even with local guides and porters providing the right decisions, the right help, tough days followed,” she remembers. Repaired in places, sections of the ancient path are re-routed through residents’ lands to take advantage of services needed by the 300-400 daily climbers, all steadily ascending through terraced fields cultivating potatoes or grazing llamas of various colours. “Descent to camp each evening began over slick rocks, mostly staircase-like. Occasional “Peruvian flats” encouraged us onward,” Marian smiles. “Along the way, hikers from the young to much older, like me. Of many porters, some were running… and in assorted footgear from plastic sandals to proper boots! Four shouldered 140-pound I-beams for a bathroom under construction.” Historically, such “warriors” transported goods from the coast to Cuzco; these descendants still take pride in this work. Though “ups” were not extreme, “downs” were slippery.
Photos: Marian Lowery and Bruce Dolsen
gifts back to Canada with him. “Even with minimal language, friendly interactions with local people are always possible – and rewarding. Smiles make the best icebreaker of all,” he says. And with a ticket purchased at a travel agency in town, Bruce made his way to Machu Picchu, located high in the Andes. A 15-passenger bus picked him up at the hotel, a 3 a.m. train transfer. Because Peruvians protect access to their iconic site, passport ID was required throughout the trip. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, one last bus took him up a steep, winding roadway and there, the fabled citadel waited!
Marian gazes over terraced hillsides along the Inca Trail.
Long, hard hiking days ensued! Conserving energy to Dead Woman’s Pass was necessary, a gradual altitude gain of 3,200 feet. “We did it in about five hours, stepping deliberately, using our poles,” Marian proudly reports. “And as with Alzheimer’s, “brain fog” rolled in.” With altitude a challenge, frequent breaks allowed heart rates to stabilize in thinner air. Views from the 13,000-foot “saddle” proved breathtaking… but just briefly! Clouds moved in; rains started falling. During the third night, rains pummeled the tents, early signs the rainy season was starting. “Setting out at 3 a.m., our headlamps lit the flagstone trail winding sharply downward. Two hours to the sanctuary’s Sun Gate, the same way the Incas came – but definitely a “cloud gate” when we arrived, sodden and eager to see Machu Picchu,” she beams.
At the Citadel
Amid the many tourists entering the ancient city, Marian and Bruce met up at Machu Picchu’s base. After sharing a guided tour, they roamed the dry-stone palaces and plazas, temples and homes for a half-day. Built in the 15th century, this hallowed complex has been a World Heritage Site since 1983. Though arriving by different means, they returned to Cusco together. During the three-hour train ride back along the beautiful Urubamba River, both swapped stories, reliving their unique experiences with one another. And as their South American adventure continued into Uruguay, Argentina and Chile, carried treasured memories of Peru along with them. Boomers like Marian and Bruce exemplify the rewards of leading an engaged, active retirement. In adding regularly to their own life story, they inspire others. SL For More Information: www.brucedolsen.com Bruce Dolsen, artist. www.gadventures.com/trips/the-inca-trail G Adventures for itinerary planning. www.alzheimerbc.org Alzheimer Association of BC.
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JUNE 2016
21 23
Travel
The Isle of Man by Rail
STORY AND PHOTOS BY GLEN COWLEY
Douglas train station.
T
he past and present merged like a sepia photograph; time hung suspended. With a “Thomas the Engine” huff and puff, our historic engine gave a blast and began its time-honoured 24-kilometre rumble from Port Erin to Douglas, where the isle-long rail journey was picked up by horse-drawn tram along Douglas’ sea-side promenade to connect with the circa 1890s-era electric rail tram to towering Mont Snaefell (Snow Mountain) and Ramsay to the north. Much more than a nostalgic recall of bygone times, this unique national rail system remains a living part of the daily life of the Isle of Man. A star in the universe of attractions that is the Isle of Man. It has been 20 years since I last visited this Eden of the Irish Sea, where my great grandfather once trod. Since 1874, the narrow-gauge trains have been pulling away from the ornate Victorian station in Port Erin and trundling through pastoral countryside, village and town; trailing whitish wisps of steam as they pass on their way to the Isle’s capital and largest city, Douglas. From the sandy beach of Port Erin, our determined engine pulled through Port St. Mary, Colby, Castletown and Balla Salla before, an hour later, puffing into the majestic redbricked Douglas Station, with its proud gilt towers. Heeding the call of gulls and the breath of the sea, we strolled the short distance to the eye-popping expanse of the Douglas Promenade, still awash with its Victorian- and Edwardian-era structures, where we awaited the horse-drawn tram, an integral part of the stylish walkway since 1876. The buzzing traffic parted like the Red Sea as a methodically plodding Percheron emerged in solitary dignity towing an open-air tram. Unhurried amid the haste of worldly-busy Douglas, it seemed a silent reminder for us to slow down and smell the roses. The driver halted before reaching us allowing his aide to gather up the proud draught horse and lead him to the new front of the tram for the 2.6-km return trip to the electric tram station. Taking our bench seats, we made ourselves comfortable, cameras at the ready. With seemingly casual ease, he put the tram in motion and
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INSPIRED SENIOR LIVING
we began our unhurried advance along the old rails. To our left spread the crowded, multi-storied townhouses and hotels alit with colour while, to our right, stretched the gardens and walkways of the promenade overlooking the bay with the lone Tower of St. John’s refuge; a life-saving mini-castle haven for those awash at sea. No mere tourist attraction, it was constructed in the witnessed wake of men drowning within very sight of land. My gaze fell upon a small notice speaking of the Home of Rest for Old Horses and when it could be visited; pastoral rest for these faithful servants when their working days are over (roughly 15 years). A short time later, just before reaching our destination, we stopped to have the horses changed and spied a nearby stable with a draft horse poking his curious head round the corner. The sense of caring for the horses added a pleasing aura to the tram experience. And awaiting us at the end, the electric tram terminus from whence trams have been plying the 28km north to Ramsay since 1894. We opted for the enclosed car blessed with padded seats and offering a warmly wooded interior. Openair cars were also available. An endless sea horizon opened to us as we began our climb out of Douglas to where rugged sea coast vistas fell away from verdant fields and leant startling contrast between the tended world of man and the wild power of sea and wind. We climbed past the Groudle Glen Station, where a short side trip steams to a sea vista through a tranquil glen. A worthwhile trip to experience on its own. (Check out details at ggr.org.uk) From there, the rail burrowed through groves, along field lines and past villages with the oft immensity of the sea commanding the horizon and the soothing clickety-clack of the rails as musical backdrop. At Laxey (Norse for salmon), we transferred to the Mount Snaefell line. In operation since 1895, its heart-stopping 6.4-km ascent of the Isle’s highest mountain gives forth a spectacular view of sea and land. Curious sheep watched
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our slow climb whilst overlooking a steep chasm, wending stonework fences and chattering stream. A restaurant crowns the 620-metre summit and offers both fare and respite from the wind, which, on some days, seems intent on blowing you to one of the seven kingdoms visible from the summit – England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Man, Mananan’s (Celtic Sea God) and Heaven. Far below, the famed Laxey wheel continues its endless spinning; today but artistry yet once the great life-saving drawer of water from the long-closed mines. The isle’s expanse flies away in all directions. The slow return descent to the main rail line meets on time the trams going either back to Douglas or on to Ramsay. For us, the line to Ramsay awaited and we, once again, wheeled along the coast with hills to our left and sea to the right. Again came the pastoral fields, a million shades of green, and the penetrating blues of sea and sky. The music of the rails threw back veils of time and I imagined my Manx-speaking great grandfather similarly occupied those many years ago, perhaps on this very tram. At Ramsay, with its face towards the sea, we were at the foot of the mountainous island centre and the beginning of the long flat sweep of land running the remaining distance to the Point of Ayr. Having but scant time to explore the town before beginning our return journey, we busied ourselves with explorations of the old city and a pleasant visit to a tea house. Enough to whet the appetite for a more leisurely later visit. Taking a seat for the return journey all unfolded again with new vistas courtesy of a differing perspective. There is much more to the heritage train service, including
dinner excursions in a restored 1905 dining car and special events tours. Serious railway buffs will want to visit the railway museum in Port Erin, which has been displaying its wares and telling its story since 1975. Oh, and as for the “Thomas the Train” connection: The Isle of Man was once part of a greater territory incorporating the title Sodor and the author, Reverend Wilbert Awdrey, was familiar with the hardly little engines and their stories.
Steam engine.
This restored and lovingly tended rail service does not want for viability nor is it but an historical toy. Like some great steel ribbon, it ties the isle together in space and time leaving all who experience it wanting to share the experience and spread the word. SL For IF YOU GO information, visit www.seniorlivingmag.com/ articles/isle-of-man-rail
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JUNE 2016
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Health
Healthy
s r e d l u o h S BY LAURA STEWART
I
n my physiotherapy practice, I often notice a rush of shoulder injuries in the spring and summer. Some of these injuries are undoubtedly related to a return to warm weather sports like tennis and softball. Frequently, however, shoulder injuries are the result of an intensification of arm strengthening in the late winter and early spring in preparation for arm-baring spring and summer fashion. The key to a healthy shoulder is your rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that originate on your shoulder blade and attach to the top of your upper arm bone. These muscles are very important in holding the shoulder together and keeping it stable. However, there is a very small amount of space where the tendons attach these muscles to the bone. At this attachment point, the tendons can be easily impinged under the tip of the shoulder blade. Repetitive pinching can cause “tendinitis� or inflammation of these tendons. Over time, these tendons can wear and fray and even tear from long-term repetitive stress. When I assess someone who reports a gradual increase in weakness or pain in their shoulder or shoulders, I begin with a critical look at their posture. Upright and aligned posture of the spine, shoulder blades, and shoulder joints is the foundation of a healthy and strong shoulder. Sitting, standing, and exercising with the spine elongated (but still flexible, never rigid) and the shoulders back allows for more room in the small space in the shoulder joint where the rotator cuff attaches. Improved posture, therefore, automatically results in decreased impingement of the tendons. Further, free and flexible movement of your shoulder blade and upper
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INSPIRED SENIOR LIVING
back, especially when reaching above your head, will lead to less wear and tear on the rotator cuff. The most important guideline for safe strengthening of the shoulders is this: strength-training exercises should never, and I mean NEVER, be painful. If you have any shoulder pain with range of motion of your shoulder or are concerned about repetitive strain to your shoulders (and you all should be!) then I would recommend avoiding the following exercises. Each of these exercises causes excessive pinching of the rotator cuff tendons, and this risk outweighs the possible benefits.
Exercises to Avoid 1. Lifting weights above your head. Exercises like the military press are often done with too heavy of a weight, or with too many repetitions. Strength training in group exercise classes are frequent culprits for overdoing this exercise. If you already have a shoulder injury, I would avoid lifting weights above your head, altogether, until you have seen a physiotherapist to rehabilitate the injury and give you a specific training plan to be able to achieve proper form. If you already have degeneration of your tendons or shoulder joint, this exercise may never be right for you. 2. Upright rows. This exercise involves holding a barbell with a close grip, and pulling your hands straight up toward your chin, with your elbows bending out to the sides. This movement places your shoulders in an internally rotated position, which causes impingement of the rotator cuff tendons, particularly at the top of the movement. I NEVER recommend this exercise.
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3. Triceps dips. Note: if triceps dips are done with PERFECT form, they may not put your shoulders at risk. But I see perfect form so rarely that it is best to avoid it and choose an alternate triceps strengthening exercise that maintains your shoulder in a more neutral position. Alternatives include triceps extensions with a cable or resistance tubing, or triceps kickbacks with a dumbbell with one knee up on a bench.
Recommended shoulderstrengthening exercises: For both a toned-looking and healthy shoulder, you should focus on strengthening the muscles of the rotator cuff, as well as the postural muscles that stabilize your shoulder blades and upper back. It is important, especially when starting out, to perform these exercises with your shoulder, shoulder blade, and spine in a “neutral” position. Hint- most of us have shoulders that naturally round forward due to bad posture and years of working at the computer. If you are not sure if you can maintain a neutral shoulder posture, see a physiotherapist for a detailed postural assessment.
3. Rows A rowing motion with either a cable or a resistance band is an excellent exercise for strengthening the muscles in your back that help hold your shoulders in a well-aligned position. Strengthening these muscles can also help counteract the effects of the rounded-forward posture so many of us exhibit. If you make these modifications to your exercise programme and your shoulder pain persists, visit a registered physiotherapist for a complete assessment. Due to the constricted anatomy of the shoulder, rotator cuff injuries tend to be stubborn to heal, and are less likely to “get better on their own” than other repetitive-strain injuries. SL
a
Conquer the
&
enjoying your ho t r me sta
2. Lateral raises in scapular plane Lateral raises are commonly performed for toning the shoulders. Unfortunately, they are also a common cause of impingement and strain. I recommend modifying raises, so you are not lifting dumbbells (a) straight out to the sides or (b) above shoulder height. Instead, bring your hands forward a few inches and turn your hands so your thumbs are pointing up. Then, raise to shoulder height or even slightly below. This exercise is sometimes called “lateral raise in scaption” and reduces the amount of impingement in the shoulder joint.
in! ga
sta irs
1. Shoulder external rotation. This exercise can be done in side-lying with a dumbbell or standing with a cable or a resistance tube/band. Your elbow is
bent 90 degrees, and your upper arm remains held against your body while you rotate your lower arm out to the side.
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The Joys of Solo Travel “A horizon is something toward which we move, but it’s also something that moves along with us.”
T
oday, I am writing from the outskirts of Dublin in Ireland. Once again, I am on a pilgrimage. My business card includes “Spiritual Wanderer” and that is what I am these days. I have been here for 10 days – playing, wandering, and asking questions. One of the joys of solo travel is that while I feel comfortable speaking to others, so, too, do they feel comfortable speaking with me. Whether on a train, a bus or in a pub, I have made new friends all over Dublin. So far, this city is where I have spent most of my time. I took a short train trip to Gorey to spend two days on the edge of the Irish Sea with a new friend, Linda, and her family. We walked a beach unlike any other I’ve walked before; we walked on lanes that double as the main roads in and out of the area. From there, I rode a bus for eight hours to the village of Knock, about two-thirds of the way up the island. I visited Knock at my friend Patricia’s suggestion; and then spent another half day by train back to Dublin. I jokingly questioned why I was taking an entire month to see Ireland when it is such a small island. Ten days in, I know I will miss so many wonderful things I want to be a part of.
Courageous
&
Outrageous BY PAT NICHOL
Everywhere I go, people keep telling me of other sights that I simply “must” see. Tomorrow, I head off on a guided tour that encircles the island, beginning in Dublin and ending in Belfast. I have three planned pilgrimages on this visit – dates with people who are no longer with us. The first two are my grandparents, who are buried in Donegal. Though I never met them, I will visit their graves and honour their lives. The third is John O’Donohue; he is buried in Ballyvaughan, and I will go pay respects to him for the joy and love I have felt, over the years, reading his works. When I think of these people, feelings begin to move up from my heart to my throat. So, if I do nothing else while I am here, these three will be closer to me because of the time I have spent celebrating them. My horizons are moving with me and before me. May yours move with you. SL
Pat Nichol is a speaker and published author. Reach her by email at mpatnichol@gmail.com
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Marketplace
COLLECTOR SEEKING vintage/collectable cameras, binoculars and microscopes. Nikon, Leica, Contax, Rolleiflex, Zeiss, Canon, etc. Mike 250-383-6456 or e-mail: msymons6456@telus.net (Victoria) SENSUAL MASSAGE. Are you missing touch? I’m a Certified Sexological Bodyworker, I work with Couples and Individuals. Sher 250-889-4166 or sexeducator@telus.net HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE pro-
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to Market and Sell. TRUST Your Home in JANE’S Hands For a Stress Free, Quick SALE. JANE goes the Extra Mile for You. Call Jane Lewis, Pemberton Holmes 250384-8124.
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WANTED: OLD POSTCARDS, old photographs, and pre-1950 stamped envelopes. Also buying old coins, medals and badges. Please call Michael 250-652-9412 or email fenian@shaw.ca
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CHANGING PLACES Downsizing and relocation specialists SINCE 1991. Moving? Aging in place? Need help? Don’t know where to start? Let us take care of all the details from start to finish. Jane 250-721-4490 Victoria and the Island, John 778-628-0725 Vancouver for a free estimate www.changingplaces.ca
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home, mine or on a walk. Visit clairemarieweightloss.ca or call 250-812-3694.
INDOOR CLEANING OR YARDWORK. Experienced, flexible hours, trust-
worthy, affordable rates. Refs avail. Victoria area. Call or text Diane 250-361-5568
TALK IT OUT! Mary Munro, Registered Clinical Counsellor, can help with life transitions, grief, difficult family dynamics, life challenges. Victoria: 250-589-4172, or mary@ marymunro.ca DOWNSIZING?
DEBI’S MOBILE HAIR SERVICES in the comfort of your home for everyone in your family. Serving the Victoria area. Please call Debi at 250-477-7505. WANTED: Old stereo/audio equipment. Any condition. Amplifiers, turntables, speakers, receivers etc. Honest/friendly. Victoria and V.I. Call Bob, 250-896-2268, northtowns26@gmail.com IN HOME EXERCISE PLANS and Fall Prevention Training, Certified In Home Personal Trainer servicing Vancouver and surrounding areas. Contact Adam 778-8398796, adam.chee@gmail.com IN-HOME DENTURE SERVICES Mobile service to White Rock, Surrey and Langley for retirement / nursing / private homes, hospitals. Ed Edwards RD 778-999-7929 or email inhomeds@gmail.com
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Eating Slowly Assists Weight Loss
I
n our faced-paced lifestyles, many of us eat our food quickly and mindlessly. However, eating slowly can help you feel fuller and lose weight. People who eat quickly tend to be heavier and gain more weight, over time, compared to slower eaters. Hormones play a major role in controlling appetite and calorie intake. Certain hormones relay messages to the brain to signal you’ve just eaten and nutrients are being absorbed. This reduces appetite, makes you feel full, and helps you stop eating. The process takes about 20 minutes. But, if you eat too quickly, your brain doesn’t have time to receive or process these “fullness” signals. Eating slowly can decrease the amount of food consumed at each meal. One study showed fewer calories were consumed at a slow-paced meal than at a fast-paced meal, although the difference was greater in the normal-weight group of participants. Additionally, all participants also felt fuller longer after eating more slowly, and were less hungry 60 minutes after the slowpaced meal than after the faster meal. Another benefit to slow eating is you’ll be chewing your
Fit
food more thoroughly before swallowing it. Your body can more efficiently absorb and utilize the nutrients in the food when it is thoroughly chewed. The saliva generated in your mouth offers enzymes that help digest your food – particularly carbohydraterich foods. When you thoroughly mix and coat your food with your enzyme-rich saliva, it combines with the enzymes in the food, allowing more thorough and efficient utilization of the nutrients in the food. Other benefits to slow eating also include: increasing your enjoyment of the food; improving digestion and reducing or eliminating digestive problems like bloating and flatulence; promoting stronger, healthier teeth; and assisting in feeling calmer and more in control, which can reflect on how you respond to stressful situations. To avoid becoming extremely hungry, eat regularly and have snacks handy. Eliminate distractions while you eat, until eating slowly becomes a habit. Concentrate on chewing your food and savouring each mouthful. When you notice you are eating too quickly, stop and take a few deep breaths to help you refocus. With practice, eating slowly will become habitual. SL
We just got ID’d! If you’re 57+ receive an additional 0.25%* bonus on GIC products. Offer valid June 6 - 18, 2016 during CWB’s Seniors’ Appreciation Days. Sit down with a CWB Account Manager to learn more today. (We’ll be on the lookout for fake IDs!) cwbank.com/goldleaf *1/4% bonus available on any 1 - 5 year fixed rate GIC, RRSP, RRIF or TFSA GIC investment made between June 6 - 18, 2016 at participating branches only. Bonus interest rate applies on annualized basis. Bonus cannot be combined with any other offer. Bonus applies to posted branch rates and is available on a minimum deposit of $1,000. See branch for details.
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Senior Living... The Berwick Way™ At Berwick Retirement Communities, you will enjoy an unparalleled standard of living at a superior value. Creating a wonderful environment where residents enjoy exceptional services from friendly staff is The Berwick Way. Find out more about The Berwick Way™ – Ask one of our Senior Living Experts Today!
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Saanich Parks & Recreation
Older Adults Strategy BE PART OF THE PROCESS You are invited to help create Saanich Parks and Recreation’s new Older Adults Strategy for 20172022. Please join us for an interactive Focus Group or Inquiry Café and let us know your thoughts and vision for older adults programs, services, facilities and outdoor spaces.
Saanich Commonwealth Place 250-475-7600 776457 Thursday Jun 9
6:00-7:30pm
Cedar Hill Recreation Centre
777404 Tuesday Jun 7 777359 Friday Jun 10
250-475-7121 6:45-8:15pm 10:30-noon
Register through any Saanich Recreation Centre. Refreshments will be available. Call 250-475-5408 or visit saanich.ca/recreation
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Inspired, vibrant retirement. You’ve earned it. All you have to do is imagine it, and we’ll make it happen. With over 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities, Opal will encompass the complete spectrum of lifestyles: • 43 condominiums: Independent Living and Assisted Living • 56 rentals: Independent Living and Assisted Living • 30 Memory Care and Licensed Complex (Long-Term) Care Located at King Edward and Cambie in the core of Vancouver’s premier neighbourhood, Opal is just steps to parks, a community centre, boutique cafes, gourmet restaurants and exclusive retail.
It’s your time. Your life. Live it well. After all, retirement isn’t about age, or about not working. It’s simply a stage you’ve earned for yourself. So every moment, indulge in your passions. Laugh, play, teach…share your gifts with your friends, family and community. At Opal, this is your home. That’s why you’ll experience warmth and intimacy, from our generous wellness offerings to our attentive, welcoming staff. Our events and activities will actively connect all generations– from grandparents to grandchildren to the local community. It’s where you get to live with passion and purpose. Stay tuned – our Discovery Centre will be launching shortly, and we’ll be hosting focus groups and interactive seminars. Help shape our activities programming and menu planning, and discover ways to create an attainable, sustainable retirement lifestyle.
home Warmth, intimacy, security
lifestyle Engaged, vibrant, refined
intergenerational social connection Family, friends, community
balanced wellness Emotional, physical, intellectual
adapting with you Amenities, activities, conveniences
Register your interest at
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