Senior Living Magazine Island Edition July 2010 by INSPIRED 55+ Lifestyle Magazine

JULY 2010 TM

Vancouver Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50+ Active Lifestyle Magazine

Golden Oldies Rockers

RUKUS

CELEBRATING CREATIVITY

Actress Sharron Bertchilde Sculptor Elias Wakan Conductor Simon Leung

��

�� PREPARED FOR: PENINSULA NORGARDEN PUBLICATION: SENIOR LIVING INSERTION DATE: MARCH SIZE: 7.25” X 4.75” PREPARED BY: BRAVO ADVERTISING 250 590 1169

��

Bringing Our “Neighbourhood” to Yours Innovative Alzheimer’s care at Sunrise of Victoria

Sunrise of Victoria provides specially designed Alzheimer’s care based on each resident’s rich history and individual needs. The result is a personalized environment as loving as it is innovative. We call it the Reminiscence Neighbourhood.

��

And because each resident is gently guided along in a place that looks and feels like home, every day is a pleasant day in the neighbourhood.

Call today and visit our Reminiscence Neighbourhood

LICENSED RESIDENTIAL CARE

Sunrise of Victoria • 920 Humboldt Street • 250.383.1366 www.sunriseseniorliving.ca

JULY 2010

(Vancouver Island) is published by Stratis Publishing. Publisher Barbara Risto Editor Bobbie Jo Reid

editor@seniorlivingmag.com Contributors Goldie Carlow, Jane Cassie, Judee Fong, Gipp Forster, Valerie Green, Deryk Houston, Mike Matthews, Pat Nichol, Bobbie Jo Reid, Alice Rich, Rosalind Scott, Vernice Shostal, Barbara Small, Lance Sullivan, Elias Wakan Copy Editor Allyson Mantle Proofreader Holly Bowen Advertising Manager

Barry Risto 250-479-4705 For advertising information, call 250-479-4705 sales@seniorlivingmag.com Ad Sales Staff

Ann Lester 250-390-1805 Mathieu Powell 250-589-7801 Barry Risto 250-479-4705 Contact Information – Head Ofﬁce

Senior Living Box 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1 Phone 250-479-4705 Toll-free 1-877-479-4705 Fax 250-479-4808 E-mail ofﬁce@seniorlivingmag.com Website www.seniorlivingmag.com Subscriptions: $32 (includes GST, postage and handling) for 12 issues. Canadian residents only. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Senior Living is an independent publication and its articles imply no endorsement of any products or services. The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. Unsolicited articles are welcome and should be e-mailed to editor@seniorlivingmag.com Senior Living Vancouver Island is distributed free throughout Vancouver Island. Stratis Publishing Ltd. publishes Senior Living Vancouver Island (12 issues per year) and Senior Living Vancouver & Lower Mainland (12 issues per year). ISSN 1710-3584 (Print) ISSN 1911-6403 (Online)

SENIOR LIVING

FEATURES 5 Celebrating Creativity

Hats off to B.C.’s senior artists and performers.

6 Raising a Rukus

These rockers keep the Golden Oldies alive.

8 Light and Shadow

Gabriola Island sculptor Elias Wakan combines his love of math with art.

DEPARTMENTS 25 BBB Scam Alert 26 Classiﬁeds

COLUMNS 3 The Family Caregiver by Barbara Small

10 The Lady is a Ham

27 Ask Goldie

12 Humanitarian Uncovers Island Secrets

31 Outrageous & Courageous

Actress Sharron Bertchilde takes on new roles.

Artist and author Theo Dombrowski explores enticing beaches on Vancouver Island.

16 Channeling the Wind

Wind harp artisan Greg Joly immerses himself in music.

18 Magical, Musical Maestro

Conductor Simon Leung inspires musicians.

20 Making Peace

Artist Deryk Houston takes a positive approach to negative world affairs.

22 Great Gal-loping Getaway Old friends share new experiences.

28 Three Seafaring Ladies and a Boat

Adventureous boaters circumnavigate Vancouver Island.

by Goldie Carlow by Pat Nichol

32 Reﬂections: Then & Now by Gipp Forster

Cover Photo: Rukus band members (from l. to r.) Bob Dalziel (blue jacket), Steve Hansen (kneeling in front of the car), Marty Adams (standing behind the car), Barry Casson and Dave Kissinger. Story page 6. Photo: Vernice Shostal

THE FAMILY CAREGIVER

FINDING RESPITE FROM CAREGIVING Rest, recharge, get your errands done or take a much-needed holiday.

espite is the break caregivers get when they allow someone else to temporarily take over their caregiving duties for an hour, a day, a week or longer. Respite can help prevent caregiver burnout and permits you to continue caring for your family member for as long as possible. It gives you a chance to rest, recharge, get your errands done or take a much-needed holiday. Several formal types of respite are provided through your local health authority, such as: • Your family member attending an Adult Day program. • Having a Home Support Worker come to your home overnight to look after your family member, so you can catch up on sleep or during the day for a few hours to stay with your family member, so you can spend some time on your own. • Scheduling a short-term admission or respite stay for your family member in a residential care facility or other facility that provides respite care. This type of respite can range from overnight to a week or more. Caregivers can access these types of respite services by calling their care recipient’s Case Manager or the Home

and Community Care department of your local health authority. Similar services are also available through private home support agencies and private care facilities. These can be found in your local telephone book, online or in a community resource directory, such as the Senior Living Housing Directory available at www.seniorlivingmag.com/ housingdirectory In addition to these forms of respite, there are many other creative ways for caregivers to take a break. At FCNS, we think of “respite as an outcome.” This means any activity or event that allows you to feel more rested and to feel as though you have had time off from your caregiving duties: • A neighbour or volunteer coming over for a couple of hours to play cards with your family member while you go out • Spending time in your garden, at the beach or going for a walk • Having a family member come and stay overnight, so you can sleep through the night • Going out for coffee with friends • Reading a book or watching a movie • Trading homes for a weekend with a family member or friend who lives nearby. They can take over your caregiving responsibilities and you can relax.

BY BARBARA SMALL

Respite does not always mean separation from the person you are caring for. It can mean sharing non-caregiving-focused time together, such as going to see a play or to the spa. These activities help to reduce your sense of isolation and reestablish a balanced relationship. For respite to be refreshing, you need to be able to let go of worrying about the other person. Others may not provide care exactly as you would, but your family member will be cared for and their daily life will be enriched by interactions with new people. You will come back stronger and more refreshed. SL Everyone will benefit! Next month: Caregiving and Facility Placement Barbara Small is the Program Development Coordinator for Family Caregivers’ Network Society located in Victoria, BC. www.familycaregiversnetwork.org

The Family Caregiver column is brought to you by the generous sponsorship of ElderSafe Support Services A division of Saint Elizabeth Health Care

The ElderSafe Advantage • • • • •

Personalized service with flexible hours Connection with other community services Registered professionals with years of experience Same worker builds long-term relationships New Caregiver Support Program

Call Today For Your Complimentary In-home Needs Assessment! www.eldersafe.com

Victoria: 250-385-0444

24 hour • Affordable • Bonded • Safe and Reliable Home Care JULY 2010

�� Senior Living Housing Directory is a valuable online resource for seniors and family members looking for alternative housing to match their desired lifestyle, or medical/mobility needs. Over 500 senior residences and housing communities throughout BC are listed in this comprehensive directory. Compare services, amenities, and prices. Sort your selection by region, or type of care. This directory is published by Senior Living, a monthly magazine distributed to approximately 850 locations across BC.

�� Coming soon: residential listings for Alberta and Saskatchewan.

��

Senior Living’s online searchable senior housing directory is a perfect complement to its semi-annual senior housing special editions in February and August. Senior Living also publishes a 128 page book called “To Move or Not to Move? A Helpful Guide for Seniors Considering Their Residential Options.” We have sold over 3,000 copies of this book. No other magazine we know of has such a comprehensive, interconnected group of housing resources. For more information about any of these products or services, call (250)479-4705 or toll-free 1-877-479-4705. Or email ofﬁce@seniorlivingmag.com

�� 4

SENIOR LIVING

Arts & Entertainment

CELEBRATING CREATIVITY BY BOBBIE JO REID

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival. “The support has grown and nurtured many artists that have requested arts council assistance – but over the past while as deficit budgeting drags us down, arts and culture have had to take it on the chin. These are difficult times for the arts, and I suspect senior artists are looking for other ways to augment their incomes – but we will survive. We will be creative! The economy will recover! Let us entertain you as we wait for better times – this is the way of the artist.” B.C.’s artists have delighted and entertained thousands. They let us peek into their lives –Norman Yates by sharing their stories and add colour to the pages of our magazine. And as long as they continue to explore and express the talents that make them SL unique, we will continue to celebrate them.

“The wonderful thing about making art is there’s no retirement date.”

Visit www.seniorlivingmag.com to read about artists and CTF G&D Ad (SLM):CTF G&D Ad (SLM) 6/14/10 8:59 AM entertainers we’ve profiled in the past.

Guys & Dolls A MUSICAL FABLE OF BROADWAY music & lyrics by

Frank Loesser

book by

Jo Swerling & Abe Burrows

Lindsey Angell & Michael Shewchuk David Cooper Photoography

uch can be said about British Columbia and her artists. Whether they toil in paint, sculpture, photography, performing arts, music or word play, these artists share one thing in common – a creativity that thrives in the natural allure of our province. Arts and entertainment in B.C. has a unique flavour that is distinctly Canadian. In fact, the artists’ creativity we marvel at helps shape our national identity. Senior artists, in particular, are prolific here. Some have spent a lifetime perfecting their work, while others take to the canvas, the stage or the page later in life. Time and freedom from the responsibilities of career and family have allowed many to explore the creativity they say bubbled beneath the surface since childhood. And it’s a passion supported and encouraged by arts and entertainment outlets eager to share their voice. “As part of our mandate, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria feels it is important to acknowledge the careers and contributions of senior artists in the community,” says Nicole Stanbridge, Associate Curator, Comtemporary Art. “We recently featured a retrospective of local artist James Gordaneer, who has been painting for six decades and has spent the last 30 of those [years] as a significant and inspiring member of Victoria’s art community.” Senior Living magazine has had the privilege of interviewing artists and entertainers working in every conceivable medium. Whether born and raised here, or transplanted from other parts of the country or world, artists and performers flourish in our cities and remote islands. Over the years, we have chatted with fine artists like Norman Yates, Jim Wispinski, Margaret Hallett and Ted Harrison; writers Ann Kelly, Naomi Beth Wakan, Stanley Evans, Betty Gordon Funke and Arthur Black; musicians Allan SingletonWood, Catherine Young, George Essihos and Winifred Scott Wood; and groups like the Oak Bay Orchestra, the Pensionaires Barbershop Quartet, City of Gardens Sweet Adelines and the Victoria Broadway Chorus. And year after year, new senior artists emerge and take to the spotlight, despite challenging economic times and the provincial, federal and global issues that threaten to command more attention. “The province of British Columbia has been supportive of all sorts of different initiatives by artists of all ages for many years,” says Christopher Gaze, Artistic Director/Founder of

JUNE 17 TO SEPTEMBER 11

1.800.565.7738

www.chemainustheatrefestival.ca Playbill Dining Room open before every show

DUNCAN IRON WORKS

JULY 2010

Page 1

Arts & Entertainment

Rukus band members. Back row: Barry Casson, Steve Hansen, Dave Kissinger. Front: Marty Adams (keyboards), Bob Dalziel.

ictoria’s “Golden Oldies” Rockers began in 1977 with two musicians, Bob Dalziel and his friend, Rod Arundell, who, seven years earlier, had met “over a few beers at the Old Century Inn.” In addition to sharing beers, they shared a love for ’50s rock ‘n’ roll music. Rod bragged about the way he could imitate the licks of Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley’s guitarist, and Bob boasted about his ability to imitate the King himself. But it was mostly talk until 1977, when their hero died. Shocked by the brevity of life, the duo decided to quit delaying their own desire to become musicians and started jamming on a regular basis. For two years, they played at parties and did some live shows, but their enthusiasm waned and they quit playing in public. A year later, meeting other musicians, they got a new start when they took on a bass player and later a drummer. Their first real gig was videotaping seven songs for Daybreak, a local CHEK-TV show, where the name Rock House Ruckus became the current Rukus. Disbanding again in 1983, they rejoined in 1988 when a friend enticed them to help him celebrate his 40th birthday. A love for authentic rock ‘n’ roll has kept the band

RAISING A RUKUS BY VERNICE SHOSTAL

jamming ever since. “It is gratifying to know that in a small way we are helping to keep the original rock ‘n’ roll alive,” says Bob. Keyboard player Marty Adams joined Rukus in 2001. Victoria Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame drummer Barry Casson joined in 2003. In 2007, Steve Hansen, who had been with the band for a while, rejoined original band member Bob Dalziel and Dave Kissinger, who replaced Rod Arundell in the early ’90s. The Rukus band members come from various walks of life to speak the universal language of music. “Everybody sings and everybody plays,” says Bob, who was born in Victoria and worked for the city since 1974. Both the youngest and oldest member of the group, he and his wife of 30 years, Brenda, have two daughters and three grandchildren. Retired from the cablevision industry, lead guitar Dave Kissinger, also born in Victoria, taught himself to play by the age of 12. With several friends, he began playing at school dances and later joined a band called R.P.M. and the Regents. He has an extensive musical background with Victoria band Phoenix, playing Eagles, Bachman Turner Overdrive,

��

�� 6

SENIOR LIVING

Police, Chicago, CCR and Van Morrison tunes. In 2008, he was inducted into the Victoria Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. “We play songs I grew up hearing and playing,” says Dave. “It’s always magic when a band puts a song together and it just ‘works.’” Barry Casson has been playing drums since he was 16. He played with local bands before joining “Bob and the Strangers,” a group that went to England in 1966 and played in major venues all over the British Isles. Back in Victoria, Barry taught drums and learned photography, later becoming a newspaper photographer with the Times Colonist, TV news cameraman with CHEK TV and director producer of over 60 films and videos. Past president of Victoria Motion Picture School, he wrote his first book on filmmaking and gives presentations to high schools, colleges and business groups. Raised in Nanaimo, bass guitar and vocalist Steve Hansen came to Victoria in 1970. Influenced mainly by the Beatles, Steve began playing in bands in the 1960s. After a few years of accordion, he switched to guitar and then bass. Steve played with “Whiskey Tree,” one of the first bands based out of Nanaimo. They did the coffeehouse circuit up and down the island. Steve played with several bands in the ’70s and ’80s. He took time off to concentrate on family before getting back to music to play with Rukus. A cooking school graduate as well as a journeyman electrician, Steve is the only member who joined the band twice.

Born in London, England, keyboardist and vocalist Marty Adams played with several bands in the ’60s, until he started teaching in 1968 and his focus turned to choral directing and musical theatre. In the mid ’80s, Marty joined “Doc & The Doowops,” which he calls the highlight of his musical career. “I played keyboards for 11 years with Doc & The Doowops, Victoria’s premier rock ‘n’ roll show band and performed with them for the Opening Ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games in 1994.” The energetic Rukus musicians, mostly in their 60s, with 200 years of combined stage experience, performed at the opening for Buddy Knox’s 60th birthday party bash. Competing with 15 other bands in 1999, they won the “Battle of the Bands” competition and set the attendance record for the Government House “Music On The Lawn” outdoor concert series in 2006. They have played on shows with Tommy Sands, Bobby Curtola, The Coasters, Susan Jacks, Randy Bachman and Buddy Knox. This summer, the band will be raising a ruckus at Butchart gardens, Rutledge Park, the Saanich Fair and more. They entertain at private and retirement parties, special anniversaries and reunions. From Elvis to the Beatles and everything in between, the band plays tunes the way their fans remember them. “You’re never too old or too young to rock ‘n’ roll,” says Bob. SL For more info, visit www.rukus.ca

��

�� JULY 2010

Light and Shadow Arts & Entertainment

BY ALICE RICH

nter the studio of sculptor Elias Wakan on Gabriola Island, and what strikes the eye is the incredible play of light and shadow within his sculptures. Eli explains that his constructions (he prefers that word, since his pieces are painstakingly built up unit by unit) are appreciated because they seem to change along with the light of day. With their architectonic nature, Eli says, architects often imagine how each piece would be scaled up to full-building size in concrete, steel and glass, rather than the finely grained hemlock he uses.

Embrace the Journey - A Care Giver’s Story by Valerie Green The very personal story of her own journey as a care giver to her elderly parents. This is a story which will touch many hearts and be relevant for numerous adult children who, in midlife, are faced with a similar challenge and must make agonizing decisions and choices. It painfully addresses the problems encountered of ‘aging in place’ and the desire for loving couples to stay together in their home until the end of their lives. 96 pages. Softcover. 5.5” x 8.5” Published by Senior Living. Price $14.95 To order, please send cheque for $19.84 ($14.95 plus $3.95 S&H & GST) payable to Senior Living. MAIL TO: Embrace Book Offer c/o Senior Living 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1

Please include your clearly written shipping address and phone number. Allow two weeks for shipping.

SENIOR LIVING

True for many sculptures, a person needs to walk around them to fully appreciate their scope, but Eli’s sculptures make people want to walk into them. They invite participation. One piece, Sliced Ice, resembles a diamond. Eli says the light from it changed because of the interference of the wood. At one point, there is a view all the way through it. From a different perspective, a person can see through where he or she was looking before, but then, a moment later sees through at a new spot; it’s as if the light follows. The name of the Sliced Ice sculpture came from the structure of water and the fact that it expands as it freezes; inside each molecule of ice there is a hollow space. The negative and positive shapes are what make his pieces so remarkable. Before beginning a sculpture, Eli puts pen to paper. Stacks of pages build before he starts a single construct. On them are the keys to a perfectly executed piece – they include mathematical proportions, points of balance, wood

densities, sizes of jigs, how the pieces should be put together, where the gaps should be – loads of calculations. “As I make the constructions, I think ‘Oh, I’ll just take it a stage further, maybe I’ll just add one more level.’” says Eli. “And then again, perhaps still one more level, until eventually the realization dawns that adding any more would be a mistake.” Eli says the last step is the naming. One construction’s name, Plane Sailing, was chosen because it looks like a pair of sails, and is a nautical term based on the charts all sailors use that employ the convenient fiction of being on a mathematical plane, instead of the messy curved Earth. About his current outdoor project (with its own stack of papers), he laughs, “In the workshop, being out a third of a degree can be a problem for me, so it’s very different working outside on the fence for our new orchard, where a discrepancy of one inch is sometimes tolerable. Working outside on this project is really like a kind of sabbatical.”

All Eli’s pieces are made from single unit shapes, sometimes a square cross-sectioned stick, sometimes a wedge, but cut in the hundreds or even thousands, depending on how many might be needed. Curiosity keeps this artist motivated from idea to completion of these complex sculptures. Eli wants to see what his ideas look like. If, before making them, he could see them already finished on a computer screen, he’s not sure he would have the incentive to spend the months it takes to make each piece. Though Eli was a math major, he felt the need to put the math to use in practical ways. Pure math was too abstract for him – his interest was more in plane and solid geometry, so it wasn’t a big leap to carpentry to translate math into everyday use. And, eventually, he became a journeyman carpenter. When he met his wife, writer Naomi Beth Wakan, they decided to live in Japan for a while. The Japanese aesthetic of unvarnished wood structures created with precision and no nails influenced Eli. On returning to Canada, he first experimented with folding paper, not exactly origami, but more like architectural maquettes. When the couple moved to Gabriola Island in 1996, he set up a workshop to see what these forms looked like in wood; his first showing was called “Origami in Wood.” Living on idyllic Gabriola, nature plays a significant role in Eli’s work. “My pieces are very organic and cellular,” he says. He points to a sculpture called Meeting at Infinity and says its double helix form suggests DNA. Eli plans to continue designing and building his constructions despite the potential physical problems that may arise from the many hours of standing, not to mention the visual strain of working in precise detail. To ensure his longevity, he takes precautionary measures like using a heavy-duty dust mask, as well as ear and eye protection. “If you’re good at something and interested, I don’t see why one couldn’t go on for a long, long time,” says Eli. “I just like puzzles and each piece I start is a puzzle I have set myself.” SL

L’ É q u i p e S p e c t r a a n d D i d i e r M o r i s s o n n e a u p r e s e n t

f r o m N ew - Yo r k

THE WORLD FAMOUS

ONE NIGHT

ONLY !

MONDAY AUGUST 2, 8 P.M.

ROYAL THEATRE

��Tickets available at McPherson Box Ofﬁce 250 386-6121��www.rmts.bc.ca

��

To see more of Eli’s meticulous constructions, visit his website at www.eliaswakan.com

��

G AU

��

Eli in endless calculations. Top left, Sliced Ice. Photos: EliasWakan

�� JULY 2010

Arts & Entertainment

The Lady is a HAM BY MIKE MATTHEWS

SENIOR LIVING

Photo: Lance Sullivan

“I

f I can teach one more person in the world to be as selfish as I am, I will not have lived in vain.” That’s Sharron Bertchilde speaking in Nanaimo, where she is making another life, another persona for herself; another in a long line of lives. She’s been a student, a teacher, an administrator, an athlete, a wife, a mother, a grandmother and, as an actor, many versions of wife, mother and grandmother. In some of these roles, she will

surely raise eyebrows, but there has been little real selfishness in any of them. The different selves of Sharron got their start in Kenora, Ontario, where she was born into what she describes simply as “a railroad family” and where she attended many different schools, dropping out before the end of Grade 12. She graduated from high school in Winnipeg, by means of adult education, and became an educator herself, first as a teacher with a degree from the University of Winnipeg. She employed her “strong instinct for ham acting,” using drama as a teaching tool in Winnipeg schools and in adult education programs. When Sharron achieved a master’s degree in Public Affairs from the Uni-

versity of Manitoba, she ventured west and took administrative posts at Malaspina College, now Vancouver Island University. Husband and tennis partner Harvey Jenkins found employment at the same institution. Harvey is now nearing retirement and, like Sharron, is moving into a life in the arts, writing poetry, particularly haikus, and winning competitions with his verses. The “meetings, meetings, bloody meetings” of administrative life eventually palled on Sharron, and she resolved “to do something interesting while I was still able to.” She retired at age 60 and made her way to Nanaimo’s Red Room studio, where actor training from Jackie Casey and Andrew McIlroy prepared her for work in Vancouver’s burgeoning film and television industry. Her first professional job, she recalls, was as a grandma in a Mattel Toys commercial, about five years before she became a grandma in real life. But it is the stage that has brought Sharron the greatest pleasure; the electric thrill of immediate direct connection with audiences. Local audiences have enjoyed her work in performances for the Nanaimo Theatre Group and in the summer theatre, Bard to Broadway, in Qualicum Beach. Now, cheerfully doing things backwards, she attends classes at the univer-

sity where she once worked at the administrative level, studying second-year acting in VIU’s Theatre Program. Fellow students, decades younger, appreciate Sharron’s energy and talent. “Sharron rocks, she f***in’ rocks!” declared a classmate, amazed at Sharron’s performance as Naomi, the title character in Christopher Durang’s Naomi in the Living Room. Sharron’s mimed demonstration, centre-stage on a sofa, of the joys of orgasm may very likely have been the bit of stage business that brought out that gasp of admiration. Sharron shrugs off any suggestion that people her age should be cautious about presenting themselves for public view in the wildest sort of behaviour. “In for a dime, in for a dollar,” she shrugs. This April, she performed again on the VIU stage in Eve Ensler’s multi-voice Vagina Monologues, in which she has performed various roles over the years. In her acting class, she performed a scene from Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party. One of Pinter’s early dramas, this play offered Sharron the role of Meg, a “succulent old washbag” all too ready to have some jolly fun, regardless of circumstances. The circumstances in the play are sinister. That never fazes Sharron. She will scream, she will laugh hysterically, she will bounce in any direction called for. It’s the roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd, and another new Sharron trotSL ting out to greet her audience.

Safety Enhanced Bathroom Accessories

Grab bars hidden in plain sight! 350 lbs capacity • dupont corian surfaces • multi-contact wall support magnolia white or bright polished chrome 204 - 1530 Cliffe Avenue Courtenay

250-338-5665 or 1-877-214-6337 livingrx.ca

an exceptional taste, of the good life.

One of Victoria’s top dining experiences is found at Victoria’s finest seniors residence, Carlton House of Oak Bay. Our celebrated Swiss chef employs his creative talents using only premium, fresh ingredients. The result is unsurpassed meals for our residents and their invited guests. Learn more about an exceptional life at Carlton House. All-inclusive suites are available from $2495 a month. Call Seona Stephen today at 250-595-1914 | www.carltonhouse.caa

PREW_5814_PREW032.indd 1

2010 AM11 12/3/09JULY 10:38:30

Arts & Entertainment

Humanitarian Uncovers Island Secrets BY VALERIE GREEN

man of many talents, Theo Dombrowski, a retired teacher, has firmly established his skills as a photographer, artist and now writer on Vancouver Island. Two recently released books Secret Beaches of Greater Victoria and Secret Beaches of Southern Vancouver Island are written and illustrated by Theo. The illustrations in watercolours, oils, charcoal and ink blend to create what

he describes as “a sort of scrapbook of different visual responses that visitors, artists and photographers might have to our varied shoreline.” In addition, there are sketched maps showing the reader how to find the “secrets” he has discovered. These two books are Theo’s first to be published by Heritage House Publishing. In the past, he self-published a children’s book called The Dragons of Vancouver Island. He is also working

��

ASK A ��

seniorlivingmag.com

www.queenswoodvictoria.ca/summer

SENIOR LIVING

1949 SOOKE RD.

103 - 1964 FORT ST.

WWW.ISLANDMEDIQUIP.COM

09-1148

on cover art and some chapter illustrations for a young readers’ book called, A Book of Tricksters by Jon C. Stott, to be published this autumn. Theo’s many years in teaching have mostly been spent at Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific where, with a PhD in English, he taught literature and writing. “I first considered a career in art after taking courses at the Banff School of Fine Arts and the University of Victoria Fine Arts Department,” he says. “I also considered a career in biology while at university and even though my greatest academic strengths lay in the sciences and maths, I finally decided English literature was more meaningful for me as a teacher.” Since his retirement in 2006, Theo has been recalling the inspiration he found many years ago when he first caught sight of enticing little beaches hidden at the end of access roads. Once retired, those long-ago memories led him to do more research. Much to his delight, he discovered even more beaches along sections of coastline he thought he knew well. He soon realized there was a wealth of rich information worthy of exploration. Theo describes himself as “an obsessive outdoors-lover and an inveterate beach-goer,” who is fascinated by details of wind exposure and tides. Once he had decided to collect all the relevant beach information together, he self-published a smaller version of the Beaches books limited to the areas between Qualicum and Nanaimo. Since 1963, Theo has lived in his family’s home at Nanoose Bay, sometimes just seasonally but, since retirement, he and his wife Eileen (also a retired teacher) have lived there full-time. He and Eileen have also published a book together about the first 30 years of Pearson College. Working on Volumes 1 and 2 of the Beaches books in preparation for publication took a few months of intense research and study, plus working on the illustrations, but he was then ready to

Experience our Wellness & Vitality™ Lifestyle… a treat for all the senses! Our Wellness & Vitality™ philosophy focuses on aging well while providing activities and programs that stimulate the body, mind and spirit. Enjoying life to its fullest just comes naturally when you are able to choose your pleasure from one day to the next. Be it sensory, savoury, spiritual, social or strengthening programs, your life will be enriched. Just ask the residents who live here! You’re never too old to feel young again. Experience the Amica™ difference today!

Live life to the fullest with

and exclusive

program of customized strength training and exercise for mature adults.

Visit an Amica Wellness & Vitality™ Community in your neighbourhood or www.amica.ca Port Coquitlam ~ Amica at Mayfair ~ 604.552.5552 Kerrisdale ~ Amica at Arbutus Manor ~ 604.736.8936 West Vancouver ~ Amica at West Vancouver ~ 604.921.9181 Burnaby ~ Amica at Rideau Manor ~ 604.291.1792 Victoria ~ Amica at Douglas House ~ 250.383.6258 Victoria ~ Amica at Somerset House ~ 250.380.9121 Sydney ~ Amica at Beechwood Village ~ 250.655.0849

“Reﬂections” MAIL-IN ORDER FORM Reﬂections, Rejections, and Other Breakfast Foods Name_____________________________________ by Gipp Forster A collection of Gipp’s humorous and nostalgic columns. A wonderful read for Reflections, �� yourself, and a and Other Breakfast Foods thoughtful gift for friends and family members. Limited Edition

128 pages

REDUCED PRICE

$10.00

MAGAZINE

A Collection of Published & Unpublished Writings by Senior Living Columnist Gipp Forster

Address___________________________________ City______________________________ Prov ____ Postal Code____________ Ph _________________

Make cheque payable to Senior Living MAIL TO: Reﬂections Book Offer 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria Please allow two weeks for shipping. BC V8T 2C1

____ BOOKS @ $10.00 each = $_________ SHIPPING ($3.95 PER BOOK) = $_________ SUBTOTAL = $_________ GST (5% on SUBTOTAL) = $_________ TOTAL = $_________

JULY 2010

Arts & Entertainment seek a publisher, feeling there would be a market of interest for those who are intrigued by little-known beaches on Vancouver Island. Perhaps the most rewarding part of working on these books has been the knowledge that all proceeds from sales will be going to organizations about which Theo feels very passionately – Medecins Sans Frontieres MSF (Doctors Without Borders) and the Georgia Strait Alliance (GSA), which is devoted to one of our most precious, yet vulnerable, local resources. Past support of these worthwhile causes has inspired him to make calendars of oceanside images, design T-shirts, art cards and artworks, plus donate the proceeds from his self-published children’s book. In addition to teaching international students at Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific,

BC N IO T I D E

Theo taught for one year at the Collegio del Mondo Unito in Italy and two years at the Red Cross Nordic United World College in Norway, all of which made him more aware of the world’s many worthwhile causes. Following the Haiti earthquake, for instance, he arranged a display of his work in a local shopping centre, where he sold several paintings to raise funds for both the Red Cross and MSF.

A Helpful Guide for Seniors Considering Their Residential Options

To Move or Not to Move?

Published by Senior Living January 2009

�

ONLY

9.95

If you are a senior who has been wondering lately whether you should consider moving - either because you find the maintenance of your current home more difficult due to diminishing ability or energy, or you simply want a lifestyle that allows you more freedom and less responsibility - then this is the book that can help you ask the right questions and find the solution that is right for you. A handy reference guide for seniors and their families wrestling with the issues around whether relocation is the best option. This 128-page book provides helpful, easy to read information and suggestions to help seniors and their families understand the decisions they need to make.

Books may be also purchased at these Island locations: (Please call ﬁrst to conﬁrm availability)

ORDER FORM - “To Move” Name______________________________Address _______________________________ ___ BOOKS @ $14.60 each (includes $3.95 S&H plus 5% GST) = TOTAL $____________

___ Cheque (payable to Senior Living) ___ CREDIT CARD # _________________________________ Expiry ___________ Name on Card ____________________________________

Mail to: Senior Living 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1 SENIOR LIVING

Please allow 2 weeks for delivery

City______________ Prov ___ Postal Code____________Phone ____________________

Today, he continues to think of ways in which his work can help other local causes – from campaigning against open-net fish farming to the dumping of improperly treated sewage. Theo is also looking for a publisher for a light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek book about retirement to be sold as another fundraiser. As a humanitarian and a man conscious of the environment, Theo says, “I have been lucky enough to travel to many parts of the world, such as Cuba, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Columbia, Australia, New Zealand and Nepal.” His roots lie in Poland, where his father grew up before moving to Canada. Born in Port Alberni, Theo is constantly coming up with more ideas to make the world a better place; one that future children and grandchildren will SL be proud to inherit.

• Falconer Books, Nanaimo (250-754-6111) • Home Instead, Victoria (250-382-6565) • Medichair, Victoria (250-384-8000) • Medichair, Nanaimo (250-756-9875) • Medichair, Duncan (250-709-9939) • Munro’s Books, Victoria (250-382-2464) • Pharmasave Campbell River ((250-287-3222) • Pharmasave Comox (250-339-4563) • Pharmasave Cook St (250-386-6171) • Pharmasave Duncan (250-748-5252) • Pharmasave Esquimalt (250-388-6451) • Pharmasave Hillside Ave (250-595-8106) • Pharmasave James Bay (250-383-7196) • Pharmasave Ladysmith (250-245-3113) • Pharmasave Quallicum (250-752-3011) • Pharmasave Sidney (250-656-1348) • Pharmasave Tuscany Village (250-477-2225) • Pharmasave View Royal (250-881-8887) • Pharmasave Westhill Centre Nanaimo (250-740-3880) • Pharmasave Mill Bay (250)743-9011 • Tanner’s Books, Sidney (250-656-2345) • Volume One Books, Duncan (250-748-1533) • Crown Publications (250)386-4636

News Brief

Return to Health A ďŹ nal gift to the community from the Volunteer Services in Geriatric Care Committee

ver many years, the Volunteer Services in Geriatric Care Committee (VSIGC) evolved to provide training for volunteers who spend time with elderly people in facilities and in their homes. Recently, VSIGC has been encouraged by many groups in the community that are collaborating to share volunteer education opportunities with other groups. Hence, the VSIGC has decided to dissolve. Volunteerism is changing, elders in need of care are changing, and so too is the health-care system. The VSIGC made changes to try to anticipate and address some of these issues. It seems, however, that much of the need in the community is already being covered informally among community agencies. As such, there is no longer a clear role for the VSIGC. As a legacy to the community, the VSIGC has chosen to donate their remaining funds to the Return to Health Program to provide volunteer education to a wide array of community members. The funds will be used in the spirit of preparing and supporting volunteers to develop meaningful and successful connections with elders in need.

Enjoy the contents of both the Vancouver and Vancouver Island magazines plus much, much more at

seniorlivingmag.com

Stories About Active Seniors & Inspiring Videos

Articles on Heath & Fitness Extensive Senior Housing Directory for BC

Business Directory Plus Ask-a-Pro - Advice from Professionals in Your Community

Senior Expos - Past & Future

Local Event Listings Easy & Delicious Recipes

On-Line Bookstore

Contact info for Return to Health: Seniors Serving Seniors Suite 109, 1022 Pandora Avenue Victoria, BC V8V 3P6 Telephone 250-382-4331 www.seniorsservingseniors.bc.ca JULY 2010

Arts & Entertainment

CHANNELING THE

WIND BY JUDEE FONG

Greg Joly with the Aeolian Wind Harp he designed and constructed.

Greg’s childhood fantasy became reality when he graduated from building his smaller two-stringed wind harps to designing and building his Grand Harp that’s mounted on a swivel base, allowing the harp to be turned to catch the wind. When this elegant wooden structure has its side panels opened wide, the wind releases the harmonic notes of the strings inside. Next, Greg built a cylindrical wind harp that allows a person to sit with his head inside to experience the sounds of the wind on the strings. Then he created his most

SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM Vancouver Island Edition 12 issues for $32 (includes GST) Name ________________________________________________ Purchase a Subscription for $32 and never miss an issue! Address ______________________________________________ City __________________________________________________ Province ____________ Postal Code _________________

Mail cheque to:

Senior Living 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1 16

SENIOR LIVING

Photo: Judee Fong

reg Joly, wind harp artisan, had a secret that began when he was a small child of eight and discovered a box-like toy with strings. “I didn’t know what it was exactly, but I liked the sound it made,” he recalls. “I had this wonderful image of building a box, where I would be immersed in the sounds of the strings.” Growing up, Greg learned to play the piano. With his ears sharply attuned to the chords and harmonics, he became a professional piano-tuner. But deep within, Greg kept searching for that elusive childhood sound. “I was at the Courtenay Fair in 1982 and heard it in a recording,” he says. “I had to know what made that sound.” The sound was that of Aeolian wind harps built by Benjamin Bloomfield. “The sound of the wind harps truly inspired me,” Greg recalls. “Benjamin suggested several books from the University of Victoria Library. I was ‘on fire’ soaking up all the information I could find to build my first two-string wind harp.” Aeolian wind harps have been known since 6th-century Greece and are a stringed instrument played solely by the wind. They resurfaced in the Renaissance age and were seldom heard of again until Henry David Thoreau, the 19th-century nature writer and poet wrote: “The sounds of the Aeolian harp and the woodthrush are the truest and loftiest preachers I know now left on this earth.” Apparently inspired by the sounds of the wind on the telegraph wires, Thoreau built his own wind harps in an attempt to capture what he heard.

ambitious wind harp, the Harmonic Sanctuary, which houses two or three people, wrapping minds and bodies in notes played by the breeze of the wind. The strings are of different diameters or gauges. As the wind blows among the strings, a chordal sound is produced. Within one string, there are many tones called harmonics and these series of notes produces a harmonic series. “Each string doesn’t play a different note,” Greg explains. “They are all the same note but when the wind blows and causes a vibration of any one string, there is a breakdown of the one sound causing it to go from quite deep to very high. That’s the harmonic series.” Listening to wind harps is different from listening to wind chimes because even the wind on the small door or window of the wind harps produces a sound effect, which affects each individual’s ears differently. One of Greg’s favourite stories is of an older gentleman who was intently listening to the sounds of a wind harp recording on the headphones. “He turned to me, teary-eyed and said, ‘This is what I heard when I was on the Other Side.’ Apparently, this gentleman had undergone a clinical death experience and remembered this deep sense of peace. I’ve heard from others that listening to the primordial wind songs touches people in an inspiring and spiritual way.” Collaborating with Irish artist Mark Garry, Greg’s smaller wind harps have been part of a successful Irish visual/ sound art show called “Wind Harps” set in Dublin’s Blackrock Park. Now, Greg’s goal is to be commissioned to build his wind harps, especially his Harmonic Sanctuaries, in one or more of Victoria’s local parks as a place for quiet reflection. “It has been my vision for the last 10 years to build a 22person Harmonic Sanctuary, somewhere safe with public access for people to enjoy, to quietly meditate, to take refuge from the elements,” says Greg. “I’m good at designing and building it to suit the location. I want my first large, commissioned wind harp to be built with maximum exposure and public accessibility.” He describes his 22-persons Harmonic Sanctuary as 11feet (3.4 m) in diameter, similar to an enclosed gazebo so it would be like a giant sound box. The Harmonic Sanctuary is designed to withstand the elements as it is built for outdoors and can play in breezes or heavy storms. “I didn’t invent wind harps, but I extrapolated all the information I could to build my Harmonic Sanctuary,” says Greg. “I like to have people experience the actual wind harps, to hear the genuine wind songs. It’s not meant to be for a ‘beer and chips’ gathering, but a place for inner reflections, a joyful SL spiritual re-awakening.” To view Greg’s wind harps and to hear a sample of songs, visit: www.harmonicwindharps.com For more info, call 250475-1106 or email webwind2001@yahoo.com

LEGION MANOR VICTORIA A Great Place to call

“HOME”

Quality Retirement Living at an Affordable Price Tranquil location on the beautiful Saanich Peninsula of Greater Victoria 7601 East Saanich Road, Saanichton

68 Lovely one-bedroom suites with balcony Monthly rate starting at $2090 (single), $2450 (couple) [Nov 2009]

Includes daily lunch/dinner, weekly housekeeping, emergency response system and more.

To book a tour or for other info, please phone 250-652-3261 E-mail: legionmanor@shaw.ca website: www.legionmanorvictoria.com

www.legionmanorvictoria.com

��

Your Jewellery is Our Specialty

www.barclaysjewellers.com 106-2187 Oak Bay Ave. 250-592-1100 JULY 2010

Arts & Entertainment

Magical Musical Maestro BY JUDEE FONG

rowing up in Hong Kong, Maestro Simon Leung was enthralled by his first symphony concert. “I liked the classical music I heard and wanted to be a musician. But, coming from a traditional Chinese family, my father had plans for his three sons to be a lawyer, a doctor and an engineer. One of my brothers is a lawyer and the other is a computer scientist. I entered medical school.” Taking a year away from his studies, Simon came to Victoria and enrolled in the Victoria Conservatory of Music, where he studied voice under Selena James and classical guitar under Ian McConkey. “I saw another young tenor, Richard Margison, beginning his singing career,” Simon recalls. “He won the coveted Rose Bowl for voice that year. The

quality of teaching at the Conservatory and later at the University of Victoria inspired me.” When Simon’s year was over, he continued with his music studies, and Hong Kong lost a potential doctor. Absorbing the vast knowledge of conductors Glen Fast, Paul Freeman and Bruce More, Simon’s enthusiasm and passion for music earned him an excellent reputation. One of the highlights of his choral conducting occurred in 1994 when Simon was instrumental in uniting the Newcombe Singers and the Sooke Community Choir for three remarkable performances in Hong Kong. Retiring from his many commitments in 2005, Simon began freelancing as orchestral conductor and choir conductor, singing, teaching and inspiring his numerous students. Conducting a choir, orchestra or

symphony has its own uniqueness, but in the end, it is the music that matters. “One interesting thing I learned from my teachers is to look beyond the ‘blacks and whites.’ Conducting is all about communication,” says Simon. “It’s how you have the musicians interpret the music for the audience. But if you ask yourself the question, ‘why?’ it’s because you’re feeling the music, not just playing the notes.” Recently, Simon returned to Saigon for a series of concerts, and taught workshops to students between the ages of 9-17 years. “Many music teachers send their best students to me for the few weeks I am in Saigon. One of my favourite stories is about this one girl who played for me for one of my first concerts there. She rushed up to my producer and said, ‘I know Simon is giving a concert. I

�

��

�

��

SENIOR LIVING

�

� � ��

��

� � � ��

played with him last time. Can I play with him again because I had so much fun last time!’” Working and travelling through parts of Europe and Asia, Simon is adamant about music not being a universal language. As a guest speaker, he is often called upon to answer this question. Simon replies, “We have to deal with how the human ear listens to music and how the mind accepts it. If some music has a minute change from major to minor, it is closer to our nature, so we understand and accept this music. But if there are changes in the half-tone scale or a really obscure scale as seen in some ‘exploratory’ music, Asiatic operas or other unfamiliar cultural music, it strikes a discordant note in our minds making it difficult to accept. The common element is your ears – to hear the differences and to enjoy.” Simon pauses and then adds, “I ask my students, ‘What do you think singing is?’ They often think singing crescendo is to be louder but it’s not – it is getting more intense, which is not the same as loud. Loud means nothing but to be ‘intense’ means something. At my last concert, there were 1,250 people singing without any microphones and not because the acoustics were excellent. The singers draw the audience to them and this makes a big difference. It’s not shouting or loud because the impression of crescendos done with intensity is the technique of good singing.” For relaxation, Simon delights in watching comedy movies or a live show once or twice a year. His current passion is ballroom dancing, which he discovered five years ago, finding it a fun workout in a good social environment. “When I was in Europe, I met a musician in Austria. One of the things she said to me was that nobody knows how to play a Viennese Waltz properly. ‘Well,’ I said, ‘it’s a simple 1-2-3, 1-2-3.’ But she gave me this very detailed talk about what the waltz is and how it should be played. It wasn’t until I had a chance to conduct the orchestra for a dance group in Vancouver that I realized you had to know what dance music was all about. My Austrian friend was right. That’s one reason I want to learn dancing and from there I can play the Viennese Waltz the way it should be played.” Though he just returned from his most-recent Saigon music workshops and concert tour, Simon is relaxed and looking forward to his next project, the fifth season for the Victoria Summer Choir performing in August. After that, he will return to Saigon to make arrangements for his 2011 engagements. “All my teachers told me when they retired, they were busier,” says Simon. “It is a good ‘busy’ because you want to [do it] and you’ve put your heart into it. But the rewards of seeing young musicians grow before your eyes, that is a good feeling.” SL The 2010 season ends with the following performances: Friday, August 20: St. Elizabeth Church, Sidney Saturday, August 21: Alix Goolden Hall, Victoria Conservatory of Music, Victoria Sunday, August 22: Duncan United Church, Duncan For info and/or to reserve tickets, contact Clara at cchay@shaw.ca or Frances at 250-360-0356.

“I wish that I’d moved in sooner!” Carefree Living, Activities, Outings and Great Meals Only a Few Suites Remaining Call for a Lunch and Tour Today

Respite Suite Now Available!

ALEXANDER MACKIE Retirement Community

Call 250-478-4888 753 Station Avenue, Victoria www.hayworth.ca

LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO ACT FOR YOU IN YOUR SENIOR YEARS? F. Kenneth Walton, Q.C. Barrister & Solicitor Victoria BC (250)595-5368 Fax. (250)595-5378 • 35 years a lawyer • Compassion & integrity • Preparation of wills, representation agreements, power of attorney and health care agreements • Probate and estate processing including sale of estate goods • Will look after provision for your present healthcare needs or property management • Willing to accept appointment as executor of your will or as an attorney under a power of attorney or representation agreement • Will attend at your home • Will do estate court cases

Call me for a free consultation (250)595-5368 JULY 2010

MAKING PEACE Arts & Entertainment

museum as part of their permanent collection and several of his paintings have appeared in movies such as The Odd Couple, X-Files, Outer Limits, Poltergeist and others. He has illustrated books and donated artwork, turned into holiday greeting cards, to raise money for B.C. Children’s Hospital. A prolific artist, Deryk chooses a positive approach about what goes on in the world. “When I’m painting, I try to reach the heart,” he says. “The way I paint and the things I paint are about life and when I see people being killed (in war), it catches my attention. These are difficult issues and we have to understand that we’re all part of the solution. I go into each project thinking I don’t necessarily have the answer, but what I

really want to do is raise questions. Both sides have needs and each person has to recognize the other person’s [perspective] in order to get trust and harmony.” A sojourn with artists in Baghdad was a life-altering experience for Deryk when he was exposed to the plight of the Iraqi people, particularly the children. Compelled to speak out, his peace sanctuary, a unique nature art project near Hudson’s Hope in the Peace River country in Northern British Columbia, was an attempt to draw people’s attention to the situation in Iraq. Because of his love for ancient art and since he had to move hundreds of tons of gravel and dirt over a 1,000-foot (305 m) area, he chose to keep the design simple. The sanctuary, earth art – rocks, gravel and

Photo: Deryk Houston

“M

y work is about peace. Even when I paint wilderness like the MuskwaKechika in British Columbia’s far north, the work is all connected,” says Scottish-born artist Deryk Houston. In his youth, he worked with his father and brother in a house-painting business. “I remember being up on a swing stage scraping six-inch-deep pigeon droppings off the window sill in preparation for painting, and my friend, who was helping us said, ‘How can you stand doing this kind of work?’ And I thought, ‘He’s right! I have to pursue my love for art.’” Deryk went on to study art in Canada before he was accepted into L’Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts in Paris. His first show was in the Kitsilano Neighbourhood House in Vancouver, a community hall with a theatre, where the artist was soon designing some of the sets. A year later, he represented the city of Vancouver with a solo exhibition of his paintings in the former Soviet Union. That was the beginning of dozens of one-man shows and exhibitions in Scotland, the former Soviet Union, Iraq, the U.S. and Canada. His work has been accepted in the Canadian War

BY VERNICE SHOSTAL

Left, Deryk Houston’s Ancient Shadows. Above, Eggs for Peace in Beacon Hill Park. Top right, Deryk at work in his studio.

Call today to experience the Beltone difference.

1-800-748-3499 10 Vancouver Island locations to serve you.

SENIOR LIVING

Photo: Vernice Shostal

hay – bears the image of a mother and child. The mother/child image is important for nurturing, caring and fertility. Deryk chose a remote site because people would have to make a commitment to go out and see the sanctuary, which would raise awareness and get people talking to each other. A video, Baghdad to Peace Country, produced by the National Film Board of Canada in 2003 shows the construction of the sanctuary and can be viewed on Deryk’s website. “Like any artist and most people in our time, we’re trying to understand why we’re here and what the purpose of life is,” says the artist. “Generations and cycles of life play an important part of my work simply because it’s a complete miracle. That’s why peace interests me so much.” Fascinated by robins’ eggs since he was a child, and finding another way to express his love for the miracle of life, Deryk constructed three large six-foot by 10-foot (1.8 m x 3.1 m) blue eggs. He placed them in Victoria’s Beacon Hill Park one sunny day in the spring of 2009 and as the sun changed directions, Deryk, his wife, Elizabeth, his son, Samuel, and friends, moved the eggs from one nest-like place to another; inside the eggs, Deryk included children’s art. Deryk spent a month building the project for a day’s enjoyment and the resulting photography that captured the event. Since his experience in Iraq, Deryk has been invited to speak at many conferences. In support of children’s rights, he has completed ground art and earthen works in Iraq, Canada and Scotland. Deryk’s family is a vital part of his life. Samuel helped him on his project in Scotland as well as the Peace Sanctuary in the Peace River district where daughter, Amy, played her cello. “My wife has always been a solid support of my work,” he says. Deryk’s work is currently on display at the Old School House Arts Centre in Qualicum. Until July 11, people can view his small series of canvasses featuring tractors, cows and old trucks; he likes old machinery, especially tractors because they tear up the earth and make the ground fertile for seeds to SL take hold.

Environmental

Conservation Event July 29th � starting at 2 pm Explore the oceans & forests Speakers, documentaries & entertainment

We can make a difference R.S.V.P. by July 28th 3131 New 2638 RossStreet, Lane,Burlington Victoria 905.632.5072 250.381.8666 Our undivided attention | allegroresidences.com

To learn more about Deryk Houston, his life and his art, visit www.derykhouston.com JULY 2010

Travel & Adventure

Great Gal-loping Getaway

BY JANE CASSIE

t’s been a few years since I’ve straddled a saddle. And though my plump rump will likely survive the trot, I’m not so sure about the rest of my boomer-aged body. Do I still have enough core power to ride the range? Can I hang on tight when my steed picks up speed? My trepidation mounts (pardon the pun) as the herd of horses is corralled into the ring. With hoofs pounding and mud flying, they stampede through the gate and charge closer to the raised podium where I stand – or shake – in my boots. The only consolation is that the other two women who have joined me on this weekend retreat are shaking even more.

We Specialize in a Full Range of Home Medical Equipment: Bath Safety

At different stages in our nursing careers – retired, preretired and just plain tired – we’ve come to Sun Mountain Lodge to revive, reconnect and reclaim a little western spirit. This getaway gem on the outskirts of Winthrop, Washington promises all of the above and more. Like a diamond in the rough, it glitters from its mountaintop home and provides every nuance of comfort known to man or womankind: posh accommodations, award-winning wine and cuisine, a pampering spa to soothe those saddle sores, and 30 head of horses creating them. Beads of sweat drip from my brow as the galloping group

Summer Scooter Special! 20% off Select Scooters

Manual Wheelchairs Vehicle Lifts & Ramps Power Wheelchairs Lift Chairs Scooters Walkers 22

SENIOR LIVING

#2-1585 Bowen Road, Nanaimo

1-800-665-4442

Invacare

Leo Scooter

invades my comfort zone. But fortunately, help accompanies these well-behaved beasts. Kit Cramer could pose as The Horse Whisperer. Sporting chaps, spurs and twin braids that fall from her wide-brimmed Stetson; she’s a cowgirl to the core. Even her western drawl sounds authentic. Thankfully, it also seems to mesmerize the energized pack for, in unison, they obey her every command. In minutes, she has us perfectly pegged and paired with our equine companion. And, before we know it, we’re ready to giddy up and go! “Each one of these 1,200 pounds of horsepower has a brain the size of a walnut,” Kit chuckles, “but they all provide a safe four-wheel drive ride.” Her wrangling expertise is matched by a witty sense of humour and, while sauntering nose-to-tail along the rim of Sun Mountain’s 915-metre-high plateau, I’m hoping there’s truth to this gesture. Nestled in a lush valley far below is the western town of Winthrop, a popular tourist haunt where we spent the previous day strolling the creaky boardwalks, checking out emporiums, and uncovering past and present treasures. As with most mining towns, the gold-rush boom in Winthrop was a colourful era. But once the resources dried up, so did the reasons to stay. We discovered it wasn’t revived again until 1972, after the completion of the North Cascade Highway. And thanks to the financial support from local lumber baron, Kathryn Wagner, it took on this new Wild West flavour. The elusive cowboy dream also lingers in the hearts of many who visit the lodge. Its 3,000 embracing acres are laced with enough trails, flower-choked meadows and jaw-dropping vistas to satisfy any Roy Rogers wannabe. “It’s a great place to experience life as it used to be,” Kit proudly says, as she guides us through a grove of trembling aspens. She should know. Her family has lived in the Methow Valley for generations and she has pretty much grown up on the backside of a horse. She also co-authored Bound for the Methow, a coffee table favourite that traces the region’s rich history. We mosey along a trail just below the main lodge and find out it too has well-established roots. In 1965, visionary Jack Barron was so moved by this magnificent countryside, he wanted to share it with others. He chose this plot because it provided a 360-degree view of the mountains and valleys, and constructed his dream property out of local materials, so it would blend in with the landscape. Three years later, the original Sun Mountain Lodge was open for business. Although it’s had major upgrades since those early days, the Northwest feel is still incorporated into this AAA Four Diamond retreat. Ninety-six regionally-inspired rooms are housed centrally and any one of them, whether in the main lodge, Gardner or Robinson buildings would enhance our getaway. But on this trip, we decided to go for even more seclusion. We wanted to wine, dine and enjoy our diva downtime without any interruptions. And our fully equipped home-style cabin at nearby Patterson Lake was certainly filling the bill. From our promontory trail, we have a great view of this lake. A couple of canoes dot the glistening surface and hugging up to

Departures from Victoria!

Sun Peaks & Wells Gray Park: July 15 Parksville Sandcastles: July 21 Haida Gwaii: August 7 New York City: September 2 Vancouver to San Francisco Cruise: Sep 25 Ontario Theatre: Oct. 4 Branson: November 9

4 days 1 day 6 days 6 days

$575 $85 $2095 $2995

11 days 11 days 10 days

$2020 $3385 $3165

For information on these and other Experiences: 250-590-7889 1-888-595-7889 102-736 Broughton Street www.wellsgraytours.com

BC Reg. #51754

��

�� Truly caring and professional service at a time of need or when preplanning

��

Transfer and sheltering • Cremation Container & Urn Cremation process • Registration & Documentation ��Keepsake Urns • Memorial Books Largest Selection of Urns • Cremation Jewelry

��

�� JULY 2010

Travel & Adventure

one edge is a grassy shoreline that hosts our home away from home. Later, we’ll catch up on lost sleep, yack on our sunsplashed veranda, and sing along with John Denver. If we still have energy, we can try another adventure. How ‘bout flyfishing, river rafting or kayaking? Tennis or swimming anyone? The courts and two pools sure look inviting. A hundred miles of hiking and biking trails also weave over this terrain. But for now, there’s still more riding to do! Our mid-point is the Hough Homestead, a landmark that dates back to the late 1800s. A log-hewn structure and weather-beaten wagon are remnants of the past and close by are a few picnic tables for tonight’s Cowboy Camp Dinners. “Why not join us later,” Kit asks, when we get back to the ranch. “There’ll be singing ‘round the campfire and a fabulous spread of food.” Although steak, country-fried potatoes and baked beans sounds finger-lickin’ good, we have our hearts set on some award-winning fare for this final night. Above all, though, comfort comes first. After finally prying our duffs off the saddles, we make a bowlegged beeline for the spa. Sue gets her pinkies pedicured, Carol has every kink massaged out of her spine and I go for a treatment that’s most needed these days – an anti-aging facial. With Kazia at the helm, my pores are cleansed, exfoliated, massaged, masked and toned. I’m pretty sure her grand finale head massage produces a snore. An hour later, we all emerge in Zen-like states. Decadence continues in the restaurant where we later dine and wine. Accompanying Chef Bradshaw’s artistically presented specialties is a wine list that would appease Henry VIII. With a 5,000-bottle cellar, it’s not surprising to hear that the Washington State Wine Commission rated Sun Mountain as the top wine restaurant in 2010. And while we soak in the lush Methow Valley view and graze on goodies like wild antelope, diver scallops and wild mushroom strudel, we naturally fill our glasses and raise them for one final toast. “Here’s to revival, reconnection and retirement – and, of course, one great SL gal-loping getaway.” 24

SENIOR LIVING

News Brief

Point Ellice House Presents Arts & Cultural Month August 9 – 28, 2010 Noon to 3 p.m.

Page 22, A yelping yee-haw from the ladies (from left) Sue, Carol and author Jane Cassie. This page, top, Slow plod with Patterson Lake in the background. Above, Relaxing on their veranda. Below, wining and dining with friends. Bottom, Wild antelope ﬁlet.

Featuring Artists who are also Authors: Aug 9 – Stephanie Quainton-Steel Watercolorist & Author Aug 10 – The Victoria Sketch Club Reading by John Lover Aug 11 – Brian Simon Acrylics Artist, Author & Teacher Aug 12 – Ali and Ron Kobylnyk Fabric Artist & Poet Aug 13 – Jill Slagboom Nature Artist and Speaker Philamina Henry Abstract Artist Aug 14 – Ted Harrison Canada’s Premier Artist of the Arctic & Author

Although this year-round property offers the second best cross-country ski trail system in the United States, access to it via the Northern Cascade Highway is only possible from MayNovember. To learn more, visit: www.sunmountainlodge.com

Aug 15 – Robert Amos TC Editor, Artist & Author Aug 25 – Kit Pearson Author of Pre-teen Books Aug 28 – Helen Stewart Artist and Author

SCAM ALERT BY ROSALIND SCOTT

No Free Lunch

alling victim to a fraudulent investment scheme can mean losing anywhere from a few hundred dollars to your life savings. While most people might not see the harm in sitting through an investment seminar, the Better Business Bureau recommends researching the investment company first, rather than run the risk of falling for a financial siren song over a free lunch. Investment scams and schemes can come in many forms and a common technique to lure people in is the offer of a free financial seminar over lunch. In one recent case, scammers invited senior citizens to estate planning seminars and later coaxed their victims into buying promissory notes for purported foreign country investments. Free-lunch seminars can seem like an easy way to get a meal, but attendees run the risk of being drawn in by the slick presentations and promises of big returns. Unscrupulous seminars often lure in leisurely senior citizens who have time and exploitable retirement accounts and real estate. When listening to an investment pitch, BBB recommends looking for the following red flags: They require a large up-front investment. Untrustworthy schemers might try to convince investors to pay a large amount of money upfront so

they can get out of town with a large haul, rather than wait for the funds to trickle in. They promise high returns for low risk. Every investment comes with a level of risk. Typically, the amount of risk increases in line with the potential return on the investment. If the seminar is trying to sell an investment scheme that claims a high return with little or no risk, beware, even if it comes with the promise of a money-back guarantee. They employ high-pressure sales tactics. Seminar leaders often use high-pressure sales tactics to get people to sign up without thinking it through. They might claim that there are only a few spots left or that you need to get in on the ground floor today to see the largest earnings. Any reputable investment company will let you take your time and do your research and will not pressure you into signing a cheque. Investments rely on offshore investments. Many hucksters try to give their scheme an air of sophistication by relying on overseas investments, such as foreign currency, property, stocks and bonds. They also might claim, incorrectly, that you can avoid taxes by investing overseas. It sounds too good to be true. At the

end of the day, if the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always listen to your instincts because the potential payoff is rarely worth the risk. Check it out with the BC Securities Commission. To learn more about the investment opportunity, go to investright.org to check out the company or advisor. For more advice from your BBB on financial planning and investing, visit SL vi.bbb.org If you believe you have been the target of a scam, call the Better Business Bureau Vancouver Island at 250-386-6348 in Greater Victoria or at 1-877-826-4222 elsewhere on the Island, so others can beneďŹ t from your experience. E-mail info@vi.bbb.org

2009 BBB Torch Award Winner Shop at Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Trusted Independent Auto Dealer. Every effort is made to ensure our CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, but most importantly, AFTER the sale.

1658 Island Highway, Victoria

250-478-1128 www.car-corral.com

JULY 2010

CLASSIFIEDS SAANICH VOLUNTEER SERVICES seeks people who like to drive and would like some company on the journey. Call 250-595-8008 to volunteer.

UP TO $5000 PAID FOR OLD PRE-1970’S GUITARS by Fender, Gibson, Gretsch etc. Estate appraisals undertaken. 30 years experience. Call John Newman 250-537-9197.

cleaning, laundry, 24 hr staff, Lifeline. A few steps from Seniors Center, shops and services. Close to downtown, the ocean and Beacon Hill Park. Call Mette for details. 250 418 0584

WANTED: OLD POSTCARDS, stamp accumulations, and pre-1950 stamped envelopes. Also buying old coins, medals and badges. Please call Michael 250-652-9412 or email fenian@shaw.ca

MALE SENIOR NS ND seeks quiet separate accommodation in Greater Victoria. Minimal assistance required. Meal preparation, housekeeping, laundry. I have a car. Fax reply to (250) 384-6018.

COMPUTER HELP: I provide computer training, troubleshooting and improving computer performance. Contact Sandy in Victoria at: 778-433-5049 or sanhealy@shaw.ca

THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU of Vancouver Island is located at 220-1175 Cook St., Victoria BC V8V 4A1. Toll-free phone line for Up-Island 1-877-826-4222 (South Island dial 250-386-6348). www.bbbvanisland.org E-mail: info@bbbvanisland.org

SENIOR CONCIERGE SERVICES Marvelous companionship with personalized services. Grocery shoppping, errands, and memorable outings. Call Agnes Campbell 250-588-5509. www.catch-the-moments.com

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 HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE - Ask us about our new concierge services. We provide a little assistance when you need it.Do you need meal preparation, light housekeeping, laundry, shopping, appointments, or respite? We are also hiring seniors. Call 250-382-6565. WRITTEN A BOOK? Aldridge Street Editing can get your manuscript print-ready. Transcription - Editing Cover Design - Book Layout. www.aldridgestreet.com Call 250-595-2376. MUSIC LESSONS at the Peninsula Academy of Music Arts, 1662 Mills Road, North Saanich 778-426-1800. All instruments. www.PeninsulaAcademy.ca COMPUTER BASICS IN YOUR HOME. Patient senior computer lady to show you e-mail, surﬁng. Hourly fee. Connect with your world. 250-516-5980. A LOT OF JUNK WON’T FIT IN YOUR TRUNK. You’re in luck, I own a truck. Seniors discount. City Haul John 250891-2489.

RUTH M.P HAIRSTYLING for Seniors in Greater Victoria. In the convenience of your own home! Certiﬁed Hairdresser. Call - 250-893-7082. MOBILE FOOT CARE NURSE home visits in greater Nanaimo, Cedar to Parksville. John Patterson LPN, qualiﬁed nursing foot care for toenails, corns and calluses. 250-390-9266. HOME AGAIN SENIORS TRANSITION SERVICES: Downsize and move with ease. We offer a caring hand. Call (250)984-4044 or visit www.seniorshomeagain.ca USING HYPNOSIS THERAPEUTICALLY, I can help you manage stress, pain, anxiety, habit control. Judith Grey Registered Clinical Counselling Hypnotherapist, 250-388-3925. ANIMAL WELFARE GROUP seeks donations of land and money for a sanctuary to save UVic rabbits. legislatekindness@gmail.com RJH HAIRSTYLING in the comfort of your home for everyone in your family. Serving the Victoria area. Please call Debi at 250-477-7505. UNIQUE SENIOR LIVING OPPORTUNITY Own your own lovely 1 or 2 bedroom seniors condo in Cook St Village for only $89,900- 145,000 plus a monthly fee of approx $1600 incl. strata fees, daily 3 course meal, house

CEDAR HILL COURT. Condos in 55 plus community in convenient location. One bedroom $204,900, Two bedroom $249,000. Rod Hay Boorman’s (250) 595-1535 rodhay@shaw.ca DRIVING MISS DAISY ® Need a ride? We can provide! Be driven with pride, with us by your side! 250-588-4638 (Victoria) 250-507-2336 (Sidney).

��

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

$30 for 20 words or less. $1.25 per extra word. BW only. Boxed Ad - Small (2.2 x 1.2) $110. Boxed Ad - Large (2.2 x 2.4) $210. Add BW Logo - $25. Red spot color 10% extra. Plus tax. All Classiﬁed ads must be paid at time of booking. Cheque/Credit Card accepted. Ph. (250)4794705 or toll-free 1-877-479-4705. Deadline: 15th of the month. Make cheque payable to: Senior Living, 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave.,Victoria BC V8T 2C1

A brand new reception room. Elegance with a personal touch. 250 385.4465 * mccallbros.com OCTOBER 2009 39

SENIOR LIVING

��

BY GOLDIE CARLOW, M.ED

Dear L.M.: It sounds like your life has been disrupted, but I am sure it can be changed. You mention that a few of you approached the manager. How about all of the residents who are unhappy requesting a meeting with the manager? Numbers do help. If management is not interested, then it is time for families or whoever is in charge of your affairs to intervene. Threat of financial loss usually is rarely ignored. Do not delay or this annoyance can get out of hand. Good Luck!

Dear R.L.: I can understand your unwillingness to participate in such a group. Gossip can cause a great deal of damage to human relationships. One easy way to avoid such contact is to always have a previous appointment (even if it’s a trip to the library!), so you are not free to attend. Eventually, they will not include you. This will probably make you the topic of coffee hour, but it sounds like there is no way to prevent this. I think the risk is preferSL able to attending. SENIOR PEER COUNSELLING CENTRES Victoria 250-382-4331 Duncan 250-748-2133 Nanaimo 250-754-3331 Sidney 250-656-5537 Courtenay/Comox 250-334-9917 Salt Spring Island 250-537-4607 Port Hardy 250-949-5110

Goldie Carlow is a retired registered nurse, clinical counsellor and senior peer counselling trainer.

� ��

��

Delaney Relocation Services

�� Anne Delaney, CSA ��

“One Call Does it All” ��

��

Dear Goldie: I have recently sold my home and now live in a large apartment building close to shops, banks, restaurants and the post office. It is a wonderful location and I like it. However, there is a small problem living here. Some of the neighbours are forever having coffee parties. I notice they are very friendly, but if anyone doesn’t show up then he or she becomes the topic of conversation and not always in a complimentary manner. I do not enjoy gossip and would like to

get out of the obligation of attending. What do you suggest? –R.L.

��

Dear Goldie: I feel like my life is falling apart and I am losing my control and independence. Four months ago, I was a happy senior engaging life in a pleasant care home. A new male resident moved in and everything changed. He acts like he is running the place and is always organizing us for some new venture he has dreamed up. Many of us resent him and a few have spoken to the manager. His presence here makes me dread waking up in the morning to face another day. What can I do? –L.M.

��

Photo: Jason van der Valk

ASK Goldie

��

JULY 2010

Travel & Adventure

BY JUDEE FONG

THREE SEAFARING LADIES AND A BOAT ��

athy Harris (pictured, centre) had often thought about circumnavigating Vancouver Island by boat. Last summer, over a glass of wine with fellow sailors Alison Kershaw (left) and Margaret Thomson (right), she casually announced, “I’m thinking of sailing around Vancouver Island. Do either of you fancy joining me?” And, thus began 32-days of adventure, lots of laughter, hard work, spectacular scenery and fantastic cooking feasts at sea. All three women are experienced boaters. “We’ve all sailed with our

spouses and others, but we only sailed together for about four or five hours before this trip,” says Cathy. “There’s always a concern when you take a long trip that you may lose your friends,” she adds. Margaret smiles in agreement. “Before the trip we didn’t know each other’s preferences for tea or coffee but now we do, plus all the other little idiosyncrasies!” Margaret made a distinctive blue bra burgee to fly from the mast and set a daily routine for afternoon tea by providing a banana loaf their first day at sea.

��

SENIOR LIVING

��

Cathy provided her 36-foot (11 metre) Beneteau, the Rivendell II, newly equipped with fridge, freezer and a two-burner stove with a reliable oven. This galley produced extraordinary meals including handmade pasta, cabbage rolls, occasional barbecues, freshly baked croissants, muffins and biscuits. “We had a roster where we took turns doing cooking, cleaning-up and motor maintenance. We also rotated berths every three days, so no one felt she had the best or the worst for the entire trip!” says Alison. So, in the month of August, when seasoned sailors shake their heads at a trip taken in “Fog-ust,” the Rivendell II sailed out of the Sidney North Saanich Marina. The route would be counterclockwise around Vancouver Island starting with the Inside Passage. Much of the coastal areas were a new experience for the women. “I’ve raced in the Swiftsure and the furthest north I’ve sailed is Desolation Sound,” says Cathy. Margaret had sailed to Cortez Island and Alison as far as Hornby Island. “We had to plan where we could get diesel fuel and gauge the distance we had to travel, but wherever we docked, we would fill up our fuel tanks, even if it was only a ‘top-up,’” says Cathy. “I remember we docked at Walter’s Cove, where they used to have diesel fuel, a restaurant and a fish-packing plant, but nothing was there anymore,” Alison recalls. Cathy nods in agreement. “I had two 20-litres of emergency fuel just for times like that. It got us to our next fuel stop.” Since most boaters take to the coastal waters in May, June and July, there were a number of concerned comments when the women docked at various anchorages in August. Smiling, Margaret reflects that the positive side of August is that anchorage wasn’t a problem. “We entered an inlet and it would be totally empty. We have photos of the Rivendell II, all by itself. Then we would stop at another place with a few more boats and we would say, ‘Who are they? What are they doing here?’” Snug on board, they knitted, read, did crosswords and baked while they tied up to wait the storm out at Sea Otter Cove. “There was a fishing boat in the bay with us and it was nice to know there was someone else there, especially when we were going through a gale!” says Cathy. Seeing eagles, herons and whales was unforgettable, but the sea lions captured a lot of their film. Margaret recalls the unbelievable noise they made in their feeding frenzy. “At first it was fun watching them circling these schools of herring and pushing them up to the surface so the others could feed. They were so incredibly loud and the noise never let up. I had enough photos of them and thought to myself, enough is enough, go away!” Another unforgettable memory: when Cathy and Alison were able to visit “Cougar Annie’s Gardens” in Hesquiat Harbour. Cougar Annie was a feisty pioneer woman who outlived four husbands, raised 11 children, survived by her wits and managed to create a beautiful garden from two-hectares of wilderness. They encountered some solo male boaters who were quite intrigued to meet three women sailing around Vancouver Island. “It must be a dream for every single male sailor to meet three

FEBRUARY 2010 VANCOUVER ISLAND

Senior Living Special Housing Edition

Up-to-date listings of senior housing facilities throughout Vancouver Island, including Independent/Supportive Living, Assisted Living and Complex Care. This guide is an indispensable resource to:

• seniors looking for alternative housing • seniors moving to Vancouver Island from other parts of BC or out of province • children of seniors who are assisting their parent to select a housing option • professionals who work with seniors or their families • businesses that provide services to seniors

Listings include addresses and contact information, housing costs, number of units in the housing complex, hospitality services, optional home care services, amenities and security features.

TO ORDER a copy... Please mail a cheque for $5.25 ($5 plus GST), along with your name, phone number and address, to Senior Living, 153, 1581-H Hillside Ave., Victoria BC V8T 2C1. We will mail you a copy of this resourceful housing guide upon receipt of payment. JULY 2010

Travel & Adventure

Travel Resources A photo taken during the ladies’ trip around Vancouver Island.

women in a boat!” laughs Margaret. Alison recalls one incident in Silver Bay. “This fellow is standing there in the middle of the docks and his wife is standing at the other end. As we’re walking towards him, he shouts, ‘You know what? I’m seriously thinking of ditching my wife and wouldn’t mind marrying any one of you three!’” Another solo boater came across with a blueberry cake he had baked, was invited for cocktails and stayed for dinner. Reflecting on their trip, all three women agreed it was the best time they ever had despite a few rough storms at sea. The spectacular scenery, the natural friendliness of people they encountered, the wildlife in its natural habitat and the experience of their sea odyssey made their voyage memorable. “When you’re only with women on a boat, you gain more confidence because you do a lot more on board. It’s quite different when you’re sailing with men,” says Alison. At the end of one of their speaking engagements, Cathy recalls a woman standing up and saying, “’This is another example of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.’ I SL turned to Alison and said, ‘We’re not ordinary!’” For speaking engagements on this sailing saga, contact Cathy at cathyfharris@shaw.ca, Alison at kershawa@telus. net, or Margaret at maggietson@shaw.ca. Margaret Horsfield’s book Cougar Annie’s Garden is available at Bolen Books and most bookstores.

Cruise Holidays Paciﬁc Contemplating an EASY Summer Vacation for the Family: 7 Nights Roundtrip from Vancouver to Alaska – 4-Star Cruiseline with 5-star Service and Food. Take the family, the kids and grandkids too. More info, email info@cruiseholidayspacific.com Fairmont Whistler 2-DAY/3-NIGHT WHISTLER GETAWAY Fairmont Chateau Whistler luxury package includes escorted transfer from Victoria & Vancouver, meals and activities. Starting from $599 per person. www.fairmont.com/cwr/2010seniorscelebration Merit Travel The largest independent specialty travel company in Canada, including three offices in Victoria, for all leisure and corporate travel. 1-800-409-1711. www.merit.ca Pitmar Tours Destination specialists providing guided, custom, and independent tours for travelers with varied desires, budgets, and senses of adventure. 604-596-9670 / 1877-596-9670 www.pitmartours.com Wells Gray Tours Providing quality guided tours and travel packages that allow you to explore and experience the world on your own terms. 1-888-595-7889 www.wellsgraytours.com

Next Month in Senior Living...

Senior Housing

Whether you plan to adapt your home to Age in Place, research the Retirement Residence that’s right for you, or ﬁnally buy your Dream Home, this issue has it all. 30

SENIOR LIVING

��

CAR SHOPPING

he second most expensive item people purchase, next only to our homes, is a car. For many, a vehicle is an extension of their personality. Not an item to be purchased indiscriminately, it is something we will (hopefully) keep for a while. Given that, selecting a car should take some thought: large or small, how many seats, do we want it to be ours alone or should we plan on ferrying friends? Interestingly, for me, the colour is also an important feature. Although I find they look exciting, red cars and I don’t mix. When I’m behind the wheel, red cars attract accidents. A yellow car would be fun, but then I hear my father’s voice in my head talking about lemons. Not good. My last car was black, and my next car will probably be black too, although, I do have visions of one in deep purple. For the past month, I’ve been on a search for a car that is sleek, sexy and makes me feel powerful behind the wheel. Sleek, sexy, powerful – a hard bill to fill when car salespersons don’t see you that way. It has been a most interesting experience. At some places, I must have been wearing my invisible cloak – no one bothered to come near me. In one case, my daughter was doing some preliminary searching for me, and the salesperson told her which car I needed – without ever having met me! As it happens, that particular model is one that I would NOT want. Or how about the very young salesperson who sug-

BY PAT NICHOL

Photo: Frances Litman

Courageous

gested, when I commented about the car being close to the ground, that there were cars made for older people. Scratch that sale! In every case, I left my wish list and phone number with each salesperson I spoke with. Maybe the car I want doesn’t exist because only one has followed up. Here I am, with a car to trade, cash in my pocket and ready to buy. It seems simple, two doors, automatic, good sound system, large trunk and a few other minor requests. Maybe like last time, I will drive onto a lot and MY CAR will be sitting there waiting for me to claim it. I hope so, and I hope so soon. Perhaps by the time you’re reading this column, I will be driving around in something sleek, sexy and powerful. SL

Pat Nichol is a speaker and published author. www.patnichol.com

Live Safely and Independently in Your Own Home www.bclifeline.com

Contact the program nearest you: Victoria Lifeline • 1-888-832-6073 Eldersafe Support Services • 1-866-457-8987 South Vancouver Island and Ladysmith Nanaimo Lifeline Program • 250-739-5770 or 250-947-8213 Mid Island, Cassidy to Bowser Comox Valley Lifeline Society • 1-866-205-6160 North Island, Cowichan Valley and Chemainus/Crofton JULY 2010

ReﬂTHEN ections & NOW

BY GIPP FORSTER

ixty-one years ago, I received the second greatest gift a 12-year-old boy could ever hope for (at least in that era) – a Red Ryder BB Gun. The greatest treasure, of course, was a bicycle, which I also received that year. The bicycle I worked long and hard for and purchased myself. But the BB gun was a Christmas gift. It was tough to have to wait for spring to arrive, so I could go hunting with my lever-action, multi-load Red Ryder BB Gun. Even before the snow melted, it was taken away from me twice for shooting holes in the plaster walls of my attic bedroom. But, by the time we were heading for the cottage at the end of June, my prize was paroled back to me. I was Hawkeye that summer, Uncas, Daniel Boone, and Davy Crockett too! I was Red Ryder himself, a cowboy and a woodsman. It was my last summer of near innocence. Little did I know that childhood would be relinquished to the days of Brylcreem, pegged pants, flight boots and leather jackets. And that it was the last summer to dream dreams of what might have been before I challenged tomorrow and yesterday would be left in the dust. It was a summer of long goodbyes, although I didn’t know it at the time. A summer of adventure and a BB gun, with tiny round bullets. Our cottage was on Shea Lake in the Gatineau region of Quebec, between a place called Kazabazua and Danford Lake. There were only four other cottages on the lake at that time and we were the only ones who stayed for the full summer. The other owners came to their cottages on weekends. A quiet and peaceful place, I remember the loons crying in the early morning and as the sun set in the evening, and the sound of the whippoorwill after darkness 32

SENIOR LIVING

had settled in. We had no electricity. We used coal oil lamps and had what we called a “cooler” dug into the ground lined with tin and a locked lid. We had to go for ice twice a week, pulling a kid’s wagon a mile and a half. Then, with a chunk of ice covered in a cloth, we’d pull it back a mile and a half and chip it into the cooler. We had an outhouse too, which we called “the library.” It was spooky to make the trip after dark with a flashlight in hand. There were bears, skunks, elk and deer. There were magnified noises in the woods that surrounded us. I felt very safe that summer. After all, I now had a BB gun to protect my family. After breakfast, the adventure would begin. Going deep into the forest, knowing exactly where I was but pretending to be lost, I shot my BB gun into the air, alerting imaginary companions to where I could be found. I would have to put my foot on the stock of my BB gun, hold tightly to the top of the barrel and crank the lever with all of my strength. I had a tube filled with BBs and I rationed them out. I went hunting for water snakes in our red and white rowboat. The snakes were three- to five-feet long and were far better swimmers than I was a shooter. In August, friends visited with their boy who was about my age. He was a show-offy type and I couldn’t stand him! After about five days of his irritation, I knew what I had to do. In those days, boy’s bathing suits were made of some kind of shiny material. Nylon? Rayon? I don’t really know. But they were skin-tight. I positioned myself on the little balcony that overlooked the lake. I hid be-

Photo: Krystle Wiseman

MY LEVER-ACTION, MULTI-LOAD RED RYDER BB GUN

hind the slats, as any good sniper would do. I cradled my lever-action, multi-load Red Ryder BB gun and hugged it to me. I caressed it, talked to it and tried to explain to it why this would probably be our last time together. The sun was hot that day, and I felt its warmth on the stock of the gun as I held it to my cheek. I remember sighting down the barrel at the shiny blue bathing suit as it danced past me and then away from me, never suspecting I was laying there in wait. I squeezed the trigger and felt the air gush from the barrel sending the BB straight and true, like a bee stinging the left buttock of a boy who yelled louder than I ever dreamed he could. For a moment, I thought the wound might be mortal. Well, anyone can guess the outcome. I got the tar licked out of me and I never saw my beloved BB gun again. My adversary sported his wound to anyone who cared to look, while I was grounded from going into the woods for a week. I knew my imaginary friends were mourning me. But a man (or boy) must be willing to sacrifice and suffer for his convictions. I knew what the cost would be for my action. Still to this day, I do not regret my act of discipline in bringing a whining, irritating kid to deserved justice. But I sure miss my lever-action, multi-load Red Ryder BB Gun! Over the years, I have met many people who I would have liked to introduce to it. I am known now as a peacemaker and, indeed, I am. SL But still...

� � � � � � � � ��

��