It has been several months since you have heard from me, and I must break my silence now, to let you know that I’m still breathing. It has been quite a time for us… most of it have been happy times. We’ve dealt with some health issues, have tried to be disciplined enough to follow any instructions that have been given, and be thankful for every day that we are still able to enjoy in our country home. Our neighbors have been warned that as long as we both have our driver’s licenses, they are stuck with us! It’s a great neighborhood and we would miss them… even the ones that we don’t often connect with except when we meet at the mailbox.

We’re all on the same ‘journey’, dealing with changes that we have never expected to experience, and even amazed that we are still here. Health issues become the common topic of conversations, political opinions are all over the map, and technology is making us feel old and stupid. The telephone guy that I have been married to for sixty years has been reluctant to have a cell phone because, in his entire life, a phone was on the wall with a long cord… not in his pocket! Now the ‘smart phone’ is smarter than I am, and I’m forever reading the manual or asking our son to ‘tell me again’ how to do things on the phone.

Our travel days seem to have come to an end but the memories linger and photos bring our wonderful experiences back to mind. Our most recent jaunt away from home, was a 90-minute travel to visit dear friends in the town where I had my first job as a registered nurse. It was like going ‘back home’. We are thankful for each day that we have, and we are content.

If you have read my previous blog about the 3 C’s group in our community. I have met new friends, have renewed previous acquaintances in our neighborhood, and my crochet projects are my delight. I continue to create and gift lap/nap blankets for adults and children (over 50 to date), and have even sold a few. It is my quiet and calming delight in the evenings.

I am the ‘Hooker’!

Tags: Friends Wellness Thanks

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Many thanks to the host of friends who have kept in touch with me the last several months, even though I have been unusually silent. There must be some reason for my absence, so I’ve instructed my  ‘talking fingers’ to take a few minutes to ‘set the record straight’! The title of this may give you some clue … or maybe not!

One of the C’s is definitely NOT Covid, or Complaints or Chemicals. Both husband and I are doing well but not perfect. We are thankful to be able to remain in our country home, still drive our vehicles, and have access to necessary medications.

If you are heard about my favorite location in our home, you may think that the 3 C’s are Computer, Chair and Chocolate. That’s not a bad idea, especially today when the outdoor temperature is freezing cold and the snow is a foot deep. I’m parked in my chair on the warm side of the glass, and still enjoying the view of our valley, even when it is all white with snow or bright green when spring has arrived.

The 3 C’s were introduced to me via an invitation from a neighbor, to attend a Senior’s Group in our neighborhood. I wasn’t very interested because I had enough activity to keep me busy, but decided to attend at least one time. I was surprised to recognize the names of several ladies who I knew years ago, when our kids were in school. There were several others who introduced themselves to me, asking if I was the mother of the real estate agent working in the area. The group meets every week for three hours to enjoy a coffee, have a chat with a new or old friend, and learn and share a craft hobby. The first two got my attention but being that my hobby was photography, I wouldn’t be able to pack it up every week for the ‘show and tell’ session. It was my friend that reminded me that I did a lot of hand crafts when our children were young. I learned to knit from a co-worker in my first job as a registered nurse in a 19-bed hospital. She started me on a project to knit a baby shawl, even though I was not even dating at the time, but I did eventually wrap our newborn son in it two years later. I also had learned to crochet and made many items, from doilies, to sweaters, to afghans. But times changed … our empty nest, the new computer passion and my home-based business were new priorities.

As for the 3 C’s, you may think you have figured it out by now… but I have one more clue. In visiting Pinterest online to gather ideas for crochet, download free instructions, and admire the creativity of others, I learned two design ideas that I hadn’t heard. I knew about the ‘granny square’ blankets that were very popular many years ago, but didn’t know how to create a ‘granny rectangle’. I also hadn’t heard of a ‘corner-to-corner’ method of creating crocheted blankets and throws.  Here are two photos to show what I learned. I have completed about ten projects and still at it and my computer time has been drastically cut. My eyes are quite happy!!!

When I figure out how to include the photos here, I'll be back. I did know how to do it once, but not this time. Ahh... yet another reminder of hints of a 'senior' mind!

My 3 C’s are Crochet… Chair… and Computer

Tags: Hobbies Memories

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I’m sure everyone has a story to tell to sum up the past two years. Some stories will be unbelievably sad, some will tell of overcoming personal circumstances, and some stories will be just plain boring. This may be one of them, but I’m going to tell it the best that I can.

Some of you may have already heard that we had come to the conclusion that our days of travel, nationally and internationally, have come to an end. We have a mountain of photographs that were taken on various vacations when we clocked thousands of road miles on our vehicles. Some other travels were done as we sat on a bus or train and left the driving to someone else, or when we walked, slept, and ate on several cruise ships. This past month, we experienced a new (for us) mode of travel that involved a bunch of wheels.

It all started with the truck that pulled up to our front door, and our son came to load our luggage and drive us to the airport. He and his sister, and their spouses, had planned a ‘nostalgia’ trip for us to the Coachella Valley in southern California. We couldn’t tell them that we weren’t going to do any more traveling, especially in the winter time, so off we went on the first ‘set of wheels’. Arriving at the long-term parking lot, we boarded the second set of wheels on the bus that took us to the airport terminal. We were then introduced to baggage carts at the curb, equipped with sturdy wheels and a hand-controlled brake, so we wouldn’t slip on a patch of ice or trip on a pebble on the sidewalk... More wheels!!!

Insisting that we were fine to walk inside the terminal was met with the disapproval of the family, and they had arranged to be met by airline staff with two wheelchairs. That was a new experience for both my husband and me, but a real treat when we learned how big the terminal had become. We hadn’t been in that terminal for several years, and never in the new addition. It was also a treat for our group of four… we were first on the plane and last to get off! No standing in the huge lines of travelers to many destinations. Did I mention that our carry-on luggage had wheels for easy mobility? That makes five sets of wheels before we even left the ground. The wheels on the plane that bumped down the runway are #6.

We were very familiar with the valley because of our involvement in development projects … starting some 40 years ago. Our two kids were with us on many Christmas vacations in the area, and we all seemed to have many happy memories of our times there. Our accommodation on this trip was tucked up against the San Jacinto Mountains, and at times, I must admit that I was tempted to complain about the heat! We made a number of sightseeing trips this time in rental vehicles… a 6-seater Audi that accommodated four adults and a Tesla that our daughter rents when she is working in the area were added to my list of wheels.  Wheel #9 was more unique … the steering wheel in the Tesla that was not always used when we were traveling in the community. It was our first experience of riding in an automobile on autopilot. Because there were six of us who wanted to travel together, we often drove in tandem (one behind the other), and I got to take pictures from the back seat of whatever set of wheels I was riding. What was once our condo project is now a locked community, the tennis club has been replaced by more condos, and several of our favorite eating locations were still there, but looking a bit ‘used’! Date shakes came to mind when we drove past several date groves, but the grove that we remembered was no longer there. There were new groves further south, and the orange trees were loaded with fruit.

By the way, the Tesla travel was certainly an experience. The control panel, operating by the driver, was more like a flat-screen TV, and had features that were foreign to us. We still wonder about the necessity of one particular feature… why were there four electronic ‘whoopi' cushions installed, one for each passenger? 

P.S. I'm still here and breathing well ... my activities are less computer fun and more knitting. Thanks for your friendship!

Tags: Travel Memories Family

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It seems a though there was a time when, if we were to retire, we would have lots of free time. Wrong! In our situation, the days don’t seem to be long enough, and a ‘short afternoon nap’ takes a big chuck out of my day. I still have morning chores to complete and it’s now almost 3 p.m. How did that happen?

For those of you who have followed me in the past, I’m here to report that my husband and I are still on the top side of the grass, and ever so grateful for each day that we are able to enjoy. We are on a ‘first-name basis’ with many of the medical community who have been involved in our senior stage of life ‘overhaul’. The neighbors have been informed that they are stuck with us as long as we have our driver’s license. It’s hard to leave the neighborhood where our 50+ year old children grew up. How did that happen?

You may be wondering if my computer still works and I’m happy to say that it works better than me some days. I now spend more time looking for directions and help to do things that I once knew how to do. How did that happen? The newsletter (Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly) is the anticipated “lifesaver” item in my mailbox… I’m sure glad that happens every week. It is much better than driving 3 km to pick up the ‘junk’ mail that we receive in our community mailbox.

My favorite chair is still by the window, and often my concentration is interrupted by birds who come by for a snack, and by the occasional squirrel or other four-legged creatures who aren’t as welcome but still cute to watch. Haven’t seen any bears by our patio this year, but neighbors have reported that one was spotted just down the road from us. I’m still fascinated by the trains that come through our valley (more than a dozen every day), that are at least two-hundred cars long. Those heading west toward the mountains are loaded tanks and sea cans, and the ones heading east are usually freight containers and empties. I do catch myself trying to count the cars, but give up because my eyes don’t work as well. How did that happen?

Communication is vital to us all, and keeping in touch with friends should be a daily activity… with phone calls, text messages, and emails. Some friends are not able to welcome in-person visitors, but talking and listening is something that we all can do. Sending a smile, repeating a memory, offering a prayer, are all like giving a hug to a friend who we don’t see in person. Life goes on … but not for everyone. How did that happen?

Tags: Summer Fun Friends

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For me, last week was quite a week of celebration. It wasn’t a personal celebration, but a global recognition of Elizabeth, the reigning queen of Britain and the Commonwealth. Can you imagine that it is seventy years of commitment to a life of service that began at a very young age when her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth—then 25 years old—became queen regnant of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon., as well as Head of the Commonwealth.

To try and write any facts to introduce her dedication, I have turned to Wikipedia for the following sentences... "Significant events have included Elizabeth's coronation in 1953, and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, Diamond and Platinum jubilees in 1977, 2002, 2012, and 2022, respectively. Elizabeth is the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch, the longest-serving female head of state, the oldest living and longest-reigning current monarch, and the oldest and longest-serving incumbent head of state."

I was twelve years old when we learned that she was our queen in Canada. Her photo was in our classroom, and we sang 'God Save The Queen' at school and at any public events that we may attend. I still have a scrapbook that I made, filled with photo clippings from the newspaper and colored postcards, of her wedding and coronation. I have hard-covered books (even coffee table books) with photos and text of her young life and her wedding to Prince Phillip.

She has visited our city five times, attended the Calgary Stampede and Rodeo, and including a short trip to Banff and Lake Louise in the mountains. She met with a crowd of school children at the Jubilee Auditorium on one trip. I remember the thrill of being in the crowd of 2,500 school children, waving our Canadian flags and singing ‘God Save The Queen’. As one newspaper reporter wrote, “They sang from their hearts, for this was the first time perhaps, they had ever really known the meaning of ‘God Save The Queen’.

During the celebrations of her Diamond Jubilee, there were many references to her deep sense of religious and civic duty, and that her Coronation Oath has remained steadfast in her life. I’ve listened to many, if not most, of the broadcast of her annual Christmas message to the Commonwealth. , when she includes statements of her personal faith, as in this sample… “To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teachings of Christ and my own personal  account-ability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life. I, like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ's words and example.”

She is known for her smile, her sense of humor, her unending love for Phillip who was her husband for 73 years, her love of their family (in spite of unpleasant circumstances), and her royal commitment. I’m not sure I should be called a ‘royalist’, but I did admire and follow the public news of her and her family during my lifetime… and have boxes of scrapbooks, books, and photographs that I still don’t want to throw out.

Tags: Photos Queen News Collection

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Warning: this is a long one!!!

Some of us had been planning and anticipating the 61^st anniversary of our graduation from nursing school. The second weekend of April 2022 finally arrived and it was even better than what we were expecting. Whoever thought we were getting too old to have a party just don’t know any nurses! We’ve had a lot of practice!

We were able to check into the hotel on Friday afternoon, and Marj., one of our classmates, did a wonderful job of booking the suite on the 12^th floor with a view of the city and the mountains, and staying in contact with the hotel until the day of we were to arrive, making sure there were no ‘glitches’. Other classmates were arriving during the afternoon, some who were waiting for the classmate who is sharing a room, and others who were not planning to stay after the banquet, but came to help start the ‘party’. Enjoying a glass of wine (donated by Maureen & Jack), and snacking on bagged peanuts, pretzels, and chocolates (donated by Carole & Morris ), the chatter was spontaneous and delightful. Most didn’t need to be ‘introduced’… none of us have changed a bit (so we thought)!

The Alumnae Banquet had announced that Cocktails would be served at 5:30 p.m., and the Banquet would begin at 6:30 p.m. The decorations were beautiful, the classes were directed to designated tables, and we later learned that there were more than 300 guests in attendance. That’s a crowd, considering that such gatherings had been cancelled during the last two years because of the pandemic. The meal, featuring some great Alberta beef was superb, and the staff was efficient, friendly, and well trained.

Because three classes… the 2020 class, last year’s class, and this year’s class, were being honored as ‘Golden Nuggets’, the program was long but enjoyed. It was delightful to again hear our classmate play her electronic organ for the processionals, and this year, her husband, an honorary member of the Alumnae, sang ‘Follow The Gleam’ during the Rededication Service. Following the program, our class photos were taken by a new photographer, and he and his assistants were very organized.

Back in the Suite, the visiting resumed. There was nothing ‘officially’ planned, but it was a delightful late evening of chatting, browsing through scrapbooks and albums brought by classmates, and the cameras were continually at the ready. There has always been a collection of photos of our class events… starting with black/white snapshots, then colored slides when we were in training, then colored photos and digital photos of excursions to the mountains that filled the remainder of the weekend. Now they are treasures that bring back a myriad of memories that were shared. We finally decided that we all needed some sleep so the party broke up about midnight. There were no major issues except for one classmate got locked in the bathroom, but with some ‘exterior’ help and encouragement, she soon was able to re-join the party! 

Two of us slept in the suite, and made sure that an alarm clock was set so that we would be awake and presentable when the hotel staff would arrive with the breakfast. Classmates were told that breakfast would be available at 9 a.m. and whenever they arrive, because nothing would spoil. Berna and Maureen did a great job of planning and arranging for us to enjoy the breakfast in the suite instead of meeting in the hotel café. There were muffins and squares, fresh fruit, yogurt, and coffee, tea, and fruit juice to drink. Many expressed that it was the best arrangement because if we would be trying to have breakfast in the café, we could very well have been asked to leave because of being too noisy!

I personally want to thank everyone for the kind words expressed to our team regarding the planning and communication to keep them informed. It was a delight for me to be part of the planning and ‘doing’ with the other longtime friends. I’m also overwhelmed by the comments regarding the website that is an ongoing project. I did have to ‘relearn’ some skills, but I’ve always been a computer ‘nerd’, and still love to learn things to do on the computer. A telephone directory is a work in progress. I printed my contact list, knowing that no email message had not been delivered and returned to me, but mailing addresses and telephone numbers may have changed, so will be updated with my classmates’ help.

This may have been our ‘second-last’ reunion! I know that we’ve said that this is definitely to be our last one, but the last graduating class will be celebrating their ‘Golden Nugget’ Reunion in two years. It has now been suggested that we should think about joining them at the last Alumnae Banquet in 2024. Let’s see if any of us will feel ‘up to it’ at that time.

Remember, our age is just a number!

Tags: Friends Celebrations

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It was 1958 when a group of almost one hundred young girls, most having just completed high school, met for the first time. It was the beginning of a three-year adventure… living and working together. They often socialized together, shared some tears together, and enjoyed daily fun times. In 1961, they graduated as Registered Nurses, and the ‘Sisterhood’ was well established.

Many moved to far and near destinations, some to further their education, some to new employment opportunities, and some were finally able to marry their love of their life. The tradition of celebrating a Homecoming Reunion every five years with the ‘Sisterhood’ became an event that was anticipated. Letters were written in cursive handwriting to stay connected, giving updates of life and family, and shared with other classmates. A weekend of activities, starting with the Homecoming (Alumnae) Banquet at the Palliser Hotel, followed by a Coffee Party in the Sunken Lounge of the Residence and a tour of the hospital on Saturday morning. It was the first weekend Reunion and the first class dinner for them, including husbands and boyfriends, held at Nag Way Inn that started the class tradition, to keep the ‘Sisterhood’ alive and growing.

On the 20^th Year Reunion (1981), the weekend activities were in the Colonial Room at the Residence. For the 25^th Reunion (1986), local and travelling classmates reserved rooms at the Sun Bow Inn in Motel Village, and a silver engraved letter opener was given as a memento of our 25 year anniversary. On the 30^th Reunion (1991), the class members travelled to Kananaskis Country in the Rocky Mountains for the weekend, when stories shared and tears were shed, in the great outdoors and comfortable lounges. In 1996, the ‘Sisterhood’ agreed to organize the Homecoming Banquet, and in 2007, they hosted the Banquet. It was a great way to ‘return the favors’! They also enjoyed the weekend retreat in Kananaskis in 1996 and 2001. By that time, they discovered that they couldn’t even remember how to fold their caps. Times had changed.

The class officially became the ‘Golden Nuggets’ (50^th Anniversary) in 2011, lovingly referred to as the ‘Rusty Nuggets’ by Myrna, the classmate with the sharp wit. It was celebrated with a weekend in the mountains and a ‘Scavenger Hunt’ in the town of Canmore. When the 55^th Anniversary arrived, a conducted tour of the rapidly-growing city was arranged for attending classmates. A bus ride was more appropriate than a hike in the mountains. The 60^th Anniversary was cancelled, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, so this year they are planning a 61+ celebration in May, 2022. No entertainment… just a time to treasure the three things that they all have in common… talking, eating and sleeping! All of them are almost ‘Over the Hill’ at 80+ years.

I’m one of them!

Tags: Friends Celebration Treasures

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The news is filled with stories about people who have been scammed by a phone call, an email, and even in person. The temptation is to think that it will never happen to us. Why would any decent person want to hit on anyone, young or old, to make them miserable or even destitute. Maybe we are even tempted to wonder if the persons who were scammed were just too gulible and hope they have learned their lesson. As of last week, I have a story to tell; (watch for the 'red' flags.

For a lot of years, since the beginning of the Internet, I have done consignment selling for customers who didn't know how, or have the time, to post items for sale on the Internet. I started by selling on Ebay, researching the value and/or reasonable asking price, then packing and shipping the 'sold' item to the Buyer. Things have changed over the years, more opportunities, more technology, more customers, but there are also many opportunities for the ruthless and unethical people who are happy to tell a story to gain something of monitary value.

During this past year, we have been 'down-sizing' the massive collection of stuff that we have accumulated at our country lot. Some has been passed on the friends or family, some has been donated to organizations, and some we list for sale. I listed an item from our shop that was of no further use to us, and in less than an hour, I received a text message, asking if it was available (flag). It was the acceptable message to connect Buyer and Seller. I was then told that the inquiry was made for a relative who only communicated via e-mail, and not with text messages (flag), and they would be contacting me (flag). I then learned, through numerous email messages, that the interested Buyer was located on the opposite side of our country, (flag), and would send me a bank draft (flag). I only list locally so how would the Buyer be able to see my listing (flag)? In addition, they said that they would send me a check via e-mail to be deposited in the bank (flag). I had stated 'Cash Only or E-Transfer' in my listing (they didn't read the whole listing). I received the e-mails, with two photos of the check (front and back), and requested that I tell them ASAP when it was deposited so they could proceed with arrangements for pick-up (flag). I was informed by two trusted friends and our bank manager that my suspicions were correct, and this was an attempted scam. Can you guess may next message?

I wrote an e-mail, as requested, telling them that I had just returned from my trip to the bank, and included this curt red-lettered sentence... SHAME ON YOU! YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO SCAM ME. This will be reported and your email and phone have been blocked!!!” They've probably received worse messages!

That evening, I received four more attempts from different phone numbers but the starting routine was very similar to the first attempt. No more attempts for now... but I certainly know of more things to watch for when I'm dealing on line.

There is ALWAYS more for all of us to learn! We DON'T know it all!

Tags: Educate Selling Buying

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While watching the news this evening, it gave me an idea for a new blog from me. I do enjoy writing but the last couple of months have been filled with ‘other things’, and my list of ‘no-no’ topics that won’t be entertained by me is getting longer. I try not to be a ‘negative’ person. There is too much of that these days.

Back to the news this evening… a town in the northern part of our province has announced that the last pay telephone in town will be retired, because it had only been used about ten times the past year. Following that announcement, the news broadcast stated that there are still 700 payphones in use in our province. I guess this is an important and newsworthy item for this second week in February! We even got to hear the sound of coins dropping in the coin box. Wow! That was exciting! OK… I didn’t promise not to be sarcastic!

Payphones were important in my younger days. There were many reasons that we needed to make a phone call when away from home. We had no idea that we would have a phone in our pocket in our lifetime. We didn’t even have a phone without a long cord in our home, limiting our ability to wander through the house while talking… and talking! In my young life, my parents didn’t have a house phone for a number of years before moving to the city. During the three years of my nursing training, our phone calls were sent and received through a switchboard, operated by one of our house-mothers. It wasn’t much better on my first nursing job in a small hospital following graduation. To make even a local call, we would be greeted by the local telephone operator who greeted us with “Number, please!” She would then plug in a cord to connect the caller to the receiver. We depended on her quick response, even in the middle of the night, when we needed to contact the local doctor because of an emergency or a baby about to arrive.

This evening, I was reminded of a incident involving a payphone that caused me some embarrassing moments, and later a giggle and some teasing. I was dating the telephone crew boss at the time (he’s still my best friend after 58 years of marriage). On one occasion, we had travelled to the next town and for some reason I needed to call the matron of the hospital. He drove me to the phone booth and sat in the car, while I made the call. I didn’t have a nickel or a dime (and 5-cent or 10-cent coin) so I deposited a quarter (25-cent coin). My call was very short, and I became frustrated that the phone wasn’t giving me the change. After banging on the receiver hook and the return coin bin, I returned to the car to complain that the phone wasn’t working. That was when I learned that a payphone doesn’t give refunds.

Of course it doesn’t! What was I thinking?

Tags: Telephone Operators Memories

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