Good morning! It looks like Old Man Winter isn’t quite finished with us yet, but there’s a distinct feeling of spring just over the horizon. Grab your favorite mug and settle in—here is what’s happening across our great country this week. Scams to Watch Out For The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is warning of a bold … Read more
Hi again… February 27th holds some fascinating milestones for Canada, ranging from pioneering sports history to significant wartime victories. 1895: The Birth of the Colored Hockey League In Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, the Halifax Eurekas and Dartmouth Jubilees played the first game of the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes (CHL). Founded by local Baptist churches, … Read more
Defining “Senior” on Your Own Terms Hi there. Welcome back to the conclusion of our series on reclaiming the title of “Senior.” Over the last few days, we’ve talked about how seniority is a hard-won promotion and how this generation actually pioneered the technology we use every day. Today, we’re talking about the future: How … Read more
The Original Tech Trailblazers Hi there. Welcome back to our mid-week series on reclaiming our status as seniors. There is a persistent, and frankly annoying, myth that seniors are “confused” by technology. We’ve all seen the commercials or the jokes about grandparents and their smartphones. But let’s set the record straight: today’s seniors weren’t just … Read more
Why “Senior” is a Promotion, Not a Label Hi there. Welcome back to “Your Canadian Senior Moment”! Words have power. Lately, it seems the word “Senior” has been treated like a bit of a dusty label—something people shy away from or even apologize for. But if we stop and look at how that word is … Read more
Outdoor lessons came to an end as autumn approached. A brand new baby sister arrived on the second of September. Surprised the heck out of my brother and me. We didn’t even know one had been ordered. And then in November we pulled up stakes and moved to a farm in Manitoba. And we thought … Read more
From what I was told, William McLean was born in Scotland. He’d travelled by ship across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada. It must have been a scary decision to leave your country and begin a new life in a foreign country. However, he married Alice MacDonald, and together they started their married life on a … Read more
Hello everyone! It feels like just yesterday we were bracing for the January deep freeze, but here we are in the back half of February. The days are noticeably longer now, and while the snow might still be piled high in many of our driveways, there’s a distinct “turning of the corner” in the air. … Read more
Hi there. Welcome back to our Friday history segment. February 20th is a date that holds a particularly heavy weight in the story of Canadian innovation. On this day in 1959, the nation experienced what became known as “Black Friday.” It was the day Prime Minister John Diefenbaker stood up in the House of Commons … Read more
Hi there. Welcome back as we conclude our series on finding stability and purpose through the shifting tides of life. One of the most difficult thoughts to wrestle with during a hard season is the feeling that we are navigating the storm entirely alone. We have all had moments where it felt as though there … Read more
Hi there. Welcome back as we continue our series on finding steadiness in the shifting seasons of life. In our younger years, we often approach happiness with a sense of caution. We’ve all felt that nagging worry that if things are going too well, a setback must be lurking just around the corner. This “waiting … Read more
Hi there. Welcome back to “Your Canadian Senior Moment.” Yesterday, I attended the funeral of a colleague who was only two years older than I am. Moments like those have a way of pulling the rug out from under your feet. They force a quiet, sombre reflection on the timeline we are all traveling and … Read more
Someone suggested last week that I should share some of my school day memories in this Monday, Remember When segment. As it just so happens I have a lot of them so I’ve decided to do this in parts. At the moment I’m not sure how many parts that will be, but hopefully it will … Read more
Many people wrongly believe that babies do not notice or remember traumatic events. According to Mother, I never forgot this frightful experience. Mr. Barkley was in his early 70s and had been a farmer all his life—a lifetime of hard work and dedication. Life for him, his 68-year-old wife, and their two sons, both in … Read more
Happy Valentine’s Day! Whether you’re celebrating with a lifelong partner, family, or just treating yourself to an extra-large chocolate, we hope your weekend is filled with a bit of extra warmth. It’s been a reflective week here, and amidst the colder winds, it’s nice to have a day dedicated to the people who make the … Read more
“Can You Feel It?” — Calgary Welcomes the World On February 13, 1988, the eyes of the world turned to Calgary, Alberta, as the XV Winter Olympic Games officially began. It was a defining moment for Canada. The Opening Ceremony at McMahon Stadium was a spectacle of western hospitality, despite the freezing temperatures and the … Read more
The Secret to a Long Marriage (Is It Two Blankets?) This Saturday is Valentine’s Day. If you walk into any store right now, you are bombarded with red hearts, expensive chocolates, and cards that say, “You are my soulmate.” That is the Hollywood version of love. But those of us who have been married for … Read more
A Text Message Will Never Last 50 Years With Valentine’s Day coming up, millions of digital messages will be sent this Saturday. Emojis of hearts, quick “Luv U” texts, and funny GIFs. They are instant, efficient, and… completely temporary. I was rummaging through a box in the closet recently and found a bundle of letters … Read more
“Going Steady” and The Terror of the Front Porch I read an article the other day about how young people date now. Apparently, they “swipe left” or “swipe right” on their phones. There is no introduction, no nervousness, and certainly no meeting the parents—at least not at first. It got me thinking about the Rules … Read more
When I was growing up on the Canadian Prairies, the Eaton’s Christmas catalogue was the most read publication in our house. That is saying a lot, because any printed material was highly valued. The Country Guide and The Western Producer were near the top of the list, but the Christmas Catalogue was in a league … Read more