Welcome! Gabriola is my home.
I would love to share where I live with you as your REALTOR® and your friend, specializing in all things Gabriola. You can count on me. As you move through my web site, you’ll find a store-house of resources. Photos tell it all. We are a vibrant island full to the brim with just about every product and service you can imagine, and yet we’re decided to live here, a 20 minute ferry ride from downtown Nanaimo. And, you might ask why? To this I would ask you to come and find out! Gabriola will surprise you. Life on Gabriola can be as laid-back or solitary as you’d...
Read MoreIncome Tax Alternatives
If you are filing a personal tax return for 2016, you should know by now, or shortly, if you owe Canada Revenue Agency money or if they will be sending you a cheque. You are probably pleased if you are receiving a refund instead of having to pay, but the less you receive as a refund from CRA, the better. You don’t want CRA to use your money all year and then pay you back your money without interest. If you make regular RRSP contributions throughout the year, you can complete a form with your payroll department at work to reduce the amount of tax that is deducted from each of your...
Read MoreShould I update my logo?
This is a good question and it really depends on many factors. If you no longer feel that your logo reflects your business as you grow and expand then probably you should. On the flipside, if you have a strong logo brand right from the get-go then you might do more harm than good if you update your logo. You know that feeling when you’ve just put a fresh coat of paint in that special room in your home? We all love that crisp clean look, it makes us feel better. And the same thing applies for your logo. The rule of thumb if you want to rebrand your businesses is keep the changes to a...
Read MoreLife Insurance.
Women who don’t work outside the home do not need life insurance. Women should let men decide if and how much life insurance they need for themselves. Women should let their significant other handle all of the finances. Okay, I am certain some of you immediately realized I am saying the opposite of what is true, but, unfortunately the mindset that ‘women don’t need to worry their pretty little heads about that’ is still around, although not as prevalent as years ago. Too many families rely mainly on the male’s life insurance policy; this does not factor a woman’s contribution to...
Read MoreRockin’ Risotto.
Nick Misura returned to his native Cowichan Valley a few years ago with a goal of settling down and enjoying his retirement. However, Nick’s love of cooking, good food and a restlessness to do something fun and creative soon took over. Rockin’ Risotto was born in 2015 and Nick has been converting customers to this delicious side-dish ever since! The idea to make packaged risotto came from Nick’s wife, an active member of the Duncan Farmers’ Market’s board of directors. Together, they started testing and tasting different ingredient mixes to come up with recipes which would later...
Read MoreTHC, CBD, and Cannabinoids
As we head towards full legalization, we are starting to see the views of society starting to change in regards to cannabis. Every day, new research is being developed and we are finding more and more uses for this extraordinary plant that has grown alongside human kind for a millennium. Current research has shown there are many different properties to cannabis, many of which are known as cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are the active compounds within cannabis that result in both the psychoactive, as well as medicinal effects, of the plant. There are over 500 natural compounds within cannabis, and...
Read MoreThank You So Much
2016 was a fantastic year for our 3 web sites. Collectively www.seniors101.ca , www.islandwomanmagazine.ca and www.vancouverislandnow.ca had 264,309 visitors who opened 865,916 pages which is just incredible!!!!! All 3 sites are focused solely on Vancouver Island which goes to show the interest people have on this island paradise of ours. In an age when web sites come and go in the blink of an eye we have stood the test of time. Google loves us, and the top quality of our content ensures that our readers return again and again. We owe a huge vote of thanks to our advertisers for their...
Read MoreRRSP’s, RRIF’s & TFSA’s
The holidays are approaching and 2016 will quickly be in the past. You still have time to do this year-end checklist for retirement plans; RRSPs (Registered Retirement Savings Plans), RRIFs (Registered Retirement Income Plans) and TFSAs (Tax Free Savings Accounts). 1) If you are planning a withdrawal from your TFSA in early 2017, do it now – you will be able to recontribute the amount anytime next year, instead of waiting until 2018 if you withdraw in 2017. 2) If you are 65 or older and do not have a pension to be able to claim the $2000 pension credit on your tax return, consider...
Read MorehOMe Grown Living Foods
Not many people can say they have successfully built their company by putting lifestyle before profit. However Shani Cranston and Willy McBride, of hOMe Grown Living Foods, are an example of a local business that has managed to balance their entrepreneurial spirits with a deep reverence for Mother Nature. “Nourishing people is our passion, and living a balanced life is one of our core values,” explains Shani, Chief Formulator for hOMe Grown. It is truly impressive how much Shani is invested in her work. She started producing her delicious and healthy snacks over eight years ago after...
Read MoreBenefits of a Graphic Designer
When you have an idea but you just don’t know how to make it come to life, that’s exactly what a graphic design professional will do for you. They will listen to your ideas, you know your business better than anyone else, and this is the place to start. The designer will then work with you to come up with concepts that work within your budget and business plan. Another huge benefit of using a graphic designer is the fact that they are a one-stop source of services for your businesses. For instance, you are starting up your own business or updating the look of an existing one and you need...
Read MoreKeeping Wills Current
Many things have changed since the ‘good old days’ but, unfortunately, some things haven’t. My Dad died overnight at age 57 from a massive heart attack; to say it was unexpected is an understatement. We were terribly unprepared, both emotionally and estate wise. My Dad had a will, but it needed updating, and everything was in my Dad’s name. The estate took almost a year and a half to settle, and, in the meantime, my Mom had never written a cheque or paid a bill in her life. I talk to many women and couples – it still surprises me how often wills are not done or updated, or, the...
Read MoreMore Women in Leadership
Last week we got closer than ever before to electing the first woman President, and millions of young girls across the country have been emboldened to dream even bigger and see no role as out of their reach. Despite the progress made by Hillary Clinton’s historic candidacy, the campaign has forced us to reckon with issues of gender bias that emerged in the national dialogue – from tone of voice, to stamina, to what a leader “looks” like, to how the media covers gender. The sadness, anger, and motivation that women across the country are now dealing with are familiar, as we have been...
Read MoreTrump Election.
Good, bad or ugly the 58th U.S. presidential election is finally over. Donald Trump will be the next President, to the surprise of many observers considering he trailed in most national polls in the weeks leading up to the vote. Riding on his coattails, the Republicans held onto control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives (throughout the campaign most analysts anticipated the Senate swinging back to the Democrats). This sets the stage for a much more aggressive pursuit of Trump’s campaign platform positions that would be possible in a divided government. Among other...
Read MoreHousing Crisis
The worsening problem of housing affordability is producing hardship for people all across British Columbia and the Capital Region District. In particular, people on fixed or limited income like seniors or single-parent families may face bigger challenges in finding and maintaining stable housing. In response to the problem, numerous pundits have come forward to offer perspectives and guidance. Jake Fry is the founder of Small Housing BC and is one such pundit. I saw Mr. Fry speak on Tuesday, October 11 at a community town hall meeting entitled “Let’s Talk About Housing...
Read MoreHow-To Books.
How to successfully self-publish a How-to book. If you are an expert in your profession or hobby then writing a How-to book might be right for you. How-to books are extremely popular because many people, including myself can appreciate a step-by-step guide of how to do something we have never done before. We might be intimidated to jump right into something without research or basically we are lazy and don’t want to do all the research. Why reinvent the wheel when someone else has already done it? The wildly popular “Dummies for ______” are everywhere and easy to find. Here are some...
Read MoreGut It Out, Get Writing
It’s what we push ourselves to do when we really don’t want to do it that refines our sense of self-esteem and makes the real difference in our journey. Take going to the gym: I’ve always disliked it. My father always said, “Son, why don’t you go outside and mow the lawn or play a school sport instead of going to the gym?” I agreed with him. Only later in life did I discover the solid science behind resistance exercise. Combined with a good diet and regular sleep, it’s the fountain of youth! Most people know it, but many won’t do it. God knows I tried. I started and quit so...
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