Introducing Tracie Keene.
A Canadian Designer for Women PatrYka is proud to offer a Canadian designed line of women’s wear out of Vancouver. The company is ORB, and they are committed to a trend influenced design that is both comfortable and practical. One of company drivers is Tracie Keene, a Vancouver born clothing designer who has dedicated herself to customer focused excellence. Tracie joined ORB after an already long and distinguished career as a designer. She got her start, after completing a degree program in design, by working with local clothing manufacturers – first Kensie Clothing, then Narcissist...
Read MoreThe Second Level.
Your External Guides and Energy Beings In the previous article, we looked at our fascination with the concept of Spirit Guides and discussed why it is that it may feel at times that there isn’t anyone listening – because your Guides know how wise you already are and want you to do as much of the work as you can before they step in. In this next article, we’ll look at the Second Level of Intuition where your intuitive guidance is coming from outside of yourself and how you can connect with your Guides to better hear their guidance. When you deny your human wisdom your guides and energy...
Read MoreThe Pink Hat
I know all those faces wild flashing eyes angry chanting voices centuries of walking the great global umbilical road of this long long march yesterday today tomorrow can anyone answer why we have to ask for our rights? why they are not a given? who it is that refuses us? and it’s not over yet we are still marching on those harsh ancient stony roads but we take each of you with us woven into each stitch of this pink hat knit one purl one knit one purl...
Read MoreThree Things Your Puppy Needs
Three things are essential for your puppy. The one most people think about are vaccinations. How old should a pup be when he gets his first set of vaccinations? What diseases should pups be vaccinated against? There are no concrete answers to these questions. Your veterinarian is the best source for information on vaccinations because she will know which infections are a concern in your area and she will follow an established protocol that she trusts. For information on how long they can last, check this out: https://www.dogtraining.academy/newsletter—vaccine-schedules “When can I...
Read MoreSame Desk, New Toys.
This is a second chapter on the foibles of my family room desk and writing corner with a little illustration to indicate only too clearly the dearth of good housekeeping which too often invades that particular space. (Editor – a link to the first chapter is at the end of this one). However, the new year has brought about a few changes; I was going to say improvements, but that’s not exactly the right word in every case. When last year’s computer of a certain age (known to me and a few in the loop as ‘Alvin VI’ ), seemed to be forgetting a lot of what I’d told him and...
Read MoreLia Versaevel, Green Party.
As an active community member, Lia has much to offer as Nanaimo-North-Cowichan’s Green Candidate. Lia declares, “Education, health care and protection of our most vulnerable citizens will be my priorities as your next MLA, through a sustainable economy, respecting diversity.” Her core values are: vibrant economic growth, First Nations reconciliation, ecological stewardship, and restoring our education system (pre-school through post-secondary). Furthermore, Lia seeks to improve care for seniors, the disabled, and children in care. After 27 years with the Attorney General’s Ministry...
Read MoreSeniors & Medicine Safety.
Two-thirds of all seniors take at least one medication each day, and 25 percent take three or more. Many seniors owe their lives—or at least their quality of life—to medications. Of course, medicine doesn’t work if patients don’t take it. Researchers have found that getting older adults to take their medicine is a difficult task—even in those with life-threatening conditions. A new study shows it is almost hopeless to get seniors to take the medicines their doctors prescribe, let alone to follow directions for long periods. “Simple things don’t work and nothing works very...
Read MoreSigns our Body is Giving us
“Never marry a person with bent toes” I heard many years ago. A bent toe always means the Chi-flow is somewhere in the body impeded. The cause can be physical or emotional. Over time that might have effects on our health. Two stories The first one was somebody I saw when I worked for Home Support. When I had spare time I rubbed her feet. The big toe was bent over the next one. I could feel something strange in the big toe and said to the daughter. “There is something not right on the left side of your mother’s brain”. “Yes, the brain is shrinking on that side” was her...
Read MoreThe Reason Why.
Gabriola Art Council and why I live here.Gabriola’s Art Council is the breath of live, of energy on this “Isle of the Arts” community. I’m proud to be a sponsor and member, and an artisan of sorts. I love to write. The late night seems to be my most creative vibe. Turn on a Brazilian rap, lilt the ivories and sink into my keyboard. The words flow. A little of Hemmingway, a little of Wolfe, a little of Martin, a lot of Gabriola. Why do I live here? This ramble has more to do with the isle d ’Gabriola than me. Back a ways, in July I recall of 2002 maybe it was, I...
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 MoreMaria Grant
Probably the first Canadian woman to vote, Maria Grant was the first to hold public office. Maria Heathfield Pollard (Grant) wasn’t the first female social reformer to fight for women’s rights in British Columbia but she was one of the earliest and, ultimately, one of the most influential. Born into an establishment family in Lower Canada in 1854, she moved to Victoria with her parents the year that B.C. joined Confederation, married marine engineer Gordon Grant three years later and promptly bore nine children. A founder of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, she sought to curb the...
Read MoreHandyDART survey results
BC’s Seniors Advocate released resultsof a province-wide survey of almost 7,500 HandyDART users in the province today. The survey highlights that while 91% of users are satisfied with the service when they receive it, almost 1/3 of respondents say it is not meeting, or only moderately meeting, their transportation needs. “Obviously there’s good news here,” said Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie. “People are telling us that across many aspects of this service, things are positive, however we are still concerned that there are a significant number of seniors whose transportation needs...
Read MoreOur P. M. is Playing It Right!
The differences of opinion between my older brother and I best characterize the growing philosophical division between Canada and America. Several years ago, my brother applied for a position with a U.S. company. His high-tech skill set and managerial experience, (and his Canadian-ness), made him an extremely attractive prospect, and he was snapped up. For decades, America’s educational system has fallen far short in training sufficient numbers of people for high tech jobs, and American companies have resorted to bringing in foreign workers to fill their needs. Canadians have always been...
Read Moreabide
In the moments between when we cannot feel the warmth of your hand in mine, the brush of skin on skin and we are open to the world alone unsafe exposed I know that somewhere you are thinking of me knowing that I am treasuring the memory of you, and we abide in our love as in a warm home in winter. by Sandra Leigh. ******************** The Years Have Stolen Everything. There was a time, wasn’t there? when your halting tender breath searching found and touched my diffident skin caught and held me silent held me silent astonished trembling with desire like sudden pain. Do...
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 MoreAging 101
Aging. We all do it. And we all do it differently. Let’s start with the very basics – you can spell it ‘aging’, or ‘ageing’ – either way it’s something you’re doing right this second! Every single reaction going off in every single cell in your body every micro second makes you a little wee bit older. Every single time you put food or beverage in your mouth, or every time you choose to be active or not, you’re making a choice about how you want to age. Let’s look at the major components of intelligent aging. In my mind the three primary pieces of...
Read More