Monday Morning Musings
Posted on November 23, 2015 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet
An awesome mango salad at a Thai restaurant in Washington State
Well, after nearly three weeks on the road, I’m back to the real world of work and Nova Scotia weather. I don’t mind work. Actually, I love it. The piece I wrote last week called “A Seismic Shift” paid tribute to my new colleagues at the hospital where I now spend working a few days a week. I have a much deeper appreciation for the work that nurses do and the strains of shift work.
Those of you who have been frequent visitors to my site over the years know that I am pretty much a “glass half full” kind of person. I feel very blessed and grateful with my lot in life and try to keep the whining to a minimum. Let’s face it. We all whine from time to time. It’s human nature. I am not going to complain about the weather but I must confess that last winter was a killer and has caused me to ponder future winters. I think that I could easily adapt to a climate that doesn’t require shovelling snow . I lived in Victoria back in the 1970’s and after my recent travels to that city, I am now pondering spending some of the winter there. Victoria is a wonderful place especially if you like the outdoors. Their spring typically starts in January but you can walk , bike or hike 365 days of the year without risk of falling on the ice! It may not happen this winter but I’m definitely thinking about it.
Yes, I know, I promised that I wouldn’t talk about my own journey of discovery with good nutrition ever again. But remember back in the school yard as a kid, when you made a promise but had your fingers crossed behind your back, rendering the promise meaningless? The following is not boastful. It is simply the facts. As we all know, being on the road, it’s very difficult to maintain any semblance of balance when it comes to eating, especially in the United States where restaurant meals are… well, gargantuan! After working extremely hard all fall to eat sensibly, I thought that it would be impossible to sustain my regime while on the road. Wrong! I realized that I just had to look at different pages of the menus. I am more than happy to report that despite spending 10 hour days in the car, I didn’t gain an ounce on the trip. I still managed to walk an hour every day of the trip but the fuel we consume is absolutely the key to keeping the weight off.
Coming up this week, I will be publishing my story about my trip to Dallas to see the place where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. It will appear here and in The Casket on Wednesday. The story has a bit of historical information but it is mostly about how that event shaped a generation of people like myself. The story is called, “My Dallas Addiction: How I Became a News Junkie.” And later in the week, I will be publishing the story “Snake Bitten” which is about our surprising detour off the beaten path in Idaho and finding the most amazing place.
Some of you know that I have a brother who lives in Victoria. Tom and his long suffering wife (!) Catherine, are two of the most amazing people that I know. They raised their own family, all the while taking in foreign students. They have been lifelong volunteers and have taken this to a new level in retirement. They are fantastic cooks and routinely host friends… and anyone else who happens to be within shouting distance. If there is such a thing as “model retirees” then they have my vote. Even their dog, Oslo, volunteers at the Cancer Clinic. I am going to do a story about them in the next few weeks. Even if you don’t know them, I think you will be very inspired by how they live their lives. Stay tuned for “An Incurable Case of Optimism.
This coming Sunday, grab a friend and come to the fundraiser that I’m hosting on Sunday the 29th. at the Schwartz Auditorium at 2:00 p.m. Story telling ( Len and Phil ) plus music ( Betsy and Jamie ), the Park Bench Players and much more. All proceeds go to “A Partnership in Caring.” A fun afternoon for a great cause.
And don’t forget my book launch coming Saturday, December 5th. at 2:00 p.m. at People’s Place.
Have a great week.
Comments