Retirement Musings and Everyday Delights
I said to Ray the other day that we're kind of at the peak of our lives. We're healthy, our friends and family are healthy, and after decades of saving, we own our own time. When everything is going great in life, there's always that niggling awareness that it can't last forever; that we have … Continue reading Windows of Time
We competed in our first dragon boat festival of the season, a full-day event with 69 teams entered. Our club put in a women's team and a mixed team and we finished second in each of our divisions. We only had 33 paddlers and there are 20 per boat, so the women did double duty. … Continue reading Paddling Through My Insecurities
Ray and I completed another successful home exchange, spending a few nights in a century home in Niagara Falls. The main draw was the Niagara River Recreational Trail, a cycle path that goes from Fort Erie to Niagara-on-the-Lake. We did the portion from Niagara Falls to Niagara-on-the-Lake and back (50 kms). On the return journey, … Continue reading A Cycling Tour and Juno’s New Job
We've been members of a home exchange site for two years now and we receive fairly regular requests for exchanges. This spring, we've had requests from France, Kentucky, the Montreal area (4), and the Quebec City area (3). The number of requests from Montreal would undoubtedly be higher if our profile didn't specifically state that … Continue reading Thinking About a Home Exchange?
I've been thinking lately about the difference between hobbies and passions. I've started dragon boating again, which I enjoy, but I also know there are some people who really love it and can't wait to get back on the water again. Ray enjoyed curling a couple of times a week over the winter, but there … Continue reading Hobbies vs Passions
For Father's Day last year, Nick gave Ray a coupon to do the Franconia Ridge Loop, a steep and challenging 14 km hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The route takes about eight hours and has almost 4,000 feet of altitude gain. The White Mountains are known for their magnificent views, but also … Continue reading Father-Son Hiking Trip
I've now officially entered my sixties and I'm excited to see what the next decade has in store. Many months before my birthday, Karen and Ray started asking me how I wanted to mark the occasion. I didn't want a big party because I don't like being the centre of attention, so I eventually told … Continue reading Joining the 60s Club
I've failed miserably at my March challenge to walk 10,000 steps a day. I did great when I was in Portugal, reaching 18,000 steps a couple of times, 15,000 a few times, and averaging close to 11,000 per day for the first half of the month. Then I came back to Canada, with its rain, … Continue reading March’s Mixed Messages
Last weekend, Karen and I flew to Lisbon for a sister holiday. It's my first time visiting Portugal (her second). I love the feel of European cities, with their narrow cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and laundry drying on the balconies. I was surprised to see how touristy Lisbon is, right up there with Paris and … Continue reading Sisters in Portugal – Lisbon & Sintra
In the process of doing my "60 at 60", I've noticed how much easier some challenges are for me than others. I had no problem finding the time to memorize 195 countries or learn some Portuguese, but my 30-day yoga challenge took me two months to complete. Funny how you can have time for one … Continue reading Marching into March
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