Kamloops Connector August 2022

August 2022

VOL. 31, NO. 4, AUGUST 2022 POWERED BY KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK | A PROUD PART OF ABERDEEN PUBLISHING

Public Spaces in Kamloops Page 2

Children’s Arts Festival brings rivers and rainbows to Kamloops Page 3

Summer is here!

by Clear Impact

Ageless Page 11

Page 9

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Music at the park Riverside Park Page 15

New sustainability-themed walkable audio tour launched

L

ocals and visitors alike are being invited to experience our city in a new way via a series of walkable, self-guided audio tours with a sustainability theme.

Sustainability Stories was created by the Community Alliance for a Resilient Kamloops, a loose partnership of local groups and individuals. Signage at various locations features a QR code, scannable with a smartphone, which links users to the website (tinyurl. com/yun8chb3). Listeners can click on the audio and enjoy a 5-minute story as they continue walking.

The first tour to be launched focuses on the downtown area. Each of the five stops highlights a different aspect of our

development, past, present, and future. The tour can be done all at once, or a stop or two at a time, in any order.

The working group and story creators have drawn on their own experiences of sustainability: events that transpired during their life in Kamloops, businesses or agencies they have interacted with, or natural places they have sought out for rejuvenation.

“We wanted to focus on potential and current solutions, however experimental and tentative, and to connect people to the landscape,” says Kim Naqvi, one of the program’s creators. “Whatever change occurs will also be carried out by everyday people in their everyday lives, thinking about how they work, play,

and shop. New experiments and new ideas will shape the city of the future. They need to come from us and from our discussions and practice.”

“The stories complement the City’s Community Climate Action Plan, which was adopted a year ago,” says Deb Alore, another creator. “Sustainability is integrated into every facet of our community. By raising awareness of how we interact with each other and with the land around us, we’ll hopefully sow some seeds and get more of us talking about how we want Kamloops to develop in a healthy way in the future.”

The official launch of Sustainability Stories was a public tour of some of the downtown stops on July

14. “We’d like to continue adding new stories to the tour and explore other areas of town, maybe going to the North Shore next,” says Alore. “It’s also important to point out that these stories were written and produced on the unceded, traditional territory of the Tk’emlúps te Secwèpemc,

and we are looking forward to sharing our platform with Secwèpemc storytellers, who have been living sustainably in this valley since time immemorial.”

This project benefited from a Social Planning Grant received by the Kamloops Naturalist Club.

Photo Credit: Dave Whiting, Downtown Kamloops

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AUGUST 2022 22 AUGUST 2022

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Public Spaces in Kamloops By Chris Torres, Public Parklet Manager for The Stir

K

amloops is growing at an exponential rate. With a population growth rate around 8.4 percent over the past five years – well above both the B.C. and National averages Kamloops is rapidly attracting new residents. Yet, businesses are struggling to remain viable along our commercial corridors, and there is a persistent discussion of safety in the most central parts of our city. Our city is in a precarious situation– one where growing pains could see the city fragmented by a relentless drive for development if we lack a vision for a future that includes us all.

When I first moved to Kamloops I was struck by a common observation among many people who move here – everyone is so friendly here!

Lately I feel that Kamloops is losing a bit of that magic. The City deciding to mute Facebook comments on their page tells you something about the state of civic discourse right now; many of us have become defensive and combative towards anyone and anything we don’t understand. If the comments on social media are any indication of how we might discuss the very real, complex issues we need to face together - where is our future

heading?.

This is where our public spaces come into play. Anyone who has been lucky enough to enjoy a warm evening in Riverside Park, sprawled out near the bandshell to enjoy some free live music with your fellow city dwellers, has experienced the value of great public spaces. Anyone who has spent a Saturday morning perusing our farmer’s market, or a leisurely ride around Mac Island when it seems like every person on the North Shore has come out for a stroll, or a ride, or to pause for a moment and catch a bit of a baseball game, has felt the joyous sense of enjoying our city together.

Our public spaces don’t mean anything on their own. A plaza is granted its significance and power by people gathering in it, a park is granted its beauty and serenity by people enjoying it, just as a city street gains its excitement and ambiance when people use it. Public spaces flatten the divides we put up between ourselves. They belong to us all, and they call each of us to a higher common responsibility to make our city a great, vibrant, and accepting place to be.

Thriving public spaces have

also been proven to benefit business, improve quality of life, and increase safety in cities.

We’ve already seen what can happen when we think about public spaces creatively here in Kamloops. KCBIA Executive Director Howie Reimer remarked to the City Council that the activation of public spaces through events such as Hoops in the Loops and the Santa Claus parade were a boost to local businesses, helping with many issues local owners had been struggling with. The patios that began popping up on Victoria Street during the past few years are now bustling, the best seats in the house for most restaurants and cafes.

The Chamber of Commerce reclaimed a single parking space in front of their offices for a parklet, and now the space is used every day by folks taking the time to stop and enjoy a serene place to sit in the middle of downtown. We’ve seen what great public space can look and feel like, and we’ve seen what it can do.

Later this summer, the Kamloops Food Policy Council will open a public parklet in front of our new local food hub, The Stir, on the North Shore, right off the Tranquille

corridor. This space will be for anyone and everyone– featuring a community pantry, seating, planters filled with native species, and wheelchair accessible garden beds. We believe everyone deserves great public space, and we want to show our commitment to making that a reality for our community. Our hope is to join other leaders in our community in advocating for more public space, and in doing so encourage a city that is better for business, more compassionate and diverse, and safer for everyone who lives here. We know when we invest in public spaces, we give the opportunity for community members to use those spaces to

help others, and hold space for culture to shine through.

So our challenge as a city is this– let’s support initiatives to make our public spaces better, let’s support new, bold ideas that might seem outlandish at first. Let’s practice compassion and understanding, and use our public spaces to advocate for better lives for every single person in Kamloops.

We can continue to be a friendly place for those new to our community. Kamloops is growing, but that doesn’t mean we have to lose sight of what it means to be a great community– and if we lead with great public spaces, we won’t.

(Rendering of The Stir public parklet)

Tempura Fava Beans INGREDIENTS:

• A handful of young, tender fava beans, still in the pod (any young, fresh bean will also work) For the batter: • 1 cup flour • 2 tbsp cornstarch • 1 tbsp baking powder

DIRECTIONS:

• 1/2 tsp salt • 1 cup sparkling water For the garnish: • Flaky sea salt • Zest of one lemon • Pinch of Ground Sumac (optional)

• Mix all the dry batter ingredients in a small bowl, add the sparkling water and stir until just smooth.

• Heat about half an inch of oil in a pan on medium to medium high heat. I like to use a saucepan to avoid oil splatters.

• Set up a cooling rack next to the pan with the oil, line with a paper towel. Have the garnish ingredients ready nearby.

• Test the oil temperature by carefully dropping a small amount of the batter into the oil, it should float and sizzle gently.

• Begin dipping the whole fava bean pods into the batter, and gently frying on both sides until just lightly brown. Don’t crowd the pan. I find a long

pair of wooden chopsticks works best to move things around and remove the beans once they are cooked.

• As soon as you place the cooked beans on the cooling rack, sprinkle sea salt, lemon zest, and a bit of ground sumac over them, make sure to do this when they are still hot right out of the pan.

• Continue cooking in batches and serve as a snack with a cold beer!

This tempura batter is a great vegan staple, and can also be made gluten free if you use rice flour– it’s a delicious way to enjoy any fresh veggies out of the garden.

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AUGUST2022 2022 33 AUGUST

Children’s Arts Festival 2022 brings Rivers and Rainbows to Kamloops

by Keiko Bolen

T

he Kamloops Arts Council excitedly announces that the Children’s Arts Festival is set to make its in-person return on Saturday, September 17, 2022. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., guests are invited to attend Riverside Park East to partake in a fun-filled, creative day featuring artistic, musical, and theatrical activities and performances for children ages 2 to 12. The Children’s Arts Festival is completely free of cost, so all who are able are encouraged to join this longstanding community event.

The theme for this year’s Festival is entitled “Rivers to Rainbows” and aims to celebrate the water, earth, and sky that surrounds us. Vendors will not only draw inspiration from all Mother Nature has to offer but are also encouraged to be conscientious of their booth’s impact on the environment. To keep our rivers and rainbows beautiful, the Kamloops Arts Council hopes to see all workshops be executed with primarily

recycled and/or recyclable materials to keep the event as sustainable and ecoconscious as possible. The Arts Council also hopes to bring educational elements to the Festival this year, with workshops on topics such as water filtration and garden care, as well as explaining the magic behind the formation of rainbows. Performers will aim to incorporate eco-friendly messaging into their presentations as well, while adorned in their most prismatic outfits.

Aside from attending the workshops, guests are welcome to dress up in their most fantastical, rainbowthemed costumes to match the artist and community booths.

Children aged 2 to 12 will have the opportunity to show off their colourful costumes and eye-catching art during the big, beautiful rainbow parade at the conclusion of the event, though a costume is not mandatory to participate, only encouraged. Guests also have the opportunity to spruce up

Happy

BC Day

their looks further with face or hand paint, as well as henna, all of which will be available free of cost at the festival.

Along with the showstopping parade, guests can expect a plethora of hands-on activities such as buttonmaking, origami, and paper “stained glass”, to name a few.

There will also be story-telling, interactive songs, dancing, and so much more supplied by performing artists from all over British Columbia.

To ensure that the fun can continue all day long, food trucks are anticipated to be present in the park so that families can enjoy the full breadth of all the Arts Festival has to offer without stepping foot outside of Riverside Park.

Additionally, if the day’s excitement begins to feel overwhelming, the Arts Council plans to have a “quiet zone” for those that may need a breather.

For those unavailable on September 17, the Arts Council aims to host Rivers to Rainbows workshops before

the big day to create crafts that can be enjoyed outside of the festival, as well as to be used in the concluding parade.

Running for over twentytwo years, The Children’s Arts Festival affords a great opportunity for children of all backgrounds to engage in amazing arts activities at completely no cost. The Festival aims to make memories that will last a lifetime and with its imaginative theme of Rivers to Rainbows, it is guaranteed to make an impact. The Festival

is shaping up to be a fabulously magical, educational, sensational day, and The Kamloops Arts Council hopes to see lots of smiling, rainbow-adorned faces on Saturday, September 17, 2022 in Riverside Park.

Interested in being a part of this year’s festival?

Email Marta at events@ kamloopsarts.ca For more information, please visit the Kamloops Arts Council website at www.kamloopsarts.ca.

4 AUGUST 2022

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Operation Cocoon I wrote a while back about the (anti-?) social concept of “cocooning” where one retreats into the relative safety of their home and family rather than being out in the world as a social butterfly.

In my case I believe Operation Cocoon can be deemed ‘complete.’

It wasn’t really a conscious decision on my part, but My two cents for the last two years I have Moneca Jantzen seemingly been on a mission Editor to ‘cocoon’ myself. Predisposed to introversion paired with the whims of a world-wide pandemic of the last two and a half years, not to mention I’m a Taurus, I have managed to make enormous progress in establishing a home and lifestyle where I really needn’t leave.

Obviously, I have to go shopping on occasion, pop into the office once in a while so they know I still exist, drive my mom to the odd appointment, or very occasionally see a friend, but truth be told, there are weeks where the car does not move. (A great thing considering the current price of fuel!)

For months I have wrestled with the nagging truth that I need to adopt a fitness regime. I have tried quite a few approaches and nothing has stuck. Given my intransigence against a routine of even walking, swimming or even using my rowing machine regularly, I have avoided signing up for a gym membership somewhere. As a plus size female at my highest weight, the mere thought of going to a gym everyday and facing the scrutiny of others is mortifying. I can’t even decide which one would even suit me.

Apparently I have been living under a rock because it turns out there is an electronic/digital solution to my torment. A Virtual Reality (VR) headset and a subscription to a wondrous app called Supernatural has got me hooked and moving everyday and I get to do it at home. No one can see me except my poor family and dogs (whom are terrified and inevitably leave the room for the duration). The workouts make me sweat like crazy and make my muscles sore, so even though I’m standing in the middle of a room waving my arms around like a maniac and randomly squatting and lunging or punching the air, its a good start towards regular exercise for me. It has only been a month so the results are not in but I already feel better.

Traveling to amazing remote locales virtually everyday to do a choreographed workout or two to good music and supportive coaching has inspired me. I absolutely love working out this way.

My hope is that donning a VR headset for exercise everyday will serve as a springboard to better fitness and general wellbeing and eventually I will again embrace more traditional activities where I’m not holed up at home. Time will tell.

Between the headset, entertainment options, all of my devices and my hot tub I have to say that I am a pretty happy camper. I’m totally dependent on BCHydro and my internet provider which clearly isn’t ideal but aren’t we all hurtling down that rabbit hole?

Fortunately, I’m not directly dependent on Rogers given their predisposition for day long outages, although I am dependent on Shaw so hopefully the merger doesn’t go through as I’m not sure what that will actually mean going forward. Will that make Rogers better or Shaw worse?

Anyways, I digress. If nothing else, I am ready for the next wave of COVID which they say is coming soon if, indeed, it is not already here. I will probably get another booster closer to the fall and continue to do what I’m doing. I count my blessings because many people do not have the luxury of working from home and ‘cocooning’ to the extent that I have managed. I am definitely not guaranteed to steer clear of future variants. None of us are, but after so many months a lot of these preventative measures have become second nature.

Watching the airports and airlines, passport offices, etc. in shambles doesn’t make one want to pack any bags anytime soon. Hanging out at remote locations in my headset seems like a fair compromise. I’m sure the extroverts in the crowd won’t understand any of the foregoing and that’s understandable. At 59, I have given up on a lot of the social shoulds and oughts of life. It isn’t the fullest life or the most meaningful, but its relatively safe and enjoyable.

Happy BC Day—whether you spend it virtually or otherwise!

Voices of Experience

www.connectornews.ca Telephone: (250) 374-7467 Office Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Please address all correspondence to: Kamloops Connector 1365B Dalhousie Drive Kamloops, BC V2C 5P6 Publisher Bob Doull General Manager Liz Spivey (778) 471-7537 publisher@connectornews.ca Editor: Moneca Jantzen editor@connectornews.ca Graphic Designer: Dayana Rescigno creative@connectornews.ca Kamloops Connector is a monthly newspaper dedicated to inform, serve and entertain adults 45 and over.

We aim to publish on the last Wednesday of each month and copy/booking deadlines are either the 2nd or 3rd Thursdays of each month. Please request a publishing schedule for specific information.

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Articles, group and event listings will run in the newspaper as time and space permit.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from Kamloops Connector. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Kamloops Connector, Kamloops This Week or the staff thereof.

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AUGUST 2022

Howling Coyote Education Fund: Beneficence in action

T

Submitted by BCICF

he BC Interior Community Foundation draws on the generosity and idealism of the people of our region to help build stronger and more caring communities — a place where families can flourish and where every resident can share in a better future.

In the past 38 years, because of the overwhelming generosity of people just like you, almost 200 individual endowment funds have been established. The annual earnings from these funds provide support to local charities and worthy community programs and organizations, supply seed money for new initiatives and also provide numerous scholarships and bursaries to deserving students in our area.

One of our most successful bursary funds is the Howling Coyote Education Fund, established in 2008, which supports First Nations students in their post-secondary education. And in the 14 years since its creation, it’s certainly done that.

Russ Chambers, one of a group of people who originally developed the fund, said the earning from this fund has helped approximately 100 local First Nations students with more than $50,000 awarded over the years.

The current value of the fund is $152,000.

That’s an impressive number considering it began with just a few helpful hands. Names like Hoberly Hove,

Renee Spence, and Connie Leonard came to Chambers’ mind when asked.

“A few of us got together,” he said. “We threw in a few dollars to get it started.”

Over the years, one of the primary fundraisers for the Coyote Education Fund was an annual golf tournament.

Unfortunately, the tournament has been on hold for the last few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Chambers said that they’re planning to tee off again on September 24 of this year.

“What we’ve done in the past is we’ve played nine holes, we come inside, and we give out the golfing prizes.”

Prizes have included donations from sports teams like the Blazers, as well as the Lions and the Canucks, plus auctions for a pair of tickets for a Westjet flight every two years.

The golf fundraiser takes place at Mt. Paul Golf Course and is limited to 75 golfers.

Mike Bowden, the District Principal for Aboriginal Education for School District 73, explained how the decisions on how to use the fund are made.

“We have a school district scholarship committee that sits down and goes through all the scholarship applications, not just the Howling Coyote, but there are several other scholarships.” he said.

“We sit down and decide the winners of that.”

Winners are decided from among the applications they receive, after ensuring that they meet the necessary requirements.

Bowden also explained that the Howling Coyote Fund was one of their most significant funds based on the number of people who receive funding.

“I think this year we had 10,” he said.

“And it really depends on the number of applicants, of course, and that number has slowly grown over the years, because it depends on what that fund generates.

“As that fund gets larger, we can distribute to more students or increase the amount of the scholarship.”

Time is ticking down on the September date for the return of the golf tournament and Chambers said that interested golfers should contact him by email at rcedservices@ gmail.com and to “Stay tuned.”

If you’d like to contribute to the Howling Coyote Education Fund, or any fund held in trust by BC Interior Community Foundation, please visit our website at www.bcicf.ca or give us a call 250-434-6995.

We’ll be happy to hear from you!

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n February 2022, the greatest quarterback of all time announced his retirement from professional sports at the age of 44. After more than 20 years in the National Football League he said on his podcast that he was going to do things that he enjoyed and spend time with people with which he enjoyed spending time.

However, only forty days later, he tweeted his return: “These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands.

That time will come.

But it’s not now.”

Although 44 is far from the average retirement age, this

“unretirement” represents a growing trend among Canadians living in and approaching retirement.

Why do Canadians unretire?

According to The Four Pillars of the New Retirement, a study conducted

by Edward Jones and Age Wave, thirty-three percent of recent retirees struggle to find a sense of purpose in retirement with new-found free time. Most Baby Boomers want to be more active, engaged, exploratory and purposeful in retirement than their parents and grandparents.

They enjoy more opportunities and more choices than any previous generation for shaping retirement to suit their needs and expectations.

One in three nonretirees say they are interested in working in some capacity after retirement and nine

percent say that they plan to never stop working. Individuals between the ages of 55 and 64 currently represent the highest proportion of the workforce – more than one in five working individuals (21.8 percent).1 This highlights the importance of — and employer demand for — experienced workers in the workforce and may contribute to the gradual increase in average retirement age among Canadians in recent years.2 Going back to work When retirees stop working, it can create a void, often more social than financial.

When asked what they miss most about their work life, 39 percent of retirees say it’s the people and social stimulation, with only 22 percent saying it’s the pay.

The loss of social connection can lead to harmful isolation.

More and more retirees are filling part of the void

by continuing to work, typically parttime, in retirement.

Work, and the social connections it brings, can remain an important source of purpose.

Planning for the retirement you envision Your needs and expectations for retirement are as unique as you are. Whether you’re planning to continue to work in retirement, spend more time with loved ones or enjoying your hobbies, your Edward Jones advisor can help you plan for the retirement you envision.

Even as life changes and your expectations change, your strategy can be adjusted to meet your needs to help you achieve the retirement that you envision.

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AUGUST 2022 77 AUGUST 2022

Mysteries in the tech ether

THAT TECH GUY JEFFREY READE

A

s I write this I’m sitting here watching the news with my fiancée

Lisa, and the top story is the Rogers network outage. We’re seeing the extent technology stretches coast to coast.

Now one question I get is how is it that Rogers outage hitting us in B.C.? Our banks are centralized in Toronto and that’s where Rogers is king. Which is also where all the payments are processed, from your morning coffee to your property taxes all the records are offline at the moment. Basically our digital economy has been

stopped in its tracks.

This is the second major outage by Rogers in 15 months, even ATMs have been affected.

How could this happen? I can confidently say that this doesn’t fit the feel of a cyberattack.

Chances are a software update/patch or a piece of hardware in their infrastructure went screwy and they’re trying to roll it back or work around it. Many people are flocking to coffee shops to connect. So what issues does this

pose for security? Well there are many. First, use a virtual private network to connect to any public network. It provides an added layer of protection in public or at home.

Second, be aware of who might be listening to any phone conversations you’re having. Especially if it’s with government agencies or banks.

Third, there is an old technique known as ‘shoulder surfing.’ As you walk past someone, you look at their screen, you get their user name,

August 2022 AUGUST

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lot, but I keep $100 in an emergency spot in my house because sometimes you may not be able to pay digitally, as this latest Rogers outage made abundantly clear. There’s a reason cash is still king so push your kids and grandchildren to carry a little cash as a holdout— you never know when it’ll come in handy. Stay safe online and hopefully everything will remain connected after this latest disaster.

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TH

AUGUST

you watch their fingers, you get their password.

Another is connecting a packet sniffer to a network and it looks at the contents of data packets for valuable information. This is another reason to use a VPN. This next tip is for the younger generation that many of the readers know already. While most of my generation uses digital payment almost exclusively, keep some cash handy in your house. It needn’t be a

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Ducks in a row?

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rom a legal perspective, having all your ‘ducks in a row’ means having all of your legal and financial plans in place in case of both emergencies and to plan for life’s eventual events.

The main eventual events – acquiring property, having children, retiring and dying. The emergencies include accidents, illnesses and a sudden change in your financial situation. This sudden change can be anything from bankruptcy to winning the lottery – any which way, you need a plan and documents in place.

Also, if any of the big 4 happen, you need to review your plan. The big four: marriages (including cohabitation 6 months or more), divorces, births and

deaths.

Also, the law can change or evolve as can the practical aspects of dealing with your finances or your estate assets.

For example, it is now more commonplace to set out in your Will the fee the executor will receive to manage your estate. It is also common to stagger an inheritance over several years if the beneficiary is younger or establish a trust if they need assistance with funds management.

It is also common for parents in their lifetime to loan

children funds to make large purchases – past loans need to be considered when determining how to distribute the estate in order to keep the beneficiary amounts equal. If your intention is to forgive the loan on your death, it should be in writing.

A lawyer can help you keep your ‘ducks in a row’ by doing a review to make sure you have not missed any important paperwork or updates you may now require.

A little planning is worth its weight for peace of mind.

One month to the 55+ BC Games: Zone 8 gets set Submitted by Linda Haas

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articipants are in full preparation mode to fulfill the Games motto: For Life, Sport and Friends.

Remember, it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.

Zone 8 wishes everybody who has enjoyed previous participation in the 55+ BC Games, who will be newly qualified as aged 55 +, and who has registered for the first Games in 3 years in Victoria, a safe, healthy and enjoyable rest of the summer, and incident free travels to the island. If you’re interested in carpooling to Victoria contact Greg Hall, grhall5863@gmail.com Congratulations to Karl Mey. Not only has Karl done a great job as Zone 8 Track and Field Coordinator in recent years, in July he competed in 7 events at the men’s 85-90 year old division at the World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships in Finland, and won silver in the 100m,

800m, 200m, and 1,500m races, bronze in the 400m., and placed fourth in high jump and fifth in long jump. We couldn’t feel prouder of him, as we’re sure does the Kamloops Track and Field Club. Karl’s ability, knowledge of athletics, and ability to help others is an inspiration to all of Zone 8, the 55+ BC Games, and active seniors everywhere.

Besides training for our favourite sport or activity during August, some BC residents, current and former, will be involved in the Canada 55+ Games Aug. 23-26 in Kamloops as participants or volunteers. It is the first time this national competition will be held in British Columbia.

Plan to attend this major national event in the lives of active seniors to cheer on the participants and support Kamloops as first BC host of the Canada 55+ Games.

By the way. What do you call an 80 year old cheerleader?

Old Yeller. Never forget the importance of staying active!

Because our September monthly meeting is so close to the start of the Victoria Games, our next meeting will be the AGM on Oct. 13. There will be lots to share at that time: our summer experiences, possible elections for the executive, Sport Coordinators and Area Reps, and plans for 2023. If you are currently on the Zone 8 Board of Directors but cannot continue next year, please let our president, Peter Hughes know at zone8pres@55plusbcgames.org Thank you to all who have helped Zone 8, 55+ BC Games members and supporters to survive the inconveniences, sadness due to losses, feelings of isolation, and diminishment of health-promoting activity.

Welcome back to the 55+ BC Games and see you at the Annual General Meeting.

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AUGUST 2022

9

Summer is here!

By Carl Svangtun, Clear Impact

Ahhh Summer!!!

What a blessing!

Prime time for getting outside and moving, walking, hiking, jogging, swimming, climbing, throwing, building a tree fort or foraging in the forest.

There are so many ways we can be active in the summer that just feels natural and easy to get up and do.

That is because they are just that. Natural. It’s how we evolved as animals on this planet so it just feels right.

We didn’t evolve to exercise intensely four times a week and then sit on the couch the rest of the time.

And that’s what I want to talk about. Exercise vs Movement.

In our western culture we have this huge “exercise” industry that says we can get in top shape by doing cross-fit, Peloton, weightlifting, running, yoga etc. to offset our sedentary lifestyles.

Now I’m not saying any of

these activities are bad, if you really enjoy them (not for the adrenaline rush, but really get in flow in that activity) that’s great.

So why is it that, for many of us, the idea of a gym membership, going running or going to hot yoga 4 times a week just adds stress to our minds?

It’s because: • We are overwhelmingly out of shape in our culture and it’s really hard to commit to intense exercise when we are living in a revved up stressed out state (see previous articles) • We naturally evolved to be moving ALL THE TIME, not exercising intensely four times a week for an hour.

So what can we do? MOVE! There are literally hundreds of ways we can shift our lifestyle to be an ant (quite energetic don’t you think?) instead of a sloth.

• Turn off the TV! • Take the stairs not the escalator

• Park in the farthest spot not the closest at the store • Stand and stretch while watching TV • Stretch a part of your body when waiting in line • Carry a grocery basket instead of pushing a cart (and do some curls with it!)

• Walk or bike to the store don’t drive • Start a garden Need I go on? Literally thousands of ways we can add movement to our lifestyle.

So be a mover not an occasional exerciser and you will start to see the results that are sustainable and you’ll have more energy to keep doing more!

And hey, do what you enjoy.

Don’t go to the gym because someone told you it’s the best way to burn fat. Do what you enjoy and it won’t seem like work!

Now get outside and have a spectacular summer!

Keepsake rock project lifts staff spirits at RIH

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ith a goal of lifting spirits and making people smile, the incredible group of staff at the Sahali Dental Centre in collaboration with staff at Prism Dental Laboratory have hand painted over 100 rocks for the amazing healthcare workers at Royal Inland Hospital.

This altruistic act has not been their first. In September of 2021 they hand painted 215 little shoes on rocks to show their respects for the 215 children discovered at the residential school in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc. The main coordinator, Kim LaBerre from Sahali Dental Centre was inspired to do healthcare appreciation rocks after giving painted rocks to nurses she knew personally. After some encouragement and inspiration from

patients, she decided to gather the group again.

This time around, rocks were collected

by Kim and her family at riverbanks in Revelstoke and locally on the Peterson Creek Trail. All being local Kamloopsians, staff and their families at Sahali Dental Centre and Prism Dental Laboratory have utilized the services at Royal Inland Hospital for many years. With this personal gesture, this was their way of showing appreciation to the staff. The rocks were debuted to healthcare workers at the Phil and Jennie Gaglardi Tower Open House on June 25th 2022, where the response was electric.

From there, they have been distributed to staff at RIH to boost morale throughout their shifts.

Healthcare workers are encouraged to share the joy the rocks bring and

share them with other people that could use it.

The Royal Inland Hospital Foundation is incredibly proud to be supporting this collective comraderie between healthcare professionals during this pandemic. “As professionals in the healthcare industry, we understand the nuances and challenges that medical staff have faced over the last few years. The staff at RIH have gone above and beyond their call of duty to ensure

the health and safety of our community, putting others needs before their own. We appreciate their effort and would like to thank them so much.” says Kim, from Sahali Dental Centre.

Contributors: Lil Devries, Dawn Wallace, Trish McConnell, Michelle Webster, Nadine Read, Kim LaBerre, Veronika Toderian, Chelsey Brezina, Ally Kunhegyi, Jacqui Letcher, Cathy Gerry, Rosemary Kanigan.

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Why so much stuff?

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By Shawn Ferguson, Professional Organizer at Everything Organized

s baby boomers mature, there are many questions that adult children face. Do I have the knowledge to move Mom and/ or Dad into assisted living or a more manageable home? Do I have time to take on such a momentous challenge? Will our relationship survive such an ordeal? Sometimes it’s hard to look at ourselves in the mirror when we know the answer to such questions. But honestly, it’s better to know our limits than to ignore them and go onward full speed and put your parents into an even more stressful situation.

If you are or will be facing

these circumstances presently or in the near future, you need to be aware and be prepared to take on all the different components associated with this type of move. At Everything Organized* we break it down into four main categories.

1. Downsizing 2. Senior Transition 3. Estate Sale and 4. Estate Preparation.

Downsizing is when every item of a home is reviewed to determine what is moving with the family member. If the item is not making the move, is the item given to family and/or friends?

Continued on page 16

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Payment Dates for Old Age Security & the Canada Pension Plan

If you have signed up for direct deposit, your Old Age Security (OAS) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payments will be automatically deposited in your bank account on these dates:

January 27 February 24 March 29 April 27 May 27 June 28

July 27 August 29 September 28 October 27 November 28 December 21

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What good old days? By Trudy Frisk

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arts of the ‘good old days’ weren’t all that good.

Outhouses, for example.

Dr. Spock would have revised his theories about toilet training if he or his children had had to use outdoor biffies. Teaching a toddler to respond to a natural urge is simple compared to convincing that child to venture outside to a separate building with a gaping hole where strange things might lurk.

Children, heck, many adults felt the same way.

Location, excavation, maintenance and hygiene were concerns.

But, just getting there could be a problem.

First one had to make a decision. When the final trip of the evening isn’t a few steps across the hall, but a foray into the outdoors, which, in winter, requires bundling in warm clothing, putting on boots, and carrying a reliable light, it’s not undertaken casually.

Is it necessary? Will it really be the last time till morning?

If it had to be done, best to get it over with.

Otherwise the potential sleeper might dither till daylight.

Just getting to and from the facilities was fraught with peril.

There are stories, some of them true, about people going to the barn or outhouse and not making it back through the whiteout of a Prairie blizzard. Prairie people learned. In winter they strung ropes from one building to another so the lost person could hold on to the rope and struggle back to the warm house.

Even in daylight there can be problems. As a newlywed I lived in a

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house in the middle of a cattle ranch. In winter, forty cows usually stood between me and the outhouse. “Move!”

I ordered, timidly.

“Moo! She speaks our language! Say, lady, got any hay?” was the bovine response.

You don’t have to be in cattle country to find obstacles as I discovered the night a herd of elk bedded down around our tent in Glacier Park.

My personal wishes paled before the picture of annoyed awakened elk. “It’ll be morning soon.”

Getting in, of course, doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to get out again.

One of our friends was just opening the door, ready to return for dinner, when a chorus arose. “Alice, don’t come out! There’s a bear on the path!” At times like these a person really appreciates the thought behind furnishing the little house with an Eaton’s catalogue and maybe a few farm papers. Handy reading material for a longer than usual stay.

Since there was usually only one outhouse, competition could be fierce. I was surprised to meet a hiking friend limping and leaning on a cane.

“Mountaineering accident,” he explained tersely. This man had climbed safely in Nepal.

I waited for details.

“I was climbing from the Kain hut in the Bugaboos,” he muttered.

“Broke my ankle in the early morning rush for the outhouse.”

One of the things children fear about the outhouse is that there are wild creatures in there. How right they are. Squirrels, porcupines, even pine

marten have taken up residence, deciding that the quarters, though odorous, provide a refuge from predators.

None of these animals is a safe companion for private moments.

Pine marten, though small and cuddly looking have sharp teeth and claws and can leap through the air in warp speed as some surprised folk can testify.

Even if no natural perils were present, the outhouse served as an open invitation to mischief. Ask any girl who braved the school biffy in snowball season.

Running the gauntlet indeed! On Hallowe’en grim householders stood guard over their structures, determined to defend them against sneak attacks by local teenagers. Some of those respectable fellows remembered their own youth pushing over outhouses, once, it was whispered, with the owner inside.

From a kid’s point of view, an outdoor biffy wasn’t all bad. It served as a convenient excuse for dodging chores. It’s not as simple to roust the kid whose turn it is to pack water from a wooden structure way across the yard as it is to hammer on a bathroom door.

Outhouses were built in a variety of styles, reflecting the personalities of their owners. The practical sort put up a rough building, tossed in some sandpaper and called it done.

Others decided to make the best of it.

Theirs were designer facilities with mirrors, pictures, curtains on the window, bookshelves even hanging flower

baskets.

Most of the buildings were for one person at a time, but some sociable places provided space for two. During the back to the land movement when privacy was frowned on, the facilities might consist of a seat and three poles to lean on; a little public, but it encouraged communication.

No matter how posh the surroundings, they couldn’t overcome the eerie evening excursion.

The influence of the rugged Canadian landscape on our national character and artistic expression has been well documented.

Not enough attention has been paid to the outhouse and its effect on the Canadian imagination.

Hardened skeptics by day became firm believers in the supernatural on those dark lonely journeys to the isolated building.

Past the hen house with its strange cackles and squawks, through the trees where the breeze (they hoped it was the breeze…) whooshed the branches, stealthy footsteps, (cougar, bear, sasquatch?) crackled dead twigs. Were they being followed or observed from behind some ancient stump?

Yes, the ghostly world was very real on an ll p.m. trip to the little house.

What’ll become of Canadian character with only portable plastic clones? We’ll just have to risk it.

My son’s memory of a time when life was less comfortable is practical.

“Coloured paper,” he recalls, “ was better than the black and white.”

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Ageless I

Submitted by Steve Barnes

can hardly wait until I am older.

Bet you haven’t said that since you were 15. After 14 years of Snowbirding as an RVer, traveling, driving 200,000 miles coast to coast and Labrador to Mexico, never stopping more than 2 weeks, perhaps it is time to think about retirement from Snowbirding.

Two years of COVID idleness brought me to this threshold.

I am on the subject of preparing for aging because we are changing our habits.

We are slowing down.

Three couples here at our lake have lived off grid for 15 to 40 years, 30 minutes from services on an unmaintained road. That means no emergency vehicles in the winter. We all have to transition to the city as we age. We were all Snowbirds.

If your fixed home is at ground level or you live on acreage you are outside 15 times a day. You are always performing maintenance, always active and you do it for enjoyment. Is your back telling you that your agility is deteriorating? Is it time to move from 2,000 square feet to 1,000 in a highrise dependent on an elevator? Can you trade your maintenance labour for strata fees?

The object of this paper is to prepare you for the fourth stage of life, Retirement Phase Two. This summer we purchased a city apartment condominium. With aging in mind, we are across from a shopping mall. When one decides to drive less we can walk or power chair

200’ across the street to the mall. It has everything we need, our supermarket, drug store, 2 pubs, many restaurants, 3 banks, medical centre, liquor store, and plenty of retail. That is in front of us. Behind is parkland.

We are on the second floor so that when the leaves are on the trees we can still see under them across at the mall. While watching TV I simultaneously look out our full wall glass doors across our balcony under the trees to the mall. TV and people watching simultaneously. It is essential that you plan your future lifestyle and activities while you are young enough to do so, planning that is.

No, we are not of ill health. Just planning our last home purchase and contemplating a lifestyle when we are forced to slow down, in 10 or 15 years when I am 88 or 93. You must plan for this time. If you are there already you may need to plan your transition from aging in home to Independent Living or Assisted Living.

As avid travellers how will we occupy our time? How will you occupy your time? I plan getting out at least 4 times a week. Electric assisted bicycling will continue, 5 hour day trips by car, exploring, history, public library, walking the Vancouver skyline that I haven’t done in 14 years, all will go on the list, and it is a long and growing list. Even now we drive east 50 miles along Zero Avenue gazing at the Americans and Canadians separated only by a ditch or a cairn. You can’t allow

yourself to vegetate.

How long is your list?

If you don’t consciously plan it you might vegetate at home.

When I lose my driver’s licence we will try city buses. It has been 50 years since on a bus. Losing your drivers licence is a good thing. It means you lived long enough to reach this milestone.

Even now, early in our Retirement Phase Two, we have booked a cruise to Australia, our first cruise in 14 years. You have to keep interested, active and out of the house.

The foregoing was to wet your appetite.

To make you realize that planning for aging NOW is critical, critical to your happiness and critical to those family members who will assume responsibility for you if you become incapacitated.

This is all for naught if you don’t pursue this planning. I urge you.

Go to this link. It is a Canadian website. It is outstanding. https://www.canada. ca/en/employmentsocial- development/ corporate/seniors/ forum/aging-checklist. html Take 5 minutes to look at the link. Then schedule a half hour to complete it in detail, with pencil and paper.

Longer if you are thoughtful.

This is equal to, and possibly more important than your Will. Your Will assists your beneficiaries.

This assists you, the rest of your life. No one is more important than you. Control your own mortality before someone else takes charge.

AUGUST 2022 11 AUGUST 2022 11

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Canadian, Local, & Experienced When it comes to Walk-in Tubs across British Columbia, we take pride in our position as one of the best option with only the highest quality products affordably priced. Our walk-in tubs and materials come from a Canadian manufacturing company that has been in business since 1992; they are well-established in the field and have a wonderful track record of success. That gives you the reassurance that parts will continue to be available and warranties are backed up with integrity.

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AUGUST 2022

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Fear of falling and a fear of not being able to get out of the tub are two of the most common occurrences with many of our seniors today. Walk-in tubs have become extremely popular in the last decade and estimates show that people who go ahead and install a walk-in tub in their homes today, will be able to live independently for an additional five years.

Walk-in tubs are exactly what the name implies, tubs that have large doors that open, and you simply walk in and sit down on a 17-inch-high seat. You close and lock the door and the tub fills rapidly while you are sitting comfortably and safely inside. All the taps and controls are easily accessible at your fingertips.

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Manufacturers have optional tub designs accommodating every shape and size of person and bathroom. There is a tub size that will fit in the space where your existing tub or shower is.

Walk-in tubs can be as basic as a soaker tub to as deluxe as your own personal spa. Offering numerous options such as heated back, multi-speed warm air jets, water jets, ozone, light therapy, aromatherapy, and more.

The benefits of a walk-in tub are numerous. Many people crave being able to confidently have a bath again and find relief by just soaking in a warm tub.

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The Village of Chase would like to wish everyone a Safe and Fun

KSO announces 2022-23 season

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fter two years of major disruption, the Kamloops Symphony is overjoyed to announce an entire concert season for the first time since 2019. The 2022/23 Season marks the KSO’s 46th Season, which promises to highlight the outstanding quality of the orchestra.

The 2022/23 Season brings back both the Masterworks and Pops Series, along with a three-concert series in Salmon Arm and will present a wide variety of guest artists and genres over eleven exciting programmes.

“Music is for everyone, and we are thrilled to present concert experiences for all kinds of audiences over the upcoming Season,” says Music Director Dina Gilbert.

“From classical to hip-hop, from Mozart to Philip Glass, and featuring outstanding local and international artists, we are sure that returning concertgoers and newcomers alike will experience how vibrant a live concert can be.”

The KSO kicks off the Season with the New World Festival, an exciting multi-day festival showcasing the works of Czech composer Antonin Dvořák —with some modern twists. The

KSO will host a oneof-a-kind “Pro-Am Jam,” inviting amateur musicians to join forces with our musicians, and Cree hip-hop artist and motivational speaker K.A.S.P. will perform with the orchestra to explore the combination of “new” and “old.”

The Noran Masterworks Series will feature great orchestral works including Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony, Brahms’ German Requiem, and the profound audience-favourite, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 “Ode to Joy,” with soloists and the KSO Chorus. Junowinning pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin, Concertmaster of the Montreal Symphony Andrew Wan, and cellist Stéphane Tétreault will join the orchestra as soloists throughout the year.

The Kelson Group Pops Series is also back in full force. In an interior B.C. first, in March of 2023 the Kamloops Symphony will present RuPaul’s Drag Race All Star Thorgy Thor, in Thorgy & The Thorchestra. In addition, Jim Witter will cover Elton John & Billy Joel in The Piano Men in October 2022, and Canadian songstress Sarah Slean will present her take

on the songs of Joni Mitchell, along with her own selections in March 2023. Finally, Christmas with the KSO is back, featuring guest conductor Tony Delgado, local harpist Naomi Cloutier and the KSO Chorus.

“After an incredibly challenging two years of progressing concert by concert amidst evolving circumstances, it means so much to us to be able to launch of full Season for our audiences,” says Executive Director Daniel Mills, “There is truly something in here for everyone, and we can’t wait to invite audiences back in the fall to experience our professional orchestra.”

Season Subscriptions went on sale July 5th, and single tickets go on sale September 1st. Flex passes also available. New this year, Up Close Seats make the first three rows available to Masterworks Series Concerts at a low cost of $25/ticket. The KSOundcheck program is also back, which offers $15 tickets to those under the age of 35. All ticket and subscriptions sales are done through Kamloops Live! Box Office by calling 250374-54583 or going to kamloopslive.ca.

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AUGUST 2022 AUGUST 2022 15 15

Music at the park: August’s schedule Date

Artist

Name Style

1-Aug 2-Aug 3-Aug 4-Aug 5-Aug 6-Aug 7-Aug 8-Aug 9-Aug 10-Aug 11-Aug 12-Aug 13-Aug 14-Aug 15-Aug 16-Aug 17-Aug 18-Aug 19-Aug 20-Aug 21-Aug 22-Aug 23-Aug 24-Aug 25-Aug 26-Aug 27-Aug 28-Aug 29-Aug 30-Aug 31-Aug

Aerialists Someone to Blame New Groovement FKB RibFest Presents: Bryan Adams Tribute RibFest Presents: OC/DC RibFest Presents: Fleetwood Magic Dirtroad Opera Jenny Allen Jenni Thai Richard Graham and the Backbeats Ben Klick BMW Willie Nile Crystal Shawanda Suzi Rawn Jackson Hollow Mozi Bones Mitch Zorn Julio Avila Cuban Band Evereal Coalmine’s Basement Blackdaze Daytime Highs Dawson Gray BC Top Trigger Tayos Frapp City Blue Voodoo Shattered Blue

Progressive Traditional Classic Rock Funk Hip Hop and R&B Rock Pop Rock AC/DC Tribute Fleetwood Mac Tribute Country Bluegrass Folk Roots Piano Music Pop Rock Country Rock Authentic Blues Guitar One of the Best Kept Secrets of Rock and Roll Pop Rock Rocking Blues Country Bluegrass World Infused Music Country Rock Cuban Music Melodic Rock Pop Rock Black Sabbath/Ozzy Tribute Funk Dance Energy Country ZZ Top Tribute Mafia Rock Light Rock 80s Rock Blues Rock Classic Rock

Princess Prep SummerCamp

Arrives in Kamloops

P

rincess Prep Summer Camp is considered the “royal daycare” for children of Kamloops parents.

This princess training program aims to provide children with a sense of magic and a chance to imagine what life might be like as a royal.

Local businesses Sweet Home Café and Marta’s Tower have collaborated to provide the 3rd Princess Prep Summer Camp. Starting in July and continuing into late August, children ages 4-8 will be able to participate in a five-day day camp focusing on excelling in all things princess.

Under the guidance of the Royal Instructor, children will create noble crafts, master royal princess etiquette, learn a graceful ball dance, and enjoy enchanting fairy tales.

The five-day session will culminate in a regal coronation at which the newly minted royalty will be able to demonstrate all that they have

learned to a special princess guest, Princess Marta, and their parents or guardians. Lunch is included, and there is a discount offered for siblings. Registration is required.

The summer camp will take place in the locally owned and operated Sweet Home Café, a long-standing daycare and restaurant facility located at #2-1380 Hillside Drive in the Aberdeen area.

Last year Princess Prep Summer Camp sold out four sessions and the organizers have since added sessions for a total of six. Parents can choose one of six sessions continuing for July and August 2022.

Session 1: July 18 To July 22 Session 2: July 25 To July 29 Session 3: August 1 To August 5 Session 4: August 8 To August 12 (FULL) Session 5: August 15 To August 19 Session 6: August 22 To August 26 https://princessprepkamloops.square.site/

16 AUGUST2022 2022 16 AUGUST

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Moving mom and dad If not, then will it be added to the estate sale and at what price? Be prepared that it will take approximately 20-40+ hours to go through a 2200 square foot home at a constant pace.

Senior Transition takes place after the Downsize is finished. The items that have been tagged for the move are now loaded onto the moving truck, transported and unloaded at the new destination. Once the items are in the new space, each item will need to find a home. As seniors can become anxious over a move, it is recommended that all items are unpacked at this time. If not, the senior can become overwhelmed and easily fatigued causing slips and falls as they are too tired to pay attention to their new surroundings with more clutter then they are used

to. It is not unusual for this to take one or more days to complete depending on the volume to deal with and the amount of help that is available.

Estate Liquidation takes place once the senior has physically moved out of the residence and the remaining items are for sale.

I recommend that ads be placed in the newspapers for maximum exposure and signs are erected for ease of visibility, ensure the sign is very large and readable.

Anything that is not sold can then be boxed up for charity pick up. Don’t forget that the Food Bank and some charities will also make pick ups for non-perishable food and items.

Once all the above is complete, then comes the final category, Estate Preparation. Nothing sells a

Continued from page 10 home faster than one that is clean and has great curb appeal. This is one area that should not be scrimped on.

It’s the first impression that people have of the home.

This can make or break and sale and can be financially devastating if not completed wholeheartedly. Again, be prepared that with the interior and exterior it may take 2-4 days to complete depending on size.

Don’t feel bad if as an adult child you feel overwhelmed and frustrated by the amount of work that it takes to assist your loved one with such a huge endeavor. It is a lot of work and we don’t all own an ‘easy button’. If this is too much for you or your family, give us a call as we specialize in custom packages for seniors, anywhere in Canada.

• Knowledgeable, friendly staff • Kamloop’s largest selection of bulk teas, herbs & spices • Exclusive carriers of Canadian Health First Supplements We look forward to seeing you!

10% off for seniors EVERY DAY Sahali Centre Mall, Kamloops (250) 828-6680

Clearwater Seniors’ Activities

AUGUST 2022

Seniors’ Coordinator 250-674-8185 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY 1

2

Carpet Bowling Men’s Sheds Drop-In @ Evergreen Old ICBC office Acres 9:00-3:00pm 1:00-3:00pm 7

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2nd Sunday Social - 12:30 Wells Gray Inn 21

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Calendar of Events

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Carpet Bowling Men’s Sheds Drop-In @ Evergreen Old ICBC office Acres 9:00-3:00pm 1:00-3:00pm 15

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Carpet Bowling Men’s Sheds @ Evergreen Drop-In Acres Old ICBC office 1:00-3:00pm 9:00-3:00pm 22

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Carpet Bowling @ Evergreen Acres 1:00-3:00pm

Men’s Sheds Drop-In Old ICBC office 9:00-3:00pm

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Carpet Bowling Men’s Sheds Drop-In @ Evergreen Old ICBC office Acres 9:00-3:00pm 1:00-3:00pm

3 Men’s Sheds Drop-In4-

Drop in Crib @ the Legion 1:00pm

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Drop in Crib @ the Legion 1:00pm

Hiking Group meet at Hungry Hikers at 8:30am

Men’s Sheds Drop-In Old ICBC office 9:00-3:00 pm Music in the Park DLCC field - 7:00pm

Hiking Group meet at Hungry Hikers at 8:30am

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Old ICBC office 9:00-3:00 pm Music in the Park DLCC field - 7:00pm Writers Circle 2:00-4:00 Seniors room

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Drop in Crib @ the Legion 1:00pm

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Drop in Crib @ the Legion 1:00pm

SATURDAY 5

Old ICBC office 9:00-3:00 pm Music in the Park DLCC field - 7:00pm Writers Circle 2:00-4:00 Seniors room

17 Men’s Sheds Drop-In 18-

Drop in Crib @ the Legion 1:00pm

FRIDAY

Old ICBC office 9:00-3:00 pm Music in the Park DLCC field - 7:00pm Book Club 2:00-4:00 at the Library

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Hiking Group meet at Hungry Hikers at 8:30am 26

Hiking Group meet at Hungry Hikers at 8:30am

6

Pancake Breakfast Elks Hall 8:00 - 12:00pm Farmers Market DLCC Field 9:00 - 12:00pm

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Pancake Breakfast Elks Hall 8:00 - 12:00pm Farmers Market DLCC Field 9:00 - 12:00pm

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Pancake Breakfast Elks Hall 8:00 - 12:00pm Farmers Market DLCC Field 9:00 - 12:00pm

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Pancake Breakfast Elks Hall 8:00 - 12:00pm Farmers Market DLCC Field 9:00 - 12:00pm

ACROSS 1. Female parent 5. NY city 10. Israeli diplomat Abba 14. Surrounded by 15. Car part 16. Simple aquatic plant 17. Tough skin of fruit 18. Finnish lake 19. Composition 20. Very willing 22. One and only 23. Cluster cups 24. Famed Hollywood director 27. Score perfectly 30. Important lawyers 31. Undivided 32. Part of the foot 35. Spun by spiders 37. Married woman 38. Reagan’s Secretary of State 39. Instruments 40. The A-Team drove one 41. Short-tailed marten 42. Oil organization 43. Predecessor to the EU 44. “Hotel California” rockers 45. Color at the end of the spectrum 46. Actress Ryan 47. Digital audiotape 48. Expression of creative skill 49. Scientific instrument 52. Dog-__: marked for later 55. Israeli city __ Aviv 56. Fencing sword

60. Turkish title 61. Wise individuals 63. Cold wind 64. Popular type of shoe 65. The territory occupied by a nation 66. Tattle 67. Chop up 68. Actress Zellweger 69. Romanian city DOWN 1. Female of a horse 2. Bowfin 3. Chinese dynasty 4. Small venomous snake 5. Global news agency 6. Common fractions 7. American state 8. Tired 9. Boxing’s GOAT 10. Made less severe 11. A group of countries in special alliance 12. God of fire (Hindu) 13. Northeast Indian ethnic group 21. Anchor ropes 23. They __ 25. Apprehend 26. Autonomic nervous system 27. A theatrical performer 28. 2-door car 29. Partner to flowed 32. Pair of small hand drums 33. Former Houston footballer

34. Discharge 36. Former women’s branch of the military 37. Partner to cheese 38. Witch 40. Live in a dull way 41. Satisfies 43. Snakelike fish 44. Consume 46. Type of student 47. Erase 49. Instruct 50. Girl’s given name 51. Spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation 52. Every one of two or more things 53. Indian city 54. Greek letters 57. Weapon 58. Geological times 59. Cycle in physics 61. Soviet Socialist Republic 62. Witness

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AUGUST2022 2022 17 AUGUST

Seniors’ Resource Centre - Salmon Arm 320A Second Ave. NE (Office Hours: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm) SUNDAY

MONDAY

Happy BC Day 7

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Monday Morning Market Caregiver Support 10:00 – 12:00 pm

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28

2

WEDNESDAY

9

8

Foot Care (by appt. only)

Foot Care (by appt. only)

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Day Away

Day Away

Foot Care (by appt. only)

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25

Day Away

8

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Day Away

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250-378-3763 • 1675 Tutill Court | Cyril George, President SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY

7

6

Day Away

AUGUST 2022

The Merrit Seniors Association

BC Day

SATURDAY

Day Away

Merritt Senior Centre Happy

5

Foot Care (by appt. only)

Foot Care (by appt. only)

1

FRIDAY Day Away

Good Food Box Payment 24

30

4

Good Food Box Payment

Foot Care (by appt. only)

Foot Care (by appt. only)

Monday Morning Market

10

23

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Monday Morning Market Caregiver Support 10:00 – 12:00 pm

THURSDAY Day Away

Foot Care (by appt. only) 16

15

3

Foot Care (by appt. only)

Foot Care (by appt. only)

Monday Morning Market 21

TUESDAY

AUGUST 2022

Calendar of Events

Salmon Arm, BC V1E 1H1 | Phone 250-832-7000 Fax 250-833-0550

2

3

Calendar of Events THURSDAY

4

FRIDAY

5

SATURDAY

6

Bingo 1:00 to 3.00 pm Doors open 11:00 am 9

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Bingo 1:00 to 3.00 pm Doors open 11:00 am 14

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Bingo 1:00 to 3.00 pm Doors open 11:00 am 21

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Bingo 1:00 to 3.00 pm Doors open 11:00 am 28

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Bingo 1:00 to 3.00 pm Doors open 11:00 am

SUDOKU

Book Review T

By Marilyn Brown

he long summer days of August may be the ideal time to read not only light fiction by a Canadian author (Bluebird), but perhaps historical fiction that delves into the lives of Jews in England during times of plague in the 1600’s (The Weight of Ink), and lastly, a novel of a middle-aged writer who embarks on a curious journey to avoid the awkwardness of an invitation to his ex-husband’s marriage.

Bluebird by Genevieve Graham begins in modern times with the discovery of a stash of whiskey boarded up in the walls of an old home under renovation. The assistant curator of the local museum searches for answers – she has family ties to that place. The origin of the whiskey is connected to prohibition in Canada and the U.S., and the Canadian rum-runners who made huge profits in the illegal trade, the waterway across to Detroit, the route of choice. Some of the men involved in rum-running were soldiers who survived World War I. Many such survivors owed their lives to the Bluebirds – Canadian trained nurses who volunteered to serve overseas. One young nurse and a wounded soldier are the focus of a love story that has a connection to the whiskey.

The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish also begins in modern times. A museum curator in London is privy to a new and potentially breathtaking discovery of the life of a young woman in the household of a Jewish rabbi in London in the 1600s. The curator, a staid, older woman close to retirement, must block the efforts of her boss to take credit for the discovery. The brash young American man assigned to her as an assistant is more of an irritant at first than a help. (The details of the time of plague in London resonate with today’s readers living with similar restrictions during COVID-19). Fascinating material and powerful characters. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award Winner.

Less, by Andrew Sean Greer, begins in the lobby of a New York hotel as the protagonist, Arthur Less, a middle-aged writer, awaits his unknown escort to a literary event, unaware that the clock he checks every few minutes stopped years ago.

The narrator states that Less was “…once pink and gold with youth, (now) faded like the sofa he sits on.” Less himself would acknowledge that his best writing is behind him, the love of his life is about to marry someone else, and all he wants to do is escape. He accepts a number of speaking engagements around the globe, similar to a warm-up act for a band. The narrator fondly observes as Less gets himself into a pickle or two, encountering one amusing obstacle after another. This story is funny and heart-warming, clever and nuanced, realistic and romantic. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize.

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18 2022 18 AUGUST AUGUST 2022

Fuel-saving driving habits

L

ast month’s article was about what we can do with our vehicles to decrease fuel consumption and increase vehicle mileage. This one will be about how we can aim towards a goal of less money out of the wallet by changing driving habits, just a little bit.

When I first started taking driving lessons when I was about to turn 16, I remember Mrs. Foster, the driving school instructor, showing the few of us in the class how to manage driving the vehicle smoothly. She explained about braking smoothly using the “chauffeur’s stop and also accelerating from a traffic light or stop sign without giving the passengers whiplash and motion sickness. Turns out these learned habits also help fuel consumption management.

In the area of braking it is a good practice to look forward, anticipate what you may need to do and use your brakes less because you have already scrubbed off speed by slowing down earlier. With Kamloops having train crossings, if you can, take your foot off the gas right away and see how well you can coast to the stop before having to use your brakes.

This practice can save you 20-30 percent in fuel consumption compared to sitting there waiting for the train to pass, vehicle in ‘drive’ or ‘park.’ Obviously, if it is a long train, turning off the engine is a viable option. Coasting where you want to go

saves fuel and brake pad life. Just to clear the air, the “chauffeurs stop” is such a smooth stop the passengers heads don’t bobble back and forth as the vehicle is finally coming to rest.

Some people with large vehicles doing in-town driving have realized a saving by only filling the gas tank half full. Why carry that few hundred pounds of weight of excess fuel when you are in the city or close to a filling station?

Don’t accelerate too hard, especially from a stop. One’s vehicle uses 2-3 times more fuel to accelerate to cruising speed compared to maintaining the posted velocity. Pressing on the gas pedal should be limited to “the rule of thumb” which means don’t push it down more than the width of your “thumb” which is approximately 1 inch or 26 mm. Some people have also used the concept of, imagine you have a raw egg under the gas pedal and too hard a push will break it— whatever works for you. *In this fuel saving activity please don’t hesitate to step on the pedal to get out of the way of danger. Getting in an accident trying to save a few cents worth of gas isn’t worth it.

Engines use up some fuel during warmup at a greater amount than at operating temperature, 10-35 percent depending on the vehicle. After a cold start, allow for 10-30 seconds for warm up then drive

Have a wall that just won't stay nice?

carefully, this gives the engine a quicker and better warm-up opportunity.

For those of you who drive a standard transmission, when stopped on a hill use your parking brake to hold you in your position. This practice uses less fuel and saves on clutch wear, and I highly recommend you should practice hill take off procedures to minimize stalling. *Little note, I have seen more clutches have a shorter life because the driver keeps the vehicle in gear while waiting for the light to change. Put it in neutral.

If your vehicle is an automatic, use ‘overdrive’ as much as possible and the same for those with standard transmissions. Both functions improve economy by keeping the engine in a lower operating range thus using less fuel.

Maintain posted speeds, every 2 kilometres over speed increases consumption by 1-2 percent.

Plan your travel routes, drive to the furthest destination of the trip first. It gives your engine and transmission a chance to warm up so they can work in a more efficient state. Practice carpooling and not repeating routes in the same drive. These simple practices can save 5-15 percent which is money in your pocket.

I noticed in the winter time, people driving with snow on the roof of their vehicle. That weight will really impact fuel economy 7-15 percent and, trust me, snow

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on the roof is quite heavy. While talking about winter, use a block heater as a warm engine really uses less energy.

Air conditioning has improved over the years. I have seen the transition from keeping the car freezing and using lots of fuel to now sensing what the interior of the vehicle needs. The newer style of A/C compressors use 70-75 percent less energy than the ones used in the 60s, yet they function very well. At highway cruising speeds A/C is more efficient for cooling the vehicle than having the windows down and more efficient means less gas used.

Cruise control has also been my best friend! Besides maintaining the vehicle operation and speed, i.e. better economy, it also saved me tons of money in speeding tickets. Since I don’t have to monitor my speed because the cruise is set, I have gone through many a speed trap without fear of unwanted attention. Sweet.

I was curious as to how much of our gas prices are some perceived problem caused by taxes. Upon research, they are not.

Taxes did not create these huge increases in the last 12 months. I did however find out some interesting information which I will share next month.

Any concerns or questions please don’t hesitate to contact me at bigsix8280@yahoo.ca.

Happy BC Day, everyone!

Submitted by Penny Ouchi

S

Paint Like No Other

Submitted by Gary Miller, Retired Service Advisor & Certified Automotive Specialist

eniors’ Community Centre @ Desert Gardens thanks everyone for their continued support. A huge thank you to the volunteers who have stepped up to give a lending hand. It has been very appreciated.

If anyone is itching to lend a hand for an hour or more please don’t hesitate to step up.

We continue to have the Oasis Café open Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Unfortunately, at this time there are no lunch or dinners being served, however, we have lots of homemade goodies (sweets, muffins, cookies) and coffee, tea, pop and juice. Lots of smiles come with it.

Chair Fitness is Tuesday and Thursdays from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. with our lovely instructor Michelle.

Scrabble is Wednesdays from 1 – 3 p.m.

Cribbage is Fridays from 1 – 3 p.m.

Toastmasters is off for the summer.

Table Tennis is on Mondays and Thursdays from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. and TGIF is once again beginning on Fridays from 10 – 11 a.m.

Welcome back everyone!

Mexican Train is Saturdays @ 2 p.m.

Everyone is welcome to come try any of these activities.

Good news, beginning August 23, we have a Chair Yoga instructor, Teresa, who has offered to do a trial session until September 30, 2022 (in order to gauge interest).

It will be one hour on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2 to 3 p.m. Please come and support Teresa so that this may become an

ongoing activity. Cost will be a minimal $3 per session.

We would like to thank the many folks in the Community who call to arrange special meetings/events. We are happy to host whenever possible.

Everyone is welcome to come to our wonderful centre and participate in an activity or just to have a cup of coffee or tea and chat with new friends.

For the month of August the Centre will remain closed on Mondays in order for the staff and volunteers to have an extra day off.

If anyone has new ideas for extra programs please stop by the office and pass them on. We hope to have the Centre vibrant and bustling once again.

Wishing everyone a wonderful summer.

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AUGUST 2022

I am “just” a bird

NAOMI BIRKENHEAD

R

ecently I was posed with some of the most daunting questions of my entire life: “What do I want to be when I grow up, and what do you like to do?!” See I recently lost my job, which has thrust me into the world of deciding what avenue of work I want or more or less need or should pursue for the prosperity of all around me. Opinion of most, is to venture after

and most importantly, their presence is an indicator of the overall health of the ecosystems. But do you know what the best part of being a bird is? They can be the most awesomest Environmental Engineers all while whistling a happy little tune, and hardly a serious note at that, and not wear pants! They love their job, because it is just who they are.

One of the most common complaints I hear at this time of year, is how the birds are eating my lawn and garden. Here’s what they are telling you: you got bugs and lots of them. Did you know, that a brood of Chickadee’s can eat between 6,000-9,000 caterpillars in a season?!

Now imagine them little guys munching up your

Urging the feds to temporarily suspend GST on fuel costs

FRANK CAPUTO KAMLOOPSTHOMPSON-CARIBOO MP

T

he cost-of-living crisis is putting a strain on our economy. Every Canadian is feeling the pinch of rising prices for virtually every necessity and it only feels like it’s getting worse.

The price of fuel has hit everyone. Consumers and commuters have always faced higher than average prices living in B.C., but today’s gas prices are astronomical and it’s time for the government to step up and give Canadians a

break at the pumps.

I have been consistently calling on the government to temporarily suspend the GST on fuel purchases.

This will have an immediate effect on the price of gas and has been implemented already by some provinces and every other G7 nation.

Unfortunately, the price of gas doesn’t just affect us when we fill up our vehicles. Lower gas prices mean lower transportation costs for your groceries and you have to pay less at the checkout. They mean cheaper production costs for farmers and agriculture producers meaning it costs less to harvest the goods that end up on the shelf. Fuel prices touch nearly every area of our lives.

Canadians need a break. The struggle to keep up with these costs is becoming

overwhelming and it’s time for the government to step up and make this change.

On a happier note, earlier this month I had the chance to host an ice cream social for Ukrainian refugees in our riding. It was a great opportunity to hear their stories and learn about how they are settling into their new lives.

If you would like to support Ukrainian families who are adjusting please reach out to one of the many community organizations who are helping. Organizations like Kamloops Immigrant Services, the CanadaUkraine Foundation and the Canadian Red Cross are all working hard to ensure that refugees are able to safely transition to life in Canada.

gardens leaves.

Every aves has a role to play and none are any less or anymore important than the next; except for the vulture perhaps. Being able to smell and dismantle a rotting carcass is a duty not many would prefer. But if they do not consume the dead, it would lead to an increase in population of other species like coyotes and wild dogs and wolves and so forth, which would have a greater impact on the delicate balance of the species diversity of an area.

And believe it or not sea bird pooping in the water helps with nutrient dispersal. Sea bird excrement or Guano is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus and when deposited in the water and on soil, helps to

differences and abilities enrich the existing no matter how vast, all nutrient content. contribute equally to No matter the role the sustainability of our each Genus plays, Sapiens Ecology. they have one thing in common; they are still Stay Curious simply a bird and the Kamloops! loss of one category or another would have a detrimental effect on the overall global ecology.

As for me and what I want to be when I grow up and what I like to do, well, it’s aspiring to be the most decent human being and contributing to the world in whatever way I can! And for those that have met me, that means doing it decked out in sparkly converse shoes and fun dangly earrings cause my worth and yours, should never be defined simply by the career we have either chosen or been fortunate enough to attain. In the end, it is our humanity Jay visits at Windy Lake. that counts. Our

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LB22003

Kamloops birdwatch

those jobs with the most benefits and pay because let’s face it, nobody likes their job or so I am told.

This is rather appalling to me and if that has truly become the framework of our workforce, than I would like to be a bird please!

Birds, by nature, perform some of the most integral roles in supporting and maintaining the ecosystems of our lovely green planet. They don’t even have to think about it. They never wake up in the morning and are questioned about what they would like to be, because, well hello, they already are something. By simply being “themselves” they provide environmental services such as: Pest control, Fertilization, Pollination, Seed Dispersal, Population control, Composting

19

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20 AUGUST 2022 20 AUGUST 2022

HOMAGE TO HOMINESS Creative Writing by Rita Joan Dozlaw

G

oing back seventy years into the time capsule of her life, Josie McKay reflected on homes she’d lived in. Each one had a loving family, a unique locale, and façade— starting with the house in Dixie, more specifically, the southern state of Georgia.

It was a quaint old house; windows had awnings but sometimes no glass, critters crept in through torn screens, water marks ran amok under window sills, and warped doors squeaked no matter how often they were vaccinated with the long nozzle of an oil can.

Following a cool rain, the open windows and doors invited the aroma of the Star Magnolias and wet grass to breeze in. Despite its drooping gutters, the house with a wrap-around porch, and shutters framing the windows, had curb appeal.

Out on the porch Josie, shaded under a veil of mosquito netting, slept soundly in her pram. Her mother rocked and hummed, ‘Rockabye Baby’. She loved the Spanish moss hanging in the nearby weeping willows.

‘Hushabye, don’t you cry’.

Infant Josie, silent and dreamy in cotton diapers fresh from the clothesline, had no need for woollyknitted blankets, booties or sweaters. When she got older,

D

the darling of the family wore lace frocks, tied with a sash, or pinafores that were held closed at the back with tiny safety pins.

In her very first home, Josie crawled over small geometric tiles or hickory hardwood—tougher on knees than the softer areas of cheap linoleum. She made it on all fours across the floor like a wiggly bug and settled to play beside Spanky, the black and white spaniel, on the circular rug in the zenith of the living room. Growing up, she was told she took her first steps on the old hooked rug.

For employment, the McKay family moved from Georgia to Shipside, Delaware. Subsidized meagrely, they lived in ‘the projects’. Alba, Josie’s daddy, had a heart murmur.

Ineligible for the military, he served his country as an iron-worker in the vital ship building industry. Hired by a steel company, he assured the employer of his willingness to relocate to any job sites offered. A decent contract was signed, and the family moved to another town.

Wilmington’s war-time housing was an improvement over the projects because the house was furnished. Josie had her own twin bed, but not for long. It was June 1947 when they packed up and left the squeaky bed-springs,

sagging couch, and patchy lawn, to relocate yet again.

Josie’s first pair of skates rolled smoothly over the wooden floors in their red brick row-house on 34th Street in Baltimore, Maryland.

Their street was cobblestone.

Nevertheless, she learned to ride her first bike on 34th. Her granny, Eugenia, moved in with them. She was a big tease and called Josie a smartypants southern belle, when she needed reprimanding. At the park, she pushed the child on a swing and told far-out fairy stories. Josie learned how to chin herself there and was learning how to walk, with her hands clinging to the monkey bars! She lost her grip, fell on her wrist, and suffered her first broken bone.

Granny Jeanie pampered her on the way home.

Joined together, twostory-high row-housing was a sign of the times—all with identical front stoops, shutters, window boxes and dusty, even, rows of horizontal blinds at the windows. Setting the McKay’s unit apart from the rest, sweet peas twined around the frontsteps railing.

When the pre-school youngster wasn’t drawing stick people and dogs with her crayons on construction paper, she was outside walking Spanky down her street. One rainy afternoon,

Tender toes

o you suffer with pain and possible embarrassment that is associated with a bump on the base of your great toe known as a bunion? Do you have swelling or redness and reduced movement in the large toe? This is a common condition that is very much preventable with proper fitting shoes and arch support. A bunion is caused from too much pressure on the forefoot (ball of your foot) or the large toe joint. Pressure to the area from tight fitting shoes, high heels,

weight gain or lack of arch support can cause a shifting of the bones.

Without treatment the misalignment may lead to a dislocation and deformity within the joint. In most cases, the shift will eventually cause the large toe to point toward the other toes which can be very painful.

This condition may make it difficult to walk, wear normal shoes and/or perform normal daily activities. If left untreated, the bunion can worsen and may allow arthritis to settle into the affected area. No fun with a bun

running back inside, she heard a wee kitten mewing and found out it wasn’t a kitten at all; it was a little baby! Named after Grandma Eugenia, Jeanie, was born in her parents’ bedroom. Shortly after the happy arrival of her new sister, a pall came over Josie. Her frail grandmother was hospitalized. Josie missed the stories and playful teasing and often asked when her granny would come home.er Skipping over to the three-foot-high stone wall, separating the yards from the street, Josie peered into its cavities. Creepy crawlies hid their secret lives in there, but under swarms of fireflies, with her flashlight in hand, Josie exposed them! Nocturnal eyes of spiders, water bugs, and roaches left Josie shivering as they scrambled.

Piercing street lamps along 34th offered a false sense of security; it happened that some folks, in a stupor, wandered from the nearby bars, at closing hour in the dead of the night, and entered the wrong door.

After all, front doors looked alike and were rarely locked.

Only Josie’s house had white gardenias which, at night, stood out as a beacon against the rust-coloured bricks. At times, the wanderers missed the identifiable signs and appeared on the McKay’s front stoop. They frightened

the kids and spooked Spanky, but rarely was there any real trouble, just inconvenience.

Two-inch-long water bugs swam in Spanky’s water dish at night. Every morning, Josie’s mom fished them out with a sieve and flushed them down the toilet.

Josie imagined the critters exploding in the slime of the noisy plumbing pipes. Ants, marching in armies up and down the table legs, were killed off with DDT—before it was declared a banned substance.

As happened many times in the throws of relocating, the McKays waited on the airport tarmac for their flight. Josie asked, “Can’t Granny Jeanie come with us?” It pained her young heart to learn of death for the first time. The plane landed in Ontario, Canada!

Alba worked on the construction of the country’s first underground subway!

Like water bugs to the dog’s water bowl in Baltimore, the family gravitated to the waters of northern fishing lakes including the great Lake Ontario. It was 1950, in Toronto, when the McKays received their officiallystamped and sealed ‘Landed Immigrant’ status cards. Truly ‘at home’ for good, as an adult, Josie McKay was honoured at a ceremony celebrating her Canadian Citizenship!

by Liza Fedechko and no pun intended.

If you do have a bunion, the only way to have it removed is through surgery known as a bunionectomy.

This surgical procedure is performed to place toes back into a proper position and balance the muscles around the affected toe to avoid it from growing back. If surgery is not an option, there are non-surgical treatments to reduce pain and rate of growth. The items available are alignment socks which have toe separators that may help to relieve

the pain. There are also nonmedicated bunion pads, which act as buffer between your shoe and foot.

Shoe inserts or orthotics provide cushion and support which may alleviate the tenderness. Applying ice when the area has become inflamed accompanied with a pain reliever such as Ibuprofen or Tylenol may also help to reduce the inflammation and pain. It may take some time and trying a few of the products to see what is the best option for you.

www.connectornews.ca

AUGUST 2022

“The Psychology of Cemeteries?”

Are you kidding?

Ask Drake

DRAKE SMITH Funeral Director

I

t was a warm summer night, a Saturday night in fact. I found myself at the local cemetery.

“Where else would you be Drake” you might ask. Well, it wasn’t like I was ‘hanging out’ there.

I had a purpose. I went to make sure that a plot was ready for a graveside service, scheduled for the following day (Sunday). The plot was dug. All was well. I prepared to leave.

The cemetery was empty, not a living soul to be found. Or so I thought. As I climbed into my little funeral van I noticed a vehicle slowly approaching. It stopped and a lone individual left the vehicle. He walked silently over to a bench beside the columbarium.

A columbarium is an upright, above ground structure that serves as

the final resting place for cremated remains. This particular columbarium has about 60 individual spaces or niches and can hold 60 or more urns.

The man sat down on the bench and just started looking at the columbarium. He didn’t move. He didn’t start talking. He didn’t bring any loud music with him. It was quiet and still. He was quiet and still. I didn’t dare disturb him so I drove slowly and quietly from the cemetery and left him in peace.

All the way home I was thinking of this man. Who was he visiting? Was it his wife?

His child? His mother or father? When and how did they die? Was he visiting from out of town because he couldn’t attend the celebration of life held earlier? Mostly, I wanted to know why he chose to spend his Saturday night on a bench in the cemetery staring at a niche in the columbarium. Was he there to find comfort?

To share his grief (or perhaps guilt, or loneliness) or his worry?

What motivated him to be there?

As with many things these days, I went to Google for clues. I

Googled “psychology of cemeteries.” You won’t believe how many sites popped up. It was mind boggling. (As an aside, before I went further I decided to see what would happen if I Googled “psychology of ….” ANYTHING! Do you know that there are websites and studies dedicated to the psychology of ear wax?

Or the psychology of window curtains? Or trees? Or telephones?

Or boxer shorts? Or… you get the point.)

Bottom line: humans (academics) seem obsessed with learning how everything in the world makes us mentally healthy (more or less). I Googled “Can you be too obsessed with psychology” but I didn’t find anything; I guess (according to pyschologists at least) you can never have too much psychology!

As I searched for the psychology of cemeteries I came across a puzzling website. As I read it I started to feel like Charlie Brown when Lucy was pretending to be a psychologist in A Charlie Brown Christmas (remember “Nickels, nickels, nickels.”) Lucy interrogated Charlie

Brown about his mental condition and fears.

Turns out Charlie had a fear of everything. Well, in my case, the Google site asked if the reader might be a Tapophile or perhaps even a Coimetromaniac. I’ve been a funeral director for over 20 years and never heard of these ‘conditions.’ I decided to leave this research project for another time and Googled “psychology of carrots” instead.

I forced myself to focus back on the man on the bench in the cemetery. Although I had no idea why he was there I felt sad for him. I imagined him spending those moments all alone in the cemetery as darkness approached.

He looked sad and he may well have been.

One thing was certain: it was important for him to be there. How do I know this? Because the mosquitoes were everywhere and they were attacking any living creature! I rolled up my window and drove off.

The man stayed on the bench in the cemetery, staring at the grave. I hope he had bug spray.

And I hope he found comfort.

Access changes at RIH

P

eople who use Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) are advised of changes to the way they access the Kamloops hospital, beginning Monday, July 18 with the opening of the Phil & Jennie Gaglardi Tower.

The public will now access the main entrance and the emergency department in a new way.

Main entrance and patient drop off The new main entrance and patient dropoff area is located at the front doors of the Gaglardi Tower, across from the Clinical Services Building (CSB) parkade. Public parking remains in the CSB parkade and people can walk from Level P4 of the CSB parkade and follow the sidewalk to access the main entrance to RIH. Emergency entrance The new, permanent emergency entrance

at RIH is located at the roundabout (near the old coffee shop). There is no longer any emergency parking near the ambulance bay.

Short-term public parking for the emergency department is now located on the right side of the drive leading to the roundabout.

Signage will be in place to help guide patients.

21

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How do you feel when you think about your eventual death?

Submitted by Erin Chambers,

D

Life Coach/End of Life Doula

eath emphasizes our vulnerability. Feeling vulnerable often makes us feel unsafe or exposed. Our natural instinct is to want to guard ourselves-against both thoughts and potential feelings that might come up, especially with this ‘taboo’ subject.

Death, IF we have thought about it, is a tough topic for a lot, if not most, people. I think it would be safe to say that ‘fear’ or even ‘denial’ are the first words that come to mind when we think of our eventual death. Tackling this difficult subject, as challenging as it might be, could allow you to have a different perspective.

The more we think, talk and plan about our eventual deaths, perhaps we can ease out words like ‘fear’ and replace them with descriptives like ‘comfort’ or ‘peace of mind’ instead.

Death is not only feasible and possible, it is the end result for every single life journey.

Let’s get this straight from the beginning—we are never going to have all the answers. No one knows how much time they have left or how we are going to die. These answers will

almost always elude us.

However, we can gain clarity and find solace in acknowledging that our death WILL happen some day.

Thinking about the choices we have and can make while we are able to do so will help us align with ourselves better and, hopefully, assist us in starting those difficult conversations with those we care about most.

Postponing the inevitable isn’t going to stop it from happening. Gaining clarity and partaking in planning for this event (that none of us can opt out of by the way) is a gift, both to yourself and to others.

Death definitely has sadness attached to it due to the loss we feel, but it is also a space that holds memories, smiles and celebration. I invite you to change your perspective when thinking about your eventual death. Remove the negative and insert the value instead.

It’s an opportunity to not only get to know yourself better and realize what you want, it’s a chance to understand, have conversations and become closer and connected to others as well.

UNITED CHURCHES OF CANADA Kamloops United Church

www.kamloopsunited.ca 421 St. Paul St. • Sundays 10 am Rev. Dr. Michael Caveney

Mt. Paul United Church

www.mtpauluc.ca 140 Laburnum St. • Sundays 10 am

Plura Hills United Church

www.plurahillsunited.com 2090 Pacific Way • Sundays 10 am

End of Life Doula I specialize in grief and loss, in all areas of life: relationships, jobs, pets, self, way of life, as well as our loved ones. I help people navigate death in both the practical and emotional sense.

Erin Chambers

An End of Life Doula & Holistic Life & HealthCoach 250-309-4779 • beforeyourlastbreath@gmail.com www.griefenergycoach.com

See you on the playground under the uncertainty of a pandemic virus that keeps mutating.

As we’ve eased out of the harsher lockdown mode of Covid, we’ve run into higher prices and rapid inflation.

The war in Ukraine is no longer part of Colouring our daily news but it outside the lines is still there. Random REV. LEANN BLACKERT acts of grief may Wild Church be more prevalent than random acts of Editor’s Note: Just kindness. With all the in case the following stressors this world seems familiar, Rev daily brings into our LeAnn Blackert is lives the power of away visiting family play to refresh and this month and we are revive our spirits is revisiting a column invaluable. from two years ago.

The Biblical character, Job, lived Slowly, cautiously, under a myriad of the black cat crept stressors. Tucked in across the yard, low to his story of trauma the ground, one paw and grief and death is following another, this little verse: movement barely But ask the animals, detectable. One step, and they will teach two steps, then a you; the birds of the pause – a long pause air, and they will tell – before another you; ask the plants of step. My eyes follow the earth, and they the cat’s to the spot will teach you; and where a small black the fish of the sea will squirrel, gnawing on declare to you. the twig of a maple The animals, the tree, sits at the base birds, the plants, they of the tree. Suddenly are teachers if we stop the squirrel takes two to pay attention.

Who quick steps away from better to teach us the the tree, turns, runs power of play than back, skitters up about cats and squirrels! a foot off the ground In her book, and back flips to the Braiding Sweetgrass, ground, somersaults Robin Wall Kimmerer and races around the base of the tree.

When I look back the cat is sitting, no longer stalking, now an observer as well.

Over and over the little squirrel picks up the stick, chews for a bit, then hops, somersaults, jumps, races up the tree and back down to begin again.

The power of play!

As July turns to August our summer days are waning, but there’s still time for play. We still live

describes the work of clearing a pond on her newly purchased property. The pond was suffocating under a heavy load of algae and she worked for years to restore it to a healthy functioning watershed. She writes: When my sister came to visit, her kids, raised in the dry California hills, were smitten with water.

They waded after frogs and splashed with abandon while I worked at the algae.

My brother-in-law called out from the shade, “Hey, who is the biggest kid here?”

I can’t deny it – I’ve never outgrown my desire to play in the mud. But isn’t play the way we get limbered up for the work of the world? My sister defended my pond-raking with the reminder that it was sacred play.

Sacred play.

Chewing on a stick to savour the small sweet drops of maple water.

Rolling somersaults in gleeful abandon as a black cat sits and watches. Ravens flying in formation before barrel rolling across the breeze. Swallows swooping and diving along the silty bluffs.

The animals speak

of the joy that play brings. Wading barefoot along the edge of a pond. Or a lake. Or splashing with abandon. Riding a bike. Weaving a daisy chain necklace.

Flying a kite. Riding a swing or a merrygo-round or a teeter totter. Speeding down a slippery shiny slide.

Summer days are built for playing. We cannot fully engage in the work of the world if we forget to limber up with times of play.

Race you to the swing set!

Rev LeAnn Blackert works with Michele Walker, Linda Clark and Lesly Comrie in ministry with Wild Church in Kamloops, Sorrento and the Okanagan (wildchurchbc.org).

She considers herself a seeker in her faith journey and wanders the wild world looking for soul-nourishing connection with the Great Mystery and fellow seekers. To join her and others on this journey, visit wildchurchbc.org and be in touch!

www.connectornews.ca

AUGUST 2022

23

When the world stops shopping: Looking for love

The insight story WENDY WESEEN

I

’ve surrounded myself with kind and gentle people in my life. I discovered the Buddha; knew I had a monkey mind going madly off in all directions and a commitment to nonviolence fitted me.

I embraced the bit about every person having a Buddha nature, a central core of goodness. I caught

on quickly that my journey would be long and arduous if I tried to follow a philosophy that questions aggression in the world and if I gave up running on the treadmill of materialism and retail therapy.

I believed loving to be the essential component to resolving conflict and problems but was soaked in a comforting blanket of advertising, politics, news, and celebrity, a media that entertains and brainwashed me, defines what love should be, narrows its scope, distracts us from deeper thoughts, and uses confrontation, aggression, adversity, and competition as a primary communication style

to solve problems— even though, love is the liturgy of every world religion.

We fall in and out of the faces of love our whole lives.

We love parents, siblings, children and grandchildren, friends, colleagues, people who check out our groceries, sell us our bus passes, attend our church, and belong to our community. If we are compassionate people, we love the person who struggles with difficulties, men and women on the street, hungry people with health challenges and disadvantages. Before we are out of our warm wombs, love passes through the umbilical chord and humans

see, hear, and move to romantic love in music, dance, theatre, books, poetry, film and movies, and its mystery permeates our lives.

So, it’s no surprise that advertising and popular media defines what love should be – defines who we are, who we should be, how love should feel and what we should do with it, constantly and consistently linking love and happiness to products promising to give love if we purchase and consume them. Romantic love is the key target, a bestseller, marketing everything under the sun, shamelessly pairing lovability with sex, a powerful biological underpinning for our

survival as a species.

It’s been easy to seduce us into believing romantic love is the primary worthwhile love, essential for our emotional survival and exploited by a profiteering economy. Add to this bombardment of the fairy tale template targets, vulnerable tiny princes and princesses in our world. We equate romantic love, a constant resident in our minds and hearts, with a belief it is the only source of happiness or unhappiness. We believe we can’t be happy without romantic love and often think if we don’t have it, there must be something wrong with us.

Romantic love is an

image that includes being completed by another one-and-only person, filling a gap or need in ourselves, a soul-mate able to read our minds, repair childhood wounds, and be there for us without fail. The dots I wish to connect have informed us about the need to stop climate change but swamped by such a powerful love mythology supported by an addictive economic system, can we hope to radically change our stewardship of the planet?

The Day the World Stopped Shopping: How Ending Consumerism Saves the Environment and Ourselves, J.B MacKinnon, 2021

Five Benefits of Laminate Wood Flooring

Flooring

PAUL MORRIS Nufloors

W

ood floors and their timeless look have always been a popular choice for homeowners.

However, real hardwood may not be best suited for your lifestyle based on your daily activities and the type of traffic your floors experience.

Laminate floors, on the other hand, offer many benefits, especially for busy homes and the hightraffic areas inside them.

In this article, we will be sharing 5 benefits of laminate flooring to help you decide if it is the right choice for you and your

next project! Let’s get started.

1. Affordability Affordability is often at the top of everyone’s list when it comes to the benefits of laminate.

If you are looking for a genuine wood look but haven’t budgeted for real hardwood, laminate is a great alternative that doesn’t break the bank.

On average, laminate can cost about 50% less than hardwood floors. In many cases, it is very difficult to tell the difference between laminate and wood.

2. Appealing Look & Styles Who doesn’t love the classy and elegant look of hardwood flooring throughout their home?

With laminate you can have just that. Make any home look and feel richer and more attractive with laminates extremely realistic wood looks.

Technology has come so far in recent years that you can hardly tell laminate apart from real hardwood.

And believe us, tons of beautiful and on-trend styles are available to suit any design preference!

3. Maintenance If you have a busy household with children and/or pets, laminate is a good choice for you. Unlike hardwood, laminate is not as susceptible to water and moisture. Where hardwood will warp and crack when exposed to moisture, the outer layer of laminate protects the material from fluids.

Simply wipe up spills when they occur. Many laminates now offer waterproof or water resistant warranties.

When it comes to cleaning, regular vacuuming or sweeping is all you need, no waxing or polishing is required.

4. Child and Pet Friendly As we’ve mentioned, laminate is a great solution for homes with children and/or pets, but why is that? Not only can

laminate be waterproof/ water-resistant, but laminate is also very durable, scratch and stain resistant. Real hardwood will begin to fade and start to show wear over time, laminate on the other hand is great for high-traffic areas because it is more resistant to scratching and wear.

5. Installation Unlike hardwood, laminate can be installed anywhere in your home, including moisture-prone areas and basements. In addition, you don’t need to worry about adhering it to the subfloor and in some cases, you can install it right on top of old flooring.

Whether you’re sold on laminate or would like to talk to someone about your options, we can help!

Stop by our showroom to see many of the newest and best laminate styles on the market.

Happy BC Day

250-372-1234 • info@cfselaw.ca

Downtown Kamloops - #300-272 Victoria St.

CFSELAW.CA

24 AUGUST 2022

www.connectornews.ca

7 high-tech reasons you should finally deal with your hearing loss

1

They’re cool, sleek, discreet and virtually invisible. New technologies are all about function, style, and effortless living.

The latest hearing aids offer all three.

The designs are incredibly attractive with smooth, modern contours. And they’re much smaller than even conventional Bluetooth earpieces.

Many of the latest hearing aids are so tiny, they sit discreetly and comfortably inside the ear canal, out of sight. You might say that aesthetically, hearing aids have had a complete makeover.

adaptable to changing noise scenarios.

Recordings of virtually every imaginable listening situation have been used to create algorithms and “train” these amazing mini-computers for your ears.

They capture the natural richness and variation of speech, so it’s easier to follow the conversation wherever you are. Let’s face it, one of the most pesky aspects of not hearing as well as you once did is not catching everything people are saying. New technologies not only help you decipher speech details in music and noise, but they better preserve and clarify the more subtle sounds of language — like the consonants B, S, F, T, and Z — so you can really follow what someone is saying. No faking.

You can hear from all directions — even when scoping out what’s in the fridge. Advanced directional microphone technology lets you hear from the back and side — something really important when driving a car.

But it also makes it easier to hear voices more clearly in other everyday settings — like when your head is in the fridge and your significant other is talking at your back. Yes, that’s one great feature.

Digital, Bluetooth, and wireless capabilities keep you connected when it counts. Digital, wireless hearing aids are the now the norm.

That means many new technologies let you stream sound directly into your hearing aids — at the perfect volume — from your smartphone, laptop, conference-room speakerphone, home entertainment system, and other Bluetooth devices. Music, phone calls, podcasts, videos, whatever you listen

3

to through your iPhone (or iPad and iPod for that matter), you can listen to through many hearing aids. Some even let you control the volume and other personalized sound settings with an app on your smartphone. Several types of wireless accessories give you a listening boost by bridging the gap between you and the speaker, making it easier to hear in loud or large places.

Using a wireless mini-microphone — with cool, contoured designs, some even looking like a pen— placed on the restaurant or conference-room table, or near anyone you want to hear, makes it feel like they’re speaking directly and clearly into your ears, no matter how noisy the setting. You adjust the volume.

7

4 2

They cut out background noise so you hear what you want to hear. Even with the best of hearing, it’s tough to hear people when it’s noisy. But many state-of-the-art hearing aids not only reduce unwanted noise, they also scan the listening environment and automatically adapt to it — even in wind. There are hearing aids that can actually “geo-tag” a location. So if it’s convenient for you to network at a certain coffee shop, your hearing aids will know when you’re there and adjust themselves accordingly. For the record, it’s not by chance that the latest state-of-the-art hearing aids are so

5

or whistling thanks to advances in digital technologies. And most are hypoallergenic with nanotechnology coating to keep them clean and dry.

Some are even fully waterproof, so you can swim and shower in them, no problem. Plus, today’s greater-than-ever audio-processing goes hand-in-hand with less battery usage. Some hearing aids are even rechargeable, eliminating the need to change batteries altogether. But the convenience and comfort don’t end there. Some brands let you set up reminders for things like appointments or taking medicine. Perhaps the most “peace-of-mind-preserving” life hack, though, is leading-edge technology that helps sooth the ringing in your ears (tinnitus) in a way that suits you.

There are even more disruptive hearing technologies on the horizon.

Totally out-of-sight, semi-permanent hearing aids that stay in for two to three months let you shower and sleep in them, no fuss. Perhaps the most futuristic glimpse of hearing aids is tied to recent ground-breaking studies revealing a significant link between untreated hearing loss and dementia.

Hearing aid manufacturers are deep in the trenches working to create future break-through technologies that will make it as easy as possible for the brain to decode speech and other sounds. Reducing cognitive load — that is, drawing fewer resources from the brain just to “hear” — is a very good thing. After all, we really do hear with our brains and not with our ears. Some hearing aids with these technologies are already available.

Yes, leading-edge hearing aids are here to help you keep your mind sharp and your life easier by hearing your best at every age — starting today.

6

State-of-the-art comfort and convenience mean you’ll always want to use them. Super-small, super-light, customized, functional, and ergonomically designed, hearing aids today are more comfy than ever — yet tough enough to withstand real life. For most of the newest hearing aids, there’s virtually no feedback

Hearing testing, hearing aid fittings and hearing aid programming by appointment only. PLEASE CALL 250-372-3090 TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT. Drop in for a cleaning! Please call us from your cell phone when you arrive or come in and we would be happy to assist you.

414 Arrowstone Drive Kamloops, BC 250.372.3090 Toll Free 1.877.718.2211 Email: info@kamloopshearingaidcentre.ca or online at:

www.KamloopsHearingAidCentre.ca Find us on facebook: /KamloopsHearingAidCentre