The Newsy Neighbour April Issue 126

HOUSE & HOME Issue NEWSY OUR Seventh

ANNUAL The

April 2018 Issue 126

A Complimentary Magazine for Strathmore, Langdon, Chestermere & Area

Neighbour Magazine

46 Ways to Organize Your Home

EAGLE LAKE RV RESORT Seasonal Only

Your Friendly Campground Close To Home

2018 Home Décor Trends Breathe Fresh Life into Your Home with These Interior Design Ideas

eaglelakeRVresort.co or call us at 403 934 4283

GO KARTS OPEN SOON! Watch our Facebook Page to find out when.

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A Master Planned Residential Community in Strathmore, Alberta

Phase 3 Lots NOW AVAILABLE 4 New Showhomes Now Open Single Family Homes starting from the $350’s /WildflowerRanchStrathmore

www.wildflowerranch.ca

Exclusive Wildflower Builders Congratulations to Aquilla Homes on winning the Readers Choice Builder of the Year Award for 2016 & 2017

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Vitamin & Supplement Store #211-3 Avenue Strathmore, AB (In Hilton Plaza)

403-983-7300

Time to De-Tox Our Bodies Come in to learn what cleanse is best for you.

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FREE Upcoming Programs Better Choices, Better Health® (6-week series)

Forgiveness & Resentment

Strathmore

Langdon

Geared towards people suffering from a chronic condition—arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, bromyalgia, cancer, heart disease, depression/ anxiety, asthma, obesity, or chronic pain.

12-Apr

Diabetes Essentials

1-3:30 pm

Strathmore

All the information you need to know—insulin; blood glucose monitoring; hypo- and hyperglycemia; your kidneys and eyes; medications; cholesterol, etc.

Strathmore

02-May

Your Kidney Health

10-Apr

1-4 pm Strathmore Hospital

2-4 pm

Getting Started with Healthy Habits

Learn the basics—healthy eating; portion size; balanced meals; understanding food labels; exercise.

Chestermere Chestermere Langdon Strathmore Strathmore

26-Apr 21-Jun 11-May 17-Apr 15-May

Indoor Walking

1:30-3 pm 1:30-3 pm 1:30-3:30 pm 1:30-3:30 pm 1:30-3:30 pm

Strathmore Strathmore Gleichen

Grief is a natural response to loss, which can come in many forms, including: relationship breakup; downgrade in health (yours or a loved one’s); loss of a job, and/or nancial stability; miscarriage; death of a pet; loss of safety after a trauma, etc. It’s important to take care of yourself, as the stress of a loss can deplete your energy and emotional reserves.

Langdon 3-Apr 6-8 pm Boulder Creek Golf Course (Register: 403-936-5990)

Youth Programs

Managing Your Inner Critic (2-part series)

Explore how you view yourself, your interactions and behaviours to determine if you’re nding your balance and are practicing self-compassion. This course is targeted to 16-24-year-olds.

Strathmore

5-Jul

10 am-noon

Shades of Self-Disclosure (2-part series)

The indoor walking programs are non-structured.

Participants come and walk for the length of time that works for them. No registration required.

Strathmore

26-Apr 6:30-8:30 pm Register: 403-936-5990 11-May 9:30-11:30 am

Grief Out Loud (2-part series)

This program will teach you the role your kidneys play on your health, how to keep your kidneys healthy, different nutrition tips, what causes declining kidney function and the stages of kidney failure.

Strathmore

People who can forgive themselves and others suffer less stress and mental illness. Forgiveness can be learned. This class shows you how to move forward, for your physical, emotional & spiritual well-being.

Mon, Wed & Thursday - 6-7 pm Trinity Christian Academy Tuesday and Thursday - 10 am Lambert Centre (50+) Tuesdays - 11 am-1pm Strathmore Civic Centre Thursdays - 12:30-2 pm Gleichen Community Hall

This course looks at how we disclose information about ourselves to our friends, loved ones, acquaintances, and others in both appropriate and untimely ways. We’ll look at why we are disclosing, and how and when to disclose personal information while feeling protected in social interactions.

Strathmore

5-Jul

2-4 pm

Register at 403-901-0142 unless noted otherwise Strathmore programs are at the CRPCN clinic Bay H, 510 Highway 1 Check out all of our programs at www.crpcn.ca

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Tis’ The Season for...

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

All this snow is melting, and where do you think it’s going to go?

When was the last time you had your sump pump serviced?

Call now to check for problems before problems find you!

IS YOUR SUMP PUMP DISTROYING YOUR YARD? Call and ask how we can fix that for you too!

Residential Plumbing & Water Service Locally-Owned & Family-Run

403-830-9408

FIN AVAANCIN ILAB G LE

cesaresplumbing.com

SECOR Certified • 16+ Years Experience

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Winner SBC 2013 Business of the Year - Small Enterprise

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Winner of SBC 2015 Chamber of Commerce Award

@TNewsy Neighbour

Thank you!

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@TheNewsy Neighbour

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After receiving The Newsy Neighbour Best in Business Award for Best Bakery in 2016, I spoke with The Newsy Neighbour staff to thank them for what they did for my small business – creating local awareness and increased traffic.

It still sounds rehearsed, and I wish people could hear what I say about it – the emotion [ just] comes out. [It] was a heartfelt thank you because you had no idea what you did for me as a small business. It meant so much to me that so many people came in to check out My Bakery Shop and then vote for us! ~ My Bakery Shop, Langdon

AN IMPORTANT NOTE TO OUR READERS:

The opinions expressed in the advertisements and articles of this publication are those of the advertisers and authors and not of The Newsy Neighbour Inc. The information in this magazine is believed and fully intended to be accurate but not warranted to be so. The Newsy Neighbour Inc. disclaims responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas or products referred to in the articles or advertisements. The mention of any brand in article or photos does not imply endorsement. Images are supplied by readers, advertisers and from shutterstock.com.

Our database is confidential, we will not share our information with third parties. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of The Newsy Neighbour Inc.

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We accept Cheque, Visa and M/C PLEASE DO NOT MAIL CASH! Please make cheques payable to “The Newsy Neighbour Inc.” Total subscription cost for one full year is $39.95 including G.S.T. Please return this voucher to: G-510 Highway 1, Strathmore, Alberta T1P 1M6 Questions please call 403-478-9114 aleesha@thenewsyneighbour.com

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Aleesha Gosling, CEO Phone: 403-478-9114

We Are More Than Just A Magazine

aleesha@thenewsyneighbour.com

Denise Geremia, COO Phone: 403-608-0686 denise@thenewsyneighbour.com

Our Customer Service Sets Us Apart.

We GUARANTEE it!

Content Development Multimedia Writer

Kyle Penn

Marci Hira, Deliveries Phone: 587-897-2193 marcibrianne@gmail.com

Advertising can be expensive but integral to the survival of any business.

Anyone who is willing to give us their hard earned advertising dollars, will get a promise from us, to do everything we can to promote and advertise their business and return the support in multiple ways. We are passionate about supporting local and it's the local businesses that are to thank for the existence of The Newsy Neighbour Magazine.

Natural Choices

Cynthia Barnesky Women Talk

DarlisKeily Ireland A Little bit of everything

Gaylene Smith Jason Eldridge Canadian Mortgage Guy Proof Reader & Content

Sue Kirk

Larry & Rodger

Vicki Myhre Shaken & Stirred

Marcy Field Leela Sharon Aheer

MLA

Martin Shields

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Natural Options

Derek Henry

In a magazine, one can get - from cover to cover - 15 to 20 different ideas about life and how to live it. ~ Maya Angelou Please Recycle This Magazine!

Thriving Since 2008

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Guiding you OVER the steps .....of Real Estate.

The REPs

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A Note From The Team...

At Coldwell, we are real people serving real people.

With the right insurance in place, you know you have peace of mind no matter what happens to you.

We at, Coldwell Agencies pride ourselves on providing solutions to our customers’ insurance needs. We provide professional insurance advice and problem solving. Our expertise is in home, automobile, farm and commercial insurance.

We’re committed to you and your family’s peace of mind. Call one of our experienced agents today at (403) 934-3221 and let Coldwell Agencies demonstrate our dedication to delivering quality insurance policies.

COLDWELL INSURANCE 133-2nd Ave Strathmore, AB Phone: Fax:

403-934-3221

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Representing and accessing over 30 of the worlds leading insurers

Join The Chamber CHAMBER MEMBER BENEFITS • Chamber Health Plans • Payment & Banking Solutions • Audio Conferencing, Web Conferencing & Webcasting Program • Chamber Merchant Services • Shipping Discounts • On Hold Marketing Program, Members Save 20% • Email-Events-Social Media-Surveys • Maintain Control, Save Time & Money with Esso Business Cards • Fuel Discount Program • It’s Easy With VersaPay! • Best Rate Home & Auto Insurance

Take a look through this month’s issue, in which we cover everything from the most stylish home design trends of 2018 to gaining Limitless Energy. We also take a moment to tell some stories from around our own communities, including a truly touching tale involving the heroic efforts one local veterinary clinic went through in order to save a life and help out a family when they needed it most. Finally, we’re gearing up for the 4th Annual Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival, landing once again in Strathmore on June 16, 2018 – check inside for our preview, and start getting excited for all of the fun goings-on you can expect to look forward to this time around!

~ The Newsy Neighbour Team Aleesha Gosling, Denise Geremia, Kyle Penn & Marci Hira

Join thousands of others and follow us on social media

READY TO GET STARTED?

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Put the Strathmore & District Chamber to Work for Your Business Today

Phone: 403 901 3175

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Email: info@strathmoredistrictchamber.com

www.strathmoredistrictchamber.com thenewsyneighbour.com

That said, we’re confident that Mother Nature will sort herself out and bring us those dewy, flower-filled meadows and warm, fragrant spring evenings once again as we head steadily through April and towards summer here in southern Alberta. With the promise of melting snow and sunny days ahead, we’re proud to present to you our annual Homes Issue! Spring is always the perfect time of year to get some cleaning done, tidy up the yard, and give your humble abode a once-over (whether that means a simple redecorating, a fresh coat of paint, or even a total overhaul, if you’re feeling ambitious), and there’s nowhere better to get the knowledge and inspiration you need to be successful than right here, in the pages of The Newsy Neighbour!

Regardless of how cold it is outside when you flip through this issue, take heart in the fact that spring really is just around the corner, no matter how much snow might still be piled up on the lawn out front! Spend some time once everything melts to get out there, go for a stroll, and enjoy spring in southern Alberta –it’s one of the most beautiful times of the year, and there’s nowhere better to enjoy it than right here, on the sprawling, magnificent Prairies.

The Chamber of Commerce offers a number of unique business levels to suit your current size and stature.

As you grow, your plan can grow with you.

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There’s nothing quite like springtime on the Prairies. Songbirds are singing, flowers are blossoming, and new life is popping up all around – or at least it would be, if this stubborn winter would ever end! We’re just a few days out from April at the time of writing, and unfortunately, Old Man Winter seems like he’s settling in for the long haul, with waistdeep snowdrifts, blustery blizzards, and rutted streets still the weather du jour, even though the first official day of spring has already come and gone so many wintry, frosty days ago!

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STRATHMORE

FOOD

TRUCKS

VENDORS

MARKET

ENTERTAINMENT

FOR ALL

AGES LIVE

MUSIC

2nd Annual Sessions In The Park Starts at 5pm

THE GET TO KNOW YOUR

Presented by

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Neighbour Magazine

WE WANT YOU TO BE PART OF THIS 4TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL Registra�on NOW OPEN

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aleesha@thenewsyneighbour.com denise@thenewsyneighbour.com Call: 403-478-9114

10:00am to 4:00pm

2nd & 3rd Avenue | Kinsmen Park Downtown Strathmore

JUNE 16th 2018

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dog stand, but generally, these sorts of community events often revolve around a cooler full of beer, a bit of fundraising, and neighbourhood gossip.

Boooooooring.

Here at The Newsy Neighbour, we understand the importance of family, with many of us currently raising children of our own. That’s why we always make sure the Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival is chock-full of fun activities that your kids will actually enjoy checking out! We don’t want to

The 4th Annual Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival

spoil everything that’ll be taking place this year, but suffice it to say that it’ll be bigger and better than last year, which featured such kid-friendly classics as face painting, bouncy castles, monster bubbles, sidewalk chalk challenges, box forts, delicious treats and goodies, and much, much more. So, cancel that sitter and bring the whole family out to the Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival – we guarantee that your kids will love it!

Getting to Know the Festival This summer marks the fourth time that The Newsy Neighbour will be taking over downtown Strathmore to host the annual Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival! Over the past several years, we’ve gotten pretty good at bringing the party, and have taken pride in creating an event that has something for everyone. If you’ve yet to attend the Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival, we strongly encourage you to make your way to central Strathmore and be a part of things on Saturday, June 16. No matter your age or walk of life, we’re proud to welcome you out to the festival to explore everything Strathmore and our communities have to offer, and to get to know your neighbours! Still not convinced? Read on, and learn a little bit more about what we’ve got in store this year.

Business Owners: Show Us Your Stuff!

One of the most important puzzle pieces when putting together the festival each year is our community of movers, shakers, and business owners. As entrepreneurs ourselves, it makes our hearts swell with pride every time we see 2nd and 3rd Avenues lined up and down with our best and brightest local businesses. The Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival offers the unique opportunity for business owners to come together in the spirit of community and share their talents, services, and products with our prairie “neighbourhood” at large. Everyone from the biggest retailers to the smallest vendors and service providers comes out to show us what they’ve got, and the feedback we’ve received over the years has been incredible. For our society of local entrepreneurs, the Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival is an annual highlight, and accounts for much of the growth and networking that many of our independent small businesses see throughout the year. Take advantage of the fact that the streets will be filled to bursting with potential customers during this special Saturday in June, and register your business for the Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival today!

Kids: Come Out and Play!

Oftentimes, with locally-based festivals like these, there’s not a lot for kids to do. Sure, there might be the odd beanbag toss or hot-

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Everyone Else: Join Us for a Party!

So, you might be thinking that you’re not a business owner, and you’re probably a bit too old for face painting, so what exactly does the Festival have to offer for you? The short answer: one of the biggest, most exciting parties Strathmore will see all summer.

The Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival has something for everyone, but at its core, it’s about bringing people together to relax, unwind, and let their guard down long enough to connect with one another and get to know each other just a little bit better. To make that happen, we’re swinging for the fences this year. We’ll be taking over Kinsmen Park once again to bring you a huge, outdoor beer garden that provides the perfect place to kick back, crack open a cold one, and start a conversation with someone new. Our all-day-long music event will also be returning this year, keeping the festival bumping late into the evening.

Finally, some of the tastiest, most delicious food on four wheels can be found at our food truck gathering, also making a comeback after a triumphant debut last year. Whether you’re looking for good times, good eats, or good company, we’ve got you covered at the Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival!

Come Have Fun, and Get to Know Your Neighbour Whatever you might normally find yourself doing on a sunny day in June, we suggest you put it off until the following weekend, and come join us in downtown Strathmore on Saturday the 16th. The Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival is something we take immense amounts of pride in, and an event that we try to make bigger and better with each passing year. Our 2017 festival was a show-stopper, so we’ve got our work cut out for us this summer – but we think you’ll be pretty excited with what we’re putting together. So, spread the word, and join us on June 16th for the 4th Annual Get to Know Your Neighbour Festival –come explore everything that our communities have to offer, and maybe get to know a few new folks while you’re at it!

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DINNER BUFFET

FRIDAY & SATURDAYS Seating is From 3pm to 7pm

All You Can Eat

403.936.7622 /dobrefood

111-355 Main Street.

Langdon BEFORE

Adults $19.99 Seniors $17.99 Teens 12 - 17 $12.99 Child 4 -11 $9.99

AFTER

COWBOY CAVIAR INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Roma tomatoes, seeds removed, diced • 2 ripe avocados diced • 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained • 1 15 oz can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained • 1 ½ cups frozen sweet corn, thawed (I just usually toss it in the salad frozen unless I plan on eating it immediately; it thaws quite quickly).

• 1 bell pepper, diced (I used half a green and half a red, but colour doesn’t matter) • ⅓ cup red onion, diced • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, diced into very small pieces • ⅓ cup Cilantro, finely chopped

DRESSING

• ⅓ cup olive oil • 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar • 2 Tablespoons lime juice (fresh preferred) • 1 teaspoon sugar • ½ teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon pepper • 1/4 tsp garlic powder • Tortilla chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine tomatoes, avocado, onion, black beans, black eyed peas, corn, pepper, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl.

Toss/stir well so that ingredients are well-combined.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

3. Pour dressing over other ingredients and stir/toss very well.

4. Keep refrigerated. If not serving immediately, be sure to toss/ stir well before serving.

crazypasta.ca Check Us Out! Chestermere, Alberta T1X 0P7 | 403-454-4022 facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour

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LET US CATER YOUR WEDDING

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE | CUSTOM BUILT MENU DELICIOUS FOOD & EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE

A full-course meal with your choice of plated or buffet-style service.

Service staff, china, flatware, glassware, serving dishes.

Bar services with complete glassware, barware, and pro-serve certified bartenders.

langdonfirehouse.com | 716 Centre Street, Langdon

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CHEESY STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS WITH GROUND TURKEY I love stuffed peppers. I have made them for years using yellow, orange, red and green peppers. I always used cooked rice and ground beef with some Italian seasoning and would bake them smothered in tomato juice.

Now, I have found a wonderful new variation using Poblano peppers and it is very yummy! Poblano peppers are very healthy for you. I do not find them spicy, but delicious and they can help fight cancer and boost your immune system.

They are just hot enough to contain the cancer-fighting power of capsaicin without burning your mouth and contains antioxidants that are guaranteed to make your body happy.

This is relevant because capsaicin is one of those plant-based substances researchers have been seriously testing for years in connection with potential cancer treatments. Capsaicin has been researched on both humans and animals for prostate, gastric, breast, primary effusion lymphoma and lung cancer.

Seriously, next time you see poblano peppers at the market give them a chance.

You are going to love this recipe – I do!!

First, I chopped the onion and garlic cloves and browned the ground turkey in the spices (Italian seasoning, chili powder and thyme), added the chopped onions and garlic. Add the lime juice right at the end just before you are going to stuff the peppers.

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If you microwave the peppers in the microwave for just a couple of minutes, it will soften them, making it easier for stuffing.

Second, I added the spaghetti sauce – I suppose you could

use any type of sauce that you prefer including taco sauce (if you like spicy), marinara, vodka cream sauce or just chopped tomatoes.

Third, I stuffed the peppers and covered them in mozzarella

We Offer...

cheese, but again you could use any type of cheese you prefer.

Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, cheddar, provolone, or whatever you wish.

Full Service Meat Department Deli, Bakery, Produce, ATM, Lotto.

Wide selection of products including Gluten free

Phone: (403) 936-0124 Open 8AM-9PM Every Day! #101-97 Centre ST. S.W., LANGDON, AB

Fourth, Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 375°F for 25 – 30 minutes or until the filling is very hot and the cheese is melted and starting to brown.

Cheesy Stuffed Poblanos with Ground Turkey • • • • • • • • • •

1 lb. lean ground turkey 1 large can of Spaghetti sauce 2 tsp. olive oil 3 cloves minced garlic ½ tsp dried thyme ¼ tsp chili powder 1 tsp Italian Seasoning salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste 1-2 tsp Lime juice 2 large Poblano Chiles (I only had one – because it was just me) • 1 cup + 1/4 cup grated Mozzarella cheese • 1/2 cup onion Kathryn Hartwell Recipe inspiration from kalynskitchen.com, references draxe.com facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour

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Fantastic Food Trailer Available for Events

New Brands & Spring Styles Arriving Weekly!

Invite us to join your community or family this summer!!

Delicious Homemade Food Great Customer Service

Bearpaw, Joseph Seibel, Art & ASICS! Fun & fresh clothing & shoes!

403-983-0020

Cruizers.webs.com 587-284-3284

thestandardshoeshop@gmail.com

Shopstrathmore.ca

136 - 2nd Ave. Strathmore, AB (in the old Strathmore Standard Building)

Take-Out Menus from Strathmore, Langdon and Chestermere all in ONE location

www.thenewsyneighbour.com

Lookin' for some great eats and delicious treats? With just one click you can now check out menus from some of Strathmore, Langdon and Chestermere's most highly-rated restaurants, from the comfort of your very own home.

Through The Newsy Neighbour Website, you get access to the best menus - and all in one location - saving you time, money and search engine headaches. Pick and choose from a variety of acclaimed local venues from your laptop, desktop, telephone or tablet. Yes - it's just that easy!

ATTENTION RESTAURANT OWNERS

May Issue 127 is our big Restaurant Issue!

(NEXT ISSUE)

Placing any regular ad in our February issue will get your menu on our website free for one full year.

Deadline is April 23rd at 5pm.

Contact Denise Geremia for more information! Phone: 403-608-0686 Email: denise@thenewsyneighbour.com www.thenewsyneighbour.com 14 •

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A little bit of everything For the past 12 years and along with her husband, two sons and menagerie of pets, Gaylene has been calling Strathmore home. Gaylene suffers annual bouts of spring fever, which she treats with seed catalogues, flip flops in the snow and the occasional gopher killing road trip.

It seems to me that Mother Nature and Old Man Winter are going through a nasty breakup with neither party willing to give up custody of snow. Just when I thought spring might be on the way, Old Man Winter must have tossed back a few and spewed another 15 to 20 cm of the white crap all over. I imagine him turning to Jack Frost and saying, “Hey kid, hold my beer.”

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Now Mother Nature has always been known for her mood swings but come on already; let it go. Let it go! It is time to slam the door on winter. No, I don’t want to build a snowman. I want to plant my garden. I want to put the shovel away and bring out the lawn mower, lawn chairs and flip flops. I’m tired of trying to locate the dog’s landmines in the snowbank. I’m tired of scraping windows on the car. Darn it, I want to be able to complain about the heat! Bring on the spring!

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Now on a happier note (?), I saw my first gopher yesterday; at least I’m pretty sure it was a gopher. It was a bit hard to tell, what with its tiny torso being smeared across the north boundary road like ketchup on a burger. Poor guy, he was probably just sick of winter too. Holed up in his little burrow, surrounded by his fellow grumpy gophers; exhausted by the endless snow, dreaming of blue skies and green grass. His little gopher buddies telling him, “Just wait man, it’s too early. Don’t do it, dude! Dude have another root, it will all be over soon.” It will all be over soon – I imagine the soon to be dearly departed turning to his buddy and saying, “Hold my beer. I’m going to find the sun.” Bravely the little rodent would have pushed his way through the snow covering his burrow only to be greeted with pea soup thick fog – so thick he couldn’t see his wee little paw in front of his face. But wait, there in the distance – could it be? The sun! Bright light! Breaking through the fog…it must be! Filled with spring fever, the plucky little guy breaks into a run, beady little black eyes focused on the light. Closer, closer, he can feel the warmth. So bright – the sun shining through the fog and snow. A beacon of hope, of better things, of better times, called – splat! Twitching on the payment, our little hero turns, paw extended to the sun, only to see some cabin fever infected human on a Harley driving away. Blinking, the gopher closes his eyes a final time, only to see a bright light shining down upon him. Must Follow The Light.

West of shoppers and beside ATB

I feel you, little buddy. I too want to push out of my burrow of flannel sheets and woolly socks. I want to raise my face to the sun, feel the warmth upon my skin, rejoice in the smell of spring time… okay, scratch that last one, springtime in Strathmore has its own unique smell, but not one to rejoice in. But I do want to drive the backroads with my radio up and my windows down without fear of getting stuck in a snow bank or developing frost bite. I want to travel across the county looking for the first calf, the first crocus, the first meadowlark bravely singing it song of springtime, the first – oh crap, hit another gopher. Oh well, roadkill means spring is finally here so get outdoors and enjoy.

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walk away as if nothing even happened.

“I am the proud mother of 2 sons, and my youngest child has autism. I am a protective mother over my children, even as they enter adulthood. I teach them how fortunate they are, to be kind, considerate, and to thank God everyday for the amazing life they have. I have had the privilege of working with many children who are challenged, and have been blessed to see them enter adulthood, become independent, desire to have families, work, and drive.

“My 19-year-old wants all of these things, and I have taught him to protect himself when in danger. After I watched this crime of violence, I sat with my younger son, and I said to him, if this ever happens to you, you protect yourself, and you use all of your skills you have learned in Tae Kwon Do to protect yourself. After the conversation, I was left wondering if this is what we are now supposed to teach our children.

Leela Sharon Aheer MLA

“I have spent my lifetime teaching my children about hard work, compassion, and kindness. It is our responsibility as parents, caregivers, grandparents, aunties, uncles, neighbours and communities to hold our youth to a standard that they wish to reach for and to be better versions of ourselves. This display of violence only strengthens my resolve that we must not fail our children, and moreover Canada cannot fail our vulnerable. How are these three going to treat their aging parents, their partners, or god forbid their own children one day? What if one of them has a child with challenges? These alleged criminals need to face consequences. But more than that, they need to engage in public service and be responsible to help, organize and give back to our vulnerable community.

I am thrilled to be part of the Newsy Neighbour Family. While I do not have the honour of representing Strathmore residents and those of you in Wheatland County you may contact Independent MLA Derek Fildebrandt. Please connect with his office at 403-934-4400 or Strathmore.Brooks@ assembly.ab.ca.

Hello Newsy Neighbours! We hope that the Easter Bunny spoiled you and that you enjoyed some time with your family this past Easter Weekend.

“This attack was violent. There will never be an explanation good enough for me to understand what I just saw in my country. I would like to say to the family of the victim that I am here for support if you need me. As a politician, it is my responsibility to lead by example and to help make my province and my country better, stronger, more loving, and build community up and not tear it down. To the alleged perpetrators, I make myself available to you as well. I will help educate you so that you can spend the rest of your lives making the lives of the people around you better, and contributing to society, not the violence I witnessed in the video.”

As you know, I am seeking the UCP nomination in Chestermere-Strathmore, our new riding, and we need your help.

We are seeking volunteers to help with door knocking, phoning, and event planning so that we are ready to take on this NDP Government in the next election. Please make sure that your memberships are up to date, so that you can flex your political muscle in the nominations race. You must be a UCP member in order to vote. We will be holding some local events so that you can come and see us; get your memberships and give me your input. I am so honoured to represent you and look forward to earning your vote in the nomination contest. We do not have dates for nominations as of yet and we will keep you posted on that and our upcoming AGM. Please join us and take a seat at the table with us to discuss the future of our province.

I want to share a story with you that impacted me deeply as a mom, a Canadian, and as a fierce advocate for people with special needs. This is a modified version of the Facebook post I shared a few days ago:

As always, we love to hear from you.

Summer

“Tears roll down my face as I watch a video of an innocent man being attacked by three alleged criminals in Ontario. There is no reason, just the malicious behaviour of three alleged criminals who decided to beat up an innocent 29-year-old man. What makes this crime of violence even more despicable is that the young man sitting at the bottom of the stairs, who is obviously moving his stuff out of the way, is a 29-year-old autistic man, simply minding his own business. They punch him in the nose and break it, they hit him several more times, and then calmly

16 •

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Altogether Different

ASK THE VET Chiropractic Care for Animals Alternative therapies have been widely accepted as a complement to traditional western medicine; however, most people are not aware these services are also available for our pets! Animal chiro-

Your pet will always be treated like a part of our family at the Animal Care Centre of Strathmore We have recommendations, training information, and handouts that will help you and your pet. We provide ultimate care in a safe, comfortable environment; catered to your pet’s specific needs including: › Annual Health Examinations › Vaccination Appointments › Behavior Consultations › Isolation ward › Breeder puppy vaccinations › Travel documents › Pediatric patient exams › Geriatric patient exams › Insurance › Referrals

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practic, also known as veterinary spinal manipulation therapy, offers a holistic, non-surgical option for managing joint, disc, and soft tissue disorders stemming from skeletal misalignment or restricted movement. Animal chiropractic involves adjusting specific segments of the spine and other joints that have been determined to have abnormal motion or function based on palpation. The adjustment is made by hand utilizing a high-velocity low-amplitude thrust technique. The outcome of an adjustment is improved range of motion, reduced pain, improved function of the associated nervous system, and overall improved health and mobility of the animal.

Back pain is a largely under-appreciated and undiagnosed condition in our animal companions. These are a few questions your veterinarian might ask you to help determine if your dog is suffering from back pain: • Is your older dog ‘slowing down’ or playing less?

• Does your dog seem stiff or sore after exercise?

• Does your dog have difficulty going up or down stairs?

• Does your dog have difficulty sitting, laying down, or rising from a seated or prone position?

• Does your dog struggle to jump onto furniture or into a vehicle?

• Does your dog have difficulty maintaining the posture to urinate or defecate?

If your answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, your dog may be suffering from back pain. It is important to talk to your veterinarian about options for keeping your pet comfortable, including alternative therapies such as animal chiropractic.

Animal chiropractic is not limited to injured or painful animals. Athletes such as performance horses, agility dogs, working dogs, and highly active pets can benefit from animal chiropractic for improved proprioception and body awareness, allowing for optimal biomechanical performance and injury prevention.

After having overcome a spinal condition herself, Dr. Becky Bezugley is a firm believer in the health benefits of chiropractic care and she is thrilled to be able to incorporate this alternative therapy into her veterinary career to benefit her animal patients. Dr. Becky is more than happy to discuss with you or your veterinarian how animal chiropractic may be incorporated into your pet’s health care. Please don’t hesitate to call the Animal Care Centre of Strathmore for more information or to schedule an assessment. Animal chiropractic does not replace primary veterinary care for your animal; however, it can be a wonderful tool to help return your pet to an optimal state of health and enhance their quality of life!

Becky Bezugley, DVM

The new puppy is still here. And I am still angry about it. So angry, in fact, that I actually made Only $12 myself sick to make my parents pay more +atgst, s/h tention to me. That’s right, fellow dogs and cats of the

Universe: you can actually MAKE yourself sick. If you want to know how, please come see me, because if I write it all out for everyone to see, my family wll be made aware.

But 2 weeks of pooping on the carpet, puking everywhere, and a $500 vet bill, they will pay attention to you rather than the new fluffy puppy they brought home to “help you socialize.”

They are stupid and think I ate something bad or am allergic to the salt they put on the sidewalks for ice. Nope, it’s aaaaalll me.

So that’s what I’ve been up to the last few weeks: getting sympathy. They snuggle with me now, they give me more treats to thank me for not pooping on their new carpet, and they take me for more walks to “empty my stomach” before the night begins. I am secretly snickering at them, and enjoying my new life.

OH!! I almost forgot. If you cry and whine at the vet, they will give you TREATS. And they’re good treats! I feel like I have everything figured out. I am currently in talks with Ellen DeGeneres to be the opening act for her talk in April. Tickets will go on sale soon, I’m thinking 50 dog bones. She’s a big animal lover, so she’ll welcome you all with open arms.

Any other questions you may have, please come see me. I’ll pretend to snarl and growl at you, but it’s just a front to get more love from mom after you leave. Thanks for understanding.

Only $12

Call: 403-608-0686 Email: denise.newsyneighbour@gmail.com Ph: 403-608-0686

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• 17

you want to think about.” Enter the Barrett Veterinary Practice.

4 Railway Avenue Dalemead, AB Phone:

(403) 860-5763

drbarre�vet@gmail.com

barre�vet.com

Dawn’s husband, Duncan, had reached out to this local clinic after finding out what some of the practices in the city were wanting to charge for a transfusion, and had asked if there was anything that they could recommend regarding how to move forward. The Taylors have a history with Dr. Beth Barrett and her team, and were eager to know if she had the resources and time available to help them out. Seeing how dire Riley’s situation was, Dr. Barrett gladly agreed, and set plans in motion to immediately give the Taylors a hand

Evening Appointments Available Mondays And Wednesdays

Kyle Penn is a writer, a music-lover, and a lover of all things literary. He also owns and operates Ink Slinger, a small business devoted to content creation, copywriting, and social media management. For innovative writing solutions, reach out to him at kylewpenn@gmail.com.

Barrett Veterinary Practice

A small-town vet bursting with big-time love Riley has had a rough go of it lately.

The five-year-old long-haired dachshund has already gone through a lot – being both a rescue dog and a parvo survivor – but recently, she’s faced some new challenges in the form of some new, serious health issues.

“It’s been about five weeks now since she’s been sick,” Dawn Taylor, Riley’s owner, told me. “She was just kind of lethargic and not wanting to eat, so we took her in for some bloodwork, and it turned out she was anemic. They started her on some different medications…but she ended up needing a blood transfusion.”

Living in Canada and enjoying all the government-supported health benefits that we do, it can sometimes be easy to forget about the costs associated with procedures like this. Transfusions aren’t cheap, whether you’re talking about people or pooches.

The Taylors have rescued countless animals over the years and are no strangers to the bills that sometimes come along with helping a dog get back on his or her feet –but when suddenly faced with the prospect of paying for a procedure that would come to cost many, many thousands of dollars, they didn’t know quite what to do. “You don’t ever want to be put in a position where you’re debating between a potentially life-saving option and what it’s going to cost, but that’s exactly where we found ourselves.” Dawn commiserated to me. “It’s not the sort of thing

18 •

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“It just wasn’t going to be feasible for the Taylors to have this procedure done in Calgary, for both cost-related and logistical reasons,” Dr. Barrett related to me. “We run blood drives out of the clinic, so that’s when one of my staff interjected and said that her dog Luna was a universal donor, and could we do the infusion for Riley here? So, she brought Luna into the clinic, and we did the first transfusion right there, that day, in the clinic.”

Riley wasn’t out of the woods yet, though. Her red blood cell count was so low that a second transfusion was going to be necessary, so they scheduled it for a few days later, on that Saturday – and this is when the Barrett Veterinary Practice really let their true colours shine through. Even though spring was just a week away, there was a huge dump of fresh snow the night before Riley’s scheduled procedure – thanks, Mother Nature! Operating just out of Dalemead, the clinic was essentially inaccessible due to the drifts that had blown across the walkway – so, on their day off, the team set to work to not only perform a blood transfusion using one of their own dogs as a donor, but also to clear away a blizzard’s-worth of snow, all for the sake of Riley and the Taylors.

“This was a special case,” Dr. Barrett began. “We knew that they’ve invested a lot in this animal’s health, and have put themselves on the line financially for rescues before. So, my staff had told me they were prepared to donate their time and come in on a Saturday morning. Holly would bring Luna in again to do the second donation, my other vet Bronwyn wanted to come – she lives in the city, but she drove out to help. My tech came and helped. Everyone put in their time to do the second transfusion for Riley at cost, just because we knew they’d been through so much with her already, and it gets costly and difficult.” That’s a level of dedication and commitment that you don’t often see these days – but, to hear the Taylors tell it, that’s just par for the course for Dr. Barrett. Not only has she given years of her life to humanitarian veterinary work around the world, but during a previous visit from the Taylors, Dr. Barrett also spent the night following a tough surgery with her patient: out in the clinic, on an air mattress, to be there for the Taylor’s dog in case anything went amiss. Truly incredible.

“We try to have a clinic with a philosophy of ‘care first,’” Dr. Barrett explained to me. “That’s what I’ve been practicing for 30 years, and the people who were my mentors instilled that in me, and I’m hoping that I’ve instilled that in the people who work for me. It’s what made me go into this business – loving animals. If there’s a chance to help animals, and if that means shovelling snow for an hour and a half on a Saturday morning, we’re happy to do it.” If you didn’t believe it before, we’re sure you do now: there’s just something special about small-town vets!

Riley’s transfusions were successful, and saw her red blood cell count move out of critical territory and into a more acceptable range. At the time of writing, Riley still has some tough days ahead, but she’s stable, comfortable, and with her family. More The Newsy Neighbour Magazine

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Altogether Different

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If this story has made an impact on you, there’s something you might be able to do to give back. Riley’s life was saved thanks to the generous donation of blood from Luna, but things could have gone much differently. Canine blood is just as precious a commodity as human blood, and has just as much life-saving potential. If your dog is over 25 kg, disease-free, and is caught up on their vaccines, consider getting them blood-typed and tested, and think about bringing them in to give a donation. The Barrett Veterinary Practice runs annual blood drives, and as Dawn Taylor told me during our talk: “People don’t realize that they have blood donor clinics for dogs. It’s no cost to bring your dog in to save another dog’s life.” Your dog could be a hero to someone just like Riley – and you could be a hero to folks just like the Taylors.

“Dogs do speak, but only to those who know how to listen.”– Orhan Pamuk “Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.” – Agnes Sligh Turnbull “Happiness is a warm puppy.”

– Charles Shultz facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour

• 19

Let’s GO!

20 •

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Canadian Road Trips you should take Sit down with a coffee and your road trip partner and spend some time researching the following road trips. These are ones you should definitely take:

• • • • • • • • •

Calgary to Lake Louise, Alberta The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia Eastern Townships, Quebec Stratford, Ontario The Sea to Sky Highway, Squamish to Whistler, British Columbia A Foodie Tour Through Kelowna, British Columbia Pelee Island, Ontario Edmonton via Jasper or Calgary via Banff Cruise the Chatham-Kent Corridor, Ontario Your locally owned and operated automotive garage, servicing all makes and models!

Here is THE Question:

DO YOU LIKE GETTING OLDER???

As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon, before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read, or play on the computer until 4 AM, or sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50, 60 & 70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will.

I will walk the beach, in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves, with abandon, if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But then again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And, I eventually remember the important things. Sure, over the years, my heart has been broken.

How can your heart not break, when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet passes? But, broken hearts are what give us strength, and understanding, and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine, and sterile, and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turn gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free.

I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).

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• 21

10 Weird and Wonderful Human Body Parts The human body can be as weird as it is wonderful. While most people may think they know what "normal" is, nature can play weird tricks. Check out these 10 weird and wonderful facts about unusual human bodies.

6. Webbed Fingers and Toes

Are you syndactyl? About one out of every 2,500 babies is born with fingers or toes joined by flesh "webbing". Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't make you a better swimmer.

7. Doubles Dentures

Having two rows of teeth may be more common than you might imagine. About two-thirds of children grow their adult teeth before their "milk teeth" fall out. While it looks weird, it's usually not a problem. Where the gums get overcrowded, the dentist can resolve the issue by extracting the unwanted teeth.

8. The Roving Adam's Apple

The so-called "Adam's apple" is part of the larynx or "voice box".

It grows larger and more visible in men than in women. The larger and more prominent the Adam's apple is, the deeper that person's voice will be.

9. Where Will the Baby's Dimple Be?

1. Different Coloured Eyes

Heterochromia is the scientific term for having eyes of different colours. It's more common in wild animals, but humans can have the condition, too. It's startling to see. The effect results from an imbalance of pigments in the irises. It's often caused by an accident, but it can also be genetic.

2. More Than 10 Fingers and Toes

Polydactyl people are more common than you might think.

One in every 1,000 babies are born with extra fingers or toes.

The extra digits are smaller than usual and often lack bones.

While it's odd to see extra fingers and toes, they're harmless.

In most cases, surgery can correct the condition.

3. People with Tails

It doesn't happen often, but sometimes a child is born with what looks like a tail. In fact, these are elongated bones extending from the base of the spinal column. Unlike a real tail on a monkey, say, this human "tail" has no motility. Surgery can remove it.

Dimples are small hollows under the skin where muscles meet.

In babies and women, they're considered cute. There's also evidence they run in families.

10. The Appendix

No one understands why we have an appendix. If it's removed, it makes no difference to the way your body functions. Some scientists think it's a residual organ whose original purpose is lost in evolutionary history.

The human body shows amazing variety from common differences in height, shape, hair and skin colour, to the more unusual ones described in this article. In the past, a person with different coloured eyes, say, or webbed hands, might have been thought of as a witch or cursed. But in these more enlightened times, many people feel it's time to celebrate human diversity and concentrate on what people have in common rather than the differences between them.

By Austin G. Hackney

4. What's the Uvula?

Everybody has a uvula. It's that weird little blob of flesh hanging at the back of your mouth. Other animals don't have one.

No one knows what it's for, although it produces saliva.

5. Three Nipples

Sometimes people are born with more than two nipples. Men are more likely to have three or more nipples than women.

Often, the extra nipples are smaller than normal ones and can be mistaken for warts. They can appear anywhere on the body, even on the face.

22 •

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Bullying Awareness Steven currently lives in Strathmore, but is originally from Newfoundland. At 25-years old, his passions in life are playing guitar, writing motivational stories and just writing in general. He’s a very positive and outgoing person who loves to watch football. Steven has Spina Bifida and is confined to a wheelchair, but his ultimate goal in life is to inspire people to be more positive, as positivity is one of my philosophies in life.

Overall, Steven is just an average guy looking to make a difference in the world!

About a year ago, I read an article online about a well-known public figure that had passed away due to depression. Now, I don’t usually get affected when I hear about celebrities in the media because the stories are usually false or twisted around to make people seem worse than who they are, but when I read the article, I will admit that I was a bit shocked to hear the news.

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understand that depression is a very serious mental illness that should never be ignored and should be taken care of with proper treatment and attention in the safest way possible.

I would also like to say to those that are suffering, you are NOT alone. There is light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to believe in yourself that you can and will get through this. As someone who once went through it, I know exactly how you feel. The key thing in dealing with this battle is that you never give up, because there’s so many people that love and care about you. I understand that it’s easier said than done, but there are resources out there willing to help, you just have to be willing to help yourself, because at the end of the day, we all have one life, and it’s up to us to live it to the best of our ability.

But as I went through the comment section, I was really disturbed by the amount of people that were making a mockery of a very serious situation. I can’t remember exactly what was said in the article but what I will say is that depression is not something that should be joked about or taken lightly.

The point that I’m trying to make is that people really need to facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour

• 23

Life is too short not to celebrate!

“In a perfect world, everyone would have a glass of Champagne every evening.” – Willie Gluckstern 24 •

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Psychologists Say Colouring Is The Best Alternative To Meditation Colouring books for adults have become the latest trend, and unlike some fads, this one is actually really good for you. According to clinical psychologist Ben Michaelis, colouring is a stress-free activity that relaxes the amygdala — the fear center of the brain — and allows your mind to get the rest it needs. But colouring has other indirect health benefits, as well.

Even if it didn't make us healthier, many of us would still probably be colouring as adults. It's true, of course, that the inherent fun of colouring might be linked to its de-stressing properties, but I think the activity's helpful qualities are really just an added bonus.

At the end of the day, colouring is good for you because it's fundamentally fun.

Psychiatrists Have Prescribed Colouring To Patients For 100 Years The famed psychologist Carl Jung was on to something when he started prescribing colouring to his psychiatry patients. He gave his clients mandalas to color as part of their therapy 100 years ago

Colouring Reduces Stress And Anxiety Colouring allows the fear center of your brain to relax, thereby relaxing you — and not just while you are colouring. Giving your amygdala periodic rests actually reduces your stress overall.

Colouring Trains Your Brain To Focus Staying inside the lines takes focus, but not so much that it's stressful. Clinical counselor Leslie Marshall notes that the activity "opens up the frontal lobe of the brain — the home of organizing and problem solving — and focuses the mind" by allowing colourers to forget their worries.

Colouring Lets You Be You Your colouring book is your coloring book. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of it. You don't have to show it to anyone else if you don't want to. No one has to know that you accidentally #TheNewsy Neighbour

/TheNewsy Neighbour

/TNewsy Neighbour

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colored that cat's leg green because you thought it was part of the ground and that's why it's a black cat now, OK?

Coloring Helps Your Fine Motor Skills And Vision Coloring requires the two hemispheres of your brain to communicate, and the activity itself improves your fine motor skills and vision. The "action involves both logic, by which we color forms, and creativity, when mixing and matching colors," psychologist Gloria Martínez Ayala says.

Source: www.bustle.com

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Confident Women Mobile Wig Service confidentwomen.ca | Sherry LeMay 587-226-5648 | sherry@confidentwomen.ca facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour

• 25

Welcome to part 3 of the limitless energy feature in The Newsy Neighbour. Each month we are going to help you

discover how to boost your energy levels naturally so you can get more done, feel less stressed and live life to the max.

Over the next 4 months, this is what you will learn: (Started in Feb Issue 124) • How to assess your own energy levels • How mitochondrial function contributes to your energy levels and how to get back the mitochondrial function you had in your youth • How to use supplements to give yourself a ‘competitive edge’ when it comes to energy • How to choose superfoods that supercharge your energy • How to avoid foods that drain your energy and slow your body down • What type of training you can use to increase your energy • The role of stress in energy management • The secrets to a perfect night’s sleep and how this leads to enhanced energy • How habits and morning schedule contribute to your energy • How more energy makes you perform better – and even be smarter!

• And much more!

We are so excited to introduce this to the magazine.

There will be resources, cheat sheets, mind maps and more for you to download along the way!

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Chapter 3: Habits and Lifestyle Changes Can Drain or Enhance Your Energy Chapter 4: Sleeping Habits Can Drain or Enhance Energy If you missed these you can grab a copy of Issue's 124 & 125 or read it online www.thenewsyneighbour.com

Now onto Chapter 5...

Chapter 5: Your Morning Schedule Can drain or Enhance Your Energy In the last chapter we looked at how to get off to sleep and how to ensure we sleep well. That’s one part of the story but what comes next is waking up the next day. How do you ensure you can spring out of bed and get lots done?

Disclaimer This feature has been written for information purposes only. Every effort has been made to make this as complete and accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes in typography or content. Also, this article provides information only up to the publishing date. Therefore, this article should be used as a guide - not as the ultimate source. The purpose of this article is to educate. The author and the publisher does not warrant that the information contained in this e-book is fully complete and shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions. The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this e-book.

•NATURAL TEETH WHITENING

26 •

LAST MONTH YOU LEARNED...

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How to Wake Up Full of Energy Now you know how to get to sleep, the next question is how you wake up. This is the key piece of the puzzle that most people overlook when it comes to sleeping well – but having a good night’s sleep does not necessarily mean you’ll be able to wake up easily too!

Marci Hira

Too many of us wake up feeling groggy, lethargic and tired and as a result we waste the first half of the day. Some of us will even feel very sick in the morning, or have bad headaches.

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If you fall into this latter category, then of course this is not normal, should not be considered ‘okay’ and is something you should look into. A few common culprits for feeling sick, headachey or ‘coldy’ in the morning include:

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Dehydration – Try drinking a large glass of water before bed and you won’t wake up with a dry throat or headache.

Low blood sugar – When you go to sleep, you are essentially fasting for 8 hours straight without food. As a result, you can feel sick when you wake up. There are some theorists who even believe that this is why we have grown to eat desert as the last meal of the day! Some people recommend having a teaspoon of honey before bed to provide a steady flow of sugar (sucrose and fructose) throughout the night.

Sleep Apnea – Sleep apnea is a condition that causes you to wake up for brief spells during the night because you’ve stopped breathing. In some cases this is due to a blocked passage (obstructive apnea) but in others it may have no cause (primary apnea). The best way to diagnose this is to film yourself sleeping, ask a friend to watch you, or potentially visit a sleep clinic. Either way, you might be prescribed a CPAP (con-

Mold – If you have mold in your room this can leave you feeling ill owing to the mycotoxins that it releases. Other signs of mold include a musky smell and damp air. If you notice these things, it can be worth getting a remediation company in – even if you can’t see mold it can sometimes be building up underneath the floorboards or behind the paint in your rooms!

Allergies – If you’re waking up hoarse with a headache, then allergies are a common cause. Even if you don’t think you have any allergies, remember that they can come on at any point during your lifetime and as such you may have developed hay fever or similar.

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but if you’re someone who struggles to wake up in the morning it can actually be useful. The idea here is to set yourself to receive something you’re looking forward to in the morning – subscribe to some good RSS feeds for instance, or join a community on a subject you’re interested.

What this does then is give you a motivation to sit up just a little first thing in the morning to grab your phone. If you can motivate yourself to do just that little bit and to start reading, you’ll find that you gradually come around.

Finally, you might also consider using a fitness tracking device that offers sleep -Sandstone Pharmacies Rewards Program with 2500 tracking. A great example of this would points when you sign up and bonus points on all new Prescriptions be the Jawbone UP. This device has a -Ideal Protein Medically Supervised Weight Loss Program. great feature which is to wake you up out “Lose 3-5lbs /week of a light sleep by watching your moveNew Store Hours: Contact us today 403-966-0294 or Book Online: sandstoneidealtransformations.com ment during the night. You set an alarm Monday-Friday 9:00am – 7:00pm | Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm and ask about your initial weight loss assessment and Sunday 10:00am – 4:00pm on Sunday – say for 7am – and it waits for a moment get on|thePharmacy path to smarterCLOSED lifestyle choices! near then when you’re in light sleep rathPharmacy Hours: Fri :SW Langdon, FrontAB Store Hours: Sun : 936-5006 ADDRESS 201, 97 Centre St ● (403) Mon-Wed : 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Mon - Fri : 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Langdon er than deep sleep. It might go off at 6.30 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sat : 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM Holidays : 201, 97 Centre St SW Thur : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sat : Closed Langdon, AB T0J 1X2 for instance, or 6.45 but never after 7am.

AM - 9:00 PM airway Sun/Holidays:Closed AM - 5:00 which PM Phone:the (403) 936-5006 tinuous9:00positive pressure) 9:00 device can prevent What this means is you’re now waking up out of light sleep inproblem. stead of a heavy sleep which helps to prevent ‘sleep inertia’. In theory, you should be much more awake.

If you address all these factors then you should find you start Sleep trackers can be great for improving energy in other ways feeling much fresher and more energetic in the morning. too. While the Microsoft Band lacks this particular feature, it also has a constant heartrate monitor which allows you to measure Something else that can help is to look into getting a ‘daylight your heartrate throughout the night. This gives a much more aclamp’. These are lamps that emit a light wave very similar to the curate measure of your sleep as well as your calories burned and sun and which will gradually get brighter in the morning. This that in turn will allow you to run experiences to see which sleepcan help to gradually nudge you out of a deep sleep rather ing strategies are the most effective for helping you get proper than waking you in the deepest stages of sleep. At the same restoration. time, these lamps can help to combat mild cases of ‘SAD’ (seasonal affective disorder) which is a condition that leaves people feeling tired, lethargic and even potentially depressed during What to do First? the darker winter months. It can also help to put your biological clock more in-sync with your routine and in general it’s a very So now you’re out of bed, what do you do first? A healthy breakuseful tool for waking up more gradually and naturally – it’s fast is a great start to your day and a coffee if you’re so inclined certainly much better than being startled out of your sleep by (though in the long term, caffeine actually does more harm than a blaring alarm clock. good to energy levels).

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And another trick you can use that’s slightly controversial for waking up in the morning is to use your phone. A lot of people will tell you not to use your phone in the morning to get up

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Using the tips above you should be feeling fairly awake but with the best will in the world, you’ll still potentially feel a little groggy in the morning sometimes and need a bit of help waking up.

One thing that can really help you to wake up then, is to take a cold shower. A cold shower will not only shock you into wakefulness, it will actually trigger the release of norepinephrine and dopamine thus making you more alert and even speed up your metabolism to burn more fat. As a way to wake up, this beats a cup of coffee any day!

Next you’ll probably have to commute into work. This is actually one of the very worst things for many of us when it comes to stress and energy. Not only is it stressful sitting in traffic or on a busy train but it’s also a waste of energy. What’s more, if you walk on busy streets in the morning, your body will view this as the equivalent of being leapt out on repeatedly by hundreds of people. Did you know that ‘things moving toward us’ is the only universal fear that we all share? This can drastically raise your heartrate and make you feel really rather exhausted when you get into work.

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What’s the solution? There’s no easy one. Of course you should look for a less stressful commute if possible but at the very least just keep it in mind when thinking about your energy and stress levels.

Then, when starting your working day, remember that you’re not performing at your absolute optimum. A good type of work to begin with is something that you can do relatively ‘mindlessly’. A mindless job is anything that you could perform equally well with the TV on.

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Chapter 6: Exercise can Drain or Enhance Your Energy When we feel low on energy, exercise can often feel like the last thing we want to do. In fact though, exercising is one of the most powerful ways to boost energy levels in both the very short term and the much longer term.

In this chapter, we’ll look at precisely how exercise does this and at what kind of exercise does it best.

How Exercise Improves Your Energy Short Term

In the short term, exercise can give you a great energy boost which is why it’s a good way to start your day. If you’re wondering about that commute quandary in the previous chapter, consider jogging or cycling into work!

One reason that exercising is so good for you in the short term is that it encourages healthy circulation.

Exercise gets your heart beating which sends more blood to your muscles and to your brain. That means more oxygen and more

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Exercise also stimulates the release of lots of very positive hormones and neurotransmitters. If you’ve heard of the ‘runners’ high’ then you should know that jogging can stimulate the release of endorphins and serotonin. The result is that you feel very positive, very happy and of course very high in energy.

As an added bonus, exercise is also one of the most potent ways to boost the restorative nature of your sleep (we saved this one!).

When you workout during the day, you will burn much more energy which will mean you’re far readier to doze off at night – especially if you got lots of fresh air by working out outside.

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• 29

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So while some exercise programs might have you running on a treadmill for 10 minutes at 50% of your maximum capacity, a HIIT workout would involve sprinting on a treadmill for two minutes, then power walking for three and then sprinting for another two minutes. This type of exercise has been shown to be more efficient in a shorter time span and is generally a great way to give yourself a boost mentally and physically.

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How to Train

Using HIIT is a very good idea then if you want to get the most energy benefit from your training. You should also combine this with some weight lifting in order to get the benefit of more physical strength (and actually, weight lifting is very good for weight loss and improving your metabolism). What’s also important though, is to avoid over doing your training. This is the big mistake that a lot of people make when taking on any new workout routine and it can end up being almost as bad as not exercising at all.

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Long Term But the long term benefits of exercise are much more profound.

For starters, exercise will help you to burn calories and lose weight. This then means that again you’ll be carrying less excess weight around with you and will feel lighter, nimbler and far more energetic as a result.

On top of this, exercise will also help to improve your fitness.

This means a stronger heart and a better VO2 max. What this refers to is your body’s ability to bring in oxygen and to utilize it for energy in a short space of time.

A high VO2 max means that you can run long distances without panting and feeling out of breath. This also just so happens to be the perfect antidote to all that sitting… And if you can run a marathon without feeling out of breath then imagine how much easier that walk to work or that hike up the stairs will be!

Exercise also builds muscle and believe it or not, that too can help you to feel more energetic. The main reason for this is that it makes various activities less strenuous and tiring – if you’ve built strong muscles then you’ll find lifting things much easier, walking much easier and… pretty much everything else much easier too!

Better yet, exercise can also boost your mitochondrial count. As you’ll hopefully remember from various points throughout this book, your mitochondria are the energy centers of your cells that help you to utilize ATP and to power yourself through your day. In fact, going back to another early observation (about children seeming to have limitless energy) it is thought that we get more tired as we get older because our mitochondria stop func-

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tioning properly. Exercise increases the quantity and efficiency of mitochondria and especially when you use HIIT. HIIT is ‘High Intensity Interval Training’ and is a type of exercise that involves brief bursts of exertion lasting a couple of minutes, followed by longer bursts of ‘active recovery’.

If you lift weights until you are sore for instance, then just bear in mind that this now means you’re going to be sore for the rest of that day and probably for the next two days. What’s the point of being at your physical best if you hurt every time you move?

Likewise, if you run too far and too fast, you’ll end up feeling too weak and low on energy for the following days and nights. Continue this over-exertion too long and it can eventually lead to ‘overtraining’ which leaves you feeling tired, listless and upset.

Something to pay attention to here is your ‘heartrate variance’.

This shows you how well recovered you are after a workout in the morning and while it’s hard to measure this without a piece of hardware, measuring your grip strength can provide something of an indication. Most important is to train to the point where it’s still fun, to push yourself but not too hard and to listen to what your body is telling you. you’ll be starting to struggle focusing. You can then let your energy continue to sink as you relax for the evening.

Another tip is to avoid having big plans after dinner. If you have anything productive to do, then do it before you eat. The minute you eat dinner and sit on the couch, your energy will be in decline and you should consider the productive part of the day over.

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30 DAY HIIT CHALLENGE DO EACH FOR ONE MINUTE

AIR SQUATS BURPEES

SIDE LEG LIFTS

ELBOW PLANK

Hand Clap PUSH UPS

Next Month You Will Learn...

Chapter 7: How To Structure Your Work Day To Sync With Your Energy

BICYCLE CRUNCHES

LEG LIFTS

Structuring Your Day for Optimum Productivity

STAR JUMP STEP UP

SIDE PLANT TWIST

STAR TWIST

DO EACH FOR ONE MINUTE

REPEAT

FULL PLANK

Individual Differences and How to Control Your Cycles

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• 31

THE CHRONICLES OF LARRY AND ROGER: A Pair of Diabetic Feet

Formerly Jenericay

Written by: Vicki L Myhre CPOD (I) CMP PFRP. Enlightened Soles. Internationally Certified Podologist. Registered through the Canadian Examining.

Board of Health Practitioners

Hello, hello! Larry here. Happy April, everyone! Roger and I have been talking about March. In like a Lion, out like a Lamb they say! That is what we were discussing last month. Apparently, as Roger says, that was wishful thinking… best laid plans… so, we have decided that April is our month!

Just as Orange is the New Black, April is the new March…for us, anyways (and hopefully only for this year). Snow should stop mid month and the wee lambs should appear for us. Along with that, we are delighted to say we will be finally getting outdoors when the threat of ice and snow are gone. We worry when walking on icy sidewalks and there is no way to avoid them with the weather the way it has been.

We are going to put on our gardening shoes and catch some spring sunshine while digging in the garden. We will be looking for tulips, and daffodils and crocus, and searching the ground for new sprouting perennials. We will be buying annuals to fill our flower pots. We will be wandering through the garden centres to get some ideas for new outdoor highlights, like kids in a candy store.

We are going to start pushing our human to do some small hiking day trips to the mountains to look at some new life as it sprouts and reaches for the sun; better late than never, but we need to get moving – our season is short this year.

And, of course, we will make sure all of this is done wearing diabetic friendly footwear to keep us safe and healthy.

We are hoping that the long winter has given all you good diabetics an opportunity to spend time looking into reminders of how to do spring as good, safe diabetics.

Along with our outside activities, there is no shortage of indoor activities. Roger and I found this amazing list of Spring Cleaning requirements, thanks to http://www.diabeticconnect.com While you may be cleaning out your closets, scrubbing down your kitchen, and getting your house and yard ready for warmer days, one important thing to add to your spring cleaning list is your diabetes.

Clean Your Equipment

Your diabetes equipment is imperative to your diabetes care. Without these tools, knowing and maintaining your blood sugar would be a guessing game, so it’s important to make sure that all of your diabetes supplies are in good working order, and that you have backups ready in case something stops working. Here are some things to check during your diabetes spring cleaning:

Blood Glucose Meter

According to the American Diabetes Association you 32 •

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should make sure your blood glucose meter – no matter what type you use – is clean, has test strips that are current and calibrated, and that your meter and test strips are stored at room temperature.

Urine Test Strips

Make sure your urine test strips are not outdated.

Insulin Pump

Make sure all parts not in use are sterile and sealed.

Change out your insulin pump parts regularly and assess your infusion site, rotating it frequently.

Medications

Make sure all your diabetes medications are up-to-date and not expired, as well as be sure they are stored at the correct temperature.

Other Supplies

Do a check on your supplies and order more if you are running low. If your blood glucose meter or any other tools run on batteries, make sure these are working properly and have at least one back up battery.

Commit to Improve your Diabetes Management

Not only is cleaning and updating your equipment and supplies important, but it’s a good idea to go over your diabetes management plan to make sure it’s still working for you and you’re doing the best you can at managing your diabetes. Try this: identify a part of your plan where you may be slacking and spring clean it – in other words, improve this area to make your diabetes management even better. For example, if you’ve gotten lazy about working out, come up with a plan to help you exercise more consistently. Or, if you haven’t been to a nutritionist recently, make an appointment. This will really help you clean up your eating plan for better disease management.

NOW, wasn’t that food for thought?! We love it. We hope it gave you some great ideas on how to take that extra step to live like good diabetics.

On that note, we will sign off and head outside for a short walk; we still have some steps to get in. Enjoy your spring everyone,

we know that we will.

Until Next month, Make your Footprints Count.

Larry and Roger

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Dentists use a special camera called an Omnicam to take an accurate image of the damaged tooth. This image is then transferred and displayed on a computer screen which then the dentist uses CAD at this step to design the restoration. CAM is the next step and automatically creates the patient's restoration while they wait. Once the restoration is complete the dentist bonds it to the surface of the old tooth. This whole process takes between one to two hours.

How can CEREC Help You? With CEREC, a tooth-coloured restoration means there is no more silver fillings or discolouring, leaking, or even cracked fillings.

With the crown, it is completely compatible with the tissue in the mouth, it is natural-looking and made with anti-abrasive and plaque resistant materials. With this machine, it takes one visit to complete this whole restoration process, this is because the dentist no longer needs to take impressions and send them to a lab, or create you a temporary crown while you wait for the new one to come in. Powder-free ease of handling and natural colour reproduction are combined with the CEREC Omnicam to provide a fairly easy experience for the patient. CEREC 3D has over a decade of clinical research and restorations have been proven to be precise, safe, and effective. What this means for you as a patient at Langdon Dental is one visit. No more two-plus visits, you only get numb once for the whole procedure and you won’t have to settle with a temporary until the new restoration is completed. Contact us at Langdon Dental today and book an appointment and see what our dentists can do for you! ~ Langdon Dental facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour

• 33

I think that the best thing we can do for our children is to allow them to do things for themselves, allow them to be strong, allow them to experience life on their own terms....let them be better people, let them believe more in themselves. — JOYBELL C.

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Kids Say the Funniest Things NUDITY

I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my five-year-old shout from the back seat, 'Mom, that lady isn't wearing a seat belt!'

OPINIONS

On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, 'The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents.'

KETCHUP

A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her four-year-old daughter to answer the phone. It was the minister calling. 'Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle.'

MORE NUDITY

A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, 'What's the matter, haven't you ever seen a little boy before?'

POLICE # 1

While taking a routine vandalism report at an elementary school, I was interrupted by a little girl about six years old. Looking up and down at my uniform, she asked, 'Are you a cop?’ ‘Yes,' I answered and continued writing the report. ‘My mother said if I ever needed help I should ask the police. Is that right?' 'Yes, that's right,' I told her. 'Well, then,' she said as she extended her foot toward me, 'would you please tie my shoe?'

POLICE #2

It was the end of the day when I parked my police van in front of the station. As I gathered my equipment, my K-9 partner, Jake, was barking, and I saw a little boy staring in at me. 'Is that a dog you got back there?' he asked. 'It sure is,' I replied. Puzzled, the boy looked at me and then towards the back of the van. Finally, he said, 'What'd he do?’

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ELDERLY

While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my four-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, 'The tooth fairy will never believe this!'

DRESS-UP

A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, 'Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit.' 'And why not, darling?' 'You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.'

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• 35

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DEATH

While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt.

Apparently, his five-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased.

The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: 'Glory be unto the Faaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he goooes.' (I want this line used at my funeral!)

SCHOOL

A little girl had just finished her first week of school. 'I'm just wasting my time,' she said to her mother. 'I can't read, I can't write, and they won't let me talk!'

BIBLE

A little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.

'Mama, look what I found,' the boy called out.

'What have you got there, dear?'

With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, 'I think it's Adam's underwear!'

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Women Talk Strathmore

Darlis is an entrepreneur with a passion for helping people in business, organizations and entire communities recognize their uniqueness and achieve possibilities they may not have thought possible.

She believes growth and success start at the grassroots level… with people, and she uses training, coaching and facilitating to inspire positive change.

She is a Board member of Women Talk Strathmore.

Contact her at Darlis@DownToBusinessSolutions. com.

Feeling at Home

“Home is not a place, it’s a feeling.”

– Cecelia Ahern What makes a house a home and what makes it ‘your’ home? This is a question I have been asking for months as my home is in the process of being rebuilt after a fire last September. While the fire was on the exterior, the roof was almost completely destroyed and as a result, the water damage on the inside was extensive and we lost a lot of our belongings and it was gutted back to the studs.

During the days following the fire, my daughter and I spent a lot of time at my house assisting the restoration team with removing contents and it was weird how it no longer felt like my home, but simply a house. We were very fortunate to find a wonderful house to rent while reconstruction was underway but it didn’t feel like ‘home’ and I yearned deeply to have that feeling back.

Perhaps, I thought, once I began to select the house colours, light fixtures, cabinets, flooring and other things that would be part of the house rebuild, then it would feel like my home again. I was wrong. Ahhhh, once I start to replace more of the things we lost, then that feeling will come back. It did not. Oh, surely once the The Newsy Neighbour Magazine

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Leela

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walls were completed and it began to look like my place again, THEN I will feel that ‘home’ feeling. No, that wasn’t the answer either. It wasn’t the fixtures, the contents or the physical appearance that made it feel like home, so what was missing?

The answer came in the form of a suggestion from a friend during a conversation about the power of words. He suggested that I write words on the walls that have meaning to me before the painting was done. After getting permission from the painter, my best friend and I spent two hours one sunny afternoon with water-based paint markers in hand and we wrote… and wrote… and wrote on every single wall in my house.

We collect for: SE Rockyview Food Bank Chestermere Food Bank Veterans Food Bank

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They are the BEST! Monday – Thursday 10 AM – 3 PM Friday 10 AM-12 PM Please Call First

seat. Bring a girlfriend or two and feel at home with us at WomenTalk. We look forward to welcoming you!

For more information about WOMEN TALK in Strathmore, please visit www.WomenTalk.ca/Strathmore.

We wrote positive words like clarity, safety, love, grace, welcome and joy. We wrote words and phrases of personal significance like kokoro warrior, easy day, hooyah, soulful abundance, beautiful life, soul friendships, and transformational wisdom. We wrote Sanskrit and Japanese words like Namaste, so hum, ananda, kenzoku, satori and kensho. We wrote prayers, affirmations, and when we felt inclined, we rewrote the same words and phrases in multiple rooms. And when we were done, I walked through every room and felt the power of the words that we had written with pure intent while holding immense love in our hearts. I felt my house come alive. It was once again my safe place to simply be.

I had finally discovered the magic of what truly made my house my home… love, appreciation and faith. I realized that the design of the faucets, choice of wall colours, style of cabinet hardware and all the other elements of my home was not to make the house look good, but was to create an environment that made me feel and radiate love. Every choice regarding a construction element or a replacement for something I lost in the fire, is now made with a conscious decision about how it makes me feel. How does your home feel to you?

In life, when we are determined and committed, we will find a way. I found a way to transform my house to a home and to ensure it is a positive environment for myself, family and guests. Each month at WomenTalk in Strathmore, the Talkers for the month tell their stories of determination and commitment… stories that transform and contribute to the spirits of the women present. As a Talker last month shared, ‘If you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way. It will become a reality.”

Women Talk Strathmore is on the third Thursday of every month at The Station. You can book your tickets online at www. womentalk.ca/events, or for those who consider themselves non-savvy with technology, call 403-934-8516 to reserve your

www.womentalk.ca Thursday March 15, 2018 | 7pm @ Strathmore Station TICKETS $20 Online Sponsored by: $25 at the door Pure Potentials & Sportsbras.ca facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour

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2018 Home Décor Trends

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Breathe Fresh Life into Your Home with These Interior Design Ideas

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There’s no time like that spent at home. As much as we enjoy going out, getting together with one another, and taking part in all the ongoing fun that our vibrant communities have to offer, there’s something special about coming back at the end of a long day, kicking off those shoes, and just really enjoying the comfort and familiarity of mi casa. That

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said, we pride ourselves in creating spaces within our homes that are relaxing, engaging, and trend-setting all at once, which is why we never pass on the opportunity to embrace the newest interior design trends and concepts that crop up from season to season.

Swapping out embellishments and styling cues can go a long way towards transforming a space for little to no cost, which is why we’re always happy to dive in and share these fresh and exciting trends. So, join us today as we explore some of the coolest, hippest interior styles of spring 2018 – and feel free to give these a shot in your own home if you’re looking to switch things up a bit this season!

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Geometrics Geometric interior styling first entered the scene early last year and has shown no signs in slowing down since.

While people initially embraced this angular motif through things like embellishments and flavour pieces around the home, 2018 sees this trend doubling down as it makes its way onto walls, floors, and bedspreads this spring.

The best examples of geometric design are often those which are most striking and bold, so don’t be afraid to go big with this style. The more angular and imposing the geometric is, the better. Obviously, this style doesn’t necessarily play nicely with all types of décor, so we’d caution you against filling your country-kitsch-styled living room with brassy cubes and polyhedrons – but if your home embraces some modern-leaning elements, geometrics just might be right for you.

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Thank you to all of our voters and supporters!

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Comfy, Cozy Textiles Winter might be in the rear-view mirror (at least hypothetically), but that doesn’t mean people are ready to pack away their blankets, throws, and pillows quite yet! In fact, these accompaniments are 100% in-style this spring, so rather than tucking them away for the year, display them proudly!

Drape blankets and throws around your living spaces for a comfortable, inviting vibe, and think about adding an area rug or wall hanging to the mix. These details will take away any coldness or harshness a room might be struggling with and will instead make it as welcoming a space as any other in your home. Bonus points for mismatched throw pillows – especially if they have lots of fun tassels!

Greenery The outdoors is coming inside this spring, and we couldn’t be happier! Houseplants, terrariums, and hanging macramé planters are all the rage in 2018. Whether it’s due to the recent planting workshop craze, millennials looking to bring back the décor of their childhood homes, or recent studies that have shown how good it is for our health to be around greenery (even just simple houseplants!), this is one trend we’re ready to go all-in on.

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These are some of our favourite spring 2018 décor trends, but really, we’ve only managed to just scratch the surface here. There are plenty of other stylish movements and leanings out there in the world of interior design, so if you’re looking to switch things up, the sky’s the limit when it comes to how far you can take things. Embrace the spirit of creativity and new beginnings this spring and breathe fresh life into some of your favourite spaces at home. Good luck, and happy decorating!

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There are two ways to approach this styling cue. The first is with plants themselves – and when it comes to quantity, you can never really have too many. Do you find yourself in a space that looks more like an atrium than your living room?

Perfect; job well done! Stock your shelves with plants; hang them from the ceiling; have them spilling over the edge of every nook and filling every vacant corner.

Next, feel free to go even further with this trend by introducing colours that compliment your new leafy roommates.

You don’t want to go with tones that exactly match the foliage you’ve brought into your home, but rather, pick shades and hues that compliment and build on what you’re already working with. Think olives, whites, and earthy browns. Then, kick back and enjoy a more naturally-appointed home!

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46 Ways to Organize Your Home Your home is supposed to be the place where you feel the most comfortable. Keeping it organized and clutter free is important.

For many of us, though, this is a challenge.

MAKE A PLAN

Organizing your home can be overwhelming if you don’t have a plan. This first set of tips will help you know where to start.

1. Master List The first thing that you need to do is make a list. Get a pen and paper and go through every room in your house. Write down everything that needs to be organized. Don’t worry if your list is really long, you’ll break it down later.

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4. Don’t Get Distracted When you start carrying out your daily projects, it’s important to only concentrate on what’s on the list. Chances are, as you start doing one project you’ll see ten other projects that need doing.

You’ll be tempted to do them, but don’t. You’ll wind up getting overwhelmed, and possibly not even finishing the first project.

If you notice an additional project you need to do, simply write it on your master list and continue with what you were doing.

BATHROOM

5. Throw Out Before starting to organize your bathroom, go though and throw out anything that’s outdated or no longer needed. Things like: • Old scissors or razors • Expired prescriptions • Any make up over a year old • Throw out empty and almost empty bottles

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3. Daily List Once you’ve prioritized, you can make your daily lists. Get a big piece of paper and write the days of the week across the top.

Then look at your prioritized master to-do list and start writing all of the “A” projects under a week day on your paper. Be careful to put not more than two or three projects on one day, otherwise you may get overwhelmed. You now have a daily list of projects to get done (“A” projects, then “B” projects, and so on). Keep doing this every week until you get all of your projects done.

Whether your bathroom is big or small, keeping it organized is important. This next set of tips will help you keep your bathroom organized.

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2. Prioritize After you’ve made your master list, it’s time to prioritize. Sit down with your list and decide what needs to be done right away verses what can wait. You can do this by using a letter or number system. For all the things you want done right away, pun an “A” or a “1” by them. If the job can wait a week or two, put a “B” or a “2” by it. If it can wait even longer, place a “C” or a “3” by it.

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room. Here are some ideas: • Put a magnet strip inside your medicine cabinet to hang razors, scissors and tweezers.

• Make a simple fabric skirt to put around free standing sinks to hide things underneath your sink.

• Roll towels instead of folding them.

• Give each family member a square, see-through container for his or her personal things.

Wendy Zak Owner

7. Keep Cleaners Handy Keep cleaners in their own portable container under the sink so they’re accessible when you need them. It’s also a good idea to label your cleaners by room. Take a permanent marker and write “bathroom” on all of your bathroom cleaners so that you don’t take them out of the bathroom and have to hunt them down later.

8. Guest Items If you have a guest bathroom, make sure you have plenty of extra things that they may need. Here are some ideas: • Soaps • Toothbrushes • Shampoo • Hair products

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9. Use Small Containers Small containers or baskets can organize otherwise cluttered bathroom drawers. Here are some things that you can divide into these smaller containers: • Jewelry • Make-up • Floss • Soaps 10. Avoid Clutter It’s easy for clutter to build up in your bathroom. Here are some tips on how to organize bathroom items so that clutter won’t sneak up on you: • Store only items that you use daily on your counters.

• Empty the trash can daily.

• Have a hamper for dirty clothes • Keep a toy bag in the tub for bath

CLOSETS

Keeping your closets organized can be frustrating, because it seems like everything winds up there. This next set of tips will give you some ideas on how to keep the clutter out of your closets.

11. Clear Out Start organizing that cluttered closet by clearing out everything that you don’t need in there. Here are some helpful tips: • Throw away or donate any clothes that don’t fit anymore or are out of style.

• If you haven’t worn it in a year, get rid of it.

• Go through shoes and throw out any too old to wear.

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Envious Renova�ons enviousrenova�ons.com 403.969.3694 12. Categorize If you have a lot of clothes, it helps to categorize them. There are many ways to do this, you just need to choose the right one for you. Here are some ideas: • Hang full outfits together.

• Categorize by season.

• Categorize by style.

• Use rod dividers.

13. Storing The secret to having an uncluttered closet is knowing how to store. It’s best to store things in clear plastic containers so that it’s easy to see what’s in them. Shelves are also very useful for storing shoes and extra folded clothes.

14. Baskets It’s a good idea to keep a couple of baskets in your closets. You can use these baskets to keep clothes that need mending, or clothes that you’re donating to charity.

The kitchen is used several times a day. It’s very important to organize it so that it will be easy and efficient to use. This next set of tips will give you some great ideas on how to arrange your kitchen for optimum use.

18. Activities Before you start to organize your kitchen, be aware of all that goes on there. There are five basic activities that you do in the kitchen. They are: • Food preparation • Food storage • Cleaning • Cooking • Serving 19. Triangle Theory The triangle theory states that your time in your kitchen will be more effective if you set it up like a triangle. As you pay attention to how you move in the kitchen, it can be described as going from the sink to the stove to the fridge, or some variation of that. Following the triangle theory, if you make the stove, sink and fridge the “points” of your triangle, your time spent in your kitchen will be more efficient.

20. Fridge Keeping your fridge organized can be a challenge, but here are some tips to keep it clutter free: • Go through and throw out bad food at least once a week.

• Store leftovers in clear containers.

• Go through condiments, and check expiration dates.

• Have a shelf for leftovers, a shelf for beverages and a shelf for store-bought foods.

21. Pantry It’s important to organize your pantry so that you always know what you have. Here are some tips: • Group like foods together, i.e. fruits, vegetables, soups, etc.

• Label your shelves.

• Use containers or baskets for smaller items, such as gravy and

15. Hooks Hanging hooks in your closet can eliminate a lot of clutter.

Here are some ideas: • Belts • Coats • Umbrellas • Bags 16. Shoe Storage thenewsyneighbour.com

17. Shelves Shelves can be a big asset in your closets. Here are some great things you can store: • Folded clothes • Blankets • Slippers • Hats

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Organizing shoes can be a challenging job. Here are some ideas: • Put a shelf in your closet for only shoes.

• Hang a “shoe bag” on the back of your closet door.

• If you have a big enough closet, you can store your shoes in their original shoe boxes.

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Kool-Aid pouches.

• Alphabetize your spices.

22. Cupboards Organizing cupboards and cabinets is important, because we open and close them several times a day. Here are some ideas: • Put glasses and cups in a cupboard near the sink.

• Give each thing its own shelf, i.e. plates, bowls, containers, etc.

• If you don’t have a lot of cupboard space, sort through all your kitchenware and put what you can live without in storage.

25. Custom Design Organizing tips are great, but the bottom line is that you need to organize your kitchen to best fit your needs. For example, if you don’t cook much, alphabetizing spices may not be a necessity.

On the other hand, if you entertain often, the use of your serving space will be very important. So decide what you need from your kitchen, and organize accordingly.

MEDIA

We all have magazines, books, music and movies in our homes. This next set of tips will show you how to best organize your entertainment.

26. Throw Out The first thing you need to do is go through all of your magazines and newspapers and throw out everything that you’ve already read. If you’re saving a magazine just for one article, tear out the article and throw the magazine away.

IGHBOU NE R Reader’s Choice in

Z AGA INE M

24. Grocery List Keep a magnetic pad on the fridge to write down things that you need on your next grocery trip. Then, before going to the store, check your list against your pantry, fridge and freezer to avoid buying duplicate items.

E NEW SY TH

23. Creating Extra Storage Space If you have a small kitchen, it may be very hard to organize it the way you want to. Here are a few ideas on how to make more space: • Install mug hooks under your cupboards.

• Use square containers instead of round ones.

• Line up lids vertically.

• Get “rolling” drawers that you can just pull out when you need them.

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30. Notebooks What do you do with the magazine articles that you tear out of those magazines? Put them in a three-ring notebook, and store them with your books. You can also get notebook dividers to store articles on different subjects.

HOME OFFICE

More and more homes these days have a home office. Without proper organization and upkeep, however, your home office can become cluttered and unproductive.

27. Categorize by Subject It’s best to categorize your magazines and books by subject. Put cooking magazines together and entertainment ones together, etc. Do this with your music and movies also.

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28. Labeling Labeling is a great way to keep all of your media where it needs to be. You can get white sticker labels at the store in white, or you can colour code them to make finding what you need quicker.

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29. Magazine Storage Storing magazines can be tricky, because they don’t stack very well. A great solution to this is to get plastic, vertical magazine holders. Each one will hold ten to twelve magazines. You can also label them by years.

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one that best fits your needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind: • Make sure to get a quality filing cabinet that has easily sliding drawers.

• Use both hanging files (for broad categories), and manila folders for subcategories.

• Make sure that all of your files are labeled well.

• Maintain a consistent alphabetical system.

36. Calendar Having a master calendar is important for organizing not only your office, but your life as well. Make sure your calendar is big enough to write all of your important activitieRoper, and that it’s put in a place where you’ll always see it.

This next set of tips will help you organize your home office so that everything runs efficiently.

31. Desk Position The position of your desk can make a big difference in the efficiency of your office. Arranging your desks or tables in an “L” shape or a “U” shape is best. This allows you two or three work areas.

32. Supplies Office supplies are important to keep handy in your home office, but be careful not to hoard them. Keep only what you need in desk drawers, otherwise clutter will start to build up.

33. Control Paper It seems like the flow of paper in your home office never stops.

Handling this paper problem on a daily basis is important. Make sure you allow yourself time every day to clear off the papers on your desk and put things where they belong.

34. Folders Folders are a great way to organize your home office. Even if you don’t have a filing cabinet yet, using folders can really help organize. Here are a few ideas of things you can put in these folders: • Bills • Budget • Research • Records 35. Filing System When you are ready for a filing system, make sure that you get

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GARAGE

Organizing your garage can be a challenge, because it seems everything that we don’t want in the house winds up in there.

This next set of tips will help you keep your garage clutter free and manageable.

37. Shelves Shelves are great to have in your garage, because they keep things off the floor and give you more room for your car. Make sure you have a good variety of different shelves to best fit your needs.

38. Pegboards Pegboards are great in garages. You can hang almost anything on them.

Here are some ideas: • Tools • Ladders •Garden hoses • Wood 39. Gardening Tools Storing gardenThe Newsy Neighbour Magazine

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Kerry G. Glass Professional Corporation

Chartered Professional Accountant

Kerry Glass, CPA, CGA Kerry@kgg-cpa.com

403-901-0260

225C Wheatland Trail, Strathmore ing tools can be tricky. It’s a good idea to put them all together in a bucket or basket so that they’re easy to transport. Store them near the front or back door of your garage.

40. Car Supplies Make sure you have shelf space devoted to car supplies and tools. If they’re all in one spot, it’ll be easier to find them when you need them. Don’t forget to include: • Car washing supplies • Tools • Gas can • Car vacuum • Car fluids 41. Toys Whether you have kids or not, a portion of your garage should be devoted to outdoor toys and recreational activities. Muck buckets are great for this, and you can fit quite a bit in them

KID’S ROOM

A child’s room is fun, but without the right organization it can become so messy that not even the kids can have fun in there. This last set of tips will give you some ideas on how to organize your little one’s room so that it’s fun for everyone.

42. Divide Up the Room The first thing you should do is be aware of the different needs of your child for his or her bedroom, and make sure there is a spot for each. Here are some examples: • Sleeping area • Reading area • Homework area • Play area 43. Closet Make sure that the clothes rod is low enough for your child to reach. You can put stackable baskets in his closet as well for shoes, gloves, etc. The higher shelves in the closet can be used for blankets or seasonal clothes.

44. Buckets and Containers Buckets and containers are great in a kid’s room. Muck buckets work great as toy boxes for bigger toys. For smaller toys, see

through containers or empty five-gallon ice cream buckets work great.

45. Shelves Shelves are great in a child’s room. For safety, make sure that they are no taller than your child. Here are some things you can store on shelves: • Books • Stuffed animals • Small toys • Crafts 46. Rotate Toys If your child has too many toys, it’s a great idea to rotate them. Go through them and thin them out, but keep the ones you take out in a bag in the garage. Every few months, rotate these toys back into your child’s room, taking others out. This will give him variety and let him enjoy his toys more.

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BUSINESS BYTES

The Accountable$

Jill Crossland is a Business & Marketing Consultant with over twenty years of business experience. She is the owner of Jill Crossland Consulting & editor of Entrepreneurial-Life Magazine. From business strategizing to marketing plans and social media, Jill knows how to put the pieces in place for her clients. jill@jbcrossland.com | 403 901 6147 | https://entrepreneurial-life.today

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Why You Should Care About Personal Branding Entrepreneurs innately know they are their business. As we grow, work on and expand our companies we simultaneously build a personal brand and reputation. To Amazon’s Jeff Bezos point, “Branding is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

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Here are a few examples of what you don’t want people to say about you:

Phone: 587-717-7621 theaccountables@yahoo.ca

• He never did give me a quote, so I hired someone else • Saw XXY business truck in the handicap parking the other day.

• He was so late for our appointment but didn’t even message to let me know.

• They never respond to phone call or emails • According to a friend, she says some pretty nasty stuff on Facebook • I can’t believe how rude the owner of XXY was to the cashier at the Co-Op.

If you have questions, we can help!

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Professional Real Estate Associate

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Sheryl Sandberg made a case against personal branding with the argument that ‘we are not products, but people’. However, the very act of searching someone online before hiring or doing business with them would dispute that theory. As does the fact we often turn to friends, colleagues & neighbours for recommendations or even more pointedly ask ‘Have you ever done business with ……………………?’

The good thing about personal branding is unlike your company’s financial statements, business goals and marketing plans it isn’t time-consuming. Courtesy, good communication, professionalism and showing respect for customers and staff can easily become the day to day standard because ultimately it is the foundation of all successful businesses and organizations.

Guy Cooley, CCS

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As a business owner, you can brush these things off as small and inconsequential but each infraction is shaping your professional reputation. You are making an impression in the mind of others about you and the business, group, or organization you are part of.

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MartinSHIELDS,MP

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This spring, a decline in railway service for the grain sector has seen performance numbers drop dramatically, and it’s resulting in the worst grain backlog in years. Contracts are in jeopardy and demurrage costs are increasing.

This situation is very bad for our grain producers. When a shipment of grain doesn’t arrive to a port on time, it’s the producer that pays the penalty – not the railway.

As a first step to address this crisis and make sure it doesn’t happen again in the future, we have been pressing the government to pass Bill C-49 quickly. This Bill would at least reintroduce interswitching regulations that expired back in August 2017. Unfortunately, Bill C-49 is omnibus legislation. That means the good stuff – interswitching – is bundled together with all kinds of other measures that we opposition MPs can’t support.

We offered to support a split version of the Bill to pass it quickly, but the Liberals declined. Unfortunately, their attitude toward the grain backlog is pretty much par for the course. This government simply never makes farmers and

Please contact our office:

• If you are having issues with any Federal programs or departments • If you are holding or celebra�ng a local event • If you have an Anniversary or Birthday you would like Cer�ficates for • If you would like to speak to the Member of Parliament See Our Social Media Pages for Updates

@MartinBowRiver

/MartininBowRiver

ranchers a priority.

It’s important to remember that when grain farmers don’t get paid, it affects towns across our region. It means they don’t have money they might have spent at local stores, restaurants, and events. It’s a bad situation all around, and we are working hard in Ottawa to get it addressed.

On another subject close to home, have you ever been to the Rosebud Theatre? As part of a study the Heritage committee is undertaking, we are looking at rural cultural hubs. The Rosebud Theatre is a fantastic example of a successful rural cultural hub, right in the heart of the prairie!

We heard in committee that one of the key components of a successful rural hub is attracting audiences from urban areas.

As you know, it’s a lot easier to build up a large client base in a city with a big population than in a small town. So if you enjoy the Rosebud Theatre, be sure to spread the word! Let’s support local arts and culture; without it we’d have to drive to Calgary to enjoy a good show!

I can be reached in Ottawa at 613-992-0761 or martin. shields@parl.gc.ca. My Brooks office can be reached at 403793-6775 or martin.shields.c1@parl.gc.ca, and my Strathmore office at 403-361-2980 or martin.shields.c1B@parl. gc.ca. Please don’t hesitate to contact me about any federal issue.

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• 47

We are... 5 REMAX horizon Real Estate Professionals DEDICATED to

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Home...

There’s Just No Place Like It. As I lay here on my mattress, which is sloppily laid out on the floor in my empty rental home, it really has me longing for my forever home. My family and I have been in between homes, patiently waiting for our new house to be ready come May 1st.

It’s been a whirlwind of the last few months, and a pain in the

butt, if I must admit! We temporarily have been living in a little townhouse in Strathmore and are now having to move to a smaller condo while we wait out the last month for our house to be ready. We’ve luckily been able to move most of our possessions to our forever home, however we just can’t live there quite yet! I’ve decided to take the easy way out (and have made the executive decision on behalf of my family) that we are bringing the bare necessities with us while we camp out on our mattresses on the floor and eat off of paper plates for the next month in the little 2 bedroom condo. (My room will be the living room!)

Of course, all of this has me missing the feeling of being home. My head has been filled with all sorts of ideas about what I’m going to do to our new home to make it personalized and ours. I already have colours chosen to paint the walls, the decor all planned out, where I’m going to sit and sip my coffee and watch the morning news, what new furniture I want to buy, and so on. Thinking about all of these things has me so excited, that I can hardly wait another month to not live out of a suitcase.

So, what makes your house a home? For me, there’s a few important things. Number one, of course, is the people in it: my family. There’s nothing better than the chaos of my kids... the sound of mini stick hockey balls hitting the wall with a few new drywall holes for me to patch, or a fresh colour stain on the table from my daughter’s latest art project. While these things

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drive me absolutely mad sometimes, this is what makes our house a home.

Secondly, I have to have a home that is mine. It’s personalized with my style, the walls are freshly painted, my favourite blanket knitted by my grandma laid out on the couch, there’s shoes in every single closest (because I have a serious problem!), my favourite candle is burning, there’s fresh flowers on the table, and the colour teal is everywhere to be found because it’s my favourite!

Lastly, the third most important thing to me for that feeling of being “home”, is having a yard. This is a luxury I have so been missing the last 6 months. I didn’t think of it as a big deal at first, as my family likes to be outside playing hockey at the rink, riding bikes on Strathmore’s awesome paths, or we are usually away from home travelling all over Alberta for hockey and ringette. There’s nothing I love more than being able to step outside of my kitchen door onto the deck to sit and enjoy the peacefulness of the outdoors and to watch the kids play on their trampoline in the backyard.

It’s going to be a long next month, and if I’m totally honest, I’m dreading the idea of not being able to set down roots for another month. But, I’m trying to have a positive outlook and view it as an adventure, or a camp out for the kids. How often can you just live like a fresh out-of-highschool student? Paper plates, empty apartment, Kraft dinner stocked up in the pantry, take out dinner way too often. I’m sure it will be a great memory for us, and we can laugh about it while we sit around the table to eat dinner at our forever home.

Written by Katelyn Haffner of The Reps Group.

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Natural Choices

|PRIDE |PASSION |PURPOSE

Cynthia Barnesky is a Holistic Practitioner/Certified Professional Spiritual Life Coach and owner of SunRise Healing Center: Specializes in helping you with the natural ways of healing through her services of Inner Clarity Spiritual Life Coaching, Intuitive Massage, Reflexology, IonCleanse Detox Foot Bath, Intuitive Readings, Reconnective Healing, and many natural healing products. For more information visit her website: www.sunrisehealingcenter.com or give her a call: 403-934-6416.

Smudging, Clearing and Protecting Your Space

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Spring is here and it is a great time to clear and recharge yourself and your space, so why not start by cleaning, clearing, smudging and angelically letting go of lower (negative) energies that are weighing you, your space and your life down?

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Let’s first start off by de-cluttering your space, office or home.

Getting rid of clothes that no longer fit or are useful, items, papers, and things that you are just not using any more can clear up the energies around you. Donate, sell, or storing these items helps to clear the lower energies allowing for higher (positive) energies to move freely around your home, office or even around you. If you make your space feel light, so will you!

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It is a good idea to smudge, clear or angelically release lower (negative) energies at least every third month. It maybe be needed more often if you have experienced an illness or death, an argument, or you have moved into a new space or office.

Also, releasing lower energies is important after a divorce or break-up, if a roommate or companion moves out, after you have brought in an old or new item to your home or office, even before you start a new project or new beginning, or before you start a Feng Shuai project. These are my three favourite ways you can achieve smudging and clearing, and last but not least, angelically protecting yourself and your space.

unnecessary interest!

- Smudging is a very old way of clearing your space, yourself, crystals, food, or items from lower (negative) energies. You can use sweet grass, white sage, cedar, lavender, sandalwood, rosemary, frankincense and incense for smudging. As the smoke rises, you can direct the smoke with a feather in a counter clockwise direction into each corner of your closet, inside each cabinet, laundry room, basement and even in the garage or on anything that you would like to clear. Use your intention to bring in the Divine’s Love, Light and Informational Healing Energy. Ask for the space, yourself, an item, or a Loved One to have the energies, spirits, lower emotions, and attachments to be released, cleared, restored and healed on all levels of your life; mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, conscious and subcon-

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Buying or Selling...Please give us a call for your free consultation

Spring is f inal ly here!!

Nancy Stairs (403) 934-1625 Steve Farran (403) 901-9335

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scious. Then say, “Thank you!”

- Singing bowls are the latest trend in bringing in a high er, powerful, positive vibrational energy to the room. They may cost a pretty penny, but it is well worth it! There are different kinds of singing bowls. Some are a beautiful bass tone and there are others that are made out of crystals like quartz. If you have a bass singing bowl, hit the edge of the bowl with the wooden stick and trace the edge with the stick counter clockwise; you will start to hear the vibrational energy, which is removing lower energies. Walk around the rooms in a counter clockwise pattern while you continue to trace the edge with the stick. If for some reason the sound stops, hit it again and begin to trace the edge again until you have finished the space or item you are wishing to clear. If you want a healing on yourself or someone else, hit the edge of the bowl with the stick and trace the edge clockwise and this brings in healing, loving and renewing energy to you.

Remember to say, “Thank you!” when you have finished clearing or healing. With the quartz crystal singing bowl, you have to be much gentler with it. I have never used one, but I have heard one before and it is amazing vibrational energy!

- You can place Crystals to release, clear, balance and renew the energies in your home, office or even on you. Here are only my favourite crystals I use in my home. Place some Rose Quartz or Amethyst in the windows to help bring in Love, Peace and Harmony. You can place Smoky Quartz, Obsidian, Hematite, or Tourmaline in the higher places (like on the top of the counters, shelves or hanging from a higher point) to collect the lower energies or emotions of everyday life and release higher energies. Remember to clean, cleanse and renew the energies of each of these crystals about once a month, except Hematite. It does not need to be done, as it will crack when it cannot absorb any more lower energies. Then just make a hole in the soil and cover it up! Himalayan Crystal Salt Lamps are very powerful and easy to work with, just plug them in and let it work for you. It naturally releases negative ions, reduces the effects of computer and office equipment radiation, reduces stress and anxiety, creates a tranquil atmosphere, brings serenity, and reduces indoor pollutants! Crystals are very powerful and easy to work with, but one needs to learn more about the properties of each crystal first!

- For just a quick touch up cleanse, use your intention to bring in the Divine’s Love, Light and Informational Healing Energy.

Ask for the space, yourself, item, or a Loved One to have the energies, spirits, lower emotions, and attachments to be released, cleared, restored and healed on all levels of your life; mental,

physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, conscious and subconscious and remember to say, “Thank you!”

- If you are around and about, or after a releasing, clearing or cleanse session, and you feel you need protection, just hug yourself and say this phrase, “Dear Archangel Michael, come to me now and stay with me the whole day and night wrapping me with your wings, surrounding me with Divine’s White Light of Love, Green Light of Healing and Silver, Gold and Blue Platinum Light of Protection only allowing the energies and spirits that benefit my higher-self and my higher purpose. Can you protect my family (you can name names at this time), property, and friends near and far? I thank you, Archangel Michael!”

Now you are cleared and protected; may the Angels, Spirit and The Divine be with you always, sending you White Light of Love, Healing and Protection!

Felker - Dunbar Law

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• 51

Kyle Penn is a writer, a music-lover, and a lover of all things literary. He also owns and operates Ink Slinger, a small business devoted to content creation, copywriting, and social media management. For innovative writing solutions, reach out to him at kylewpenn@gmail. com.

Spring Cleaning Tips from The Newsy Neighbour Get Your Home Back in Shape After a Long Winter Despite the frequent snowstorms we’ve seen lately, it’s officially springtime in Alberta – just pay no attention to the snow drifts still clinging on for dear life!

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With spring comes warmth, new life, blossoming trees and plants…and spring cleaning. You might be dreading the thought of opening up the windows, airing the place out, and cleaning every inch of your home from top to bottom (it has been a loooooong winter, after all!), but don’t worry, we’ve got a few tips to help make things easier. We won’t bore you with lessons on how to get all the dust out from behind your fridge or other such similar cleaning tricks – we’re sure your more than capable of running a vacuum over the place without us telling you how to do it! Instead, consider these tips less “cleaning hacks” and more “keeping-your-sanity-while-whipping-your-house-intoshape-hacks.” Nobody really enjoys spring cleaning, but with our help, you’ll make it through in one piece…hopefully. If nothing else, at least your house will great in the end!

Spring Cleaning Tip #1: Take Your Time This is perhaps the most important piece of advice we can give to help you get through the onerous chore of spring cleaning.

Remember: it’s less of a sprint to the finish line, and more of a long-distance marathon. There are some folks out there who would encourage you to rip the proverbial band-aid off and just keep cleaning until you’re finished…but those people obviously haven’t seen the shape my house is in right now! If your place looks anything like mine, there’s no way to just “keep cleaning until it’s done” unless you’re looking to succumb to exhaustion, boredom, and dust inhalation first.

Our advice? Pace yourself. Set lofty, but ultimately realistic goals for yourself. Tackle one room or chore at a time. And if The Newsy Neighbour Magazine

•

Altogether Different

you’re feeling tired or worn out? Take a break. For a few minutes, for an hour, for the rest of the day – whatever you need. Nobody likes dragging out a task for longer than it has to go on for, but keep in mind that there aren’t any deadlines here to worry about.

There isn’t a Spring Cleaning Inspector making his way through town, rewarding those with sparkling, spotless homes and punishing infractions of dust and grime, so rest easy, and don’t push yourself too hard!

Spring Cleaning Tip #2: Try to Enjoy Yourself (as Much as Possible, Anyway) Despite what Mary Poppins might have told you, cleaning isn’t fun – it’s awful. Don’t get us wrong, there’s nothing in this whole entire world as satisfying as having a house that’s entirely tidy and dust-free, but the act of cleaning itself? Not fun. So, do what you can to make it as enjoyable an experience as possible! First, put yourself in a positive mental headspace. Even if you’re not excited to clean, approaching the task at hand without being thoroughly miserable is the first step toward making the experience a more-bearable one.

Next: the ambiance. You don’t need to be scrubbing that floor in an atmosphere of tense silence! Throw on some music, queue up your favourite podcast, download an audio book, or even just switch the TV on to your favourite show. Heck, grab a glass of wine or a beer if you’re feeling saucy. Do whatever you need to in order to make cleaning less of a chore, and it will all be over before you know it.

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Spring Cleaning Tip #3: Clean Smart, Not Hard When you’re planning out your angle of attack, be strategic about what you’re going to take on. Tackling those gross, dust-caked blinds? Maybe pull them down and give them a clean before you vacuum and tidy the rest of that room, to keep your re-cleaning to a minimum. Make the sinks and faucets some of the last tasks you tackle – that way, you don’t have to go back and tidy up after using these fixtures to clean the rest of the house. Don’t set yourself more work than you need to do. If you plan ahead and think smart, you’ll save yourself both time and frustration.

There, That Wasn’t So Tough!

Spring cleaning isn’t anybody’s idea of a good time, but hopefully, these tips will help you to keep your wits about you through the process and come out relatively unscathed in the end – with a beautiful, sparkling, dirt-free house, to boot! We wish everyone tackling their spring cleaning in the days and weeks ahead the best of luck – and remember, no matter how bad things might seem, at least we can be grateful that spring only comes around once a year!

"No winter lasts forever. No spring skips its turn."

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Shaken & Stirred

Marcy enjoys helping others experience the joy in life. She started Mountain Lion Leadership, in 2003. As a leadership & community advocate, she is actively involved with organizations & businesses working to aid growth and development. This is combined with a passion to see women grow both personally & professionally whatever their stage of life. Contact Marcy: marcy@mlleadership.com. Follow Marcy on Twitter @MarcyLField to my profile.

The Important Role of Disruptors: Why They Provide Hope Disruptors are showing up everywhere. They are those individuals or things preventing systems, processes or events from continuing as usual or as expected. They include the young people Marching For Our Lives and the current President of the United States. For better or for worse, they change how we live, think of ourselves and society as whole. As desperately as segments of society want things to remain the same, change is one of the few constants. Disruptors, whether liked or disliked, create shifts and things change.

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Disruptors and Activism "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not." Dr. Seuss Despite many armchair critics and trolls, disruptors motivated citizens to action in the March For Our Lives (March 2018). Additionally, these students, through alliances, may be forming a movement as they actively engage with voter registration initiatives. Hope springs up watching these young activists and is reinforced by the following reflection from an American friend.

She remembers a time when a bunch of "teenagers" told Congress and the country that if they were old enough to be sent off halfway around the world to die, they were old enough to vote for the people that sent them there. The 26th Amendment to the Constitution took 3 months and 8 days (March 23, 1971 to July 1, 1971) to be ratified - the fastest in the history of the Constitution. I only wish those same young people still had the fire today to become actively involved in the workings of our democracy.

Don't ever discount the fire in the heart of a young person.

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Disruptors and Critical Thinking In addition, when those sitting on the sidelines espouse points of view without substantive thought or support, credibility fails and gaps widen. I remember thrashing out the term critical thinking with one of my university professors. More than one discussion occurred before comprehension dawned. Analysis and deconstruction aids in directing our thoughts and controlling our feelings enabling us to take positive action. To develop true connection and understanding, it is important individuals know why they hold certain beliefs they espouse. It is not necessary to be in agreement or even to have an opinion on everything.

Perhaps at times, just for fun, offer an opposing stance to insure a situation is considered from as many perspectives as possible.

The conversation may be one you'll cherish for a lifetime.

Words impact how we think. Our thoughts influence our feelings and feelings spur us to action. Taking time to analyze, assess, and reconstruct our beliefs ensures they stand the test of time.

Besides, it is good for our grey matter when it gets some exercise.

Consider a better world when change is born of fortune rather than tragedy.

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