What I Wish I Knew Before I Retired
'Q' is for 'Quake/Emergency Kit.' Richard and I have now arrived back home from Boston. My 'adventure' today (after unpacking our bags and doing the laundry) is to organize our emergency supplies and 'grab and go kits.' Before leaving for our recent trip, Richard and I attended a lecture on 'Vancouver Island Earthquakes Past and… Continue reading A to Z Challenge: Day Seventeen – “Q”
'P' is for 'Packing Up.' Today we are packing up and heading home. We are leaving Boston with a pocketful of memories. Thankfully, everything fits back into our carry-ons...including purchases for our Grandchildren. I wonder if they will be able to tell where we've been? 🙂 Here are some highlights of our adventures the day… Continue reading A to Z Challenge: Day Sixteen – “P”
'O' is for 'Onslaught of Overwhelming Weather' and 'Once in a Lifetime Opportunities!' Weather conditions at the 2018 Boston Marathon were oppressively COLD and WET. Temperatures reached a low of 35F (2C) and were accompanied by non-stop pelting rain plus 25 mph winds. 2,300 marathon runners received medical treatment, many due to overexposure and hypothermia.… Continue reading A to Z Challenge: Day Fifteen – “O”
'N' is for 'Numbers'. I had little understanding of how much I would be affected by watching a ballgame at Fenway Park. This event was on Richard's Bucket List, and I was the 'Plus One.' When we walked out of the stadium at the end of Saturday's game, I was deeply moved. The experience was… Continue reading A to Z Challenge: Day Fourteen – “N”
'M' is for 'Massachusetts.' I've promised to send you mini-postcards from Massachusetts. Here are some pics from our first 24 hours. We spent Thursday evening and Friday morning catching up, eating and lingering in Rena and Howard's wonderful kitchen. Friday afternoon was spent exploring Minute Man National Park. Here we ran into a man… Continue reading A to Z Challenge: Day Thirteen – “M”
'L' is for 'Lasting Friendships.' I previously mentioned that one of our reasons for visiting Boston was to visit our friends, Rena and Howard. I first met Rena eleven years ago when we were both administrators at The Western Academy of Beijing. On one of my first informal chats with Rena, I mentioned that a… Continue reading A to Z Challenge: Day Twelve – “L”
'K' is for '4101 Kilometers to Travel' Today we fly 3696 kilometers from Vancouver to Montreal followed by a three-hour airport stopover. We then fly another 405 kilometers from Montreal to Boston. Trying to stretch our dollars to include as much travel as possible, we (read here "I") always choose the most economical flight possible....often… Continue reading A to Z Challenge: Day Eleven – “K”
'J' is for 'Jaunt', 'Joviality' and 'Jubilation'. Today, Richard and I are headed to Vancouver for tomorrow's jaunt to Boston. But first, a quick get-together to honor good friend, Aliza Hutchinson's, birthday. This also makes it the perfect time to give a special shout-out to all family and friends born in April. According to my… Continue reading A to Z Challenge: Day Ten – “J”
'I' is for 'Intentional Packing' Richard and I are currently preparing for a six-night trip to Boston. This adventure addresses three items on our bucket list. 1. Watch the Boston Marathon live (better yet, watch our youngest son compete in the Boston Marathon)! 2. Visit our friends, Rena and Howard, who when we saw them… Continue reading A to Z Challenge: Day Nine – “I”
'H' stands for 'Hockey Sticks for Humboldt.' During the past few days, Canadians have been putting out their hockey sticks to honour the Humboldt Broncos Junior Hockey Team. This past Friday, team members (including hockey players, coaches and support staff) were involved in a bus crash near Tisdale, Saskatchewan. Tragically, 15 were killed, and 14… Continue reading A to Z Challenge: Day Eight – “H”
Retirement Reflections 