On Saturday June 22, “All aboard!” rang out loud and clear in Cloverdale when Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts rang the bell to clear the track from Cloverdale to Sullivan. With a full slate civic and provincial dignitaries and packed crowd of onlookers the refurnished interurban 1225 rolled back into service as the City of Surrey’s newest tourist attraction.

Years of dedication by FVHR Society members, coupled with matching city grants and support from high powered sponsor like BC Hydro, kept the project on track. The inaugural ride was a triumph for all concerned.

“Surrey finally has rapid transit!” said Mayor Watts as she complimented society chairman, John Sprung.

Clearly delighted, Clr. Barbara Steele remarked, “I can see that many Surrey tourism events will now begin, or end, with Fraser Valley Heritage Rail.”

You too can ride the rails every weekend until Thanksgiving. No doubt it will bring back memories for you, and make new ones for the grandchildren.

For more information got to www.FVHR.org or call   604-574-9056 for full details.

Between the event above, and riding the range in northern Saskatchewan, this has been a clearly Canadian month for me.

Sturgeon River Ranch: Riding this range beyond Prince Albert, the forests, lakes and meadows of the north are – despite all the spring rain –  impressive. Lead by ranch boss, Gord Vaadeland, my 3-hour ride on Dane landed us at our camp for the night. Two tipis pitched in a peaceful dry meadow would be home for the night. A herd of free-range bison roamed in the distance, with assorted wildlife tentatively making their presence known during the night. Accompanied by a buckboard hauled by two impressive black Percherons our supplies arrived intact and in time for dinner over a wood campfire. Like Dane’s 2-months-old filly, Hazelnut,we were glad to rest and enjoy tall tales told in the wild. Long northern summer days make for short nights and early mornings, but campfire eggs, sausages and coffee put us in gear by noon for the 3-hour ride back to base. A wonderful pioneering experience – which also reminded to value hot showers and indoor plumbing!

For more information go to

http://www.sturgeonriverranch.com

Ursula Maxwell-Lewis tweets from @YouTravel, and can be reached at utravel.com

by Keith Richardson

“The time has come, the Walrus said, “to talk of many things….” But as the Oysters found out, chat eventually comes to an end.

As hinted last month, as MacSeniors enters shut-down mode, this column ends this month, completing eight full years of contributions to Today’s Senior Newsmagazine. Profound thanks to Wally Coombs and staff for enabling me to advertise my company and share ideas.

Some readers have said sometimes they didn’t understand what the heck I was going on about in this space. I apologize. My goal has been to serve a broad, diverse audience. If content was occasionally incomprehensible or too simplistic, too harsh or too sentimental, I hope some offerings were palatable.

In preparing this column, I reviewed the first one (August 2005): shorter and full of optimism, hope, and determination to succeed: “It bothers me when seniors are portrayed as techno-klutzes. Most of us are active, life-long learners—just as able to utilize and benefit from home computers as our offspring…. Of course, we can email and browse the web [but] many use computers to pass on legacies to children and grandkids…creating genealogies, music and photo collections, and videos of birthdays, anniversaries, retirement gatherings, and reunions. We value these records and have the time to invest in producing quality digital ‘documents.’

On the other hand, there are a few who have never owned a computer [or] say they know ‘next to nothing’ about computing but would like to join the parade ‘before they run out of time.’ Some continue to struggle with systems that no longer ‘cut the mustard.’ Two important facts worth remembering about computers: it’s never too late to start, and no sooner do we get started than something even better comes along to tantalize us.” Still true in 2013.

Changes in computer technology since ’05 have been momentous. My first iPod bought then looks like a stone age tool next to today’s iPhones or iPads. Even as it introduced Windows 2007, Vista, Windows 7, and now 8, Microsoft has diminished in dominance. Apple has shifted from claiming that Intel processors were nothing special to adopting them, from hanging on as the “innovative little guy,” to becoming, for a moment, the planet’s most capitalized corporate behemoth.

Last month, Apple announced significant changes coming this fall in operating systems both for their computers and their tablets (iPads), ’Pods and ’Phones. They ‘unveiled’ (behind glass) a new high-end Mac Pro (not to be confused with the MacBook Pro laptop)—cylindrical in shape, possessing much greater speed and power than its boxy predecessor despite being only one eighth its size. Need to access the innards? Simply slip off the cylinder’s outer sleeve. While introducing it, Apple’s Phil Shiller quipped snidely, “‘Can’t innovate any more,’ my ass!”

A definite break with the past. Some critics observe that Apple has made similar moves before with varying degrees of success. Think original iMac (1998), the Cube (2000-2001), the “beehive base” iMac G4 (2002-5), and the flat G-5s and Intel iMacs of the last 8 years. I remember visiting the first ever Apple Store located in Tysons Corner, Virginia in June, 2001, where a smart young salesman told me how much he loved the Cube he was saving for and how certain he was that rumours of its imminent demise were “out-to-lunch.” And how wrong he was.

One sure thing is that this IS our last Computer Chat. MacSeniors will still operate until the end of 2013. I’ll continue sharing ideas through my MacSeniors website, but it, too, will eventually disappear.

Thanks for reading. If you have time, check out “www.values.com.”  Best wishes for good health, abundant happiness, and all the adventure you can handle!

Eating well has so many benefits. It can boost your well-being, giving you the energy you need to get you through busy days. Following a healthy diet may also reduce your risk of stroke by protecting you from developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity.

Here are five tips to help you on the path to healthy eating from Carol Dombrow, a registered dietitian with the Heart and Stroke Foundation:

• Eat more vegetables and fruit. A handful of veggies or a serving of fruit makes a great snack, a nice side to accompany a sandwich, or a healthy dessert. Veggies and fruit are packed with heart-healthy nutrients.

• Beware of salt. Fast food, prepared foods, canned soup, luncheon meats and chips are just a few of the ways you can get too much salt. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which can lead to a stroke. Choose low-salt options and prepare meals at home so you can control the amount of salt you consume.

• Choose healthy fats. Eating too much of the wrong fats can raise unhealthy LDL cholesterol and lower healthy HDL cholesterol. Choose fats and oils that are made from healthy olive, soybean, canola or peanut oils. Choose lean meat, fish and poultry (without skin) and enjoy meat alternatives often, such as beans, lentils and tofu.

• Reach for whole foods. Processed foods are often high in fat and salt. Make your own meals using fresh ingredients as often as possible, so you can control the salt and fat.

• Focus on smaller portion sizes. Fill half your plate with vegetables. One quarter of your plate should contain beans or lean meats no larger than a deck of cards and the remaining quarter with whole grains (about ½ cup) such as brown rice or quinoa. Dessert shouldn’t be an everyday occurrence and when you do indulge, make it a small treat.

Heart-healthy recipes can be found online at heartandstroke.ca/recipes.

www.newscanada.com

Only in B.C. you say?

Always expect the unexpected when it comes to B.C. politics.

But that has also  been the case in at least three recent Canadian provincial elections – in Ontario, Alberta and now British Columbia. Once again the pollsters were proven wrong and the trailing party was able to claim victory on election day – proving once again that the only poll that counts is the one on election day.

It has been a bit amusing to listen and read the thoughts and explanations of the political pundits and so-called experts who are desperately trying to save grace (and in some cases their jobs) as they come up with the strangest excuses to explain what happened on May 14. It would be nice if they just admitted that politics is not an exact science – and that it is much easier to examine the data following an election than to try and make predictions. It almost seems nowadays that elections are beginning to come impossible to predict.

And despite all the hype around the May 14 provincial vote, it was one of the lowest turnouts ever – something that is very hard to explain in this age of new media and social media. The messages were out there and the weather was good, so why didn’t so many people bother to vote? With another majority government now in place for at least four more years, there will be lots of time to figure that out.

Congratulations to Premier Christy Clark and her new BC Liberals and it is time to get back to governing the province. It is expected the new Cabinet will be in place by early June and look for longtime Fort Langley-Aldergrove MLA Rich Coleman to be named Acting Premier while the details of a by-election are sorted out to bring Ms. Clark back into the Legislature. Coleman was the Deputy Premier in the past session.

Making predictions in sports today is also getting to be quite difficult. Hockey playoffs are almost over and who knows who this season’s Stanley Cup finalists will be – and in many cases, who cares?

It seems that more and more that usually ardent hockey fans are tuned out following the early dismissal of our beloved Canucks and other Canadian teams such as Toronto and Montreal.

Ottawa Senators (who are badly named) have never captured a following outside the nation’s capital and will likely be eliminated by Sydney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins, who may be the eventual winners. But I wouldn’t bet on it.

During early June seniors can move to more fun things now such as the Senior Star singing competition. Auditions will be taking place on Wednesday, June 5 at the Renaissance Retirement Residence, and on Thursday, June 6 at the Langley Gardens Retirement Community. The top 10 contestants will be performing on June 20 at the Summit Theatre in the Cascades Casino in downtown Langley.

The auditions are open to seniors aged 65 or older who live anywhere in B.C. A panel of judges will evaluate the contestants on talent, ability, look and style.

Seniors Week in B.C. is being celebrated June 3 to 7. Find out what is happening in your community and be sure to enjoy the various activities and entertainment being planned at seniors’ homes and centres. Try to get out and have some fun!

Foggy Windows

I’ve received many inquiries to my office from homeowners who are concerned with foggy windows. What they are noticing is their windows are foggy because the sealed glass unit (dual pane glass) has been compromised, which has allowed water vapour to get inside of the window pane, showing up as moisture or condensation on the inside of the sealed glass unit.

During my 50+ years in the home improvement industry, I’ve seen my fair share of products come on the market that do not work as advertised. You may have heard or seen advertising for window ‘restoration’ services that in some cases offer a 10 year warranty or longer. This service is promoted as a less-expensive and less disruptive way to solve the problem of foggy windows when compared to insulated glass or total window replacement.

Typically these companies will drill small holes in the corners of the window glass, through these holes they push compressed air through the window for a period of time to remove the existing moisture. Then they install valves in the holes they’ve drilled to allow any moisture that may get inside of the window glass to escape.

Folks, let me explain to you why this process is fundamentally flawed. A glass window sealed unit is exactly that, a sealed unit. No air or moisture is supposed to get in between the panes of glass. If you noticed moisture on the inside of your sealed unit has failed then it is time to replace the widow sealed unit or entire window including the frame. By design a window sealed unit is meant to keep all air and moisture outside of the window glass. When sealed units are made, they are manufactured in a controlled factory environment to ensure the sealed unit is air sealed. It is important to note the quality of a factory sealed glass unit cannot be replicated outside of a controlled factory environment. If the sealed unit is allowed to ‘breath’ or vent, it cannot effectively do what job it’s meant to do.

The only way to properly solve the problem of foggy windows is to have new window glass installed (I always recommend going with energy efficient window glass, such as Low E Squared with Argon Gas) or have a new window installed, including the window glass and frame, such as an energy efficient vinyl frame window. Replacing your sealed glass units can cost a little more than the window restoration process, but it is the proper way to go about addressing the issue.

When purchasing new window glass sealed units or new windows including the widow frame, be sure to inquire what the warranty covers with respect to both labour and material. We’ve received feedback from customers who had the window defogging process performed on their windows only to notice moisture once again on the inside of the windows glass. Some of these customers attempted to have the window glass restoration process redone and been unsuccessful in their attempt to have their warranties honoured.

For more home improvement information, to send Shell an email, or to watch Shell’s Ask Shell Coffee Break go to www.AskShell.com

Nothing says Summer Like an Apron

The English word Apron came from the old French word ” naperon ” meaning Napkin or small table cloth.

Aprons will take us back to a simpler time, when aprons were the fashion of everyday life.  They remind us of days gone past… when Grandma’s apron was used to protect the dress underneath, it was easier to wash aprons, than dresses, and they used less material.

Along with that, It was wonderful for drying children’s tears, and wiping grubby fingers.

The apron was used for carrying eggs from the chicken coop, and shooing grumpy chickens.

In the Spring, it carried all sorts of vegetables from the garden, and after the peas had been shelled, or the corn husked, it carried out the hulls and husks to the compost.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in fruit off the trees, or worn at the potting table.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over a hot stove, and served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

Matching mother and daughter aprons will encourage hugs, laughter and memories to children helping in the kitchen.

When unexpected company drove in the driveway, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

Brightly Coloured Aprons will brighten your kitchen, and your mood, as summer blooms outside in the flower garden and in the kitchen.  Aprons are perfect for keeping clean when cutting and arranging summer flowers.

Smock style aprons are great for arts and crafts, as well as in the kitchen, large pockets ensures plenty of room for craft essentials.  A child smock apron is great for keeping kids clean at playtime… Perfect for play dough party’s!

Fun material like Cartoon Characters, Bugs or Funny Sayings are great for father and son… cooking breakfast for mom or preparing a barbecue.

Next time you are buying a gift for that hard to buy person, consider an apron.  There are many styles of aprons, full aprons, half aprons, smock aprons, silly aprons and hostess aprons, a bonus with an apron is, “one size fits most.”

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that “old time apron” that served, and still serves so many purposes.

Roxanne Griese is an Artist.

Decorating and organizing are her passions, to see more articles and artwork visit.
www.artbyroxanne.ca

By Roxanne Griese

Creative Living  Tips & Tricks

By Roxanne Griese

Large hurricane lamps are perfect for showcasing your summer memories. Choose interesting stones from a creek or river maybe gather a small bag of sand from the beach along with shells and sea glass. Small bits of bark, moss or wood from a hike, or dried flowers from a meadow. Corks from a wine bottles, after an evening out with good friends. Where ever your summer takes you, bring a bit back… Display the treasures in a Hurricane lamp, it will bring in a natural decor and keep memories of your summer.

by Keith Richardson

Wow! June already! Spring has sprung, election’s done, excuses spun, time for fun. Yes, I know, it’s always time for fun—whether we feel like it or not….

Eight years have flown by since this column first appeared in Today’s Senior. Much to reflect on. Gains, losses, friends made, friends who’ve passed on. Mostly very uplifting experiences.

Still, there are signs that, like all good things, MacSeniors, too, is coming to an end. “To you from failing hands” and all that. Of course, someone will come along (if [s]he hasn’t already) to replace us. We look forward to witnessing growth and development in their era.

Computers are associated with constant change. Gordon E. Moore, “visionary co-founder of Intel,” observed back in 1965, that since their inception in 1958, the number of components in integrated circuits (aka ICs, “microchips, or silicon chips,” not be confused with Pringles explosion-triggering-chips;>)) had doubled every year and predicted that the trend would continue “for at least ten years.” Well, the reflection evolved into “Moore’s Law” which posits that the number of transistors on IC’s doubles approximately every two years and “the trend” is still happening although we may be reaching the physical limits of such miniaturization.

Moore’s Law also showed that computer performance doubles every 18 months. As computer processing power increases exponentially even while computer components shrink in volume, the cost of owning one of these much faster, much more capable devices decreases substantially even as research and development costs spiral upward. Economy of scale from rising sales keeps prices down.

So are we about to reach the limits of all this growth (or shrinkage) any time soon? Like most predictions, answers depend on the assumptions one makes. One assumption we should NOT count on is that human ingenuity is about to tank. Though life as we know it MAY tank, women, men, and children, somewhere, as our cousins around the globe have done for millennia, will find, sooner than we blink, new means to revolutionize technology and human experience—whether old-timers like it or not. The gap will only grow between those who “get the future” and those who allow themselves to remain “mired in the moment”.

How can we fossils survive our times? I recently re-read an re-issued an article from TechRepublic that quoted Louis L’Amour [paraphrased slightly]: “(s)He who ceases to learn is already half dead.” It goes on to say: “Technology and organizations change, and with those changes comes the need to adapt accordingly. Once we cease learning, technology [and those continuing to learn] pass us by.” It goes on to offer “12 tips” to aid our learning, “regardless of subject.” I’ve rearranged the order and reworded to suit my purposes.

“Set realistic goals. We have a greater chance of mastering material if we set goals— write them down; be realistic so we don’t get discouraged but force ourselves to “stretch” to achieve them. Find a personal connection.

Break things down. The way to eat an elephant, so the riddle goes, is to do so one bite at a time.

Don’t just read; take notes. Learn actively rather than passively. Frequency trumps duration in learning sessions.

Leverage what we know. If we’re trying to learn an apparently new concept, think about how that concept relates to something we already understand.

Retain the knowledge by applying what we’ve learned. Write or talk about what we’ve learned. Better yet, teach what we’ve learned—discover just how much we really comprehend.

Have someone review our insights.

Use an iPod. It plays more than just music. Lectures, for one thing. Listen while traveling or waiting in line.

And, to put all this into perspective, find and (re)read A Canticle for Leibowitz (© 1959)! Good luck on the rest of your journey.

Extra! Extra!

Meant to share this with you last month, but couldn’t fit it in. If you read the Vancouver Sun or related press, you may have seen an article by Paul Kendall of the London Daily Telegraph back in March that the Sun headlined “The digital world is changing our behaviour — for better and worse.”

Kendall claims that: “Technology appears to be having an impact on development. One study shows that young people have skills their predecessors lacked, such as finding and filtering information, responding to stimuli and doing fast analysis.”  Talk to most grandparents (or parents for that matter) and they’ll tell you that young junior is just a whiz with computers. Kendall’s analysis, however, goes far beyond computer literacy.

He asserts that “heavy multi-taskers have skills their predecessors lacked. They are adept at finding and filtering information, responding to stimuli and doing fast, incisive analysis. As “digital natives” who have grown up with the Internet, they are used to technological change, while “digital immigrants” who grew up before the Internet, find it hard to keep up.”

On the negative side, however, they tend to be “much more easily distracted by ‘irrelevant environmental stimuli’ and less able to maintain their concentration on a particular task.” Sound familiar?

He further cites a study at Stanford that “discovered students prefer to text a classmate down the hall in their dormitory rather than talk in person because it is “less risky” and “less awkward.” So they don’t learn how to read facial expressions or navigate “real world” social situations.”

Is this also happening to some of the most tech-savvy seniors? What are the implications, we wonder, for inter-generational conversations? I know that my 11 year-old granddaughter, a lovely child, has told me that she feels bothered by phone calls or emails, but “it’s okay to text me. I’ll answer right away.” Do you have similar experiences?

The Sun article goes on to explore “the navigational skills of 18-to-30-year-olds…without the aid of a satellite navigation device,” the frequency and quality of handwritten messages, ability to remember phone numbers (and researchable data in general). I’ll let you guess what the results show. You’ll also find assertions that the “Internet encourages procrastination,” that “we’re becoming less empathetic” (because we don’t read novels, we read superficial drivel), and that the Internet is feeding addictions.

There’s more, much more. Certainly worth a look and some reflection .and discussion with intelligent members of younger generations. Just like the conversations we didn’t have with our parents and grandparents, oh about 50 or 60 years ago….

Find the article here:

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/being+rewired/8083034/story.html

PUT THAT SHOWER BACK

Ah, The gravity of the situation of becoming a golden  ager, especially when taking a shower!  Have you ever taken a shower?  You have?  Well, I certainly hope you  at least put it back!

What is it about a bar of soap?  It always falls down which certainly can get a senior in plenty of hot water trying to find it.  Open your eyes and, without glasses you probably can’t see much of anything anyways and besides, those soap suds can sting like the Dickens!

THE SLIPPING SLIDING SOAP BLUES

It’s hard to cope with a bar of soap, for many of us when we shower.  Those plastic holders dispense little hope, A few minutes can end up seeming like an hour! That bar slips and slides in fragrant competition. Suddenly, one’s in plenty of hot water.  It’s no fountain of youth and, for the good old days, you are wishin’.  Bending ever slowly down, trying to find it, without losing balance.  By the gravity of the situation you’ve been hit, what a wonderful slippery challenge!  Some of us who are still fools, refusing liquids or bars on a rope. I guess, we’re just contented dinosaurs, showered by old rules and lathered by a stubbornness to somehow cope.

SHOE BUSINESS 

One of the problems  of walking to garage sales in search of accordions, cameras and  ‘bargoons’ is the rain.  Of course in Greater Vancouver  the skies are generally always blue.  Nevertheless, once in a blue moon that optimistic concept, springs a bit of a leak, it’s necessary to take a rain check on it.

I dont have a car anymore, and therefore walked off the lyrics with the following. One has been laced with how often the soles develop holes and thus a bit of a ‘toe hold’ on the following lyrics:

There’s nothing worse than a hole in a shoe, when it begins to rain.  Soaking wet feet become such a soggy curse, until thankfully you are back home again.

Wouldn’t it be a feat, if the industry had more sole; a better toe hold on the problem.  That would be a real treat, and our life turn out complete.  Those really big shoe manufactures dont hold your tongue, call….’em

HIGHER EDUCATION 

When taking Canada Line and the Skytrain, it’s sometimes overwhelming  ‘enjoying’ the graphic art posters at the stations.  There are many questions a senior might ponder.  One could be how many of the successful advertising artists started out as fine artists but couldn’t survive financially with such ‘idealism’ Thus it was perhaps necessary to go commercial.

What was really awe inspiring were the posters originally models originally trained in drama and dreamed of ‘making it’ in legitimate theatre but also had to  ‘adjust a bit’ to pay the bills. What really provided some insight were the posters for higher education.  Perhaps memory is fading bit ot seems that back in the 1960’s school loans were almost interest free, all economic levels could afford tuition and the hunger and pursuit of knowledge was the main criteria.

The following ryhme evolved from the ads displayed. BCIT builds, U.B.C. is A Place Of Mind.  Higher education might pay the bills, if someday the ‘successful’ student, employment finds.  SFU does this, Douglas, ‘do,’do,’do’ that.  For many there’s plenty of hit and miss.  But, oh my, the infrastructures do  do do do seem to be getting awfully fat

 GROUNDS FOR A HEARING

Accordion to some, saying ‘eh? Is about as Canadian as vinegar instead of ketchup on fries, eh?  However with age problems related to hearing  seem to ketchup with some of us.  I’m ‘a fried’ the shrill one’s are the big offenders such as the sharp edge of today’s technology when it comes cutting and trimming grass plus blowing away leaves.

Have you ever been on a beautiful city park field, sitting on a bench, listening to the birds, soaking in the fresh air and then suddenly a crew arrives attacking the grass with unmerciful decibels but profound efficiency.

It’s like the old days when some of us kids would scrape our fingernails on the blackboard at school.  Those modern professional machines do an even better job than that!  Even more ‘pleasant are the leaf blowing contraptions.  Is there a golden ager out there who could perhaps develop a muffler for those new fangled grass cutting, trimming and leaf blowing contraptions, it would be a real tweet to hear the birds again …………EH?

New book available (E-book or hard copy)-THE POSTCARD PHOTOGRAPHER(Dan Propp),  Visit www.accordiontodan.com or available on amazon (one  one section includes dozens of images to download free and, the other nostalgic dvd songs) Visit  www.danpropp.com(interview, scenic local postcards, songs to download, sports day 8mm footage-Gibsons, 1960 and my father’s memoir Kristalnacht in Koenigsberg-by Arthur Propp)