Showing posts with label fiddleheads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiddleheads. Show all posts

Tuesday, 29 September 2015

Random September photos!

Drive safely out there. Somebody loves this
new, young driver!
September photos...blue skies, a bit cooler, but what a wonderful season it is.

Poor hubby does all the driving, he doesn't LIKE driving, in order for me to do drive-by shootings. (Sometimes he will pull over for me...) 'Stop. Stop. Stop!' 
I have to post the photos for him!



Narrows Locks


Westport


Lunch at The Cove


Lunch at Fiddleheads

Friday, 8 July 2011

Dr. Brian Goldman in Perth, Ontario

Dr. Goldman with me at our home
He interviewed me for an upcoming
White Coat Black Art Program
Having written a book about Ontario healthcare, Living and Dying in Dignity; A daughter's journey, Dr. Brian Goldman decided to interview me. As he said to Chris Must, after much nagging! Truthfully, I didn't nag, just offered to trade books with him! Also, posted comments on his White Coat Black Art (WCBA) blog, twitter feed @WCBADoctorBrian, and radio webpage.

I also write about Ontario healthcare;
some of my most recent posts:

Photo: courtesy Chris Must, EMC
I have written my book from the perspective as an adult child, and as a volunteer, as many of my blog friends know. Dedicated to improving the healthcare system, and finding those cracks that need to be filled, I regaled him with stories of caring for my family.

It's funny how I expected more equipment than he brought; a small tape recorder with ear phones and great microphone. But then technology has certainly improved since I began teaching and integrating technology into my pedagogical practices.




Lunch at Fiddleheads - view from the
C. Douglas Cavers Bridge of Code Park.
We had our interview in my dining room. I was mortified as the twins, just 3 months old, leapt up onto the table as we recorded. We both smiled, but kept on trucking as Buster rustled Dr. Brian's papers, then Felix tried to eat the microphone cord.
He is the consumate professional on radio and in the ER.

We took him in to lunch at Fiddleheads, a walk around the Tay River and Stewart Park! Fortunately, the rude men behind me turned off their vulgar video while we ate lunch and they downed beers #2 & 3. As puerile as my twins, they were.

It may all be water under the bridge!
Dr. Brian was impressed with Perth, the river, and the beauty of the town - and he has travelled all around the world, visiting cousins relatives in South America, as well as travelling  around Canada for his radio show.

He is officially an Emergency Room physician, but also a CBC Medical Journalist. Married, with two children, 9 and 13 years old, he works shifts at Mount Sinai hospital in the ER, as well as working as a medical journalist at CBC five days/week.

many visit the Tay via Stewart Park




Then we toured the Meals on Wheels preparation site at Lanark Lodge, chatted with volunteers, and accompanied us on a Meals drop-off. Then I took Dr. Brian into Perth Community Care Centre, to record me as I did my regular volunteer visiting with the residents. Coincidentally, Mary was one of the recreation aides working that day. It was her sister who was the dispatcher at Lanark Lodge for Meals on Wheels. It is a small town, with many involved.
View of the Tay River from the bridge
We showed him the protocol for dispatching and delivering Meals on Wheels, he ran an audiotape. Wonderful volunteers who do a great service to 'old people'. [Don't criticize the coffee, you'll be old and weak someday!]

Pets and puzzles - good friends!
Perth Community Care Centre

Meals on Wheels meal

Won't let ageism spoil my day!

Atrium of former Code's Mill
After a delightful morning with Dr. Brian Goldman, of CBC's White Coat Black Art, we took him to lunch at Fiddleheads outdoor cafe, by the Tay River. One of our favourite places to sit outdoors and eat, the river runs by, usually quiet, but the tourists and citiots have come to town for the summer. You know which they are by their behaviour.

The gentlemen (hubby and Brian) went indoors for a tour of the old building, Code's Mill. I sat outside. The guys behind me were playing a YouTube video on the guy's PCD.

 Speaking of their boat at the cottage, drinking plans for the weekend - boys and their toys- they each ordered another beer.

Now, I loathe people talking loudly on their cell phones. I firmly believe one must teach people how to treat you.

I have pretty good hearing, for a middle-aged woman, and I could hear the video beginning to get crude, talking about whales and balls (testicles). The running commentary was silly, as well - by my two seat mates behind me.


Figures in Code's Mill!
What young people do not know is that people of my generation learned to use computers at work while these guys were in diapers. We are no strangers to hightech. We Skype with grandkids, keep in touch, using Facebook, with friends near and far.

One of my favourite bloggers is *Latane. Latane and I Skyped; me in Muskoka, she in her home in Virginia, with Elbert (1930 - 2011) in the background in their sunroom. It was a delightful moment.

I may not have an iPhone, but I have a Mac, a digital camera and a blog that has attracted more than 103,000 clicks. I've done blogging with students professionally, taught webpage design, I've given IT workshops to peers and Internet Safety lectures to parents, peers, and students.

These crude men bring no added value to this world. Proud of their apparent prowess, they inflict the world with their choice of music and videos.

I asked the gentleman (politely) to turn the sound down, please. The man in the checkered shirt asked what I was drinking, "dry wine?" I ignored him. Next comment, loudly stated (in case I was hard of hearing?) "Prude!" I'm not prude. He was rude.

Perhaps I am prude. I just don't like listened to videos someone else has chosen, with vulgar language, while showing off their tools in public! Is this a male thing?

His buddy said: "I'm sick of old people". The arrogance of the men. Fueled by beer, perhaps they were showing off for each other.

He was pretty satisified with his retort!
I'm not sick of young people; I loathe some of them and their rudeness.
As is my way, I channeled my anger into writing down what they had said. I was shocked. Which is why I wrote my book, to channel my grief, and distance myself from the reality of the situation for awhile.

And he hasn't seen 'old people'. I am not experienced enough to feel I belong to that honourable category of 'old people'. The knowledge, experience and wisdom of our elders is the treasure they give to society.

The seniors I work with through Hospice; WW II vets who left wives at home to farm while they learned to shine shoes, and march, watch their friends get blown up, and fly airplanes to bomb the enemy. Latane's husband served in Hawaii in WW II, as have many of my hospice clients. Many of our volunteers are veterans, while care recipients are also those who have served.

I think that some young people need to be taught manners and respect for their elders. You can't blame a teacher, as that is the responsibility of their parents. I've taught my share of etiquette and netiquette lessons. [Don't criticize the coffee, you'll be old and weak someday!] Perhaps it is a waste of time and energy, but the teacher in me cannot give up hope. We can all learn to live and love.


* Latane  mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, who documented her late husband's decline 'Our Journey Through Alzheimer's', and his eventual death, due to Alzheimer's disease. Now, in bereavement, she is documenting her recovery from bereavement, after her marriage of 60 years.

Friday, 11 June 2010

Traveling in Eastern Ontario

Our trip here was quite exciting as we first drove to Orillia, and ate in Fiddleheads. The meal was wonderful. The coffee was delicious.




While here, we have had so much fun. Tonight it was homemade pizza for dinner! This is an old family tradition.

My presentations were given at Casino Rama. It was the North Simcoe Muskoka Palliative Care Conference. We have some wonderful people working in our region to ensure that our patients receive the best care possible.


My personal assistant helped me set up. A grand time was had by all.

We travelled east to visit our children and grandchildren. When we arrived it was a sunny day, requiring cool dude sunglasses.

Josephine points out the pansies we planted, with the gladiolas she and her mom planted later. This outfit we bought her at Saturday Afternoon.