One family Christmas gift became a daily guessing game filled with clues, laughter, and connection—and eventually inspired my book, *A Gift to Talk About*.
Tag: Retirement
Not the Way I Planned It
A personal reflection on arthritis, retirement, creativity, and discovering that some parts of ourselves were waiting for more room to grow.
Watching Canada Grow
A Canada Day reflection on growing up with Canada — from 100 little penlights at the Centennial celebration in 1967 to thunder, heat, fireworks, family memories, Medicare, and watching Canada turn 159 from home.
What I’m Building in Retirement (And Why It Matters to Me)
Retirement isn’t just about stepping away—it’s about discovering what comes next. Here’s what I’m building now, and why it matters to me.
The Accidental Tea Granny
I thought herbal tea was just a practical solution to a caffeine problem. Years later I have tea inventory systems, emergency purse tea bags, and family members asking how many times I’ve reheated the same cup. Somewhere along the way, I became a tea granny.
A Little Sign That Spring Is On Its Way
A small moment this week reminded me that spring is on its way—someone bought my pool book. It made me smile more than I expected.
The Myth of Slowing Down
Retirement is often described as slowing down. But sometimes what looks like slowing down is really something else entirely — a shift in direction, momentum, and ownership of how we move forward.
Why Retired-eh! Exists
I didn’t really want to retire, but retirement arrived anyway. I stayed busy. I filled time. I found things to do. But after a career built on learning, problem-solving, and making sense of complex situations, busyness wasn’t the same as being engaged. Something was missing, and it took a while to name what that was.… Continue reading Why Retired-eh! Exists