Hate to say it, but the title “Beer By The Pier” caught my attention!

Living in a community that I love, I often feel that I am selfishly isolated in my own little world.  I am raising a family, trying to be a good wife, supporting my aging Mom and taking care of myself as I move into my next 50.  Like many we are also trying to earn a living to support our lifestyle in a very challenging/expensive and quickly changing world.  We pick our friends who share similar values and in my house, we make time to laugh, keeping us connected and reducing the stress in our lives.   We donate to those who knock on our door and support various charities to fight cancer.

We hear local stories about those fighting with homelessness and suffering with mental illness and addiction and other real life changing problems.  It is splashed over social media and in our local community paper.  We see pictures of grand events such as black tie fundraising galas and other high ticket events,  where people have donated $1,000 + to attend.  It all leaves me feeling hollow and frustrated that I never could find a way to offer to help support those families in need in my own community.  I sometimes honestly felt that only the rich were making a difference in the lives of those suffering.

Then up popped an invitation to 1^st Annual Beer by the Pier event in September via email.  In support of Family Services of the North Shore, tickets were reasonable and the venue caught my eye!  Beer tasting-Adam Woodall Band-Smoke & Bones BBQ at a trendy, hip venue at the restored Pipe Shop at historic Shipbuilders’ Square.  Our tickets were donations themselves.

Talk about tapping into a new demographic, Family Services you have succeeded!

Thank you for opening up my eyes to the opportunities available to help support those by raising funds in an enjoyable way.  I was thrilled to see so many others from my community whom crossed our similar demographic and together we reunited for a great cause. 

Family Services of the North Shore, in my opinion your event was a success.  You drew in my demographics of boomers who are searching for ways to support the families and those suffering in our own community.  After all, some of those are our friends and neighbours who might be suffering in silence.

Sign us up for next year.

As a result of the event, I myself am meeting up with the North Shore Neighbourhood House one of your affiliates, to see how I can give back here in my treasured community of North Vancouver.

Lessons learned from Mel our Labradoodle

It just happened to be National Dog Day and my FB feed was full of pictures of dogs with their owners, which I am not sure made my grief any easier.  It definitely did bring joy to see that other families had made the most precious investment in having a pet.  For us this week, we reflect on what Mel taught us and the joy she brought to our family at all stages of her great happy labradoodle life. 

I fully admit I am more a dog person.  It’s the ability to take them out walking rain or shine.  She kept me moving and I commit to keeping that healthy habit up. I followed Mel up Mosquito Creek many times but when she started following me, I knew something was wrong. 

Mel hated the rain.  She pranced around under the overhang, which covered the back of our house only to jet out to pee and gun it back for protection.  It’s pouring today here in Vancouver as I write this but I doubt it’s raining in doggie heaven.  (Which BTW is busy this week as a couple other friends’ dogs headed there too).

We all grieve differently but I had no idea the impact that having a family dog would have on our family and the hurt we are all feeling.  Such a loyal companion.  Such a big presence in our house.  I saw her develop bonds with both our kids (and their friends) during their various stages and truly she became someone who would listen unconditionally and only smile back with those deep “whites of the eye” we teased her about.  She always made an attempt to sleep in each of our rooms during the night and my motherly instinct knew by the claws on the hardwood floor where I could find her. 

Thank you Mel for bringing such joy over the 11 years we shared with you.  We saw big potential in you, the cheapest dog of the litter with the bad droopy eye we had to get fixed.  When BK said we were going to Abbotsford “just to look” we had no idea we would bring you home so unprepared.  We were definitely not trained dog owners but we tried our best.  Anne Jackson told us we were doing it all wrong.  Maybe we fed you the wrong food from Costco or maybe it was the scraps I gave you the odd time under the table or the pigs ears early on.  I think maybe it was a combination of all the socks, the Kleenex, the kitchen cloths or maybe the hair elastics you ate over the years!

Teresa our neighbour will miss you.  You had a way of bringing sunshine to her life when we would visit or you would sit on her driveway gazing into her big front window anticipating her door to open. I know the cookies were stale but you always accepted them politely.  I think you gave her a reason to live as she started deteriorating herself.  We shared a tear together yesterday when I told her.

You definitely got me through heartaches and I thank you for that.  We don’t know what to do with your stinky “baby girl" stuffed toy and sadly my home office just isn’t the same. 

PS. Grammy misses you too.  She wrote a poem for you and posted it in our Family Facebook Page.

Activate your Core Values - determine your Purpose in Life

I am liking this journey through midlife! It feels more and more like I am listening to my heart and following my real passions but holy shit does it take courage. It takes confidence and lots of positive self-talk and support from loved ones and mentors. 

I believe to be happy and to find that balance in life; we need to understand what makes us tick. What do we need to be at our best? What turns you on and fills your soul so that you have buckets of confidence to swim upstream against the current?  

I have done a lot of soul searching over the years as I design my next 50. I am pretty confident I know what makes me tick, turns me on and keeps my heart full.  I know where I want to go and how I need to get there.  I have been told I am a sparkler, my openness to greatness is admirable and my inspiration of others is contagious.  (Oh and compliments go far so give them out freely and accept them back with grace).

A girlfriend shared a mantra that speaks loudly to the importance of taking control of your own life. 

"Gather all the facts-know where you are-know where you want to be-plan how to get there"  K. Little

Must say Danielle LaPorte and her daily truthbombs that pop into my inbox keep me on track and reinforces the tribe is out there. I also hold very close to my heart the supportive encouragement from my family, friends and mentors (many of which are female entrepreneurs). 

Sometimes we feel off track, not quite right and drained and so need to re-evaluate our Needs and Wants.  Needs are those things that you require to be your best. They can swing from emotional, social to physical. When these are missing, we can feel unfocused and unbalanced.  I know first hand if I am not feeding my soul and meeting my needs then my actions become mundane, sometimes killing the inner bubbling that feels like butterflies ...  

I worked with friends at UnleashDreams years ago to determine my purpose and my core values, which guide my choices on this journey called life.  I often turn to them for support, reminders of my needs. I became a Dream Maker myself so that I could also influence others. TheBoomerVine another place, I hope can inspire other boomers by sharing my authentic stories.  I really want to make a difference in the lives of others and inspire them to be more. 

I am being vulnerable here to share openly so that you can see what makes me tick!  

My Priceless

I have a contagious enthusiasm for connecting and leading teammates to a common goal while respecting differences.

My Purpose

To share my spirit and energy with others so that it creates smiles and activates a sense of playfulness, wonder and learning.

My Core Values

Foster the Spirit - energize and unite

Generate Kindness - give unconditionally

Continuous Improvement - welcome change 

Optimism - positivity reigns

Resiliency - never give up 

Are you doing what fills your heart or are you merely following the crowd?

Let me know if you want to jump out of the pond into the ocean and create a life by design. I want to be remembered for how I made you feel and maybe inspire you to be more. Everything else is gravy. 

Fire Away

I am listening to an amazing new band called Dawes as I fly home from an incredible weekend in Calgary during Stampede.

Again, another decision we made for which I have no regrets. A fun long weekend in Calgary to hang out with my amazing brother (and his amazing friends). We are an incredibly close family despite the physical distance in between. We are authentic. I have 2 sisters and 1 bro and 3 great "outlaws", a term, which my Mom lovingly refers to our husbands!  My Mom Mitzi happily watches and reaps the rewards and sucks in the love that we share. I feel incredibly fortunate and never do I take this for granted!  Don't wait for the right time, just do it....

We saw Dawes while in Calgary, a great band from LA who our grown kids introduced us all too. I love concerts.

We love music- all of us. One of the outlaws plays in a band and the others share stories of great old classic bands. We play the record game at our house - choose from our 100 or so records and take us back to the "good old days" as you play your favourite album on our turntable.  Our kids have all developed an appreciation for great music too. Our music jams in Vernon are unbelievable and memory makers. Mitzi sits on the Calhoun.

While in Calgary we also went to the OxfordStomp concert- Sam Roberts, George Thorogood, Sheryl Crow an all-afternoon/evening event with free beer, food, sunshine and dancing. We met some great Calgarians and like the friends we like to keep, have fun anywhere! "Leave people wanting more and always with a smile on their face".


A visit from my sister and one of the outlaws as they passed through Calgary themselves added another element of fun. (Missed my other sister and her "Tom Jones"). Couple great dinner parties, laughs, rodeo watching in some great VIP seats, music, late nights, Marda Loop Starbucks, dog walks and the consumption of some great wine!  We won't forget the "dispose a flask" (crazy husband)!


I feel full and bubbling over with appreciation for my life. My husband, my kids and my family. Dig deep and find yours too. It won't just come to you without a conscious effort. 

Oh and watch a little Dawes in the link below, such great music. You can get it on Google Music and Apple Music (both platforms I use).

Fire Away....

My new love affair.

Well that was NO Spa Utopia massage but let me tell you I am definitely awakened in a whole new way!  Bring it on...


Cracking open the honesty here, I had been suffering with a sore hip for some time and sleeping was grueling, I felt stiff and then it started affecting my hiking and my everyday activities. Despite trying to stretch and drink lots of water, and pretend it didn't hurt, I started feeling OLD. THE worst ever. With hockey coming up in the fall, I had to do something!

That was when my personal coach (aka my wonderful daughter who graduated in Kinesiology last year) introduced me to the blue foam roller.  If you have one and know about this, fine but for those of us who don't frequent the gym, boot camp or have personal trainers then you should know it is an odd thing.

The first time she told me to roll on it was awful.  Remember I am intimidated by Yoga, so even getting to the floor into the position on top of the roller was grueling and quite hilarious.  I thought she would die laughing, as my execution was anything but graceful! Apparently I needed to stretch  the fascia that surround my muscles.... ok, so lay this way and roll on the pain spot back and forth.  Good God it was so painful I squealed like a wild cat and sadly one of my kids has it on video. 

Hated it and avoided rolling despite her constant reminders.  

Until we intrinsically want to make change there is no hope.  I knew I had an issue and had to face it.  Growing old sometimes sucks.

Into the picture comes this wonderful kind and compassionate Registered Massage Therapist Holly at MoveoSport & Rehabilitation Centre whom I saw this week. I am an open book so she knew me in the first 10 min and she gained my trust instantly.  Yes the rolling apparently was a good thing but for me likely incredibly painful at the onset.  We needed to start slow (Plan B) and she spent 45 min working more then my sore hip muscle.  Apparently it's all related and she dove into my body with oily hands and nothing like at Spa Utopia.  OMG, its a technique where the RMT digs her thumbs into the upper fascia and I guess pushes the knot along.  She did this all over my body - gluts, calves, back etc.  Honestly I thought I would throw up, but she coached me in her sweet gently voice, "it's good, it's doing the work we need and I can stop at anytime".  At one point I had to divert my mind and started counting down from 100, then I was imagining myself at the beach, but I have to say Holly coached me along and explained everything she was doing.  

She encouraged me that my own active lifestyle was enough (well above the average) and that for me, at my age; I was doing the right things.  This was all I needed to hear. She commented that my body was responding well and loosing up quickly because of my active lifestyle and it was making a difference in my healing.  She couldn't comment on how I got so tight, but I guess the blue roller will be in my future.

We talked Yoga and the lack of places supporting newbies and those who don't fit the "typical image".    She did give me a referral to Yoga teacher who might be a fit. I shared with Holly my passion for helping other Boomers by sharing my stories.  She too supports healthy living and Moveo will consider working more with Boomers like me to maybe facilitate hiking groups for those wanting to be active, social and learn a little more how they can proactively avoid the blue roller!  They already volunteer at bike races, so this would potentially be just another target group they could gain trust with.  

I have 2 more sessions booked with Holly and I can't wait.  I did my homework today with the tennis ball and I committed to both (she and my in-house Kin coach) that I would see this as a lifestyle change and take charge.  

Looks like I might be having a new love affair with the blue roller.   Like all relationships it will have peaks and valleys and pain along the way but with commitment comes happiness.