Viva Italia Part 1

I was careful not to step on a scale while we were traveling in Italy recently, but my very tight pants mid journey, indicated that I was enjoying the food and drink way too much. This was not my first time in this beautiful country. I studied in Rome many years ago with a brilliant […]

Camaraderie

During my performing years I spent a great deal of time learning repertoire, performing operas and concerts, travelling to engagements, and bringing up a child. I would meet other performers for brief sojourns and keep in touch, but I never experienced the fun and camaraderie of girlfriend time. My sister has always been my best […]

Vancouver weekend

Vancouver has always been a healing city for me. After my divorce in the Yukon, I moved to Vancouver and started a career as an opera singer. (See my book Aria: Song of Life for details of my adventures). After a few years, I moved back to Toronto and went to the university there. Then in […]

More Oh Canada

After our marvellous east coast visit to Newfoundland last summer, (see Oh Canada) we decided to give equal time to the glorious west coast of British Columbia, namely Vancouver Island. One of my fondest memories of Victoria was years ago, when my daughter Carrie was alive, and a boisterous 3-year-old. I was singing with the […]

Invasion of the Body Parts

When I buy a new car I expect it to run for a few years before I have to fix anything major. It is the same for household appliances, bikes, computers, roofs, grass. You name it. Everything has a design life or so it seems; even us. The list of parts and repairs that we […]

Lists: Bucket or Otherwise

I have always made lists. It’s the only way I can remember to do all the things I need to accomplish each day. Calendars are great for engagements, but daily lists are a necessity for me. I have pads all over the house so I can jot down my to-dos, and I often find old scraps of […]

Exercise (Sigh)

I love food! The best thing about exercise is that you can eat, and not gain weight, as long as you aren’t a glutton. I don’t think of myself as a 70 something woman, not every day that is. But in terms of stamina, my energy level is not what it was thirty years ago. The […]

Sun Savvy

I had never slept in a bathtub full of cool water before, but after my first really bad sunburn in Nassau, that’s where I spent the night. I was a newlywed and was on my first trip to the Caribbean. My brother-in-law, who was dark skinned, and tanned easily, mixed a concoction of iodine and […]

Skin Talk

I smile a lot. Smiling makes me feel good, and when I smile people are drawn to my face not my neck. I am not fond of my neck. Of course I also smile a lot because I am happy, but back to my neck. If I could walk around holding either side of […]

Suddenly 70

Somewhere I lost 30 years, and this just amazes me. I am no longer a sexy 40-year-old who can stop traffic on a busy street. It seems only a few years ago that I met, fell in love, and married my husband, Charles. We joked about staying together for a 30-year renewable contract, and both […]