Today Is Your Day Boomer

Today is your day Boomer! CBC recently did some research on old expressions and words still used fairly frequently by Canadians. In fact, if you look at the picture, I'll bet many Boomers still use 1-10 of these on a fairly-regular basis! That's because we grew up with these terms....they were considered rather "normal" in many of our lives and we probably didn't even realize we were being discriminatory. It is very interesting to read about the history behind these expressions; some of them you can guess, but others you must do the research. So, I encourage you Boomers, to read the article; just Google it; but more importantly make a big effort to change the way we talk and think about avoiding hurtful comments re: diverse communities in our society today. Start by counting the expressions you still use. That's what I did, and I'll bet it will be a wakeup call for some of you. Boomers, this is a new world and we have to change some old habits. C

Today is your day Boomer! If you follow my blog on a regular basis, you may want more reading material on Baby Boomers. This is a plug for my fellow blogger from Victoria Don Courcelle who started his blog long before I did. His blog is more informational and less anecdotal, but contains lots of articles on RVing, lifestyle, music, and even jokes! He even has links to favourite Boomer jukebox hits from days gone by. Don's blog title page is my picture today and his web address is "boomersinretirement.ca". Give it a whirl and, if you want to, recommend it to your Boomer friends. By the way, Don loves to talk to fellow Boomers....so he has a chat section as well. Cheers Don!

Today is your day Boomer! You've got to be kidding! Not again. The news today indicates ANOTHER COVID variant is upon us....this one from southern Africa. And once again, experts say it is even more spreadable than the last Delta variant. With 5.2 million deaths worldwide, almost 800,000 in the U.S. and approaching 30,000 in Canada, this is just awful news! Look at the picture. Is this our future? More and more and more of THIS?! Come on world, come on individuals....let's get our act together! We need strong, collective action(like funding for vaccines in 3rd world countries)led by international organizations like the U.N. and the World Health Organization. We need to immediately ban all flights in-and-out of southern Africa. We need to cancel the Winter Olympics in China in February. We need individual nations to take STRONG measures within their borders to reduce people contact and border travel, and we need inviduals like you and I to buck-up and get your shot

Today is your day Boomer! I am generally a very positive person, but I am a little worried about Christmas this year. It is exactly one month before our festive holiday, but how "normal" will it be? Things to consider: can people drive home for Christmas on limited-open BC highways if travel is considered only "essential"? Can parcels get through the closed highways in time for Chistmas? I've already experienced one big delay in an Amazon package I was expecting. Can we get through more of these atmospheric rivers?.......especially if it leads to more disruptions and closures. And imagine when the temperature drops and we get an atmospheric river; will it be 25 feet of snow falling all at once? Will the anti-vaxers finally get their vaccines as a Christmas present for all of us or will we continue to suffer with long lineups at hospitals and hundreds of new provincial cases per day? And finally, will we persist and celebrate the holidays the way we nor

Today is your day Boomer! Are you ready for this?.....Trump, Trump, Trump! He's back! You must like social media because you are accessing it right now and pretty soon Mr. Trump, who says "your favourite president has been silenced", will make a big splash with his new internet site: TRUTH SOCIAL. That's right, the man many of us love to hate, is introducing his own social media network in January to right many wrongs....in his words. During his time as president, he got into a boatload of trouble with social media sites like Twitter and FaceBook and lost his privileges. So, why not create your own communication network and spread more misinformation? Just in time to get tuned up for the next presidential election! Yes, he can run again for president because he has only served one 4-year term and he is allowed to serve two! God forbid.....but we all know he has the ego and money to go for it again. What can we do? Nothing really from here in Canada except

Today is your day Boomer! I am getting quite a few update requests on my health situation after my recent fall. You remember I suffered 4 broken ribs and a punctured lung 2 weeks ago...so here you go. I am better, much better, thank you very much. I am at home with my caring wife watching over me, I am back at work doing virtual meetings(3 hours last night!), I walked, albeit slowly, half an hour in the sunshine yesterday, I drove my truck for 5 minutes, I am completely off morphine and taking only Tylenol as a painkiller, I am eating less, but regular meals, I can go up-and-down stairs without a big issue, and I survived numerous coughs and two sneezes yesterday without too much pain. Oh yes, I have resumed my hot tubs and my physiotherapy starts in early December! Whoah, that is alot of improvement.....I would like to thank my many family members and friends for their concern, gifts, visits, phonecalls, emails, and just overall great support during this tough time. By the way

Today is your day Boomer! Is it just me, or is this world becoming addicted to hyberole? Hyperbole, you mean extreme exaggerations? Yes, just look at this picture and imagine if your noisy neighbours upstairs sounded like a "herd of elephants". A simile, I agree, but also a big overstatement.....kind of like the size of feet you imagine may break through your ceiling! Maybe it is media seeking more viewers, maybe it is people wanting to make a big impact, maybe it those who wants lots of "likes" on their websites....but check out these weather exaggerations: atmospheric river, superstorm, monster wildfire, raging firestorm, and flash freeze. Oh boy. They make good headlines....that's for sure. So, how about some Boomer hyperboles you may recognize or even use yourself: (1)I walked uphill to school both ways, in 7 feet of snow. (2) I have a ton of homework. (3) I told you to clean your room a million times. (4) Cry me a river. (5) Her brain is the size o

Today is your day Boomer! Beware Boomers, buying real estate has changed. I have a couple of family members who are embarking upon the the difficult journey of buying a house these days and wow, what a difference from when I did my last purchase 20 years ago! First of all, expect through-the-roof prices.....even for real fixer-uppers like the one in the picture. It seems like almost nothing is worth a lot these days...especially in rural areas as many people try to escape cities for a slower, quieter life. Lineups for viewings and heavy competition for bids is now the norm, so expect to pay more than the asking price. And forget about so-called "conditions" like this sale is contingent upon the sale of my old house.....it likely won't make the cut with so many buyers and so little stock available. In other words, you may have to compromise more. But how about some good things? Well, interest rates are very low and it looks like that will continue. Also, you can

Today is your day Boomer! During this time of COVID, our BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has constantly reminded us to "be kind". Now....during another crisis(this current BC highway mess) other leaders like Premier John Horgan and local civic mayors and MP's are encouraging us not to hoard food and think of other people too. In other words, don't be selfish! Check out your food supplies in your pantry, basement, freezer, and garage and maybe you'll realize that you already have alot there! Most of us likely do. In general, many Boomers are good planners and organizers....most of us think ahead and buy larger quantities of products when they are on sale and readily available. And ever tried swapping? Yes, my neighbour has fresh eggs and I have fresh bread....why not trade and help each other? It is the "good neighbour" way. There are lots of stories on social media right now of people giving volunteer time(like sandbagging), ener

Today is your day Boomer! Can it be.....I say, can it be that there is an example of good ol'fashioned "common sense" in the world today? In this world-gone-crazy with Trump mania....extreme climate change....rampant racism and over-the-top military spending, can the globe's richest people do some good? Jeff Bezos of Amazon is worth 204 billion; Elon Musk of Tesla has 267 billion dollars. They have been spending good chunks of that fortune on things like space exploration, a waste of money in my opinion! Now, as part of a challenge from the United Nations, Musk....apparently, is going to put money where his mouth is and help feed the needy. That's right, a 6.6 billion dollar donation to help fight world hunger! That means a whole lot of food for 45 million desperate people in 2022. Fannnnnnnntastic. Finally, rich people who may actually get it. Why do you need 14 Porches, 7 yachts, and 5 mansions? Only two percent of Musk's wealth is enough to feed

Today is your day Boomer! I am a parent, husband, former school teacher, and current school trustee in British Columbia and I have been vaccinated twice. You should know this because of the stance that I have taken re: anti-vax protests. I was appalled when I saw the protestors come out in full force at Remembrance Day ceremonies last week in Kelowna and I was especially frustrated when it happened previously around numerous hospitals in BC, and a school in Salmon Arm! I do recognize a person's right to peacefully protest, but sometimes people just go too far. And now the BC Government is doing something about it; yesterday, John Horgan and Co. announced new legislation that would ban anti-vax protests around our schools, hospitals, and vaccination clinics. It would include a 20 metre, or 66 foot, bubble of no protest which will, in my opinion, greatly prevent harrassment and intimidation of our health care and education workers, and even kids. Taking the lead from the Queb

Today is your day Boomer! Do you check the weather forecast and Drive BC before leaving on mountain highway driving trips? It appears that many people-including some Boomers-do not because the highways yesterday were just a big mess and the pictures I saw online showed quite a bit of traffic! There were mass mud and waterslides, all related to an "atmospheric river" which was predicted by qualified meteorologists many days before. You could see what was coming and yet you still tried to drive through it. Dumb! Many people got trapped in their vehicles and it really was quite dangerous. Same goes for earlier in the week when a huge snowfall was predicted on the Coquihalla Highway and the actual amount of snow that fell was double.....some people died on the road that day. Don't you get it? Your life is not worth it and remember we often drive with family members and close friends. You are endangering them as well. Boomers, or whoever you are, give your head a s

Today is your day Boomer! OK, yesterday's rib accident description was a little depressing and negative.....so let's put on a positive spin. Yes, I suffered four broken ribs this past week, so I decided to have barbeque pork ribs for dinner last night. Well, delicious! I researched funny cartoons, hence this picture. How about some puns? (1) Hey, rib jokes always crack me up! (2) What did one rib say to another while drinking at the bar? Hey buddy, let's get sauced tonight! (3) Which do you like more: ribs or wings? I like them both because because I am "bisnackual"! (4) What did one rib say to another when they went out bowling? You can be a "spare rib" tonight! (5) If Amazon sold meat, it would be Prime rib! (6) What did the rib say to the steak when they first met? Nice to meat you! OK! OK this is my way of dealing with the stress of my current situation and especially, the 8-week recovery period. Boomers, I think we need to inject a

Today is your day Boomer! Dave, where have you been? Some of my regular readers probably thought I was off on a golf junket the past few days......but no, I was on gulp...vacation in hospital. See picture. Yup, weekend warrior Dave decided a basketball game was a great location to free fall, break 4 ribs, and puncture a lung. Ouch!!! Yes, a very BIG OUCH. Boomers, I recommend you not do this to yourself for a variety of reasons: severe pain, emergency room waiting time, ambulance ride embarrassment, terrible hospital food, bowel discussions with many people you don't know, lack of sleep, extreme fatigue, and constant medical prodding/poking/testing.....oh, did I mention the pain? It was so bad one evening I couldn't even touch my skin! OK, now the good news. The medical staff that helped me were terrific, my wife, my family support, and my friends who showered me with visits, food, drinks, and physical/mental support. Especially my wife, who took time off work and v

Today is your day Boomer! Today is your day to wake up at the same time, but actually gain one hour on your Sunday! Yes, it us that dreaded day for some people when we turn our clocks back one hour to Standard Time. By the way, only some Canadian provinces do this. Saskatchewan doesn't; BC and Ontario are considering a change based on what their US state counterparts(like Washington and New York) will change to. It is all about business and communication. Naysayers and so-called experts state many reasons NOT to change: car crashes, depression, lower productivity, and increased medical risk for strokes and heart attacks. For Boomers, I say keep the change in spring and fall. We like to get up early and exercise.....it is lighter starting today. We can be seen on the roads easier. Driving to work in the morning is not a problem for most of us and late evenings in the spring is awesome for recreational activities like golf, biking, and walks. Most of us can adapt to time

Today is your day Boomer! You know you are getting old when......the famous pop group ABBA has released its first album in 40 years, and just take a look at this picture. Benny and company are in their mid-70s and wow, do their look mature! I mean really, mature. OK, old. But, of course, we all remember them from the 1970s when they were bopping away with songs like Super Trooper, Mama Mia, and Chicquitita. I do admire them for making a comeback and when I listened to their new songs, they sounded very similar to their old tunes. That is awesome. No cracking voices and screwed-up notes on the guitar, just fun, poppish, light-hearted ABBA-sounding songs that I'm sure will sell bigtime. The album name, by the way, is "Voyage" and the first song is called "I Still Have Faith In You"......and yes, ABBA, we still have faith in your ability all these years later. And I still have faith in all Boomers being creative and energetic in their retirement years.

Today is your day Boomer! You know that TV show "This is Us"? Well, Baby Boomers.....these statistics are us! (1) By 2031, all Canadian Boomers will have reached age 65. (2) BC has seen a 27% increase in Boomers in the past decade. (3) Vancouver Island has the most BC Boomers at 24%, while the North has the fewest at 13%. (4) Boomers make up about 1/3 of our population. (5) 94% of us live in independent homes, while 6% live in long term care or assisted living. (6) Boomers and seniors subsidized housing units in Canada has decreased for the fifth straight year. (7) Waiting lists for subsidized housing have increased during the same time period. Numbers that make you think....that make you wonder about your future, and our Boomer place and role in this rapidly-changing world. And why we should stand tall and speak up for all our needs and wants! More stats coming in my next blog.....this time on health care and surgeries. Cheers!

Today is your day Boomer! I have quite a few Boomer tennis and golf friends who are headed south for the winter. Some are taking off as early as next week when the Canada/US border opens for non-essential land traffic. I hear them talking and I wonder about a few things: for example, some of the states that they are headed to have high non-vax rates....states like Arizona, and we all know that this fall/winter period is now a pandemic of mostly non-vaccinated people. For example, in BC you are 40 times more likely to get hospitalized with COVID if you don't have the jab. The death rates are also very high for anti-vaxxers. Speaking of dying, the Americans are approaching 800,000 COVID deaths which is the most of any nation in the world.....that number itself would dissuade me from crossing the border. To give you some perspective, the hated Vietnam War which dragged on for about 15 years in the 1960s-70s only killed 58,000 Americans. My golf group wants to go to Arizona t

Today is your day Boomer! Now that Halloween is over, I can comment on pumpkins. What kind of blog topic is this, you ask? Well, it is something food related.....I think. Before the big day last week, it would cost you 50 cents a pound to buy a pumpkin; now, it seems they are worthless, free or almost free at outdoor markets and farms. No one wants them anymore. Especially the big ones which are so revered before the witching night......they are so hard to move. And then, what do you do with all these soon-to-rot orange balls? Two ideas: process and freeze the innards for future pumpkin pies, tarts, loafs, muffins and cookies. Yum! And don't forget about main courses like soup and casseroles. Otherwise, they make great compost for your gardens; just don't forget to cut them up before inserting them into your composting bin. That's it....unless you to use them for rifle range or slingshot target practice. One more thing.....save the seeds from your favourite pu

Today is your day Boomer! I am quoting the Merritt RCMP on mountain road conditions and fast drivers: "No zoomy zoom on the slicky slick or you'll go boom, boom!" I experienced this twice in the past four days as I travelled on the Okanagan Connector high-elevation highway to see my family. The main difference is it was bright sunnny weather with cool temperatures and still, I was passed constantly by people(many of them Boomers!) in SUVs and pickup trucks. And not only was I passed, I was often passed by vehicles going 20-30 km over the speed limit! But the road was probably dry many would say. No, it was covered with multiple, slick shady patches. And with the temperature below freezing, those spots can be very dangerous. As a result, I witnessed two vehicles in the ditch and on another section of the highway, someone died in a high-speed accident. Boomers, these mountain roads are totally unpredictable.....the signs on the side of the highway state this warni