Going gray..

I was at the hairdressers yesterday for a haircut.  Not coloured or highlighted -just cut.

You see, this month marks the two year anniversary of letting my hair go to its natural colour or "going gray".  I have put no colour of any kind on my hair since September 2011.

Being a blonde all my life, your hair colour does get attention.   From the time you are a small child  - people/ strangers comment on your hair - touch your hair  Why did my mother let strangers just come up and touch my hair????- Your hair colour  helps define you  (good and bad to that)

Even though there is some blonde left  - I feel that I can no longer describe myself as a blonde.  It is interesting there is no  label/noun for someone with gray hair -   One can be a blonde, a brunette, or a redhead but what about gray?

It has not been easy and many times I have been very tempted to highlight or colour.  But I have persevered and now I am happy with it.  My hair is healthier and I think the colour suits me.  Once again Shanna, my stylist and the owner of Eskape Salon, was right.  You see, she recommended I try my natural hair colour.  That is one of the reason she is such a great stylist - not concerned about the loss of business of no longer colouring my hair but always committed to what is best for her client.  Thanks Shanna.

For me going gray has been a very public acknowledgement of the "emerging senior" in me.  But as a generation/ as Boomers I think we approach aging and retirement with a different attitude. Covering gray is no longer a must for women.  Gray hair is no longer our grandmother's gray - dyed white (sometimes looks blue), cut short.  Now it is not unusual to see a women in her 50's, 60's or 70's  with long beautiful gray hair.  I think it is empowering.

Monday Morning

We do most of our living between Friday night and Monday morning.  Monday morning is the time to reflect on the weekend and get back into our week day routine . As I get older it becomes more difficult to get myself moving on Monday morning.   I guess that is part of what retirement planning is about - letting go of the weekday routine. and 
spreading the rest of your life over seven days!








1.   The Knights won on Friday night against the Saginaw Spirit, 6 to 3.  Domi and Horvat 
      were released from their NHL teams and now we wait for the defensemen to return

2.   We are organizing a hockey pool for the NHL season. Just finished the set up this 
      weekend.  So far 13 participants.  The half season pot will be 130 dollars. 
      Of course the real fun is the competition among us along the way.  

3.   Attended family brunch on Sunday at my brother in law and sister in law's place.  
      It was great to see Connor on a visit home from university in Toronto.  Fabulous food
       - tons of it.  My sister in law, Cheryl,  is such an awesome cook.

4.   Beekeepers....not.   For  several weeks we have had bees in our house. 
      A couple at a time--always around a window.  Then, we discovered bees hanging around
      the outside vent from our kitchen exhaust fan.  After examining the range hood we found 
      a spot that they were getting in the house and taped it up.  We solved the problem of the
      bees inside but I still didn't want them in our vent.  Given bees are in trouble right now, 
      we didn't want to kill  them. . So, I turned to the internet for 
      answers and discovered that if you smoked out the  bees, they eat their  hive and leave.  
      We bought large incense bundles from an Asian convenience store, held it just under the 
      exhaust  fan above the  stove and waited.  Sure enough the bees left the vent. 
      After an hour of holding the incense,  the house was full of smoke, the kitchen was 
      covered in incense dust, the house smelled like a hindu temple but we think the bees 
      are gone.  Only time will tell. 

5.   Breaking Bad Last Episode -  well done bitch!
      

Kingsmills - a London legacy

I am a Londoner, born and raised - at least fifth generation. My  great grandfather was a developer who built in many of our older neighbourhoods.  Steeles Street in North London is named for him.  I love London and proud to live here.

Our city is not without challenges but still a great place to live and to raise a family.  Much is written about the decline of London.  Headline after headline, article after article but none of the dialogue to date has spoken to me more strongly about London's demise than the announcement on Friday that Kingsmills is for sale.

My family has been shopping there since it opened well over a hundred years ago.   The sparkling hardwood floors and the old fashioned caged elevators are reminders and links to that past.  I just always took for granted that it would continue.

Although we like to think of Kingsmills as an institution, it is not.  It is a business that has to make a profit to survive.  I can only conclude that that is no longer feasible.  No other explanation makes sense.

There has been a  lot of chatter about the Kingsmills announcement.  Many Londoners will feel a sense of loss when the name on the store is no longer Kingsmills or run by that family or maybe even closed. There is maybe even a sense of Kingsmills giving up.  This is not about Kingsmills failing.   I think London has failed Kingsmills.

I have always admired those stores like Kingsmills and Nash Jewelers who have remained at the core of our downtown when all others have left.  They remained open and contributing members to the initiatives to revitalize our downtown.  They remained open long after the customers have left the downtown.  How long are these retailers expected to wait for the turnaround of our core area?  Richmond and Dundas only grows worse.  I wouldn't walk my dog at that corner.

I have not abandoned Downtown London. I am a supporter.  I am downtown at least once a week .  I shop downtown.  I eat downtown.  But my activities are concentrated on King and Talbot - at the Market and the  independent stores and restaurants in that area. That part of our downtown  is now alive and vibrant.

Why can't we make the same happen for Dundas and Richmond? Will it ever recover?  I know it will never  be the Richmond and Dundas that I remember -  Simpson's  windows decorated for Christmas- restaurants and independent shops lining Dundas - magnificent movie theatres.   Maybe the future doesn't look like the past but it must  be  better than the present.

The lack of revitalization of this part of our core comes at a cost.  The cost on Friday  was a tough one to accept.

Retirement - from here to there

Sneak peak #andrewgillet

The Covent Garden Market has commissioned a painting by my Artist In Residience for the cover of their annual calendar. Here is a sneak peak. Original painting based on a photo by #noel sargeant

Monday Morning

We do most of our living between Friday night and Monday morning.  Monday morning is the time to reflect on the weekend and get back into our week day routine . As I get older it becomes more difficult to get myself moving on Monday morning.   I guess that is part of what retirement planning is about - letting go of the weekday routine. and spreading the rest of your life over seven days!

1.  Started weekend activities early this week with dinner and drinks with my PALs.  Great way to
      start the weekend

2.  Opening game of the London Knights Hockey season .  They won 3 - 0 #GoKnightsGo.

      #Budweiser Gardens looked awesome with the new LED light show around the entire
        circumference.

3.  Dinner with good friends Glenn and Sue on Saturday night. Hadn't seen them all summer.
      Great  to catch up

4.  First day of Fall and back to our regular Sunday routines - long walk at Westminster Ponds
      with Beau ,  and then breakfast at Riverdale.  The ponds weren't too muddy and
      the dog stayed clean!

5.  Did my fall plantings in the front garden.  Left a few annuals in until significant frost.
      The morning glory  are still blooming and such a treat every morning when
       I get the newspaper.

6.  Mom and Dad joined us for dinner tonight and I made my first roast beef of
       the Fall season.  I love BBQ      but it is good to get back to roast season.  Next time
       I am making Yorkshire puddings.

7,  Dexter's last episode.  I never thought I would say " I really am going to miss that serial killer"
     Good bye Dexter.  Definitely set up for a  movie sequel

It starts tonight.....#GoKnightsGo

The season starts tonight...on the path to the Memorial Cup. Go Knights Go!