Saskatoon Living 55 Plus Magazine

02/05/2023

MUSIC FOLLOWS US THROUGH THE STAGES OF LIFE

When Ken died in February 2021, we had an outpouring of messages from readers, with many telling us how much his columns meant to them. In light of that, we thought we would go back through our files and re-publish some of his columns. Ken would be flattered by the kind words readers expressed. We miss him as a friend and a storyteller.

Of the celebrities and musicians we lost this year, two of my favourites — Fats Domino and Malcolm Young - are on the list.
I grew up listening to country and Western music, mostly because all we had living up north was a small transistor radio.
Because we were isolated, the batteries on the radio were mostly saved for news and weather response. But every now and then, especially when my dad was away, my mother would leave the radio on so we could listen to the music.
I was just a boy and didn’t speak a word of English, but when it came down to music, it was a whole different story.
Since I couldn’t understand the lyrics, I would listen to the music. Back then, Johnny Cash dominated the air waves and when one of the Man in Black’s songs was played, my mom and I would dance.
I remember my mother telling me Johnny Cash was one of us.” I didn’t know what she meant, but my first thought was Johnny Cash was also a trapper. Years later, I would learn she meant Johnny Cash had Indigenous blood.
When we moved off the trapline, I was introduced to different genres of music. I still like country, but by then rock and roll was full blown on the radio.
This was back in late 1960s and early 1970s and there was one man who only needed one name. That would be the king of rock and roll — Elvis.
There again, I learned even Elvis had lndigenous blood. I used to wonder why Elvis never really promoted his Aboriginal background. Unlike Johnny Cash, who recorded the now famous Native American album, Elvis didn’t have a full album of his heritage.
About the only thing I recall about Elvis was when he played a “half-breed’’ in his movie Stay Away Joe.
This was an incredible time for music and the more I listened, the more I wanted to be a singer or at least a guitar player. One or my favourites was Fats Domino. Who passed away on Oct. 24.
On my reserve there was a giant hill where all of us kids would go sliding. The hill was called Blueberry Hill. And, yes, this is where I found my thrills. About 10 years ago as a double-lane highway was being constructed, old Blueberry Hill was flattened. I miss that hill almost as much as I miss Fats Domino.
Sadly, we also lost Malcolm Young this year. He passed away on Nov. 18 from complications of dementia. I was shocked to hear this as my own father is going through dementia. It’s really hard to talk to him today because I never know who I’m talking with: but Malcolm Young gave me the inspiration to learn more about the illness.
As I got into my teens, my taste in music was changing. My favourite year in music has to be 1976. At the time, I was mostly listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival.
I like the idea that CCR has Cree in the band’s name, but there were also other great albums that came out that year.
Most notably was the Eagles’ Hotel California.
There was also Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life. But nothing could get in the way of AC/DC’s High Voltage.
I remember thinking, after hearing the band, “This is it.” I loved the raw and loud band, and that connection has stayed with me to this day.
AC/DC was a far cry from the first album I ever bought. In 1972, I was living in a small town where we had no record store. The only thing we had was a small Sears counter at the post office.
I had enough money to order an album, but I didn’t know which one. One day I was watching television and a commercial came on for The Best of K-Tel.
Back then, anything and everything could be ordered through Sears. l went to the Sears counter to order the K-Tel album.
Every day I would go to the post office to see if it had arrived. After a while, I think as soon as I walked through the door she would say, “not today, Ken.”
Finally, after almost two weeks, I walked into the post office and the Sears worker had a big smile on her face. I don’t think my feet even touched the ground as I ran home to pull on my record player and I danced like never before.
When I listen to what the kids are listening to today, the music wouldn’t ride back seat to the likes of Fats Domino and Malcolm Young. But the influence of music of these legends can still be heard in today’s music.

01/05/2023

30/04/2023

SASKATOON SENIORS GUIDE - SPRING 2023

30/04/2023

BENEFITS OF RESVERATROL

Resveratrol is a type of natural phenol, a substance produced by some plants in response to injury or when the plant is under attack, stress, ultraviolet irradiation or inflammation, bacteria and fungus attack. It is a plant compound that acts like one of the best antioxidants.
In food we can find sources of resveratrol in the skin of grapes, blueberries, raspberries and peanuts. It is also found in significant concentrations of red wine.
The benefits of Resveratrol include it exerts anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, prevents atherosclerosis, prevents cancer cell maturation and proliferation. Helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by preventing plaque formation. Increases sensitivity to insulin, preventing diabetes mellitus. Protects against the effects of obesity and aging. Resveratrol in supplements may help to lower blood pressure. Has a positive effect on blood fats.
Helps with heart disease, helping to reduce inflammation, lower LDL or bad cholesterol and prevent the formation of clots.

HOW TO CONSUME RESVERATROL

The easiest way to consume Resveratrol in safe amounts is via grapes, wine, blueberries, cranberries, pomegranates, and
juices that contain this fruit. Some people also take Resveratrol supplements, especially for lowering blood pressure. There are no known side effects, and you can take it with food or on an empty stomach.

12/04/2023

Spring Issue 2023 of Living 55+ magazine is now available for pickup at our free pickup locations.

12/08/2019

Pat Lawson honoured for basketball success

Often recognized as one of Canada’s most versatile athletes, Saskatoon’s Pat Lawson has been inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame. “Being inducted into the hall is a wonderful recognition and one I never thought would happen,” said Lawson in the wake of her triumph. “Basketball was the game I enjoyed the most. If I had a special gift, I think I was born strong. It was the sport where I think I had the most natural ability.”

Lawson grew up in the basketball courts at Bedford Road Collegiate and went to the University of Saskatchewan where, in her rookie season at 18 years of age, she was voted the team’s most valuable player. She played four years for the Huskiettes and then shifted to the Saskatoon Aces senior women’s team. She led a Vancouver Eilers team to the national championship in 1955 and came back to Saskatoon to lead the Aces to a Canadian title in 1959. She had gone to teach in Vancouver for one year and Lawson remembered “the playoff system was different in those days. Once we won British Columbia, we went east province-by-province and travelling by train, until we got to Toronto and won the title.” The 1959 championship with the Aces was especially gratifying. “In the round-robin, we lost to the Eilers by four points in the first game and then won the next four. We surprised ourselves at how well we rallied to win the final. Bob Stayner was one of the world’s greatest cheerleaders and he gave us the last-hope pep talk and we started to come back. We went ahead against the Eilers with four minutes to go and we stayed there,” said Lawson in her usual modest style.

The ultimate tribute to Lawson was told by Stayner in the book, Behind the Sports Headlines, where he said, “Pat did most of the work at both ends. In the last quarter, it seemed like nobody had the ball but Pat. She had the ability and greatest desire of anyone I’ve ever seen. “And she was the easiest person in the world to coach.” In 1959, the Aces represented Canada at the Pan-American Games in Chicago. One of her teammates, chosen from another province, was Darlene Currie, who went into the Canadian hall in 1994 and was an instigator in getting Lawson nominated. Playing a role two years ago in the nomination was Paul Thomas, a former Huskie men’s coach, who had a long career at the University of Windsor and died in November 2017. It was Thomas who engineered one of the happiest times in Lawson’s life. “He was coaching the Huskies, who were playing in Vancouver in the winter of 1955 when I was with the Eilers. He told me that a coaching vacancy had come up with the Huskiettes and that I should apply,” said Lawson. She came back and coached the women’s team from 1956 until 1967. She was assistant dean of academics in the College of Physical Education when she retired in 1990. Lawson had earlier coached at Nutana Collegiate and one the great happenstances was that on the 1959 Aces, her teammates included Judy Holt, Judy Jenkin, Carole Lambert, Eleanor Edwards and Carol Josephson, who had all played for her at Nutana.

Her versatility in sports is well-documented. She played six sports – basketball, speed skating, track and field, golf, swimming and tennis. She won provincial championships in each sport. And she did this in an era where women were seldom considered for Canadian Olympic teams. Al Anderson followed Lawson into the halls at Bedford Road and played senior men’s basketball at the same time Lawson was playing with the senior women. “At Bedford, we knew her best in basketball. She was a powerhouse who could do anything offensively and was very competent defensively. She was a self-made athlete, strong and determined. She was an incredible athlete and was always a wonderful woman.” Lawson becomes the only player or coach from Saskatchewan to make it into the Canadian cage hall. Bryan Nicurity of Regina preceded her in 1996 as an official and administrator. “I’d like to thank my past teammates and all the amazing young women I coached over the year

- Ned Powers

08/08/2019

New pickup locations:

You can now pickup both yourSASKATOONnews and Saskatoon Living 55 Plus magazine

- Outside of the north entrance of Urban Cellars located in the College Park Mall at 3929 – 8th Street E.

-Outside of Shoppers Drug Mart at 610 Taylor Street E

07/08/2019

One week not enough for tour of Italy:

La dolce vita: those three words sum up so well the picture that most people have of this wonderful country called Italy. It’s all about enjoying the good life - full of pleasure and indulgences. Italy offers something for everyone. It was a daunting task to plan a first trip to Italy for a week-long stay. I started my trip with Rome as it’s a must see for any first time visitor. Using the rail system the next natural stop is Florence, and my final stop was in Venice the floating city. I decided on two nights in Rome, three nights in Florence and two nights in Venice.

I found Rome to be the world’s greatest outdoor museum. The culture is amazing and having a glass of wine on a patio with monuments as a backdrop is an experience unlike no other. When creating your budget you must stay in the central part of the city to enjoy the culture. After checking into my hotel I went for a walk, and in a few minutes I was at the steps of the Colosseum. I stood there in amazement. Besides going to the Colosseum I also recommend visiting a number of other historical landmarks. Trevi Fountain is the world’s most famous Baroque fountain. And make sure you bring a coin to throw in – make your wish to return to Rome.

The Vatican and the Vatican Museums have tours that all end in the Sistine Chapel. The Roman Forum is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and includes the Arches of Septimius Severus and Titus, the Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina and the Temple of Saturn. The Spanish steps, a truly monumental stairway of 135 steps, gives way to the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish square) and the Fontana della Barcaccia. The next stop was Florence. The main reason for this stop was most famous tower in the world – Leaning Tower of Pisa is close. I travelled by train which was a very enjoyable short trip. I found Florence to be relaxing and interesting. Other places to see in Florence include the river, which has a bridge that is beautiful day or night and a great backdrop for pictures. There is great art, history, and architecture – Ufizi Gallery and the central squares.

The shopping was the best I saw in Italy from high end designers to affordable boutiques and the many street vendors with their leather products. The food was great and affordable and the Tuscany countryside is breathtaking. Venice was my last stop and you will not see another city like it. How they built a city where you shouldn’t build a city is sheer madness. There is nothing more romantic then riding in a gondola or water taxi, looking at the beauty of the city with that special someone. It’s truly the most romantic city there is. With the beautiful music playing, Piazza San Marco Square sits at the heart of the city and is the perfect place to start or end your day. Close by is St Marks Basilica with three museums inside. My favorite thing was getting lost in Venice and the best way is crossing Rialto Bridge or if you’re tired from walking you can ride the water bus and enjoy the sites.

Travel Tips: Travelling by train is very economical, comfortable and speedy but prepare for busy train stations and it’s difficult to find help locating your train. When arriving in Venice by train you exit over a bridge that has close to 150 steps so most likely you will want to use the porter service to haul your suitcases over the bridge to get to the taxis... Rome has close to 10 million tourists visit annually so prepare for large crowds in places like Trevi Fountain, Vatican, and in general walking between attractions... Wear proper footwear as you will be walking a lot in all of the cities. I saw some women take pictures in high heels and then take them off for walking... I found Venice to be the most expensive city of the three, with Florence being the least expensive of the group... In Rome, on a short visit, I rented a limousine with a driver, so I could take in as many sites as possible and the driver acted as my guide. You will want to read up on tax free shopping at www.globalblue.com. Google maps or any good electronic maps are a must for directions.

-Daniel Stephen

06/08/2019

Creating Contrast

There are many paths you can take when decorating a room. It often starts with the furniture that you have on hand and walls that have been painted by the latest tenant or owner. When it’s time to put your personal stamp on your surroundings what direction is best followed to get that extra pizzazz, that fuller picture of a home that beckons you? It could be that you have a good idea of what draws you in, but don’t know how to get that look. I have discovered that the definitive solution to a room well done is the successful use of contrast. That old adage ‘opposites attract’ helps us to understand the goodness and strength that comes with contrast. Two colours that sit across from each other in the colour wheel, called complementary colours, balance and bring out the best in each. It’s helpful to be aware of the complementary colour couples especially if one of them is on your favourite list. Love blue? Then orange is a happy matchup. Drawn to yellow? Purple will make it pop. And a seasonal favourite as well as one of nature’s best is the red green pairing.

There are many other ways to establish contrast in your room. Dark shades appear to advance or stand out; they’re warm but too much can be heavy. Introduce the cool ambiance of light shades, which recede and you’ve got a lovely balance. Shown here from Benjamin Moore is a stunning living room with a dramatic dark purple wall. It’s a large room with plenty of natural light, and in the evening the combination of the white sofa and carpet brings each colour alive. Contrasting textures introduce interest in the same way. The shine from the black leather chairs shows up against the matte white cotton upholstery. You can play with textures in cushions, carpets, draperies and smooth or embossed wallpapers. It’s your choice whether you prefer the contrasts to be bold or subtle. We do feel with our eyes. Shapely carved lamp bases create an appealingly uneven visage set against the straight lines of the walls and windowpanes. The varying curves of bare table and chair legs, the geometric design in the carpet all draw your attention. This vignette is a study in contrasts that started with a daring colour. It may have taken a trained eye to create such a balanced and inviting room, but you can make your own magic with a little experimentation.

Combining colour combinations is tricky if you are faced with small colour swatches at the paint store. Pictures help and there are hundreds to view on pinterest and other sites. For inspiration on a larger scale, why not visit your local fabric outlet? You’ll find bolts of every shade of colour, solid and patterned. Layer your favourites, surprise yourself with a shade that you might not like on its own, but wow what it does beside that navy blue. And to put the finishing touches on your decor, add an accent colour. Note the effect of a bowl of pink blossoms beside the couch and small piles of books with yellow and green spines on the footstools; quietly diverse and somehow making the scene richer. Opposites do attract; one can make up something that is missing in the other, balance out too hot or cold, brighten up too much solemn. If your rooms are letting you down, try a little contrast. You’ll be amazed.

- Debbie Travis and Barbara Di**le

02/08/2019

Business makes moving, decluttering easier

Janet Parkinson was at a crossroad in her professional life. She had sold her decorative glass business and was starting to do interior decorating and colour consulting. Her life took another turn when her mother’s health started to decline. To provide care and support, her mother moved from Moose Jaw to Saskatoon. The move wasn’t easy. Parkinson’s mother’s home needed renovations and touch-ups before it was presentable to put on the market. And there were decisions to be made regarding what things to throw away, give away and sell. Moving often means downsizing. Parkinson was involved in all aspects for her mother. Parkinson’s mother passed away in February 2018, leaving her daughter with wonderful memories, and an idea to make moves easier for people like her mother. “I was reflecting later in 2018 and I thought, ‘Wow what a journey that was.’ I would do it again in a heartbeat for her, and then I thought about everyone else out there. “How do they make that transition from their homes of 30, 40, 50 years? Who does it for them? Is it family; is it friends? We all have different lives, but we are not all fortunate to have family available to accommodate that transition and move.”

Parkinson knew she could help and started a business called Changing Spaces by Design. She would help clients close one door and open another as seamlessly as possible. It’s never easy, given the emotional attachment people have to their homes and the treasures within them. “I thought maybe I can offer that service from getting the house ready for sale, throwing out things, selling things and giving away things.” She would apply her career in interior decorating to do a floor plan for the new home. That way she could determine which pieces of furniture would fit and which wouldn’t. If clients don’t have a Realtor, she can recommend one. She said everyone she works with is insured, trustworthy and provides high-quality work. She was like a wedding planner, but in moving. “I would do everything; all you would do on the day of the move is move out. I would be the co-ordinator of everything. I would work with the movers to get your new home set up. Your pictures will be hung, your kitchen plates and towels and everything would be in place for you, with a map of where everything is -- like a list so you aren’t totally lost. Really all you would have to do is walk in, pull the sheets back and get into bed.”

Parkinson said the process begins with a meeting with the person moving and ideally with at least one family member. She does what she calls a discovery at the person’s home. “I need to be in the home to determine how long the whole process is going to be. We are not talking about taking the time to pack and move things and sell things or give away things. We are talking about the emotional aspect. I would access and determine how the client is feeling about this whole process.” She said a key is knowing who made decision for the move. “Is this the client’s decision? All of those are really important factors in how I would handle a particular situation.

When it is their decision, they get to decide when and where. When the decision is made for them, it is a very difficult transition and has to be handled with tender loving care.” After that, the decluttering process begins. Parkinson said clients don’t have to take the complete package. “The form that I have goes through all the services. We think of all the things you have to get done.” She said her business isn’t just for seniors, but they are her focus. “My demographic is the senior community although it could be anyone. If someone is transferred, they can phone me up and say, ‘take care of it because I have to be at work Monday morning a week from now and I have so many things to take care of. I don’t have time to pack.’ Of course, I would want to take that opportunity to help that client.” She said she knows from her mother’s experience how stressful decisions on moving are. “I want to alleviate the stress that goes along with moving for seniors. With our parents, we just want to be there for them, we will be there for them and have been there for them. I don’t want people to be afraid. There is a service out there that can help you get through this.”

-Cam Hutchinson

01/08/2019

Don Miller promised Maurice Gran he wouldn’t rest easy until the plane, in which Gran’s younger brother died, was found. True to his word, Miller initiated the successful search that led to discovering the Cessna 180 that crashed into Peter Pond Lake on Aug. 20, 1959. On board were pilot Ray Gran and Harold Thompson, a conservation officer. The weather can turn bad quickly in the North, and Gran was caught in a thick fog with no way out. The two men were flying north from Buffalo Narrows to La Loche. Some people believe they took to the sky that day to nab a poacher.

In July 2017, Miller had lunch with Drs. Linda Rae Kapusta and her husband Don, who were visiting from Toronto. Linda Rae never got to meet her father. Her mother, Marcella Gran, was pregnant with Linda Rae when the plane crashed. The Grans were family friends of the Millers, with some of Ray Gran’s relatives living just down the street in Meadow Lake. Miller’s mother and Marcella Gran were best friends. Their friendship led to Miller having lunch with the Kapustas. “I had laid out a scenario for them about how they could possibly find the aircraft, but it was going to take state-of-the-art sonar equipment, something that was not available in Saskatchewan,” Miller said in a conversation at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum and Learning Centre. He said those who previously searched for the plane used a rope and grappling hook. “Based on how the plane was sitting upside down, the chance of even snagging one of those pontoons would have been pretty tough.” Soon after the lunch meeting, Dr. Don Kapusta returned to Toronto and started making a plan to attempt to find the aircraft. That plan would include sonar equipment, as Miller had suggested. “Dr. Kapusta contacted a group of experts in Boston who had been involved in looking (and finding) the Avro Arrow aircraft remains in Lake Ontario,” said Miller, who is 72.

The Avro Arrow was a scale model of a supersonic interceptor that was being developed to keep Russian bombers at bay. This was during the Cold War. In July 2018, the search for the Cessna 180 officially began with Kapusta, a relative, and two sonar experts scanning the lake. They divided the lake into quadrants. No. 1 was their target. “It was right around supper time on July 31 that they found the aircraft.” It was in quadrant No. 1. They found it on the first day of the search. Kapusta texted Miller with the good news. “We have two families that have been provided with closure and it has also provided closure for the people living in the area. It was always on their minds as well,” Miller said. A man from the area was the last person to hear the sound of the propeller. Standing on a shore of Peter Pond Lake, he heard the plane circling before the sound of the plane hitting the water. He is now 93 years old.

“The great people of Michel Village and Dillon, and others living in the northern part of the province provided untold hours of assistance and generosity,” Miller said. “They were feeding the crew out on the lake and helping with everything they possibly could. They were directly involved in getting the aircraft out of the water. “It was a very emotional experience for the people working on the crew.” It was emotional experience for Miller who had met Ray Gran. “Even though was 12 years old, I remember Raymond and his moustache. He was someone who was living not that far away from us and all of a sudden he is gone. But it was probably more emotional for me knowing I helped.” Once the aircraft was located, the next step was searching for remains and personal items. A dive in September 2018 was called off. “That lake is over 400 square miles of open water,” Miller said. “Even a slight breeze you are going to wind up with five- and six-feet waves. To hold any kind of boat 58 or 60 feet above the wreckage in a still position and do almost anything with divers down below is going to be almost an impossibility.” It was decided that it would be best to try in the winter. In January, divers brought up human remains and some personal belongings. A couple of months later, the plane was pulled from the icy water. Resting on one of the wings was Ray Gran’s wedding ring. Linda Rae Kapusta now wears it on a chain. Marcella Gran died about 12 hours after the plane was found. Rather than tell her immediately, it was decided to wait until the next morning. She died in her sleep that night.

It was in 2006 when Miller promised Maurice Gran, a pilot himself, that he would continue to help locate the plane. “Maurice told me where he thought the plane was. Looking at the location on the map of the lake, that plane was found so close to where he said it was that it still boggles my mind.” Maurice Gran died in 2007. It has been 60 years since Ray Gran and Harold Thompson died. Now there is closure for the families. “I feel proud of what I was able to do; I’m just one small piece in the puzzle,” Miller said. “I like to think I maybe lit the fuse and got it rolling, but others picked the baton up and ran with it.” The wreckage of the plane can be seen at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum and Learning Centre in Saskatoon. For more information, visit https://saskaviation.ca/.

-Cam Hutchinson

26/07/2019

Living 55 Plus is Saskatoon’s premier Seniors Resource Guide.

This magazine is available for free pickup in Saskatoon. There is a new issue every three months with articles about local Saskatoon people, health articles from Dr. Oz, home décor and design by Debbie Travis, recipes, travel articles, household solutions by Reena, information from local experts, event listings, and more. The current issue is available for pickup until our next new issue is out October 1st.

These are some of the easiest places to pick up this magazine. At our yellow free pickup boxes:
Market Mall – outside Safeway entrance;
Market Mall – outside BMO entrance;
Market Mall – outside
Dollarama entrance; Broadway Avenue – outside Extra Foods;
Broadway Avenue – outside StarBucks;
Broadway Avenue – at 5 corners;
A & W – 51st Street.

Or inside these local businesses:
A & W – 22nd Street;
A & W – 8th Street;
Confederation Mall inside BMO entrance;
Confederation Mall inside entrance near Safeway;
inside Lawson Heights Mall at A & W;
YWCA entrance;
Circle Centre Mall at Shoppers Drug Mart