Truths about life from a Canadian 90 Plus years old

Posted on March 7, 2025 by dfolstad58

Thank you to all my friends who read this post, add your comments and give me smiles. If you are reading this – I count you as a friend.

Achieving “vintage” status I have but I am not a nonagenarian (person in their 90’s) but today’s post is wisdom from one who is.

I happened to surf by and watch the interview of this well-known and successful Canadian and enjoyed it.

I am going to share his wisdoms and see if you can guess whom it was, and wind up this post with a link to the interview.

I shook more than one million hands in my life.

Question #1 – What does it feel like to be 90 plus years old?

You have to take one day at a time. I feel normal, I get up in the morning and go to work and enjoy life. I don’t think about my age, I only mention it to impress people and they are a bit surprised that I still come to earn my living at my age.

Question #2 – What are the things you have done to get to this point and feel how you feel?

In my family we tend to get quite old. My Dad when he died was almost 93, and I have a sister who went to a 100, another brother 99, and another brother 95. So you know, it’s normal in my family to be that age. My family had nine kids and the youngest when he died was 81.

Question #3 – What do we need to know about how you grew up to understand the person you are today?

My father was a blue collar worker in the paper mills, a machinist who came from the Royal part of Quebec. My Dad dreamed to have one of his kids be a politician and since I was a hyperactive kid he thought I had the energy needed to do that.

He started to train me very young just like you train your son to be a hockey player, you go to the hockey rink at 5 in the morning. I wanted to be an architect, and Dad said “You will never get elected as an architect. You go to law school.” In those days when your Dad said something, you listen, so I became a lawyer at this request and a politician as it was his desire.

Question #4 – What did you do differently than everyone else that lead you to your successes?

I always had interesting jobs and for me I never had a problem to get up to go to work. I always found interesting what I was doing and it was a pleasure for me.

A lot of people treat work as a burden because they don’t have jobs that they love. For me it was exciting, it was always new, always new challenges and in politics you have to perform. If you don’t perform they talk about it in the newspaper and on tv and so on. It’s very challenging.

A lot of people they go to work at 9 and come back home at 5 and there was nothing very exciting happening so they are happy to leave at five. They go home where they have fun with sports and family and so on.

One of the difficulties of politics is family life versus public life but I had married my girlfriend. She was the first girlfriend I had and she was my girlfriend 5 years before I married her. I was 23, she was 21 and we had 53 years of marriage. She was a great lady, well liked in Canada and well respected. She spoke 4 languages, great political judgment and always told me the truth in a nice way. I think a lot of people have a hard time finding love or being with the right person.

She had the calming influence on me

Question #5 – What was it about your wife that you knew she was the right person?

When I was a kid, I was over-excited all the time and my mother would say I would be the black sheep in the family. That was until I met this girl next door who became my wife.

My mother realized that she had a calming influence on me so she did everything for me to meet her. My mother decided that she was the woman for me and she was right. My wife and I grew up together basically and she was very patient. Everybody would say that we were making a good couple and she was an exceptional lady.

She asked me to retire at age 70 and I kept my word to her, of course, and I retired at 69 years and 11 months.

She was in charge of the house and she raised the kids virtually alone as I was always on the road. She handled everything. If she wanted to have a colour on the wall that I didn’t like, I would shut up. She was in charge of the house. If the kids were not happy, I was always on her side. As a matter of policy, my wife was always right.

Question #6 – How did you handle pressure?

For me a problem is a problem. When you have a problem you have to find a solution. In life have to hopefully always make the right decision. So I was calm apparently when there was a crisis. I would never get excited. On the contrary I would become calm knowing that I had to face a challenge. I was always decisive.

That was one quality that people mention of me, that I could make up my mind. Decisions need to be made every day when you are Prime Minister and responsible for 30 million people.

I love to go to Question Period but most Prime Minister they hate it. (Question Period occurs each day in the House of Commons in Canada and members of parliament ask questions of government ministers including the Prime Minister)

It was a challenge (Question Period) and I used to make the joke that you never know if you have done well there. Most people would turn to their staff and ask if they did alright. I didn’t have to do that, what I would do was that when I got up after I would do this (touches his armpit), and it was dry I had done well and if it was wet it’s because I had problems.

Never make a decision on the spur of the moment

My advice to handle decisions is this. Stay calm, stay calm. Don’t make a move on the spur of the moment. I never made a decision in front of a meeting of people because if you have 10 people around the table some are very eloquent but that doesn’t mean they are right. Put distance between the discussion and the decision. Have an hour or so of reflection to forget about the presentation, some are very good at presenting things, some are shy or not articulate and they might be ones who are right. I was known not to make a decision after a discussion.

Question #7 – What makes a great leader?

One has to be honest, to be frank, to be knowledgeable and hardworking. You must do your best. I did my best and at the end of the day I would come home and would say to myself, yeah, I did my best.

Do your best all the time, have pride and best quality of your work. Sometimes you might not succeed and it’s terribly unfair. But if you are working and not in the bar when your luck comes, then you will have a chance to do well.

Hugs to everyone that has read through to this point. ♥ David

I sincerely hope you enjoy hearing the perspective of this man. I believe when

seniors reach this age they become their most transparent self and have gifts to

share to those who will take a few moments to listen. I appreciate you all. – ♥

The wise gentleman interviewed here was elected a Canadian Member of Parliament an amazing 12 times!

He was elected to Parliament when he was 29 years old (even though his English

was not fluent then) and active until he was 70 years old. He never lost an election.

He was a leader of a majority government 3 times and 40 years in the Canadian

cabinet and also leader of the opposition in the House of Commons.

I hope you will listen to the whole interview of the

Right Honourable Jean Chretien.

Link here to an interview that may make you smile and provide wisdom for you to share.♥

Posted in O Canada, Thinking Out loud, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

A Happy Story; Gnomes that Roam

Posted on February 22, 2025 by dfolstad58

Dear Readers, thank you for reading this post today. This is a happy story. A happy and true story that happened in Kelowna BC in the summer of 2024.

I set this story aside last summer because it was one that I wanted to share someday, and today is that day.♥

It’s a story about a secret society and unexpected kindness.

It’s a story about anonymous people doing something positive without even asking for recognition.

How I admire people who do kind things out of the goodness in their hearts.

I am blessed to encounter people like those and they refresh my mind, my optimism, and erase some of the negative and harmful ambience that sometimes seems so suffocating.

It felt today like I needed to share and think of something in the news that was optimistic and hopeful.

Gnome before disappearing

The cheerful report captured below was in the July 5, 2024 publication of the Kelowna news – https://www.kelownacapnews.com/local-news/secret-society-steals-restores-kelowna-gnomes-7428625

A Kelowna household was the latest subject of a covert restoration project undertaken by an ‘un-gnome’ organization. 

The group calls themselves the ‘Gnome Restoration Society,’ and Kelowna resident and gnome-owner Kelly Blair has no idea who or how many people may be involved in the secretive organization. 

In late June, Blair was sad to discover that his beloved, albeit weathered and worn, gnomes were missing from his front lawn. 

Having already had a few items – including a canoe – go missing from his property over the last few weeks, Blair assumed that thieves had snatched his gnomes and accepted the fact that the tiny men were likely never to be seen again.

“They were just gone,” said Blair.

However, on July 3, Blair curiously heard a knock at his backdoor.

There stood an elderly woman who presented a perplexed Blair with a blank envelope addressed to “The Homeowner.”

Inside the envelope was a cut-out image of a gnome with the words “The Gnome Restoration Society” inscribed on the back. 

The woman, would not answer any questions, then instructed Blair to follow her to her vehicle. 

“The lady wouldn’t tell me anything,” said Blair.

The woman told him that she was simply delivering the gnomes and was unable to answer any questions about the gnomes had been or who was involved in the secret society. 

She told Blair, “These folks want to remain anonymous.”

Then, she opened the back of her car and there they were – all of Blair’s gnomes in pristine condition. 

Every single gnome that had gone missing from his lawn, plus two extra had been cleaned, painted and were smiling up at him from boxes in the back of the mysterious woman’s vehicle. 

“The gnomes are home,” said Blair, to Black Press, in disbelief that he had been involved in such silly and wonderful mischief. 

“It totally made my day.”

Blair said his gnomes have never looked better, noting the attention to detail, creativity and craftsmanship of the paint job on every single one of the ten little men. 

One gnome had been left behind, either intentionally or by mistake and its weathered appearance serves as a reminder of just how much work went into the restoration of the ten other lawn ornaments.

“The detail is just incredible.”

Blair said he would like to thank all those involved in the gnome restoration project.

“Thank you so much for this random act of kindness.”

Black Press has been unable to uncover any additional information about the Gnome Restoration Society. 

It’s a wonderful and true story of kindness and Gnomes that roamed, but came back home.

I think it’s a reminder for me that giving kindness to others anonymously is always worthwhile.

Thank you for visiting – ♥ David

April 6, 2025 is GOOD DEEDS DAY, an annual event where millions from 115 countries do something impactful to help someone else have a better day.

A page on the website has a gallery of shared thoughts about doing good deeds – link is HERE ♥.

Posted in Just being creative, okanagan related, Thinking Out loud | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

How was your sleep last night?

Posted on February 13, 2025 by dfolstad58

Welcome my friends again to my blog and the title of today’s post is likely a question you have heard many times before. I’m glad you are visiting today. – David

Africa has taken the tv remote again – my daughter says she is a control freak. ♥♥♥

After all, when we groggily raise our heads in the morning and awareness returns; How was your sleep last night? might be one of the first questions of the day you receive.

According to Government of Canada health research over ONE-THIRD of Canadians between the ages of 5-79 fail to obtain the daily recommended amount of sleep.

Perhaps worse is that OVER 25% of adults report problems falling asleep, or staying asleep.

Insufficient sleep is big problem and is connected to a plethora of negative health problems including higher mortality and heart disease.

It’s not just physical either, insufficient sleep has been connected higher risk of depression and anxiety.

Sleep actually contributes to how our brains function, how our nerve cells communicate. Evidence now indicates that dreaming and rapid eye movement sleeps contributes to the removal of toxins that build up in our brains during our busy days. Dreaming is actually a healthy type of brain-washing.

Strangely enough I didn’t understand much about sleep until recently, and since it’s a huge chunk of our lives I felt that was strange.

I think I imagined the sleep process was like sinking into quicksand-oblivion and then re-awakening when I bob to the surface awake. That was all wrong.

Sleeping is more like a wheel, and as we sleep we rotate through different stages and one rotation is a sleep cycle.

What are the stages you ask?

First stage I call it the “Dozing Off” stage. In this stage our minds calm down, our muscles relax, eye movements and heartbeat slow down. In this stage you are just barely sleeping.

Second stage I call it “Light Sleep.” In this stage eye movements stop, and our body temperature drops. This stage shortens as you repeat the stages of sleep multiple times in one night. You can still be woken up easily in this stage of sleep.

Third Stage is a form of deep sleep I call “Hibernation” and it’s the deep core sleep where breathing and your heart rate are at their lowest. This is the stage of sleep that is the most refreshing and hopefully 80% of your sleep is in this stage of sleep. In this hibernation stage your body functions slow to a crawl (it’s a good idea to have an empty tummy) and it allows for head-to-toe restoration. Even the bones and muscles are strengthened in this stage and the immune system is boosted.

The fourth stage of sleep is “Vivid Dreaming“. This stage has rapid eye movements, your brain activity spikes, breathing, heart rate and blood pressure go UP! This is when you have those exciting dreams where you are running or fighting etc but our bodies have outsmarted us because in this stage of sleep our muscles are paralyzed. It’s a good thing ! It’s in this stage of sleep that sleep researchers think that the brain expels the toxins that have accumulated during the day.

Those are the four stages of sleep that make up ONE sleep cycle that on average last 90 minutes or so. It’s not uncommon to be able to sleep through more than one cycle in a night.

To summarize; sleep is when your brain cycles through four different stages of brain activity, all of which are important and each cycle takes roughly 90 minu53w and five to six cycles are optimum for our health.

Now that I have learned about these stages of sleep I understand why when I wake up in the night I don’t feel tired; it’s because in the middle of the night I am waking up naturally in stage one.

I feel groggy though when I am woken up in the middle of stage 3. That’s why if I am woken up after hitting the snooze button I feel groggy because I have gone into stage 3 hibernation sleep and my body is halfway through the deepest stage of a sleep cycle.

Now that I know it’s natural to go through stages of light sleep I try to roll over and go back to sleep and back to the deep core sleep when I complete the Vivid dreaming stage of sleep.

I am sure you agree that Sleep is an important part of your daily routine after all you spend about one-third of your time doing it.

I hope that today’s post was informational. ♥

I am sure it also makes sense that Quality sleep—and getting enough of it at the right times—is as essential to survival as food and water.

This is the 3 – 2 – 1 tips for sleeping for you to consider.

3 hours before bed:           No more food or alcohol.

2 hours before bed:           No more work.

1 hour before bed:             No more screen time (shut off all phones, TVs and computers).

If you do the above then perhaps Zero will be the number of times you’ll need to hit snooze in the morning.♥

Happy dreams everyone!

Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.” — Thomas Dekker, American Actor

Posted in health, Just being creative, Thinking Out loud | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Let’s all be Candles

Posted on December 24, 2024 by dfolstad58
A Lesson about Light I learned this week

Before I forget the post link above is about a lesson I learned in 2017 when a Jewish friend invited me to a lighting of the menorah candle service. It was a heartwarming experience so I wrote about it. Sadly that friend is passed but he remains an inspiration to me as he always strove to do his best. He would arrive at his bakery at 3 a.m. and he made amazing breads which I especially enjoyed dipping them into his homemade soups.

I hope you enjoy “A Lesson about Light I learned this week” it by clicking into it; it was originally posted December 21, 2017 and Ben was a special baker and man.

Dear WordPress friends, my morning today started when I sat in the dark living room and soaked up the glow from our Christmas tree.

It was a brief time of contemplation which quickly lead me sending off a few notes of gratitude to people in my life.

The trees are bare of leaves this time of year and bending from the stiff breeze so I made some holiday spice tea (it has a sweet cinnamon taste) and decided to tackle some of my overdue reading of blog posts. Perhaps this evening will lend itself to a ride and this afternoon a walk along Okanagan lake.

Jane’s post “Peace on earth, goodwill towards all” was the perfect inspiration for my day. Link HERE

Jane’s post was of light, candles, and hope. Hope is so important and as we head into 2025 I hope we can all look forward to it seeing opportunity, and invitations rather than something other.

It seems to me that I rarely go a week without telling my “Two Percent story” and that perhaps is my “candle” story. Link Here

I told the 2% story to an IT person for Interior Health last week and it lead to a chat where we will meet in person and have lunch in the New Year. We had so much in common as both of us grew up in Vancouver in the 70’s and were even carhops at White Spot (different locations).

I told it again when I said yes to a first time experience in a radio play on Valentines Day in 2024. It was very fun and I met the author of the radio play ten minutes before we recorded the play. A treat and it turned well and it lead to an on-air interview where I told the “Two Percent” story again – all about hope that my wife inspired when I told her my doctor’s news.

It’s December 24th, the stores are filled with men doing their last minute shopping. Perhaps the stores should be “men only” on December 24th. 🙂

In the last two weeks we have had beautiful weather and nothing like the minus temperatures that my dear relatives face in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

It’s been glorious to be out and enjoy on my bike on a walk – see below.

My Lone Ranger – co rider on my biking is my dear son. He loves to ride all year.

A few days ago I was crunching snow and admiring the calm lake waters and wondering if the lake birds were loons as I watched them dive. Some other ones in black and white and I wished again for a real telescopic lens on my camera.

It’s a mild winter here and I was riding my bike on ice free streets last night in the dark. ♥

I was lit up in lights on my jacket and on my bike. I was riding with my son singing “Hark the Herald Angels sing” with a big smile on my face (behind the balaclava which kept it warm).

The pictures above are all local and taken recently. The light tunnel at the bottom is a delight to walk through and I do it often.

Thank you readers for inspiring me in 2024 to smile with your posts and comments. I feel that if I had the opportunity to chat with you in person I would feel immediately comfortable because I already know you a tiny bit.

As I scoot about my day and week – I will remember Jane’s invitation to be a candle and take a moment to shine by slowing down, taking a breath and soaking in the glow of what and who I truly have to give gratitude for in the past and always the hope of what lies ahead.

♥♥♥ David

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Fourteen (14) is a nice number

Posted on October 29, 2024 by dfolstad58

Good morning, afternoon or good day to you! Thank you for popping in to read this post – “Fourteen is a nice number” – it really is!

I have excellent reasons for liking the number 14 and it’s beyond the email notice from WordPress today that my blog is now 14 years old ! ? This is post number 878 ♥

My first blog post was about a mentor to many, so linking this post to that one is completely appropriate – Aunt Elinore – Always a Kind Word

I definitely do not spend as much time blogging as I used to and that’s a good thing for my health but I regret that now I am away from my computer more I miss out on reading blog posts that you invest your time and energy in. My loss and I know it, and feel some guilt there.

The time I spend away from the computer I try to spend it on people and my health. I do that in a variety of ways including time with my two grandchildren. I have a watch that counts steps and if it could tazer me to get going some days I would use that function also.

Fourteen is also a nice number because it was the number my son, my wingman above, wore throughout the different sports he played in his school years. As I sat on the bleachers, here and there and everywhere, I looked for his shirt with 14 on the back and now it seems second nature to always cheer for 14.

Fourteen is the day of the month that my patient, and encouraging wife was born! (confetti here!)

Fourteen is the day of the month that my sweet daughter was born (fireworks here!)

So you betcha I am glad about the number 14 !

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Speech – Reach For the Sky

Okanagan lake pre sunset a couple days ago

Recently I did a short speech at Toastmasters and the theme of that speech I have looked forward to sharing with you. It was one part children’s story and one part unpacked meaning.

It’s a important theme, and I hope you have time to reflect on it before heading on with your day.

The theme was to relate how being a protege has effected me. Mentoring is a speech theme I have talked about before HOWEVER this speech objective was to have me relate from a different perspective; the protege experience – the mentee.

I gave it a great deal of thought, I have never had an “official” mentor in my life – I have never had a senior experienced individual take on that role formally.

Nevertheless I have concluded that I have been a protege my whole life.

How could I have been a protege without having an formal mentor?

Looking over my life it was obvious to me that my life has been blessed with mentors of all types: informal, inadvertent and even at a distance.

It’s true for everyone; as I, and you, walk through life we observe and change our behavior based on what we experience.

It could be swerving to avoid the metaphorical pothole ahead or the LITERAL one 🙂

Whom of us has not heeded a warning or taken the advantage of superior advice even if it was non-verbal?

Many examples come to mind now of informal mentors.

I had a boss who demonstrated the importance of showing appreciation in more than words and unexpectedly.

I have a friend who demonstrated generosity beyond measurement.

I have witnessed kindness and communication that I have tried to copy.

The list goes on but my time to share does not and so, to wrap up

– I want to unpack one last thought for you. This is YOU!

That is to underline that you are a teacher, and mentor without doubt. It may be informally but there truthfully are people, many people, who in relation to you would say ” I will never forget that time.………” , and ” ………… showed me the importance of ……….. when they did …………”

Sadly these acknowledgements are often never vocalized until times of eulogies but it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s my challenge now, to not wait and to acknowledge now when people inspire me and I am doing that now with my fellow bloggers.

Thank you fellow bloggers~

– you inspire me!

Thank you readers who like and comment – you encourage me every day!

Thank you for allowing me to be your inadvertent, informal protege. ♥

Posted in Just being creative, Thinking Out loud, Toastmasters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

It’s my birthday! 45 again – 21 times in row

Posted on October 8, 2024 by dfolstad58

Everyone looks forward to their birthday I suspect. I hope for most people that it’s a day that is swamped with messages, some expected and some a surprise, of love and appreciation.

It’s my birthday and I’m glad to celebrate it as it feels somehow the spotlight is on me as a celebrity for the day.

But the really really nice thing about birthdays is that everyone gets to be a “celebrity” once a year, and that’s nice. Everyone needs to feel important and special and not only on their birthday, but it’s an equal opportunity reason to celebrate one another as we all celebrate our birthday.

Birthdays are an opportunity I feel to “spark joy” by giving someone in your life recognition, and a compliment by letting them know that their life made a difference to you, including saying WHY!

That’s the critical and most important segment of a compliment, the saying of the reason WHY when you give thanks. Compared to just “thanks” it makes the thank you meaningful and sound less perfunctory. It’s the whipping cream of the hot chocolate compliment; don’t give thanks without it. ♥

Photo by Matheus Bertelli on Pexels.com

According to Juli Fraga in her article called “How to spark Joy in your life” – giving joy to others can spark joy in your own life as well.

She says that “relational savoring” (observing joy in others) enhance our own ability to enjoy and savor positive events and emotions.

Savor small moments of pleasure

Most of us have at least one joyful interaction each day. However, it’s easy for these experiences to go unnoticed.

With practice, though, we can train our brain to look for joy. Among social scientists, this is called “relational savoring.” It’s our ability to enjoy and savor positive events and emotions.

To practice relational savoring, imagine you’re a joy detective. Identify one positive interaction that you’ve experienced recently. Perhaps it was a snuggle with your cat, a meaningful conversation, or dinner with a friend.

As you think of this memory, pay attention to how your body feels. Sensations such as calm and warmth often signify the emotion of joy. When you notice a positive sensation, try to savor it. Stay with the moment and notice any other pleasurable feelings such as gratitude, awe or happiness that arise.

Research shows that relational savoring can prolong our experience of positive emotions, which benefits our well-being in the long run.

(below are Juli’s suggestions to simultaneously create more joy in our own lives while also creating joy in others lives also)

– JULI FRAGA

Photo by TheOther Kev on Pexels.com

What a strange post for a birthday I suppose you might be thinking. You are probably correct (chuckle)

My birthday will quickly bite the dust, in less than 24 hours of course, but what I wanted to do in this post was share to this author’s (Juli Fraga) idea about “sparking joy” in others but also for our own benefit to create more joy in our lives. Everyone loves a “two-fer” !

The ways to create more joy in our lives are:

  1. Pay someone a compliment. Even saying “It’s nice to see you today” goes a long way. Watch the reaction you “sparked” and let their joy and happiness rub off on you.
  2. Savor Small Moments of Pleasure. In your busy life it can be easy to miss a hummingbird, enjoy the colours of autumn or simply slow down to taste a meal. Snuggle with your cat, have a meaning conversation or share a coffee with a friend and let it soak in a little before you move on. Juli says that calm and warmth you feel are indicators of joy and happiness if and when you slow down to savor your day.
  3. Smile, even when you don’t feel like it. Driving is when I notice many people lose their smile but smiling has a positive effect according to Juli to “release” dopamine and serotonin. When you can smile, and I wonder if a little smile with become your face’s go-to sparking joy (again).

It’s my birthday and to all my friends, and others who read this blog – I hope your life is full of smal and large moments to savor and bring a smile to your faces.

One last note from Leo Buscaglia – his name is a link to learn more about this man 🙂

He was the first to state and promote the

concept of humanity’s need for hugs:

5 to survive,

8 to maintain, and

12 to thrive.

Thank you everyone for visiting, and reading, thrive everyone! ♥ – Hugs, hugs, hugs. ♥ David

Looking down the valley, relaxing reading – it’s nice to disconnect and the beaches are empty (virtually)

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