Did you know that St Patrick’s original name was Maewyn Succat, that he was probably born in Wales, and that he spent a lot of his youth chasing sheep? Even back in the 5th century, he could totally change his identity.

Many interesting and unusual activities take place every St Patrick’s Day. In locations all over the world, street traffic is usurped by parades, pubs are overwhelmed with people drinking green beer, the Chicago River is dyed green, and the Toronto Maple Leafs wear green shirts to play hockey. This man has influence, 16 centuries later!

Torontonians really get into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit. It got me wondering: how many Irish people actually live here? According to census data, the Irish are the 4th greatest in number, around 10 % after the Chinese, English and Canadian. The biggest concentration is in the High Park area. A lot of them, wearing green, were at the St Patrick’s Day parade on Sunday.

Peter and I were heading downtown to see a Mirvish play on Sunday afternoon anyway, so we decided to crash this annual celebration. Sure enough, the first question we were asked by a parade watcher was: “So what county in Ireland are you from?” Oops.. we couldn’t even think of a name of a county to bluff with! Then we saw Olivia Chow in the parade. If she could pretend to be Irish, so could we.

As we walked north along Yonge St, we saw lots of marching bands, rugby players, bicyclists hoisting balloons, a tiny boat from Niagara called Misty, a Batman car, a Chinese dragon, and even this contraption with no name:

The kids were having the best time. Several performers were children or teens. Small spectators were dressed up from head to toe as they sat on the curb and waved.

Some intriguing inclusions were bands, dancers, and floats from Scotland, which struck us as rare. When did these 2 countries, Scotland and Ireland, become such buddies? When had the United Kingdom become so united?

We looked around and realized that the parade also included cultural artifacts from Asia. There were marchers from workers’ unions across Ontario. And there were cheering crowds from all over the world. This was our multicultural city in action. On St. Patrick’s Day, we were ALL Irish.

Top o’ the mornin’ to ya!

Sue

No, this is not more “stuff” about Spring. This post is about a very different kind of experience we had last week. We tried to think of it as inspiring.

Peter and I joined a retired teachers’ group to visit a research hospital. It looks like a regular hospital on the outside: tall, boring brick, many many windows, and that antiseptic smell as we walk along the sterile corridors. But downstairs in the basement a whole new world exits, a world where innovation and technology create possibility. The KITE Institute.

We enter the first lab, a modern condo simulation, with additions. A robot companion greets us to ask how she can help. Monitors watch over us from the ceiling, ready to call for assistance if we fall. The bathroom has a toilet that tips forward to help us get up. The bed has grab bars which light up at night, on either side. One chair in the dining area is wired to collect health data: heart rate, blood pressure, and so on. We are constantly being watched. Could this possibly be a good thing?

Another lab is totally dedicated to falling. Volunteers are strapped into a harness as they stand on a floor which begins to tip and roll. A monitor checks for heart rate and involuntary movement as the “victim” tries to stay upright and balanced. Peter did this test once a couple of years ago, but he had played football in his youth and was trained in the art of not falling – feet spread apart, knees slightly bent, arms out. The research technician told him he was cheating!

As we age, the fear of falling is often with us. Another lab is used to study one paticular fall; the kind you have when you try to get out of the bathtub. Once again volunteers, wearing their harnesses, step from the bathtub to a platform, unaided by grab bars. The wired platform measures pressure and collects data about movement. Innovative products, like step-in tubs, are already on the market, based on this research.

The next lab is one you may have seen on CBC Marketplace, where testing of boot tread was the topic. The lab floor is a sheet of ice and the victims, once again strapped into a harness, test out various boot and shoe treads. The best treads are ones that have tiny bits of glass embedded into the sole. They sparkle in the sun and keep you upright on the ice.

The most interesting lab to me was the driver simulation lab. A full-sized car sits on a platform which can create unsafe driving conditions: speed, ice, obstacles, night driving, swerving, even fog. Not only can this lab evaluate driver performance, it can also help improve vehicle and road design.

This area of the hospital is called the KITE Institute (acronym for Knowledge, Innovation, Talent, Everywhere). The scientists are “dedicated to improving the lives of people living with the effects of disability, illness and aging.” The data collected is used to help with developing new devices and products. The institute also works to change public opinion and government policies.

One topic that grabbed my attention was based on the driver simulation lab. KITE has approached the provincial goverment with the idea of downgrading licences for seniors. Seniors with vision problems would downgrade to a driving licene that prohibits night time driving. When older folks begin having cognitive problems, their licence would prohibit highway driving, or permit local roads only. These accommodations would allow seniors to drive to the grocery store, the bank, medical appointments, and maybe bridge games at the local seniors’ centre. This way they (or we?) could stay in their homes and be more independent for longer.

Looking at these products and policy developments, and realizing that one day we may actually need some of them, was a little disheartening at first. On the other hand, isn’t it good to know that scientists are already engaged in trying to help us out?

Sue

Even though it’s only early March, Mother Nature has been teasing us for quite a while, with signs of Spring. Peter and I went for a walk to the lake recently to take some photographs.

Along the streets, bushes are beginning to bud:

One hedge holds a bagel captive, maybe a make-shift squirrel feeder:

We passed a garden centre with an inviting sign:

One woman was industriously washing her car:

A few people, dressed warmly, walked along Humber Bridge:

One brave couple, covered in blankets, had a picnic in their inflatable boat:

When we got to the lake, the CN Tower was hidden in fog, but this swan came over to meet us:

The most enthusiastic critter looking for Spring was this racoon. The closer we got, the deeper he went:

Hope he finds it soon!

Sue

Believe it or not, it is still winter. And last Friday Peter and I decided to explore one of Toronto’s fun winter venues. The Beach.

Ten years ago 3 Toronto design companies got together and decided it would be fun to find a winter use for the 6 life guard stations along Woodbine and Kew beaches. They offered the opportunity to the international arts community. There were a few rules: The design had to incorporate a life guard station but not be permanently affixed to it. The creator should assume there would be minimal security, and the possibility of damage from either weather or visitors. The use of fire or electricity (or swimming) would be prohibited.

In the first year, 2015, there were 200 submissions. Ten years later, 2024, there were over 400. This year’s theme is “resonance,” inviting the participants to use a design which resonates with winners from previous years. Kind of like plagiarism. The 6 winning designs are located near, or on, the life guard stations. Three other designs were chosen as runners-up and are installed along Queen St, creating a connection between the free beach displays and the local restaurants, ie No Free Lunch.

Some of the stations are built with children in mind. Making Waves, at the corner of Queen St and Kingston Road, has cranks for kids to turn, creating wave-like motions along the platform near the shore. Bobbin’ has a children’s teeter totter inside. We Caught a UFO! invites tiny tots to climb up to the top inside the UFO. Adhering to my philosophy of “live life to the fullest” I wanted to play on all 3 stations, but Peter said we had to keep going or we would be late for lunch. You can tell our priorities are different.

Two of the installations are meant to advertise climate change. Nova is a series of white tarps slung over the life guard station, with an opening at the top where the stars apparently shine through at night. The station is highly visible standing in the sand, kind of like somebody wearing a dress that is too short. Nimbus stands out, even from a distance. Blue ropes representing rain hang from bubbly white clouds. The viewer is asked to think about rain and what its absence means to the world. Peter and I were more inclined to think about the absence of snow.

One of the stations is a photographer’s dream. A human-sized Kaleidoscope challenges our perspectives through mirrors reflecting other mirrors and the lake. There’s a space between the 2 halves of the bright orange structure, where visitors feel like they have become part of the sculpture.

If you leave the beach and meander along Queen St. you’ll discover lots of quaint restaurants and bars to stop for a lunch break. You will also find 2 more enchanting sculptures. Delighthouse is a colourful and eye-catching lighthouse tower. And farther along you’ll run across a Toronto icon created from differently-textured plastics. Conrad, returning from 2023, is one BIG racoon!

During our very unusual February day, we wandered in the sand, we had a satisfying lunch in a tiny restaurant, and we walked about 15,000 steps. At the far end of the beach, near the RC Harris filtration plant, there was one final inviting scene – streetcars! We climbed aboard, and settled in for a nap on our way home.

Sue

Last week about this time we were all making plans for Valentine’s Day: buying chocolates, sending flowers and entertaining. Me too. Except that my entertaining did’t go so well.

It was my turn to host a book club lunch. This is a new book club for me – I joined in the fall. So there was a bit of self-imposed pressure to make a good impression. I chose some parts of the meal from the book we were disucssing, and other parts to celebrate the occasion. I bought the ingredients and thought I was all set.

Wednesday morning before breakfast I began preparing. I decided to start with the cocktails so they’d have time to chill in the fridge. I was making Cosmopolitans, not because we live like characters from Sex In the City, but because the drinks are Valentine pink.

I filled a shaker with vodka, cointreau, cranberry juice, and lime juice, and shook them up. Then of course I had to taste them…ooh too bitter! So I added some more cranberry juice and tasted again. Nope – too bland. I added cointreau and tasted again. After some more tasting and adjusting I began to feel a little bit wobbly…not a good sign before breakfast! I quickly stuffed the cocktails in the fridge and started making the breakfast oatmail… I mean oatmeal.

After breakfast I worked on the Greek salad. I washed and chopped: romaine, onions, cucumbers, olives, feta. But still the bowl didn’t look very full. Something was missing. Aha… tomatoes! I had bought 2 ripe red tomatoes the day before, just for this salad. But Peter happens to love tomatoes so, to be on the safe side, I decided to hide them. But where??

I checked all the secret hiding places in the fridge. Then I looked through the kitchen drawers. And cupboards. Getting a little anxious, I headed to the basement pantry area where we keep extra food. Surely I had put them there. But no. In desperation, I started thinking about the Cosmopolitans in the fridge. Would just a little sip or two help me remember?

On my way to the fridge I spied our large ottoman in the sun room. It opens, and I have often hidden secret things in there. Like chocolate. And… tomatoes – there they were! I added them to the salad and organized the rest of the meal without any more issues. The cocktails were safe.

About noon the book club members began arriving. I ushered them into my newly-decorated sun room, through the dining room, so they wouldn’t have to navigate the little step from the kitchen. Everyone seemed to enjoy being together and we happily shared our news about health, family and travel plans. The main course was in the oven and the salad was in the fridge. All was going well.

Until one of the guests got up to find her purse, by way of the kitchen. In a nanosecond she tripped on the little step and went down onto the tile floor. She lay there, her nose bloody and her ankle turned in an odd direction. Her other friends got up to help her. They wiped her nose and helped her get up and hobble to the sofa.

Meanwhile I was in shock. Never mind the cocktail recipe or the lost tomatoes – how could my guest be lying on the floor? I couldn’t think of anything else to do, so I served lunch.

Things did turn out OK. The brave guest, whose nose dried up quite quickly, sat during lunch with her ankle elevated and ice on it. She even participated in the book discussion. Her husband brought her crutches from home when he picked her up. She recently reported that she has put the crutches away, but her ankle is brilliant in colours of purple and green.

As for me, so far I have not been demitted from the book club. I have not hidden any more tomatoes and I have not invited anybody else for lunch. And I did Not ask the injured guest if could take a picture of her colourful ankle, for my post. But I did make a temporary adjustment to the little step. It seems to be helping.

Hope your entertaining adventures go well.

Sue

On the weekend Peter and I, like many households, watched the Super Bowl game. We invited friends to join us, friends Peter has known for over 40 years. He has spent many special Sundays watching the Super Bowl with them.

Sporting events like this are held around the world. Who has not sat down occasionally to check out events at the Olympics televised from China, Vancouver, Paris, even Russia? Maybe you are a summer sports fan and enjoy watching swimming or track and field. Or you dream of mountains of snow and skiers racing up and over the moguls. Maybe you know a prticipant – like us, cheering for Rosie Maclennan a few years ago as she bounced and somersaulted and won gold for Canada, on the trampoline.

Some of these events take place right here in Toronto. Although we have to look pretty far back in history to find the Maple Leafs in any playoff activity, we remember a few other highlights. In the early 1970’s we cheered for the Blue Jays as they won the World Series 2 years in a row. And who will ever forget the Raptors and Kawai Leonard as they took us to the top of the NBA? Our city, in fact our entire country, was behind that Toronto team.

Our Super Bowl evenings with our friends are pretty traditional: our friends come before 6:00 pm to get settled and begin snacking on appetizers. The men discuss the upcoming game, and the women fill each other in on family news. During the game, everyone hopes for a glimpse of the million-dollar ads. Then it’s half-time and we watch the show while trying not to spill chili on our laps.

This year there were some extra highlights.The half-time show featured Usher, an R and B artist with a large back-up group. But the real celebrity was in the audience. Taylor Swift, in case you have been napping for the last several months, is the celebrity of the year, maybe even the decade. She has a lot of talent, writes and sings her own songs, and creates many of her own dance routines. Her shows are filled with movement, light and sparkle. Although the cameramen were told to focus on the game, they, (obviously “Swifties,”) couldn’t help sneaking glances at Taylor as she cheered for her boyfriend, number 87 on the field.

Our celebration was a little more low-key, with no celebrities. But we did have a couple of costumes to add to the excitement. You can see them in the photo:

And we had another highlight – betting. Peter created a pool where guests paid a toonie for each quarter of the game. Each person picked a small slip of paper on whch was written the name of one of the teams and a total score. At the end of each quarter, one better would win the entire pot – $12, minus the original bet of $2. Really only $10. Now we all know that $10 won’t even buy you a burger and fries at Harvey’s unless you have a coupon. But these betters went crazy, abandoning their drinks, eyes focused on the screen, even changing their original loyalties:

“Well I really want San Fransicso to win, but now Kansas City is worth $10 so Go Chiefs Go!!”

This group will be impossible to handle when the FIFA World Cup comes to Toronto for 6 games in 2026.

Sue

As Seniors living in the city, we feel the days slipping by fast. One day it’s Tuesday and I am writing to you, and then it’s Tuesday again! What happened to those days in between? Time seems to fly by.

Which is why waiting in line is such an aggravation. It seems there are lines everywhere we need to go: the drug store, the blood clinic, the LCBO. Sometimes waiting in line can be worth it, especially when the end product is fun. In the winter those of us who are able, wait happily in line for the ski lift that will take us to the top of the hill, and the glorious run down to the chalet. In the summer we wait patiently with our grand kids for a ride on a roller coaster or an ice cream cone.

But there are lots of times when waiting in line is just a waste of our precious time. We line up to buy last-minute concert tickets and then get to the box office, only to be told that the concert is sold out. We are on a subway train which breaks down, so we line up for a shuttle bus and therefore miss an enjoyable lunch with friends. We get in line at the airport baggage carousel to pick up our suitcases after a long flight, and then…our luggage is not there!

I see these kinds of stressful line-ups at the food bank where I work. The unfortunate folks who have to visit are embarrassed at their need for this service. They come dressed in the warmest clothes they have, often missing hats or gloves and wearing shoes instead of boots. Then, because of lingering Covid germs, the line is spread out, leaving some outside shivering as they wait for their turn.

And I haven’t even begun to talk about waiting in line on the phone, twiddling our fingers as we hear over and over and over: “Your call is important to us. Someone will be with you soon.” HA!

The other day I decided to protest. I was second in line at the bank, where there was only one teller and he was dealing with a woman who had a file folder almost 3 cm’s thick. It must have been some major business transaction because she was slowly going through each page of this folder, one by one.

In line ahead of me was an elderly gentleman. We began to pass the time in conversation. He said he had been waiting almost 15 minutes already, but he didn’t mind because he was retired, lived alone, and enjoyed getting out and meeting people. Then he told me his age – 95. I was shocked. Why should a 95-year-old man have to stand up that long just to get some money that was probably already his?

I hurried over to a side wall and grabbed an empty chair. I hauled it, and then another one, into the line. I motioned for him to sit down and I took the chair behind him. When the next customer arrived, I advised him, in a loud voice, to get a chair too because the wait was really long.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a second teller appeared and unlocked her computer screen. She welcomed the elderly man with a smile. I felt somewhat vindicated.

Next time you have to go somewhere that has a line-up, maybe take along a folding chair and a book. Even as Seniors we can still make a statement.

Sue

Well maybe this is a slight exaggeration…