Welcome to the Club - Winter 2022

Welcome to ... 

THE 

FREE E & PRICELESS 

S 

A GUIDE U E 

TO BEING E 

I 

G OVER E THE E HILLI 

L 

...which.w isbeer 

e 

under it! 

CLUB 

Sarnia-Lambton 

A ‘’New’ ’ 

Magazine a azine for PEOPLE E 

P L 

E 

who o 

aren’t 

r 

e 

t 

Is Sarnia-Lambton 

the Live, local 

music capital 

of canada? 

See arcle on Pages 20-22 

L to R: Steve Mullen, e , Paul u Maguire, Chrisne Chrisne Storey 

www.facebook.com/CelcHillbillies/ 

From the creators of... 

welcometotheclub.ca 

VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 WINTER 2022


THE Club 

Welcome to our Winter 2022 issue! 


Winter 2022 

P A G E 

2 

Our bottom borders contain Sarnia residents’ responses to a post on the

This FREE magazine is distributed in most of Sarnia-Lambton. 

It’s only Rock & Roll... 

By Mark Moran, Publisher 

What’s bugged me about every other 

“seniors” magazine I’ve ever seen is that 

they try to be two things at once — with 

articles about challenges as we age on 

the inside pages, but with a flashy photo 

of Lady Gaga in a meat dress on the front 

cover. Yes, she actually wore a meat dress 

once... who could make that up? 

So here’s your latest issue of Welcome 

to The Club and our cover story is about 

the local, live music scene. I’m going to 

defend this decision (and it’s a bit too 

late to change it now anyway) but you 

are always welcome to let us know how 

we’re doing, and what you’d like to see 

in ‘your’ magazine. I’m very serious... 

please feel free to call or write anytime. 

Playing music locally is something 

I know about very well, having done it 

almost all my life. There is a newsworthy 

momentum building in our local music 

industry and my first instinct was to 

send the story to the Sarnia Journal. It’s 

a fantastic paper and, while I suppose 

we’re all in competition, the Journal’s 

excellent local coverage is the kind of 

competition I greatly admire. But then 

the article kept growing and growing and 

I realized that I just happen to publish 

Advertisement Bloopers 

Every newspaper or magazine makes mistakes from time to time (except for 

Daytripping of course.) But sometimes the customer does! These are excerpts 

from actual classified ads people placed in various papers, showing obvious (and 

not so obvious) mistakes made. As you'll notice, many were unintentional. 

2 female Boston 

Terrier puppies, 

7 wks old, perfect 

markings, 555-1234. 

Leave mess. 

Vacation Special: 

have your home 

exterminated. 

Now is your 

chance to have 

your ears 

pierced and get 

an extra pair to 

take home, too. 

Used Cars: 

Why go 

elsewhere to 

be cheated? 

Come here 

first! 

Lost: Small apricot 

poodle. Reward. 

Neutered. 

Like one of the family. 

Wanted: 

Unmarried girls to 

pick fresh fruit and 

produce at night. 

Dog For Sale: 

Eats anything 

and is fond of 

children. 

Get rid of aunts: Zap 

does the job in 24 hours. 

For Sale: 

an antique desk 

suitable for lady 

with thick legs 

and large 

drawers. 

a magazine and, while it may not be a 

perfect fit, you’ll probably forgive me. I 

also reasoned that I’m over 55 and more 

and more of my fellow musicians are my 

age, older or getting close. 

It also occurred to me that someone 

who turns 80 this year was 16 when 

Johnny B Goode went #1 and 24 when 

the Beatles crossed the ocean in 1964. 

You had a choice to love or hate disco 

and may have completely avoided Devo 

and Milli Vanilli. You may have lived the 

greatest rock and roll life of anyone! If you 

didn’t, well... don’t shoot the messenger. 

There’s also an excellent article by 

Cathy Dobson about the stunning 

changes and lottery success that has put 

Sarnia’s Imperial Theatre a decade ahead 

of where supporters hoped it could be. 

And of course we also have a number of 

timeless articles from the archives of our 

sister publication, Daytripping. 

So please look it over and let us 

know what you think. I’m writing this 

in December and fear that we will all 

have more free time than we’d like in the 

coming weeks, so I hope this magazine, 

‘your’ magazine, is a welcome escape. 

Thanks for reading! 

For Rent: 

6 room 

hated 

apartment 

. 

For Sale: 

Eight puppies 

from 

a German 

Shepperd 

and an 

Alaskan Hussy. 

Man, honest. 

Will take anything. 

Dinner Special: 

Turkey $2.35; 

Chicken or Beef $2.25, 

Children $2.00. 

Great 

Dames 

for sale. 

Tired of 

cleaning 

yourself? 

Let me 

do it? 

We do not tear your 

clothing with 

machinery. We do it 

carefully by hand. 

Mt. Kilimanjaro, 

the breathtaking 

backdrop for the 

Serena Lodge. 

Swim in the 

lovely pool 

while you drink 

it all in. 

Welcome to The Club is published four times annually by Moran Advertising, Brights Grove, Ontario. The publisher reserves 

the right to reject, discontinue or omit any advertisment without notice or penalty to either party. No portion of this 

publication can be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of Moran Advertising. The content of this 

publication does not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher. The content of this publication has not been deemed 

by the publisher to be correct and accurate. The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising 

directly or indirectly from errors occuring in this publication beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by that 

portion of the advertisment in which the error occurred, whether such error is due to the negligence of its servants or 

otherwise, and there shall be no liablity for non insertion of any advertisment beyond the amount paid for such advertisment. 

Use of Material: submitted articles, letters, and other works or materials may be used, published, distributed and stored by 

Moran Advertising, Welcome To The Club, and Daytripping Magazine, in whole or in part, in print or by any other means. 



THE 


CLUB 

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 • WINTER 2022 

Trivia 4 

Discount List 6 

Word Search 8 

Postcards from the Past 10 

Recipes 19 

Crossword 27 

Milestones & Memories 32 

Other Stuff 1-40 

Cathy Dobson, on 

o , Lee Michaels, s 

A.C. Stone, Beryl Beckett, k 

ett, 

t, 

Mike 

Keenan, enan 

, Lambton b 

Archives, A 

h 

e , John h 

Gardiner, n r, 

Chris h Treftlin, 

n 

Mariann M ann Pafford, d Mrs G. Halpin, i , Kelly-Lynn y Musico, i o Estelle 

le 

Salata, l Glynn y n A. A Leyshon, e 

Therese es 

e Lecuyer, y r Janet Robinson, 

b 

i n, 

Eileen en 

Cade-Edwards, d 

e d 

s 

Agnes g e 

Burroughs, roug 

ughs 

Lyn Tremblay, 

Sipkens Nurseries, s, 

Megan a 

Nichol, i h l Sheila Tiernay, n y Dan Peer, 

e r 

Doug Nicholson, i on 

, Barry B Loxton, on, Mike k 

Sexton, n Leo e 

Spence p n e and a d 

all a l the Recipe i 

p 

and a d 

Milestones i n s & Memories es 

submissions. 

b 

ssio 

ions 

Mark Moran - Publisher, Ad Sales 

Carrie Ann Timm - Associate so 

Publisher 

Carla MacGregor r - Advertising in 

Sales 

Rhonda Long - Advertising in 

Sales 

Angela Lyon - Graphics & Article Formatting 

Carla Mejia j - Graphic p Design 

g 

From the publishers 

of Daytripping Magazine 

The Club Features 

You’ll find 

current and 

nostalgic 

articles 

throughout 

The Club. 

YOUR CONTRIBUTORS 

CLUB STAFF 

P.O. Box 430 • Brights Grove, ON • N0N 1C0 

519-491-1676 • info@welcometotheclub.ca@ 

Articles & Local Photo 

Submissions Always Welcome! 

www.welcometotheclub.ca 

A Magazineg 

for 55+ 

like no other! 

winter 2022 Facebook Group “If You Grew Up in Sarnia” asking “What did life teach you?” P A G E 3


TAKE HOME! 

Fresh Made Comfort Food 

A tradition since 1992! 

105 MICHIGAN AVENUE 

PT. EDWARD • 519-344-2855 

BUTTONS 

& 

Bows 

Casual Elegance 

at its finest! 


Ladies Clothing 

& Accessories 

From size 6t 8! 

January ar 

through March Hours: 

Tues-Fri 10 to t 

4 • Saturday t 

10 to 3 

www.buttons-and-bows.ca 

nd bows.c 

a 

131 Michigan Avenue, Point Edward • 519-491-1412 

You must be 55 or over to read this magazine (but we won’t rat on you). 

Do you live in the 

BOONIES? 

The CLUB is 

available at all 

Lambton County 

libraries 

(while they last)! 

A Perfectly 

Polished Look! 

WOODEN 

116 Michigan Ave 

SPOON 

POINT EDWARD 

(519) 344-3535 

SURVIVOR 

Mon-Fri 9am-5pm 

www.twinbridgelighng.com 



“Your Feet Will Be In Good Hands” 

Contact Julie Today! 

Are your feet f sore r 

and a n 

d 

keeping i 

you o 

from 

r m 

doing i the things that t you u love? 

Cerfied Cerfied Master t 

Pedicurist ist - Julie Coulombe 

ombe 

will give you the best experience and the 

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ADVANCED FOOTCARE 

Diabecs, Ingrowns, Corns, Warts, 

Fungus & other common foot problems 

519-344-1071 • Julie@athomespa.ca 

At Home Spa @ Mara Surgical Clinic 

704 Mara St. Point Edward, Unit 106 

Owen R. Wyrzykowski 

WYRZYKOWSKI & ROBB 

Barristers and Solicitors 

Serving 

Sarnia 

Since 2006 

Whether you are buying or selling real estate, or need to 

update your estate planning, we provide personal service 

to help you through the legal process. 

Driving 

TRIVIA 

Selected 

After Hours 

questions from 

Annual Trivia Night 

“The Daytripper” has a team entered every year, but we have yet to win. 

Answers Below 

1. Which of the following island nations is farthest west? 

a] Puerto Rico b] Curacao 

c] Aruba d] St. Maarten 

2. Which artist is famous for his statue The Thinker? 

3. The first World Cup of Soccer (Football) was held in which country 

in 1930? 

a] Brazil b] Uruguay c] France d] Germany 

4. Which province was the last to join Canadian confederation? 

5. What is the average distance (in kilometers) that women and 

children walk for water in Africa and Asia? 

6. What 1960s singer starred in, and sang the theme for, the spring 

break film, “Where the Boys Are?” 

a] Peggy Lee b] Connie Francis 

c] Doris Day d] Patsy Cline 

7. Which country has not fought a war since 1814? 

8. What is the International Air Transport Association airport code for 

Heathrow Airport? 

a] HRW b] HTR c] LHR d] LHW 

9. Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji are the names for writing systems 

used in which country? 

10. Which Apollo mission landed the first humans on the Moon? 

a] Apollo 7 b] Apollo 9 

c] Apollo 11 d] Apollo 13 

11. What is the standard distance of a drag race? 

12. How much time did Jonah spend in the belly of the whale? 

13. What is the commonly held title of a queen’s husband? 

14. The original lyrics to Little Richard’s Tutti Frutti were “Tutti Frutti. 

good booty.” True or False 

15. What did German August Kotter introduce to the world in 1520? 

a] The rifle b] The petri dish c] Lederhosen 

Owen R. . Wyrzykowski 

y 

ki 

519-336-6118 

6118 

orw@wrlawoffice.ca 

722 Lite Street, Point Edward 

• Real Estate Purchases & Sales 

• Mortgages & Credit Lines 

• Wills & Powers of Aorney 

• Estate Planning & Administraon 

30 Years Experience 

ANSWERS: 

1. Aruba; 2. Auguste Rodin; 3. Uruguay; 4. Newfoundland; 5. 6 kilometers; 

6. Connie Francis; 7. Sweden; 8. LHR; 9. Japan; 10. Apollo 11; 

11. 1,320 feet, 402 metres or 1/4 mile; 12. Three days and three nights; 

13. Prince Consort; 14. True; 15. The rifle. 

P A G E 

4 

Life Taught Me... Love yourself as you are.

We’re all getting older, we may as well laugh about it! 

Do more of what you love. 

Let us take care of the rest! 

Be welcomed by a warm community of 

like-minded peers. Enjoy the peace of mind that 

comes with knowing help is available at the push 

of a buon if you need it. Connue to enjoy your 

independence in a supporve environment that 

gives you the freedom to pursue your passions 

and spend more me with those you love most. 

Included in your stay: 

• Chef-prepared meals • Fitness classes 

• Great recreaonal • Weekly 

programs 

housekeeping 

• 24/7 emergency • Pet Friendly 

support 

And more! 

1218 Michigan Ave. Sarnia, ON 

siennaliving.ca 

Move-in incenves!* 

Find out why people in 

Sarnia love living with us. 

Please call to learn more. 

Suites are limited. 

519-542-8814 

* Terms and condions apply. 

Welcome to 

What’s New in Business 

Manjit Singh and his wife Balwinder 

Kaur have spent the last two years 

expanding their business and winning 

awards. 

They’ve done all that despite being 

cautioned to shut their restaurant down 

entirely to wait out the pandemic. 

“Everyone was scared about what 

would happen but I said no, these are 

extraordinary times and we’re going to 

work really hard on takeout and delivery 

and keep it all going,” said Singh. 

Just 10 years ago, he and his wife 

Story and photo by Cathy Dobson, Point Edward 

Breakfast specialist Adam Lalonde, left, owner Manjit Singh, Indian cuisine cook Jaspal Singh, 

and Georgina Dunn at the new Point Edward Sitara location. 

opened Sarnia’s first Indian restaurant, 

Sitara Indian Cuisine on London Road. 

The odds may have been against 

them since neither had any restaurant 

experience—both were healthcare 

workers—and they didn’t know if 

Sarnians would get excited about 

Indian food. 

But over the years, they proved 

Sarnians have an insatiable appetite for 

Sitara’s Southern and Northern Indian 

food. The original London Road location 

was expanded, a second downtown 

563 Front St. N., Sarnia 

519-337-9998 

GlassAndPillarSpa.com 



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DINE IN • TAKE OUT • DELIVERY 

Party Room, On-site Cooking & Catering with Sitara Food Truck 

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restaurant opened, as well as a Petrolia 

location. 

“In 2020, we were probably one of 

the busiest restaurants in the city and 

knew we would be okay even with the 

pandemic,” Singh said. Last May he 

took the business to the next level and 

bought a building rather than lease. 

The plan was to consolidate by 

closing the London Road and downtown 

locations and moving all operations to 

the corner of Lite and Front Street in 

Point Edward. 

Singh and his business partners 

purchased the former Open Grill 

building where the kitchen was much 

bigger with plenty of room for food 

prep and the traditional Indian tandoori 

ovens. 

Sitara also began operating a food 

truck last summer to serve up samosas 

in Wallaceburg. 

Twenty-seven work for Singh now, a 

big increase since he started with three 

employees in 2012. 

The new location can seat 200 but 

Sitara is keeping capacity at 75% to 

“play it safe and ensure our customers 

are comfortable,” Singh said. 

Downtown’s Sitara closed but the 

original Sitara on London Road remains 

open to handle the demand for takeout. 

In Point Edward, Canadian and Indian 

breakfast has been added for the first 

time. When Singh learned how popular 

the Open Grill’s breakfast was, he hired 

two long time Open Grill employees, 

Adam Lalonde in the kitchen and 

Georgina Dunn in the dining room. 

“I hired them to do breakfasts 

because I knew nothing about Canadian 

breakfast, to be honest,” he said. “But 

it’s funny how things work out. I’d never 

tried eggs benedict before and when I 

did, I asked how that would taste with 

butter chicken sauce. 

“Now 80% order eggs benedict with 

butter chicken sauce.” 

Singh and his wife have retired from 

their healthcare jobs to dedicate all their 

time to their fast-growing business. 

Their success is based on a 

willingness to learn from others and a 

sincere dedication to give back to the 

community, he said. 

“Business isn’t just the money part, 

it’s service to the community. For me, 

that’s the only way to do it.” 

That’s why Sitara delivered nearly 

2,000 free, individually-packaged 

meals to local healthcare, grocery and 

hospice workers during the pandemic. 

“I knew workers at Bluewater Health 

were under so much stress that I 

convinced the hospital to let us deliver 

meals during the first, second and third 

wave,” he said. 

For that, Singh was recognized by the 

Rotary Club of Bluewaterland with the 

Paul Harris Fellowship for his volunteer 

work. He was also named a Local 

Business Person of the Year by Alignable, 

North America’s largest online referral 

network for small business. 

That’s quite a distinction considering 

there were 25,000 nominees and 33 in 

Sarnia alone. 

Singh said he was grateful for the 

support of other businesses that voted 

for him in the Alignable competition. 

“We are totally blessed and receive 

amazing support from the community,” 

he said. 

If you have a great idea for a business 

story, send it to cathydobson62@gmail. 

com. 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Life is a bed of roses. Very thorny roses. 

P A G E 5



Feel free to send in photos showcasing Sarnia-Lambton. 



Get It Done Right The First Time 

JOBS BIG OR SMALL: 

• Faucet Installation • Leak Repairs 

• Clogged Drains • Camera Inspection 

• Toilet Replacement & Installation 

• Sump Pump • Frozen Pipes 

• Sewer & Waterline Replacement 


The DISCOUNT LIST 

Acomprehensive c p h 

e s 

i list i s of discountsoroffersi 

s u 

t 

s or offers that h 

t 

benefit efi t 

people plep e over a 

certain i 

age in Sarnia-Lambton. n a- 

b 

t n. 

Please let us know of any that are e missing! 

in 

g 

TOWN 

BUSINESS 

SPECIAL OFFER 

Ask For Your Seniors Discount 

Professional sion 

onal 

a 24/7 4 7 Emergency Service 

345 Ontario Street, et Unit B 

SARNIA I • 519-337-1545 

37-1 

-154 

545 

CustomPlumbingSarnia.com 

t 

P umbi 

ia AGE+ 

CONTACT 

BRIGHTS GROVE Shoppers Drug Mart 20% OFF Thursdays 65+ 519-869-4224 

CORUNNA Corunna Pharmasave 10% OFF Tuesdays & Fridays 65+ 519-862-2020 

Shoppers Drug Mart 20% OFF Thursdays 65+ 519-862-1451 

Corunna Foodland 2% OFF Wednesdays 60+ 519-862-5213 

FOREST Forest Naturals & Home Health 15% OFF Wednesdays 65+ 226-520-0054 

Forest Pharmasave 15% OFF Wednesdays 65+ 519-786-5161 

Williamson Farms Country Store Various Wednesdays 55+ 226-520-0144 

PETROLIA Bargain Shop 20-30% 1st Wednesday of month 60+ 519-882-0057 

Country Yarns 15% OFF See ad in The Club all ages 519-882-8740 

Gramma’s Candy Store 5% OFF Tuesdays 60+ 519-882-1212 

Heidi’s Your Independent Grocer 10% OFF Tuesdays 60+ 519-882-2211 

Hogan Pharmacy 20% OFF Wednesdays 60+ 519-882-1840 

M&M Meats 10% OFF Tuesdays 60+ 519-882-4316 

PT EDWARD Twin Bridge Lighting 15% OFF Mondays 55+ 519-344-3535 

SARNIA Bulk Barn 10% OFF Wednesdays 65+ 519-542-6668 

Custom Plumbing 10% OFF Every day 65+ 519-337-1545 

Generation Paint Company 15% OFF Every day 65+ 519-330-4424 

Giant Tiger 10% OFF Ist Monday of month 65+ 519-336-0831 

Goodwill 25% OFF 2nd Monday of month 55+ 519-541-9273 

London Road Pharmacy 20% OFF Thursdays 60+ 519-491-6778 

M&M Meats 10% OFF Tuesdays 60+ 519-542-8398 

Michaels 10% OFF Every day 60+ 519-542-3200 

Don’s Home Renovations 10% OFF See ad in The Club all ages 226-343-2265 

Petsmart 10% OFF Grooming on Tuesdays 65+ 519-542-2822 

Peavey Mart 20% OFF Last Tuesday of month 55+ 519-542-4091 

Pet Valu 10% OFF Last Thursday of month 65+ 519-541-0468 

Russell Street Home Hardware 25% OFF See ad in The Club 60+ 519-383-0688 

Salvation Army Thrift Store 25% OFF 1st Wednesday of month 60+ 519-344-3781 

Sarnia Pharmacy 10% OFF Tuesdays and Fridays 65+ 519-337-3215 

Shoppers Drug Mart 20% OFF Thursdays 65+ 519-337-3727 

Value Village 30% OFF Tuesdays 60+ 519-541-0153 

STRATHROY M&M Meats 10% OFF Tuesdays 60+ 519-245-6355 

WYOMING Wyoming Tree Service 10% OFF Every day 65+ 519-845-0847 

Call 519-491-1676 or email info@welcometotheclub.ca to add one! 

Please remember: e 

r: These discounts are for reference. eren 

ence 

They may change & may not 

apply ply to specific c items. Stores are not obligated to adhere to what we’ve printed. 

You may also need to ask in order to get the discount. t Thanks for understanding. 

ndin 

Family l 

Owned w 

e 

& Operated and Proudly 

Serving Lambton County Since 1991 

Church Ladies 

With Typewriters! 

The Fasting & Prayer 

Conference includes meals. 

Scouts are saving aluminum 

cans, bottles, and other 

items to be recycled. 

Proceeds will be used 

to cripple children. 

The sermon this morning: 

'Jesus Walks on the Water’. 

The sermon tonight: 

'Searching for Jesus’. 

Ladies, don't forget the 

rummage sale. 

It's a chance to get rid 

of those things not worth 

keeping around the house. 

Bring your husbands. 

Don't let worry 

kill you off - 

let the Church help. 

Miss Charlene Mason 

sang: 'I will not pass 

this way again,' 

giving obvious pleasure 

to the congregation. 

For those of you who have 

children and don't know it, 

we have a nursery 

downstairs. 

Next Thursday there will 

be try-outs for the choir. 

They need all the help 

they can get. 

Irving Benson and Jessie 

Carter were married on 

October 24 in the church. 

So ends a friendship 

that began in their 

school days. 

A bean supper will be 

held on Tuesday evening 

in the church hall. 

Music will follow. 

P A G E 

6 

Life Taught Me... Everything is not always as it seems.

Most articles in here have been written by people like you. 



Providing ing the best quality and style of footwear otwe 

for generaons. 

er • Orthotic Friendly • 

• Styles for Men, Women & Children • 

565 Murphy Road, Sarnia • 519-383-0588 

A cup of tea was more than just a drink 

to my immigrant parents. It was an elixir, a 

calm place in a storm, a blessing of nature. 

It was almost a religious experience. As 

with any process that smacked of ritual, 

there were iron clad rules. There were 

ways to make a good “cuppa” that I, as a 

kid, could not understand. First the water 

had to be fresh from the faucet and the 

kettle had to be emptied – no mixing of 

fresh water with stale water. After the 

kettle had reached a boil, the tea pot itself 

had to be rinsed with freshly boiled water 

after which spoonfuls of loose tea (tea 

bags were an invention of the devil) had to 

be put into the pot - one spoonful for each 

person plus another for the pot. Milk and 

sugar were then added to one’s cup. During 

World War II tea was scarce and sugar was 

rationed, so careful consideration had to 

be made of the supply of these ingredients. 

Sometimes my mother entrusted me 

Tea, and ME 

to put a kettle on and when I did, if not 

watched, I ignored the “fresh water” 

dictum and no one was the wiser, although 

I never told anyone of my short cut. The 

tea tasted the same! That “boil only fresh 

water” and the amount of tea to be added 

to the pot piqued my curiosity. If they 

could not tell I had heated water that was 

already in the kettle, would they be able 

to detect any difference if I also included 

some gently used tea leaves left from the 

last brewing should I 

manage to be entrusted 

with the entire process. 

I did it and they could not. 

As I suspected, no one 

was the wiser. So much 

for the quasi-religious 

rituals. 

Do you want to reach 

our age 55+ readers? 

advertise 

in the club 

Call 519-491-1676 

info@welcometotheclub.ca 

By Glynn A. Leyshon, London 

from Daytripping July-Aug 2011 

Part of the mystique of tea drinking 

was the barbaric idea of serving tea to 

someone in bed – as though that were a 

kindness. My father who worked shifts 

would arise very early and thoughtfully (?) 

deliver a cup of tea to the bedside of my 

mother, wake her up, then leave for work. 

What sadist thought that one up? 

Sugar was another conundrum during 

the war. My father would drink at minimum 

four cups of tea a day and liked to have three 

teaspoons of sugar in each cup – 

a not insubstantial amount 

day in day out. My mother 

made copious amounts of 

jam each fall using fresh 

fruit, which we devoured 

completely each year. 

BIG BOX PRICES. SMALL STORE SERVICE. 

110 S. Mitton • 519-344-7557 • alsvacandsew.ca 

Jam, of course, requires a lot of sugar. 

Thus came a conflict over the rationed and 

scarce sugar. My mother partially solved 

this by accident. She was about to throw 

out a cup with a flaw in it – the bottom of 

the inside of the cup was rough – probably 

due to some incompleteness in finishing. 

In any event, it was rough enough that my 

father, stirring his tea, felt the same gritty 

response to his spoon that undissolved 

sugar created. Thus, my mother would 

put one teaspoonful of sugar into his cup 

before serving, and he would stir and sip 

contentedly just as though the tea had 

been laced with three spoonfuls. We had 

sufficient sugar for plenty of jam making. 

Yes, there was a lot of mumbo jumbo 

about making a good cup of tea. Today 

I drink tea made in the microwave oven 

and with a, gasp, tea bag. I swear I hear 

someone turning over in some distant 

place. 

WE MAKE 

Beautiful Smiles 

50 

CELEBRATING YEARS 

OF MAKING DENTURES! 

As a way of giving back to our community this year, 

we are donating a portion of every denture we make 

to the United Way of Sarnia Lambton. 

~ Are you unhappy with the way 

your Dentures make you look or feel? 

~ Are your Dentures loose? ~ Sore spots? 

~ Not eating the foods you love? 

~ Are they over five years old? 

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU! 

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Ask your dentist to refer you to us or call yourself for your free consultation. 

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1200 Lambton Mall Road, Sarnia 

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winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Take responsibility for your actions. 

P A G E 7



“Big or Small, JohnnyRemax 

Sells T hem All” 

Thank you for continuing to shop locally - it’s making a big difference! 

Slow Cooking WORD SEARCH 



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Old age, I decided, is a gift. I am now, 

probably for the first time in my life, the 

person I have always wanted to be. Oh, 

not my body! I sometimes despair over 

my body... the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, 

and the sagging butt. And often I am taken 

aback by that old person that lives in my 

mirror, but I don’t agonize over those 

things for long. I would never trade my 

amazing friends, my wonderful life, 

my loving family for less gray hair 

or a flatter belly. As I’ve aged, I’ve 

become more kind to myself, and 

less critical of myself. I’ve become 

my own friend. I don’t chide myself 

for eating that extra cookie, or for 

not making my bed, or for buying 

that silly cement gecko that I didn’t 

need, but looks so avant-garde on 

my patio. I am entitled to over-eat, 

to be messy, to be extravagant. I 

have seen too many dear friends 

leave this world too soon; before they 

understood the great freedom that 

comes with aging. Whose business 

is it if I choose to read or play on 

the computer until 4 a.m., and sleep 

until noon? I will dance with myself to 

those wonderful tunes of the 60’s, and 

if I, at the same time, wish to weep over 

a lost love... I will. I will walk the beach 

in a swim suit that is stretched over a 

bulging body, and will dive into the waves 

with abandon if I choose to, despite the 

E-Mail 

The E-Mail 

IN-BOX 

Send the good stuff to info@welcometotheclub.ca 

Old Age 

pitying glances from the bikini set. They, 

too, will get old. I know I am sometimes 

forgetful. But there again, some of life 

is just as well forgotten and I eventually 

remember the important things. Sure, 

over the years, my heart has been broken. 

How can your heart not break when you 

lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, 

or even when a beloved pet gets hit by 

a car? But broken hearts are what 

give us strength and understanding 

and compassion. A heart never broken 

is pristine and sterile and will never 

know the joy of being imperfect. I am 

so blessed to have lived long enough 

to have my hair turn gray, and to 

have my youthful laughs be forever 

etched into deep grooves on my 

face. So many have never laughed, 

and so many have died before their 

hair could turn silver. I can say "no," 

and mean it. I can say “yes," and 

mean it. As you get older, it is easier to 

be positive. You care less about what 

other people think. I don’t question 

myself anymore. I’ve even earned 

the right to be wrong. So, I've decided, 

I like being old. It has set me free. I like 

the person I have become. I am not going 

to live forever, but while I am still here, I 

will not waste time lamenting what could 

have been, or worrying about what will 

be. And I shall eat dessert every single 

day! 

P A G E 

8 

Life Taught Me... Always go with your gut.

Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth. 


Kern 

water 

1804 London Line, Sarnia 

519-542-4211 

kernwater.com 

Mon–Fri 9 am–6 pm • Sat 8 am–2 pm 


U-Fill 

Water 

Delivery 

Service 

Reverse 

Osmosis 

and Alkaline 

Big Box Stores 

By Agnes Burroughs, Dorchester • from Daytripping May-June 2008 

When I was a little 

girl, growing up in a rural 

community, the general store 

was ‘the’ place to be. The mixed 

scent of kerosene, apples and 

wood assaulted your nostrils 

as the bell above the door 

announced your presence. 

Creaky solid wood floors let 

everyone know what part of the 

store you had ventured into. 

You could pick up a pound 

of nails for your latest wood 

project, a lace hanky with 

embroidered flowers for your 

sweetheart’s birthday, or a pair 

of shiny shoes for a wedding on 

Saturday. 

Everyone was a handy man back then, 

and could get plumbing parts to fix the 

stopped up sink, oil filters for the tractor, 

shingles for the roof and electrical wire 

for the lamp. There were wheelbarrows, 

tires and belts hanging from the ceiling in 

the hardware department, above the kegs 

of nails of every size. Right next to those 

could be the fabric section with bolts and 

bolts of colorful fabric from burlap to 

gingham to oilcloth for the kitchen table. 

Remember that smell. 

“Would you be needing a couple 

pounds of flour, or a 50 pound bag this 

time? We just got a new supply of white 

sugar in, and you should see the patterns 

on those bags, going to make real fine tea 

towels once you launder them a time or 

two. I hear by way of the party line that 

Miss Gertha is ailing again with the gout. 

Those are mighty nice eating apples, but 

not much for making pies, did you see the 

new car that the Nichol’s family just picked 

up over to Ingersoll? That new minister 

sure has some high fallutin ideas don’t you 

think? How is the new baby doing after 

that bout with croup?” All this information 

was freely given and appreciated when 

you came into the general store for your 

monthly purchases. 

There were shiny mouth organs, 

metal toy cars, dolls with real glass eyes, 

marbles, kazoos, yo yo’s, toy guns and a 

whole parcel of other trinkets inside the 

glass case that you had to press your face 

up to for better viewing. 

Christmas time was extra special at 

the general store, because they would 

bring in wonderful items like oranges, 

hard rock candy, wagons, walking dolls, 

cowboy hats and extra nice gift items for 

the whole family. One year I had earned 

$3.00 babysitting a whole pile of kids for 

an evening. I was able to buy lace hankies 

for my Mom, regular work hankies for 

my Dad and candy for all the kids for a 

Christmas treat. 

For a nickel, you could fill a small brown 

paper bag with a real tummy ache’s worth 

of licorice, gumdrops, jaw breakers, tootsie 

rolls and lemon drops. 

I don’t remember there being a 

pharmacy or drug area. Didn’t anyone 

get sick, or did we just use the good old 

recipes like goose grease on your chest for 

a cold and lots of fresh air, sunshine and 

clean laundry to get ourselves better? 

The way I see it, all of the things at my 

General Store were necessities. Everything 

had a purpose and would be used, reused 

and passed on if it had any life left. Each 

visit was an adventure to be talked over 

and revisited many times over the month. 

Do you want copies of... 


THE 

CLUB 

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or meeting? 

They’re FREE 

for people 55 + ! 

Call 519-491-1676 

or email... 


DELIVERY MONDAY THRU SATURDAY 

1018 Murphy Rd, Sarnia • 519-542-7273 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Cancer doesn’t discriminate. 

P A G E 9



Don’t let old age get you down - it’s too hard to get back up! 



POSTCARDS 

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Polymer Research Lab 

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Ferries, Sarnia 

Graveyards Along Country Roads Offer Solace 

As we travel our country roads, we come 

across them in the most unexpected places 

- - in the middle of a cornfield, surrounded 

by picket fences on the edge of a small town 

or even near off-ramps on busy highways. 

They are the burial grounds of those 

once loved, but now more often than not, 

forgotten by generations who have no 

memory of their lives. 

Many times I have pulled over to the side 

of the road and taken a little time to explore 

these sacred places. I find their solitude 

welcoming and for a few moments I can 

lose myself in the past, wandering among 

slanting headstones that are for many, the 

last remaining evidence they once passed 

this way. 

I feel compelled to read each name, to 

acknowledge that decades and sometimes 

more than a century after their death, 

someone wonders about their life. A life 

that is now reduced to nothing more than 

a little dash that separates a birth date from 

the year of death. 

I have my favourites. 

One near my home is graced with a 

beautiful old tree, its weeping branches 

stretching out as if protecting the aging 

tombstones. At another, I sometimes stop 

to close the ‘witch’s gate,’ the revolving 

gate that is said to keep out bad spirits. On 

a recent visit, the stillness was interrupted 

by the cackle of black-birds. They rose as 

one and blackened the sky as they took 

wing over the nearby fields, leaving only the 

ghostly whisper of the wind in the branches 

of tall pine trees. 

On other roads, I pass pioneer graveyards, 

where greying moss-covered headstones 

are neatly arranged in a row, tallest in the 

middle. A stranger happening upon these 

consecrated grounds can learn a lot about 

the community he is passing through. The 

carved names bear the familiarity of their 

homelands - perhaps Britain, Ireland or 

Germany. Evidence of their hardships are 

witnessed by the ages written on those that 

mark the final resting place of children. On 

many, the winds and rains of time have all 

but erased their tiny angel guardians. 

There is one more special graveyard that 

often haunts my memory and is perhaps 

the reason I’m drawn to others. There are 

no headstones and very few people left who 

even know it exists. Only two bodies are 

buried in what we call, ‘the little graveyard 

field’. The only marker is a stand of small 

Lake Cabin Lodges, Brights Grove 

by Lyn Tremblay, Simcoe 

From Daytripping March-April 2004 

trees that are a little taller than the scrub 

brush that in recent years has replaced the 

plowed field. She was a baby child and he 

was a young man. I only remember the 

stories, told by relatives whose memories 

were already fading. It is said they died from 

a common disease of the time. 

As children, we gathered apples from 

the only other tree in the field. Each spring 

brown rows of plowed earth neatly circled 

the apple tree and the clump of trees 

that marked the graves. The field and the 

nearby barn were part of a plot of land 

homesteaded by my great-grandparents. 

As more seasons and years pass and the 

brush in the little field grows thicker, it is 

now I who pass on the stories so that those 

buried in ‘the little graveyard field’ will not 

be forgotten. 

P A G E 

10 

Life Taught Me... The majority of people on the planet are good people.

Maybe we should stop it with the elderly jokes. They’re getting old. 



Punchline 

“Do you believe in life after 

death?” the boss asked one of 

his employees. “Yes sir, I do” 

said the new employee.“Well 

then, that makes everything 

just fine” said the boss, “After 

you left early yesterday to go 

to your grandmother’s funeral, 

she stopped in to see you!” 

Join us by the Lake! 

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~ TRANSPORTATION to appointments 

This is the perfect time to surround 

yourself in your home with indoor plants 

that improve your environment and 

bring you peace when you look at them 

and enjoyment as you care for them. 

Houseplants bring vitality and calming 

to your home in the winter with their 

bright foliage and air purifying qualities. 

For many, houseplants become pets with 

their keepers, known as ‘plant parents.’ 

Plus, caring for indoor plants is relaxing, 

allowing the gardener to slow down and 

get back to basics. 

When choosing your indoor house 

plants you will need to consider the 

positioning in your home for the 

recommended light, the watering 

frequency and if the plant is pet friendly. 

While watering indoor plants or dusting 

~ MEAL PREP 

~ MEDICATION REMINDERS 

~ COMPANIONSHIP 

~ GROCERY SHOPPING 

~ PALLIATIVE & RESPITE CARE 

Contact Us: 519-704-1267 or 519-466-4302 

A Year Round Garden Centre, e 

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Extraordinary selecon 

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outdoor living spaces. 

Just s East of Sarnia i 

on Cty Rd 22 

Take k Exit 15 off Hwy 402 

USA 

Lake Huron 

Sarnia 

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Bright’s 

Grove 

From 

26 

London 

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Living Spaces 

ZZ Plant 

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OPEN Monday to Saturday 

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Proud Member of... 

Story and Photos 

Courtesy of 

Sipkens Nurseries 

off leaves you will be more aware of the 

small moments of joy and beauty each 

plant brings. 

Easy plants to care for, especially for 

new plant parents; 

• Satin Pothos; broad range of light 

with a lower frequency of watering in 

the winter 

• Bird of Paradise; lush oversized floor 

plants with ample light reaching 10- 

12ft 

• ZZ Plant; looks like stalks of 

asparagus until the leaves peak out, a 

range of light for ZZ plants 

• Snake plant; natural beauty, bright 

indirect light, let the top 2 inches dry 

between watering 

• Rubber Plant; originally from the 

Himalayas, this plant needs bright 

indirect light, has glossy large thick 

leaves 

Moderate plants to care for, perfect 

for newer gardeners; 

• Hoya Plant, a very pretty blooming 

star like flowering plant and pet 

friendly. 

• Chinese Money Plant; moderate 

bright indirect light, pet friendly! 

• Swiss Cheese Plant; Moderate to 

bright indirect light is best, a lower 

frequency of watering in the winter 

also known as the Monstera 

Ideal for Experienced gardeners, a 

plant that needs more love; 

• Fiddle Leaf Fig; broad leaves and can 

grow 8’ range, and they need a lot of 

natural light, water thoroughly once 

a week. 

We want your 

photos, stories 

& anecdotes 

showcasing 

Sarnia-Lambton! 


THE 

CLUB 

Send them to 


We also welcome your ideas, 

comments or questions. 

Enjoy being surrounded by your house 

plants this winter, spring will be here 

before you know it! 

Gardeners Winter Checklist: 

❏ Plan your indoor house plant 

paradise based on your experience, 

lighting and your lifestyle 

❏ Continue to feed the birds with seed 

and suet throughout the winter 

❏ Start early to grow seeds indoors: 

celery, broccoli, parsley, cauliflower 

and summer flowers 

❏ Dust houseplant leaves, replace soil 

or repot those that have outgrown 

their homes 

❏ Tidy garden beds in late March: cut 

back perennials and grasses, remove 

garden debris and cover gardens 

with mulch and remove weeds 

❏ While relaxing in your cozy home, 

think, dream and plan your garden 

layout for spring 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Learn a trade. 

P A G E 11 

Rubber 

Plant



BOUTIQUE MEDICAL SPA 

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Thank you, to all the advertisers you see throughout the magazine. 

FOOT ORTHOTICS 

SLIPPERS, SHOES, BOOTS, SANDALS 

Curl up with a book on a cold winter day, 

Forget where you are, let your cares fade away. 

Read about the Sahara, and the Taj Mahal, 

Picture the Grand Canyon or the Great China Wall. 

It’s so easy to travel with a book in your hands, 

Read about the people and customs in faraway lands. 

You can take a cruise on a luxurious boat, 

Just reading about it, your mind seems to float. 

Then you’re brought back to earth when the doorbell rings, 

The bothersome salesman with his loud voice brings. 

The children in wanting their afternoon snack, 

Oh! well, maybe tomorrow you can go back. 

Pick up the book that waits on the shelf, 

Curl up in the chair and forget yourself. 

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www.soledecisions.com 

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CROSSWORD on page 27 



P A G E 

12 

Life Taught Me... Life is a beautiful struggle.

It’s the advertising that makes this magazine possible, and free! 


Going Above & Beyond for Our Clients! 

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Sales Representave 

Cell: 519-383-5185 

Office: 519-542-9999 

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LAURIE LAURIN 

Sales Representave 

Cell: 519-328-7251 

Office: 519-542-9999 

laurie.l@bell.net 

#laurieloveslambton 

Birth Names 

of Vintage 

Film Stars 

1. Jack Benny 

2. George Burns 

3. Eddie Cantor 

4. Joan Crawford 

5. Tony Curtis 

6. Dale Evans 

7. Judy Garland 

8. Cary Grant 

9. Rita Hayworth 

10. William Holden 

11. Al Jolson 

12. Boris Karloff 

13. Jerry Lewis 

14. Dean Martin 

15. Marilyn Monroe 

16. Roy Rogers 

17. Barbara Stanwyck 

18. Lana Turner 

A. Archibald Leach 

B. Asa Yoelson 

C. Benjamin Kubelsky 

D. Bernard Schwartz 

E. Dino Crocetti 

F. Edward Israel Iskowitz 

G. Frances Gumm 

H. Frances Smith 

I. Joseph Levitch 

J. Julia Jean Turner 

K. Leonard Slye 

L. Lucille Fay LeSueur 

M. Margarita Cansino 

N. Nathan Birnbaum 

O. Norma Jean Baker 

P. Ruby Stevens 

Q. William Beedle 

R. William Henry Pratt 

ANSWERS: 

1-C, 2-N, 

3-F, 4-L, 

5-D, 6-H, 

7-G, 8-A, 

9-M, 10-Q, 

11-B, 12-R, 

13-I, 14-E, 

15-O, 16-K, 

17-P, 18-J 

January is Alzheimer’s Awareness month. 

Do you know someone living with dementia? 

3 out of 5 people living with 

dementia will go missing at some 

point, a frightening experience, and 

a dangerous one. That’s why the 

Alzheimer Society of Sarnia-Lambton 

is partnering with The Sarnia Police 

Services and OPP to provide an 

opportunity for individuals living 

with dementia to be registered as 

someone at risk of going missing. 

Critical information shared provides 

searchers with quick access to key 

information to assist in locating and 

returning the individual home safely. 

Registration 

is easy! 

Vulnerable Persons Registry 

Let’s all do our part to help individuals with 

dementia live safely in our community. 

Simply call Alzheimer Society Sarnia-Lambton 

at 519 332 4444 to learn how. 

Established in 2010, Shine at Home serves seniors who wish 

to live in full independence. Since our earliest beginnings we 

have learned that with just a little help, people can remain 

in their homes for many years safe and free in the 

knowledge that a dedicated team is there for them. 

Seniors’ Home Independence Network 

Life is Better When 

You’re Home 

Seniors live at home - 

independently, 

comfortably & happily. 

It doesn’t matter how old you are, life is always better 

when you’re home. There’s a deep comfort that comes 

from being in familiar surroundings, sleeping in your own 

bed, and living under a roof that belongs to you. 

Housekeeping 

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Call today and find out 

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"All the staff go out of their 

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Heather – Daughter of Client 

"The lady who does my 

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Ruth Ann - Client 

shineathome.com 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Have patience. 

P A G E 13



Do you remember being 19? Neither do we! 



Family owned and 

operated in Sarnia! 

We takegreat pride in 

our workmanship 

and customer service! 

- SHOWROOM HOURS - 

Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4:30pm 

Cats! 

As every 

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(Ellen Perry Berkeley) 

Thrilled with our new windows! 

The workmanship was excellent, 

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You can’t buy 

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BUY 

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Life Lessons Learned by Adults 

1) Raising teenagers is like nailing JELLO to a tree. 

2) There is always a lot to be thankful for it you take time to look for it. For 

example, I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt. 

3) One reason to smile is that every seven minutes of every day, someone 

in an aerobics class pulls a hamstring. 

4) The best way to keep kids at home is to make the home a pleasant 

atmosphere and let the air out of their tires. 

5) Car sickness is the feeling you get when the monthly car payment is due. 

6) Families are like fudge... mostly sweet with a few nuts. 

7) Laughing helps. It's like jogging on the inside. 

8) Middle age is when you start choosing your cereal for the fiber, not the toy. 

9) The mind not only wanders, sometimes it leaves completely. 

10) If you can remain calm, you just don't have all the facts. 

11) You know you're getting old when you stop to tie your shoes and wonder 

what else you can do while you're down. 

P A G E 

14 

Life Taught Me... You get what you pay for.

Putting the “old” back in “Damn, you’re old!” 

Curtain Opens on a 

New Era for the 

Brian Austin Jr. says he sometimes 

feels like he’s in a completely different 

building when he looks around at all 

the recently-completed renovations 

and upgrades at The Imperial Theatre 

in downtown Sarnia. 

All new washrooms, new flooring, 

new paint, a new roof, new seating 

and a new PA system were installed in 

the last year. 

As general manager, Austin Jr. 

readily acknowledges how fortunate 

the community theatre has been 

during the pandemic. 

Public support for monthly 50/50 

draws proved a runaway success. And 

that money was spent on extensive 

renovations that were completed 

quickly while COVID-19 shut down the 

building. 

“When the first lockdown 

Story and photos by Cathy Dobson, Point Edward 

happened, we had just announced a 

five-year capital campaign to raise 

$1.5 million,” Austin Jr. explained. 

“And now we’ve been able to raise 

that money and renovate all our public 

spaces in just one year. 

“I am just so grateful.” 

Initially, the pandemic threw all 

public venues like The Imperial 

Theatre into survival mode. 

In March 2020, the first lockdown 

forced Austin Jr. to refund more than 

$300,000 in ticket sales. With no 

live performances, the challenge was 

to pay the theatre’s three remaining 

staff, cover the building’s overhead 

and try to continue with renovations 

that were started. 

Early on, the obvious steps were 

taken. 

He turned down the heat and 


cut hydro bills in half. A few small 

productions were staged outside 

on Christina Street. But nothing 

generated the cash needed to keep the 

organization afloat. 

Then inspiration struck. 

Austin Jr. was on Facebook and 

noticed the Toronto Blue Jays had 

huge success with a 50/50 digital raffle 

in the pandemic’s early days. 

“Our in-person raffles during our 

intermissions always made a couple 

hundred dollars, so I thought, ‘Why 

not?’ and took it to the board.” 

Once the onerous paper work 

involved in a third-party raffle was 

sorted out, the Imperial held its first 

monthly 50/50 draw in October 2020. 

Initially, it generated a respectable 

but not spectacular $10,000 or so a 

month. 

Then suddenly sales exploded and 

the take-home prize grew to over 

$60,000. As Austin Jr. put it, the raffle 

became big enough to actually change 

someone’s life. 

For seven consecutive months, the 

prize money exceeded $100,000 and 

surpassed $300,000 a couple of times. 

“I remember saying my personal 

goal was to see the prize reach 

$100,000 and we did that in spades,” 

he said. 

“I am so humbled by the support of 

our patrons and the community.” 

By late 2021, The Imperial had paid 

out an impressive $1.7 million 

in prize money and pocketed 

$1.3 million once various fees 

and marketing costs were 

factored out. 

The monthly 50/50 draw 

eclipsed all other fundraising 

activities in the theatre’s 25- 

year history. 

In fact, the Imperial’s 

$1.5-million, five-year capital 

plan was realized in just one 

year primarily because of 

the 50/50’s success. Just as 

astounding, all the projects in 

that five-year plan were more 

quickly completed because the 

theatre was empty for such an 

extended period. 

Austin Jr. says he believes The 

Imperial’s 50/50 is so lucrative 

for a number of reasons. 

“I think we have a bit of an 

edge because we’re used to 

selling tickets,” he said. “We 

also have a huge data base so 

we can email about 38,000 

people every day to promote the 

draw.” 

And a lot of hard work has gone 

into promoting it, he added. “We build 

a lot of hype around it and do a ton of 

marketing.” 

On top of the 50/50 draw, The 

Imperial took on another unique 

fundraiser last spring and began selling 

pairs of the theatre’s 25-year-old seats 

to help pay for 618 replacements. 


That generated $10,000, said 

Austin Jr. “We considered it a fantastic 

response. A lot more people than 

I thought are attached to those old 

chairs. They said they associate them 

with their first date or a special show.” 

The new burgundy seats are “really 

cushiony” and come with aisle lights 

built into the arms and cupholders. 

“The cupholders really seem to be a 

big deal,” Austin Jr. laughed. 

As pandemic restrictions are 

reduced and live shows are being 

staged for the first time in nearly two 

years, Imperial Theatre patrons are 

being welcomed back to a completely 

accessible, more environmentallyfriendly 

and more lavish venue. 

Austin Jr. describes it as state-of-theart 

and anticipates more out-of-town 

artists will be attracted to performing 

there because of the PA improvements. 

And, should anything shut out 

audiences again, a new audio suite 

has been added to live stream and 

record shows. 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... You make your own happiness. 

P A G E 15



Laughter is the best medicine - here’s to your health. 



Music Lessons & Books for All Ages 

Store & Studio 115 Mitton St. S. 519-344-2319 

SARNIA 

519-337-3713 

LONDON ROAD PHARMACY 

Locally Owned and Operated 

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New Year’s Resolution 

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Weight Loss Program 

Diet • Personal Coaching 

Weekly Weigh-ins 

Call Tammy for Details! 

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www.londonroadpharmacy.com 

A meaningful life will 

not be found in the 

next job or the next car. 

The way you get 

meaning in your life 

is to devote yourself 

to helping others and 

creating something that 

gives you purpose. 

Mitch Albom 

~ 

SENIOR’S 

DAY 

Every Thursday 

20% OFF! 

Tammy Maure 

1249 London Rd 

519-491-6778 

* Every surface & product is sprayed with disinfectant fog daily for your safety! 

IN SARNIA-LAMBTON 

OIL SPRINGS 

519-834-2833 

• AUTO • HOME • FARM 

• TENANTS • COMMERCIAL 

1-800-265-7506 • www.cam-ron.ca 

“I love getting 

my Tel-Check calls 

and medication 

reminders!” 

Sometimes I feel lonely 

Sometimes I forget to take my medication 

Sometimes I just like to talk about how 

I’m feeling or what’s going on in the world 

You can receive daily or weekly Tel-Check calls to: 

• Lessen feelings of isolation by having a friendly 

chat with our volunteers 

• Make medication/nutrition/hydration reminders 

• Provide you with safety reminders such as ensuring 

doors are locked and appliances are turned off 

or 

You can call our Distress Line Volunteers (519-336-3000) 

if you are struggling and need to talk (7am–Midnight) 

or 

You can call the Care Pathways Program if you are 

looking for information and referrals about services 

for older adults and caregivers 

1-888-DISTRES(347-8737) 

519-336-3000 (7am-Midnight) 

To find out more about these programs 

or refer a patient/client/loved one, 

please contact our office at 519-336-0120 

The Hint is ... 

At which type of building might you 

find a carving such as this? 

If you can guess that part, you just 

have to pick the right town. 

Find dthe answer in our 

Spring 2022 issue 

From our Fall 2021 issue: 

The Hint was ... 

This is a just a portion of a mural 

by Todd Charlton. If you’re 

looking at this, you just might be 

going places. 

The Answer is... 

You’ll find this mural on a 

building on Telfer Road near 

Sarnia’s Chris Hadfield Airport. 

VOLUNTEER - If you enjoy talking to seniors and 

are looking for a fulfilling volunteer opportunity, 

visit us online at www.familycounsellingctr.com and 

complete a volunteer application under the heading 

‘Get Involved.’ We’ll be in touch! 

To learn about all of our programs and services, 

visit us online at www.familycounsellingctr.com 

P A G E 

16 

Life Taught Me... Be the best you can be.

v1.1 LEO 

v1.2 Forest Kineto 

v1.3 Heritage St. 

v1.4 Sarnia Blessi 

v2.1 Canatara Log 

You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old. George Burns 



Grandma’s Quilt 

Suffering from middle-aged insomnia, 

the ad caught my eye. 

“Dragon’s Den Fight Over This 

Canadian Sleep Start Up.” 

Intrigued, I read on. 

“This weighted ‘Hush Blanket’ induces 

sleep and is a revolutionary fix for 

sleeplessness.” 

Revolutionary? Ha! My Grandma 

made the first “Hush Blanket” 70 years 

ago. It was a quilt that had to weigh at 

least 30 pounds. 

My bedroom on the prairies was so 

cold in the winter that I could carve my 

initials on the frost that had formed on 

the INSIDE window pane. You didn’t 

need curtains because the ice was so 

thick it blocked out the light, the first 

“frosted window,” so to speak. 

My Mom used to slide one of those 

heavy rubber red hot water bottles 

wrapped in a towel between the sheets 

at the foot of the bed, but it did nothing 

to warm up the rest of the mattress. 

Hopping around on one foot, trying 

to put on your flannelette pajamas 

or nightgown (usually made from old 

sheets) and then crawling in was a frigid 

eye opener. But then it was Grandma’s 

quilt to the rescue. 

You snuggled in under the flannelette 

sheet, topped by a wool blanket with 

satin trim, the bedspread, and then 

Grandma’s quilt. It was a patchwork 

creation, made from dribs and drabs 

of material, some as old as Grandma 

herself. Some were backed with denim, 

others with thick cotton or linen. Some 

had tufts of wool sticking out of each 

patch. Some had been carted over 

from the “old country.” But they all had 

one thing in common: they 

weighed a ton and once 

under them you literally 

could not move and 

slept in the same 

position all night. 

The quilts were great 

for curing a fever. You 

could sweat one out 

in a single night. 

You’d be soaking wet 

By Lee Michaels, 

Sarnia 

but it was so cold outside the sheets you 

didn’t dare try to throw it off, instead 

trying to inch your way around to find a 

cooler spot on the bed. 

But the best thing was the “tickle 

blanket” otherwise known as the 

universal pacifier. That satin edge was 

so soothing. As a pre-schooler, I used to 

suck my thumb and rub it along the side 

of my face as I was going to sleep. As 

I grew older the thumb-sucking stopped 

but the tickling did not. Over the years, 

the corners became frayed, and at times 

a little ratty looking. The tickle blanket 

didn’t get washed much because it was 

too difficult to put through the ringer 

washing machine. Mom would wash 

the satin edges and hang it out on the 

clothesline to dry, carefully re-sewing the 

corners to get the perfect crisp “tickle” 

edge. Grandma’s quilt had to be laid out 

on bales of hay or the ground to air out 

in the summer because it was so heavy 

it likely would have pulled the clothesline 

pole right out of the ground. 

I would love to have Grandma’s quilt 

right now, although it would be murder 

for a menopausal woman. I never knew 

what happened to it or when it simply 

disappeared. 

I still do have my own “tickle blanket.” 

The corners are less grubby, but when 

the sandman is missing, its corners take 

me back to simpler times and I’m soon 

sawing logs, although I no longer suck 

my thumb. 

How many of you remember 

Grandma’s quilt and the tickle blanket? 

Editor’s Note: There are still several 

of these patchwork, weighty blankets 

in my family, passed down from my 

grandmother and even my great 

grandmother. They may be 

tattered in spots and some 

patches worn right out, but 

are still loved and used 

regularly. I particularly 

love the patches of 

Grandpa’s pants and 

Grandma’s dresses that I 

remember them wearing 

when I was young. 



We donate $25 for each reprinted 

Daytripping Magazine article. 

$1475 donated since Jan. 2021 

This issue’s recipient is 

Canatara Log Cabin Restoration 

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winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Good times don’t last, but neither do bad. 

P A G E 17



missed a lot of morning classes when 

I was at university. What does seem to 

The 

work well now is the smell of freshly 

brewed coffee. 

Retirement Anyway, in class we concentrate 

Coach © on one of the sayings of Zen masters 

by Mike Keenan 

of the past. They liked to test the 

http://theretirementcoach.libsyn.com/ enlightenment of their students 

through statements and dialogue that 

was deliberately paradoxical. The first 

collection of subjects or koans was 

Meditation 

made public way back in the 11th 

and Zen Koans century. 

From China, koan practice immigrated 

For Seniors to Japan in the 13th century. A famous 

Listen to Mike’s podcasts (humour, travel and poetry) at: The Retirement Coach: 

koan is: “What is the sound of one hand 

http://theretirementcoach.libsyn.com/ His book, ‘Don’t Ever Quit - a Journal of Coping 

with It’s Crisis vital & for Nourishing retired Spirit,’ people is available to remain 

print & electronic clapping?” format I spent at Amazon: hours trying to figure 

nimble https://amzn.to/2KBdPWQ in both body and mind. that one out. Finally, I remembered 

Otherwise, we get too set in our ways, once listening to a politician speak at 

too fixed in our thinking. It’s important a public gathering. When he finished, 

to be open to new learning. Thus, I’m I tried to clap my two hands together 

back in yoga class. The eldest in our but only one hand moved. Aha, I was 

group is Joan who is 82. She is the star on to something. It was only a matter 

of the class. 

of time before the eureka would occur 

Our teacher is keen on meditation, just like Archimedes in the bathtub 

so I suggested that we study Zen koans when the water overflowed or was 

to add a new dimension to our regular that Pythagoras? No matter. It’s just an 

program of asanas, breathing exercises analogy. 

and relaxed meditation. A koan is a I will provide you with an example of 

puzzling statement or a story, used in a brilliant modern-day koan. Historically 

Zen to aid meditation and promote the Dalai Lama holds political and 

spiritual awakening. My spouse has religious leadership over Tibet from 

often stated that I need awakening of Lhasa, a city in the People’s Republic 

one kind or another. In fact, not even of China. Lhasa literally translates to 

the alarm clock in the bedroom seems “place of gods” in the Tibetan language. 

effective in that regard. I confess that I The 5th Dalai Lama ruled in 1642 and 

This magazine comes with a free, built-in, old fashioned fly swatter! 

religious successors lasted until the 

1950s. 

Okay, the Dalai Lama walks up to a 

hotdog vendor at a Toronto Blue Jays 

baseball game. The vendor admires the 

monk’s yellow robes and asks, “What’ll 

ya have?” 

The Dalai Lama ponders for a 

second and responds, “Make me one 

with everything.” Get it? One with 

everything! Neat, eh? I suppose it would 

work just as well with “a hamburger 

with the works.” I thought that the Dalai 

Lama was a vegetarian. I suppose that’s 

the truly puzzling part of the koan. 

Another good baseball koan is “Who’s 

on first?” This koan can get tricky. Before 

you know it, you are totally confused. I 

watched two guys named Abbott and 

Costello try to figure it out for over 

seven minutes, but “who’s on first” led 

to “what’s on second,” “I don’t know” 

on third, “why” in left field, “tomorrow 

pitching,” “today catching” and “I don’t 

give a darn” the shortstop. Actually, it 

was quite amusing. 

Tony, one of my retired pals, came 

over to see me the other day, and I 

thought that I would try out a Zen koan 

on him. I told him the one about the 

sound of one hand clapping, but he 

didn’t get it. He was puzzled. “Explain 

it to me,” he said. “Okay,” I replied but 

first I suggested, “Would you like a cup 

of tea.” 

“Sure,” he replied. 

I boiled water, threw a couple of tea 

bags into the pot, poured in the hot 

water, steeped it, and then started to 

slowly pour the tea into Tony’s cup, and 

when the cup was full, I kept pouring. 

Tony shouted, “Hey, it’s full; you’re 

spilling tea all over me and the floor; no 

more can go in.” 

“Aha,” I said. “You see, just like this 

ordinary cup, Tony, you are simply too 

full, over-flowing with yourself. How 

can I explain Zen koans to you unless 

you first empty your cup?” 

By this time, Tony had tea stains all 

over his pants, and he was not amused, 

so he left. Of course, I thought that I 

had been brilliant, but obviously, my 

wife was correct when she predicted 

that some people are never ready for 

spiritual awakening. 

I was in the local public library the 

other day when a lady walked in and 

asked the librarian, “Do you have 

children’s books?” 

The librarian replied, “Do you have 

the mind of a child?” Wow, I was 

impressed. That was almost as good 

as “the sound of one hand clapping,” 

which I’m still working on. 

Listen to Mike’s podcasts (humour, 

travel and poetry) at: The Retirement 

Coach: http://theretirementcoach.libsyn. 

com/ His book, ‘Don’t Ever Quit - a Journal 

of Coping with Crisis & Nourishing Spirit,’ 

is available in print & electronic format at 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KBdPWQ 



P A G E 

18 

Life Taught Me... Fill each day with love and gratitude.

Many of the articles are from the archives of Daytripping Magazine. 

Recipes 

Send Us 

Your u 

Recipes! 

e c es 

We’ll be bringing you recipes from Club contributors & from local 

fundraising cookbooks we’ve collected over the last quarter of a century. 

You’re welcome to send your own recipes, or on behalf of an organizaon 

that has a new cookbook, & we can help promote those cookbooks for free. 

Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes 

Cauliflower Cheese Soup 

1 medium cauliflower 

2 cups chicken stock 

1/4 cup buer or margarine 

1/4 cup chopped onion 

1 cup grated medium cheddar cheese* 

Buered bread crumbs for garnish 

(from Point Edward 

Ex-Servicemen’s 

Assoc. Cookbook) 

4 lb sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks, 5 to 6 sweet potatoes 

6 slices bacon 

1/2 cup half and half 

3/4 tsp ground cumin 

1/3 cup maple syrup 

1/4 tsp pepper 

1/3 cup buer or margarine, at room temp. 1/3 cup chopped fresh chives 

1 1/4 tsp salt 

In a pot, combine sweet potatoes with enough salted water to cover. Over 

high heat, bring to boil. Cook unl tender, 10 minutes. Drain; return to pot. 

Meanwhile, in nonsck skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon unl 

crisp, 6 to 8 minutes; drain on paper towels. Crumble. In microwave-safe 

bowl, combine half and half and maple syrup; microwave on High unl 

warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Mash sweet potatoes with buer unl smooth. 

Gradually mash in maple mixture. Sr in salt, cumin and pepper. Reserve 

1/4 cup bacon and 1 teaspoon chives. Sr remaining bacon and chives into 

potatoes. Transfer to dish; top with bacon and chives. Serves 8. 

By: Eva Howard (from 

Wyoming Lioness Club 30th 

Anniversary nive 

Cookbook) 

okbo 

ok) 

1/4 cup all purpose flour 

1/2 tsp salt 

1/8 tsp pepper 

2 cups milk 

parsley 

Cook cauliflower in chicken stock unl tender. Do not drain. Cool a bit. Run 

through blender to desired texture. Set aside. (I don’t put it in the blender). 

Melt buer in saucepan. Add onion and sauté unl limp. Do not brown. Mix 

in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk; heat and sr unl it boils and thickens. 

Add cheese and cauliflower mixture. Sr to heat and melt cheese. Garnish 

with buered bread crumbs. Add parsley as an ingredient or as a garnish. 

NOTE: For cream of cauliflower soup, omit cheese. Makes about 5 cups. 


Kids’ Letters to God 

Dear God, 

If you watch me in 

church Sunday, I’ll 

show you my new 

shoes. 

- Mickey 

Looking for 

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Closed Sundays 

www.mysecretgarden.ca 

Maple Glazed Pork Roast 

1/2 cup barbecue sauce 

1/4 cup maple syrup 

2 tsp slivered orange rind 

Apple Crisp 

1/2 cup buer, melted slightly 

3/4 cup oatmeal 

3/4 cup packed brown sugar 

By: Jenn MacRae 

(from Brigden Fall 

Fair Cookbook) 

ook) 

1 tsp ground ginger 

1/2 tsp salt 

3 lb boneless pork loin roast 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 

Sauce: In a small bowl,, combine barbecue sauce, maple syrup and orange 

rind, set aside. 

In another small bowl, combine ginger and salt; rub over meat. Place meat, 

fat side up on a rack in roasng pan. Roast uncovered at 325 degrees F for 

1 3/4 to 2 hours or unl done. Allow 35 to 40 minutes per pound. Brush 

oen with sauce during the last hour. Serves 10 people. 

By: Vicky Coulbeck (from Holy Rosary 

School, Wyoming 50th Anniv. Cookbook) 

1/2 cup flour 

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

6 cups peeled and sliced apples 

Mix all ingredients except apples in a bowl. Put sliced apples in the boom of 

a casserole dish. Sprinkle mixed topping over apples. Bake at 350 degrees F 

for 20 minutes. Cover with aluminum and bake 10 to 15 minutes more. This 

will make the apple crisp juicy. Serve with ice cream, whip topping or as it is. 

Send Your Recipes to info@welcometotheclub.ca 

ca 

MOBILITY WORKS 

phy s i o 

y oga 

MOVE. FEEL. LIVE. 

Book IN-HOME 

Physiotherapy or Private Yoga 

at: www.mwphysioyoga.com 

Covered under most 

Extended Health Benefits. 

Kelly-Lynn 

Musico 

REGISTERED 

PHYSIOTHERAPIST 

REGISTERED 

YOGA TEACHER 

Contact Kelly-Lynn at 519.312.6122 

or mwphysioyoga@outlook.com 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Always keep a positive attitude. 

P A G E 19

Welcome to ... THE Club 

Here’s to living life to the fullest (until about 9 pm). 

Publisher’s note: This is a long 

article but I hope you’ll enjoy it, even 

if it’s a bit off topic for some readers 

of a 55+ magazine. As I write this on 

Dec. 29th, new restrictions have been 

introduced with 50% capacity at clubs 

and restaurants and much of what I write 

here might not be as relevant when you 

read it, but if that’s the case I hope it 

will ring true sooner than later. It’s safe 

to say that all of the establishments I 

mention here will (once again) need our 

continued patronage to get back on their 

feet. I also want to pay respects to George 

Webber who was a legend in our industry 

and recently passed away. Thank you for 

supporting local business and live music. 

London Ontario was recently 

named a UNESCO City of Music by the 

United Nations educational, scientific 

and cultural organization, becoming 

the first city in Canada to receive the 

designation. I had no idea that 

Jeff Black & Nicole Morley outside Night Life - photo by Megan Nichol 

this prestigious title existed but 

they’ve earned it. Budweiser 

Gardens is pulling in some of Is Sarnia-Lambton the 

the best acts on the planet, 

Aeolian Hall is an acoustic 

Live, Local Music 

treasure and the Forest City has 

earned national praise as hosts 

of the Canadian Country Music 

Awards and even the JUNOs. 

Kudos to the city, to Tourism 

London and in particular 

to Chris Campbell, who through his 

work with Tourism London, Budweiser Capital of Canada? 

Gardens and his own company (Music 

City & Music Tourism Consultancy) had venues and countless other musicians. time. The Corunna branch of the Royal 

this vision and has pushed for years Jeff, by the way, is a singer, guitarist, Canadian Legion also has an afternoon 

with unrelenting tenacity to make it and bassist who plays as a solo act quite jam, usually the last Saturday of the 

happen. That said, I’ve stayed countless often but is a part of several bands and month. 

nights in London both recently and over also performs in a magnificent duet As he drives a bit further into Sarnia 

the years, am always looking for a band, with Nicole Morley. 

he sees lights shining up in the sky, 

solo or duo act to go see, and usually So as Jeff is driving north he may maybe the lights of a local Broadway, 

have difficulty finding one. I’ve long go through Port Lambton, Sombra, but no, it’s just the petrochemical plants. 

believed that larger cities are plagued Courtright and Mooretown and think Go a little further Jeff and you’ll find 

by bands that will play for free and that there’s no place to play or hear a few downtown Sarnia and a whole host of 

you get what you pay for. If the music live tunes, but lo and behold he reaches places, most of which you’ve played. I’ll 

is not good people won’t come, your Corunna where Two Water Brewing mention Up N’ Downs on Front Street 

regulars will stop coming, the venues Company has regular entertainment first, out of respect for the number of 

will suffer and the industry as a whole including most, if not all, Thursday years and days each week that they’ve 

is weakened. 

nights. Just one or two musicians supported local, live music, but there 

Then I look at Sarnia-Lambton where usually, but there’s nothing wrong with are many more. Night Life on Christina 

I’ve been a professional musician since that. Antonio’s Pizza across the road Street may be newer to the scene but 

1985, and I think we might have more also has entertainment from time to Jeff has been playing there quite a bit 

venues to play in per 

on Thursdays, and lately on 

capita than anywhere 

Sundays with drummer and 

in Canada, maybe with 

singer Brian Cox. Drums and 

the exception of Saint 

guitar are not a common 

Johns, Newfoundland. 

mix, but they make it work. 

That might sound like 

Other venues in or near 

hyperbole, and maybe it 

the downtown include Wild 

is, so how about we take a 

Wings, Collide, The Insignia 

stroll and check them out. 

Hotel, the original Refined 

Let’s Go On Tour! 

Fool Brewing Co., Tin Fiddler 

Jeff Black is a very well 

Brewpub, Maud’s Variety, the 

known local musician 

Moose Lodge and a whole 

who lives in Wallaceburg 

host of other venues that go 

but drives north to our 

live on each First Friday. This 

neck of the woods quite 

list quite often includes the 

often for gigs. One 

Sarnia Legion, Blackwater 

heckuva nice guy, too. I’d 

Coffee, Downtown Market, 

like to take a tour of our 

the Lawrence House, Grind 

county through his eyes, 

Cafe and others. 

since he’s a “real” pro— 

Venture a bit north along 

one that plays music 

Borderlite trio on the outdoor stage at Ipperwash Beach Club 

Sarnia Bay and you’ll hear 

for a living, knows most (l-r) Ed Roane, Pete Meharg, John Tiernay - photo by Sheila Tiernay live music year round at 


Paddy Flaherty’s and next door at Big 

Family Brewing Co., then also across 

the road at Alternate Grounds Cafe 

& Dockside at the Sarnia Bay Marina 

in the warmer weather. Yes, we’ll be 

including summer venues in this list as 

well, hoping that they’ll all be back in 

2022. Venturing into Point Edward for a 

spell you’ll discover Stevie D’s, and Jeff 

Black knows this place all too well. He’s 

one of many very talented musicians 

who go there on Wednesday evenings 

to jam. I finally had the opportunity to 

take part recently and it was a pleasure 

to play with a number of top-notch 

players I’d never met before. Owner 

Steve Dumont has turned the restaurant 

(formerly Bottoms Up) into a prominent 

entertainment venue and agrees that 

there is an incredible local music scene, 

particularly because of the large number 

of single and duo acts there are. We 

discussed if the pandemic has perhaps 

given people the time to hone their 

talents and the courage to step 

onto the stage. A local Facebook 

page called The Quarantine 

Sessions - Connecting Through 

Music has seen countless 

musicians, many of whom 

had never played in front 

of people, broadcast one or 

many songs for all to see. 

Kevin Churchill founded that 

group along with James Miller 

and says, “I really believe we are in a 

renaissance period for live music and 

the arts. I’ve never seen so many venues 

offering live music and bands and solo 

acts and duos doing their thing. Is it a 

local thing? I don’t know but I do think 

it is pretty special!” Dumont added that 

tipping musicians has become more 

commonplace and it has made a big 

difference in allowing venues to bring 

in entertainment at an affordable rate. 

Stevie D’s has live music on other days/ 

nights as well. 

Still in Point Edward, Los Puntos 

Cantina was hosting small acts last 

summer and the Match Eatery & 

Public House at the Starlight Casino 

has been known to as well. Back into 

Sarnia proper you’ll be able to down 

a pint while listening to live music at 

Two Amigos, Twisted Arm Bar & Grill, 

the newer Refined Fool Brewing Co. on 

London Road and Imperial City Brewing 

Co. Out in Brights Grove you’ll find 

summer patio entertainment at The 

Oaks and also on Wednesdays at the 

Brights Grove Summer Market. 

So by the time he’s driven around 

Sarnia and Point Edward Jeff is just 

amazed at the number of places he can 

play, but he has lots of time, and gas is 

cheap these days, so he heads back out 

in the county to see what else he might 

find and winds up at Rüstr. What’s a 

Rüstr you might ask? This is on London 

Line near Mandaumin Road where three 

musicians Bil Eldridge, Mike Beggs and 

Steve Kiernan have transformed the 

former Bluewater Optimist Hall into a 

live music hall, indoors and out. The 

indoor venue seats about 100 people 

and has hosted many local acts but is 

also geared to ticketed events featuring 

P A G E 

20 

Life Taught Me... Dogs are kinder than people.

You’re welcome to send in articles to help build this new magazine. 

mid-sized or up and coming recording 

acts that are travelling close enough to 

the area to make Sarnia a stop on their 

tour. 

The addition of Rüstr to the local 

music venue has made a significant 

difference from what I see. For example, 

they have a Sunday brunch with live 

entertainment (and great food) from 

10am to 2pm. I wondered how far in 

Canada someone would have to travel 

to find that offered anywhere else, and 

then discovered that it’s also offered at 

Refined Fool downtown and at Greens 

(oops, that one is downtown on Christina 

St. and I missed it). One key thing here 

is the time at which entertainment is 

offered. Most bands in London still 

start at 10 p.m. and play until 2 a.m. on 

weekdays and I’m in bed by then. Since 

this article is in a magazine for 55+ I’ll 

assume that I’m preaching to the choir 

on this one. 

So Why All this Music? Why Now? 

For starters it can be attributed to the 

pandemic. The number of patios that 

can now be licensed has gone through 

the roof (hopefully to stay that way) at 

a time when craft breweries and local 

wineries are coming of age and farm 

markets are more popular than ever. The 

“Shop Local” philosophy has married 

all three of those things together. This 

Joan Spalding - photo by Dan Peer Photography 

“Golden Age” is taking place in other 

areas of Ontario and Canada, but I’ll 

continue to argue that Sarnia-Lambton 

is doing it best, but could do it even 

better. 

The pandemic also brought about the 

aforementioned Quarantine Sessions 

and a new pool of talented musicians 

that are now brave enough and have 

built up the repertoire needed to take 

their places on stage. 

The timing is also making live music 

more popular. In Sarnia we’re finding 

live music at numerous places starting 

at 2 or 4 in the afternoon, or from 7 to 10 

p.m. It’s long overdue! The generations 

that grew up on live music still love and 

will support live music, and our venues 

have realized that this is the audience 

they need to attract. The younger 

generations didn’t grow up with The 

Campbell St. Stations or the Courtright 

Hotels or the Kenwick-on-the-Lakes— 

it’s a shame that this new, golden age of 

live music may have a shelf life, but we 

may be just beginning to 

see the best years of it. 

The musicians are 

older as well, and 

this is another key 

component. There are 

certainly many talented 

younger musicians– 

Chris Molyneaux, Demi 

Krall and Rodney James 

Medwid to name just a 

few, but there are far too 

many seasoned artists to 

mention that are leading 

the way and will be for 

years to come. I’ve often 

joked that after 35 years 

I’m basically playing 

the same songs for the 

same people. That’s not 

completely accurate but 

it isn’t far off. 

Whether or not this is sustainable is a 

good question. Will supply and demand 

dictate that not all these establishments 

can support live music? Will there be 

fewer patrons if COVID goes away and 

locals can leave for the US or 

other destinations? If COVID 

gets worse and we’re all locked 

down again, will the music 

industry bounce right back 

when the time is right? Your 

guess is as good as mine. 

Speaking of the lockdowns, 

even the darkest days of the 

quarantine couldn’t stop some 

of us. Scott Manery started 

broadcasting three hour 

concerts on Facebook live from 

his basement on Saturday 

nights (Scott also has a great 

radio show called Nine Hours 

North of Nashville, Sunday 

mornings on CHOK). I followed 

Scott’s lead and started a live 

show on Tuesday nights and 

can’t tell you what a rewarding 

experience it’s been. To top 

that though, as of December 

26th, 2021, local country 

music legend Joan Spalding 

had been live streaming a 

3:00 afternoon show for an absolutely 

incredible 634 days straight. 

Hey Jeff... What About the County? 

So... imagine that Jeff hasn’t been to 

Petrolia since the Squire Hotel closed 

down and has been longing to see 

what’s up in Canada’s Victorian Oil 

Town. 

What the heck is with all these craft 

breweries, he might exclaim. There’s 

one here too. Black Gold Brewery 

opened last year and has regular 

entertainment inside or on the patio. 

Helen‘s Hideaway Family Restaurant/ 

Haywood’s is right next door and has 

entertainment most weekends, and 

Crabby Joe’s had a fabulous outdoor 

stage a couple of summers ago which 

we hope comes back. Even the Petrolia 


Farmers Market has entertainment on 

Saturday mornings and Tuesday nights 

when the air is warm enough to play. 

A bit further south in Oil City Jeff finds 

that there’s absolutely no place to play, 

but Alvinston has Armor’s Ale House. 

Painkiller Jane warming up for the Trews in a parking lot on Front St. in 2013 

(l-r) Jamie Dufour, Mark Moran, Heather Wellington, Pete Michieli 

Then he turns tail and heads back north 

to Wyoming where the Legion has had 

entertainment on some Saturday nights 

for years. Covid put a stop to that for a 

while but they’re back up and running 

to some extent. A new restaurant called 

LOCA also opened and my good friend 

Adam Miller was their first of hopefully 

many entertainers. Wyoming is where I 

started my own music career years ago 

with bands like Trax, Damn Straight, 

Done Deal. I’m currently with Painkiller 

Jane and also have a duo with Colleen 

Beauregard in addition to a solo act I 

bring out from time to time. 

From there Jeff continues north 

and finds Alton Farms Estate Winery 

on Aberarder Line south of Forest and 

it’s on one of the sunny afternoons 

when they have—you guessed it—live 

entertainment on the patio. Around a 

country corner still just south of Forest 

he’s going to drive up the laneway 

to Stonepicker Brewing Co. which 

routinely has acts outside on warm 

days and inside year round. The Forest 

location of Skeeter Barlows also has live 

acts and a bit further up the road in 

Port Franks he might just find his old 

pal Mark Blayney playing at Grogs 

Restaurant. They’ll spend some 

time talking about the amazing new 

outdoor stages at Widder Station 

in Thedford and at the Ipperwash 

Beach Club. There are also a number 

of campgrounds in this area that 

hire bands during the summer, not 

to mention all the fairs and festivals 

in every corner of Lambton County. 

Oh, we’re not done yet though. Jeff 

ventures up Highway 21 where Brian 

Dale might be doing his regular gig 

at the Pinery Flea Market, which 

will be hopefully open again this 

summer after a two-year hiatus. 

Brian is a staple in the Grand 

Bend music scene, often seen at 

numerous venues including playing 

with friends at the Lake Hound 

Restaurant. As you can imagine, the 


number of venues in The Bend can be 

plentiful but often changes. The Rotary 

Club has also built a fabulous stage on 

the beach and feature weekly Summer 

Sounds concerts, often on Sunday 

nights with the hopes of keeping people 

in town a bit longer. 

Grand Bend sits right 

on the county line so 

we could dip our toes 

a bit north and try to 

claim the Oakwood 

Inn or White Squirrel 

Golf Club. There’s 

also Huron Country 

Playhouse but we can’t 

mention that without 

celebrating two more 

stellar theatres. 

They may not often 

feature local bands 

but you’ll never hear 

better music than you 

do at Sarnia’s Imperial 

Theatre and Victoria 

Playhouse Petrolia. 

Brian Austin has done 

an incredible job at 

the Imperial of bringing in an array of 

talent, including numerous household 

names. My personal favourite is the 

Classic Albums Live series where a 

group of selected musicians come in to 

play an album so perfectly that you can 

close your eyes and barely be able to 

tell that it’s not the recording. Fans of 

the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, 

Queen, etc would fall in love with this 

production, but get your tickets fast 

for those shows! And in Petrolia, David 

Hogan and David Rogers as artistic 

directors have established Victoria Hall 

as one of the best and most reliable 

performance centres in the land. Music 

Director Mark Payne and an all star 

cast of superbly talented artists never 

disappoint and crowds relish in the 

opportunity to see many of the cast 

members return in different roles. 

I think that’s it. I think we’re done, 

Jeff. Good thing you don’t drink brother. 

You can drive home safely after your 

tour through Sarnia-Lambton’s awesome 

collection of music venues. We came up 

with well over 30 places to play with 

Continued on 

next page... 

Jim Chevalier with Canada’s Voyageur guitar 

- photo by Doug Nicholson (we believe) 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Don’t eat yellow snow. 

P A G E 21


Continued from 

previous page... 

Mark Blayney - photo by Barry Loxton 

regularity, not including the theatres, 

one-time events or fairs and festivals 

like Ribfest, Bluewater Borderfest, etc. 

Oh wait, what’s that, we missed one? 

How could we possibly forget about the 

Duc D’Orleans II which cruises up and 

down the St. Clair River in the summer 

with live bands a few days or nights 

each week, and is also one of the most 

enjoyable places for musicians to play. 

It’s always an adventure with Ken and 

Sherry and their fabulous crew. 

So How Do We Get Even Better?? 

If there’s more opportunity for live 

music to flourish it would be in Sarnia’s 

city-owned facilities. We hope to see 

music come back to life at the Agora 

Stage in Centennial Park, in Canatara 

Park and especially at the Progressive 

Auto Sales Arena which has the ability 

to host large shows that would attract 

tourists, but is barely ever used to its 

full potential. In the last show I saw 


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there, Elton John played for three hours 

straight, by himself. There were no 

other musicians, just Elton John. I have 

no idea how Sarnia got that lucky, but 

we did. We also had 14 years of Bayfest 

which grew to become a world class 

concert series and tourism bonanza, 

but it ended 10 years ago. It would also 

be nice to see Sarnia and other towns 

block off their streets on occasion for 

more live music festivals. 

Tourism is important and I for one 

believe that having this many live, local 

music venues can attract music lovers. 

As I write this in December 2021, 

Monday is the only day without live 

entertainment in our area. On many 

days of the week you can see two, three 

or more performances starting as early 

as 10 a.m. and almost all are free (but 

Scott Manery & the Barnburners at Ribfest 

2015 - photo by Mike Sexton 

30 YEARS 

EXPERIENCE 

Call Don at 

226-343-2265 

I’d write something better here, but I forgot to! 

please tip musicians). I would love to 

travel to another part of the province 

and stay one or more nights just to enjoy 

live, local music but, if there are other 

places with this much entertainment, 

none of them are letting us know about 

it. But.. are we telling others? 

That’s my point and the goal of this 

article. I’ve heard countless people 

complain over the years that there’s 

nothing to do in Sarnia-Lambton and 

that we don’t have much of a music 

scene. They’re completely wrong and 

always were, but our music scene is 

better than ever right now and we may 

in fact be the Live, Local Music Capital 

of Canada. We should be promoting 

it as a tourism product and may have 

aces up our sleeve in this department 

as well. Tourism Sarnia Lambton’s 

Executive Director Mark Perrin has loads 

of experience as an event coordinator, 

and Digital Marketing Coordinator Adam 

Veen plays in two bands, Rumblefish 

and Aces High. I believe a key to this 

is to have one place where locals and 

visitors can find a calendar of all events, 

large or small, in one place. Music, craft 

shows, fairs, beef dinners, everything. 

Doing this is extremely difficult in these 

uncertain times and organized event 

calendars were much more common 

before the advent of social media. 

However, if you have a complete and 

up-to-date list of attractions, in this case 

music, then you can promote it as a 

unique tourism product and put “heads 

in beds” which is the primary goal of all 

tourism marketing. In this case we could 

also keep people from leaving our area 

since they would know just how much is 

happening in their own backyard. I hope 

TSL and their community partners will 

work on this because it’s something that 

is not being done in any other market 

that I’ve ever seen, and it would give us 

a strategic advantage to attract visitors. 

In the meantime you can find 

valuable information on who’s playing 

where at www.sarniarocks.com and the 

Supporting Sarnia Lambton and Live 

Music Sarnia Facebook pages. 

Bil Eldridge at Grind - photo by Leo Spence 

If you’ve made it this far, thank you 

for reading and my apologies if there 

are any venues that I’ve somehow 

missed. Please support live music 

everywhere and remember to tip 

musicians if you like what you hear. I 

pray that no businesses will have to shut 

down in 2022 but, if that’s the case, I’m 

confident that they can all rebound if 

we do our part to help them. 

Enjoy the show! 

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P A G E 

22 

Life Taught Me... Pick your battles.

We are really hoping to include some great events in future issues! 

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I.R.S.: Income Reduction Service. 

Junk: Something you need the day after you throw it away. 

Jury: 12 men & women trying to decide which side has the best lawyer. 

Justice: A decision in your favour. 

Kiss: Putting your honey where your mouth is. 

Lamb Stew: Much ado about mutton. 

Laziness: A remote control to locate your other remote controls. 

Left Bank: What the bank robbers did when their money bag was full. 

Lefties: The only people in their right minds. 

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Canada’s Farmerettes 

By Beryl Beckett • from Daytripping Nov-Dec 2021 

The Land Girls are pretty well known. 

The British issued a postage stamp in 

their honour. and the BBC made a movie 

about them. The Canadian Farmerettes? 

Not so well known… even ‘hardly 

known.’ It’s about time we change that. 

Farmerettes in Canada worked the 

fields left empty of labour at a time 

when most males were in the Armed 

Forces during World War II. How do I 

know? I was a Farmerette! Four teenaged 

girls from Petrolia, Ontario became 

Farmerettes. Maybe some of you knew 

us: Lois and Jean Duncan, Mona Dougall 

and me, Beryl Anderson. I’d love to say 

we were patriotic but truth be known 

we got out of school early, didn’t have 

to write final exams AND we got paid! A 

whole 25 cents an hour… though we had 

to pay room and board at the camps out 

of our pay. We wanted adventure and we 

figured it would be like camp. Not quite. 

So off we went…Jean and Mona were 

sent to St. Davids, Vineland while Lois 

and I went to Goodwins Farm Camp, 

all in the Niagara region. We cut fields 

and fields of asparagus, usually in the 

morning, and worked fields and fields 

of strawberries in the afternoon. Not 

walking and bending but stooping 

continually. I’m surprised I’m still not 

stooped over. 

Anyway, one vegetable I didn’t like was 

asparagus. Come dinner time, we were 

starving. First off: cream of asparagus 

soup—couldn’t even try it. So I waited for 

the main meal: creamed asparagus on 

toast. Believe me, I polished it off. By the 

end of the meal I really liked asparagus. 

Dessert? You guessed it. Strawberries. 

At Goodwins we had a Japanese 

family interned there… a lovely family, 

the Mitsuis. Mr. Mitsui had been Mr. 

Goodwin’s sergeant in the Canadian 

army during World War I. In World War II 

he was considered an enemy of Canada. 

Different wars, different worlds. I can 

only imagine the hurt of Mr. Mitsui. 

We worked hard but we also had 

fun travelling around the Niagara area 

via thumb. We hitchhiked all over, 

even to Buffalo, NY (where we almost 

got arrested). We’d hitch rides into St. 

Catherines where we’d spend evenings 

drinking chocolate cokes (don’t knock it 

‘til you try it) at the Dianne Sweet Shoppe 

and meeting boys. Almost every weekend 

we’d hitch rides to Niagara Falls. 

Then Lois and I got transferred to 

Vineland Camp where we thinned 

peaches, picked peaches and packed 

peaches for the rest of the summer. We 

began to feel we lived on ladders leaning 

against peach trees. 

So why tell you about Farm Camp and 

Farmerettes? A small but dedicated group 

of people are trying to get the Canadian 

Postal Service to issue a commemorative 

stamp honouring the Farmerettes, but to 

do this they need to know there would 

be an interest in the history of the 

Farmerettes of Canada. They suggest 

anyone reading about us on Facebook 

click “Like” and make sure you “Share” 

with your friends. Also, if you have 

contact with anyone in radio, TV, blogs 

or any print (newspapers, newsletters, 

etc.) please ask them to spread the word 

about The Canadian Farmerettes. 

Thank you for taking time to read this 

and thank you in advance for spreading 

the word. 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... You never know what lays ahead. 

P A G E 23


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by Eileen Cade-Edwards, London • from Daytripping May-June 2002 

As the bus in which I was a passenger 

passed our local hospital, the little 

boy on the seat in front of me leaned 

against his mother’s arm. Up to then 

he had remained very quiet and still. 

“Daddy doesn’t love me, does he?” 

he said suddenly. 

“How can you say such a thing!” 

exclaimed his mother in surprise. 

“He doesn’t!” insisted the little boy. 

“Don’t ever say that again,” scolded 

the mother. “You know he loves you 

very much.” 

“He never said so when I came out 

of hospital like you did.” 

“Of course he did,” the mother 

answered without hesitation. 

“When?” insisted the boy. “I 

never heard him.” 

“Well, don’t you remember when 

Daddy spent the whole evening 

fixing your train? That’s when 

he told you he loved you.” 

The little boy wrinkled his 

nose and glanced suspiciously 

at his mother. “Is that when Daddy 

said it? I didn’t hear him.” 

Of course the little boy didn’t 

understand but I felt sure his mother 

would somehow explain in a way that 

would be clear to him. Unfortunately, 

I had to leave them for I had already 

arrived at my destination. 

I thought about that brief conversation 

between the boy and his mother for 

quite a long time afterwards. 

Not everyone can express their love 

in words. To some people “I love you” 

is one of the hardest things to say. 

But there are many ways of “saying” 

I love you. 

The mother who sits for long hours 

mending her son’s favourite jacket 

or alters a dress for her daughter so 

that it fits to perfection. The young 

wife who spends hours making the 

dessert she knows her husband loves, 

or the husband who brings home little 

unexpected gifts of flowers or candies. 

Then there is the humorous 

proclamation. 

A friend of mine has a wonderful 

husband. On her club nights he 

will wash the dishes, feed the 

children, put them to bed and 

do anything else that needs to 

be done, without so much as 

a sigh. But when it comes 

to those three little words 

she longs to hear, all he can 

manage is: “I think I’ll trade you 

in for a new car.” 

“I used to be quite upset about 

it,” Mary told me, “but now I 

understand. He is telling me he 

loves me - but in his own funny way.” 

So when we long to hear those 

three little words - I love you - let us 

remember there are other ways to 

“say” this that are just as significant 

and meaningful if we will only train our 

hearts and minds as well as our ears to 

recognize them. 

The little boy whose father spent 

the evening mending his toy train will 

one day understand this, even if his 

mother is unsuccessful in explaining 

it to him now. 

P A G E 

24 

Life Taught Me... Acquire as much knowledge as you can.

Our contact info is on page 3 - email us or call (we actually answer) 



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Granny’s 

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By Therese Lecuyer, Essex 

from Daytripping May-June 2016 

It was made with patience. Every bead 

was chosen with care. Was it the right 

colour? Was it the right shape? Did he use 

just the right amount? 

Painstakingly, he strung the beads on 

the pipe cleaner. In my mind’s eye, I can 

see his little tongue hanging out of his 

mouth as he threaded the pipe cleaner 

through the circle of the bead, like he was 

threading a needle. 

One minute in a child’s time is like 

five minutes for an adult. It must have 

seemed like forever. One bead, two 

beads... twenty beads. Choosing just the 

right beautiful colours and just the best 

shapes. 

Although he is only four years old, 

he puts so much thought into his 

masterpiece for Granny. He knows her 

favourite colour and attempts to create 

a masterpiece meant especially for his 

granny’s eyes. 

Getting it just the right size to fit her 

wrist and tying it off so as to never lose 

any of the “precious” stones to the floor, 

is a feat of future engineering skills. Dad 

has taught him well... one day he might 

follow in his footsteps. 

After sitting back and admiring it, and 

making sure it is just right, he packs it 

away for his 2000 mile plane trip out east 

to Granny and Grandpa’s house. 

At just the right moment, he digs it out 

of his suitcase and presents it to me— 

Granny. 

With a look in his eyes of pride and 

much love he hands his handiwork to me. 

At first I question why? It’s not a special 

occasion like my birthday or Mother’s 

Day or Christmas. Ben has made this just 

because he loves me, which means so 

much more! 

I admire his handiwork and eye to 

detail. He’s put many of my favourite 

coloured beads in there and a cluster of 

many shapes and sizes combine to make 

a work of art. Ben’s work of love for his 

granny. 

Granny’s eyes fill with tears knowing 

the time, energy and love that was put 

into it. 

It goes with everything! I wear it 

often...and although we are so far apart I 

feel that he is with me. After all, included 

in the many things like beads, and pipe 

cleaners that were assembled to make 

this treasure...was Ben’s love. 

COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR AGES 55+ 

(From mThe Booklet “A Seniors’ Guide ToSarnia-lambton”) 

a ambton Resource booklet available through Age-Friendly Sarnia-Lambton 

by calling 519-332-0527 or visiting www.agefriendlysarnialambton.ca 

RESOURCE NAME SERVICES OFFERED PHONE WEB/EMAIL 

211 Mental Health Support, Food Services, Financial Assistance 211 211oncovid19.ca 

Age-Friendly Sarnia Lambton List of Supports & Services 519-332-0527 agefriendlysarnialambton.ca 

Bayshore Home Care Solutions Assistance with Housekeeping, Errands & Meal Prep 519-383-6979 bayshore.ca 

Canadian Red Cross Grocery Pickup & Transportation Services 519-332-6380 redcross.ca 

Care-A-Van Door-to-Door Public Transportation - lift equipped vehicles 519-336-3789 

Habitat for Humanity Low-Cost Home Reno Services 519-339-7957 habitatsarnia.org 

Heart to Home Meals Pre-Made Frozen Meal Delivery to 60+ 877-404-4246 hearttohomemeals.ca 

Instacart Delivery from several local stores 888-246-7822 instacart.ca 

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Lambton Public Health Individual, Agency and Cargiver help 226-254-8222 lambtonpublichealth.ca 

Neighbourlink Household Chores, Transportation, Shopping, Companionship 519-336-5465 neighbourlinksarnia.org 

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Shine at Home Transportation, 24 hr Housekeeping, Shopping, Meal Prep 519-336-9898 shineathome.com 

Strangway Community Centre Recreational, Social & Educational Programs & Activities 519-332-0656 strangway@sarnia.ca 

Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) Dementia Programs, Home Nursing, Respite, Much More 519-542-2310 von.ca/en/site/sarnia 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Spend as much time with family as you can. 

P A G E 25


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Polypharmacy: What is it and why should I care? 

By Chris Treftlin, Shine at Home, Sarnia 

Here is a true story. We will call her 

Frances. Frances is in her mid 80s 

and she has three doctors. A general 

practitioner, a heart specialist, and a 

doctor looking after her arthritis—a 

rheumatologist. She sees them all 

regularly. Periodically, as her condition 

changes, she gets new prescriptions. 

Her GP is monitoring her Type 2 

diabetes and the doctor has her on two 

medications to control that condition. 

From her heart specialist she has 

a medication to thin her blood, a 

medication to help control her blood 

pressure, and a medication to help 

control her cholesterol. From her 

rheumatologist she gets a medication 

to control inflammation and one to 

control joint pain. 

That is how it started. Now as 

time passed each of these doctors 

changed and added to Frances’ 

list of medications. Frances was 

complaining of poor sleep, so her GP 

gave her a sleeping pill. The pain in 

her joints was getting more intense, 

so her rheumatologist increased her 

pain medication. Frances herself was 

watching an infomercial and decided to 

order an over-the-counter med to also 

help with her sleeping. 

These doctors, all well intentioned 

are fixing the issue in front of them. 

They are unaware of what the other 

doctors are prescribing. The pharmacist 

is filling the script and not checking 

to see if there could be bad drug 

interactions. Perhaps there are multiple 

pharmacies involved. 

At this point we count 17 medications. 

This is Polypharmacy, and it is a big, 

big, challenge for seniors and healthcare 

in general. The overprescribing and 

overuse of medications in our senior 

population is called the second 

pharmacological epidemic, the first 

being the opioid crisis. 

You see doctors know how to 

diagnose and treat, while pharmacists 

understand best medications, and drug 

interactions. The chart shown illustrates 

the differences in the training of doctors 

and pharmacists. 

Let’s get back to Frances. She has been 

dealing with a great deal of dizziness and 

confusion in recent weeks. So intense 

are these bouts of dizziness that she 

remains in her armchair for most of the 

day. Frances was attributing the brain 

fog and dizziness to her old age—she 

just sucked it up. She should not have. 

Constant, persistent dizziness is not 

a condition of aging. It is, for Frances 

and similar cases, being caused by the 

17 drugs in her system. 

Getting up from her armchair one 

day the dizziness became so intense 

she lost her balance and had a bad 

fall. Hospitalized for a time, she was 

moved a Long-Term-Care (LTC) facility 

to recuperate. Once there, a multidisciplinary 

health team came around 

her and coordinated all aspects of her 

care including her medications. The 

LTC doctor and pharmacist took over 

her medications and reduced the 17 

to…wait for it…five. Yes, five. Frances 

recovered from her fall-induced injury, 

and the chemical cocktail that had 

been coursing through her veins. 

Paradoxically, her son reported that the 

fall was the best thing that could have 

happened to his mom. “I got my mom 

back!” he told the leaders and staff at 

the LTC community. 

This true story was shared with me 

by Andy Donald, owner and CEO of The 

Health Depot, and a Certified Geriatric 

Pharmacist. Andy is on a mission to 

improve the health care system for 

seniors by reducing and eliminating the 

scenario I just described. “We need to 

get rid of healthcare silos. We are not 

talking to each other in a way that puts 

the patient first. No one is to blame. It 

is just that the way we have been doing 

things is baked into the system.” 

Andy says the solution will come from 

two different sources. First, technology 

has advanced to a degree that doctor’s 

prescriptions will be matched up 

against all current patient medications 

and will flag potential issues. Also 

known as eHealth. Pharmacist access 

to all patient medication records will go 

a long way to reducing polypharmacy. 

Secondly, and perhaps more 

importantly, a change in attitude in 

healthcare is required to ensure true, 

patient-centred care: the doctor asking 

the pharmacist, the pharmacist putting 

the patient first, asking, inquiring, and 

yes, saying there is a better way. 

Check out www.thehealthdepot.ca, 

or contact Andy Donald CGP via email 

andy@thehealthdepot.ca 

P A G E 

26 

Life Taught Me... Get a helmet and enjoy the ride.

Our next issue will come out around the beginning of April 2022. 

THE CLUB Winter 2022 

CROSSWORD 

Call to 

book a 

tour! 



70 Duke Street, Wallaceburg 

WallaceburgRetirementResidence.com 

519-627-0719 I emma.king@wallaceburgretirementresidence.com 

This FREE Magazine is made possible by the 

companies you see adversing in these pages. 

Please consider them when making your 

purchasing decisions, and please let them 

know that you saw their ad in... 

Welcome to... 

THE 

THECLUB 

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winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Treat others how you want them to treat you. P A G E 27


Seniors 

SAVE 20% 

Every Thursday!* 

*Discount applies to 

regular priced merchandise 

&Church 

One particular four-year-old 

prayed, “And forgive us our trash 

baskets as we forgive those 

who put trash in our baskets.” 


Available with a PC Optimum card at 

the following Shoppers Drug Mart stores: 

510 Exmouth Street, Sarnia 

123 Mitton Street South, Sarnia 

420 Lyndoch Street, Corunna 

FOLLOW US! 

To find (and post) current events 

& community information, please 

follow our Facebook page. 



Growing old is inevitable, but growing up is optional! 

Our Wonderful Language 

It all began when I went 

to Barrie because they were 

going to bury Barry who had 

died from eating a poison 

berry, not from beriberi as 

first reported. As executor, 

I’d been asked to write a 

report on the funeral rite 

and I wanted to make sure I 

got it right. First I talked to 

his fiancé Mary who, not surprisingly, 

was less than merry now that she was 

no longer going to marry Barry. Also, 

so I wouldn’t err, I had to resolve 

the question hanging in the air… 

who was Barry’s heir? The situation 

was confused because Barry’s cousin 

Claude, had clawed his way into the 

equation, the clod. It also looked like 

Claude’s mother Bea would also be a 

problem because she seemed to have 

a bee in her bonnet. If Bea, who was 

Barry’s aunty, was anti my report, it 

would certainly up the ante. 

Another problem I had to check was 

a missing cheque Barry was supposed to 

have received from a mysterious Czech. 

I also had to talk to Barry’s brother 

Harry who, ironically, was no longer 

hairy now that he had joined the Hari 

Krishnas. 

Mary said, “He’ll be a problem, 

the heel, because he had an ongoing 

argument with Barry that just wouldn’t 

heal. 

It would be a tough knot to untangle, 

but there was naught I could do; 

I’m not one to give up easily. So, to 

pique their interest, at the peak of my 

investigation, I let them have a peek at 

By A. C. Stone, Windsor 

From Daytripping 

March-April 2007 

my preliminary report. 

To throw them off the 

scent, I sent the message 

that Barry didn’t have a 

cent to his name. 

When I was a tot, I 

was taught that, after 

you hook a fish you 

should keep your line 

taut so, to get to the meat 

of the matter, I asked them to meet me 

in Barry’s office where, I promised, I 

would mete out the answers. I entered 

the room with my report wrapped in 

plastic as protection against the rain, 

rapped firmly on the table and waited 

until I had their rapt attention. Pushing 

back my chair I rose and announced, 

“I’m sorry folks, but you’re no richer 

than your forebears were in days of 

yore. Barry left all of his money to his 

children from a previous marriage.” 

Those children were Gord, who had 

been gored by a bull after he threw a 

gourd at the animal; Hugh, whose eyes 

were the same hue as Gord’s, and who I 

felt would hew to the party line plus the 

twins Lou and Lew who were so close 

they even went to the loo together in 

lieu of leaving each other, even for a 

few minutes. 

There was a moment of stunned 

silence before their lawyer asked, 

“You mean they’re not going to inherit 

anything?” 

I told them I was sorry and with that 

they tried to rein in their emotions and, 

as they trudged slowly out into the rain 

they realized that Barry could still reign, 

even from the grave. 


P A G E 

28 

Life Taught Me... You are stronger than you think.

If your business offers anything to people 55+, you can advertise too! 

Punography 

• Velcro - what a rip off! 



Weekly Deliveries 

on Sundays 

Easy Order by Phone 

519-491-5797 

• I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest. 

• Venison for dinner? Oh deer! 

• Be kind to your dentist. He has fillings, too. 

• I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded d dough. 

• Haunted French pancakes give me the crepes. 

• Cartoonist found dead in home. Details are sketchy. 

• Earthquake in Washington obviously government's fault. 

• I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not so sure. 

• England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool. 

• I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Marx. 

• All the toilets in New York's police stations have been stolen. 

Police have nothing to go on. 

• Did you hear about the cross eyed teacher who lost her job 

because she couldn't control her pupils? 

Fresh Meals to Your Door 

All Homemade & Prepared Just For You! 

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If you need access to additional funds, 

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the money than taking out a traditional loan. 

For example, you can use your home equity to: 

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Mobile Mortgage 

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Cell: 519-466-3833 

E-mail: 

barry.porter@rbc.com 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Take care of your financial future. 

P A G E 29



Don’t put this down! You’ll have to bend over to pick it back up! 

CAROLYN R L N MOSIER 

BscP.T. MCPA 

Registered 

ered 

ed 

Physiotherapist 

ist 

Forest Physiotherapy 

and Rehabilitation 

10 Watt Street, et 

Forest • 519-786-3336 

36 

Available frozen 

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By appointment please. 

• Farm Raised • Free Range • Non-Medicated 

7078 Wisbeach Road, Arkona 

519-494-1139 • wisbeachchickens@gmail.com 


foresttravelservice.com 519-786-2319 

We’re here to help you 

make travelling easier. 

18 King Street West, Forest 

ESTABLISHED 

IN 1977 

7143 Forest Road, 

Plympton-Wyoming 

(4 km S. of Forest) 

Come 

to our 

on farm 

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stonepickerbrewing.com 

Follow us for live band announcements. 

Tea With Daddy 

One day my mother was out and my dad was in 

charge. I was maybe 1 1/2 years old. 

Open the door to your 

financial well-being. 

Pat Smits 

Financial Advisor 

12 Mac Donald Street 

Forest, ON N0N 1J0 

519-786-4924 

www.edwardjones.ca 

Someone had given me a little tea set as a gift, and 

it was one of my favourite toys. Daddy was in the living room engrossed in 

the evening news and my brother was playing nearby in the living room 

when I brought Daddy a little cup of ‘tea’, which was just water, of course. 

After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom 

came home. My Dad had her wait in the living room to watch me bring him 

a cup of tea, because it was, “just the cutest thing!” 

My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I come down the hall with a cup 

of tea for Daddy! She watches him drink it up, then says, “Did it ever occur 

to you that the only place that baby can reach to get water to make ‘tea’ is 

the toilet?” 

Stay Independent, Prevent Falls 

In my work as a registered 

physiotherapist, I regularly meet clients 

who are at risk of falls. It’s quite common 

to have falls as we age. Falls occur when 

we lose our balance and end up either 

on the ground or lower than where we 

started. Approximately 30% of people 

over the age of 65 fall each year. One 

in five may require medical attention 

which can affect their ability to perform 

daily tasks such as getting into a car, 

rising from a chair, or carrying groceries. 

Preventing falls is important to stay 

independent! 

There are several things that may 

contribute to falls: poor balance, poor 

By Kelly-Lynn Musico, Brights Grove • Registered Physiotherapist, Registered Yoga Teacher 

vision, and dementia to name a few. The 

good news? Many falls can be prevented! 

That’s were my physiotherapy work 

comes into play. I get the privilege of 

educating clients with simple steps to 

help keep them safe of falls. 

Here’s what you can do to lower your 

risk: 

EXERCISE: 

Taking part in regular exercise reduces 

the risk of falls. Ensuring your exercise 

program include both strength and 

balance exercises. Walking, gardening, 

swimming are a few great ways to stay 

active. A registered physiotherapist can 

assist in setting up your exercise program 

that is specific for you. 

HOME SAFETY MODIFICATIONS: 

Making sure the floor is free of clutter 

and tripping hazards. Remove 

scatter rugs. Arrange furniture 

for ease of movement. Keep 

commonly used items 

within reach, so you are 

not bending too low. Ask 

someone to your home 

to help make sure it is set 

up as safely as possible. 

OTHER HEALTH 

INTERVENTIONS: 

Your vision and 

footwear and general health 

can all have an impact—check them out! 

Review all medications with your doctor 

or pharmacist. Even some over-thecounter 

medications can increase your 

risk of falling. 

Keeping yourself safe from falls can 

keep you independent! Stay Active! 

An Old Fashioned Country Store with a Modern Twist! 

• Collecbles & Giware • Kids secon 

• Fudge • Maple Buer Tarts & Baking 

• Williamson Farms Beef & Local Pork, Cider, 

Cheese & Maple Syrup • Gi Baskets 

Wednesday is 

SENIORS DAY! 

Numerous Savings for 55 & over 

Shop Online www.williamsonfarmsmarket.com 

Curbside Pickup is always available • Ask us about delivery! 

14 King St. W., FOREST • 226-520-0144 

January through March - Open Tuesday to Friday 10am-6pm • Saturday 10-5 

P A G E 

30 

Life Taught Me... Always get more than one quote.

Please let us know about places we should be dropping off free copies. 



Stop & shop in Forest, Ontario! 

Check out our downtown - browse our shops, 

enoy a meal at one of our fantastic restaurants or 

take in a movie at the historic Kineto Theatre! 

Make a day of it in Forest! 

Keep up to date with event & shopping information 

on our website, Facebook & Instagram! 

Forest Pharmacy 

Unique Gifts & Greeting Cards 

Herbal Products & Supplements 

Compression Stockings • Mobility Aids 

Purses, Scarves & Jewellery 

*Free Delivery in Lambton Shores 

* Some restrictions apply 

Seniors Save *15% Wednesdays 

View our flyer and services at 

forestpharmacy.ca 

Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-5, Sun & Holidays 10-2 

19 King Street West, Forest, ON 

519-786-5161 

info@forestpharmasave.ca 

SIGNS FROM GOD 

These were found on signs outside of churches. 

WHOEVER IS PRAYING FOR SNOW 

PLEASE STOP 

FRENCH 

A bad compromise is better 

than a good lawsuit. 

A bad workman never 

finds a good tool. 

A big nose never spoiled 

a handsome face. 

A clear conscience is a good pillow. 

A crooked log makes a good fire. 

A door must either be open or shut. 

A drowning man clings to a blade of grass. 

A fool's speech is a bubble of air. 

A good tale is none the worse for being twice told. 

A great fortune in the hands 

of a fool is a great misfortune. 

A handsome shoe often pinches the feet. 

A lame man won't walk with one who is lamer. 

A man travels as far in a day as 

a snail in a hundred years. 

A muffled cat never caught a mouse. 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Home is where your heart is. 

P A G E 31



Please submit a photo of your loved one for this feature page! It’s Free! 



Just u s 

send s n 

us s a photo h o o of f someone m n e who w o 

h has s celebrated ebrated ed any ybirthday y 

oranniversary anniversary, r 

ary , 

a 

rerement, rerement, an award or if they just deserve e recognion. recognion. The main m 

person p 

must s be 55 

5 

or over v and the photo must be of good quality. Photos are not guaranteed to o run. 

. 


Box 430, Bright’s Grove, ON N0N 1C0 

IT’S FREE TO HAVE PHOTOS PUBLISHED! 

Helen Vandevenne 

celebrated her 98th birthday with family and 

friends on Oct 13th. She lives at Thompson 

Gardens in Corunna, previously from Wilkesport. 

Helen and her sister Dorothy Pet who is 96 have 

hand quilted over 100 quilts since moving into this 

Seniors Home. Helen is an inspiraon to all. 

Leah Cullinan 

Happy rerement 

to my wonderful 

wife, Leah! 

Love Rob 

Ken Henry 

Leona Allen 

Rered from Tourism Sarnia Lambton 

aer many years of hard work and 

dedicaon to the community. Leona 

was a key part of TSL and is 

reknowned for knowing everything 

that was happening for people 

travelling in Sarnia-Lambton. 

Firefighter Ken Henry, and his wife, Nancy, were 

recently honoured for 50 years of service by the 

Petrolia/North Enniskillen Fire Department. 

During a recent ceremony at the Petrolia Legion, Ken 

was presented with a plaque from the office of the 

Ontario Fire Marshal, both his 45 and 50 year bars 

to go on his service medal presented by Nelly Green. 

He was also gied a wood carving of a PNEFD 

Maltese cross and an engraved watch presented by 

PNEFD Chief Jay Arns. Greengs were brought by 

dignitaries at all levels of government. Speaking in 

thanks, Firefighter Henry spoke about some of the 

changes, challenges and champions of his 50 years 

of volunteer service. 

Ron Vanderburgt 

with some of the 60 plus birthday 

cards he received for his 60th 

birthday on October 8th. Ron’s 

four children organized this 

unique surprise. 

Bob Topliffe 

Bob, of Wyoming and a member of 

Petrolia Toastmasters, was recently 

awarded a MEMBERS MAKING A 

DIFFERENCE award from District 86 

Toastmasters. This award recognizes 

that Bob has volunteered with RAYJON 

for more than 20 years and has been a 

part of more than 40 eyeglass clinics in 

Hai, Mexico, Dominican Republic and 

other third world countries. 

P A G E 

32 

Life Taught Me... Never piss off the bartender.

Sometimes, no news really is good news. 

3G CUSTOM APPAREL & MORE 

T-shirt & Sweater Pressing 

FUNDRAISERS WELCOME 

Photo credit: 

Phil Collins 

(for real) 

4110 Petrolia Line 

Petrolia 

519-882-1212 

~ OPEN 6 Days a Week ~ 

Tues. to Sat. 11am to 8pm 

Sunday 11am to 6pm 

My Lefthanded, Backwards, 

Upsidedown Life & Assorted Short Stories 

Well, back in the old days, I was 

pretty much terrified of girls. I knew 

I liked what they had to offer, but was 

pretty uninterested in actually seeking 

them out. Didn’t like to put them in 

the awkward position of having to 

crush my dreams and didn’t like to 

be put in the position of having my 

dreams crushed. Problem was that 

I’d made new friends in high school, 

and these guys were obsessed with 

chasing girls – it was pretty much all 

they thought about – except possibly 

how to get hold of some liquor and 

get drunk – because that was starting 

to happen as well – but that’s another 

story. Anyway, if you were intent on 

chasing girls, it meant that you were 

likely going to end up going to dances 

– and, if you remember, dances were 

not my favourite activity. 

However, in order to be one of 

the crowd, I knew I’d have to attend 

dances. So, I bucked it up and went 

to the first few dances of the school 

year. Everything was going okay 

because I would sort of hide off to 

the side of the event and let my 

buddies have their way with the girls. 

In those days, most dances featured 

a live band, so it was always good 

to watch the band – mainly because 

things were happening in that area 

of my life as well – but that’s another 

story, too. And, so, I ended up in my 

Sunday best at the annual Valentine’s 

Dance. Not really too worried, but 

knowing I’d need to keep my guard 

up nonetheless…… 

And the dance was going okay, and 

I was doing my usual hiding, when 

something unfortunate happened. 

One of my newfound buddies wanted 

to dance with this certain girl in the 

worst way – but she had a friend she 

was with…and none of the other guys 

seemed to be around. So, he asked the 

By John Gardiner 

The following is an excerpt from “My Lefthanded, 

Backwards, Upsidedown Life & Assorted Short Stories” 

by Wallaceburg writer John Gardiner, who grew up and 

came of age in Hanover, Ontario during the 1950’s and 

1960’s. In this memoir, Gardiner tells the story of his 

growing-up years with a series of colourful anecdotes 

about the way life used to be. More of the writer’s work is 

available at www.johngardinerstories.com or by contacting 

the author at gardiner@kent.net. 

I Attend the Valentine’s Dance 

inevitable question in a circumstance 

like this. Would I go with him and ask 

the friend to dance. I said, “No, man, 

I don’t actually dance.” He responded 

that it was a dance I was attending 

and he’d buy me a “ten-to-go” bag of 

French Fries after if I’d do it. So, off 

we headed across the dance floor. And 

before I knew it, I was dancing. It was 

a slow tune and for my generation of 

dancers what that meant was that all 

you had to do was grapple with your 

partner – there were no real steps but 

it was good if you kept your feet to 

yourself. I made it through the song, 

whereupon the girl I had asked said 

her thanks and headed off. I don’t 

remember how my friend made out, 

but I had done my duty….and I’d 

danced with a real live girl and lived 

to tell about it. 

Now the thing was that at the 

annual Valentine’s Dance, they had 

a tradition at old HDHS and that was 

that near the end of the night, they 

crowned the “Queen of Hearts.” And 

the way they did this was by putting 

all the girls’ names in a big empty 

thing, then drawing out one of them. 

And, of course, they pulled the name 

of the girl I’d danced with. So, she 

headed off up to the stage to receive 

her honours. And when she got there, 

something truly horrible happened. 

They asked her who she had last 

danced with – and, you guessed it, it 

was me. And, suddenly, I was on stage 

and I was the “King of Hearts”……. 

Wow…..They slapped a cardboard 

crown on my head and shoved a 

sceptre into my hands and I was all 

set. Truly one of the most traumatic 

things that has ever happened to me. 

I did survive, but it was a close call. It 

taught me that I’d need to do a better 

job of hiding as I journeyed through 

life. Hide well, my friends, because 

there are bad things in life and they’re 

just waiting out there to get you. 


Established in 1978, 

Lambton Pharmacy continues to 

provide caring, professional pharmacy 

services to residents of the beautiful 

town of Petrolia and Lambton County. 

4130 Glenview Rd, Unit 2, Petrolia 

519-882-0650 

Danielle Edgar, B.Sc., PharmD 

Pharmacist 

Monday–Friday 9–6 

Saturday 9–12 

HOGAN 

P•H•A•R•M•A•C•Y 

Beautiful Gift Shop 

• Wedding • Birthday 

• Baby • Home Decor 


Everything for 

your Kning, 

Crocheng, 

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- Menon this ad for a 15% discount - 

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Wed.10-5 • Thurs.10-6 • Fri.10-5 • Sat. 10-3 

www.country-yarns.com 

395 Fletcher St 

Petrolia, Ontario 

4177 Petrolia Line, Petrolia • (519) 882-1840 

THE WALK 

OF DOWNTOWN PETROLIA 

Petrolia’s Alternative Fuel 

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blackgold.beer 

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winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Never assume everyone has the same heart as you do. P A G E 33


VAST SELECTION OF TEAS 

Exquisite Giftware 

Home & Garden Decor 

Jewellery • Gourmet Foods 

4192 Petrolia Line • Petrolia • 519-882-0238 

• Fresh Produce 

• Fresh Meat 

• Party Trays 

• Bakery 

• Deli 


FULL SERVICE FLORIST • LOCAL ART 

4194 Petrolia Line, Petrolia • 519- 882-1330 

My Daily Work Out 

Here I am at eighty, I need more exercise, 

Doctor says its good for you, keeps you fit and wise. 

So I got up this morning and "dragged my heels" a bit, 

Now that's a great beginning, should really keep me fit. 

Then "jumping to conclusions" and "climbing walls" I know, 

Will help build up my muscles and help my spirits grow. 

I push my luck and get to work, "and 'round in circles run," 

While "bending over backwards" that's really not much fun. 

Making "mountains out of molehills" & "swallowing my pride," 

I feel I've had my exercise, at least I think I tried. 

So now I think I should relax and things are done and said, 

I'll "put off until tomorrow" and go crawl into bed. 

Every Tuesday is SENIORS DISCOUNT DAY 

10% OFF for age 60 and over (must tell cashier) 

Doesn’t apply to tobacco, lottery or gift cards 

By Mariann 

Pafford, 

London 

• Bulk Food 

• Seasonal 

Merchandise 

• Flower 

Market 

60 might be the new 40, but 9 pm is the new midnight. 

www.albanyretirementvillage.com 

Retirement 

Village 

Downtown Retirement Living 

in a Quaint Victorian Town 

Call to Book a Tour: 

423 Albany Street 

Petrolia, ON 

519-882-3157 

Enjoy Friends | Enjoy Independence | Enjoy Life 

TOP 10 

1962 

Country Songs 

1 Ned Miller From a Jack to a King 

2 Claude King Wolverton Mountain 

3 Marty Robbins Devil Woman 

4 Patsy Cline She's Got You 

5 Marty Robbins Ruby Ann 

6 Patsy Cline Crazy 

7 Carl Butler Don't Let Me Cross Over 

8 Walter Brennan Old Rivers 

9 Jim Reeves Losing Your Love 

Source: 

10 Jim Reeves Adios Amigo playback.fm 

Billboard Hits 

1 Pat Boone Speedy Gonzales 

2 Ray Charles I Can't Stop Loving You 

3 The Tornados Telstar 

4 Elvis Presley Return to Sender 

5 Elvis Presley Good Luck Charm 

6 Chris Montez Let's Dance 

7 Elvis Presley Can't Help Falling in Love 

8 Little Eva The Loco-Motion 

9 Bobby Vinton Roses Are Red 

10 Elvis Presley She's Not You 

Source: 

playback.fm 

Movies 

Lawrence of Arabia 

(Oscar for Best Picture) 

The Longest Day 

In Search of Castaways 

That Touch of Mink 

The Music Man 

Mutiny on The Bounty 

To Kill A Mockingbird 

Hatari! 

Gypsy 

Lolita 

Source: the-numbers.com 



Use our easy 

ONLINE 

SHOPPING 

SERVICE 

www.yourindependentgrocer.ca 

We’ll bring your groceries to your car! 

P A G E 

34 

4136 Petrolia Line, 

Petrolia • 519-882-2211 

www.yourindependentgrocer.ca 

Life Taught Me... Have a sense of humour.

You’re not getting older, you’re just becoming a classic! 



BOB BAILEY 

MPP – Sarnia-Lambton 

Building A Better Sarnia-Lambton 

Presenting petitions at Queen’s 

Park on behalf of seniors living 

in Ontario land lease 

communities, including 

Bluewater Country in Sarnia. 

Proudly attending a Righteous 

Among the Nations ceremony 

hosted by Israel in Toronto, which 

recognized the heroism of late 

Lambton County residents Jan and 

Elsje Snippe for saving a Jewish 

boy in the Netherlands during The 

Holocaust. 

Recognizing the 100th anniversary 

of the Sarnia Cenotaph and the 

restoration of the 100-year-old 

“Tommy” statue after it was 

damaged. 

Visiting local industry with the 

Minister of Energy (centre) and Rob 

Thompson, NOVA Chemicals VP 

Manufacturing East. 

Welcome to 2022 – and congratulations to The Club on a very 

successful first year. As the sophomore year of this unique 

publication kicks off, I know we’re all excited to see what 

informative, entertaining and humourous features The Club team 

will deliver in the next 12 months to its thousands of 55+ readers! 

Although 2021 continued to provide many challenges, almost 

everyone I’ve spoken with in recent months has been more 

positive and upbeat as life in Ontario returns to normal. Even if 

we’re not completely out of the pandemic woods yet, I think all of 

us are feeling more optimistic about the future. 

With the end of Ontario’s 42nd Parliament coming this spring, 

there is still plenty of work to be done at Queen’s Park, including 

a new budget that will set the stage for the province’s future. As 

your Member of Provincial Parliament since 2007, I have always 

advocated strongly for everyone in Sarnia-Lambton, ensuring 

that our local issues are front and centre. Additionally, over the 

past several months, I’ve been honoured to make numerous 

funding announcements in support of programs that are directed 

specifically to the needs of those 55+, many of whom are living 

on fixed incomes. 

Just a reminder that if you have concerns related to any 

provincial matters, my Constituency Office staff is always 

available to help. Please check out my contact information at the 

bottom of this page and feel free to stop by my office, call or 

email any time. 

I’d like to extend my best wishes to all The Club’s readers for a 

healthy and prosperous 2022. Stay safe and be well! 

Talking with workers at the 

former Lambton Generating 

Station prior to the proposed 

demolition in early 2022. 

CONSTITUENCY OFFICE 

805 Christina St. North, Suite 102 

Point Edward, ON N7V 1X6 

Celebrating the 150th 

anniversary of First Baptist 

Church in Petrolia with Pastor 

Alex Craig. 

Contact Bob Bailey 

Tel.: 519-337-0051 

Fax: 519-337-3246 

Participating in the Ontario 

Trillium Foundation event in 

Petrolia to celebrate Lambton 

County Developmental Service’s 

$53,000 grant for a new 

accessible mini-van. 

Discussing local economic issues 

with the Associate Minister of 

Small Business and Red Tape 

Reduction (left) and Terri O’Brien, 

owner of local business Feather 

Your Nest 

E-mail: bob.baileyco@pc.ola.org 

Website: bobbaileympp.com 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Be thankful you live in Canada. 

P A G E 35


WYOMING 

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• Residential 

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• Re-Roofs 

• New Work 

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519-845-3596 

If this brings back good memories, send us some of your own. 

You’ve got a lot riding on those tires! 

You can trust 

Wyoming Tirecraft 

for personal 

small town service. 



T he Winsomeness of Winter 

By Janet Robinson, Burlington • from Daytripping Nov-Dec 2021 

I have to admit, I am not a fan of 

winter. I tend to hibernate during the 

cold months, awaiting the warmth of 

spring, and the emergence of the beauty 

of flowers and greenery once again. 

I gather my books together for good 

reads, peruse new recipes to try, and 

live the indoor life with the satisfaction 

that I am warm and comfortable. 

Yet, winter does have a certain charm 

to it. Everyone loves to see a landscape 

with newly fallen snow like feathery 

pillows tenderly placed on each branch 

and surrounding foliage. It’s peaceful 

and calming to view. 

I would often look out the window 

during an evening snowfall and marvel 

at the diamond-like sparks of colour, 

flashing from tiny snowflakes as the 

outdoor lights lit up those flakes, 

displaying all the colours of the rainbow. 

Reds, greens, blues, oranges, all shouting 

with unheard voices, “Behold!” 

And there is such elegance in the 

ice-laden branches of trees and other 

structures after an episode of freezing 

rain. The following day’s sun glistens 

on every part of the landscape and it is 

a treat to drive around for a few hours 

before it melts away to behold what 

nature has given as a fleeting covering 

of what appears to be crystal and glass 

everywhere. 

Some folk are very brave and layer 

up in warm clothing venturing out for 

walks and sometimes escapades into 

the wooded areas or fields to view the 

birds and other animals. There is an 

abundance of life in the perceived dead 

landscape, with the antics of squirrels 

scurrying about, nuthatches eagerly 

eating up the suet a benevolent home 

owner has put out, and deer silently 

walking through the ubiquitous down 

which has blanketed the fields. Yes, 

there is life in the frozen land. 

Winter has inspired photographers 

and painters who give recognition to the 

often overlooked tranquility of this silent 

world. The pristine white is the perfect 

backdrop for the scarlets of cardinals 

and berries, the greens of the pine and 

spruce trees, the blues of the jays, and 

the blacks and browns and rust colours 

of other creatures. The artists of the 

world have always appreciated the visual 

gifts that this frigid season has given us. 

Children have consistently embraced 

the season, building snowmen and 

forts, making snow angels, sliding on 

the ice. This is not a strange world to 

them, but another opportunity to play 

in a different and creative way and 

their rosy cheeks and gleeful smiles 

attest to the joy the season has brought 

them. Likewise, most dogs are thrilled 

to have the chance to plough through 

the fresh snow and roll in it with great 

exuberance, and it lightens the heart to 

watch them. 

So rather than sigh with discouragement 

and impatience as we await the warmer 

seasons, we should see winter through 

new eyes and a heart of gratitude for the 

beauty which continues through the next 

few months. It’s there if we look for it. 

Wyoming 


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547 Ontario Street, Wyoming • 519-845-0813 • tirecraft.com 

Phrase Origins Pull Out All the Stops 

Refers to using every possible effort to achieve something. 

Pipe organs have many sets of pipes, with knobs called 

stops, to control the air flow. Usually they are 

strategically pulled out to achieve a specific sound, but 

when they are ALL pulled out, it results in a very full 

sound, with maximum volume. 

Green County Ebikes 

and 

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Batteries 

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TUES. TO SAT. 

9AM - 5PM 

P A G E 

36 

Life Taught Me... Nothing is ever as it seems.

Let’s grow old together. You go first. 



Wyoming’s First and Only 

Health Food Store & Refillery 

Growing 

A Greener 

Community, 

One Tree 

At A Time 

647 Broadway Street, Wyoming 

226-307-0694 • suncoastnaturalhealth.ca 

FARM FRESH ARTISAN GOAT CHEESE 

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SPECIALTY FOODS AS WELL 

569 BROADWAY ST, WYOMING • 519-845-1613 

SENIORS 10% OFF (65+) 

Contact Us: 519-845-0847 

info@wyomingtreeservice.ca 

Confessions of a Stoker 

I am in love with central heating. 

Each time I saunter into the hall and 

turn the thermostat up or down, a 

smug smile lights my face. For life 

wasn’t always so simple. 

Soon after our marriage, my husband 

and I moved into his parents’ home on 

their one hundred acre farm. We had 

our own private living quarters in half 

of the one-storey home and my in-laws 

shared the other half. Unfortunately, 

we also had our own coal stove. To a 

girl raised in an apartment building 

who had never set eyes on a furnace 

much less an ancient cook stove, the 

results proved to be a near disaster. 

My mother-in-law was a wellintentioned 

woman with 40 years stove 

tending experience behind her. She 

was given to daily periodic inspections 

into our half of the house to peer 

beneath the grates. And not without 

good reason. 

A gingerly lift of the lid and 

wild, grasping flames would leap 

uncontrollably out of the innards, 

licking savagely at her arms and face. 

Then, with the patience of Job and nary 

By Estelle Salata, Dundas • www.estellesalata.ca • From Daytripping Nov-Dec 2016 

an accusation in my direction, she 

would bank the fire with just the right 

amount of coal or wood. No more, no 

less. I soon began to regard her as a 

sort of genius whose great talent for 

tending fires was being wasted on 

incidentals. She would have excelled 

as a forest ranger in the northern 

hinterland. 

On one of her daily rounds she 

found me huddled in the ashes like 

Cinderella. She caught me bundled up 

to my eyeballs in scarves, parka, wool 

socks and boots. A near empty box of 

burnt matches gave mute testimony to 

my ineffective attempts at becoming 

an efficient farm wife. 

With a sympathetic cluck of her 

tongue, she stoically took one match 

and built a crackling fire in a matter 

of minutes. Even after a year, I still 

required a week’s supply of newspapers 

and a full box of matches. 

One cold, blustery mid-winter 

afternoon, she popped in and caught 

me garbed in beach wear with the 

windows wide open. I dropped the fan 

I had been waving, and passed it off 

663 Broadway Street 

Wyoming, ON N0N 1T0 

519-845-3212 

beth@bethhackettins.ca 

623 Broadway St., Wyoming • 519-845-9915 • VillageFireplaceShop.com 

with a weak, sickly grin. 

It was in the chill days of mid winter 

that the Stove War, as I was prone to 

call it, got completely out of hand. One 

evening around midnight my husband 

and I awakened suddenly. I had dreamt 

of getting lost in the Sahara desert. It 

felt as if the hot sun still blazed down 

on us. 

“Why is the ceiling pink?” I asked 

my husband. 

A check on the stove showed that 

it had scored another triumph. The 

entire surface area was red hot. The 

walls and furniture felt uncomfortably 

warm. We threw open the windows 

and door, praying that stray animals 

wouldn’t wander inside. We dragged 

the furniture closer to the door just in 

case we had to make a quick getaway. 

We tip-toed quietly through the silent 

house. I prayed that my mother-in-law 

would continue to sleep through the 

entire disgraceful episode. 

We were forced to wear coats, 

go outside and stand on the back 

stoop until the heating cooled down. 

Some two hours later, when the stove 

had finally spent itself, 

we crept back into the 

house, bleary-eyed with 

lack of sleep. Congratulating 

ourselves on a job well done, 

we heard a slight click of the 

adjoining door. We looked up 

to see a ghost-like figure clad in 

a white, flannelette nightgown 

carrying a water bucket. 

“Why is all the furniture 

piled up over by the window?” 

my mother-in-law asked in an 

innocent voice. 

I stammered back the first 

words that came to my head. 

“We didn’t want to burn 

the house down?” 

Just for a moment, I 

thought of moving back 

to the city first thing 

in the morning. 

Can anyone blame 

me for being in 

love with automatic 

heating? 

Great Local Service 

AUTO • HOME • FARM • INSURANCE 

winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Always dance in the rain. 

P A G E 37



Putting the Grey in Great! 



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Bandmasters in Lambton County 

Courtesy of Lambton Archives, County of Lambton 

607 Broadway Street, Wyoming 519-845-3341 

Lambton County has a vibrant musical 

history. Every community in Lambton 

County has been inspired to put some 

sort of music group together and it was 

the presence of the military in Lambton 

County that helped music flourish. The 

military wore handsome 

uniforms and they needed 

music to accompany their 

assemblies, marches and 

and growth of our musical history in 

Lambton County. 

William Brush 

A man devoted to the stirring music 

of military and concert bands and 

school orchestra’s in Sarnia was William 

E. Brush. Bandmaster Brush 

was born in Watford in the 

year 1880. He moved to 

Forest where as a young man 

special events. With a 

he became a cornetist with 

variety of instruments, 

the local band. Interested in 

concert bands have 

pursuing a career in music, 

emerged to the delight of 

community residents and 

the pride of community 

he moved to Toronto where 

he studied under Capt. John 

Slatter of the Toronto’s 48th 

leaders. 

Highlanders Band. Brush 

The bandmaster or 

was a featured euphoniumist 

conductor led the bands William Brush in that city for several years. 

while choosing the music, motivating, 

and directing the musicians. Without 

the bandmaster, the band would often 

disintegrate. Here we feature two 

striking band masters who had a large 

musical impact on the development 

Mr. Brush moved to Sarnia in 1909 

and joined the 27th Regimental Band 

as cornetist and Bandmaster. When the 

27th Regiment was removed from the 

Sarnia Militia List, the band became 

known as the Sarnia Citizens Band. 

When the Sarnia Board 

of Education decided to 

establish an orchestra 

at Sarnia Collegiate 

Institute, he was brought 

in to train, teach, and 

direct the school band. 

For a number of years 

he was also organist and 

choirmaster at Devine 

Street Methodist and 

later he became the first 

President of the Lambton 

County Music Festival. 

A Bandmasters Funeral: William Brush 

To many in Sarnia, 

William Brush was 

known as the quietspoken 

Bandmaster 

of the Sarnia Citizens 

Band for 46 years. He 

never missed a parade, 

concert, or practice. 

His death in December 

of 1954 shocked and 

saddened the Sarnia 

Community. His efforts 

with countless musically 

Percy Cox leading the White Roase Band 

minded students in local schools and 

able leadership of the city band was 

unsurpassed. He earned the respect 

and admiration of bandmasters and 

bandsmen across the 

province with his counsel 

highly regarded, especially 

for his knack of turning 

amateur musical groups 

into finely tuned musical 

organizations. 

Percie Cox 

Percie Cox began 

his musical career at 

the age of 17 when he 

became a member of the Percy Cox 

Leytonston Salvation Army Band and 

the Headquarters singers located on 

Fortress Road, London England. It is 

with the band that he studied the cornet 

and at sometime early in life the piano, 

becoming proficient in both. 

On March 16th, 1911, Percie set 

sale for Canada, leaving the harbor in 

Liverpool at 4:50pm. By March 27th he 

made it to Port Arthur where he met his 

future wide Eva MacArthur. 

To Percie, music was the love of his 

life which he pursued with vigor and 

with much success. He immediately 

joined local concert bands while 

working, raising a family, and teaching 

piano and other musical 

instruments. By 1939 his 

music career flourished and 

Percie took a job with the 

Canadian Oil Company in 

Petrolia, being offered the 

position of Bandmaster of 

its newly acquired Petrolia 

Citizens Band, later known 

as the Petrolia White Rose 

Band. Immediately he took 

to preparing the band for 

the Canadian National Exhibition in 

Toronto, and to everyone’s delight, led 

the band to take the first prize at the 

C.N.E in 1927, 1928, and 1929. 

Teaching was an important part of 

his life in Petrolia. In his small studio 

in the Town Hall, he gave instruction to 

hundreds of young men and women in 

wind, reed, and tympanic instruments. 

He continued his love for music and 

the band until his peaceful passing in 

August 1969. 

P A G E 

38 

Life Taught Me... Have no expectations.

Thanks again - keep this copy or pass it on to a friend please. 



winter 2022 Life Taught Me... Learn to enjoy your own company. 

P A G E 39

Check out our Facebook page and 

watch how LEO, The Sarnia Sting, 

and the Strangway Centre, 

City of Sarnia are connecting 

across generations! 

Volunteers needed for: 

Meals on Wheels 

• Deliver to: Port Franks, Forest, 

Wallaceburg, Corunna & Petrolia 

• Monday, Wednesday & Friday 

for approximately two hours 

• Use personal vehicle (mileage 

provided) or agency vehicle 

• Proof of Covid-19 Vaccination required 

Friendly Visiting 

• Weekly face-to-face or 

over-the-phone meetings to foster 

meaningful connections and help 

decrease feelings of isolation! 

The Peer Program: 

For You, By You! 

The Peer Program at Lambton Elderly 

Outreach is a peer-to-peer social group 

from those who want to participate in 

various social activities planned for and by 

participants! All content is generated by 

the members who have an interest in a 

particular area then we make it happen! 

Past events include coffee and chat, 

painting in the park, and bingo! To be a 

part of this group, please call or email the 

Community Engagement Specialist at 

519-845-1353 ext 310. 

aweiler@lambtonelderlyoutreach.org. 

How We Can 

Help You Live 

at Home 

Transportation 

Non-Urgent Stretcher Van 

Meals on Wheels 

Home Maintenance 

Personal Care 

Home Help 

Care Giver Respite Support 

Crisis Intervention 

Housing Support 

The Peer Program 

Friendly Visiting 

Diners Club 

LEO Scored 98% Exemplary Standing 

for providing Quality Services 

Funded in part by the United Way of Sarnia-Lambton 

and Jackpot City, Sarnia 

Lambton Elderly Outreach • 1-800-265-0203 • www.lambtonelderlyoutreach.orgb ld l h

Welcome to the Club - Winter 2022

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