Huron-Perth Boomers Spring 2025

A FREE magazine for adults 50+
SPRING 2025 — Volume 10, Issue 1
The Brooks
HISTORY
Nothing
but hot air
The dubious history of Stratford’s
steam-powered car
TRAVEL
WHAT’S
YOUR
STYLE?
There's no wrong way
to see the world
SPOTLIGHT
The Salt Man
Author explores family history
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
As I sit down to write this, the last traces of winter are still clinging
stubbornly to the landscape. It has been a long, traditional winter in
Huron-Perth – the kind that tests our patience with endless snowfalls, road
closures, biting winds, and dark mornings. But now, the promise of spring is
finally in the air. The days are stretching longer, the sun feels warmer, and
we can all start to shake off the cold and step forward into something new.
We dive into the fascinating story of The Brooks Steam Car and the snakeoil
salesman who convinced the City of Stratford and many of its residents to
invest in a business that proved to be nothing but hot air. History also comes
to life in fiction, and this issue highlights a local author behind The Salt
Man, a gripping historical novel, based on her family’s connection to the
Goderich salt trade. Learn about the inspirations behind the book and the
journey from idea to publication.
CONTENTS
Arthritis • 4
Brooks Steam Car • 8
Types of travel • 14
The Salt Man • 22
Fun in Phoenix • 26
Recipe • 30
As the season shifts, so do our bodies. Arthritis affects millions, yet it’s often
misunderstood. Our piece provides practical tips for living well with arthritis.
For travel lovers, forget rigid guides – travel your own way. Whether
discovering hidden gems or revisiting familiar places, this article by Laura
Lee Giliberti celebrates personal, meaningful exploration and travelling in
a way that best suits your style.
Spring is the perfect time to reflect on the past
while embracing new experiences. We hope this
issue sparks curiosity and inspiration, so grab a
cup of tea, find a cozy spot, and dive in. Here’s
to new beginnings, fresh adventures, and the
stories that connect us all.
Amy Irwin, Publisher
Grey-Bruce Boomers
SPRING 2025
Publisher
Amy Irwin
amy@huronperthboomers.com
Magazine Design
Becky Grebenjak
Advertising inquiries
Amy Irwin
amy@huronperthboomers.com
Huron-Perth Boomers welcomes
your feedback.
EMAIL
amy@huronperthboomers.com
PHONE 519-524-0101
MAIL
P.O. Box 287, Ripley, ON N0G 2R0
Huron-Perth Boomers is distributed for free in Huron and Perth
counties, and is published each March, June, September, and
December. Distribution of this publication does not constitute
endorsement of information, products or services by Huron-Perth
Boomers, its writers or advertisers. Viewpoints of contributors and
advertisers are not necessarily those of the Publisher. Huron-Perth
Boomers reserves the right to edit, reject or comment on all material
and advertising contributed. No portion of Huron-Perth Boomers may
be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Living with
arthritis
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT AND
FINDING SUPPORT BY TRISH BARBATO
4 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

byTrish Barbato
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
For one in five people in Canada, arthritis is more
than an inconvenience – it’s a daily battle that
limits their ability to enjoy activities like playing with
grandchildren, caring for their garden, travelling,
volunteering, or even climbing stairs.
Many people associate arthritis with the natural
course of aging, but its reality is far more serious
than occasional stiffness or achy joints. For six
million people in Canada, arthritis is a life-altering,
often devastating condition that steals quality of
life, mobility, physical and mental health, and ends
careers earlier than planned. It disrupts daily life, is a
leading case of disability and workplace limitations,
and can leave people feeling isolated and alone in
their chronic pain.
Half of people living with arthritis are under 65 and,
while the disease can strike anyone at any age and
can last a lifetime, the likelihood of being impacted
by it increases with age. In Canada, nearly half of
people over 65 live with arthritis and nearly 60 per
cent living with it are women.
Despite its widespread impact, arthritis remains
significantly underfunded and misunderstood. And it’s
not just a problem for today; by 2045, the number of
people in Canada living with arthritis is projected to
rise to nine million. There is still no known cure for
arthritis, but researchers are working diligently toward
a different outcome.
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is not just one condition; it’s a term for over
100 different diseases that cause swelling and pain
in the joints and can also affect other tissues and
parts of the body. Did you know that some types of
arthritis can affect the heart, eyes, lungs, kidneys and
even the skin? And it is rarely a singular condition.
Many people with arthritis also face other serious
health issues like heart disease or diabetes, making its
impact even more significant.
There are two main kinds of arthritis – inflammatory
and osteoarthritis. Inflammation causes pain,
stiffness, redness and swelling in joints or tissue. If
left untreated, inflammation can lead to permanent
joint damage or changes that result in loss of
function and disability. You may have heard of types
of inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis,
psoriatic arthritis, or gout.
The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis
(OA), affecting more people in Canada than all other
forms of arthritis combined. OA is a progressive
disease affecting the whole joint that leads to the
breakdown of joint cartilage and the underlying
bone. Joints naturally repair and replace damaged
tissues from everyday use; however, over time, wear
and tear on joints can outpace the body’s ability to
repair them, leading to OA.
Being overweight also increases the risk of OA
because extra weight puts added stress on joints like
the knees and hips.
How does arthritis affect life?
Arthritis can have a devastating impact on every
aspect of a person’s life, far beyond chronic pain.
Its debilitating effects can rob people of cherished
moments, like spending time with family, enjoying
activities with friends, or even just cooking a meal.
Arthritis can steal mobility and independence,
upending retirement plans and making simple joys
like walking in nature feel out of reach. Everyday
tasks like baking, cleaning, grocery shopping, or
completing projects around the house become
increasingly challenging. Even personal hygiene can
feel overwhelming during arthritis flare-ups.
Arthritis is unpredictable; it doesn’t keep a schedule.
You wake up not knowing how you will feel and what
you’ll be able to do. It’s an exhausting, exasperating
and often invisible disease, and you may feel like no
one understands what you’re living with.
SPRING 2025 • 5

HEALTH AND WELLNESS
byTrish Barbato
The emotional toll is equally significant. People
living with arthritis are more likely to face anxiety,
mood disorders, poor mental health, and difficulty
sleeping compared to those without the condition.
It’s a disease that affects both the body and the mind,
impacting overall quality of life in profound ways.
How is arthritis diagnosed and treated?
One of the biggest hurdles in managing arthritis
is getting a diagnosis. The process often involves a
combination of medical history, physical exams and
diagnostic tests like blood work or X-rays. While it
may take time, early diagnosis is crucial. Starting
treatment as soon as possible can help slow the
progression of the disease and prevent irreversible
joint damage.
If you’re experiencing symptoms like persistent joint
pain, stiffness, or swelling, don’t dismiss it as just
getting older. Talk to your doctor.
Knowledge is power when you live with arthritis.
You have an essential role to play in managing your
symptoms; it’s important that you learn all you can
about your disease and proactively ask your health
care provider questions about treatment options and
self-management tips.
Arthritis impacts everyone differently, so treatment
plans should be personalized to meet each person’s
unique needs. This requires guidance from a team
of health care professionals, which may include your
family doctor, rheumatologist, surgeon, pharmacist,
physiotherapist, or occupational therapist.
Sometimes treatment includes medication; it
almost always includes lifestyle and dietary changes
alongside physical activity.
There are many resources out there to empower you
to lead the fight to manage arthritis in your life.
Tips for living well with arthritis
Keep moving – When movement becomes
painful, it’s tempting to avoid it altogether. However,
staying active is essential. For people with arthritis,
regular physical activity is one of the best ways
to support healthy joints, ease pain and enhance
mobility. If arthritis steals your ability to participate
in some of your favourite activities, it’s easy to get
discouraged. However, “motion is lotion” and
any movement is better for your joints than none.
Low-impact activities like walking, tai chi, arthritisfriendly
yoga, and swimming are gentle on your
joints while keeping you active. Building muscle to
support your joints is especially important when
living with osteoarthritis, so incorporate some light
weight-bearing exercises. Work with your health care
provider or physiotherapist for the best activity plan
for your ability.
Arthritis-friendly food – Beyond movement, how
you nourish your body is important too. Evidence shows
that choosing anti-inflammatory foods like salmon,
walnuts and brown rice, while maintaining a healthy
lifestyle, can reduce inflammation in your joints if you
live with rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis.
Lean on your support network – Living with
the chronic pain and limitations of arthritis can be
a very isolating and lonely experience. Your loved
ones want to support you, but they often don’t know
exactly what you need. Let them into your world and
share specifically how they can help. Is it too much
today to carry groceries in or run an errand? You
don’t need to struggle alone – let others help you.
Some people find their social circles shrink when they
can no longer do their favourite activities. If you can
relate, you might enjoy a new hobby or meeting new
friends through a low-impact activity like walking.
Check your local community centres or libraries for
social clubs near you.
Be kind to yourself – Living with arthritis can be
overwhelming, exhausting and truly debilitating. On
tough days, when you can’t accomplish everything
you’d hoped to, be patient and kind with yourself.
Thank your body for what it can do and embrace selfcompassion
and flexibility when plans need to change.
6 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

byTrish Barbato
Resources
Arthritis Society Canada offers a variety of resources
and programs to help support people in Ontario and
across Canada living with arthritis, including:
Arthritis Talks – A free webinar series that connects
thousands of people with subject-matter experts on
topics like arthritis medications, pain management,
nutrition, and caregiving strategies.
Arthritis Line – Living with arthritis can be
challenging for both those diagnosed and their family
members. Connecting with a trusted resource for upto-date,
reliable and evidence-based information can
provide some relief. Arthritis Line is a free telephone
support service offering personalized arthritis support
and resources in both English and French. Call
1-800-321-1433 to connect with a representative.
Hope for a brighter future
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Arthritis research is progressing, with exciting
advancements to improve how we diagnose, treat
and prevent arthritis. As Canada’s largest nonprofit
funder of arthritis research, Arthritis Society
Canada advocates at all government levels for
increased funding to drive arthritis research further
and supports Canada’s leading researchers working
to uncover innovative solutions that bring us closer
to a cure. Together, we can build momentum for a
brighter future, offering hope to millions of people
in Canada living with arthritis.
Trish Barbato is President & CEO at Arthritis Society
Canada. Visit arthritis.ca to donate or learn more about
research initiatives and discover how you can get involved in
creating a pain-free future beyond the limits of arthritis.
Arthritis Rehabilitation and Education
Program (AREP) – In Ontario, AREP is a program
that provides a range of treatment and education
services by our team of trained physiotherapists,
occupational therapists and social work professionals.
Services are funded by the Ontario government if
you have an Ontario Health Card and a confirmed
diagnosis of arthritis. To make a self-referral for a
free appointment at the AREP clinic in southwestern
Ontario, call 1-800-321-1433.
Stair lifts
Walkers / Wheel chairs
Incontinence / Compression Products
Bracing / Pillows / Slippers
Chair Lifts
Scooters / Ramps
First Aid / Ostomy Products
Bathroom Safety Supplies
Visit arthritis.ca to learn more about these programs
and discover more arthritis resources.
St. Marys
566 Queen St E.
519-284-4348 www.actionhealthcare.ca
Stratford
305 Romeo St. S. Unit 3
519-271-6700
SPRING 2025 • 7

HISTORY
nothing
but hot air
THE BROOKS STEAM-POWERED CAR WASN’T ALL IT WAS PROMISED TO BE
BY JOHN KASTNER
This is a promotional photo of the Brooks Steam Car parked in front of one of Stratford’s finest and most stately
homes – 210 Water St. This house was just a couple of blocks away from the Brooks Steam Car factory at 500
Ontario St. All photos courtesy the collection of the Stratford Perth Museum
8 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

by John Kastner
HISTORY
Stratford, Ont., is best
known as the home of
the Stratford Festival – one
of the foremost repertory
annually operating theatres
in North America.
Brooks factory at 500 Ontario St., Stratford.
The Festival’s stock and trade is Shakespeare and
a theatre buff will know that deceit and theft are a
pretty common theme of The Bard’s work. Hamlet,
Twelfth Night, Cymbeline, Julius Caesar, the Scottish
play, and The Merchant of Venice all involve dishonesty,
deception and betrayal in one form or another. It’s
a bit ironic then that Stratford’s grandest production
of deceptive theatre didn’t take place at the Stratford
Festival at all but instead was carefully staged and
directed at a factory just a few hundred metres away
from the thrust stage.
It was the 1920s, 30 years before Alec Guinness first
stepped on the boards in Stratford, and a man named
Orland Brooks was setting up shop at a former
threshing machine factory at 500 Ontario St., where
he was going to mass produce steam-powered cars.
The factory is long gone but that location is now the
site of The Bruce Hotel.
Keeping with the theme of theatre, Brooks was a
lot like The Music Man’s Harold Hill – descending
on Stratford with promises that were based more on
style and flash than substance. Instead of promises
of a motivated, disciplined, well-dressed and
musical collection of kids marching around town in
new uniforms, Brooks promised something far more
material – a robust auto industry and big returns for
investors.
The assembly line at the Brooks factory.
Brooks was an American, more or less from
SPRING 2025 • 9

HISTORY
by John Kastner
Brooks’ first stop in Stratford was the office of The
Beacon Herald newspaper at 108 Ontario St., and he
was looking for some positive articles and publicity.
The daily newspaper wasn’t buying the story, started
asking too many questions, and soon Brooks had
to try another tactic – selling shares in the yet-toopen
company by going door-to-door. Once there
was some public support, he upped his game to the
next level and charmed the mayor and city council,
and the city helped him get the old factory. Some
reports of the day said the city gave him $40,000 in
cash to help him buy the $55,000 factory, but other
documents say the city held the $50,000 mortgage.
Regardless, Stratford had bought the story and were
investing taxpayers money in – of all things – the
passé industry of steam cars.
There is an exhibit about the Brooks steam car at
the Stratford Perth Museum and it includes a great
picture of Stratford’s most influential businessmen
assembled for a banquet with a chance to invest as
the main item on the menu. It wasn’t just municipal
politicians that got caught up in this – Liberal Senator
J.P. Rankin was at the dinner and also spoke in
support of Brooks – defending the level of oversight.
Buffalo, who had become a financier in Toronto.
The Toronto Finance Company, with Brooks at
the helm, had a niche market – selling second
mortgages at a discount to investors. The problem
was, he often sold the second mortgages more than
once and eventually that house of cards collapsed
and the company’s auditor ended up in jail. Brooks
somehow escaped the slammer and, by the end of
this article, you might consider this a trend.
Brooks made his way to Stratford – a railway hub –
which, according to the sales pitch, made Stratford
the perfect place to mass produce cars for shipping
all over Canada and into the U.S.
“Every step taken in the plan here is being guaranteed
by the merit of performances, and they have not put
a product on the market until they are sure of it,”
said Rankin.
In what had to be his best stunt and salesmanship – he
had investors wait at the bottom of what Stratfordites
call Snake Hill – the winding and steep road that
descends from Upper Queen’s Park to Lakeside
Drive. He had one of the few Brooks cars that were
completed (with the motor off!) coast down the hill.
Investors were amazed at how quiet a steam car was
to operate and from then on Orland dubbed his car,
“The gentle giant of motion!”
The exhibit at the Stratford Perth Museum also
includes some great promotional photographs
10 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

by John Kastner
HISTORY
including one where Brooks is standing by the factory
door and what appears to be a string of vehicles
rolling out of the building like it’s a Ford plant in
Detroit.
Like most scams, with the benefit of hindsight, it
was pretty ridiculous. The ill-fated steam car era was
coming to a close and the Brooks was based on a
number of steam engine predecessors, most notably
The Stanley Steamer. Boiler in the front, engine
in the back! The kerosene-fired boiler was located
under the hood that was fitted to make the Brooks
resemble a gasoline car. Meanwhile, the two cylinder
steam engine was under the floor, below the back
seat, just ahead of the rear axle.
In Stratford, Brooks only made sedans that had an
unusual body – rather than steel like Henry Ford and
nearly every other carmaker was using, the Brooks
body was made out of wood and then covered with
a heavy leather-like material called Meritas. The
Brooks looked pretty much like a high-end gasoline
automobile.
Regardless of the innovative design, the steam car
era was doomed to demise at the hands of massproduced
gasoline vehicles and people like Brooks
were up against consumer-savvy men like Henry
Ford and the Dodge Brothers, who were pumping
out a car every few minutes.
Far more problematic for the investors of the
company, the Brooks ran on kerosene, there were
about 25 steps one had to follow to get it running,
and it had to idle for about 30 minutes to build up
steam before it would move.
Similar to one of the problems with electric cars
SPRING 2025 • 11

HEALTH AND WELLNESS
The Stratford Perth Museum has one of the few remaining
Brooks steam cars on display. It has been at the Museum
since 2013 but it was in 2021 that it became exhibited in
situ. That project took place during the throes of COVID
and the Museum was fortunate to land some funding
from a provincial program through Conestoga College.
Skilled Workers, Sustainable Communities was aimed at
keeping skilled people employed and busy during the
prolonged shutdowns that rocked the world. Thanks to
that grant, Stratford’s Michelle Jamieson came to work
at the Museum. She had worked in theatre for 20 years,
16 as a propmaker and scenic artist at the Stratford
Festival. Michelle also teaches at Off the Wall, which has
a long relationship with the Museum.
Michelle and Micaela Fitzsimmons, the manager of
exhibits and the collection, banged around a bunch of
ideas as to the focus of the project. It was never really in
doubt as for years the Museum had felt that the Brooks
steam car deserved and warranted a better setting. The
Brooks has been in the large performance space since
its arrival in 2009 and that space has been transformed
a number of times, most notably becoming the Cooperators
Performance Theatre in 2020.
Michelle and Micaela examined the many photographs
of the Brooks steam car factory that are part of the
Museum’s collection and the idea was to create a
surrounding for the Brooks that resembled the inside of
the factory.
Michelle, Micaela and volunteer Rick Micks spent the
next few weeks designing, cutting, painting and installing
what has become a great backdrop. They were able to
replicate the factory-style windows, the cinderblock
wall, the industrial piping and there’s even a 3-D figure
working on a machine. To top it all off, to make it trés
cool from the ground up, Doug Downey and The Image
Factory produced a vinyl skin of a softwood floor similar
to the working surface of the original Brooks factory.
So, the Brooks is now on display at the Museum in a cool
setting incredibly similar to the factory – fitting for an
artifact of this historical significance.
today – Canada and cold weather creates a
new problem and sub-zero temperatures meant
the Brooks had to idle even longer before being
able to move and it was more difficult to keep
the steam pressure up. The Brooks was also
incredibly heavy, weighing almost two tonnes, it
had trouble maintaining enough PSI to maintain
a cruising speed, and the top-end speed was only
55 km/h, even in warm weather.
Plus there were gauges to watch, a pilot light to
mess with, and somewhat troubling, there were
two unmarked caps at the back of the vehicle,
one for water and one for kerosene. This made
adding water or fuel just as risky as the investments
themselves.
True, it was luxurious and far more robust than
the other automobiles of the day, including the
Ford Model T. The problem was a 1924 Model
T sold for about $300 while a Brooks was listed
at a whopping $3,885. For comparison, 40 years
later, the base model 1965 Ford Mustang was just
$2,427. None of that really mattered because
this was never really about selling cars – it was
about peddling an idea to investors, but in 1927,
those investors started to get nervous. Like most
con men, the standard line was, “Well don’t stop
now. Sales are about to go through the roof but if
we stop now, you will lose everything!”
In 2021 a journalist named Bill Vance wrote a
great article in the Victoria Times Colonist about
the Brooks and he cited a research paper penned
by Brian Reynolds of Carleton University. That
research paper chronicled the financial collapse.
“The company lied to shareholders about sales
figures,” wrote Reynolds. “In a letter to them in
1925, it claimed the factory was working day and
night in an endeavour to catch up with orders
received.” However, while the cars were making
steam, Brooks was blowing smoke. The 1926
12 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

by John Kastner
financials showed that the company produced just 18
cars in that fiscal year.
The press, and this time not just The Beacon Herald,
were circling and there was investor unrest. That got
worse when shareholders discovered that $50,000
of their money had been moved to a Buffalo bank
to fund a new company – Brooks Steam Motors
Inc. Investors tried but failed to get an independent
auditor but a shareholders’ committee was formed to
save the company and get back at least some of their
money. That too failed and then there was another illfated
idea – what about steam-powered buses? That
too went up in vapour and, in 1929, the Brooks Steam
Motors Ltd. went into receivership.
At the end of the day, only 180 were produced (40 of
which were sold as taxis) before the company went belly
up. When it came to the Stratford bankruptcy auction
the few remaining cars were getting around $150.
For Orland Brooks himself, that was OK because
he was never really in the car-selling business. He
was in the business of selling stock in the company
and that was a big personal success. Approximately
8,000 shareholders lost virtually all of their estimated
$4 million investment, and the Brooks chapter in
Canadian steam car history boiled dry.
The last anybody heard about Brooks, he was back in
Buffalo trying to convince that city to invest in steampowered
buses.
By the way, the City of Stratford made out OK – more
or less – other than the embarrassment of buying into a
plan that was really just hot air. The city ended up getting
the factory back when Brooks defaulted on the mortgage
so it did a lot better than the rest of the investors.
John Kastner is the retired general manager of the Stratford
Perth Museum. Prior to the Museum, he was a journalist who
spent 33 years at The Beacon Herald, finishing his career there
as the managing editor.
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SPRING 2025 • 13

TRAVEL
Going, your way
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
— Augustine of Hippo BY LAURALEE GILIBERTI
14 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

by LauraLee Giliberti
TRAVEL
Ask most anybody what they plan to do in
retirement and the response will likely involve a
variation of the answer, “Plan to travel.”
While it’s a vague answer, it satisfies because we know
what they mean. We too plan to travel. Somehow, it
becomes a solid, purpose-driven retort that’s satisfying
because it needs no accompanying explanation.
Conversation flows easily again, the bullet of awkward
pauses around what retirement will actually look like
being successfully dodged. Unpacking the idea of
‘travel plans,’ however, warrants a closer look because
they are as varied as ways to fold (or roll) clothes for a
suitcase (or carry on).
Types of travel and travellers
“Oh, the places you’ll go.”
— Dr. Seuss
The types of both ‘travel’ and ‘travellers’ has a broad
scope that is constantly changing as we become more
travel savvy and venture further afield. Just consider
the types of travel – adventure, solo, leisure, luxury,
mountain, rural, urban, culinary, cultural, domestic,
international, group, budget, family vacations, road
trips, backpacking, cruises, historical tourism, virtual
travel, slow travel, and holidays.
That’s a wide variety of ways to experience the
world.
Now consider the traveller types – budget,
backpackers, luxury, mid-budget, activity-based,
foodies, experience-seekers, cultural, religious and/or
pilgrims, relaxation-lovers, domestic, international,
nature-goers, city-goers, solo, group, slow, volunteers,
and adventure (wanderlustdesigners.com).
The specialized words are purposeful because they
define the experiences, but regardless of what type
of traveller you are, or the type of travel you do, one
always bumps up against the realities of time and
money, and the quantity of each.
Time and money
“Time is more valuable than money. You can get more
money, you can’t get more time.”
— Jim Rohn
When considering travel plans, the two resources
of time and money are always key considerations.
The big impact of length of time away cannot be
underestimated. Being absent for extended periods
of time, one fails to build a strong community in
your home port and, according to research, building
community in one’s senior years is crucial if they
want to have a fulfilling ‘next chapter.’ (https://pmc.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8953512/)
Part-time jobs, grandkids, volunteer jobs, book clubs,
interest classes, gardens, friends, social engagements,
home church attendance, community events,
extended family time, and home maintenance
schedules are all disrupted if one is away for long
periods. While mobile phones, blogs and vlogs,
Facetime and condo living are all ways to sustain life
at home, finding purpose and building a community
is a significant challenge when you are never there.
Is there a potential to end up in a black hole of
loneliness, isolation and alienation when you return?
Maybe, but as we stare out at yet another bleak
Ontario winter, we decide to ponder that when we
get back and undaunted, start to plan our next trip!
So now, we consider the matter of money. As
Jacob Morgan said, “People who spend money on
experiences, not things, are just happier all around.”
Travel arbitrage is the idea that you travel to the
countries where it is cheaper to live than it is in your
home country. Going away is the point – the where
SPRING 2025 • 15

TRAVEL
by LauraLee Giliberti
matters less, as long as it’s cheaper. Less money but
more time? Asia, Central and South America and
some limited European Union countries are your
go-to destinations. If you have more money but less
time, you can go to more expensive places for shorter
durations including in North America, most of the
EU, the UK, Australia, Hawaii, the Caribbean, or by
travelling to remote islands.
The idea of travel arbitrage works, but you have to
accept the fact that you might be doing a ‘slum tour’
(yes, it’s a thing – it’s controversial, but a thing) and
not a tour of the Sistine Chapel (not controversial,
but really, really crowded.) In addition, cheaper
countries are generally more challenging to navigate.
Travel arbitrage allows for some fun considerations:
a five-star luxury hotel in New Delhi, India, can be
had for $300 a night. In London, UK, it comes in
starting at $1,600 a night. Alternatively, one can get
a clean (according to the reviews) large room in New
Delhi for $20 a night and that includes breakfast!
The cheapest clean hotel I can get in London, UK,
is over $175 a night if I want a room to myself, not a
hostel situation. Being old and crotchety, I draw the
line at bunkbeds in communal rooms and sharing
bathrooms with strangers.
“People who
spend money
on experiences,
not things, are
just happier all
around.”
- Jacob Morgan
If you are into ‘once in a lifetime’ experiences and
don’t care about leaving Ontario for the whole
winter, you can consider the Burj Al Arab in Dubai,
a seven-star hotel! The cheapest suite of rooms for
one night, for me, an Average Joe Canadian, will set
me back a mere $3,000. That includes free Internet,
a buffet breakfast, and a private butler. A private
butler, might be interesting and fun, but is it worth it?
That’s for you to decide as you weigh time vs money.
16 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

by LauraLee Giliberti
TRAVEL
For those on a budget and/or ‘nature’ tourists, it
used to be that camping was a cost-effective choice.
While RV travel can be overall cheaper than hotels
and using public transport or renting a car, when
you factor in the costs of the whole enterprise, the
financial difference may not be as great as it used to
be, especially in North America.
In addition, you are competing for campsites that
cost upwards of $75 a night and you have to book
months in advance, unless you are OK with staying
the night in a parking lot (no judgment, just reality).
Doing the camper-van experience in Europe could
be cheaper than in North America because the
EU is more flexible with off-road overnight stays.
However, due to its popularity and the natives
complaining about crowded streets, the rules are
changing. RV travel is not without fundamental
hassles though. Having to conserve water, electricity
How many steps
will you take for
dementia?
and worrying about holding tank space is not for the
uninitiated. Once you have factored in your budgets
of time and money, your next consideration is who
will you go with?
Travel companions
“I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find
out whether you like people or hate them than to travel
with them.” — Mark Twain
Sharing accommodation drastically reduces the
cost of your trip, but it’s not without its pitfalls. The
friends you start out with might not be friends at the
end; family you are stuck with. The success of the
venture largely depends on good communication.
Discussions around the amount of together time
vs alone time, how will food costs be shared, and
who gets the sofa-bed are all key starting points for
travelling with a companion. Regardless though, joint
travel invites bickering and resentment possibilities
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SPRING 2025 • 17

TRAVEL
by LauraLee Giliberti
and, “Who ate all the low-fat Greek yogurt that the
group paid for?!” situations, so be prepared.
Booking with a tour company is another possibility,
but that is not necessarily cheaper than planning
your own trip. There are pros and cons to group
travel – some people are tour people and some
people are very much not. The cons are that there is
always that one person who is annoying, late, whiny,
slow, asks stupid questions, and is loud, rude and
breathes funny. Also, maybe you have no interest in
yet another winery tour on Day 3 of the itinerary.
The pros are obvious – it’s hassle free (well, except
for the funny breather). Group tour travel can also
provide that security and reassurance for people that
want to do more of an adventure travel experience
(safari camping in Botswana or a gorilla observation
in Rwanda anyone?) that they otherwise wouldn’t be
able to do alone. It just ain’t cheap, and we’re back
to time vs money.
If travelling with a group isn’t your style, travelling
solo is an alternative and more people, especially
women, are considering that. In fact, solo female
travel is becoming extremely popular. The greatest
increase in solo travel in 2022 came from women
aged 65 and older going from four per cent in 2019
to 19 per cent in 2022. In fact, 84 per cent of all
lone travellers are women. (www.condoferries.co.uk)
A survey by the travel organization Road Scholar
has revealed that up to 30 per cent of the company’s
tour participants are solo travellers, and of those
solo travellers, 85 per cent are women! Women are
also feeling more comfortable and are now being
encouraged to travel without their spouse. In the
Road Scholar study, 60 per cent of the company’s
18 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

by LauraLee Giliberti
TRAVEL
solo travellers in 2022 were married but travelling
without their spouse (https://www.forbes.com/
sites/michaelgoldstein/2024/02/22/women-loveto-travel-men-not-so-much/#).
That being said, women surveyed cited fear,
loneliness, safety, and health concerns as some of
the reasons they hesitate to travel alone. One of the
leading travel sites for women, journeywoman.com,
is known for empowering mature women to travel
alone. If you are a woman looking for inspiration,
check it out! If one is travelling alone but choosing to
do so as part of a group – alone but not completely
– then the next decision is whether to share a room
with a stranger or pay a single supplement. This
charge, levied to single travellers, can be upwards of
25 per cent of the overall tour price, so privacy does
not come cheap. Some travel companies are on to
this solo travel trend and waive the single supplement
or hide it in the original price.
Alone or with a group, you can be the architect of
your own experience, so now the question is what are
you going to do?
What to do when you get there?
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
— Helen Keller
If you are in your 60s, the tendency is to plan for
the next 25 years – that’s a daunting task! Planning
in chunks of three to five years is much more
appropriate, while at the same time allowing you
to capitalize on the here and now. Taking stock of
your body, time and money, you can plan the trip
that works for you now, because now’s probably
the best it’s going to be from here on out. Let’s use
me as an example, I’m 64 years old. Since I work
at it, I am in reasonable shape and my mobility is
excellent, thank you God! For my next three-to-five-
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SPRING 2025 • 19

TRAVEL
by LauraLee Giliberti
year chunk, I will maximize this good fortune and
plan challenging adventures that are mentally and
physically energizing. For me, that’s adventure travel.
Adventure travel is one of the more expensive types
of travel as it often involves specialized equipment,
skills, and knowledge. Adventure sports, ecoadventures,
expeditions, and extreme culture shocks,
which all may involve ‘roughing it,’ are current
considerations. Despite the fact that I am not much
of a tour person, adventure tour companies are
a good place for me to start looking for my next
experience. That will require more money, so that
means less time away as I have more time than
money. The upside is that going away for shorter
periods of time allows me to build my community
in my hometown as I prepare for becoming really
old at the same time. Alternatively, I can consider
travelling to third-world countries where it’s cheap
but challenging, with the upside being I can stay
longer. Also, I can adapt and splurge on airport
transfers instead of schlepping my stuff on public
transit, and first-class train travel, not third.
As I get older, and my overall wellness, desire, and
mental tolerance for new experiences diminishes,
I will plan the next appropriate experience that
matches my state of being at that time. I might
consider slow travel (staying in one place for
longer) in an Airbnb or short-term rental, as
it’s less physically demanding.
Additionally, group travel,
specifically
20 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

by LauraLee Giliberti
TRAVEL
catering to seniors, and specialized cruises can all be
appropriate based on my mental and physical fitness
at the time. Or maybe I will prefer to be with my
community and just stay home.
Finding the balance between challenging myself
while factoring in my age is a work in progress. The
ship has sailed on high-altitude trekking... probably…
unless I start training…
Going, your way
“To travel, is to live.”
— Hans Christian Anderson
Many retirees have a desire to get out and see what’s
around the corner, but we need to do it before it’s too
late. Travel is changing, and there are more options
and flexibility, but there are also more rules, and
definitely more people, and our capacity to handle
Have you had
your Italian today?
new and frustrating situations is waning. It cannot be
argued that it’s certainly cheaper, easier, and simpler
to stay home. But still, we ‘plan to travel’ because we
know a change of scenery is never a bad thing – it
broadens one’s perspective, dusts away the cobwebs
of a rut, and rarely fails to invigorate.
At the very least, if we are away for months or only
days, if we hate every single moment, or have the
time of our lives, if we use Louis Vuitton luggage or
a battered backpack, we know that it is always so nice
to come home, wherever home may be.
This is Part 1 of a two-part series on travel. LauraLee
Giliberti is currently in the UK practicing travel arbitrage and
can be reached for comment at lauraleegiliberti@gmail.com.
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SPRING 2025 • 21

SPOTLIGHT
The Salt Man
A Q+A WITH AUTHOR ANNE KAY
Spanning two continents and three generations, The Salt
Man is a sweeping saga that traces how one man’s quest
for adventure led to a discovery that would change the face
of many southwestern Ontario towns for decades to come.
Author Anne Kay is the great-great granddaughter of Peter
McEwan, who discovered salt in Goderich, and the following
question-and-answer outlines how she wrote a historical fiction
novel involving her ancestors.
What prompted you to write a historical fiction novel
with your family as the inspiration? Was there a
particular story or event that sparked the idea?
Growing up, we knew our great-great-grandfather Peter
McEwan had discovered salt in Goderich after a group of
businessmen headed up by Samuel Platt had hired him to
drill for oil. However, other than a few newspaper articles
we didn’t have many more details. Then in 2011 my brother,
Scott MacEwan, and his family wrote a book called McEwan’s
Peerless Salt, which explored the history of the salt industry, and
that’s when the light bulb went off for me. Beyond these facts, I
wanted to understand what life was like for Peter from the time
he left Scotland as a boy in 1852, to his years farming in Perth
County, to his mastery of oil well drilling in Oil Springs, and
ultimately to the pivotal role he played in the salt industry in
Huron County and beyond.
How did you research your family history and the
historical context for the book? Did you uncover any
surprising details?
Peter McEwan, Goderich's original
Salt Man.
I started by gathering all the family records I could find and
combining these with information from other sources such as the
Huron County Digitized Newspaper and Magazines website and
ancestry.ca, and writing a genealogy of the McEwan family.
In one of the many moments of synchronicity I encountered
while researching the book, I met Harry and Barb Norris from
22 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

by Anne Kay
SPOTLIGHT
Perth County through ancestry.ca. Harry’s greatgrandmother
was my great-great-grandfather’s sister.
Harry and Barb had deciphered and preserved the
letters exchanged between members of the McEwan
family in Scotland and Canada in the 1800s, which
provided a wealth of knowledge about my family’s
history.
Once I completed the genealogy document, I moved
on to my research about farming, the oil and salt
industries, and life in southwestern Ontario in the
1800s. My sources for this research included over 60
books and other publications, the Internet, libraries,
historical societies, and site visits to places like the
original McEwan homestead in Hibbert Township,
the Oil Museum of Canada in Oil Springs, and a
current salt well drilling site in Goderich. However,
by far my most valuable source of information came
from the 24 experts I interviewed. From historians
to farmers, librarians to well drillers, and doctors
to writers – whether from Scotland, Mitchell,
Oil Springs, Goderich or London – these experts
provided me with invaluable guidance, insight, and
first-hand examples from their areas of expertise.
With my family and oil and salt industry histories in
place, I created a 124-page chronological timeline
which formed the framework for The Salt Man. Then
it was time to bring some colour to the story by
imagining what life had been like for Peter. Who did
he love, who were his enemies, why did he leave the
farm, how did he learn the drilling trade?
Did you find yourself connecting more
deeply with certain characters as you wrote?
If so, which ones and why?
I connected most closely with Peter and his wife
Christie. They became like friends to me, and it was
hard to let them go when the story ended. Through
my research, I came to understand their day-today
lives, and the adventures they encountered.
Maintaining a loving relationship couldn’t have been
easy, with Peter working at drilling sites around the
province while Christie gave up her own business to
care for their six children. Yet despite the triumphs
and tragedies that befell them through the years,
their love survived.
What was the process of getting your novel
published? Did you face any hurdles, and
how did you overcome them?
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What was your writing process like for this
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My favourite time to write is from 7-10 a.m. However,
when I lock into the writing zone, many more hours
can pass in a flash before I take a break. I wrote the
majority of The Salt Man during the pandemic. My
schedule had to be flexible during this time as my
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SPRING 2025 • 23

SPOTLIGHT
by Anne Kay
fascinated, as several of my beta readers indicated
the story was bogged down by too many technical
details. Thanks to the suggestion of a friend, I culled
many of these details from the story and put them
into either Peter’s yearly diary, or on thesaltman.ca
website, which also includes more historical details,
photo galleries, maps and deleted scenes.
Another discovery was the number of oil, salt, and
water wells Peter was directly involved in drilling
– there were 40 in total. So, beyond the oil wells
in Oil Springs, and the original salt discovery at
Maitlandville (today known as Saltford), The Salt
Man touches on the salt wells he drilled in Goderich,
Carronbrook (Dublin), Seaforth, Mitchell, Listowel,
Hensall and Wingham. Some of these wells even
surpassed Goderich in salt production for a while in
the 1880s.
Author Anne Kay
Several authors told me how challenging and timeconsuming
it is these days to have a book published
by a traditional publisher, so instead I self-published
The Salt Man. In September 2023, I decided to launch
the book that December. During those three months
I polished the content, worked with my sister Beth
Feagan on the photo for the book’s cover, found a
local company that formatted and printed the book,
built a website and created a promotional plan. I
didn’t allow myself nearly enough time, and ended
up working night and day to be sure everything was
in place in time. As it turned out, I ended up cutting
it a little too close! The first order of books was
delivered at 4 p.m. the evening before the launch.
Were there any moments during your
research when you discovered something
unexpected or particularly meaningful? How
did those discoveries influence your writing?
I was fascinated by the lifestyles of the men drilling
for oil and salt, and by the technical aspects of how
the drilling rigs work. Perhaps I was a little too
How long did it take you to research and
write the book, from the initial idea to the
finished manuscript?
While the initial idea for the book came to me in
2011, it wasn’t until I retired from my hospital career
in 2018 that I had time to devote to the story. In
total, researching, writing and editing The Salt Man
took me five years.
Did the research process evolve as you
worked on the novel? For example, did new
information lead you to change or expand
the story?
When I started my research, all I knew about Peter’s
years in Oil Springs was that he drilled 20 oil wells.
While I originally planned to devote a fairly short
piece of the book to Oil Springs, I was so fascinated
by the information from the Oil Museum of Canada
and from Charlie Fairbank and Pat McGee (the
fourth generation of the Fairbank family in the oil
business), that it turned into a 70-page section about
Peter’s colourful experiences in Oil Springs.
24 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

by Anne Kay
SPOTLIGHT
What do you hope readers take away from
your book?
For new immigrants trying to establish a foothold
in Canada in the 1800s, life was challenging. Yet
through their determination, courage, resilience,
and ingenuity, they helped shape Canada into the
country it is today.
What advice would you give to someone
interested in writing a historical fiction
novel, especially one based on their own
family?
Take your time researching and tap into every
conceivable resource you can think of to help
shape your story into an accurate depiction of your
ancestors’ lives. Then unleash your imagination, put
yourself in their shoes and paint a vivid picture of
what life was like in their era.
Do you plan to write more novels based
on family history, or are you considering
exploring other genres or themes in the
future?
So far, I haven’t found another story that captures
my heart like The Salt Man. However, other family
members also have intriguing stories, so I’ll see if one
of them beckons to me in the future.
Anne Kay, who grew up in Goderich, wrote and self-published
The Salt Man, a historical fiction novel about her great-greatgrandfather
Peter McEwan, who discovered the salt in Goderich
that continues to be a key economic driver of the community.
The Salt Man is available at bookstores in Goderich, Bayfield,
Kincardine, London, Mitchell, Petrolia, Sarnia, and Stratford,
as well as online outlets. Learn more at thesaltman.ca.
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SPRING 2025 • 25

TRAVEL
Fun in
PHOENIX
YOU’LL BE AS REFRESHED
AS A NEWLY RISEN BIRD
STORY AND PHOTOS BY
JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON
With 300 days a year of sunshine, there’s
really never a bad time to explore Pheonix,
Arizona. But if you’re not a fan of temperatures
exceeding 40 C, you may want to wait until the
snowbird in you hears the call of the south.
There’s a lot to do in Arizona’s capital and largest
city – nearly five million live in the metropolitan
area – so if you’re flying or driving down to escape
Ontario’s winter weather, tack on a few days to
explore this city. If you decide to leave from Detroit
Metropolitan Airport, it could save you money on
tickets. Several airlines offer non-stop flights from
DTW to PHX at an economical rate if you book
ahead.
Your sightseeing adventure can start when you
land at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
There’s a wall commemorating John McCain –
American war hero, U.S. Senator and Arizona’s
favourite son – in the John S. McCain III Terminal
3, along with other notable Arizonians. One is a fun
display of famous people who got married at the
airport in the golden days of Hollywood.
26 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

TRAVEL
SPRING 2025 • 27

TRAVEL
by Jill Ellis-Worthington
When you’re off and running to
your lodgings, consider Airbnbs in
this city, as many have pools and
mini-golf greens and are generally
less expensive than hotels. When
ready to hit the town, pick up an
Uber or Lyft, as they are often half
the cost of a taxi.
That rideshare or a taxi will
take you along some of the city’s
fast-moving highways, so take a
moment to enjoy the manicured
landscaping along the shoulders
of the road. Natural plants and
rocks, highlighted by Indigenous
artwork cleverly worked into
the noise-reduction walls, bring
colour to the barren terrain.
Sometime during your trip, take
a drive along the older two-lane
highways outside of the city to take
in the wild landscape. Majestic in
their starkness and covered with
saguaro cacti, colourfully blooming
bushes and dust devils (whirlwind
that picks up dust and debris from
the desert floor), the Phoenix
Mountains provide a stunning
backdrop wherever you look.
One of the great things about
Phoenix is that there is a roster of
things to do and see for people of
all interests. Like many large cities,
it has a variety of professional
sports teams. For football fans,
a tour of the Cardinals’ stadium
is a must, but it also will be
interesting for tech types. State
Farm Stadium is one of two –
the original one, along with the
recently built Allegiant stadium
in Las Vegas as the second – that
have natural turf that rolls in and
out of the building. There’s a crew
of 10 people specifically devoted
to grass care and another crew
of 15 that oversees the 19-million
pound tray of turf rolling into
the stadium via a massive track
system 48 hours before game
day. Another fun fact, though
the stadium has a retractable
roof, it has only been opened six
times since the stadium’s debut in
2006 because of Arizona’s harsh
climate; the last was for a game on
Christmas Day 2022.
The 90-minute guided tour costs
$20 and takes you into the guest
team locker room, along the
corridor where your favourite
team trods when playing the
Cardinals, the media room, a
luxury box and to the door of
the box where Taylor Swift stood
when her boyfriend Travis Kelce,
28 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

by Jill Ellis-Worthington
TRAVEL
of the Kansas City Chiefs, trounced the Cardinals.
The stadium is located in Glendale, a Phoenix suburb,
within a short walk of the Westgate Entertainment
District. With eight million square feet of retail space,
this area boasts dozens of restaurants, shops, and
event and show space. To watch a sporting event on
its many big-screen TVs or do some people watching
from its wall of windows, visit Bar Louie. Spirits
enthusiasts will savour a Lemon Drop Martini and
gastrotourists will love the Parmesan-crusted chicken
(hint, it’s big enough to split). There are residential
and business components with lofts and offices for
rent. Water is a highlight with a splash pad, and the
fountains dance nightly in a Bellagio-like display.
A not-to-be-missed stop is Old Town Scottsdale,
dating from the 1880s. Parts are touristy, with little
boutiques selling all kinds of tchotchkes but there
are also museums and great restaurants. Be sure to
look for the free parking lots. To delight in Italian
fare, Olive and Ivy provides a casually elegant
ambiance to enjoy a cold Peroni and share a plate
of grilled artichokes – delicious! Some of the shops
offer vintage turquoise jewelry that is intriguing, and
nearby is Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, offering creamy,
sweet delights in some unusual flavours when it’s
time for a break.
Buzzing around this area and downtown, you’ll
see car-meets-spaceship-type vehicles. These are
driverless cabs from Waymo. Some might find the
concept disconcerting but trying something new and
a little daring can be intriguing and, well, downright
fun. Like most transportation options these days, just
download the app and you’re ready to roll. “Look
ma, no hands on the wheel!”
To enjoy some of the dozens of different types of
flora of the Sonoran Desert take a walk through the
140 acres of the Desert Botanical Garden. So many
varieties of cacti artfully displayed along various
trails, some in bloom, along with other types of
desert vegetation. You could spend a long day there
but allow at least three or four hours to get a good
taste of it; the green thumbers among your group
won’t want to leave.
Architectural buffs will rejoice at a chance to
visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. Many
will appreciate him as one of the fathers of the
Craftsman style of design and a grandfather of
the Mid-Century Modern style, which has recently
enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. A world heritage
site, Taliesin West was Wright’s winter home, design
studio and learning academy for his apprentices,
set with the McDowell Mountains as the backdrop.
The one-hour, self-guided audio tour costs $44 but
is worth every minute and penny to learn about the
genius behind the man who influenced so many of
today’s design ideals.
For those who want to explore the wild splendour of
the desert and enjoy amazing vistas, there are several
options. One is Dobbins Lookout in South Mountain
Park, with views to downtown Phoenix, as well as the
rugged beauty beyond. It can be enjoyed by a fairly
easy hike or by car, except on Sunday when the park
is closed to motorized traffic.
Camelback Mountain is also very popular, named
thusly for the two rock formations at each end. It
can also be hiked, though the trails are steep and
challenging. Biking and driving are also ways to enjoy
the amazing views from this noteworthy landmark.
When you want to rise from the ashes of stress or need
to escape Ontario’s winter weather, Phoenix awaits.
A writer, public relations professional, traveller and football
fan, Jill Ellis-Worthington celebrates life every day. You can
follow her blog at www.writeoncommunicationservices.com.
SPRING 2025 • 29

FOOD & DRINK
Asparagus and ham
brunch bread
With the Easter season approaching,
make hosting easy and delicious with
this brunch recipe. Serve with a fresh
salad for a complete meal.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Ready in 40 minutes
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
3 cups pancake and biscuit mix
1 tsp tarragon, dried
½ tsp each of dry mustard and pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1½ cups milk
2 lb asparagus
1 cup Black Forest ham, diced
1 onion, diced
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
In large bowl, combine biscuit mix, tarragon, mustard and
pepper. In another bowl, beat eggs with milk; pour over dry
mixture and stir until smooth. Spread half in greased 13” x
9” cake pan. The mixture will be thin.
Break tough ends from asparagus. Arrange half in single
layer on batter. Sprinkle with ham, onion and half of
the cheese. Spread remaining batter over top. Arrange
remaining asparagus over batter; sprinkle with remaining
cheese.
Bake at 375 F for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown
and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let
cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes before serving warm or
at room temperature.
Recipe courtesy of Foodland Ontario
30 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM

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All drawings are Artist’s Concepts only and may vary slightly from the final product. E&O.E. The home shown may be the reverse of the home purchased. Actual useable floor space may vary from stated area, and square footage has been calculated based on useable living space according to TARION rules and does not include garage or basement areas (unless
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