Hello Everyone:

It is a sunny, and sometimes rainy Monday afternoon in Toronto. It also happens to be my birthday. 🙂

I’m sitting out on my balcony. It’s sheltered, so I can stay out here and work, read and catch up on things while the sun comes out and while it rains.

A new recent study has come out that said one in two Canadians will be diagnosed with a form of cancer. Good news is that the survival rate on many have gone up to 60%. That’s progress. But still scary all at the same time. Still hoping that they will find some sort of cure in my lifetime but at least if the survival rate can get higher on most cancers that would be something. I’ve heard many stories lately of people just not feeling well and going to the hospital only to find out that they have some sort of Stage 4 cancer and not surviving long after. Still gives me the chills.

I have been told that I need to keep myself near and around water. Best to be in it as well. Calming and to give me strength. Guess it was a way to tell me to exercise and get back into the pool!! I am a Water Ox and sign of the Cancer – sort of water-ish. So I guess it was fitting that I had a small toast for good health to myself on the eve of my birthday watching and listening to the thundering rain on my balcony. Then, at the stroke of midnight – went off to bed. I felt very calm indeed.

On a very happy note, I became the President of The National Club of Toronto on June 21st. The first day of Summer. It is one of Canada’s oldest private clubs that was formed in 1874. However, they did not let women be members until 1992. The women weren’t even allowed to enter the Club through the front door – there was a ‘side-entrance’. I am very proud of this achievement and I have to say at the Annual General Meeting when I was ‘official’, I was a little overwhelmed by it all. Felt a little emotional and almost teared up. (“SUCH a GIRL”.)  Not only making history (as the first non-Caucasian male or female president), but being part of history of a Club that has become a home away from home for me.

The love and support that I have received from personal and business contacts have been incredible and I hope to make everyone proud during my presidency. We had a gala celebrating Canada’s 150th Birthday and when I welcomed the crowd, I was received with cheers, claps and hollers. It was quite something. The immediate past-President said that no one ever clapped for him like that, and his 75+ mother said, “It’s because you don’t look like her, dear”. Those were moments that I will cherish for a long time. Very Special. I attach a photo of the evening – my ‘boys’ from Hoax Couture made me an extraordinary and beautiful dress and I felt like Cinderella at her ball. (Luckily, I already had the shoes to match – surprise surprise! LOL).

Six years ago today, I took my first solo trip to Paris to recuperate from my second surgery. I learned a lot about myself and started the long journey of healing and self-awareness; both of which I am always working on, even to this day and likely for the rest of my life.

What I do know and reminded myself of this past weekend, is that I am definitely not “handy”. For the first time, I had to change my license plate sticker on my car myself (for some reason, I’ve always found someone to do it for me….). I tinkered with the cover and plate – and thought it was OK. Only to find out when I got to the golf course later that morning that my back license plate actually fell off. As I was driving around yesterday, I was practicing my look of shock and horror in case I got pulled over by the police. (Bat and Flutter Eyelashes….)

I spent this morning getting temporary replacement plates (they wanted the front one – but I said “obviously I don’t know how to put one on properly let alone try to get one off!!). The ladies at the Transport Ministry were giggling and let me take the new plates without giving up the other one. (I think they felt sorry for me). Then I went to a local auto body shop, smiled prettily and asked for help to put the new plates on. Free of charge – so I let him put on his ‘advertising’ frame on the back – – to remind me of the snafu. Apparently you need a drill! Will have to figure something out when my new GO WMGMT plates arrive. But at least I have six months to figure that out. HAHA.

Take care. Happy Summer and Love and Hugs to you all,

Winnie, the very un-handy Warrior  xoxo