Hello Everyone:

It has been a while. What a start to 2022. In Ontario we were imposed by further lockdowns due to the Covid Omicron variant. Finally most restrictions have been lifted except for mandatory wearing of masks on public transport, and in Canada, you need to be vaccinated to get on commercial flights and trains. Masks are optional and in some cases, events are requiring patrons to be fully vaccinated. But that is not the norm anymore. I feel that we will learn to live and adapt with Covid. It is here to stay. And then, the sad and tragic conflict in Ukraine – scary to think of the worst case outcome. Praying for the best outcome possible.

This Chinese new year was the start of the year of the Tiger. The Tiger year is supposed to bring new starts and lots of adventure. One can only hope after what we have all been going through since early 2020.
I have continued to keep occupied with work, friendships, family, skiing and even a little travel. I started my 2022 going to Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada for a 4 day ski trip. It had been almost 2 years since I skied last. It was very cold. With temperatures with the wind around -25 to -35 degrees Celsius! Brrr!🥶 I skied locally in Collingwood, Ontario most weekends and just recently returned from Kitzbuhel, Austria as I started back on my European ski adventures. In total 29 days of skiing. The most ever. It has kept me in shape over the winter. As I may have written before, one could come out of Covid as a hunk, chunk or skunk. 🤯. Trying hard to avoid the latter two options!
I spent 2 days in Munich on the way back and was lucky enough to try a one star Michelin restaurant and enjoy some wonderful French inspired cuisine. In Munich they were still required to show vaccination passports and wear masks – the serious N95 type were mandatory.

I continue my annual tradition during Lent to give up something that I enjoy a lot. I stop eating meat. I do this first and foremost to honour the memory of my late dear AMA, and second for discipline. As many of you know I am a carnivore! Being in Austria and Germany was tough. A lot of the things on the menu were meat based! I did have to break fast once at one of the lunch spots that I stopped at on the piste while skiing. It only served two items of food. Sausage or goulash. I chose the goulash. Lent started this year on March 2 and will end on April 17. Happy Easter! 🐣

I try to stay active and healthy. Both physically and mentally. I see my osteopath once a month and my naturopath twice a year. Any ailment, I am the first one to book an appointment with my physician. 11 years later, I redid some genetic testing. They used to test for 2 disorders. Now there are 19. Advancement of technology! I had one inconclusive test (BRCA-2). Which remains the same. Clear on the others. Phew. So apparently I have a 16% chance of recurrence. Which they said is the norm. Still seems high to me. Reminds me of the need to stay vigilant. I have been using the program Duolingo to learn different languages, or at least try to, in order to keep my mind active. I am terrified of early onset of Alzheimer’s. Seeing what my mother has been going through, it hasn’t been easy. For anyone. As one of my clients said, who had met my mother on a couple of occasions while I hosted events, “if your mother knew what she has become today, she would be mortified”. I would agree. This is not how she would want to be remembered. There are times now where she is confused who we are. It is heartbreaking and sad. 😔😢

On a happier note, spring is around the corner. Technically we are in the spring season, however we’ve still had some wintery days. I truly believe that the spring brings hope. New growth. Fresh blooms and foliage. And, of course – Golf! 😄

To quote a dear Warrior, “Gratitude is my new Attitude”. That is going to be my mantra this year.

Love and hugs. Keep well, happy, healthy and safe.
Winnie, the Warrior XOXO