What I Love

I love spending time with my boys. I have been married for nearly thirty years and we have one son. We spend time visiting our extended family in Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Wisconsin. We fly most places in our own plane--my husband has been a private pilot for thirty years and our son is pursuing an aviation career through Mount Royal University in Calgary. When not flying to see family we meet up in other locales to spend time together.

My husband and I worked together building a successful health care business for nearly twenty-five years so we are used to spending lots of time together and we love it. When I go off on my own, or on my sister trips, I am always excited to get back to see them as home is my favourite place to be.

We live on an acreage with our dogs and a cat.

I have been a creative as long as I can remember. I learned to knit, stitch, and bake from my mother and grandmothers at an early age. I have taken many courses to pursue my creative passions over the years including painting, fibre arts, photography, and writing. I love to master new creative skills!  I addition to daily writing I spend time in my studio space, Starfish Studios, named for my love of the beach, creating jewelry, mixed fibre wearable art, and practicing working with leather. I sell my work at a few local markets and boutiques. I enjoy sharing Starfish Studios with others and hope you'll  join me there for a workshop one day!

Loving my fibre! Right now I am making wraps and ponchos from the softest woolens and cashmere that I have hunted for and carefully felted to bring to you in new designs!

Loving my beads! Making jewelry is my mainstay using the finest semi-precious gemstones, swarovski crystal and silver! 

Loving leather work. I am a newbie at leather crafting and I am making leather jewelry, belts and purses. There is lots to learn!

I love to travel. I love seeing new places, attending writing retreats in places I might not ever get to otherwise, and travelling to spend time with family and friends. 

I need water, as in the ocean, in my life. Growing up in Nova Scotia water was always nearby and to me, a gift. Travelling to a beach is my favourite thing to do. If I can, I will turn a trip into a writing retreat and beach time!

I am writing a book about 'sacred sister trips'. My two sisters and I started sister tripping in 2008. We have an absolute blast! We will never give them up. Being blessed with the wonderful support of the men in our lives, over time they have evolved from a four day weekend in Chicago or New York, to a week on a cruise, to ten days in places like Turks and Caicos. I am loving remembering all of our antics and laughs in my upcoming memoir.

I am a voracious reader. 

A few of my recent favourites

Amanda Lindout: A House in the Sky

Lorinda Stewart: One Day Closer

Tanya Talaga: Seven Fallen Feathers

Lorri Neilson Glenn: Following the River & Threading Light

On writing creative nonfiction

Lee Gutkind: Keep it Real & You Can't Make This Stuff Up

Richard Rhodes: How to Write

Jack Hart: Storycraft 

I love novels as well and when I am on vacation in the sun I love laying on the beach with a great read!

As  a nurse I spent my career in community and home care. I have come to  see the first hand value of a strong home care system to support family  caregivers who are the main caregivers when loved ones need care. I have had a rich career and am blessed to have loved all of my experiences including practice, administration, nursing entrepreneurship, teaching, and research. 

An inherent leader and entrepreneur I get my greatest joy from helping others learn new things, apply new skills, and achieve their goals. I advocate for better home care and more support for family caregivers. I am a volunteer board member with Caregivers Alberta.

I am currently completing a book, The Accidental Caregiver: Stories of the Challenges and Triumphs of Intimate Family Caregiving

I am working on four other books that will complete the family caregiving series.

I write academic articles for peer reviewed scholarly publications about Home Care Case Management, Family Caregiving, and about the therapeutic aspects of arts based work.

In addition to writing my books and academic articles, I write essays on caregiving, creativity, and health. I play with poetry, practice scene writing, journal frequently, and in general just try to keep my butt in the chair!