Island Voices features a collection of articles for seniors and their families by Vancouver Island authors and authorities on a wide range of subjects.
Archive ∙ Back to Island Voices August 2012 Our loved companions never live long enough and we inevitably lose them. A dignified, painless passing can be our final gift to our devoted four-leggeds. By taking control and making decisions that are best for you and your dog; you will be able to say good-bye gracefully. Making…
Archive ∙ Back to Island Voices July 2012 There is no other concept within real estate that is more misunderstood than tax assessed value as it relates or doesn’t relate to market value. Let’s start with definitions. Market value is the value buyers place on a property. It’s what buyers are willing and able to pay…
Archive | Back to Island Voices July 2012 It has begun to occur to me that life is a stage that I am going through and that it really is about my soul’s journey; what it wants to experience, grow from and delight in creating. I (my body) is just along for the ride. The…
Archive ∙ Back to Island Voices The provincial capital is home to the only self-funded museum & castle which promotes tourism and history in equal measure, focusing on the Dunsmuir Family. Within the wood-paneled walls of Victoria’s bonanza castle known as Craigdorroch (pronounced CRAIG DARE awk)) there exists a century’s microcosm of local history….
Archive ∙ Back to Island Voices May 2012 Like the blind leading the blind, I am amazed how many people will take advice from everyone except the very people who are trained and active in a particular field. Perhaps because there might be a fee attached to getting expert advice, people don’t take this route,…
Archive ∙ Back to Island Voices May 2012 There is a tremendous interest in holistic approaches to both human and animal health care these days. We were introduced to this form of medicine over a decade ago. The thing we have realized is that though holistic practices are valuable, they do not always supply the…
Archive ∙ Back to Island Voices April 2012 When you purchase a puppy, you have to plan for the future. With luck, you and your companion will share at least the next 15 years together. Because this time with our four-legged friends is so important, we need them to start out healthy and stay healthy….
Archive ∙ Back to Island Voices April 2012 Decades ago I bought Viet Nam war veteran Tim O’Brien’s book The Things They Carried because I was intrigued by the title. I was a teenager in the 70’s and had always been moved by what young soldiers had gone through. The title resonates with me now as…
Archive ∙ Back to Island Voices March 2012 I just listened to an interview with mortgage broker, Peter Finch, expounding on Canada’s predicament with CMHC, Canada’s Mortgage and Housing Corporation. This is the governing body responsible for providing mandatory mortgage insurance. Apparently, should mortgage rates increase more than 1.5%, it could spell trouble for many…
Archive ∙ Back to Island Voices March 2012 A frantic mother calls her veterinarian. She’s just been told by her family doctor that her child’s ringworm came from the family cat. She’s looking at euthanasia. This may seem like a drastic measure, but in May of 2010, the Newmarket OSPCA was planning to euthanize 350…