The publicity machine is a funny thing and sometimes – if you’re lucky – it churns at a fast and furious pace and sweeps you into all kinds of wonderful directions, as I’ve found over the past few days.
 
Take this past week. On Friday, as Rob and I were making our way back home to North Saanich near Victoria, our friend Nancy wrote and said, “OMG, just opened our newspaper and there you are!” It was an article that local writer Nick Murray penned after interviewing me last week. It’s a lovely piece and, really, except for a few small errors (Olivia Newton-John wrote a piece on the cover but not the foreword; that was from the amazing Jann Arden), it was pretty much accurate.
 
It was certainly kind and, most importantly of all, it’s the first article that’s been written since the book’s release three months ago that is meant to be read by my neighbours here on the Saanich Peninsula. (Turns out it’s in a few sister publications as well.) The paper is free for pickup at stands near our local mailboxes; who knows who will be seeing me and going, “Her? I saw her at our meeting last week. Huh – who knew?”
 
I don’t expect it’ll change my life, but hopefully a few local organizations might get in touch to ask me to participate in upcoming events. So far, I’ve signed up for but one writers’ gathering in October. Maybe one book does not a writer make – especially here where there are so very many. It was so nice of the author to include where my book is available locally. Here’s the link to that article (our story is on page 3) and thank you to Nick Murray for taking the time to call and talk to me. 
 
And just yesterday, I heard from the organizer of next Thursday’s event in Thornton (at Tangle Creek Golf Course) to raise money for Matthews House Hospice that there was an article on Simcoe.com (the link is here). We were pleased to see a photo of me with our great friend Allan Bell, who’s largely responsible for bringing me to Ontario to help out Markham Stouffville Hospital.
 
The picture surprised us a little, though, given that my interviewer at the event will be Kevin Frankish, formerly of Breakfast Television. At last check there are about 25 tickets left and I look forward to chatting with Kevin. Hope you can make one of the events next week. Details are in the What’s Up section of this website.
 
Why am I telling you all of this? Oh, heck, I don’t know. I’m reluctant in so many ways; it seems immodest, to say the least. Believe me, I’m standing on the sidelines asking whose life this is, anyway? Those instances above, combined with a phone interview with a Barrie radio station last Friday and World Christian Broadcasting the day before, plus yesterday’s AMAWaterways webinar for the cruise Mike Cooper and I are going to be hosting in October 2020, all struck me as just a tsunami of busyness these days.
 
I guess it just shows that while you expect your reWirement to be one thing, it can often take a turn – or six – and become something else entirely. I never, ever would have expected to have a reason to put on makeup or worry about Spanx again (and, oh yes, I’m worrying about Spanx), but here we are, about to embark on another trip, new adventures and lots more reasons to get out of bed and ask “what wonderful thing is going to happen today?”
 
Like maybe a Raptors’ win over the Golden State Warriors? Here’s hoping!
 
Let’s wrap up this week here tomorrow with the BEST news of all: happy FAMILY NEWS! I think you’ll be tickled…pink. Definitely pink. Talk to you then.