Home is where the heart is.

 For many of us, a home is more than just a building; it's a living scrapbook of our lives. It’s where we’ve shared laughter, faced challenges, celebrated milestones, and found peace in moments of solitude. As we take a moment to pause and reflect moving closer to Christmas day,  I'd like to ask you to think about the following questions:

1. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of your home? Is it a specific room, a particular smell, or a cherished memory?

2. What are some of your favourite memories that you've made in your home? Are they related to family gatherings, holidays, or special events?

3. How has your home changed over the years? Are there any new additions or renovations that have brought you joy?

4. What does being home mean to you at this stage of your life? Is it a sense of comfort, security, or a feeling of being surrounded by loved ones?

5. Are there any specific people or pets that make your home feel more special to you? How have they contributed to your sense of belonging and happiness?

For many of us, a home often holds even deeper meaning—every room, every corner whispers stories of love, family, and resilience. The walls may echo with the laughter of children, the warmth of holiday gatherings, or the quiet moments shared with loved ones.

As the seasons change and life continues to evolve, these reflections guide important decisions about what home truly represents. Whether it's cherishing the place you've built or imagining how it can continue to meet your needs, embracing the essence of "home" can inspire meaningful choices for the future.

As you reflect on these questions, take a moment to appreciate the beauty and significance of your home. It's a place where you have built a life, created memories, and experienced joy and love.

Your home reflects your story, your experiences, and your values. It's a place where you feel safe, relaxed, and connected to your past, present, and future. I hope you are home or get to go home for the holiday.

As we celebrate the importance of home, I hope you will take a moment to cherish the memories made, the love shared, and the sense of belonging experienced within the walls of your home.

What does being home mean to you?

Can we afford to stay at home when retired?

A growing trend among retirees is the desire to remain in one's home as long as possible. In fact, a recent study quoted by AARP shows 87% of those 65+ want to age in place for as long as it is safe. Even among those 10 years younger, 71% would opt to stay put. Familiarity and community ties are the biggest draws.

In BC 93% of seniors live independently, with 80% owning their own homes and 20% renting. The three biggest challenges to senior homeowners are

• Taxes and utilities increasing faster than inflation
• Maintenance costs
• Major repairs may force a move
• Home equity becomes difficult to assess.

The biggest challenges to senior rentals are

• Affordability
• Availability
• Appropriateness

 The following chart from the office of the Senior Advocate of BC shows how in BC senior renters and homeowners are in trouble:

Homeowners and renters Living expenses 2016
Metro Vancouver	Home Owner	Renter
After Tax Income	1902	1902
Total Homeowner Expense	966
Basic Cost of Living	1064
Remaining Funds	-371
Average Rent 1 Bedroom		1079
Basic Living Costs		1008
Safer Subsidy*		108
Remaining Funds		-81

*Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters

So We want people to age in place, but we make it almost economically impossible to do this, so we have to advocate the government to give more consideration to this particular aspect of ageing. The research shows that if more seniors end up in homes than the health care costs will go very much higher. This issue is not just an issue for us in BC, but it is an issue in almost every jurisdiction. Allowing seniors to age in place reduces the cost to society, and makes ageing a more pleasant experience. 

Proper Care of Your Fish Pond during Summer

Summer is such a perfect time to sit by a body of water and relax. Summer is also equated with times when you can pull your favorite chair, drink your favorite ice cold drink and enjoy the wander of your yard because of your labor. A scenario like this is such a bliss that nobody can ever resist. Although, these wouldn’t all be possible without the proper care of your pond especially during summer.

There are a lot of things to consider from the inside to the outside environment of the pond. Before you sit on that favorite chair of yours, embracing the fruit of your ecstatic labor, perform the required labor first. Get up and gather your tools. Work begins here.

Give your fish sufficient air
Who can live without air? Aside from anaerobic bacteria and creatures living in water, approximately, there are about 80-90 percent of creatures living inside planet earth that is in need of air. This principle includes your pond fishes. During summer, it is inevitable that water has the tendency to become warm. And as it gets warmer and warmer, the lesser and lesser the oxygen content becomes. Furthermore, another effect of the heat of summer is that the metabolism of fishes are increased. One very good reason why oxygen is badly needed. If you have a wide pond with only a couple or a small number of fishes, this wouldn’t be a problem. But, if you have a crowded pond, oxygen can soon be depleted. If the owner has allowed something like this to occur, his fishes can suffer severe levels of stress which can occasionally lead to acquiring diseases. Fishes can die overnight if put under extreme situations and the owner neglected it.

To solve this problem, the owner can use aerating devices, he can also choose to clean-up the fish pond making it free from debris and algae or, if worse comes to worse, he can lessen the population.

Feed them right

Since the heat of summer contributes to faster metabolism, it is advisable to provide fish food that is high in protein. This will help them grow faster and live healthier. This is the best time to feed them with protein to enhance rapid, beautiful growth and development. And as the fishes store fat, they are preparing themselves when winter comes. Body fat can get your fishes through long, cold nights of winter.

When feeding, always see to it that fishes are given only minimal but frequent servings. It is better to give them several feedings a day than one big serving. Fishes tend to die when given large amount of food. If you wanted to introduce something different, mix it together with a small amount of their standard meal. This will make their unfamiliar taste of food become more acceptable.  Keep the pond clean

Always see to it that their pond is without algae, fallen leaves or wasted food. Keep your pond filter running to ensure the filtering of debris and maintain the cleanliness of the water inside the pond. Fishes can be more irritated with their environment and experience sickness. Furthermore, a dirty pond can cause bacteria to grow and contribute to your fishes’ disease.

If all these are properly set and arranged, you can be more confident in watching your fishes swim happily. Proper caring of your fish pond not only contributes to your fishes but to you, as an owner, as well