Seven people attended the September 20 2023 Zoom meeting.

Top to bottom: Sheila (Brown) Ward, Jo Ann (Mitchell) Wedley and Bill Wedley, Rob Hohert, Bill Riddall, Marion (Humphrey) Marsden, Sylvia (Jones) Enga.

Topics covered included:

1. Marion (Humphrey) Marsden reported on the Class of ’57 reunion that she, Bill Riddall and Bill Wedley attended the previous week.Others from our class who attended were Duncan McLean, Bill and Dianne Elphinstone and Jeanette (Warren) Terrace along with her husband, and Larry Terrace. Besides meeting old friends, there was sock hop music from a band of our era, the Thin Red Line.In spite of their age, band members were very good, getting the agile guests up to dance and having the less agile tapping their feet.
2. Rob Hohert stays in close contact with Lynn who is in a care home where she is well looked after. There is a camera in the room so Rob can check on her when he is not there. Her phone is set so Rob can hear it ring and it goes to speakerphone. Rob is hoping the spend some time on his boat in Georgia this upcoming November.
3. University costs. The cost of grandchildren attending university in other provinces is high. Sylvia (Jones) Enga explained that the tuition at McGill was $20,000 per academic year plus an additional amount to board on campus (where the food is not very palatable). Sharing living costs off campus with others costs $750 per month plus utility expenses.
4. Airbnb rentals.Sylvia rents a beautiful suite at her Grand Boulevard home via Airbnb. She gets interesting visitors from all over the world.She explained that Airbnb provides excellent service in vetting visitors and handling any problems where visitors violate some of the conditions (e.g.:smoking when it is not allowed). Airbnb charges both the owner and the renter a fee for service.For the owner, Sylvia explained that the security check, rent collection, on other screening is well worth the cost.
5. Bill Wedley said he has been asked to speak at Don Homer’s upcoming Celebration of Life.He said he would be reporting on the ”No Porking” incident.He requested words that summarize Don.Some proffered included: outrageous, aggressive, passionate, boisterous, gregarious, caring.
6. Bill and Jo Ann reported that they are busy with their daughter who is visiting from Australia.Until she returns on Friday, they will be very busy. She returns to Australia in a couple of days.
7. Sheila (Brown) Ward said she had a tour of Bill Ridall’s extensive garden at his West Vancouver home.To show others, Bill took his Ipad outside and displayed a panorama of his view of Vancouver, his greenhouses, and his garden of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. He keeps fit gardening up and down the lot.
8. Sheila also reported on the season results of her Recreational League Sol-Pitch softball club, the Mountaineers, who compete with like teams throughout the Greater Vancouver area. They play with 10 players (not the usual 9).The 10^th player is a “Rover” in the outfield.Their rules require at leas t 3 women on the field at all time.“On the field”, means they are playing, not spectators. Like our Classes of ’58, The Mountaineers are an inclusive group.They always welcome older players who want to socialize and exercise.
9. Interestingly, Sylvia brought up the topic of a Netflix film (Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones) that researched communities of the world where residents lived long lives.5 areas were identified in very different countries (Okinawa Prefecture, Japan; Nuoro Province, Sardinia, Italy; the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Icaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California, United States).The common traits between them seemed to be diet (whole food, plant based), natural exercise, social connections, and sense of purpose.  With that knowledge, Sheila’s Mountaineers is a good way to get exercise (join!) and social connections are provided via our class website.