About

Thank you for visiting my blog.  

It’s now been almost 8 years since I retired and 6 years since I started my first blog. During that time, this space has evolved although I like to think that I’ve been somewhat successful in my original purpose to provide inspiration to others to challenge their comfort zone.

I still believe in ‘living on the edge’. It’s not about trying death-defying activities (although I’ve done a few of those too), but about being adventurous and challenging myself to do new things.

I like to think of myself as an explorer. I’m a hiker, cyclist, amateur photographer, and wannabe artist. I look for the unusual, the curious, and the simple beauties that surround us.

Those are the kinds of stories you will find here in my space.

I hope you will enjoy your visit to my blog and find my stories entertaining, thought provoking, or perhaps even a little inspiring.

I can also be found on my other blog Following a Bold Plan

Updated January 2019

195 comments

  7. Hi Joanne,
    For the past couple of weeks we’ve been writing about how we’re simplifying our life – and we invited you to share your thoughts on the subject. The response was wonderful! Thanks so much.

    We loved reading your real-life experiences and have included them in our next post with a shout out to you and link to your blog. It will be published next Monday, July 29.

    Thanks again. You made our day!
    Terri & James @ gallivance.net

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    • Sadly, my hiking partner pulled out of this adventure at the end of the winter earlier this year. At this point we had covered about 1,000 km – all of it in Southern Ontario.

      I’ve now modified our original goal significantly. My new plan is to travel portions of the trail in each of the provinces and territories – likely on my own. Last summer I made 2 trips into Quebec alone on my bicycle on the TransCanada. In total, I spend 6 days travelling alone on the trail. I proved to myself that I could do this – although admittedly, being alone isn’t quite the same as sharing the experience with someone 😏

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  13. I will take “walking on the edge” lessons from you. Some people find me brave, but I think of myself as mostly playing it safe. Seeing how others live life to the fullest is always good inspiration! Glad you found me through Lisa! (I’m a hiker, too, so I will really love reading about your treks.)

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    • Thank you! That’s so appreciated!
      I believe we all have different tolerances for risk and what ‘being on the edge’ means to us. Regardless of how we define it, we all owe it to ourselves to challenge our personal edges of comfort. I truly believe that’s where life is really lived 🙂

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  18. I heard the Canadian group the Stampeders singing “Sweet City Woman” on the radio today. The 6 Million people plus more all said the banjo, words and beat really lifted their spirits. Your blog and straightforward way of writing fits well with how I pictured friends I would make while blogging, Joanne. Leaving teaching didn’t turn my brain off, you are a smart and fun person to “know!” Smiles, Robin

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  19. Hi!
    I just found your blog via Thursday Doors. Some interesting posts! I’m retired too! And agree with your philosophy that ‘life is what you make it’. We bought a boat and sailed it from UK to Greece!
    What country are you from?

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  20. Hi Joanne, I just popped over from Donna’s Retirement Reflections site. And I must say, you had me at your tagline: “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” Wish I had thought of that! I’m looking forward to following along on all of your risk-taking, tight-rope walking, self-determined adventures! We’re kindred spirits! ~ Lynn

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    • Oh yay! Another fellow adventurer!! I believe so much in that saying .. “Life Is Not Measured By the Number of Breaths We Take, But By the Moments That Take Our Breath Away”.

      I wish I could take credit for the byline. I saw it many, many years ago on a bumper sticker, of all places. It resonated with me and stuck.

      Happy to have you along, Lynn!! Welcome 🙂

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  22. Exactly – life is what we make it. And the older we get, we take it one day at a time and do our best to make it as fun as can be. Life is too short being miserable and grouchy. Have a great day. Enjoyed reading your blog.

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    • I agree! It’s easy to find reasons to be miserable and grouchy. But it’s also easy to see beauty, discover new things, and find simple pleasures in an ordinary day. Why choose the former when you can have the latter?
      Thanks for visiting and your kind comment.

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      • I do Instagram, too, but not from my blog. I use it for pictures I take as I take them, so they are not tied to a blog post. Do you use Instagram to promote your blog?

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        • No – I’m like you. I use Instagram as a spontaneous-I-have-a photo-to-share medium. I prefer to keep these 2 accounts mutually exclusive so that people following me on Instagram don’t see the same stuff as what I put in my blog.

          Having said that, sometimes a photo will overlap, but that’s usually by accident rather than design.

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  28. Hi Joanne. Max introduced me to your blog. Have had a look around and enjoyed your posts. Found inspiration on this page as I have been ‘skipping along the edges from my comfort’ zone for the past few years. I have recently tried (not so successfully) to dive a little deeper back into my comfort zone by looking for work while visiting SE Asia. Apparently the universe has different ideas for me because my job search is not progressing to plan. It has had me a bit down but your words managed to perk me up and reminded me that ‘it will all be okay, it always is in the end’.

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    • Sometimes the Universe delivers us a dish we really don’t like. I’m the kind of person who believes it’s for a reason … one we might never know why.
      Good luck with your travels. Sometimes retreating into our comfort zone is a good thing. It helps us recharge, refocus, and gain perspective.
      Thanks so much for visiting 🙂

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  29. I love that quote at the top of your blog: “If you aren’t living on the edge, you’re taking too much space”. Brilliant and inspiring! Looking forward to following your adventures (door-related and otherwise) 🙂

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  30. Hi Joanne, may I begin by thanking you for not only visiting sgtcookie but liking and commenting on it. You’ve single handedly quadrupled my audience figures and from overseas too! Of course I should be berating you for causing my tumble (shock and surprise has that effect on me) but what sort of guest would I be, visiting and leaving my good manners on the porch with my dirty, cricket covered footwear?
    So… yes tea’s good thanks, milk, no sugar…
    So, nice place you’ve got here, I think I’m going to enjoy my visit, although it’s so busy! You’ve got followers, proper, real followers and lots of them! I suspect this may be the legacy of writing a quality blog so I look forward to having a good rummage through.
    Sgtcookie has reached it’s conclusion and I’m unsure what to do next. I’ve got a collection of verse that I’ve started posting on another site. This may interest you more than dusty old cricket related essays and almost guarantees an existence out of your comfort zone. ‘What is he doing to Shakespeare’s English!!!!!!’
    Anyway, before I completely outstay my welcome. Thanks for the tea. Best wishes. 🙂

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  35. Hi Joanne – I am enjoying (and am being inspired by) your Bruce Trail blog, and wanted to know about the logistics of your adventure. Did you have two cars (one at each end) whenever you went out to hike a section of the trail?
    It was great to see you go out on the trail in all kinds of weather. Fantastic!
    Doug

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    • Thank you Shannon. I really appreciate that you thought of me and my blog.

      I accept with gratitude, but I prefer not to respond to rules of the award. I’m bad that way 😉

      Thanks again!

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