Redefining Retirement

This weekend, we plan to send a care package to Iqaluit. It will include pairs of knitted socks, as well as a book illustrated by local artist, Geoff Butler “The Illustrated Ode to Labrador“.

The book was picked up months ago in Annapolis Royal. It tells the story of the Ode to Labrador. Besides the Art work, it contains lyrics by Harry Paddon and additional text by Robin McGrath.

I am sending it North for Andrew and the grandchildren to read. It brings back memories of my first field season in Labrador in 1964. I was based at the McGill Sub-Arctic Research Station in Schefferville, and developed a love for the Northern landscape.

Last Friday, we finished watching the BBC production of Victor Hugo, Les Miserables on Gem. While a gripping eight part series, it was hard to watch the turmoil of the French Revolution, as we endure the present COVID political uncertainties.

Same day, we had to pick up a book in Annapolis Royal. After enjoying the French Basin trail, dog walk with Siqsiq, we stopped for a morning coffee at Lola’s Café. This led to a brief stop at the Library. Here, I found an early Harry Thurston book (2002), “The Sea among the Rocks“. It is a collection of short pieces describing familiar places in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and other parts of Atlantic Canada. In most cases, he writes from an environmental perspective.

‘Thurston writes passionately about the region’s bounty, the environmental destruction and the attempts to protect what’s left of our natural heritage. He shows how these concerns for the environment are inseparable from the spheres of community and culture’.

On returning home, I found an email from the Retired Teachers Organization (RTO) on a five part workshop, facilitated by the Acadia Entrepreneurship Centre. These online sessions address the topic of ‘redefining retirement’.

My questions are simple.

‘What can I do in 2021, to guarantee that there will be a Centre of Geographic Sciences in Lawrencetown for my grandchildren, should they decide to follow my career path — that means, the opportunity to study Cartography, Geographic Information Science, Remote Sensing and Surveying, ten years from now?

Retirement from an educational institution does not mean retirement from one’s life time academic and research interests. Most post-secondary institutions understand this point. How about the Nova Scotia Community College?

Postscript

We publish rural Nova Scotia. Check out Moose House Publications founded by Brenda Thompson in 2019. www.moosehousepress.com

Acknowledgements

Both Edward and Heather share many of the same interests. Friday evening, we had an excellent supper at T he Station with Anne, Bill and Roger. Earlier, John shared his thoughts on the ‘state of the environment’.

References

Geoff Butler, 2016, The Illustrated Ode to Labrador, Breakwater Books.

Harry Thurston, 2002, The Sea among the Rocks: Travels in Atlantic Canada, Pottersfield Press.