Transitions-Oakville, Burlington and Mississauga Real Estate Blog

Sometimes we lose our way in life and in so doing, we lose the ones that we belong with. Not knowing what to do, we try to fit in with the closest thing we can find to our way of life and the individuals we are most familiar with.

This works out fine, sometimes. Often we find it too hard to try and be something we're not and eventually, after misplacing integral parts of ourselves, we decide we miss our tribe and our old way of life.
Then we pack up and go back to the place and people that feel like 'home'.

Humans are lucky that way. They're able to remember where they belong and who they belong with. Birds aren't always so lucky.

Such is the case with this lone Snow Goose who, for reasons we're not privy to, found himself living with a flock of Canada Geese.
Being lonely and wanting a mate, he chose one of the Canada Goose females.

The pair seem happy enough; however a closer look reveals some marital discord.
It's always him following her.
She seems totally oblivious to his amour and more intent on doing her own thing wandering around Erchless Estate in Old Oakville.

I felt kind of sad for this Snow Goose. He seemed so out of place.

Perhaps one day, maybe when the flock he's chosen to be with is stopped somewhere along their migration route in the fall, he'll spot a band of Snow Geese and will recognize them as his own.

Until then, he's happy to just follow along and pretend he's a Canada Goose with a lovely Canada Goose mate.

Last Wednesday I was fortunate to be given two tickets to attend the media launch of 'A Taste of Burlington'. 

The event was held at the beautiful Burlington Art Centre in the Shoreline Room, overlooking Lake Ontario.

Numerous of Burlington's finest restaurants who are participating in the summer season's A Taste of Burlington program were present.

They served a wide variety of their specialties and attendees had a pleasant afternoon dining on samplings of Burlington's best.

The wines of Ontario were well represented also and we were able to sample some of the finest wines Ontario has to offer.

Musical entertainment played softly in the background while we were treated to a delicious afternoon lunch from Burlington's finest.

A Taste of Burlington runs from Monday, July 19th to Monday, August 2, 2010.  During this time period diners will be able to experience the finest restaurants in the region as 23 of Burlington's restaurants offer  prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus.

During the summer program of A Taste of Burlington, participating restaurants will offer 3 course meals for $20 (lunch) or $30, $35 or $40 (dinner).

A Taste of Burlington is a very popular program for locals and tourists alike.

Reservations are recommended.

F  For

O  Optimum

C  Concentration

U  Use

S  Self-discipline

How often we get mired down in a litany of small issues that eke their invasive tendrils through the tidy garden of our thoughts.
The result is a tangled mess where even the most beautiful aspects of our lives begin to resemble gnarled weeds.

When I find myself in this negative state of mind, I pause to recall an old Ojibway saying,

"Sometimes I go about pitying myself and all the while a great wind is bearing me across the sky."

When I remind myself of this saying, a warm tingling sensation spreads across my upper back and the worries of my day begin to recede.
I suddenly feel more fortunate than words could adequately describe.

We are in an age where information is multiplying at a faster rate than our brains are able to adequately process.

This mass of information leads us down a path enshrouded in fog where we gradually lose sight of those things that should matter the most.

In order to achieve our goals, we require focus.

Focus is a key element to success in every process or end point we are working on.
Understanding this enables us to lead a more fulfilling life both personally and professionally.

In today's hectic world, it's not always an easy task to stay focussed. There are, however,  a number of things we can do to help us stay on track.

1. Written Goals and Plans  - Having written goals, and plans to achieve those goals, helps to set our internal 'accomplishment mechanism', better known as our subconscious, to work for us. This is a very easy way to help us on the path to staying focused.
   
   
2. Remove Distractions - Staying focused is much easier when there are no distractions. This is something usually within our own control. We have the ability to control the environment in which we work and play to a certain degree.
   
   
3. Accountability - Having accountability partners in our lives helps us to stay focused on the end goals or on the those things we should be focusing on in our lives. An accountability partner could be a spouse, friend, family member, business associate or even a group to which we belong.
   
   
4. Maintaining Good Personal Health - There's an old saying , "If you have your health, you have everything". If we're not feeling well or are facing a serious illness, it's extremely hard to stay focused on anything other than the discomfort we're experiencing. Have a plan for good health maintenance and stick to it as much as possible.
   
   
5. Declutter - When it comes to decluttering, we have to address not only our physical environments, but also our mental and emotional environments. If there are outstanding issues you should be facing, don't put them on hold. It may be difficult to bring them out into the open and discuss them with the appropriate party, however by not discussing them and failing to reach some resolution, our minds will be unable to properly focus on those things we should be focusing on.
   
   
6. Commit - I wrote a post awhile back called The Power of Commitment; if you have a problem with commitment, please read it.
   
   
7. Live with Purpose and Passion - On the same lines as commitment, living a life filled with purpose and passion ensures being able to be focus on those things that matter to us, both in our business and in our personal lives. We know when we are doing what we should be doing because it is at those times that we lose ourselves and are able to completely focus in an effortless way. Find your passion and follow it.
   
   
8. Take Regular Breaks - No matter what you are trying to accomplish, it is important to take regular breaks to refresh your body, mind and spirit. Taking breaks applies to both our short term lives and our long term lives. Schedule regular holidays for yourself every 2-3 months, depending on how hard you are working on a weekly basis.
   
   
9. Practice Meditation - Learning how to meditate teaches us how to have a disciplined mind wherein we are able to totally focus on whichever we want to focus at will. Meditation classes can be found in most communities now and many of them are free.
   
   
10. Complete One Thing at a Time - Don't leave jobs undone. When starting on one job, make sure you see it through to completion. After completing a job, you will feel energized and will experience a rise in self-esteem and well-being. All of these contribute to your focusing power for the accomplishment of future goals.
     
    
    Success in any aspect of our lives comes down to mastering the art of focusing.
    

I have a lovely Grand-cat named Nanuk and beautiful Grand-dog named Pika. They are David's (my oldest son) and Angie's family and are the best of friends.
They live in Kelowna, BC so I don't get to see them much.  When we were there this past September, Nanuk and Pika were always getting into some kind of mischief together, especially when they were home alone.

Left to their own devices, Nanuk, with the dexterity her paws offer, would open doors and cupboards and get out paper towels or toilet paper for Pika to unravel and shred all through the house.
This was a habit of theirs. Every time we would come home, it would be to a floating sea of white tissue everywhere.   ((-;
Other than that, they are very well behaved.

Canadian students 19 and Under are invited to celebrate biodiversity in Oakville and across the globe by entering a contest!

Canadian artist Robert Bateman started a program called 'Get to Know' to help promote environmental awareness amongst young people.

The theme for this year's 'Get to Know' program is 'Celebrate Biodiversity' and at no time more than the present is this theme more important with thousands of plant and animal species becoming endangered or extinct on a daily basis.

If you know a student who is 19 years or under, encourage them to enter this year's 'Get to Know' contest.

Not only will they have the opportunity to learn more about the beautiful planet we live on and display their creative talents, they will also have the opportunity to win some great prizes and perhaps have their work published in the 2011 Get to Know contest calendar or be used for the 2011 Youth Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp!

To enter the contest, students are invited to get outside and get creative. Paint, draw or photograph nature in it's glory and submit your work of art.
Students who prefer to write are encouraged to submit a work of art using the written word that talks about wildlife or biodiversity.

Prizes*
Entrants have the opportunity to win one of the following prizes:

• the winning art or writing entry will be published in the 2011 Robert Bateman Get to Know Contest Calendar
  
• One winning entry will be featured as Wildlife Habitat Canada's 2011 Youth Wildlife Habitat
  Conservation Stamp
  
• A week-long art and nature camp in one of Canada's stunning national parks, joined by outstanding mentors and the American contest winners (sponsored by Parks Canada; for age 12 and up only)
  
• Cash prizes
  
• The winning entry published on www.gettoknow.ca
  
• VIP invitations to special events, held across the country
  
• Personal written congratulations from Robert Bateman
  
• Digital cameras from Panasonic (for photography winners)
  
• Additional prize packages from Opus Framing and Art Supplies and Scholastic (for art and writing winners respectively)

General Rules

This contest is open to ALL Canadian students 19 and under and no purchase or payment is necessary in order to win.

Entrants may submit more than one entry, however all entries must be received in the mail or online by Get to Know no later than 4:00 PM Eastern (1:00 PM Pacific) on May 28, 2010.

For more information, click on the banner below.

*Prize list taken from Get to Know Contest website

Malcolm posted the most touching and brilliant video I've seen in a long time....

it caused me to think of the people I know, and how some of them fall into the first category.

Thankfully I know more who fall into the second...including my wonderful sons.

Thanks for posting this Malcolm!

Spring has arrived in full force here in Oakville, Ontario.
Fruit trees are in bloom across the city with white and the most beautiful shades of crimson and pink blossoms I've ever seen.

The fact that I think the same thoughts every spring, has no bearing on it. Every spring seems like the most beautiful spring I've ever experienced.

Along with the blossoms come new generations of life, curious and fresh and happy just to be here.

Spring fever has caught up with the birds and the bees as creatures everywhere find a warm place in the sun to relax and relish in the return of another season filled with hope and renewal.

Halton Region Annual Rain Barrel Sale Starts Today!

Rain barrels will be for sale starting today and for the next three Saturdays in Oakville and the Halton Region.
If bought through retail, rain barrels may well cost over $200 however Halton Region offers them to residents for the low price of $36 each. Residents may buy only one rain barrel per household.

In 2009, Halton residents purchased approximately 6,200 rain barrels. These rain barrels had the potential to reduce water consumption in Halton by more than 1.2 million litres.

Why Use a Rain Barrel?

Rain barrels divert rain water from entering our sewer systems and stop pollutants from being swept into the surrounding streams, reducing run-off by as much as 70%

Rain barrels store a great abundance of unchlorinated water for use on gardens and lawns

Rain barrels help homeowners save money on water bills

Rain barrels are simple to install and easy to use

Rain barrels lower the demand on city water systems, especially during the hot summer months


Purchase your rain barrel from 8am - noon on the following days:

Saturday, May 1st          Mohawk Raceway, 9430 Guelph Line, Campbellville
Saturday, May 8th          Oakville Place Mall, 240 Leighland Avenue, Oakville
Saturday, May 15th        Robert C. Austin Operations Centre, 11620 Trafalgar Rd., Georgetown
Saturday, May 29th        Mapleview Centre, 900 Maple Avenue, Burlington

Conserving our water and diverting storm water run-off away from our streams and water bodies is something we can all take part in by buying and using a rain barrel.

Mark your calendar and make plans to visit one of the above locations to pick up your rain barrel during the 2010 Halton Region Rain Barrel Sale Days, on now.

Oakville Taste 2010 - A Culinary Delight

Enjoy a fine dining experience?

Appleby College in Oakville is the place to be on Sunday, May 30th when some of the region's finest caterers, restaurateurs and bakers will be serving up a culinary extravaganza at Oakville Taste 2010 in support of Oakville's Kerr Street Ministries food bank.

From  2-6pm, patrons will enjoy a wide sampling of signature foods from particpating chefs.

Local producers of beer and wine will join the restaurateurs, bakers and caterers in offering a fine selection of their best to pair with the delectable assortment of food styles.

Patrons will also be able to place their bids in a silent auction with proceeds going towards the Kerr Street Ministries food bank.

The following Restaurateurs, Bakers and Caterers will be providing a wonderful sampling of their fare:

Oakville Taste 2010 Exhibitors


To purchase tickets for this memorable event visit

Oakville Taste 2010