The Gratitude Division - September 2023

 

An Event I attended - Canmore Highland Games, Canmore, AB

This was my first time attending the Canmore Highland Games and it was a lot of fun. It was well organized and the volunteers were fantastic. We also really lucked out with the weather - it was a beautiful weekend. The whole event was great, but the standout for me was the Taste of the Highlands evening that took place the night before the official games themselves. They had all kinds of local vendors who you could talk to about their products - scotches, beers, ciders, and more! There was also a fresh oyster booth, which was my personal favourite. It was a fun, social atmosphere and it really set a good tone for the rest of the weekend.

Thank you for your hospitality!

A Restaurant I Experienced - Chartier, Beaumont, AB

I had the pleasure of celebrating a milestone birthday here this month! My dear husband and I were joined by another couple for our monthly supper-club, which we refer to as The Taste-Buds 😋 We select a different restaurant each month and we're particularly fond of tasting menu experiences. Chartier's Canoe Trip tasting menu ticked all the boxes for us and it felt like a special way to celebrate my birthday.

Sadly, after we booked the reservation, the Chartier team announced that they would be closing their doors effective September 30, 2023. However, they encouraged their patrons to come in for a meal during September to send the restaurant off in style. I was very glad that we'd already booked the reservation, as I anticipated Chartier's loyal following of customers would fill up their dance-card pretty quickly.

The meal did not disappoint! We had such a wonderful experience, with great food, drinks, and excellent company. It's a core memory for me now and I'm glad that we took the opportunity to go while we still could.

If you're in the area, please frequent their neighbours and sister businesses, in order to continue supporting the vibrant Beaumont community. Please give those folks your patronage! It is indeed a sad day to see this small business close. Particularly one that was so well run and that had such an established customer base! If we want to keep locally owned businesses afloat, we need to show up for them, and keep showing up for them. Thank you Chartier! For all that you did for the community and for being a role model of what a gracious exit can look like. You'll be missed and I look forward to supporting whatever ventures you begin next.

A Book I Read - A Higher Loyalty, by James Comey

I will start by saying I don't normally read memoirs and I'm not really into politics, particularly not American politics, as a source of entertainment. You will be justified in wondering to yourself "if that's true, how did you end up reading this book?!" Well, I have a fabulous hair-stylist, who I adore, and one of the things we always talk about when I see her is the books we've recently read. On my last visit she raved about how good this book was; even when I gave my usual objections about not liking memoirs and not being into politics, she insisted - this book will be an exception to the rule. She was right!

I was between books and in a bit of a book-funk after finishing a long series. I didn't know what I wanted to read, but I wanted it to be completely different from the fiction series I'd just completed. The book equivalent of a palate cleanser; that's what I needed! I remembered her book recommendation and thought that it might fit the bill. The audiobook was immediately available on the Edmonton Public Library app, so I decided to check it out and give it a whirl. I'm so glad I did.

Yes, it's a memoir about a man who worked on legal teams that were in the thick of American politics.  But James Comey is a good story teller and he had a point that he wanted to make with this book that was more important than the events he was describing. This felt far less like a memoir and more like a book about leadership and what Mr. Comey has learned about both good and bad leadership through the years. The stories, then, are all told as a way of building his case (he is a lawyer, after all) for what truly good leadership and public service means.

It was really nice to read a book that focused on values, character, and the greater good in a world that can be so focused on trends, brands, and zero-sum games. It was a good reminder that there are decent people in this world, who are guided by principles more important than personal gain. And I'm sure that there are some people, who are more familiar with the historical events he describes than I am, who will take issue with Mr. Comey's narrative; I have no doubt that this book is at times self-serving to the author. But I honestly got the impression that he is the decent man he describes himself to be in this book. I'm glad I read it and if you are also someone who is interested in ethical leadership, then I recommend you read it too.

So what have been some of your favourite things this September?

Please, send me your restaurant recommendations - where do the Taste Buds need to go next?

Do you have a book recommendation you'd like to send my way?

Yours, in gratitude,

Petrina

If you are looking for a mental health therapist in Alberta, please check out my website - Calder Mental Health Services. I offer counselling in person (Edmonton) and online (all of Alberta).