Picton? Yes, Picton.

5 Comments July 5, 2016 drworobec

I have just returned from three days of a wonderful family getaway. It was a great way to recharge, reconnect, and kick off the glorious Summer ahead. With a teacher husband and school-aged children, Summer is always much-anticipated, and with the busy-ness of our move taking up much of our downtime last Summer, I am especially looking forward to the unscheduled, lazy, hazy days ahead.

But back to our getaway….. it was so glorious that I feel the need to share the details so that you may consider it for a Summer outing of your own. We explored the Picton/Sandbanks area for three days and found lots of hidden gems in an area we’ve never been to, but to which we’ll certainly return. Where’s Picton, you say? It’s about 200km East of Toronto, just off the 401.

We found the coolest accommodation, in the berth of a sailboat docked in the Picton Harbour. For two nights, the ‘Tzarina’ was our home, and we ate our breakfasts on her deck, fished off her docks, and enjoyed the quaint, tight quarters that life on a sailboat entails. The owners even treated us to a two-hour evening sail in the Bay of Quinte, one of the many highlights of our trip.

We explored three beaches, all of such variety that I’m stunned they were each within a twenty-minute drive:

Sandbanks beach: This one was within Sandbanks Provincial Park itself, and was my personal favorite. White sand, blue water, and pure sunshine made me feel like I was in Florida, and the sand dunes themselves were remarkable.
Point Petre beach: Off the beaten path, we found this beach on a tip from a local, the very best resource when traveling. More than once, we wondered if we’d taken a wrong turn, but ended up on the Southern-most outcropping of land, on a shale beach with a Maritime feel. We only saw a handful of other people, and felt like we had a private cove all to ourselves.
Lake on the Mountain: This small lake can be found above the Picton Harbour, with a view of the Glenora ferry. We wore lake shoes and waded across the rocks to enjoy the warm water and the peace of kayakers and loons.

Picton also has great restaurants (including a takeout truck with the world’s best Butter Chicken), beautiful wineries, vintage furniture shops, and incredible homemade ice cream in the nearby town of Bloomfield (campfire-flavored with real roasted marshmallows!). Now, it didn’t hurt that the three days we were there had perfect blue sky and thirty-degree sunshine, but being less than three hours from Burlington, this cute little area is a sure thing if you’re looking for an easy escape.

*This post was sponsored by the Picton Tourism Board.

**OK, not really, but I just re-read it, and it could’ve been.

***But seriously, go visit Picton.

You got this.

4 Comments June 21, 2016 drworobec

It’s Monday night at 9:44pm.

I just finished packing lunches. It took me forever, since I had to pack a lunch for myself instead of my usual at-home lunch (I’m a parent volunteer on my son’s field trip tomorrow), I needed a special container-free lunch for my son, and my daughter has a theme day at Preschool and requires extra snacks. I’m not the usual lunch-packer in my house, that’s my husband’s department, so I was out of practice and inefficient. It. Took. Awhile.

Mondays are my latest day at work, so I got home just as the bedtime routine was in full-swing. Two smiley kids, still with bathtub hair, greeted me at the door and pulled me out of my hunger-induced grump. I joined them in stories and tuck-ins. I spent fifteen minutes scrambling eggs and washing berries in my attempt to avoid ordering pizza for dinner. Success. This time.

Then I packed backpacks. Field trips and Preschool theme days require extra packing and planning. 8:35pm. I went upstairs to our computer and paid some bills online. I printed off a list of Burlington playgrounds for our see-all-the-playgrounds challenge this Summer. I hunted for a new recipe for Wednesday’s dinner. I drank a cup of tea and spilled some. 9:33pm. Cleaning up tea from underneath the computer desk, I stood up and banged my head. Crap (or the R-rated version). I’m still hungry. There are chocolate chips in the baking cupboard that are taunting me. Hold strong.

It’s blog night. I’m usually way ahead on this task. Most weeks I’ve written a post in my head several times over and it’s just a matter of typing it out. Not so this week. Life has been busier than usual. I’m starting fresh. A blank screen stares at me. An hour later I text my editor, my husband the English major. He comes upstairs and says my sentences are choppy. “Too bad,” I say, “I’m not changing it.”

10:46pm. I’m heading downstairs to have a shower and fold some laundry. I will likely get engrossed in my bedside book and shut off my light after midnight, then regret my choice when my children jump on me the morning. But it’s my husband’s turn for the 6:00am workout tomorrow so I get an extra hour of sleep.

And where was he through all of this? Washing dishes, vacuuming rugs, and mopping floors. Our house is dirtier than I care to admit because, see above, life has been busier than usual. So it’s Monday-night cleanup around here.

Why am I telling you all of this? Not to complain, believe me. But because my life is just like yours. I get overwhelmed and overscheduled. I eat scrambled eggs for dinner and chocolate chips in front of the computer. I argue with my spouse and get frustrated with my kids. I have more tasks than time to do them.

So while my life is perfect for me, let me assure you that it’s not perfect.

This is life. And this happens to be my life. And it makes me damn happy.

A word is a word is a word…

Leave a comment June 14, 2016 drworobec

Last week I received two of the loveliest emails. Heartwarming, kind words, written by patients who took time out of their day and sent them to me. They made me smile and gave me reassurance that my goals with my practice are on track; my intentions have always been sincerity, integrity, and comprehensive care. I want patients to feel like they know “me” (hence this blog) and that they can trust me completely with their musculoskeletal healthcare. I’m an open book with my emotions, and that extends into my practice life as well- what you see is what you get, and I’m invested in and fully committed to my work and my patients. I’ve asked both of the aforementioned patients if I can share their words, and they’ve both agreed:

MG wrote:

“Thank you so much for being awesome at what you do! I feel so much better now that he is under your care. I’m sincere in all my thanks, I just think you are the best and have the best interests of your patients always in mind. We are on track!”

MB wrote:

“I can’t tell you how much better my Achilles feels today! It is like night and day. Amazing! Thank you very much!!”

Simple words that made a real difference in my life. And the fact that I’ve made a difference in their lives too means I’m doing my job. Connecting with people, the people part, is what I love the most.

These emails and the positive effect they had on me got me thinking about the power of a compliment and therefore the power of words in general, to help or harm. As a healthcare professional, I am very careful with my wording and phrasing to patients. As a mother, I am very careful with my wording and phrasing to my children. But over the years, like we all have, I’ve missed opportunities to compliment people when in fact I’ve thought the words in my head.

Today, I challenge you to hand out a sincere compliment to three different people in your life via phone, text, or email. Watch what it does to them, and to you.