Roswitha Scharf-Dessureault

When you see Roswitha Scharf-Dessureault with all her smiles and appreciation for life, you would never suspect the fear, hardship and injustices she endured in her early years, right from birth. When you learn about her achievements, you can’t help but wonder what shaped her into the success story she became. In fact, you would probably imagine a fairy-tale upbringing. But if you read her book, “Memories of a Life’s Journey” you will be amazed at her strength and survival skills, and it holds some answers as to why she is the person she is today.

The hard reality is that Roswitha learned, very young, how war can ruin lives and families, how adults can be shameless predators of children, and that to survive, you must endure, hope, dream, believe in yourself, and work, work, work. Despite the trauma and drama of her childhood, Roswitha survived and went on to thrive—with courage, faith in many things and perseverance at her side, never losing faith in humanity.

Being the owner/manager of the well-known Winnipeg restaurant (now only a fond memory), The Tea Cozy in Osborne Village, she proved to herself and everyone, that it doesn’t matter where you come from, or how you started, you can achieve your goals and succeed.

That is one of the reasons she decided to publish her life story in a self-written book called “Memories of a Life’s Journey.” She wanted to be an inspiration to her children and grandchildren, and give them an understanding of herself, and in turn, themselves.

After taking several life-writing courses and doing research in Germany, it took five years to write this first book.

Since launching her book in February, 2008, Roswitha has had many book signings in Winnipeg and beyond, even in Toronto, and continues to do so. “It’s going beyond my expectations,” says Roswitha, as the demand for her book continues to grow. It made McNally Robinson Bookseller’s top seller list. Since then, she has been very active in promoting and marketing her book, doing numerous in-store book signings, media interviews with CityTV (now Breakfast Television), CJOB Radio, Winnipeg Shaw TV, various magazines and speaking engagements. With her experience, she had been invited as a speaker and presenter on self-publishing at several events, helping other aspiring writers.

Though writing about her ‘journey’ was difficult at times, stirring up some of the painful memories, it also aided in the healing process for her and it made her appreciate life today all the more.

The night Roswitha was born, (Sept. 21, 1940), her mother, Mathilde, described how air raid sirens had gone off. So Roswitha’s life ‘started with a bang!’ It was the 2nd year of WWII in Köln-Lindenthal, Germany, not far from the Rhine River. Her parents parted ways and after the war, she spent many of her childhood years in a refugee camp with her mother, siblings and step-father.

At age 20, Roswitha married her husband, Johann. When she was 28, her family, which now included their two young children, Sonja and Volker, sailed to Canada on September 12, 1967, destined for Winnipeg, Manitoba. She didn’t speak a word of English, so the challenges of moving to a new country were magnified. They settled in various Canadian cities including Vancouver and Fort Nelson, B.C., and Montreal. They added another daughter, Ilona, who was born in Vancouver.

Later they divorced and Roswitha settled again in Winnipeg with her three children. In 1982, she purchased The Tea Cozy in Osborne Village and turned it into a thriving business, but not without a lot of perseverance and sweat equity. A local newspaper described it as, “a unique replica of an English tea house from the early part of the nineteen hundreds. It is warm and cozy and comfortable...” But it was mainly her warm personality and hospitality skills that made it work. It was her passion and that was reflected in the daily operation of her business for 20 years.

And it was rewarding. She received nine consecutive Food Merit Awards (a feat not achieved by any other restaurant), the Star of the City Award, and the Women Business Owners’ 2000 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, her proudest achievement, and well-deserved one.

You may recall seeing Roswitha on CKND-TV with her cooking demonstrations. She also taught healthy cooking for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and hosted many wine-tastings in the first wine lounge in Winnipeg called the Wine Stube which was opened up in The Tea Cozy. This establishment was a little ahead of the times so she closed it and concentrated solely on the restaurant. Roswitha also worked with youth and troubled teens, hiring them and teaching them cooking, as well as social skills. She also learned that sometimes, all these young people needed was for someone to trust them. In her book, Roswitha states, “...I am so glad I could provide the teaching, trust, and love and the right atmosphere for them to get a fresh start.”

Roswitha’s book, “Memories of a Life’s Journey,” is available at major bookstores in Winnipeg including McNally Robinson Booksellers - Grant Park, Chapters - Polo Park & St. Vital Center, and Coles - Kildonan Place & City Place. For other locations, online and libraries, visit her website at www.roswitha-scharf-dessureault.com. Upcoming book signings are Nov. 20, 1-5 p.m. at Chapters, Polo Park; Dec. 4, 1-5 p.m. at Coles, Kildonan Place; and Dec. 5, 1-5 p.m. at McNally’s, Grant Ave.

Her book is an awe-inspiring read and it even includes some of her favourite recipes from her restaurant.

Since selling The Tea Cozy, Roswitha educated herself at Red River College, Winnipeg, at age 66 and obtained her Assistant Teacher Certificate in Early Childhood Education (ECE). For several years she has been teaching German language and culture at the South Winnipeg Kinderschule.

She is the Grandmother of two and remains very active with her hobbies of cycling, cooking and reading, and volunteers for various things such as the Children’s Hospital Book Fare in St. Vital, as a Goldwing Ambassador for the Winnipeg Airports Authority (WAA), and for the German Canadian Congress. She has also volunteered for the past five years for the Cycling for MS, and continues to do so. At age 69, last year, Roswitha had participated in her 5th consecutive Cycling for the MS Ride from Stonewall to Gimli and back – a total of 185 kms.

She also is a tour director for Fehr-way Company and is known as the “Jolly” tour guide.

She enjoys cycling immensely and joined a seniors’ cycling club with her husband. She looks forward to their cycling trips to Walker, Minnesota. Their cycling group, called the Leisure Club, drives six hours to Walker, rests overnight at a hotel, and sets out early in the morning on bicycles all the way back to Winnipeg along converted railway lines. It’s a five-day trip, but well-worth every bum blister!

With her past behind her, Roswitha is starting a new journey towards old age. And with enthusiasm she wonders, “What’s next?”

Roswitha’s advice to others who are aging? “Stay strong. Look forward every day and don’t look back. And most importantly, write down your stories. Time can pass so quickly.”

Keep your head held high
and think of tomorrow,
there will be a new day.
Let sadness pass away
and keep happiness close
to you, it creates strength.

~ Roswitha

(Read more in the Sep 6-26/2010 issue of Senior Scope)

Vacation Offers -
Too good to be true?

1. Protect your e-identity

Use different user ID / password combinations for different accounts and avoid writing them down. Make the passwords more complicated by combining letters and numbers, and change them on a regular basis.

2. Activate your firewall

Firewalls are the first line of cyber defense; they block connections to unknown or bogus sites and will keep out some types of viruses and hackers.

3. Use anti-virus software

Prevent viruses from infecting your computer by installing and regularly updating anti-virus software.

4. Block spyware attacks

Prevent spyware from infiltrating your computer by installing and updating anti-spyware software.

5. Install the latest operating system updates

Keep your applications and operating system (e.g. Windows, Mac, Linux) current with the latest system updates.

6. Back up your files

Protect important files from viruses or physical damage (such as floods, fires) by making backups and storing them in a different location.

7. Protect your wireless network

Wi-fi (wireless) networks are vulnerable to intrusion if they are not properly protected after installation (you can do so yourself or have this done by an expert when you purchase the wireless network router).

8. Delete e-mails from unknown senders

If you see e-mails from an address you don’t recognize, delete them immediately. Do not open them! Never download attachments from people you don’t know or follow links to websites listed in the e-mails. They could infect your computer with a virus or spyware.

9. Browse the Internet safely

Be cautious when giving out personal information such as your name, address, phone number or financial information on the Internet. Make certain that websites are secure (e.g. when making online purchases) or that you’ve enabled privacy settings (e.g. when accessing/using social networking sites).

10. Call the right person for help

Call your local police if you encounter questionable Internet content (e.g. child exploitation) or if you suspect a computer crime, identity theft or commercial scam. If you need help with maintenance or software installation on your computer, call a local computer technician or vendor.
________________________________

Cst. Ben Doiron
Winnipeg RCMP
Commercial Crime Section

(Read more in the Sep 6-26/2010 issue of Senior Scope)

Financial Planning Solutions
Having "the talk" with your parents

BRIAN G. KONRAD CFP, Financial Consultant

Do you remember when your parents sat you down to have “the talk”? At that time, it was the last thing you wanted to hear and likely included some anxious moments and uncomfortable feelings. Well, it could be time to think about another “talk” but, not with your kids – with your parents. Many of us are reluctant to discuss health and finances with our parents until a crisis occurs. A sudden health issue can reduce estate planning options, as well as increase costs. That’s why discussions and preplanning are so crucial. “The talk” can be a difficult and emotional conversation to have. However, the benefits of knowing your parents’ wishes can be extraordinary.

Having “the talk”

If your parents’ health allows it, they should be involved in making decisions about their living arrangements, level of care and estate plans. Your role is that of supporter and information gatherer. Here are some tips that can make having “the talk” easier and assist you in finding answers to your questions and theirs:

• Timing is everything–have your conversation well before a crisis occurs.

• Consider that your parents may also be waiting for an opportunity to have a discussion about their future with you, and you are providing a welcome opening.

• Use ice-breaking strategies such as offering to help with their estate planning or seeking their help with your retirement planning.

• Keep in mind that your parents want and need to maintain their independence and dignity.

• Listen, and try to understand their fears and anxieties.

• Make sure that the conversation focuses on your parents’ health and well being and your love and concern for them.

What to discuss

Once you feel comfortable approaching your parents about having “the talk”, it is important to know what to discuss. Here are some tips on what to talk about:

• Income – what are your parents’ sources of income, and do any conditions apply? For example, do they know how their monthly income will change when one of them passes on?

• Investments – have your parents designated beneficiaries for their registered investments and insurance policies? If so, who are they?

• Expenses – what are your parents’ expenses and will their income (along with any government aid) be sufficient to cover projected home or personal care costs that may escalate with age?

• Insurance – what types of insurance coverage do your parents have? Are there any holes that may need to be filled to protect the value of their estate?

• Wills – do your parents have up-to date wills? Without a will, unnecessary taxes may be payable upon their death, there is an increased potential for contentious litigation, and the very real possibility that their wishes won’t be taken into account.

• Executor – have your parents designated a personal representative (sometimes called an executor, or liquidator in Quebec) in their wills? This person (or trust company) is responsible for winding up their affairs and distributing assets and bequests in accordance with their wills.

• Enduring Power of Attorney – have your parents given someone the power to make financial decisions on their behalf if either or both of them become incapacitated?

• Living will – (sometimes called a health directive and not valid in all provinces) have your parents provided explicit directions about the personal and medical care they desire should they become incapacitated?

Have they appointed someone to make these decisions on their behalf? Have they considered a successor?

Have them show you where everything is

Be sure you know the location of your parents’ wills and other legal papers, as well as the location and content of their bank accounts and safety deposit boxes. There are many financial and estate planning strategies available to your parents as they age.We can help sort out the details and ease the awkwardness of “the talk”, by bringing an outside perspective to your discussion. And, while you’re at it, take a look at your own situation. If you’d like help creating a plan to cover any of the possible turns in your own life, call us.
__________________

BRIAN G. KONRAD CFP
Financial Consultant
brian.konrad2@investorsgroup.com
(204) 489-4640 ext. 246
100-1345 WAVERLEY STREET
WINNIPEG, MB R3T 5Y6
1-888-205-4828
www.investorsgroup.com/consult/brian.konrad

This report specifically written and published by Investors Group is presented as a general source of information only, and is not intended as a solicitation to buy or sell specific investments, nor is it intended to provide legal advice. Prospective investors should review the annual report, simplified prospectus, and annual information form of any fund carefully before making an investment decision. Clients should discuss their situation with their Consultant for advice based on their specific circumstances. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.
Insurance products and services offered through I.G. Insurance Services Inc. (in Quebec, a financial services firm). Insurance license sponsored by The Great-West Life Assurance Company (outside of Quebec).
™Trademark owned by IGM Financial Inc. and licensed to its subsidiary corporations.
“Having ‘the talk” ©2008 Investors Group Inc. (04/2008) MP1359

(Read more in the Sep 6-26/2010 issue of Senior Scope)

My daily routine
to health, fitness
and mental breakdown

William J. Thomas

Like most aging baby boomers I am determined to stay healthy, fit, active and … “Hey! Get that rubber glove away from me!” … and medically violated on an annual basis.

I try every day to do the right thing for my body but Lord knows, it ain’t easy.

For instance, a few years ago when the study came out that red wine contained resveratrol which was quite beneficial for the heart, I went for it. When a follow-up study confirmed the resveratrol advantage but estimated a person would have to consume something like 20 bottles of red wine a day in order to experience real benefits, I went for that program too. I have no recollection whatsoever of 2008.

Still, I soldier on in the name of mental and physical wellness. I follow a daily regimen that I hope will see me fit and feisty by 85 but sometimes it seems my regiment has been infiltrated by the Taliban.

7:45 A.M. The radio alarm goes off and CBC-Radio One informs me that Portugal has been eliminated from the World Cup, Bob Probert has died and Stephen Harper is still prime minister. I reach for the bottle of Tylenol and by mistake I down four Fisherman’s Friend cough drops which give me instant indigestion.

8:00 A.M. I pad down the beach steps, drop the towel on the railing and take my morning plunge. It wakes me up, I do fifty breast strokes out, fifty back and I feel great. This sets up my day like a golf ball to a tee.

8:30 A.M. I remove my old-fashioned, whistling kettle from the stove for my tea, list my day’s priorities and catch the local weather report which ends with an E. coli bacteria warning for Lake Erie beaches. Swimmers are instructed to stay out of the water. Symptoms include headaches, vomiting and diarrhea.

8:50 AM. I scan the Toronto Star to learn that my stocks have been decimated, the city of Toronto is under siege by anarchists and storm troopers and a new medical study links Alzheimer’s disease to tin pots, like my favorite, old-fashioned kettle.

9:00 A.M. Depressed and slightly nauseous, I go out to my office in order to write something funny.

9:15 A.M. As I prepare breakfast, the smells of bacon and eggs frying, toast and fresh perked coffee still linger after all these years. I open a packet of Quaker instant oatmeal which helps lower my bad cholesterol. I add hot water and stir. That’s my breakfast – goop.

9:35 A.M. I return to my office in the hunt for something humorous to write about when I come across a recent clipping of Darryl Durr a 46-year-old serial rapist and murderer in Cleveland who is asking for a stay of execution because he claims he will likely suffer a violent allergic reaction to the lethal drugs that the state of Ohio will use to kill him.

10:00 A.M. After a few business phone calls, I go for a walk. It’s hot and very humid. Great. I’ll sweat more. I do a brisk walk along Camelot Bay and back.

11:00 A.M. I catch the news on CBC-Radio which warns people against exercising in these record-setting temperatures. The symptoms of heat exhaustion are headaches, vomiting and diarrhea.

11:05 A.M. Hey, I might as well go for a swim! So I do.

11:20 A.M. I’m starving. Right about now I’d trade my car for a Dagwood sandwich with both mustard and mayonnaise. Instead I throw a handful of raspberries in a bowl and smear them in vanilla probiotic yogurt. That’s my snack – pink goop.

11:45 A.M. Back to my morbid humor column I come across a news item in which a woman who was put to death in Texas for murder, ordered Twinkies, Cheese Doodles and Diet Coke for her last supper. The closest I’ve come to crime is a speeding ticket and yet from that three-course meal ‘to die for,’ I could only have the Coke.

12:10 P.M. After sorting my mail, I open my cheque from the Ontario Government which is supposed to help me get through the early stages of the dreaded Harmonized Sales Tax. The amount is $10.40. In the eight days since the tax kicked in, I've been H.S.T.’ed by about $60.00. This reminds me to …

12:15 P.M. I dutifully perform the horribly disgusting Guaiac Test which the Ontario government assures me will reveal the condition of my colon. I smear stool on the appropriate markers, seal the envelope and write “Dalton McGinty – Personal” above the government address.

12:30 P.M. I now feel nauseous. I’m also confused because I don’t know if it’s due to E. coli bacteria, heat exhaustion or the smear test.

1:30 P.M. I spot the flashing light on the mail delivery truck and I rush to the road to have a conversation with my postie because, according to the experts, engaging in social intercourse reduces stress. I want to talk World Cup. He talks tires. The postie misinterprets my offer of intercourse. Awkward.

2:00 P.M. Gallows humor column starts to gel when I locate the clipping confirming the town of Biritiba Mirim, Brazil has no more space to bury dead people and no land for a new cemetery so the mayor has outlawed death. He encourages residents to look after their health and lists the penalties if they break the ‘no dying’ law.

2:30 P.M. Late lunch of wild salmon, triscuits and carrot sticks. I’m eating so much food loaded with Omega-3 fish oils, two small openings have appeared on my upper arms. They look a lot like gills.

2:45 P.M. I take my pills - a multi-vitamin with mineral supplement, an aspirin, a Choless tablet and Niacin.

2:46 P.M. My body is suddenly covered in hives, my face is on fire and my heart is racing. I look at my grocery list. Bad handwriting means I bought “non-generic Niacin” instead of “non-flush Niacin.” I take a steel brush to arms and legs.

3:30 P.M. Not tired, but I nap anyway to restore melatonin levels.

4:15 P.M. I awake and face the fact that my daily plan to stay fit and mentally sharp has become a serious hazard to my health. I realize the only way I’ll ever see 85 is to move to Biritiba Mirim, Brazil and obey the law.

4:20 P.M. Taking no chances, I stay perfectly still until 5:55 p.m.

5:55 P.M. Finally, preparations are made for the news hour and salad shooting or as I call it, “my resveratrol treatment.” Today I will have to increase the dosage.
______________________________

William Thomas is the author of nine books of humour.
For comments, ideas and copies of The True Story of Wainfleet go to www.williamthomas.ca

(Read more in the Sep 6-26/2010 issue of Senior Scope)