by Suzanne Stengl | Feb 28, 2019 | Miscellaneous Moments
It’s the end of February, the coldest month of winter. Also, the snowiest month.
Today, we have a “warm” day. It’s only minus 5 Celsius (23 F). However, tomorrow we are back to minus 17 Celsius (1 F) and more snow, so March will come in like a lion.
I had not realized how much I use skiing for getting outside in the winter. This winter, I have not been able to ski and I’m feeling very cooped up.
For a long time, I’ve noticed this pain in my hip and I’ve written it off as a pulled muscle. But, last summer, while walking up a hill at Whistler, I was having major difficulty.
After vacation, my doctor sent me for an X-ray, and it turns out I have osteoarthritis. In fact, I have a lot of it. So much so, that I will need a new hip. It’s amazing what they can fix.
Here I am hobbling around in the mountain town of Canmore, Alberta.
By the way, this is where THE THURSTON HEIRLOOM is set.
I can still drive and I have one of those parking passes so I can park in the handicap spots. In the house, I get around with just a cane, but outside in the snow, I feel more secure with crutches.
These past few months, I’ve been amazed by how kind people are. They are always holding doors open for me. I go to Starbucks for a latte and people ask if they can carry my drink to my table. One barista even offered to bring my drink out to my car.
At the bank, I’ve had an employee offer to bring me a chair while I waited in line, and I’ve had a customer send me ahead of him in the line.
While Christmas shopping, I was carrying my bags out to the parking lot when a lady offered her help. She carried all my stuff to my car for me.
So, thank you, world. You’ve been a great help!
There’s a fairly long wait to get this operation and in the meantime, I need to stay active. That means walking in the water and doing Aquafit. I also do yoga. And yesterday, I tried a stationary bike for the first time. I think I’ll like that exercise.
In other news…
Fortunately, my arms still work because I am a grandmother again.
Isn’t she sweet?
She makes me count my blessings.
Calendar from bigstockphoto.com #275300788
by Suzanne Stengl | Feb 6, 2018 | Miscellaneous Moments
Last Friday night, I was in the central Alberta town of Sylvan Lake to attend a special event at the Sylvan Lake Municipal Library.
For the fourth time, the Library hosted the XOX Valentines—a ladies only event that is the library’s best-attended event of the year.
This is a night of pampering and luxury featuring displays and demonstrations of massage, makeup, soaps, teas, psychic readings and more. Coffee and treats were available, and with special event licensing, so was wine.
There were also six romance authors invited and I was one of them. Here we are. 
Katie O’Connor, Jean Oram, M.K. Stelmack, Suzanne Stengl, Brenda Sinclair and Ellen Jorgy.
For the event, the six of us put together this gift basket: a collection of our books (autographed) along with chocolates, body lotion, a scented candle, socks and more.
We arrived about 5 pm to set up and Moira had a sandwich tray ready for us. We arranged our tables, set out books, and decorated the room. Then there was time to tour the rest of the library displays until 7 pm when the event opened to the public.
Our Event
Our event was held in the program room at the back of the library—a soundproof room where we did author interviews and readings for about an hour. Ever creative, Moira combined the readings with audience participation. Each reading had “keywords” and when someone in the audience heard one, they raised their hand for a chance to win a book.
I did a short reading from THE THURSTON HEIRLOOM and chose the keywords: Teague, Shredder, hiking, Mariah and maid. It was the three-page scene where we meet Hazel Anderson, first-time hiker. Do you know the passage I’m referring to?
The event officially ended at 10 pm, but attendees were still wandering from one display to the next, sipping coffee and eating treats.
Many thanks to the organizers for a wonderful night!
by Suzanne Stengl | Jan 2, 2017 | Miscellaneous Moments
Right about the time I published THE THURSTON HEIRLOOM, my good friend Anna Marie suggested a reward. This would be for publishing, and for my birthday (the 27th of November) and for a Christmas present to myself.
Since THE THURSTON HEIRLOOM involves an amethyst that looks like this—
I decided on a purple-banded Fitbit that looks like this—
I bought the Fitbit Alta, Anna Marie and I became “fit buddies” and we started cheering each other on in our fitness efforts. However, the best laid plans often run into snags.
I found I was walking more, but I was also limping. More and more. A minor detail, I thought, and I hobbled on. Until I couldn’t.
After the Christmas rush, I was finally forced to make time for a doctor visit which involved, first, an X-ray of my foot. The X-ray only showed swelling. Then, second, came the bone scan which shows stress fractures of the third and fourth metatarsals and cuneiform. In other words, I broke my foot. It was probably the time I did a quick rollover of my ankle while rushing about the kitchen. It turns out kitchens are dangerous and I will try my best to avoid them in this new year.
Fortunately, they have invented the air cast. It looks like this—
Apparently plaster casts are only used for really bad breaks, and for non-compliance. I will comply . . .
I can take it off for sleeping and for showers. It was time for a shower this morning and that proved challenging. My good leg is strong, but not really strong enough for the one-legged standing of a long shower. I used my walking sticks for hopping around in there but I will have to work on something easier.
In the meantime, Anna Marie and I will continue our fitness efforts, though my steps probably will not be as high as hers. Since the air cast boot is made of plastic and since the sidewalks are often snow-covered, there is a risk of slipping if I walk outside. So, my walking needs to be indoors.
The other minor issue is that this is my right foot, so I can’t drive. Fortunately I have a hubby and friends who are happy to chauffeur for January. At least, I hope I only need this thing for a month.
Have you ever had an air cast? Or a plaster cast? Do you use a Fitbit to help motivate you to step away from your desk?
by Suzanne Stengl | Nov 24, 2016 | Reading
Today is the Launch Day for my book, THE THURSTON HEIRLOOM. That’s Mariah and Teague on the cover. And that’s Larch Valley in the background. Larch Valley is a very popular hiking trail in Banff National Park.
You can read the first chapter of the story here.
The Thurston Hotel Novels are stand-alone romances connected by the Thurston Hotel and the town of Harmony. Each book represents one month in 2016. I am the “September” book.
The Thurston Hotel is located on Main Street in the mountain resort town of Harmony, Alberta. Built by Thomas Thurston, the hotel opened in 1916. His three grandchildren—Wendy, Bailey and Ben—operate the six-story hotel today.
The town and the hotel are fictional, but the actual location is not. Working as a group, we found it was helpful to know our surroundings, so we chose beautiful Canmore, Alberta as our setting. Tucked in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, Canmore is just outside the gates of Banff National Park.
And here’s the view from Mountain Jewel Sports of the Three Sisters.
The Three Sisters
Actually, the Three Sisters can be seen from almost anywhere in Canmore. (Or, from anywhere in Harmony!) The three peaks are called Faith, Charity and Hope, or Big, Middle and Little Sister, respectively. They are one of the most photographed views in the Canadian Rockies and have come to be associated with the town of Canmore.
If you would like to find out more about the Thurston Hotel, you can read my posts on The Thurston Hotel and The Thurston Hotel series.
You can find more details on my Bookshelf. There is even a map of Harmony! Go here.
Since 1916, the hotel’s motto has been: We promise you’ll enjoy your stay at the Thurston!
Three Sisters from Depositphotos.com #31762611_l-2015
by Suzanne Stengl | Sep 27, 2016 | Reading
The 100-year-old Thurston Hotel is located on Main Street in Harmony, Alberta, Canada.
Harmony?
It’s a fictional name for a little town (population 12,000 permanent residents) nestled in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, just outside the gates of Banff National Park. You get there by travelling west from Calgary on the Trans-Canada and it takes about an hour.
No, Harmony is not really Canmore, Alberta . . . but that’s what I think of when I think of Harmony.
The town hosts tourists from everywhere in all seasons of the year, but there are two high seasons: summer and winter. In summer, tourists come to hike or mountain bike or raft down the Kananaskis River. In winter, they come for the skiing and boarding in the Canadian Rockies at Lake Louise or Sunshine or Norquay.
The Thurston Hotel is made of sandstone brick and it’s six stories tall with an impressive entrance. The expansive steps are flanked by black lampposts each with five white globes. Over top of the gabled portico are the three flags representing Canada, the USA and the Province of Alberta.
The hotel was built by Thomas Thurston
and opened in 1916 when he was only twenty-one years old. He didn’t get married until much later. On January 20th 1938, he married Margaret Thurston when he was forty-three years old and she was twenty-eight.
The hotel’s Thomas Lounge pays tribute to the founder, and the Margaret Library is named after his wife.
The couple had four children: three sons and a daughter. Only the daughter, Emily, is still living.
Emily Thurston Jamieson managed the hotel until last August.
Two of Emily’s brothers were childless, but her brother George had three children: Wendy (40), Bailey (35) and Benjamin (30). Ben studied hotel management at the University of Calgary and studied even harder under his Aunt Emily’s tutelage to finally become the Assistant General Manager.
His older sister Bailey is Chief Financial Officer, and his oldest sister Wendy holds the position of Events Manager.
As I said, Emily Thurston Jamieson managed the hotel until last August—when she had a heart attack. She recovered nicely, and decided to turn over management of the hotel to her nephew, Ben.
Rumor has it that his older sisters didn’t particularly like that decision, but then they have always given their little brother a hard time.
And speaking of rumors, there’s also a rumor that the hotel has a ghost. Of course, it’s a silly notion, since we all know ghosts don’t exist.
Have you ever stayed at a quaint old hotel? Have you ever worked in one? Did you like the ambience there? Did you ever meet any ghosts?
The Thurston Hotel Books are standalone contemporary romances connected by common settings, characters and events. To see all the covers, meet the authors, read the blurbs, and see a map of Harmony, go to: www.ThurstonHotelBooks.com.
