At the very least, we all have read about how a critical illness can impact an individual but it is more likely that we have experienced that impact ourselves either personally or with a close friend or family experiencing an illness. Being proactive, before an illness strikes, in applying for critical illness coverage can make a huge difference in every way should you ever need to make a claim. And, with some critical illness policies, if you never need to make a claim you can get all the money you paid in premiums returned to you. Critical Uncovered is a one-stop resource to help you learn about critical illnesses and how critical illness insurance can help your physical, mental and financial well being. Visit this link: Criticaluncovered.ca to take the quiz “Are you prepared?” and to see a series of 3 short videos about Sandra’s story. Sandra was diagnosed with lymphoma and she explains her experience with critical illness insurance. Speak to a financial professional who has their Accident & Sickness License to find out more detail about how you can be protected with a critical illness policy.

Looking for an overnight getaway to scare the living daylights out of you? Then it's time to check into the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg. Well known for its spirits and special guests, you can try to book room 202 and perhaps see for yourself. Numerous guests have reported seeing a cloaked woman standing at the end of the bed in this room as well as having seen blood running down the walls. The haunted Fort Garry Hotel and its ghost stories have been widely shared and documented. Ask former hotel staffers and about shadows in the lounge, crying in the halls or clanging in the boiler room... if you dare. Local business owner Heather Aeichele (HD Therapies) fondly remembers the grand old hotel and the time she spent working there in the 1990s. "We used to hear ghost stories all the time, a lot from the 10th floor, and some from the kitchens in the basement." While she didn't have any personal experiences with the ghosts that haunt the hotel, she recalls a movie crew filming on the 10th floor. "They had so many problems and things that went (inexplicably) wrong that they just canceled the production and moved elsewhere." Tales of the haunted Fort Garry Hotel have made it to several Halloween lists, including Huffington Post's "Canada's Most Haunted Places." I, myself, will swear to having had a ghost spirit visit me in the Fort Garry Hotel. We were in a 4th floor corner suite, and facing the Garry Street Keg restaurant several years ago, when i was pulled out of bed by a spirit and pushed to the window in the middle of the night. I felt hands on my back and had to overcome a force to get back into bed. Yes, it was extremely unnerving and no, you can't convince me that it didn't happen or that I was dreaming. Ready for your next spooky stop in the city? Head over to the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg on Smith Street. They say that two actors from 1914 died a week after performing and have haunted the venue since. University of Manitoba should also be on your list. Students and staff have been documenting ghost sightings there for decades. If you'd like to head further afield on your getaway, I'll suggest the Delta Bessborough Hotel in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan or the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff Alberta. Each has their own spooky tales of ghost children, and at Banff Springs a ghost bride as well. This year, you can even book into the Banff Springs Hotel and participate in their Haunted Halloween Gala event. On October 29th, this adults-only event encourages you to dress in costume, participate in a haunted halls tour, and be ready for surprises. Happy haunting! All photos by Trish Fjeldsted  

Can you believe that the American League pennant race has come down to the Cleveland Indians vs the Toronto Blue Jays? Major League Baseball sure heats up in October, that's for sure! I can tell you, first hand, the differences between September baseball and October baseball are pretty astounding. On September 17th, 2016 I sat in section 181 of Progressive Field, in Cleveland to watch a game between the Indians and the Tigers. I paid $9 for that ticket. Fast forward to the second round of the MLB playoffs, and that very same single seat is now advertised for sale at $220. So, my pair of tickets, with agency fees and currency exchange cost me roughly $30. Now, if I were to buy tickets to this next game it would literally cost a mortgage payment! I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn. It's right across the street from Progressive Field. Literally, it's so close you could forget your baseball glove, run back to the hotel and return in 5 minutes or less. I paid $103 per night. Of course, it's sold out already for this weekend's games, but I can bet you're not paying $103 either. Lastly, the souvenirs. I picked up a couple of game used balls, league coded and authenticated, for $25. It was a 2 for 1 deal. End of season blow out! Some of the game used bats were going for $50 a piece. I enjoyed the game. Great park. Great hotel. Great atmosphere. If you decide that this is the hottest game in town, and you HAVE to go, I'll give you a couple tips. 1) Wear good shoes for the airport. The connecting gate is at the furthest end of the airport in a long annex-style hallway. Gate 90 in Toronto, was pretty much in Burlington. 2) When you arrive in Cleveland, go downstairs at the airport and buy a ticket on the Red Line train. It's $2.75 per one way. (You need the ticket from the machine dispenser) The train is literally at the airport. It's so easy. It will take you 20-30 minutes and you will get off at the main terminal at Tower City. You are now a mere 5 minute walk to the stadium. $50 if you take a cab. 3) If you want a hotel at Tower City (train station) you can stay at The Ritz Carlton or the Renaissance. Expect to pay $400 a night or so, but, extremely convenient. 4) Eat out before or after the game. The on-site concession lines were long and the food was very basic and "factory" food. Progressive Field did not have the variety or gourmet options like I found at Roger's (Blue Jays) or Chase Field (Diamondbacks).  

Throughout my travels as being a hockey agent I have been fortunate to visit dozens of countries. And the question I get asked over and over is HOW IS RUSSIA? Generalization of the former CCCP would be the Sexiest Women, Vokda, Guns, and Oil. But that doesn’t at all cover Russia one bit. It would be like saying Canada is all about bacon, maple syrup, hockey and Anne Murray. To start off, and this is only my opinion and observation, Russia is kind of like the Wild Wild West in some way but still with lots of Military everywhere you look. Train stations – Airports – Hockey rinks, you will always see a military presence, and don’t get me wrong I do not mind it however some people are worried about the military being just about anywhere a large area of population is. Oh, and getting a Visa to travel to Russia is not an easy task so hire a professional company in Ottawa or Toronto to handle the details. Now to start with some real small issues that you would find different about being back home. Finding ice for your drink is difficult. Local people tell me it is because they feel the ice will water down their beverage of choice. When at the airport I approached a blonde woman for a taxi and she just looked at me like an idiot and basically said WHAT DO YOU WANT? So I scrambled to my pocket to pull out 1500 rubles (30 dollars) for my one hour cab ride. Plus there are very few,if any stop signs, you just don’t see them anywhere. Unless you are in a major city such at St. Petersburg you will not find English being spoken in many places, except nicer hotels and perhaps some restaurants. Then again if a Russian comes to Canada how many places will have Russian speaking staff? Having a Mexican lunch in a city called Vladivostok with some American and Canadian hockey players they summed it up really well. People don’t smile often and overall you get the impression that most people are gloomy or morose. Women of all ages really dress to impress with the latest fashion trends and the men are perhaps not really as interested in being on the cutting edge of fashion. You do get the impression that Russian people are far more educated than North Americans and they are very informed for example on the US Election. Most people are anti government and mostly say Democrats overall as the division in income is so different with really no middle income families. Interesting point University is free in Russia. Therefore most people do have a degree of some sort. And they will have a very defined degree not a general degree. Perhaps a bit of a shock is most people are not very religious as say American’s are. However they have more solid old school family values that we have. And for the US Election most Russians that I have spoken to find it very funny and overall sad as well. Putin has a current 88 percent approval rating so that speaks volumes. To close this one common comment you will get when asking a question about the country or a situation the local people will always say to me "THIS IS RUSSIA".    

The Brandon Public Library will host a public reading with award-winning author Craig Russell on Monday, October 17th, 2016, 7:30 pm. Craig will read from his newest novel, Fragment, published by Thistledown Press, and will discuss the art and craft of writing. For more information about the event please contact Shelley at the Brandon Public Library at shelley@wmrl.ca. Fragment | $19.95 | 9781771871112 | paperback Prominent Canadian science fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer describes Fragment as “A wonderfully thoughtful eco-thriller from one of Canada’s best writers.” Praise for Craig's previous novel, Black Bottle Man (Great Plains Publications, 2010): “An extraordinary book. A story of profound love, of commitment to family, of humility, of grace under pressure; so rich with metaphor and allegory, depth, complexity.” — Nikki Tate, CBC Radio: All Points West Black Bottle Man won the 2011 American Moonbeam Award gold medal for Young Adult Fantasy and was a finalist for the Prix Aurora Award for Best Canadian English Novel, as well as for two Manitoba Book Awards in the same year. CRAIG RUSSELL, award-winning author of Black Bottle Man (2011), has directed a variety of theatre productions and his short play, The Unintended Consequences of Love, was performed at the 2006 Carol Shields Festival of New Works. Craig is a lawyer, and lives in Brandon with his wife. If you would like more information on Fragment, would like to request a review copy, or set up an interview/event with Craig Russell, please contact: marketing@thistledownpress.com Phone: (306) 244-1722 Fax: (306) 244-1762 www.thistledownpress.com