Wednesday 7 December 2011

CBC Radio

 When I was young, we didn’t travel much or have a lot of occasion for long drives in the car but when we did, unlike today where kids have the rule of the family, Dad chose the radio station.  We did not have it as easy as the kids today; we could not just put in our ear buds and listen to our IPod.  No, we had to endure whatever it was he chose.  He always chose CBC Radio and I thought it was torture!  I do remember one segment I liked called “Now You Know the REST of the Story”; but besides that……arghhh! 

So, the other day, I got into my van to drive somewhere and it was on whatever station my daughter had left it on last time she drove it.  I decided that I really should listen to some of the music to get a bit more up to date on what the “in” music is.  Well, it was fine but about 1 ½ songs into it I got bored.  What did I do??  I turned it to my favorite radio station ……..CBC radio and am I ever glad I did.  If I had not, I would not have heard this amazing story about Olga Kotelko, otherwise known as The Incredible Flying Nonagenarian. 

Olga is a 93 year old woman who lives in West Vancouver.  As a young mother, she fled from an abusive husband in Saskatchewan and moved to BC.  Here in Burnaby she raised her children while teaching school for 30 years.  When she was forced to retire at 65, she was still full of energy and vigor and to fill her time she volunteered and played slow-pitch.  At age 77, a friend suggested that she try track and field.  She has never looked back.  Today, 16 years later, she has won 650 gold medals and enjoys the physical prowess of about a 65 year old.  She says she has the same energy she had at age 50. 

Olga is so remarkable in her aging, or lack there-of, that they are doing extensive studies on her at the McGill University Kinesiology department and finding incredible things about her muscle fibers and neurons. 

She is a remarkable woman and my CBC Radio is a remarkable station!