聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 A Kamsack woman, who for 36 years had operated a successful business on main street, celebrated her 100th birthday on September 30.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A large group of family members and friends attended a come-and-go event at the Assiniboine Terrace home of Elsie Todosichuk on the last day of September to celebrate her birthday.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e had people and people, including 10 Americans, at the party outside,鈥� Todosichuk said last week as she described the celebration while seated at her dining room table which was still laden with several large bouquets of flowers and an open, half-eaten box of chocolates.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Still living in her home, Todosichuk said she has the assistance of Home Care, which has its staff making eight visits a day, including a nurse who checks on her each day.
In good health and blessed with an upbeat, welcoming personality, Todosichuk is afflicted with failing eyesight, which allows her to make out only lights and shadows. To help her about the house, she has had many electric lights installed at various locations in order to navigate from place to place.
At arm鈥檚 length, she is has easy access to devices connected to her walker that allow her to make and receive telephone calls and she explained how her bedroom and bathroom have been re-fitted with rails and other support structures.
She was eager to discuss the pros and cons of various artificial lighting sources, explaining which ones allow her to see the best and which ones are poorer. The discussion ended with her saying that it is with natural sunlight that she is best able to see.
鈥淲hen the sun shines, I can see the whole table.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The oldest of four children born to Nestor and Artimeza (nee Axenty) Woroschuk on a farm located 11 miles north of Calder, Elsie was raised on the farm and then on May 13, 1934, she married Fred Todosichuk. The couple farmed, raising five children: Marie (Jack) Borody, who died 17 years ago; Viona Esen of Vancouver; Al (Carol) of Kamsack; Mavis (Ken) Dunsmore of Regina and Gary (Linda) of Kamsack.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 She has 11 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Todosichuk explained that while living on the farm she had done all the farm chores including raising chickens and pigs that she sold, but eventually she got sick and after 小蓝视频 tested, she discovered that she was 鈥渁llergic to everything.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 had to get rid of all the animals. I was allergic to everything, the animals, dust and grain.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But, keeping active she began decorating wedding cakes and made paper flowers for weddings and anniversaries.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢y oldest daughter was in the flower business in Penticton and she said I should consider going into that business,鈥� she said, admitting that at first she was 鈥渟cared.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As Helen Glass, who had been operating a flower shop in Kamsack, was going out of business, Todosichuk said that Kamsack businesspersons including Kay Horocholyn, Jack Davies and Albert Tysowski, were actively encouraging her to open a flower shop business.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 So, accepting their encouragement, and by using a small inheritance she had received after the death of her father, she opened a Tod鈥檚 Flower Shop in 1966 in a rented building on main street. Seven years later her business was successful enough to allow her to purchase her own building a few doors down the street. She operated her business there until 2002, the year after the death of her husband. She retired, having sold the business to Linda Scobie.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 did very well in the business,鈥� she said, adding that she was 鈥渁ll self-taught鈥� although she had consulted various books.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 had a good business with wedding cakes,鈥� she said, adding that one of the cakes she had made for a granddaughter was encased in glass and was donated to the Power House Museum in Kamsack where it remains as an exhibit, looking every bit as attractive as it was the day it was made.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 had a very good business,鈥� she said, explaining that at one time she had as many as seven people working with her. 鈥淧eople enjoyed dealing with me.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Asked to what she attributes her long life, Todosichuk immediately responded.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淟isten to me and you鈥檒l be 100 too,鈥� she said, not kidding.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hite sugar and white flower; I never eat them, and those who listen to me are healthy.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎lso, I drink water with lemon in it every day and eat whole flax with breakfast or porridge. I eat a spoonful of molasses each day and I drink a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The only soft drink she allows herself is the occasional ginger ale.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Pleased to have been blessed with good health, Todosichuk admits that other than her eyesight, sometimes her hearing is 鈥渘ot too good.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although fitted with a brace for her knee, she said she feels well, suffers no pain and has no intention of moving from her home.
