Winter RSS Feed

Sweet, sweet winter break is ending for most Calgarians as offices open back up and email auto-responses turn off. Whether you did way too much during the break or nothing at all, it can be hard to get back into the swing of things. For those of you who are already back at work, we imagine this week was rough. It is not an easy transition to make, but here are some tips:

1. Plan for your first day back to work. Pack a lunch, make sure your bags are ready to go, clothes are laid out. Shower the night before, make a checklist of things to do in the morning, ensure your car has gas or your at home workspace is tidy. Do what you can to make the mornings easier!
2. Make sure you get lots of sleep. Sleep is essential in giving your brain the rest it…

After a tremendously difficult year, many people feel as though they're barely managing to crawl into the new year. If there has ever been a year where "new year, new me" seems applicable, it's this one. As 2020 comes to an end, many people find themselves self isolating at home, likely wearing yesterdays sweater and still picking through Christmas leftovers. The glimmer on the horizon? A new year. A fresh start. 

Before you begin goal setting for 2021, we want to encourage you to take a moment to pause. Acknowledge the tremendous effort and strength it took to accomplish what you did this past year, and give yourself grace for the items on your to-do list that you never got to. As the year comes to a close you're likely to begin seeing posts about…

All of us here at Team Ken Richter would like to wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. It may be different than in years previously, but we hope the season brings you time to rest and take comfort in small graces.

2021 is just around the corner, and though you may be tempted to rush into the new year, we encourage you to take time to pause. Reflect on this last year, the good and the bad, and take time to be thankful. You made it, and that is something to be proud of. 

This holiday season we would also like to extend our sincerest gratitude to all of our valued clients for your continued support throughout this challenging year. We look forward to serving you again in 2021 and beyond!

We hope that…

Calgary loves to celebrate the holidays. A drive through any neighbourhood will quickly get you in the Christmas spirit. In Bowness, Christmas wreaths are lights adorn the streetlights and shops, giving the community even more of a festive, small-town feel. It is our favourite time of the year to drive through one of our favourite communities. 

Here is an inexpensive holiday activity idea: get a cup of hot chocolate from Tim Hortons and take a drive through the city. Set your radio to 95.9 CHRM for non-stop Christmas music and turn up the heat. Not sure where to start on this beautiful, Christmas adventure? Here are some places to check out:

1). Downtown Core: Many buildings in the downtown core are adorned with Christmas lights inside and out.…

Christmas is only a few days away! You know what that means… the malls are packed because people have not finished shopping for gifts. This may be the most wonderful time of the year for businesses that are profiting from last minute gift-buyers, but it is definitely not the most wonderful time of the year for shoppers that just want to get home. Especially with new COVID-19 restrictions, getting in and out of shops is more difficult and less advisable. 

To make your last minute gift shopping process faster, we have complied a list of Christmas gift ideas that are easy to aquire. Figure out exactly what you need, exactly where you can get things and get ready to wade through the crazies. It is time for your last minute gift guide:

1). Starbucks:…

Have you begun watching Christmas movies? Classics such as Griswold Family Christmas, Santa Clause, and Elf are staples in many homes and the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit. Another classic? Home Alone.

If you're not familiar with the plot of Home Alone, it goes as follows: a young boy is accidentally left at home when his family flies to Paris for Christmas vacation. He swiftly learns that one part of being a home owner is protecting your property. It brings up the age old question: how can you keep your home safe during the holidays?

First and foremost, recognize that the holidays always bring with them a rise in home crime. Homes are filled with more valuables than ever thanks to wrapped gifts, and people are typically more absent…

Calgary has a thriving small business sector that we always like to encourage people to check out. It is important to support small local businesses and the Calgarian's that pour their hearts into them, especially this year as many Calgary businesses have faced loses due to COVID-19. As they say, when you shop from a big box store, a CEO doesn't blink twice. When you shop from a small business, the owner does a little happy dance. Support a fellow Calgarian this Christmas by buying your holiday gifts from one of these local shops:

• Outside The Shape: A curated shop with items from local YYC makers. You can find everything from candles to jewelry to workshops here!
• Plant: Your succulent dreams will come true in his gorgeous shop featuring all sorts…

At the start of the winter season we braced you for the cold: we gave you tips to cut down on heating costs, ways to keep your driveway and walkway clear of snow and ice, we even taught you how to prepare your home for the big freeze! The winter season did not last nearly as long as weathermen across Canada warned us it would, however that does not mean we are completely clear of the cold.

Temperatures are already on the rise towards what is going to be a beautiful spring! However, Calgarians still have to make it through February, which is consistently one of the coldest months of the year. Rather than complain about the cold and lament another day of freezing winds, we thought the best way to cap off this winter season would be to teach you how you…

Valentine's Day is February 14th, today! 

Some people are critical of Valentine's Day. Theask, "why must there be a specific day of the year to force people to show love? In a healthy relationship, every day should be Valentine's Day. You shouldn't need an arbitrary Hallmark holiday to do something special." While some of this argument is valid, because it is true that you should love on those important to you all year round, it neglects to remember this:

No matter how much you love someone, there is no possible way for every single day to be filled with wild love and special moments. Love is messy, life is crazy, and not every day will be a perfect fairytale. Does this mean your love is not beautiful? No! It is passion, both good and bad, that…

Calgary has been experiencing a wild winter season, with warm chinook days contrasted by incredibly cold stretches. Just how cold has it been, you ask? So cold that not even the Penguins want to be outside.

You read that right. CBC news reports, "just how cold is it in Alberta these days? Colder than the South Pole — at least in Calgary, where the zoo locked even the penguins indoors to keep their tootsies toasty. The Calgary Zoo cancelled its much-loved 'Penguin Walk' — a special event that can attract large crowds — for a third straight day Wednesday." The official statement from the Calgary Zoo read, "the Penguin Walk has been cancelled once again due to extreme cold weather conditions. As this weather puts physiological stress on the birds, we…