The Winds of Change

How unpredictable life can be boggles the mind.

Here I sit on my parent's deck working hard to change over my ID and rebuild my life - now based in Ontario. Yes, I left my beloved Jasper in July - not quite a year following the wildfires and evacuation and yet that was not what made me leave.

Blown away

The wildfire evacuation and ensuing period of homelessness is a story in and of itself. I actually drafted a blog about it that I never published only because I was distracted by other challenging events at that time. I lived in hotel rooms for 107 days before I could return home to my apartment, my comfort and my safety.

Blown down

In early January I popped a disc from a very simple, gentle movement that resulted in shocking and debilitating pain. I was completely immobile for 2 days and on the third was able to move enough to get down the stairs and to the doctor. I've experienced this twice in the past, so I knew pain meds, anti-inflammatories and gradual, gentle exercise were what was needed.

Blown out

In early March I was feeling more mobile and had great improvement in my back with lots of massage therapy and gentle exercise. So just to keep things spicy, I had to go and faint in the middle of the night, resulting in a broken nose. That was fun - not!

Blown up

The challenges that I had been dealing with since well before the wildfire became insurmountable and I knew I needed to be closer to my family, so I started exploring my options.

Adjusting my sails

The winds of change blew my way with an unexpected opportunity and I acted quickly to get on board. I sold, donated, gave away the majority of my possessions, taking only what fit into my car. With bald tires, bad brakes and an engine light on, I set off on the 5 day drive to Ontario on July 10th, 2025.

New Adventures

Three days after arriving (safely) in Ontario, I was off to Halifax to begin training in my new role as Tour Director for a luxury tour company, taking people around Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island to experience the Canadian Maritimes.

I jumped in mid-season and was doing training, so my first season has already ended, but I am thoroughly enjoying the new role. It is perfect for my enquiring mind - I love learning more about Canadian history, culture, art, etc. and sharing it with the people I am leading on these amazing tours.

Join me!

During the off-season, I am happy to be offering paint parties in Windsor/Essex County and have changed the name of my business to Paint with Lisa (previously Jasper Paint Parties) to reflect my new location.

I have led many different types of groups including staff events, team building, art therapy, senior's groups, public events, markets, girls nights, birthday parties, Christmas parties, and more!

Please feel free to reach out to me to plan your paint party - my schedule is wide-open right now, but my classes tend to book up very quickly!

See Samples in my Gallery

Have a look at some ideas in my gallery or send me some of your own - whether it's a scene from your last vacay or something you found that appeals to you, I can tailor it to your party.

Contact me with your request HERE!