Kevjet: London Life and Canadian Roots

In this episode, Christina Martin starts up the chatting with Laura Simpson about her upcoming Make.Do.Camp for adults.

The heart of the episode is Kevjet - a Canadian living in London, England, and the host of Kevjet – The Podcast, where he sits down with artists, changemakers, and fascinating people for honest, heartfelt conversations. Christina chats with Kevjet about the incredible influence of his grandmother, what it's like building a podcast from the ground up, life as a Canadian in the UK, and why everyone's story is worth telling. It's a fun, thoughtful conversation about family, adventure, connection, and following your curiosity.

Listen to kevjetthepodcast.com

Transcript

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Christina (00:00.238)
Hi, welcome to a Chatwith Heart podcast. I'm your host, Christina Martin. I'm a singer-songwriter. I live on a dirt road in rural Nova Scotia with my best friend Dale and our calico cat Olivia. This podcast is totally just a chill chat with heart. As soon as you tune in here, I consider you one of my little heartbeat listeners. I love sharing these personal stories, and recording these episodes are great practice for me to try and calm the fuck down.

Just be myself.

We can shut away, we can make a better day If we just call But We can cut away, we can make a better day.

Christina (00:56.504)
Okay, hey, welcome back to a chat with heart podcast. I've got my friend Laura Simpson here, who is the creator of Make Do Camp. And as some of my little heartbeat listeners know, I am stepping outside of my comfort zone and and I am going to camp. I am going to what I think is gonna be an incredible experience, although I'm terrified 'cause I don't like camping. That

But I I know it's not just it's not like my idea of what camping is. before this is a terrible promotion for Make Do Camp so far. So I Laura's here to tell us more about what Make Do Camp is. And I'm excited to meet new people. I bet there'll be some people there that I know. But like Laura, let's tell my little heartbeat listeners, let's remind them why they should go to Make Do Camp and what it's about. Like where am I going? What am what's going on?

So make to camp is for grown-ups to go to the Big Cove YMCA camp in Picto County. It is the oldest overnight camp in Canada, in fact. and usually it's for kids only, but we're taking it over September 24th to the 27th for the grown-ups. And we're going to not only do all of the fun camp activities like canoeing and archery and high ropes course, but we're also doing some really great.

workshop tracks with the mind, body, spirit themes and some mini workshops of various kinds and some offerings like the craft house. you'll be fed, you'll be transported. it's a three-day unplugged and sober retreat for those who feel like this is something that they need right now. Amazing. you said sober. Can I bring my escitalopram?

Yes. If you have prescription drugs, you're absolutely allowed to bring them, but awesome prescription drugs are meant to stay at home. This is so exciting. So one of the reasons I said yes is because I have a really fond memory of going to science camp and and staying in a cabin with complete strangers and nerds. And I was one of those nerds. and it I remember crying when I had to leave.

Christina (03:19.116)
I didn't ex expect that I would cry, but it was such an incredible experience on you know, so many levels. And I want that again 'cause I I think I'm I'm you're I'm yearning it. I I think I don't yeah, I'm I'm pumped. Okay, so you have a big announcement to make to my little heartbeat listeners that you're we're listening you're hearing of this for the first time.

What so what's the offering that you have for us today? So we had offered a couple of different price points. One was the standard pricing. It's a thousand dollars all taxes in that includes your food transport, the workshops, everything. and then we were actually asking also for a sustainer price point, which was twelve fifty.

And the point of that was for to subsidize supported spots. So folks who didn't have as much money and wanted to go. We haven't had anyone buy the sustainer spots. So we recognize that this cost, which honestly we've tried to keep as low as possible at the same time, paying the people who are working at the camp. Some of the camp team members are actually doing trades and volunteering.

it's we really are trying to keep costs low, but we still want folks who can't afford the camp price to come. We're going to do a two for one competition. It is going to be basically 10 spots available for half off. So, but you have to nominate the other person that you want to take with you and tell us why they deserve to go to camp. I love it. And we'll run the contest.

all you have to do is basically post a video, talk about the person you want to go to camp, tell us why they're so great and why they you think that they might need this kind of thing, and just tag us in the video. Make do camp is our handle on Instagram and Facebook. And then we'll repost these submissions so that everyone can share in your joy about your friend.

Christina (05:36.726)
And then on August fifteenth, we'll close the contest and then we'll decide who gets to go to camp. Okay, this is cool. This is for brand new signups, right? Brand new signups, yes. Brand new signups. I love this. And I'm going. I don't know who I'm lodging with. and that's part of the excitement. What if I get like someone who I just can't stand? At least or they can't stand me. At least we'll come out of it with some good like gossip stories.

Well, you know, we do a pretty curated job with the with the cabin selection. So we ask you your preferences about various things. We including whether or not you snore. good. I don't know. So we make sure that everyone has their own bunk. So there will be only five people per cabin. Nice. And that means that it's enough space to really give yourself

Enough room to put your stuff out and just like feel like you have enough room to sleep and have privacy. You mean like I get the top and the bottom? That's right. You get the top and the bottom. Hmm. At one point, like w I would have loved to have slept on the top, but now I'm afraid if I roll out I might break a hip. It's impossible. So I think I'll put my stuff on the top and I now I know I have a little more room to bring like

All my comfort things. Is there is a limit as to how much I can bring? People brought a lot. I mean, people bring their, you know, sleeping bag pillows and stuff like that. we we do have a bus that we're bringing. it's it fits 50 people and then we'll have a couple of ancillary vehicles going as well. But yeah, there's room. Like, should I bring my record player? Dude, I mean

That'd be pretty cool. Like there is there electricity in these cabins? yeah. There's electricity in these cabins. And wow, that'd be a fun thing. Say, like, if everybody bought their favorite record. Yeah, we get a bunch of playing Christina's. my god, co okay. Okay, let's do this. Okay. Now I've I have a serious question because like I always ask before I bring this. Because some people are very uncomfortable, but like w

Christina (07:57.548)
with the idea of like tarot cards or Ouija board, like should I bring yeah. Should I bring any of those weird items like that? Bring it all. Bring it all. I'm sure there were the people were doing tarot card readings of the last one for sure. Okay. But what about the Ouija board? Some people are like You know, I think it's about consent. Like I think people just need to you need to like just get some consent for that stuff and, you know, people wanna be Laura can't bring it. No, I think it's probably a good choice. We're in the middle of the woods. It only it's not even some people don't even want the box.

Right. In I'm glad we had this talk. But I will bring the tarot cards and I'll bring the more appropriate ones. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, great. Okay. So make docamp dot com. Yes. And remind my little heartbeat listeners again to to find all the details for this offering, where are they gonna be posted? Well, we'll we'll post the all the details online. You are literally the first person I'm telling, so depending on when this airs

this may be a simultaneous thing that they see it online and hear it at the same time. Okay, I love this. I just on Poshmark bought a new Adidas like running jacket to wear with my you know, yoga pants for the camp. You're so excited. I'm thinking about my outfits already. I even like don't get too excited, but

I plan ahead. I'm so excited. Well, thank you, Laura, for for joining me last minute here and sharing this amazing offering. I'll be at the camp, folks. please, maybe we could bunk together if you don't snore. and and and and now I'm gonna turn it over to my chat with Kev Jet, who I've been so excited to have on the podcast. And thanks again, Laura. love you so much and thanks for being a guest on a Chat With Heart podcast.

multiple times I love what you do and I'm I'm so lucky to have you as my f my we're friends, right? I love you so much, Christina. Thank you.

Kevjet (10:10.306)
Hey, how's it going?

Christina (10:11.438)
welcome to a chat it's going great. welcome to a chat with heart podcast.

Kevjet (10:17.952)
I I'm glad that we're twinning.

Christina (10:20.78)
We are wait, you're wearing underneath I was

Kevjet (10:24.91)
I'm not wearing my you know, my tube top or anything, but

Christina (10:29.46)
I almost wore a pink bra and you've got a beautiful I love it. Yeah, we're both wearing lovely shades of pink. Rose pastels. It looks good on us. Is this your color?

Kevjet (10:41.418)
It's my summer twenty twenty six color.

Christina (10:44.795)
nice. Yeah, it looks like

Kevjet (10:46.732)
normally black, but yeah, the more I'm I'm feeling adventurous.

Christina (10:51.542)
Ooh, Dale is too. He he wears more like pastel, you know, shades these days and brings out the color in his blue blue eyes. Yeah. You look great. You look you look tanned. You look relaxed.

Kevjet (11:01.687)
There you go.

Kevjet (11:06.958)
Yeah, all those all of the above. It's it's we're having a summer in London, which we don't typically get.

Christina (11:15.628)
Really? Like what do you mean? What's a typical I've heard about the rain and stuff and I've been there about any time I've been there, I'll be o the weather has been amazing. So like, but what is a typical summer?

Kevjet (11:27.766)
it's normally gray s gray skies, lots of rain. we're having the opposite. We're having heat waves, we're almost in forty degrees, so it's it's a bit

Christina (11:40.472)
Crazy. You got that pool still, right? Yeah.

Kevjet (11:43.776)
So we we we're surviving.

Christina (11:46.464)
Yeah, that's like that's a savior because I I couldn't I couldn't last in that. and also it's not like maybe in your house you have AC, but my understanding is a lot of people do not have AC in the UK.

Kevjet (12:01.324)
Most people don't. And so yeah, it's a it's a saving grace. And so we are surviving. but we are we're still complaining because that's what we do.

Christina (12:12.524)
Yeah, well, you can. You might as well. it's in our nature. I was remembering just in getting ready for this a little bit, I was remembering like, and how did we meet? And Dale was like, How did you how did we meet Kev? And I was like, Well, we have all these people that we know. Well, we'll talk about that, but like I didn't know that. And then my memory

Which sucks, by the way. I have like the memory of a goldfish. But like I where it started for me was you messaged me when you saw we were gonna be in the UK and then and then we ended up you you gave us like the greatest unofficial walking tour of London. like that's my memory of how we met. Am I correct in that?

Kevjet (13:01.166)
I think so. I think that a mutual friend told me you were coming over. And I think that's how we were in touch. I'm not sure.

Christina (13:09.902)
Do you remember who the mutual friend was?

Kevjet (13:12.62)
I feel like it might have been Jen Grant.

Christina (13:15.422)
Okay, okay. See that I didn't even know that you knew Jen. Like I thought you were gonna say Nancy Regan.

Kevjet (13:21.775)
Yeah. It was either it was a musician and and then I w I messaged you and I was like, Let's do the tour and we were like, Okay, let's do it and

Christina (13:30.52)
Yeah. It was awesome because like when we tour we're often like kind of lazy and tired and like it is really nice to have somebody offer that and especially a city like London. Like where do you even begin, right? And like what do you like giving people like do did you do you love doing these things for Facebook?

Kevjet (13:53.27)
It's a thing. It it's been it's it's kind of it's been called the Kevjet tour now because it just happens. And when people are visiting, they they always get in touch and they're like, I'm gonna be in London. I wanna do the Kevjet tour because they see it on social media now. So I should brand it.

Christina (14:09.046)
You should brand it and you you could probably this could be a side gig for sure. I know you didn't charge us, but I you know one of my favorite things on that tour, and I don't remember names of places, but you took us to like a little market and this guy made Fudge Fudge and yeah, what what's that market called?

Kevjet (14:26.99)
That was Greenwich, that was the Greenwich market and I've been back there several times for that fudge.

Christina (14:32.042)
That was cool. That was a really fun experience. Yeah. So okay, so like you've lived you've been living, you know, there long enough now, like, to s maybe stop seeing it like a tourist. But what's one thing in London that still makes you stop and think, That is that's fucking incredible?

Kevjet (14:49.23)
I think every time I walk past a landmark like Big Ben, I always stop. Or if I'm in a rush and all of a sudden you you're you're stopped because you bump into somebody and and then you just happen to look around you and you're like, Holy shit, I'm in London. Yeah. like those moments are quite cool because we all have our day to day where we're like in a rush to get from A to B or we're deadlines, all those things. But if you actually stop and look around you and

It's a pretty cool experience.

Christina (15:20.908)
Am I like am I wrong in assuming that I always picture people living in London, everyone's just busy. Like everyone's hustling. And and is part of that because it's like just there's so much exciting stuff to do, or is part of it I gotta make a living ha so I can stay in this cool place, like

Kevjet (15:29.314)
Like,

Kevjet (15:40.622)
I think it's both. I have so many cool things to do. So I'm rushing from one thing to the next. which is I've learned to say no to some things recently, which has quite been quite nice. taking time for myself. But when you are in a rush, and everything takes about an hour to get to, no matter where you are in the city. so if you do if you if you don't account for traffic and problems on the train and

Like you know what it's like. So it's an hour to get anywhere basically. so you have to fit that into your day. And when your day is long already, it's can be miserable by the end of the day.

Christina (16:21.942)
Right. You live like you live fairly outside of like central London, by my by my terrible memory. But yeah, we had to take

Kevjet (16:32.971)
there was a train strike or something, there was a problem.

Christina (16:35.426)
There was a problem. We it took us a little longer to get to you. There then there was a pickup involved.

Kevjet (16:42.744)
There was yeah, the fast trains weren't running and we depend on the fast trains.

Christina (16:47.414)
Yeah. Like I didn't mind the train ride. It was it wasn't too crowded when when we were on there. But like that's something and I mean even just taking like Ubers from Central, usually when we go to London we'll stay in central ish. And taking you know, yeah, well, either transit or an Uber to the airport. Like it's yeah, it like you said, it's it's a large chunk of your day where you learn to bring a book.

Or have an audio tape. Like what do you do in those long transit?

Kevjet (17:17.985)
That's my admin time.

Christina (17:20.172)
Okay, that's smart.

Kevjet (17:21.642)
I tend to reply to emails and messages and I tend to be like editing a a video or something. I it depends. If I have some admin that I really need to catch up on, I make sure I take the slower train into town. Or or I just yeah, I I use my time wisely when I'm traveling.

Christina (17:44.174)
Yeah, I love that. I love that. speaking of just going back a bit, like saying no to things, having more time for yourself. Like you have been super busy. We haven't talked about everything. I I have a hard time keeping up with you because life i is, I think, very busy for you. And I'm I'm not very good at at mon like checking up on my friends on social media because I've sort of made a block for myself to like

When we catch up, it's like gonna be in person or in this fashion or a phone call or you know, voice message. But like I I you've had so many exciting things. I'd I'd love to just start by when when we hung out, when we did that London tour, you did not have a podcast. And now you have this really wonderfully successful podcast, Kev Jet. And I I wanna chat about that.

Because and congratulate you because I think you're in season is it season six now?

Kevjet (18:43.796)
It's season six and Cabjet the podcast is turning three years old next month.

Christina (18:49.656)
This is amazing. Like this is amazing. What so compared to when you started and now, what how do you think you as an interviewer conversationalist, like, how's it affected you? Do you think you've changed? Do you think you're the same? Like

Kevjet (19:08.35)
What do think? I think I've changed in I've become more comfortable, obviously. And I I'm not afraid to ask a question. I'm not afraid if I have a question in my mind, I'm gonna I'm gonna ask it. And in fact that's become kind of like my my niche. I'm like I can people come on to the show and whether they're promoting a book or a movie or if they're just on to chat about a certain conversation, they get

A little bit blindsided by some of the questions that I'll just come out and ask. And then our conversation goes into a different direction, which is always beautiful and honest and heartwarming and hilarious. we just have a great time and afterwards people are always like, Wow, I didn't expect that, but I absolutely loved it. And so that's kind of like my thing. And I'm about to record my two hundredth episode.

Christina (20:01.73)
That's wild. That is a l that's crazy. Three years. That's why so you obviously are enjoying it. Like you obviously get a lot from the experience. Because and it's and it's it's an like you do other things in your day. You have a full time job, right? Tell everybody what my little heartbeat listeners are gonna wanna know what you do. And because I'm also trying to encourage people who are doing creative things like you're doing, like I'm doing, to understand that

Kevjet (20:18.551)
Yeah.

Christina (20:30.84)
Predominantly creators and content creators and and artists are working other jobs to fuel this part of their lives and to not be afraid of that because I I was someone who at some at one point I was afraid that if I had another I wouldn't be the real thing. You know what I mean? And

Kevjet (20:53.518)
Totally know what you mean. Yeah. And people just assume because they see you on tour or on stage or and and they just assume that that's just your full time gig. And I it's the same with me. I run into people every day and I'm like, you know what? I'm not really gonna have a late night 'cause I have an early start tomorrow. And yeah. so like what what's happening tomorrow? And I'm like, I'm I have work.

Christina (21:14.464)
Okay, so what's your background with work and what are you doing for work now? Let's tell people 'cause I and I I o also think that these careers that we have in our background and the things we studied in school and blah blah. I feel like it all informs who we've become and why we're doing what we're doing. So tell us about

Kevjet (21:30.53)
Yeah, so for for twenty years I worked in healthcare. So I've I've done nursing and I throughout those years I specialized in palliative care. So end of life. Yeah. And now obviously I'm I work for a private company here in London. and I'm not doing palliative care, but I'm managing healthcare centers. So it's all

I've done my time is what I say to everybody, but and I'm also going part time from next week. So I just feel like there's a mix of emotions with that. but it's best for myself and it's it's time to start looking after myself.

Christina (22:15.298)
Talk about the emotions though. I what as it what are they? Is it fear? Is it excitement? Is it

Kevjet (22:21.056)
It's anything that you can throw into a pot is is what goes through my mind throughout the day.

Christina (22:26.99)
Do does the fear come from un uns like is is it uncertainty? Is it like financially, how am I gonna is this gonna work? Like what are

Kevjet (22:35.486)
kind of everything, but it it means that I'm leaving my team, which I've had for eleven years. So I'm going to be moving on to a different to manage a different team. And it's all people I don't know. it's quite exciting, but it's gonna allow for me to spend more time at home and doing my doing this, doing my podcast stuff and and have a lot of really cool, exciting things and

planned and I just I just can't wait to just get stuck in.

Christina (23:10.19)
Okay, well you're first of all, your new team's gonna love you. You're very caring. This this nursing background makes a million percent sense to me. you're a very caring, generous, attentive person, conscientious. So yeah, your team's gonna love you. And and the palliative care side of things is so interesting too. Like what an what an incredible thing to bring to a healthcare organization, like in in a leadership in a leadership.

Position, right? Because I mean, you know, if you can create the kind of environment for somebody at the end of life that they deserve when they're born and throughout their life, like and have that standard in your day to day work, like it's to me, it's a huge asset to bring to a team.

Kevjet (24:00.866)
Thank you. Yeah. I I mean I'm working with I'm still working with health professionals, so we all we kinda all understand each other, but we all have different backgrounds and specialties. But it's interesting. It keeps things keeps conversations interesting.

Christina (24:17.486)
Okay, last time we were texting and you said that you had some exciting things that you might be able to tell me about and I don't know if the time is right, but is okay, what can you can you spill the beans on any

Kevjet (24:32.238)
I think I think I can. I've this morning I sat down and I was like, I made a little list of the things that are happening. Some things I haven't like written out a hundred percent, but I'm like it's generally there. So yeah, I mean some things have happened and some things are being planned. but yeah.

Christina (24:38.422)
Yeah, cool.

Christina (24:53.506)
Where do you wanna start? Do you wanna 'cause I was gonna ask you how you spent your Canada day. Is that anywhere in the

Kevjet (24:58.59)
So let's start there. Let's start there. And it's funny enough because you brought up Nancy's name as well. So we do. And so what happened was last summer, Nancy approached me about being on her TV show, which is aired in Canada, showing up. So I thought, well, you know what? I think I can do something really cool with this. So I invited her to be my co-host.

Christina (25:03.82)
Yeah, we love Nancy.

Kevjet (25:28.032)
in Trafalgar Square for Canada Day. So she didn't even wait till I finished asking the question. She had her bags packed. She was on a plane. had a great time. But she brought over her film crew and spent a week with with me here. And that's the big highlight in of the London side of it. Trafalgar Square, Canada Day, which I do every year. I'm the media backstage

Christina (25:31.65)
Amazing.

Kevjet (25:55.872)
It's quite fun. I love it. It's it's it's the second largest Canada Day celebration outside of Canada. So it's it's it's just amazing. so they filmed for a week here. a few couple months later I flew home to Nova Scotia and they met me in Wedgeport, Nova Scotia, tuna fishing capital of the world.

And filmed for another week. And so the the television show will be aired on T V in Canada this fall.

Christina (26:32.866)
Hey, congratulations. That is a that's a get. That's a really cool experience.

Kevjet (26:37.974)
There is rumor that well Canada didn't happen this year in Trafalgar Square because we've all kind of supported the Maple Leaf Ball, which happened at the VNA and Nancy happened to come over and host as well. however, the rumor is that Kev Jet and Nancy Regan are hosting Trafalgar Square twenty twenty seven.

Christina (27:01.688)
Fantastic news. Wait, the rumor? I think it's just I think it's a rhythm. I think it's a thing. I think yeah, it's just this is actually happening though. This is awesome. This is really cool.

Kevjet (27:12.942)
So it's very exciting and yeah, I can't wait. We're it seems like it seems mad because a lot of my life is is booking things a year in advance right now. And you get so excited about it and you it you don't wanna wish your year away because every day is such a gift, but there are some cre pretty crazy things happening. Getting into that diary that in a year or two years, it's two years down the road. So

Christina (27:41.876)
It is weird. I don't that's how I've spent most of my adult life planning ahead, right? Because also when it's your when it is your business and and for a long time it was my only business. You feel like you have to do that. You know, every people are booking things now two, sometimes three or four years in advance. And you sp I would spend like my whole year planning for a Germany tour, all my spare time, and then you go on this tour

And then you're so tired and you're like, wait, I have to now start doing this again. Or you're already planning the next one before you even leave for. And it's kind of it's kind of weird. Like it's not something that maybe people who have the the blessing of a nine to five job, you know, like that's security and they it's re it really is a you know, I I would I I always compare it to like I must it must be like planning your vacation and you're just kind of living

And waiting to go on that vacation, you know, it's really hard to be present. But then then you get to that thing and you you you do relish it. I th you know, I I have found that but

Kevjet (28:39.468)
So true.

Kevjet (28:47.96)
those projects because you get called on to these Zoom meetings and and you're planning ahead and and you start these calls like I said sometimes over a year in advance and you're thinking my God this is early and before you know it you're on that last board call and you're like well we'll see you tomorrow you know at the event and it's like how did this happen?

Christina (29:08.238)
I know. It's pretty cool. so obviously your connection to back home in Canada is still very, very, very strong. And I'm curious, has living abroad you know, has it has it changed who you are in in some way or has it made made you appreciate certain things more?

Kevjet (29:35.118)
I think it's made me appreciate my time at home when I do get to come home a lot more. definitely. And every conversation I have with a friend or every connection. if I've got five minutes where I can connect with someone I haven't seen for a long time while I'm there, I I would choose to do that over something that's less important. I'd I'd I like all those little moments and those conversations and reconnecting. I think those are really important.

Christina (29:56.749)
Yeah.

Kevjet (30:04.91)
it's funny because I'm on a lot of Zoom calls with my team here in the UK and my receptionist said to me the other day, she said, You know, you always wear a Canada t shirt. It's always something to do with Canada and and she goes, I I mentioned it to my friend and her boyfriend is is from Toronto and he said, well, you know those Maritimers, they're very proud. So I thought, Well, that was a great compliment. So I thought, I'm gonna take that. Yeah.

Christina (30:32.798)
Yeah, we are. I mean it's a s it is a wonderful place to live. So what what is it like is there something that unique that you miss from here that you don't you just don't get there or can you just get everything?

Kevjet (30:45.602)
I think it's just the trust in people because I'm I always find that it's difficult to make friends here. I have a lot of acquaintances and lots of people say, my gosh, your social circle is so big and I'm like, Mm, but it isn't. It's it's acquaintances. at home they're like your real friends. And I have a really great friend here, but and that's not taking anything away from that at all. It's just for some reason in Canada we just trust each other right away.

Christina (31:14.528)
Now this is a chat with heart and how is your heart? I'm curious.

Kevjet (31:20.792)
So, well, interesting enough, my heart is it's been struggling in the heat. I n I do notice that it slows me down a little bit. But knock on wood, if I can find some things are are okay. I'm I'm I have a robotic heart basically. I have lots of stents that are keeping me going and

Christina (31:26.551)
Yeah.

Christina (31:35.382)
Yeah, I've got some fake wood here.

Kevjet (31:48.822)
Lots of medication and a great cardiologist. And it's a recipe for a good life. So

Christina (31:54.848)
My audience can't see this, but you have this beautiful tattoo of a of a heartbeat just

Kevjet (32:01.26)
It's actually my ECG, yeah.

Christina (32:03.254)
Is it is that where the heart is?

Kevjet (32:05.238)
Yeah, well yeah, it's kind of here, to be honest.

Christina (32:08.153)
No, that's cool.

Kevjet (32:10.274)
I had this printed when I was at the cardiologist after I had my first heart surgery and and when my when my echo looked normal again. Yeah. so that's a perfect looking echocardiogram. And I had it tattooed. So that's my little memory from from a very bad time.

Christina (32:32.778)
Love I love that tattoo and a good reminder too, I guess, just of the the miracles of modern medicine and and it really does take a team like to keep up with. I had a a very close friend, she's gonna be on the podcast, who whose heart stopped this year. And she she was actually, I think, clinically dead for 10 minutes. And

Had all the tests, no rhyme or reason, actually. And so they had to implant a device. not a pacemaker, but something else. And it's quite, quite large, actually, sits between her skin and her ribs. And I mean, the whole thing was just absolutely incredible. But the fact that she's alive is incredible and you know, but it just like I mean, it's changed you know, that having that experience as a young and healthy person has been

I I I mean I I will see what she says on the podcast, but I'm I'm thinking one of the most pivotal experiences of her life. Like she's now having to make choices that are tough in terms of like slowing down and things aren't the same as they were. Like how how has that been for you? You said earlier, you know, that you've had to say learn how to say no to things. and how else is, you know, your health impacted because I I feel you are a go. I wanna go do this. I wanna go. and do you just

kinda now go, wait a second, like do my heart what is what am I gonna do for my heart today?

Kevjet (34:04.28)
I tend to I t I am a go go go and th in London there's so many amazing things to do and I get some really cool invites and it's all been a lot of fun but I have I have this thing now where I'm just like, Okay, you know what, how am I gonna get through my normal day and then go do this thing? And then can I do it three days in a row? Like recently I've I had events that three days in a row and I also had work and I had

Just crazy things happening in life. And I knew that when I got to that fourth day, I was like, Okay, this is not cool. I need this day where I'm not going to do anything. I'm not going to take a phone call even. And and that's just kind of what I need to do. But going part time is giving me everybody's a bit worried because they're like, You're gonna plan those those days off and you're gonna be like cramming things. But my plan is not to do that. My plan is to take those days for myself. So

Christina (35:04.45)
Yeah, good. Good. I I mean I I'm a big believer too that if people if we could pay people the same amount and have them work less hours, they would work more efficiently, they would be happier. You know, I mean I just think people work too long for other people. Like and it's I d I just don't know I just don't think it's necessary. I do think that there's a lot of time also not at every job, but like there is time wasted in a lot of

Positions where people are kind of miserable sitting there and I don't know. I mean, that's just I'm I'm excited for this part-time position for you. That's that's what I've been doing working part-time now since I think t the pandemic, 2021. And it was scary at first to take on anything, but it's you know, and and so like anything, I had to be patient and and find a new rhythm and new pa new

Kevjet (35:39.209)
It is so true.

Christina (36:01.74)
Habits and and and set limits. Yeah. set boundaries. But but you're finding it's working for you and

Kevjet (36:13.782)
It's it's so far so good. So we're gonna see how it goes. But it's exciting. and there's my dog.

Christina (36:22.414)
Introduce them, will ya?

Kevjet (36:25.691)
so there's Toby and Penelope.

Christina (36:29.538)
Hey guys remember me? You guys remember me? They're like, no, we do not.

Kevjet (36:35.948)
They heard somebody walk through the house so they're like, Hmm, who's that? Because I think there's I think the band is arriving and going through to the studio, but

Christina (36:43.87)
Was there a band in in in the studio with Nick?

Kevjet (36:47.024)
it's mixed band, believe it or not. So yeah, so they're just about to send their new album for Final Mix and that will be out in the fall.

Christina (36:49.084)
cool.

Christina (36:58.424)
Hey, that's really exciting. You gotta give we gotta give a shout out to Nick's band and also give him a big hug from eight. Okay, so remind me what his band is called because I haven't I haven't seen them play live, but I remember I remember when we were there, he introduced us to the band. That's right.

Kevjet (37:15.146)
Yeah. They're called it I T.

Christina (37:17.654)
Okay, that's not hard to forget. How could I fucking forget it?

Christina (37:24.094)
my god, my memory's so bad. Okay, so Nick's band is called It. Yes. I T. Really not hard to remember, folks. Go look up. They have they have some awesome videos and stuff, live videos.

Kevjet (37:29.175)
Yes.

Kevjet (37:36.859)
Their live footage is amazing. Yeah. Well their live shows are amazing.

Christina (37:40.93)
Yeah, well this is cool. So are they planning something in London?

Kevjet (37:44.256)
They are. I think they've announced a tour in Scotland so far. I don't think the web dates are out yet, but if you follow Kevjet, I I'll be sharing all those exciting things.

Christina (37:58.466)
There you go, everybody. We'll have to hop on a plane to London. I have been dreaming of of just going to London, going to England and not not actually working, just going as a I've never done that. There's travel has always only been possible because there was work involved. And so I daydream about being able to travel and not work.

Kevjet (38:26.26)
Exactly. Exactly. You mentioned Germany earlier and that's one of my little projects that is still a secret. But Kevjet has been asked to get involved with a boat cruise through Germany with an iconic Canadian band next year. And Kevjet will be on board this cruise.

Christina (38:41.805)
Ooh

Christina (38:46.39)
Okay.

Kevjet (38:52.89)
And I will be the media face for the the whole cruise.

Christina (38:57.783)
Okay, but I I'm sensing that you can't tell us the band name.

Kevjet (39:01.24)
I can't no, not just yet.

Christina (39:03.672)
Can you mouth them to me and then I won't tell anybody?

Kevjet (39:09.44)
I I'll I'll WhatsApp you.

Christina (39:12.856)
Okay, okay, okay. Yeah, I won't I won't tell anybody, but I do wanna know and congratulations, that sounds like a blast. So where I guess it's not announced yet. Okay, so obviously er all things point to listen to Kevjet because they're probably gonna be selling tickets for this cruise, am I right?

Kevjet (39:30.744)
Will be. it's not going to be announced for a little bit. It's because the actual date hasn't been marked in ink just yet, but it's all happening and there are artists on the cruise as well that your listeners are going to know.

Christina (39:50.446)
I'm gonna guess. I'm gonna guess who it is. And like if you like thumbs up or thumbs down if I get if I hit any of them, but I won't I won't give it okay. Blue rodeo. who else is iconic? I don't know, Jan Arden. who else? what's a Canadian band that I mean I that's what I I tragically hit, but it's not gonna be them, unfortunately. But okay, well.

Okay, so yeah, everybody has to listen to Kev Jet to find out

Kevjet (40:23.278)
Great. And it's it's it's through Germany and there's some really cool excursions planned. It's not your typical cruise and I can't say a whole lot more just yet, but be great.

Christina (40:34.274)
I love this. Yeah, this is exciting. okay. Hey, on a on a very a sad note, I wanted to say I'm sorry for the loss of your grandmother, but I wanted to hear more about her. if you'd like to share some memories of your grandma Mamaire, did you call her Mamaire? Was she French?

Kevjet (40:56.206)
She was French, and she was known as Gromaire.

Christina (40:59.598)
Grand mare. Okay, mine was a Mamer and Paper. Yeah. Grand Grandmere. Okay. And did you speak French with her?

Kevjet (41:08.032)
Maybe as a little child I did. She always spoke French to me and I replied in English. She was very Acadian. so she basically was speaking English. it was yeah, she was very fiery. She was very stubborn, she was very lovable and caring and hospitable. She was she was everything. She was just was everything to me. She lived, you know, a few doors down from us and

So we would see her several times a day, not just once a day. And before I moved away, she was starting to get a little bit she had started with dementia a little bit. And so she was spending winters with us. So she lived with us for the winters. so yeah, we I spent so much time with her. And I was so lucky to be the oldest grandchild and have spent, you know, the most time with her. And it was interesting when I was home for her.

her funeral a couple months ago and we were stood in the graveyard and one of my younger cousins was speaking to another younger cousin and they were saying, you know, we don't really remember, you know, Gra Pair, our grandfather. And I said, I started telling them stories about him. And I was like, you know, gosh, how did you not know this about him or or that? And then they it there's just that age difference. And it's just it was just bizarre to me that and I kind of felt sad that they didn't get to know them at

on the same level that I have. Mm-hmm. But another secret though, c speaking about her. Yes. I brought home some of her ashes to London. And I just thought it would fet it felt nice to have her with me all the time. And but I've been looking at them every day and I'm thinking I need to do something with them. But it has to be special. But I can't keep them where they are because it it's starting to like drive me nuts. And my

The eulogy that I wrote for the funeral service was based on the Downton Abbey finale on of the film. Because they have Maggie Smith who plays the Grand, they she passes away and the family moves on, but it finishes with the big painting of of her in the grand hall at the castle. And it just happened that when I came home with my grandmother's ashes, that I was invited to High Clare Castle, which is where

Kevjet (43:32.45)
Downton Abbey is filmed. or an exclusive sit down interview with Lady Carnarvon, who lives in the castle.

Christina (43:40.65)
No way! That's amazing!

Kevjet (43:43.404)
So I thought I need to bring my grandmother with me. Did you? And I may or may not have left a little bit of her on the grounds of High Clare Castle last week.

Christina (43:52.51)
Mm-hmm.

Christina (43:56.566)
What did your family think about that? okay, so th there you go, they have to listen to this podcast.

Kevjet (43:58.862)
I haven't told them yet.

Kevjet (44:03.758)
Exactly. So it just happened. it just happened and it was a beautiful moment and it w it was just the perfect time and

Christina (44:12.098)
Yeah. That's really sweet. So what are the characteristics that you s I you said so many lovely things about your grandmother? What do you think you have adopted from her? Like how are you like your grandmother?

Kevjet (44:24.876)
I think any positive compliment that I get, or any compliment, I any compliment is positive, but any compliment I get from a stranger is something that I'd always say, I get that from my grandmother. But like I think our family gets her sense of humor. We're all very we all like to have a laugh and laugh at silly things and make each other laugh. But we also have that stubborn streak in us, which we know where we get that from as well.

Christina (44:51.534)
And was she was she a good cook? Like did you did you have some recipes that some f because that's something that my mom and my grandmother like my grandma was such a good cook. That's all she just cooked all the time and and then my mother adopted a lot of her recipes and they they were never identical, but they were equally aw they were just as awesome. Just a little s there was a little s slight something slightly different and then I

took on the best recipes or my fav the favorite things they did I learned how to do myself, also a little bit different. but that comfort cooking. What's something that your grandma made that

Kevjet (45:31.85)
very creative so she she was always making quilts so she she made the most beautiful quilts and I actually have one of the quilts I have was the last quilt that her mother had started and she finished so it's my great grandmother and my grandmother made together.

Christina (45:51.382)
I love that. you know what? My sister, one of the nicest gifts anyone's ever given me, my sister from another mother who I didn't really meet. I didn't meet until my after my father passed away. so we were we were both older. and Roxy, Roxy made me a quilt. And when she was asking me what I wanted, I jokingly said, I would love like she's like, What do you want to be on it? Like on the cover of the top.

Side or whatever. And I was like, I don't know, a bunch of cocks. And she we had a good laugh about it. And then I was looking online and I'd send her pictures of like actual quilts that had penises all over them just for a laugh. And so time went on, and I got this big box in the mail. And I was so excited. I was like, my penis quilt is here. And I opened it up and it's like this stunning quilt. It's got all these

Beautiful. We both love horses. She was an equestrian and I used to ride when I was younger. And so it was a quilt with all these horses on it. But I didn't see any penises. And so I was like, Aww. You know, like this is built up. And then and then I called her to thank her for this incredible quilt. And she said, Did you find the penis? And I was like, What? And she said, You didn't find the penis, did you? And then I looked closer and there was like this first of all, there was a little

stitched on like you know, a two Christina, the infamous penis quilt from your sister Roxy kind of thing. And then in on the back side she had somebody stitch an actual penis ejaculating in the stitching. And so you unless I told you, you came over and I you know the story now, so you could find you could find it probably, but unless I I told someone like, hey, look for the

The penis stitched in your the quilt like nobody would know. Anyway, so quilts are special and they can have hidden meaning and inside inside jokes. Inside jokes. That's the best. Thanks, Roxy, for that amazing memory. But a a quilt really is such an incredible piece of art, you know, somebody's time, their hands, their their attention.

Christina (48:14.592)
And it's it's time consuming. It's a very so you do do you have a quilt at your house from your grandma? Yeah.

Kevjet (48:20.846)
I do, I have a I have several of them. Yeah. I don't like to use them. I I like they're like put away. I do I keep one in in the guest room and people always comment on it. But yeah. It's strange and I think it's one of those things when you're not feeling well as well. I'm like I'll go get the quilt and I'll like wrap up in it on the or something.

Christina (48:41.016)
Yeah. Yeah. Well well, my grandma gave me lots of lovely, beautiful things that my mom kept for me because I was off traveling the world for a while and not interested in these things, you know, at the time. And and now that I have them, I actually use them. Like I I I'm of the belief that

nothing against keeping things and not using them and taking care of them. But I'm like if it's if I'm using it. I'm using the china. I'm using the the gold plated utensils and I'm using the penis quilt. Yeah. And that's how we'll end this podcast. I just No, but I I actually I wanna talk to you forever, but I I know you are very busy and I just I wanna thank you for

like reaching out that day and giving us offering that tour because like if you hadn't if you hadn't offered that, like I don't know if we would have met and spent all that time together. And it's a rare thing for us to have time on a tour or to really even get to know people. Yeah. And I I do cherish that time we had with you and we made we've made a couple of opportunities to get

to see you when we were in London and and you've made the effort to come out to shows and I I really appreciate that and I just think you're awesome and everybody needs to go listen to Kevjet and watch the videos. But is there anything else that's exciting that you haven't spilled the beans about that you want to mention?

Kevjet (50:18.83)
I mean I have I have a huge list, but a lot of it actually I probably c can't even bring up, but listening from Canada and you actually don't know what the connection is between Canada and High Clare Castle, which is where Downton Abbey is filmed, you need to go listen to that episode because that was my Canada Day special this year. and Lady Carnarvon tells me all the connections between

this beautiful castle that I'm sat in with her, and forming Canada.

Christina (50:54.766)
Amazing. Yeah. I love it. Okay, so what's next on your bucket list? Like coming up, coming up soon. What's the next I know the work you got the work change. That's a big transition going part time.

Kevjet (51:09.932)
That's gonna be new. it's gonna be exciting as well. gonna look at it in an exciting way instead of stressful or sad. yeah, I don't know. Well, there's there's so many cool guests lined up and I'm excited for every conversation and I'm excited to share the conversations and just kind of see what happens.

'Cause you just never know what happened. Every morning I I get up and I I open my inbox and you just never know what is gonna be sat there. And this morning there was another cool request, so watch this space.

Christina (51:50.798)
I mean and I'm excited to see you on showing up with Nancy Regan. That's good.

Kevjet (51:54.358)
Wait, we're going to have some sort of showing here in London as well because a big part of that show is is us here in in London. So we're gonna do some sort of premiere or something fun, probably at Canada House, which would be quite fun. Yeah.

Christina (52:12.39)
yeah. Cool. I love it. Congratulations.

Kevjet (52:16.578)
Thank you. I can't wait to share it and Yeah, it's exciting.

Christina (52:29.056)
Say the body

Christina (52:35.86)
I don't wanna say goodbye to you.

Christina (52:44.526)
Welcome to the Heartbeat Hotline, 1902-669-4769. I'm the host of a Chat with Heart Podcast, Christina Martin, and I'm so excited you called. Leave me your question, a suggestion for the podcast, or a comment about this episode. Please be aware your message may be used on the podcast and social media. Tell me your name, where you're calling from, and it's also fine if you want to remain anonymous. Thanks for listening.

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