Should We Stay or Should We Go

  There are some relationships that you don't realize you've taken for granted until something changes. For most of my life, the relationship between Canada and the United States has simply been there. We are neighbours. We share the longest international border in the world, a language, a continent, a history and countless personal connections. And yet, lately, that relationship feels very different. As I write this, Canada and the United States are once again in the middle of difficult trade negotiations, with another U.S. tariff deadline looming on August 19. The United States is threatening additional 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods, while Canadian and American officials continue trying to reach an agreement. I'm not going to pretend that I understand all the intricacies of international trade. There are economists, trade experts and government officials who spend their days trying to make sense of it all. But I do understand how it feels to watch the relati...

A fresh cup of tea  -  especially first thing in the morning. Getting into freshly changed sheets  - there may be few things better at the end of the day. Having absolutely nothing on the calendar  -  no appointments, no errands, no commitments. Just a completely free day. Finding a really good parking spot — especially when it's close to the entrance. It's a tiny victory, but I'll take it. Discovering a new place close to home  -  realizing we've lived somewhere for years and still have things to explore. Meeting up with friends for a long lunch  - catching up and a little gossip. Crossing something off the to-do list -   sometimes I actually add something that I’ve already done so I can cross it off. Hearing the rain on the roof -   especially when it’s a hard rain Heading out for a long bike ride  - on the e-bikes of course. Finding something I thought I'd lost — particularly when I've already searched for it three tim...

Yesterday I had a free day so John and I picked up my youngest brother, Ricky, and decided to take an old-fashioned Sunday Drive - on a Wednesday. We had a plan. We were going to take a scenic drive along Lake Ontario, stop at a few of our favourite waterfront spots and then head up the Niagara Escarpment.  It wasn't an ambitious plan, but it sounded like a nice way to spend an afternoon together. Ricky has Down Syndrome and lives close by, so I like to see him as often as I can. Outings have become a little more challenging now as he uses a wheelchair. There are only so many places we can easily go, so sometimes a drive and a few accessible stops can make for a pretty great afternoon. We’re Pretty Lucky Around Here Oakville sits along the western end of Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes. For anyone who isn't familiar with them, the Great Lakes are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. They are enormous freshwater lakes along the Canada–United States border. I...

After a busy month of writing for the blog challenge, 31 posts in 31 days, I think my brain is a little fried. And then there was last week. I spent five days at a crafting retreat in a beautiful country setting, surrounded by friends and, of course, lots of crafting supplies. It was a relaxing week, but I also went with a mission. I wanted to make a dent in my ever-growing pile of pictures. And I did. I sorted through pictures, created scrapbook pages, and came home with a smaller picture pile than the one I left with. There is something very satisfying about looking at a stack of photographs and actually seeing it get smaller. But perhaps my brain and body decided that enough was enough. For the last couple of days, I haven't had much motivation to do anything. My craft supplies are still sitting by the front door waiting to be put away. The laundry is waiting beside the washing machine. The house could definitely use some cleaning. The garage is still filled with all the items w...