HAPPY TEN YEARS LATER

Enjoying the very first 
Fire & Ice Festival
TAKEN: JANUARY 30th, 2016

 

When I was growing up, enjoying the Muskoka Winter Carnival weekend was something celebrated by young and old within the entire District simultaneously. Then, over the years, lack of participation and increase in overall expense saw all our communities cease celebrating with Skokie except the Town of Gravenhurst. 

Well, more than a decade ago the Town of Bracebridge decided to begin coordinating a one-day festival with a unique approach to a traditional winter carnival that they brilliantly branded Fire & Ice. 

Where the main street is closed at dusk the night before and truck loads of snow is imported in which turning our signature street into massive tubing hill. This plus a skating trail and ice sculptures in the park create the ice part of the festival’s name.

The fire part is created by performing fire artists and firepits throughout downtown and a large fireworks display at dusk.

Once the fireworks are over the tubing hill is then broken down, loaded back into trucks and the busily attended street and parks for the day return to the dreary January weather by the next morning.

As it has been ten years this weekend since we first celebrated, I couldn’t help but Google, which anniversary gift was earmarked for the milestone; it is tin.

My mind immediately races back to my childhood and a shiny vintage tin snow saucer.

And how perfect it would be to fly down Manitoba Street at breakneck speeds on Saturday afternoon on that puppy!

 Oh to be young again...

#yagottalaughaboutit

COUNTING AND COPING

Our struggle with outdoor doggie
washroom conditions are real!
TAKEN: JANUARY 22nd, 2026

Yesterday morning, the control panel on my 60V Greenworks electric snowblower, bit dust. 

Even worse, their service department confirmed the part's backordered, and they cannot offer a timeline for shipment. I automatically knew I would be back to manually shoveling snow.

Now, as I have written here before, at Old Bessie, our gas-powered beauty of age does the heavy lifting - but I am responsible to clear entrances, decks, and dog trails; that our old girl cannot access.

Well, just as my winter clearing lifeline went on hiatus, The Weather Network announced that we were to receive 40+cm of snow (about 16 inches for my American readers) forecasted to fall within 24 hours. 

So, shovel in hand, I was dealing with the accumulation I had missed through the day last night until I was ready to go to bed, to ensure by morning we could open the back patio door, and that the dogs had a path at 6am.

By 6am this morning, Mother Nature added another 8+ inches fallen, which told me that we were only about half-way there before we might receive any reprieve.

Out went my travel buddy hubby with Bessie blowing in the dark, as I took shovels to the decks in my PJ pants. We worked our way of digging out from the accumulated snow and as the sun rose the blizzard continued. 

Then our obvious problem hit. It was on my 9:30am break, where the dogs go to do their business. 

Where the hell do they go?

All I can say is that from the photo I am sharing… their struggle was/is real. 

Hope I can see their eyes peeping over the banks by this time tomorrow!

#yagottalaughaboutit

MY NIGHT WALKER

My beautiful Miya living her best life.
TAKEN: JANUARY 12th, 2026

With 2026 officially under way, I am seriously committed to exercising more, losing weight, and living a healthier lifestyle. You see, for the first time in my life, I am feeling the effects of sitting in front of a computer ten hours a day; and not making myself a priority. 

The first week was pretty brutal but I am extremely determined, so I persevered. 

You have no idea how much crap you have hanging around in your system after the unnecessary holiday bingeing, but I feel that with those first seven days behind me, I am definitely on the right track.

For me, it is about a kilometer walk to the mailbox, so I started going daily, on the last doggie daycare break. The other thing I began doing was head down to the end of our cul-de-sac and back. For that, I take both pups.

Then, I drop off Katie Kate and Miya and I head toward town. She is much more laid back than the wee one and always stays focused on her surroundings. The other one, not so much, and I need to keep her out of harms way.

Anyway, on our way back from town, the orange hew in the distance lets us know we are getting close to home. 

With only 42 days until I depart on my cousins trip to Hautulco Mexico, I know my personal goals won't be met by then. 

Instead, the quest for my waist will hopefully have my goal within my sights before I leave for Bahamas for my birthday weekend.

Wish me (and my emotional support night walker) luck!

FEELING DEFLATED?

Winter have you feeling deflated?
...Not our beautiful Miya!
TAKEN: JANUARY 6th, 2025

When Doggie Daycare took their lunch break this afternoon, the beautiful Miya pulled her old, deflated football (that we call the hut-hut) out of the toy box as her item to retrieve. 

After her tenth run, I held it up and realized how this raggedy old ‘thing’ truly symbolizes my general mood perfectly this time of year. That said, I am pleased to report that the majority of my seasonal affective disorder symptoms stayed at bay this fall, and thanks to a quiet holiday break I am hoping the worst is over.

I know I always reference the weather this time of year, but when you don’t leave your house except to move snow, it tends to be a focal point. Moving snow since the beginning of the season led me to notice an overall loss in snow removal muscle mass over last season.

As a result, I decided to put an exercise plan in place so that my day consists of something other than staring at multiple computer screens and recess with my dogs three times a day; where all I do is stand in one spot and throw their item of choice.

I am also in the midst of a cleanse. I have never done one but did quite a bit of research prior to starting, hoping to increase my overall energy. Once completed, I will transfer to a program called The Livy Method. I have done it before with great success, so I thought I would reignite the enthusiasm that had me shed almost 18lbs while recalibrating my eating habits in 2023.

Which brings me to my original question. Does this winter have me feeling deflated?

Actually, it is kind of the opposite. Though I would like to think my stomach is flat (which would never leave any middle-aged woman feeling deflated), it seems my issue appears to be when I look in the mirror.

Because the simple truth is the as I spring into 2026, letter ‘L’ in the word flat... 

Is definitely SILENT!

#yagottalaughaboutit