PEACE OUT SUMMER

Peace out summer of 2025
TAKEN: NOVEMBER 2nd, 2025

Though it snowed the day before yesterday, we managed to get the cottage closed this afternoon enjoying sunshine, rather than snow. You wouldn’t know by my layers of attire – but I over dressed for a what turned out to be a lovely fall day.

Closing day is always bittersweet for me and this year was no exception. The ongoing reflection of just how devastating and exhausting a toll the ice storm carnage took on us is still fresh. 

Even though my backdrop shows some impressive progress in repairing and cleaning up, we still have a significant amount of work (about 30%) that will greet us in the spring of 2026.

It feels as if we lost another season this year like we did last, as nothing other than working the property doing ice storm cleanup was accomplished. 

With my travel buddy hubby being hospitalized and off work for over three months in the summer 2025, and the damage from winter storm has us two season behind in maintaining and/or upgrading standard items. 

Our mantra has always been one season inside, one season outside. It is at times of reflection like this that I am grateful for all the seasons that were possible.

 

Anyway, as an aside, I used to think the best investment I ever made for myself here at the cottage was buying myself a full-size washing machine. Though that baby IS sexy, this year I am thankful for getting myself a battery powered chainsaw. 

That said, I will reiterate my sentiments here, as I did last winter when I was given my rechargeable battery powered snow shovel.

Who needs more diamonds and pearls, when a really great battery will suffice?!

#yagottalaughaboutit

STELLA ESCAPED

Our girl embracing an
autumn adventure.
TAKEN: OCTOBER 17th, 2025

After our epic day of burning on Saturday September 27th, we spent the next few weekends in town.

With a Baker’s Dozen dining with us for Thanksgiving, I had to steam clean our carpets the weekend before. A week after our turkey coma subsided, we were back to the cottage to begin shutting it down.

Because my travel buddy hubby cannot bring his work truck home throughout the week, we swap at lunchtime which has him picking up the car at home. In this instance, it had him taking the pups and me to the cottage to get the place warm and where I would finish my workday.

As I headed down the stairs, my immediate reaction was that someone had stolen Stella. As I sauntered toward the dock, I discovered that she had simply escaped. Will the fall colour in bloom, I thought she looked so pretty perched in our alcove, keeping our turtles company.

Not wanting to try and rescue her with the unconditional help of two pups, and a premonition that I would end up in the lake, I decided to wait until the next morning to hunt for the hip waders.

The next morning the closing ritual began. Up and out came the pedal boat and dock ladder, in came the ramp with Stella safely perched for the winter. With it too windy to burn, we managed to work at getting the cottage close ramped up.

With everything out and up the hill and the only task left is to shut off the water, we are officially prepared for the end of another cottage season.

...Which has been our 26^th.

Stella is all settled for the winter.
TAKEN: OCTOBER 18th, 2025

EMBRACING SMALL WINS

What a beautiful view!
TAKEN: SEPTEMBER 27th, 2025

Just like the movie Groundhog Day, we landed at the cottage Friday night to wake and experience yet another full day dealing with ice storm carnage. The photo I am sharing above is after burning brush nonstop for over seven hours.

The exciting thing I am sharing in the photo is that if you look at the railing fence at the right of our property line the pile of consumed brush that began being piled there, burned, and replenished multiple times is finally gone.

The even better news that the pre-piled was finally gone, was that I hauled brush off the ATV trail and behind the cottage for much of the day; with a very big bonus of additional and unexpected charcoal being produced.

I know it must be getting tired reading about these dumb milestones, but do you know what is even more tired?

Two sexagenarians working alone without help (except Hughie with the one tree) to clear the land of massive amounts of debris.

I know we could have easily hired someone to do it but what I find somewhat troublesome is that neither of our boys have visited this year, let alone offered to help. I am shaking my head at the thought of it.

When my travel buddy hubby and I talk about what we have accomplished financially in the almost forty years we have been together, I think he has the best plan for how to approach the distribution of it.

I mentioned giving it all to the OSPCA, but he has a better idea.

Apparently, according to him…. WE ARE GOING TO SPENT IT ALL!

#yagottalaughaboutit 

THANKS, BUDDY!

Wee Katie Kate supervising the
disconnection in progress.
TAKEN: JULY 1ST, 2025

The weekend before my mother-in-law unexpectedly passed, my travel buddy hubby and his best cottage mate finally coordinated the dissection of the last fallen tree (from the ice storm) stuck in our shoreline.

They had tried several times to connect but as it would have it, day-to-day life got in the way; until finally the morning arrived. 

A couple of efforts in July (one seen above) to remove the bulk of the tree from stump had my husband realizing that no matter what he tried, this sucker was NOT going to float away. It would have to be dismembered and removed to shore piece by piece.

With Stella (our floating picnic table) anchored to aid with keeping the tools dry, and wee Katie Kate once again was in supervision mode, the project began.

They landed in the water that Saturday morning just past 10am, I served them lunch around noon, and the last of the tools were slugged out of the water about 2pm. Words can’t describe how blessed we are to have such great neighbours in he and his wife. They are truly amazing.

So, check their effort out... Below are just a few photos of the last of the water trees from hell that have literally consumed our time since opening the cottage in May of this year.

Assessing to start...
With dogs in the mix.
TAKEN: AUGUST 23rd, 2025

Turn out my Dad's antique saw
worked best because of Katie Kate's help.
TAKEN: AUGUST 23rd, 2025

Hauling to shore on the home stretch!
TAKEN: AUGUST 23rd, 2025

Mission accomplished... At a cost of 
a couple of burgers and a beer!!
TAKEN: AUGUST 23rd, 2025

BRITTANY BROUGHT IT!

Brittany IS da bomb!
All photo rights reserved audiophix.com

As I mentioned in my last post, we had such a blast at TIFF and then attending the Alabama Shakes concert at Budweiser Stage, I thought Brittany Howard (the lead singer for Alabama Shakes) deserved her own props.

I don't know about you, but I find that my travel buddy hubby and I have the most fun when minimal planning is involved. How I missed that she was headed to Toronto is beyond me but once I found out, I was all over it like white on rice.

We had been to the venue two Saturdays before to take Goob to see Leon Bridges, so it wasn't like we were in need to travel south again. But you know me, I know better than most the difference between want and need; and we WANTED to see her live.

Boy, she was young when we first hopped on her bandwagon. Her soulful sound and skillful guitar playing had her immediately rise to the top. Though she hit the circuit in 2012, she landed at the forefront when was one of and ensemble that performed The Weight in the 2013 Grammy Award tribute to the late Levon Helm.

Once in the mainstream, she led them as the musical guest on SNL. Here is a link from that performance over ten years ago Alabama Shakes - Always Alright (Live on SNL). 

Heralded as 'one of the best unexpected SNL performances ever,' all I can say is that she has gotten better and stronger over the last decade. 

As I reflect back and look at my photos and listen to all the videos I took last Saturday night, everything is washed out. We were sitting center stage at the railing in front of the floor pit, and nothing was salvageable to post. It didn't have that effect visually as we enjoyed the concert but in hindsight, I have a theory.

I have to think that the lighting and her positioning was purposeful. My best guess is that she wants her fans to focus on the sound, vibe, and musical perfection. Not how fast something can be uploaded onto social media.

If that's the case I just became an even bigger fan... Though, I can't imagine that possible!

Oh, not one to throw baby out with bathwater. Here's a pic I snapped just inside the admission gate.

Doesn't he look impressed?!

#yagottalaughaoutit

He has always made me laugh!
TAKEN: SEPTEMBER 6th, 2025

 

TIFF-RIFFIC!

What an amazing vibe to experience. 
I LOVE THIS CITY!
TAKEN: SEPTEMBER 6th, 2025

From a very young age, movies and music were something my mother and I always enjoyed together. I have close to five hundred DVD movies at the cottage, and I am blessed to cherish and continually enjoy my mother’s extensive vinyl record collection: of 78, 33, and 45 rpm records.

Well, on September 6th, both those items are why my travel buddy hubby, and I arranged an early check-in to our favourite hotel in downtown Toronto, to embrace them together on the same day!

First up, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) which is always a special event for Hollywood North.  That said, this year was a worldwide media frenzy with the premiere of the much-anticipated John Candy documentary titled I Like Me. 

(Click here for link to watch the official trailer). A great guy taken from us at 43 years of age, 1950 - 1994.

Now, I’ll admit, it all came together at the last minute.

You see, I took my son GOOB to Budweiser Stage in late August to see Leon Bridges and when I was checking when he was hitting the stage I discovered Brittany Howard and Alabama Shakes were performing on Saturday September 6th.

After chatting with my guy, we grabbed two killer concert tickets for the next weekend and instantly tried to book our favourite hotel. Which had a higher-than-normal price tag attached.

Why? TIFF was opening and the downtown was going to be jammed to celebrate all the stars walking the red carpet.

So, two takeaways from this post. I have always wanted to take part in the festival, and on a small level this year we did.

Secondly, Brittany was amazing and deserves her own post. 

…Stay tuned for Part 2

TROLLING THE SHORES

Miya Maria (left) and Katie Kate (right).
Soaking up the super fun Stella vibes.
TAKEN: AUGUST 9th, 2025

With us having to unexpectedly cancel my travel buddy hubby’s birthday weekend in Montreal, I decided to use my Triangle reward points to buy new super speedy trolling motor for our floating picnic table. 

Trouble was, with all the ice storm clean up, we never had the time to get it unpacked and attached when he was off in July.

Well, once we got my sister back home, we decided there was no time like the present to get the party started; and down to the dock we went to strap our girl into her shiny new double battery powered upgrade.

Honestly, I had no apprehension about it being Katie Kate’s first trek, which was probably my first mistake. To offer insight, I posted a series of neat photos on my socials with the following caption:

‘We got the pups out on Stella (our floating picnic table) this afternoon. A first for the wee Katie Kate.

It was spicy and dicey getting off the dock, and both girls only jumped off 4 times in the half hour we trolled. Which is probably why we were out only for half an hour!

Don't get me wrong, our dogs are very well behaved and very well socialized. They go everywhere with us. 

So, I shouldn't have been surprised that as soon as someone on shore acknowledged the pups off the chart "cuteness factor," off of Stella they went. Quickly swimming the fifteen feet to say hello to the people and kids waving. 

You know, I have shared here this season that I feel it may be time to tune up the fat lady and sell the lakeside shelter where we've spent the last 25+ summers.

Then we ultimately realize it will never be replaced... and how fortunate we truly are.

SUMMER WOES

The worse part about using a chainsaw
in a heat wave?
Steel toe boots & long denim pants!
TAKEN: JULY 13th, 2025

I would love to be able to write something as poetic today as, ’summer woes, I don't got none’; but that would be a lie.

Now that the mosquitos and blackflies battles have ended, enter the humidex and UV rays working against us. 

Yesterday we did an extensive repair to our dock ramp. Just the two of us. With the help of a come along, a floating picnic table and a ton of rope. It was 32C outside with a humidex making it feel like 38C.

Today, in hotter conditions, we finished cleaning the stairs of fallen trees with the dueling chain saws so that they can be repaired next week when my travel buddy hubby is off. 

At this point, I think we have processed 80% of the trees on the ground but only burnt 5% of the waste. I honestly think we will be into next year, with all the broken trees are still standing and need to come down.

As I hear my husband begin to remove stair treads so new stringers can be constructed, I am sitting upstairs in my office, typing and hiding. Something I have never done in summers previous. 

I just feel that this year, with work being a 50-hour week and the magnitude of exterior work required, it's made me realize it may be time to sell.

Afterall, the plan was to use the equity to send the kids to post secondary school. We manage to weather that and got the cottage paid for AND we managed to burn our mortgage on our house on the 29th of June.... So, not all bad but still not all good.

As I hear my husband come in downstairs I am sure he’s looking for some assistance. Therefore, I will knowingly alter my sentiments today to… ‘Summer woes, I guess I got a few!’

#yagottalaughaboutit

A PAW-FECT TEAM

Katie Kate is the epitome of a great team player!
TAKEN: JUNE 28th, 2025 

What a week. 

I was so grateful when end of day Friday of the Canada Day weekend officially arrived. When we started our chores on Saturday morning, the magnitude of what had to get done really hit home. 

Finding a good balance of owning and keeping a home and a cottage maintained twenty kilometers from the other, has always been a challenge the last two plus decades. Throw in an ice storm of a lifetime and the reality that there will never be rest is a harsh reality.

We’ve always invested in the right tools to do the exterior maintenance efficiently but there is just so much we literally choose our battles wisely. Saturday was 'whipper snipping, leaf blowing, and clearing the upper drive and ATV trail', as I took the hacksaw to any saplings’ I wanted gone. 

With my travel buddy hubby in the hospital last summer, all our ongoing maintenance was overlooked; and the ache in my lower back Sunday morning was the reminder it was missed.

When I finished on the ATV trails and septic bed area, Miya and I headed to the top to see how our other crew was making out. As you can see, they were just finishing up and the team leader was rushing up the drive to give me her report.

Specifically, that her coworker WAS wearing his hearing protection, but NOT his safety glasses. After careful consideration, it was decided not to formally write him up. And that a verbal warning (this time) would suffice.

The corrective action was successful implemented once he began leaf blowing! 

#yagottalaughaboutit

Important Notable: Not a single treat was not used to entice a favourable recommendation from our paw-fect team leader!

FEEL THE BURN

The first of many controlled brush burns.
TAKEN: JUNE 21st, 2025

Well, we moved into the cottage this weekend. We moved in with a well thought out plan of attack. A plan that was a total waste of time making the effort to organize.

For the twenty plus seasons we have owned our cottage, bug season has us always planning to work outside in the rain. And the weekend forecast said, rain Saturday and sun Sunday. Well, there was no rain on Saturday which had us pivot.

With the day long burn on hold Saturday, the washing machine was taken off the dolly and connected and up went the clotheslines for laundry. Then I tackled whipper snipping and raking the ATV trail, and more work with the chainsaws filled the day.

On Sunday we got up, I went into the lake to remove more leaf and stick debris, and my travel buddy hubby began to burn. In an effort to process the pile faster, we decided to divide and concur. Branches bigger than a certain circumference were limbed and placed in a "bonfire later" pile.

You can see the start of that pile behind the fashionable guy that dressed when he got up Sunday morning to match the hew of the flames he would create. Safety shirt jokes aside, our six hour burn barely made a dent in the brush pile that was a tall as I am; which only accounts for about 20% of the tree damage processed.

When we finally stopped mid-afternoon, though we were happy with the little progress we made, a hard reality was acknowledged. The cottage yard clean-up is so large in scope that it will bleed into 2026. 

That, and our best guess is that the quantity of firewood we will stock pile will rot before we will ever get around to burning it.... Which will definitely contribute to a lower carbon footprint on Orillia Lake.

You're welcome climate change!

#yagottalaughaboutit

I SAW THAT!

 

As we took our third stab at cottage clean up this past weekend, our focus was on the immediate beach front.

Our challenge wasn’t only that the submersed trees were larger, but that as a team we were in a ‘lift and pull’ effort to get them out of the water and up our hill to be processed.

With my travel buddy hubby’s mobility issue, I drew the only straw to get in the lake, trim the trees to remove as much weight as possible, then heavy ho them up to him and a chainsaw.

With no foresight to get into a bathing suit, I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and legging rolled to the knees. Within five minutes the leggings were soaked. With the pups helping, within fifteen minutes, everything was soaked – and not in a good way!

We processed three large trees out of the water last Saturday afternoon. The fourth, and last remaining,  is in the photo I am sharing.  

THAT sucker is the one that my hubby hit heading backward on his ATV, that severed the artery in his right leg and cause three brain bleeds, that landed him is St. Mike's Hospital Trauma Unit last summer. 

That said, last fall we discussed cutting the tree down. A sort of cleanse to the shoreline of the constant reminder of a horrific accident that changed our lives.

Then the winter ice storm happened and it was almost as if the universe was sending us a specific message in the form of the tree falling. 

...That message simply read, "I saw that!"

Signed,

Karma

#yagottalaughaboutit

X IS FOR X-TRAODINARY

A coincidental dinner party...
Created a memory of a lifetime.
TAKEN: APRIL 7th, 2025
Palm Beach, Aruba 

Before we landed in Aruba, we knew we wanted to eat at a specific steak house. Trouble was, there were only two seats in an evening, and they didn’t take reservations; you had to line up outside.

So, on our second night there we decided to roll the dice and see if we could get in. 

We landed in line about forty five minutes before the doors opened and we instantly began chatting up two young ladies in line. 

As they came out of take names and numbers of people dining, we asked the two if they would like to have dinner with us, as a table of four had a better chance at getting in than two tables of two. They cheerfully agreed.

As always, my travel buddy hubby was as comical as ever. He kept them laughing the entire time. When one of his jokes crossed the line, I call him by his name and said “that was far enough.”

The young girl (in the photo above) instantly turned white and asked if his first name was really what I had called him. When we said yes, her eyes filled with tears, and she began to cry. What she shared next had our jaws drop.

Earlier that day she had spread her husband’s ashes on Palm Beach (he had died of brain cancer), and he and my hubby shared the same first name. She was overcome with emotion, as were we once she'd shared.

In a nutshell, I believe we were meant to have dinner with those two, on that day. And though we never did get their names…. We will remember that evening together for the rest of our lives. 

Truly X-traodinary!

W IS FOR WANT

We will always WANT to travel.
TAKEN: NOVEMBER 2014
(La Romana, D.R.)

Well, with only four letters left, I am on the home stretch. I always struggle at the end of the challenge BUT I knew I wanted to write about this.

I think everyone sets up what they want differently. For us, it has always been openly discussed. The universal correlation between want and need. 

When I started down the rabbit hole of making a point, I Googled want vs. need.

The AI generated response replied with this: "Need" refers to something essential for survival or well-being, while "want" describes a desire that is not essential for living but can improve quality of life. Which is why travel ticks both of those boxes for us.

Several decades ago, before I really understood how to manage my seasonal affective disorder, by Easter every year I was in a varying state of depression. So, starting when the twins were ten months old, we began using our tax refund to head to South Carolina for a dose of vitamin D.

Once the children finished post-secondary school (circa 2012), I began to contribute a weekly value into an annual travel fund. As I began to book all of our travel online, one week a year turned into two in the shoulder season; and a long weekend at the end of January – beginning of February.

With the severe health scares my travel buddy hubby as had in the last few years, we talk regularly when our travel adventures may end. Though we don’t know when that might be, we know one thing to be true.

We will always WANT to travel – but I also know, I will always need to travel.

U IS FOR UPBEAT

Enjoying the upbeat music
from our 18th floor balcony.
TAKEN: APRIL 12th, 2025

 Like most, upbeat music is definitely a part of who I am. As a matter a fact, any and all music is.

The trouble with live entertainment when you're on vacation, is it usually happens after you've had a day full of sun and snorkeling; so being in a crowd of a couple of hundred people when I am tired isn't at the top of my list.

Vacation or not, I should clarify that my travel buddy hubby and I are both morning people. Actually, when on vacation, we give each other an hour of grace. By 7am we are on our second cup of coffee and by 8am we are dressed and on the move. 

So, by nightfall when the nightly entertainment gets started, I am ready to shower away the sand and sunscreen, and get begin to get ready for bed.

It wasn't like that last fall in the Mexico, but then again we were stuck in the middle of a tropical storm, so water activities through the day were limited - leaving energy for night time fun.

I guess you can say that this trip, we were given the best of both. 

Amazing twelve hour days in the sun, and a balcony seat to the entertainment stage (lit up in pink and blue in my pic) at our sister resort next door.

Though we couldn't really see the singers and dancers, you can clearly see the theatre was packed, and the acoustics of the music flowing over was fine.

Yep, what can I say... an Aruban Michael Jackson with backup singer/dancers doesn't get much more upbeat than that!

#yagottalaughaboutit

L IS FOR LIGHTHOUSE

My Travel Buddy Hubby
at the California Lighthouse
(on Northwestern tip of Aruba)
TAKEN: APRIL 11th, 2025

 

Drone shot highlighting the
Sasariwichi dunes. Breathtaking!
(c) Wikipedia
Taken prior to the 2016 - 2017
restoration of the lighthouse.

H IS FOR HOSTILITY

Internationally recognized as a
symbol for Canadian travelers.
TAKEN: APRIL 9th, 2024
Palm Beach, Aruba

As I mentioned with my chaos post, I have never had issue with any American when travelling. That said, before leaving, we knew the island of Aruba was an American travel haven, so my husband and I wanted to be easily identified as Canadian.

Well, this afternoon, when playing musical trivia around the pool, we connected with a few gals from Windsor, Ontario. 

When I snagged the fastest answer for my favourite song (September but Earth, Wind, and Fire) we were asked to choose a team name. We chose Canada Strong.

Without hesitation, we were immediately and loudly booed. Booed by Americans in Aruba. Unexpected hostility, met in a country that markets themselves as ‘One Happy Island!’

Heading back to our room, I mentioned to my travel buddy hubby that if that is the temperature for Canadians here, I am glad we have decided no to cross the border and enter their country for several years.

I followed up with, 'I think our encounter by the pool is simply further evidence that our old relationship with the United States is officially over'.

… Which truly makes me sad.

G IS FOR GUSTY

Very gusty, kite surfing winds!
San Nicolas, Aruba
TAKEN April 8th, 2025

As I mentioned, I have been looking at Aruba as a travel destination for about a decade and a half. The one thing that the travel websites always highlighted to potential travelers was that it was 'windy'. Well, we soon discovered that 'windy' was an understatement.

Anyway, the one thing we knew we wanted to do was rent a car and explore the entire island. First up was the world-renowned Baby Beach. With a 10am start, we packed up and were headed back through Oranjestad; the Capital.

With the southeast coast of the island in our sites, we stopped at the large landmark red anchor, and turned left. Through right was the direction to Baby Beach, our mishap was a view to behold. A backdrop of the deep blue Caribbean Sea and azure blue skies.

Though the anchor stands both as a memorial to all who have lost their lives at sea, it is also a silent reminder that San Nicolas is still a vibrant and gusty windswept part of the island of Aruba. 

Which makes me think it should also stand for the lives of any brave souls learning at the Aruba Pro Kite School

PS: My photo was taken from a distance, and the surfer of the kite captured is navigating the challenging swells. 

PSS: The bottom left shows a kite surfer staying closer to the shore - but I missed capturing their bright orange kite.

E IS FOR EAGER

By mid-day tomorrow, I will be
strolling on the white sand in Aruba
(c) TripAdvisor

As my travel buddy hubby drives us south to our hotel in Toronto, I tap away on my laptop in the car, so not to miss my post deadline. (Tick, tick, tick. Backspace, backspace... Tick, tick, tick... Hard return.)

To be honest, I am having a hard time concentrating.  

I simply I can't believe that I am officially counting down our boarding a plane to Aruba in the morning. 

A bucket list destination I have always wanted to travel to - but never wanted to pay the hefty price tag. Well, Cyber Monday changed that for us.

After the year we endured in 2024, we knew we wanted to travel to special destinations to celebrate our milestone birthdays this year. 

Initially, I had set my heart on Barbados. But when I accidentally caught an unreal online deal (saving almost $2,000) I called my hubby, and we immediately decided to go.

Growing up, my mother only ever mentioned one destination she wanted to experience. She would tell me, "I want to see the white sands of Aruba." 

Back then, I really had no point of reference as to where Aruba was located, because all I ever lobbied for was to travel to Disney in Florida; which was always a hard NO in her books. 

Don't get me wrong, she loved Walt Disney as a visionary, but travel inside Canada was always my parents' focus. Their thought process being that after experiencing all of our own homeland, Florida might be an option. 

Truth? When we were first engaged, we travelled to Disney & Epcot in Orlando, and I have never been eager to go back.

On the other hand, I feel Aruba will be an experience I think I will remember for the rest of my life.

...And will forever be yearning to return.

FOUR YEAR HIATUS

TOP: South Carolina x's 2 (2014), NOLA x's 2 (2017), Miami (2018)
MID: NYC (2019), Key West (2022), Woodstock NY (2022)
LOWER: OBX (2022), Vegas (2023), (Nashville 2023)

CLICK HERE: To have Rhondi read you this post on her new podcast platform

If there is one thing I know to be true, it is that once my travel buddy hubby and I decide on something, it is in the past and not the direction we are going. That was until Donald Trump (Part Deux) happened.

Thanks to his executive orders, we decided to unexpectedly cancel our trip to Red Rock Amphitheater, and to tour Colorado this summer. That said, in the back of my mind I felt there may be hope in the cross-border travel department.

I was hopeful that severe looming tariffs and general uncertainties may get settled amicably between our countries. And our personal choice to boycott American travel may see reprieve. Well, the announcement yesterday that they will move forward no matter what, has proved me wrong.

So, it is official. For the next four years, we will not cross into the United States and spend any of our hard-earned money on their soil.

Now, some may say that won’t matter, as we’ve only spent a little over $50,000 USD in the last decade in cross border travel into the United States (which includes the two years of being grounded for COVID). BUT, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office, Canadians spent $30.5 billion in our next-door neighbours’ yard: last year alone.

I will share that I am not a political person trolling to have my opinions heard. I have my beliefs and outside of trying to get my husband to engage in the dialogue, I generally keep my thoughts to myself.

That said, when trying to re-plan my husband’s milestone birthday in July in Canada it's presented challenges. Even though it is only the end of February, we’re simply late to the planning party. Outside of a long weekend in Old Montreal, I feel I may need to bribe him to stay home and renovate the cottage.

In doing do, we are extremely committed that all items will be manufactured by Canadian companies. 

I feel this is a time (just like when I was bullied in my tween-hood) where we need to hold our heads high, prove our strong resilience, and leave those doing the bullying in our rear view mirror. (An ode to the fact that none of my bullies ever so much as graduated high school.)

Even worse, I hate that I have to entertain this orange bully in my home for more four years, rather than the fifteen minutes they say he was entitled to a little over eight years ago.

MY KINDA BLING

I wish I would have had this wee
beauty back in December!
TAKEN: FEBRUARY 7th, 2025

CLICK HERE: To listen to Rhondi read this post on her new podcast platform

Before we got Old Bessie (our used snow blower) I would do the bulk of the snow removal with my big scoop. We have always shared the chores, but I have always enjoyed doing yardwork, no matter what the season.

With the last few winter seasons being so mild, I specifically took on the clearing of the decks, doors, and dog trails, while my travel buddy hubbly cleared the drive. I never needed my scoop as I could easily manage with a shovel.

When Snowmaggedon hit the first week of December, all bets were off. My scoop was stranded at the cottage, as it had been used the shuttle supplies in, during the December cottage holiday break in 2023. What complicated things even more, was that the snow was so wet and heavy, I could only manage to clear with a small shovel.

Well, as fate would have it, my hubby bought me this 60 volt battery powered snow shovel for the bargain basement price of $100 cash - which was crazy bananas amazing. So amazing, that I can move more snow, even faster than our beloved Bessie.

Now, I know what people say when their husband buys them a new vacuum for their birthday – but this gift was really and truly appreciated.

Seriously... who needs diamonds when a really great battery will suffice? Not this cat!

Ya gotta laugh about it!!