Sometimes, Life Gives You a Sign
I was in Little Beach Shop here in Port Stanley one day last fall, poking around. Ann, the proprietor, had a sign for sale that looked familiar.
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DIY
The Long Weekend Planting Fiesta
Last summer, I grew only cherry tomatoes and flowers. We got more tomatoes than the year before, but then I went to see my friend Lianne. Her cherry tomatoes made mine look pathetic!
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Tooting My Own Horn for Want of a Tooter
Marketing is difficult. Marketing oneself is a real challenge.
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A Piece of the (Colourfully Painted) Rock
Here’s another reason why I have no interest in living in the 51st state. We Canadians can still afford eggs.
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Want to Self-Publish a Book? Read This First!
I feel bad that I’ve been telling people self-publishing is easy. It’s certainly doable but it’s more difficult than it used to be. And if you’ve ever thought about doing it, I’m going to share some of the realities with you today.
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Delightful Turkish Lamp Class
Thanks to my pal Carolyn, I found myself at a mosaic lamp class on the weekend. These instructional ‘masterclasses’ to make Turkish-style lamps are very trendy and held in cities all over the country. I’ve done a mosaic pattern on a table in the past. But tables are flat and easy to manage. Gluing tiles to round glass? That’s a different animal.
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Judge My Book by Its Cover
I’m deep in the throes of imposter syndrome. I know novelists who make their living from the sales of their books, so who am I to write one?
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2025 Greetings and News
Does anyone else have the haunting strains of Zager and Evans’ only hit song in their head? 2025 is 500 years away from In the Year 2525, which went to #1 in 1969. But it can’t help but come to mind for those of us raised on pop music. This particular song was pretty dark so it cut through alongside peppy tunes of its time like Sugar, Sugar and I Can’t Get Next To You. (For a refresher, the video is at the end of this post.)
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A Cricut Infestation in my House
I didn’t misspell the insect. It’s also not about the game. It’s a fun little machine that I’m getting to know.
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Crisis of Faith (in my own Writing)
I recently read a novel that was so compelling, so well written and engaging that it made me want to hang up my typing fingers.
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Paperback Writer (Apologies to the Beatles)
Twelve years ago, I published a memoir about the summer I spent working a live-in job at a nudist resort.
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Done With DIY? Or Just on Haitus?
I don’t have the itch to repurpose things like I used to. Not many years ago I’d get positively giddy over a neglected piece of furniture at a thrift store. Last weekend, I completed a job out of necessity, not for the thrill of it.
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Handy Husband Home Improvement
“If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy” ~Red Green
Lucky for me, my husband is both!
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My “Sacred Bowl” and New Pottery Bowl
I don’t know whether I was the first female in my high school to take shop class. But I was the only girl in the class when I took it. We learned to weld, use a wood lathe, and other things that scared and thrilled me. I also studied harder than anyone and pissed off my male classmates when I aced every test.
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A Heavier Easter Basket
Sometimes, something comes along that’s so simple, you stop and wonder why we didn’t think of it before.
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The Innie Versus Outie Debate – Solved (for me, anyway)
Innies and outies usually mean belly buttons. Nope, curtains. Specifically outdoor curtains. It’s a decor debate that I unknowingly waded into. I’ve just discovered that this discussion has been going on in back yards for many summers. And there’s still no consensus.
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Rear Window
Behind our house is a bunch of other houses. This is not a surprise! We’re in one of the “new build” areas in Port Stanley. We’re not here for a big lot and we don’t care much about the immediate view; the beach is a 10 minute walk away. Being a short distance from it is better when one no longer parties heartily. And we were spared the terrible flooding the village experienced last week.
…Christmas Comes Early
Everyone’s looking for some comfort right now. Whether it’s the American election and its (bloody ridiculous) aftermath, the Coronavirus and subsequent restrictions and their impact on businesses and livelihoods – we all seem to be feeling extra stress right now.
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