Month: January 2025

I love my country. We are a nation that is strong on community. We care about one another, the world and our environment. I know that we prefer to be friendly and accommodating, but we are being forced to take a stand and protect ourselves against a bully.

I was bullied as a young girl, so I know that you must fight back, especially when no one is going to help you.

I spent part of my life in the hippie generation, and another part in the punk rock generation. Both had the same values of justice, peace, love and happiness, but approached these in radically different ways. The hippies were laid back and mostly held peaceful protests, the punks were in your face, loud and aggressive. But we all wanted the same thing – to be heard, and our grievances be taken seriously and acted upon. We wanted justice, fairness, equality and all the things that make us a community.

I carry those same values to this day, but I see that we need to blend the peaceful with the aggressive and find a non-violent way of fighting for our values and ultimately for the preservation of our country.

I ask that whenever you can, buy Canadian products. Even if it means giving up a favourite brand for a while, or trying something new, or even purchasing used. It is not an act of vengeance against our neighbours. It is preservation.

A strong economy protects a country against threats. Without that we cannot even defend ourselves militarily.

Focusing on what it means to be Canadian will strengthen us, make us more resilient in the face of threats and change, and much more independent. We are a great country. We must make a supreme effort now to stay that way.

I followed a trail of scattered, tattered cardboard fragments to my cat’s scratchboard, picking up and vacuuming up the remains, and sighing heavily. This is a daily ritual.

Sam goes through a lot of scratchboards because I cannot clip his unfathomably long, harpoon like weapons that he keeps retracted like a turtle in its shell should I try to unsheathe and clip them. A process that also involves a lot of bloodletting – my blood that is. So I gave up.

But as I examined the worn torn scratchboard it occurred to me, that, hey, this is exactly what scratchboards are for. Who wants a pristine scratchboard collecting dust, unless of course, you collect them for some reason.

It reminded me that there are so many things in life that are sitting around and not being used, or admired at least. Not to mention the mere act of being alive. When was the last time you really enjoyed that? Or used the fact you are living to do something with it?

Cats can never be accused of not using things, except expensive toys. The more you spend on toys the more likely your cat will snub them. And the more something is of value to you personally, the more chance that pusscat will destroy it.

Cats are zen.

We get angry when something we are using wears out, when, duh, that is what is suppose to happen. In fact, things will wear out even if you don’t use them.

I, being a passionate advocate for living life to the fullest, say to you, don’t lock up your life. Use it. Be in awe of it. Even sit back on occasion and admire it. Before your cat chews it to shit, destroys it, or just ignores you completely. Before life wears out all on its own, or suffocates from the decades of dust that settle on it.

I almost forgot what my blog is about until today and fondly looking at that scratchboard.

I had a lot of errands to run this week and since it is -25 degrees celsius with the windchill, I searched the weather network for a warmer day to go out, you know, maybe something above -20.

When you have to stand outside and wait for buses that might not come until next year, it is important to be out for less than 15 minutes. Especially when you are in a place where even the polar bears stay inside.

I discovered I have to just shut up and do what I have to do, because it is not going to warm up until April.

Here is what winter is all about for me.

Click here.

I never wanted to visit the Canadian War Museum, or any war museum for that matter, but I found myself doing just that on New Years Eve.

No, there wasn’t a party going on there. I had to do some research for my next novel.

I tell you, seeing your ‘research’ up close and personal is definitely a lot more, uh, terrifying than seeing it in books or on the internet. Just walking around those tanks pictured above was humbling.

I admit, I am puzzled by war and why it makes such great fodder for stories.

Especially my stories!

Anyhow, this is not something I want to drag out on my silly little blog.

You can watch my latest little rant below.

To watch this video, click on here.