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Wrapping Up England: Peaks, Valleys, and Friendship
So. England. Now, where was I? Better settle in with your coffee or a glass of wine, depending on which time zone you live in, folks. This is going to be a long one. Our UK trip continued apace after...
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Our Healthy Eating Journey
I've been meaning to write this post for ages. Ever since Hubby suggested it. Because food is such an important part of our lives, and always has been. When Hubby and I first met, I used to laugh that...
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Back to the Eighties: My Perfect Sweats.
I've written often on the blog about the never-ending trials of finding the perfect jeans. I've even been known to compare the endless labour of shopping for jeans to the punishment meted out by the...
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Thoughts of Boots
I once had a biology professor who could see the lighthearted side of just about anything. I remember one morning he strolled to the front of the lecture hall, stood for a moment stroking his chin...
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Mired in the Mud ... Thoughts on Poetry and Fiction and War
If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that I usually write something about Remembrance Day in November. For many years, I taught at a school named for John McCrae, who wrote the...
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Vintage Connections... Wearable and Otherwise
On Sunday an old friend and I attended the Ottawa Vintage Clothing Show. This is what I wore. Yep, I finally, finally mustered my courage and wore one of my vintage hats... out in public. I love...
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Reading. Sometimes It's Like Falling In Love
Many years ago when I was in my twenties, I quit a job I hated, left a life that wasn't making me happy, and moved home to New Brunswick to get myself back on track. I was determined to try to...
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Winter Monochrome-ish
Winter is here. It's been here for a few days, now. We had a minor snow fall last weekend, and the snow has stayed. Hubby's heavy jackets, and winter gloves and toques are unpacked. And he's been...
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Keeping in Touch
We all know the importance of keeping family and friends close. The value of a strong, supportive social network. How staying in touch with loved ones contributes to mental and physical health. But...
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I think my Wardrobe is Over-Curated!
These days I've been feeling as if I need to shop for clothes. Really. No joke. For those who think they know me... this sounds like a ludicrous statement. I'm always shopping, aren't I? But my friends...
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Do You Need a Hygge?
Up until the last few years you could definitely describe me as a non-hugger. When I was a department head and mentoring younger members of my department, I'd pass tearful colleagues who needed a hug...
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My Geriatric Closet
Despite the fact that I love to cull my closet, I must confess I do have a number of... ah... older pieces. Items which over the many years of culling I have been unwilling, or sometimes initially...
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What Are You Obsessed With Right Now?
That question was the subject line in an e-mail I received recently from MatchesFashion.com. The e-mail was advertising the most popular pieces... dresses, and shoes, and earrings... which had been...
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Love the One You’re With
That's my new fashion mantra for this winter, folks. Trying to love the one I'm with, so to speak. And I'm not talking about Hubby here. I'm trying to rekindle the love I once felt for some of the...
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You're Invited to My Fantasy Tea Party
I've often wondered what it would be like to sit down for tea with some of the women whom I've long admired. Whose words and ideas have sustained me at difficult times in my life. And to whom I have...
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O Christmas Tree etc.
Everyone, meet Gladys. We brought her home a couple of weeks ago. And I've just finished dressing her in her beads and bobbles. She looks lovely, I think. Not too ostentatious or overdone. With a few...
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What I Learned in 2017
Back when I was still teaching, we talked a lot about helping kids to become lifelong learners. Our students graduated from high school and headed out into a world in which it was increasingly...
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Is It Possible To Be An Ethical Shopper?
It's the dead of winter here in Ottawa, the dead time between New Year's and the return of normal life. Back in the day, I would fill this weirdly unreal time (between the craziness of Christmas, and...
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I Need a Good Book
I really, really need a good book. Not just a good book, but a great one. A big bitey, juicy, descriptive, character-driven book. One that will captivate me in the first chapter, transport me to...
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New Year; New Stuff
Ah, yes. Winter in Manotick. Everything is lovely and clean, pristine and peaceful. Bucolic, even. Especially after a snowfall. Especially in the bush. I love when it snows just after New Years. Making...
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