I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watching Me After a very busy and productive August, the garden is starting to take its annual September Slow Down. Every single day last month, I spent hours in the garden harvesting berries and vegetables, weeding, and deadheading. I was especially proud of myself for my management of what I […]
Midsummer Plant Murders
August 3, 2026 by 55 Comments
We have reached the point in the summer where, with the exception of a couple of rows of very hardy kale, all my greens have bolted in the heat, necessitating their removal from the garden. I am reduced to shopping at the farm market for all my leafy green needs; how they are keeping them […]
We’ve Got Fun and Games
July 13, 2026 by
What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate A while ago, my husband’s friend went to see Guns and Roses in concert in Vancouver, which is at least a four hour drive from here, meaning that this was not just an evening out. It was a commitment. Concert tickets these days are not what […]
Nicole’s Favourite Things: The Mine, His, Ours Edition
May 21, 2026 by
Our houseguests have gone home and it occurred to me, not for the first time, that our friendship is rare, in the world of Couple Friends: all four of us get along, as they say, like a house on fire. Not only that, but our kids all get along. Our older kids were born on […]
The Sand Mandalas of Everyday Life
May 18, 2026 by
Ever since he retired, my husband accompanies me to Costco almost every time I go. It’s like a standing, extremely non-sexy day date. We keep the magic alive, what can I say. Follow me for more marriage advice! It IS nice to have the company, and to also have a witness to the absolute chaos […]
Crazy Plant Lady
April 6, 2026 by
Early in January of this year, I found myself looking thoughtfully at a Costco display of two-packs of jade plants. I was soon joined by my husband who, since retirement, likes to accompany me on my semi-monthly Costco trips. He asked suspiciously why I was looking at the plants, adding, not unreasonably, that we really […]
Nicole’s Favourite Things: The Fall Follies Edition
September 25, 2025 by
I was at the dog park last week, walking in my usual loop, when I passed by a man I see quite frequently. He’s probably in his 70s, and he has two dogs, one of them a very young puppy. This is against the rules – dogs less than four months are not permitted in […]
