Living La Vida Hygge; Eighty-Six Weeks In

This was the most perfect book to read during the first week of November with colder temperatures and shorter, darker days: Wait, wait. I know what you’re going to say. I am about five years late to the hygge party – actually, closer to six, given that we are almost done 2021 (WHAT). In my […]

Not Okay, But Okay; Eighty-One Weeks In

I’m okay. Everything in my life is fundamentally okay – good, even – and my little boat in this tsunami of a storm is strong and well-equipped. EVERYTHING IS FINE except everything isn’t fine? I know I’m not alone here. The other day Swistle (HI SWISTLE) mentioned the strong desire to lie down on the […]

Summer’s Almost Gone; Seventy-Five Weeks In

I don’t think I can adequately describe the relief I felt when I received an email from the Calgary Board of Education, stating that not only would masks be mandatory for students K-12, but all other health protocols would remain in place. With the Delta variant of Covid cases skyrocketing, again, and the general mask […]

Friday the 13th Fun: Ask Me Anything, and Five For Friday

It has been SO LONG since I’ve spontaneously written a post, and on a Friday to boot! Since the pandemic, I have had very limited blocks of time and physical space in which to write, and it’s all I can do to write weekly recaps and monthly Favourite Things. Do not get me wrong, dear […]

Nicole’s Favourite Things: The Mayday, M’aidez Edition

If you have ever read The Handmaid’s Tale, you will remember that the code word for the underground movement was Mayday; Mayday originating from the French m’aidez, meaning “help me.” I, along with everyone else in the world, have Massive Pandemic Fatigue. My husband is at the apex of his very important work project that […]

Dented Self-Esteem; Fifty-Nine Weeks In

That’s A Dent To The Self-Esteem I was asked if I wanted the seniors’ discount last week at Shoppers, so perhaps my skin-care routine isn’t working the way I had hoped. The worst part is that I didn’t even get the discount. After the woman said “Are we doing the seniors’ discount today?” in the […]

A Year of Wonders; Fifty-Two Weeks In

I am absolutely a person who thrives on routine and ritual, and exactly one year ago my daily routines and rituals, like everyone else’s, were disrupted and destroyed. After a few weeks of muddling about, I created new routines and rituals that I have kept to this day. I wake very early in the morning, […]