Annoying things & small pleasures

Annoying things:  

• Maybe it's because I spent three weeks at my dad's, but it feels like this summer was especially short and went by WAY too fast.  :(  
• September arrived with a resurgence of summer heat & humidity on the 1st.  :p  Temperatures peaked at 26C, with the humidity making it feel more like 35C. (That's 79F and 95F.)  
• Crossing my fingers it will be gone by this time next week: repairs to our rooftop "chiller" unit, which provides air conditioning to the building, are scheduled then -- and we will be without a/c for a few days until the job is done...!  
• Like clockwork on Sept. 1st, I received an email from my family doctor with a requisition for bloodwork (to check my cholesterol levels in particular), six months after my last check-in. Sigh... I knew it was coming (if not exactly on the 1st!), but I am NOT looking forward to this...!  I've been doing the best I can, but with all the upheaval around my mom's death, extended time spent with my dad, etc., it's NOT been a great year, nutritionally or activity-wise...! 
• Remember the new sheets I wrote about, a little while back?  I said I was going to order a second set to keep in reserve, and I did that not long after I wrote that post.  Delivery was scheduled between Aug. 21st and 25th. 
• I didn't get any delivery notifications (not sure I signed up for them?), but I checked the tracking number with Canada Post on Monday, Aug. 24th -- and it indicated the package was delivered on Friday, Aug. 21st. ???  Some packages get left right outside our condo unit door, but anything that comes from Canada Post usually goes into a package locker in the mailbox area in the lobby downstairs, and they put a key to the locker in your mailbox. 
• Dh went downstairs to check -- but nothing was there??  And he told me he'd checked the mail on Friday or Saturday, and there WAS a key to the package locker then (he didn't know or remember I was expecting a package) -- so he put the key into the return slot and didn't think anything of it. 
• We figured there was some kind of mixup and my package was probably sitting in another locker. I called the property manager:  they don't have access to the mailboxes (rightly so), but she suggested we could put up a sign for the mail carrier by the boxes, or call Canada Post.
• We stopped at a postal outlet on our way back from the mall on Tuesday (Aug. 25th), and asked the clerk there for advice, and she gave me a 1-800 number to call. Of course it was all AI bots (eyeroll), and I couldn't get anywhere when I asked to speak to a human. I wound up going to their website and using the chatbot there to open an investigation. 
• I was told I'd hear from them one way or another within three business days. (After that, I'd have to contact the sender.)  It was SO annoying to know my package was very likely still in the building, but I couldn't get to it!! 
• Small pleasure: When we got back from visiting SIL and the Little Great-Nephews the next day around noon (Wednesday, Aug. 26th), my package was sitting outside our door!  I figure either Canada Post contacted the delivery person for our building and s/he brought it right to our door, or someone got our package by mistake and brought it over and left it there. 
• Either way, I finally got my new sheets, and I'm happy. :)  It's the first time I've had trouble with a package delivery since we moved here. 
• EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I've been at the mall lately (over the past six months, at least, possibly longer), I've walked by a certain spot in the mall where there are a couple of long, comfortable cushioned benches to sit on.  And there's always at least one, sometimes two or more young women there. (There were FIVE on a recent visit in August!!)  They often have some kind of duffel bag or even a small trolley in font of them. Their phones/cameras and sometimes even lights are set up on tripods, and they're pulling items of clothing out of the bag and holding them up in front of the camera, gesturing and talking rapidly.  It's clear they're some sort of online "influencers" (or wannabes), showing off their latest purchases. They take up valuable seating/rest space -- and even if there is an empty spot I don't want to sit there and listen to them or chance showing up in the background of their videos.  It's annoying as heck.  :p  
• American news anchors and reporters who can't pronounce "premier" or "Ontario." (On top of the even more annoying reasons why Ontario and its premier are in the American news lately in the first place...!)  Two times in two days this past week, I noticed CNN anchors mentioning "the preMEER of OnTAAHrio."  (It's "the PREEmyeer of OnTAIRio"!!)  Sigh.... 

Small pleasures:  

• Reading more again lately. I read 7 books in August (!) and I don't remember the last time I got through that many books in one month?? Not in recent years, for sure...!  
• Making plans to go for brunch on Tuesday (first day of school hereabouts)... because we can!  lol  :)  (One of the perqs of being childless, and retired!)  
• Spending time with the Little Great-Nephews, before Older LGN heads back to school  (We'll still be seeing his little brother most weeks -- he stays with his grandmother during the day while his parents are at work, as his brother once did.)  
• Also:  getting to see Older Nephew's dog last weekend, when he & the kids were at BIL & SIL's.  :)  Hadn't seen him in quite a while, and he was SO happy to see us!  :)  (He turned TEN this summer!)  

Right now

Right now...* 

*(A (mostly) monthly series/meme.  Explanation of how this started & my inspirations in my first "Right now" post, here. Also my first (similar) "The Current" post, here.)

October was busy month!  The weather turned colder, the leaves on the trees (finally) turned colour, we (eventually) turned on the heat, and I reluctantly donned long pants, long sleeves and socks. :)  We spent some quality time with family on a couple of occasions, too.  

This month, we: 

• Went with dh to the supermarket for groceries and takeout soup or pizza slices for lunch (Oct. 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th). 
• Celebrated (Canadian) Thanksgiving with dinner at BIL's, together with the nephews, their wives and kids (Oct. 11th).  :) 
• Drove into midtown Toronto to our longtime optometrist's office (Oct. 15th). Both of us were suffering from dry, itchy eyes, and mine had become gritty and blurred and the lids puffy and red. I looked like I'd been crying for weeks.  :p   
• The earliest I could get an appointment with our usual doctor was mid-November (!), but his associate was able to see us on Oct. 15th.   
• We both walked away with prescriptions for drops and ointments (and were very impressed with her). She made comments and asked questions that clearly indicated she'd read my file!
• Stopped at the drugstore en route home to fill the prescriptions. 
• Returned for a follow-up visit on Oct. 22nd (and will be back again on Nov. 5th). Stopped at the drugstore en route home again to fill ANOTHER prescription...!  
• Headed to the mall for walking & shopping (Oct. 7th, 14th & 21st). 
• En route home on Oct. 21st, stopped briefly at Canadian Tire, Chapters (bookstore) and the supermarket for takeout pizza slices. 
• Spent a sunny fall afternoon at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, where I have a membership. Toured the exhibits, strolled over to the artists' cemetery on the property (resting place for six of the Group of Seven, as well as the McMichaels themselves), had tea and some yummy lemon loaf in the cafe, and enjoyed the beautiful fall colours. 
• Had lunch and spent the afternoon at Younger Nephew's new house along with his parents (BIL & SIL) and Older Nephew & his family (Oct. 25th). :)  
• Stayed up late several nights (really, REALLY late, one night in particular...!) watching the World Series! (See "Watching," below.)  
• Drove out to our former community for our annual checkups with our family doctor (Oct. 30th).
• Went for brunch before heading home (see "Eating").  
• Marked 18 years writing this blog (!!!) (Oct. 31st).

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Also right now:  

Reading: This was a good reading month!  :)  I finished 6 (!) books in October -- probably my best reading month in a long time! (all reviewed on this blog, as well as Goodreads & StoryGraph, & tagged "2025 books"). 

• "We Solve Murders" by Richard Osman (the November book for my Childless Collective Nomo Book Club).  (4.5-5 stars, my review)  
• "The Ministry of Time" by Kaliane Bradley.(4.5-5 stars; my review)
• "The Two Mrs. Abbotts" by D.E. Stevenson. Chapter-by-chapter reading & discussion with my D.E. Stevenson group, which started Aug. 4th and runs through mid-October. (3.5-4 stars; my review here.  Original 2015 review here;  most recent review here).  
• "Deliver Me From Nowhere" by Warren Zanes. (4 stars;  my review.) 
• "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe, part of another "slow readalong" with Footnotes and Tangents. Started Sept. 29th, finished Oct. 27th (5 weeks). (3 stars, my review.)  
• "The Safekeep" by Yael van der Wouden.  (4 stars;  my review.) 

This brings me to 33 books read in 2025 to date, 73% of my 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 4 books behind pace to meet my goal.  :) 

Current reads: 

• "Childless: A Woman and a Girl in a Man's World" by Fabiana Formica.  This one is beautifully written, but slow going, and I was reading it (or trying to...!) at Mom & Dad's, where there were a lot of distractions. I've put it aside for the moment to focus on other reading priorities, but I've completed 33% to date.
• "L.M. Montgomery and Gender," an essay collection edited by E. Holly Pike & Laura Robinson. Slowly working my way through, in between the other books...! 

Coming up: Most of my book groups have their next reads plotted out for a few months in advance -- and listing them here helps me keep track of what I should be reading next. ;)  

• For my Childless Collective Nomo Book Club:  
• "I Am Half Sick of Shadows" by Alan Bradley (December) 
• "How To Kill Your Family" by Bella Mackie (January)
• "Ex-Wife" by Ursula Parrott (February) 
• "The Safekeep" by Yael Van der Wouden (March) 
• "You Are Here" by David Nicholl (April) 
• For my D.E. Stevenson group:  This list of upcoming books should keep us busy through 2025 or even into early 2026!  (A couple of the books are ones we covered shortly after I first joined the group back in 2014 -- you know you've been around for a while when....!)  
• Crooked Adam. Our group read will begin on Nov. 3rd and end on or before Feb. 3 (2026).  I have never read this one, and we've never tackled it during my 11 years with the group! so I'm looking forward to it!  
• The Four Graces, likely beginning in mid-February 2026 (original 2015 review here). 

• Footnotes and Tangents slow readalongs for the rest of 2025 & 2026 include:
• "The Blue Flower" by Penelope Fitzgerald (starts Nov. 3rd, runs for 7 weeks). 
• "Midnight’s Children" by Salman Rushdie (January–March) 
• "Regeneration" by Pat Barker (April–May)
• "The Inheritors" by William Golding (June)
• "Treacle Walker" by Alan Garner (July)
• "The Children’s Book" by A.S. Byatt (September–December)

(Not sure I will be doing all of these?  "War & Peace" and Hilary Mantel's Cromwell Trilogy will also be available again to paying subscribers who are interested!) 

A few recently purchased titles (all in digital format, mostly discounted ($5-10 or less) or purchased with points): 

• "The Man Who Ran Washington" by Peter Baker & Susan Glasser 
• "Rotten" by John Lydon 
• "Rosalind Franklin" by Brenda Maddox 
• "Gimme a Crisis" by Howard Green 
• "On the Hippie Trail" by Rick Steves 
• "Gone to an Aunt's" by Anne Petrie 
• "Q: A Voyage Around the Queen" by Craig Brown 
• "The Art Spy" by Michelle Young 
• "Murder on the Marlow Belle" by Robert Thorogood 

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Watching: 

• The World Series!! I normally don't pay a lot of attention to baseball, BUT, the home team (not just for this city but the entire country), i.e., the Toronto Blue Jays, made it into the playoffs -- beat the fabled New York Yankees in the first round in early October...then won the American League title vs the Seattle Mariners, and are now in the World Series vs the LA Dodgers. Game 7 of 7 is TONIGHT, here in Toronto. (eeekkkk....)  
• I couldn't help but think of our longtime family doctor, a legendary pitcher who possessed four (!) World Series rings from three different teams, and who died earlier this summer. He must have been smiling somewhere...  
• The Jays, of course, were back-to-back World Series champions in 1992 & 1993, and I remember staying up way too late on work nights watching! 
• This time around, we lasted 15 innings until 2 AM (!) for Game 3 in Los Angeles -- the second-longest World Series game ever played, 18 innings (!) -- before going to bed (!) (before things finally wrapped up around 3 AM!).  And then we got to stay up late again (not QUITE so late, thankfully...!) the next night -- and three more nights this week after that!  
• I went to one of the victory parades for the Jays' previous victories -- I think it was the one in 1993 -- with my boss on our lunch hour, as it was held on a work day and the parade route was not too far from our office. It was so crowded by the time we got to a spot, not too far from the SkyDome (it will never be the Rogers Centre to me), that we couldn't see a thing except the tops of some players' heads in their convertibles as they passed by. Oh well. 
• We stopped at a street vendor en route back to the office to get a hot dog for lunch -- and I think I got food poisoning because I was sick to my stomach later that afternoon. I've been wary of street vendors ever since then...!  
• One of dh's cousins and another cousin's husband had a pair of season tickets in those days & were present for the World Series games played at home, including the winners. Occasionally they'd give regular season tickets to other cousins, and dh & I went a couple of times (although we haven't been to a game in decades). The seats were in the nosebleed section, and we always got totally sunburned (with the retractable roof open), but it was always a fun day out nevertheless. 
• We also got tickets and took my parents when they came to visit one year, early in our marriage -- and dh memorably took Younger Nephew when he was about 11 or 12 and got tickets through his Little League team -- his older brother had a karate tournament that afternoon, so his parents were busy there. He spent Friday night with us, and then he & dh took the commuter train into the city to the game the next afternoon. (His parents & brother picked him up later that evening.)  It was his first Jays game, he was totally enthralled, and dh was tickled to be able to share that moment with him.  
• Figure skating: It's Grand Prix season (heading into the Olympics in Milan in February), and so far, two competitions have been held, in France and in China. Skate Canada is this weekend, in Saskatoon. I don't watch the Grand Prix events religiously, or at least as much of each competition as I used to (and, needless to say, the World Series is taking precedence this weekend...!), but between U.S. & Canadian TV coverage and the CBC's online streaming, I've been able to watch at least some of the events.  
• Upcoming events include NHK in Osaka, Japan (Nov. 7-9),  Skate America in Lake Placid, New York (Nov. 14-16), and the Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki, Finland (Nov. 21-23). 
• The final will be in Nagoya, Japan (Dec. 5-8). .  
• I watched the first episode of "The Gold" on Masterpiece Mystery (PBS), earlier this month, but forgot it was on the second week. Oh well, it was a little confusing anyway -- so many characters to keep straight, trying to decipher all the different accents...!  Interesting (true!) story, though!
• I watched the first two episodes of "House of Guinness" on Netflix with SIL & dh's cousin's wife while at their cottage in September, but haven't watched any more episodes on my own. (Yet?)   

Playing:  

• Heardle Decades: Stats as of Oct. 31st: 
• Heardle 60s: 73.6% (797/1083, 319 on first guess), down 0.4% from last month. Max. streak: 15.
• Heardle 70s: 76.3% (629/824, 356 on first guess), down 0.5% from last month. Max. streak: 18. 
• Heardle 80s: 40.7% (281/690, 101 on first guess), up 0.6% from from last month. Max. streak: 5.
• Heardle 90s: 32.6% (257/788, 68 on first guess), up 0.5% from last month. Max. streak: 5. 
• NYT Connections: 
•  As of Sept. 30th, I'd played 428 games and won 88% of them, including 220 "perfect puzzles" with zero errors, including 10 where I got the most difficult/purple category first.  Maximum winning streak:  45 (unchanged). Current streak: 30. 
• By Oct. 31st, I'd completed 459 games and won 88% of them, including 241 "perfect puzzles" with zero errors, including 12 where I got the most difficult/purple category first.  Maximum winning streak: 45 (unchanged). Current streak: 16. 

Listening;  Someone down the hall from us has a new baby. How do we know? There was an "It's a Boy!" balloon fastened to their door.  And we occasionally hear him crying or babbling. Fortunately, not too often and we're far enough down the hall that it's not too loud! (I don't think I would have handled this anywhere near as well, 25-ish years ago..!) 

Likewise -- another neighbour has a new puppy!  We know because (a) we occasionally hear him barking and (b) we've run into them entering or exiting the elevator, and were introduced.  :)  Likewise, it's not often enough or loud enough to be annoying. He's an adorable little golden doodle/ball of fluff, and even if he was more annoying than he is, you can't be too mad looking at that cute little face!  

Following:  

Eating/Drinking:  

• As I've mentioned before, we achieved our goal of lowering our cholesterol levels in late January, after less-than-stellar bloodwork (in fall 2024) earned us both serious chats with our family doctor. We've been trying to maintain/improve on those numbers (and lose/keep off some extra pounds) since then, by eating healthier and moving at least a little more.    
• I ended the month 0.6 pounds heavier than when it started (boo, hiss...). But overall, I'm down about 12 pounds since this time last year (dh has lost more than 20), and a little over 24 pounds from my heaviest-ever weight a few years ago. 
• We just saw our family doctor for checkups a few days ago, and will be doing some new bloodwork soon, so we'll see what the cholesterol numbers have to say...! 
• We brought out the crockpot on Oct. 5th for the first time since last spring for easy chicken & dumplings. (The first time I made this, it was pretty salty, so I now use low-fat/low-salt soups & broth, and go easy on the added salt.) 
• We celebrated Thanksgiving at BIL & SIL's with our nephews and their families on Oct. 11th. Like last year, they ordered dinner from the local supermarket:  turkey breast, mashed potatos and a root vegetable medley with gravy and cranberry sauce. There was lasagna (traditional tomato & meat sauce along with a pesto option for me) from another local eatery, SIL made salad and stuffing from a box, and the nephews brought pies for dessert. It wasn't quite my family's usual turkey dinner, but it wasn't bad either, and we continued to eat turkey for the next two days (!) -- SIL sent us home with plenty of leftovers!  (The kids were both having dinner the next day with their respective in-laws and did not take any, so...!)  
• Lunch at Younger Nephew's new home on Oct. 25th included pasta alfredo, pork tenderloin, roasted potatos & root vegetables, salad, and an apple cake and melon for dessert. Yum! 
• We stopped off at our favourite local brunch place, en route home from our annual check-ups with our family doctor on Oct. 30th, for omelettes & home fries (Western for him, ham & cheese for me). 
• We also indulged in some of our usual takeout meals for lunch once or twice a week, plus Saturday night dinners, including rice bowls, soup and pizza slices from the supermarket, and Swiss Chalet (rotisserie chicken with baked potatos).

Wearing:  I finally caved and had to abandon my capris & sandals, mid-month, for longer yoga pants/jeans, socks and shoes. :(   I've still been wearing short-sleeved T-shirts, but I've had to put on a cardigan over them lately...! 

Buying (besides books, lol):  Continued to purchase Canadian products (or from Canadian companies), as much as possible ;) (albeit I will admit I'm not as much of a purist as some people seem to be...!).  

Plane tickets to be with my family at Christmastime. (Ouch -- travel within Canada is NOT CHEAP, especially at holiday time...!)   

Ordered my "Favourite Things" box (formerly known as the Advent Calendar) from my favourite sterling silver jewelry maker.  :)  I'll get it in late November. 

Canadian Tire gift card as a housewarming present for Younger Nephew & family. (It sells a lot more than tires, lol -- it's kind of a combination Home Depot/Walmart/auto supply store.) 

Started stocking up on presents for the great-niblings' upcoming birthdays (both Little Great-Nephews -- one in mid-November and one just before Christmas) and for Christmas. 

Found a cute Christmas-y photo frame and placemats at Homesense.  

And I already bought my Christmas cards!  Saw some I liked at Shoppers Drug Mart and decided to grab them while I could!  (Fingers crossed that Canada Post doesn't go on strike again...!)

Noticing:  ...in the shower, a few days ago, a weird black spot on the edge of my right second toe nail/cuticle. It almost looks like I put a black dot there with a Sharpie. There's gel/shellac polish on the nail, so it's hard to see just how big the spot is, and whether it extends under the polish/nail as well.  

I initially panicked -- the brother of my high school best friend died at age 40 from melanoma that started under one of his toenails and spread before they figured out it was more than just a weird nail fungus. :(  And then I wondered whether it was some weird reaction to the gel polish, or the UV light they use to cure/dry it. (I don't normally get gel polish, but the nail tech talked me into it... it was more money, of course = bigger tip for her.)  

But then I remembered that I stubbed my toe -- more than once! -- on the leg of the bed at the cottage when we were there a few weeks ago. I don't remember if it was that particular toe, but I remember one of my other toenails turning black/purple before fading -- and eventually falling off completely -- after I banged it once, years ago. It was several months before that bruise faded and the new nail began to grow in. The more I look at it, the more I think that's probably what it is.  

Anyway, I've been referred to a dermatologist for rosacea issues (related to the eye issues I've been having lately) :p so I will get the polish removed before my appointment (in mid-December) and ask him to have a look while I'm there. (I showed my family dr when I was there a few days ago, and he said it didn't look like a melanoma to him, more likely a bruise, but to definitely ask the dermatologist.)  

Wondering:  Whether I'm going to need more eye surgery (on my left eye this time). :(   Hoping that won't be the case...! 

Prioritizing: Taking care of my eyes, taking all my meds & drops, etc. 

Anticipating: Getting our flu and covid shots tomorrow morning.  And being tired, after staying up late watching the World Series tonight, the time change tonight, getting up early to drive to the clinic, and the effects of the shots themselves, lol.  (I guess I could have timed things better -- we could have gotten the shots next weekend too -- oh well...!) 

Enjoying: The beautiful fall colours (which finally made an appearance, mid-month!), and the morning light on them. 

Appreciating: Being Canadian (more than ever...!).  

Loving:  Seeing photos of the great-niblings in their Halloween finery before heading out for trick-or-treating.  :)  

 

Trying: Not to dwell on things, especially things that aren't in my control. 

Wanting: A Blue Jays victory tonight (and it wouldn't hurt if it was at a decent hour...!  lol).  

                              

Feeling: A little dazed by how quickly the year has gone by so far/is going...!  Sad that the time change will bring darkness with it even earlier in the evening from now through the winter solstice. A bit stressed, thinking of all the things I need to do before we had west to see my family at Christmastime.  Thankful that I'm retired, and that year-end stuff at work is no longer among those things...!  

World Childless Week, Day Three: The Importance of Pets

Day Three of World Childless Week 2024 is about "The Importance of Pets." From the website description: 

Why do so many of us find companionship and solace with our pets? Do you gather strength from their unconditional love or find comfort in being able to nurture and care for an animal? Do you see yourself as a fur-mum or hate the phrase? How do you feel when someone else tries to discredit the value of your pet or imply that somehow we don’t understand the difference between a child and an animal? 

What do your furry, feathered and scaly friends mean to you?  

I understand why so many people (with & without kids) have pets, and I am especially fond of dogs (so long as they're not too big!).  However, dh & I do not have and never have had pets during our nearly 40 years of married life -- although I briefly had a puppy and a turtle when I was a child, and we're constantly being told that we "need" to get a dog. (eyeroll)  I wrote posts in 2013 and 2017 explaining why we choose to remain petless. We do adore & dote on Older Nephew's miniature dachshund, now 8 years old. :)  You can find all my pet-related posts here. 

Check out today's content on the WCW site, including community members' contributions, and three free, live webinars related to this subject. They will be recorded and the links will be posted later on the Day Three page for anyone who cannot make the live event.

Right now

Right now...* 

*(an occasional (mostly monthly) meme, alternating from time to time with "The Current"). (Explanation of how this started & my inspirations in my first "Right now" post, here. Also my first "The Current" post, here.)

May was a fast month! (How is this year almost halfway over, already??) The weather turned warmer and sunnier, albeit it still had a few too many overcast/rainy/chilly days to suit me...!  We turned on the air conditioning, mid-month, but it's only kicked in a few times so far. I cleaned off the balcony/patio furniture, but haven't had a chance to sit out there and enjoy it. (Yet!)  

Pandemic diary/update: May was month #50 (!) since the advent of covid in March 2020. Nobody seems to be talking much about covid these days... but we know it's still out there. (Here's a relevant, if U.S.-centric, gift-linked Washington Post article:  "Covid will still be here this summer. Will anyone care?")  After 4+ years, we (still!) remain covid-free (knocking wood, loudly...), and continue to mask in stores and most other public places, especially where there are a lot of people (although dh is starting to slack off again whenever I'm not around to hand him a mask...!). We've done a little more eating out in mall food courts and cafes/restaurants in recent months (mostly for lunch), albeit we usually try to go early, when it won't be as crowded, and sit somewhere near the door, where the air is circulating better (if not outside on a patio, if one is available). We're still not back to regular Saturday dinners out, and I'm not sure we ever will be. (Even without my concerns about covid, the cost of eating out has gotten ridiculous lately! -- even just for takeout!)  

Among other things this month, we: 

• Attended a 90th birthday party for dh's uncle (his dad's sister's husband) on May 4th at an Italian restaurant, along with 40-50 other family members and friends. (Maskless.) It was very noisy and crowded, and we were EXHAUSTED the next day (boy, are we getting old...!), but the food was good (see "Eating," below) and it was so nice to see so many of dh's aunts, uncles & cousins.  
• Went to the mall for a few hours of walking, shopping and lunch (at a great fast-fired pizza cafe -- see "Eating," below) on May 7th and 22nd.  
• Had a browse at the bookstore, May 14th, and went grocery shopping with dh (May 27th). 
• Drove to our old community on May 17th (the Friday before the Victoria Day long weekend!). Stopped at the cemetery briefly to visit Katie's niche, then headed to the mall for haircuts, lunch in the food court (Tim Hortons) and some shopping and walking. 
• Had lunch at BIL & SIL's house on May 19th (Sunday of the Victoria Day long weekend), along with the nephews and their families. The weather was gorgeous, the food was great and the company was unbeatable :) (including entertainment from Little Great-Nephew & Little Great-Niece!).  

 

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Also right now:  

Reading: I finished 3 books in May (reviewed on this blog, as well as Goodreads & StoryGraph, & tagged "2024 books").  

• "Fletcher’s End" by D.E. Stevenson, a sequel to "Bel Lamington." (My review.) 
• "All In" by Billie Jean King (the June book for my Childless Collective Nomo Book Club). (My review.)
• "Anne's House of Dreams" by L.M. Montgomery, a re-read with my LMM Readathon Facebook group, which began Jan. 15th. (My most recent review here;  original review here.)  

This brings me to 17 books read so far in 2024, 38% of my 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books.  I am currently one (1) book behind schedule to meet my goal. :)   

Current read(s): 

• "Fletcher’s End" by D.E. Stevenson, for my DES group -- a sequel to "Bel Lamington." Our group read started May 20th and will run through mid-September! -- currently at 11% read. (My original review.) 
• "Bring Up the Bodies" by Hilary Mantel (book #2 in the Thomas Cromwell Trilogy) -- part of a year-long "slow readalong" hosted by Simon at Footnotes and Tangents.  We started April 29th;  currently at about 51% read. We will finish this one and start reading #3 in the trilogy, "The Mirror and the Light," in mid/late July.  
• "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy (!). As I wrote here, I need another book club/readalong obligation like a hole in the head  ;)  but nevertheless, I'm taking part in a year-long readalong of this book, hosted by Simon at Footnotes and Tangents -- a chapter a day for a full year, which began Jan. 1, 2024. (And I'm really enjoying it!)  Currently at about 47% read.  
• "L.M. Montgomery and Gender," an essay collection edited by E. Holly Pike & Laura Robinson. Slowly working my way through, in between the other books...! 

Coming up: Most of my book groups have their next reads plotted out for a few months in advance -- and listing them here helps me keep track of what I should be reading next. ;)  

• For my Childless Collective Nomo Book Club: 
• "The Hollow Sea" by Annie Kirby (July) 
• "Swing Time" by Zadie Smith (August) 
• "Code Name Helene" by Ariel Lawhon (September) 
• "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert (October) (a Barren Bitches Book Tour selection from October 2008, the early days of this blog! -- discussed here;  related post here). 
• "Persuasion" by Jane Austen (November) 
• "The Christmas Orphans Club" by Becca Freeman (reviewed here).  (December) 
• For my D.E. Stevenson group:  This list of upcoming books should keep us busy through 2024, and well into 2025 or 2026!  (A couple of the books are ones we covered when I first joined the group back in 2014 -- you know you've been around for a while when....!)  
• Miss Buncle’s Book (likely beginning September/October 2024;  original 2015 review here).  
• Peter West 
• Miss Buncle Married
• The Two Mrs. Abbotts
• Crooked Adam 
• The Four Graces

• For the Notes from Three Pines (Louise Penny mysteries) Readalong: The last discussion was for book #3, "The Cruellest Month," posted in June 2023 (no further posts/books since then).  I've continued dipping into the series on my own, between other book club obligations. Book #6, "Bury Your Dead," is the next one on my to-read list! 

A few recently purchased titles (mostly in digital format, mostly discounted ($5-10 or less) or purchased with points):  

• "The Bee Sting" by Paul Murray 
• "Wild Hope" by Donna Ashworth 
• "Everyone on This Train is a Suspect" by Benjamin Stevenson 
• "I Promise It Won't Always Hurt Like This" by Claire Mackintosh 
• "Leadership: In Turbulent Times" by Doris Kearns Goodwin 
• "Living the Beatles Legend" by Kenneth Womack 
• "Not Your China Doll" by Katie Gee Salisbury
• "The Class" by Ken Dryden 

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** 

Watching:  Nothing too notable.  (Too much news!  :p  ) 

Listening:  Nicer weather (but not too hot -- yet!! -- and not quite enough sunshine...!) is FINALLY here, we have the balcony door open for most of the day -- which means a constant soundtrack consisting of either (a) lawnmowers, weed whackers and leaf blowers (especially as many people around us are doing yard cleanup from the winter and putting in their gardens), and/or (b) the revved up motors of sportscars and motorcycles, and/or (c) music from neighbouring back yards and patios, as people start spending more time outdoors. The Victoria Day long weekend was especially noisy. We had a group of partygoers SINGING somewhere nearby, plus the loud explosions of fireworks every night.  Heaven grant me patience...!  

We had new neighbours move into the unit kitty-corner from us, early in the new year. We have never seen them -- but we HEAR them -- specifically, we've heard at least one child (and often more -- not sure if they're siblings or just friends?) coming & going -- often running (stampeding??) full speed down the hall between 3 and 3:30 p.m. (school's out?), NOT whispering!  Lots of giggles. ;)  Under 10 years old, we think. Thankfully, the noise is usually short-lived as they go into their unit, or head down the hall to the elevators! 

Further down the hall, the neighbours, the dog or both must be new to the building, because we've never heard it before... but starting Victoria Day Monday and for several days afterward, the poor thing barked and howled up a storm for hours on end, every day.  :(   Damn near broke my heart.  :(  I'm assuming the people who live in that unit -- several doors down, and I'm sure you could hear it all over the floor -- got a new dog/puppy and just left it alone during the day while they went to work, without arranging for doggie day care of some sort. People always used to ask me why we didn't have a dog:  THIS is why. :(   I just don't think it's fair to the animal to be left alone for 8, 10, 12 hours a day, even if/when they don't make any noise.  I was on the verge of either taping a note to their door, or sending a complaint to the property manager when, thankfully, the noise subsided after a couple of day. (Not sure why -- and not sure I want to find out...?) 

To Heardle Decades: Stats as of  May 31st:  

• Heardle 60s: 76.3% (461/604, 191 on first guess), down just slightly from last month. Max. streak: 15.
• Heardle 70s: 81.6% (279/342, 150 on first guess), up from last month. Max. streak: 18. 
• Heardle 80s: 42.3% (91/215,  38 on first guess), down from last month. Max. streak: 4. 
• Heardle 90s: 26.2% (85/325, 17 on first guess), down from last month. Max. streak: 4. 

Eating/Drinking:  Way too much at the 90th birthday party for dh's uncle on May 4th at an Italian restaurant: appetizer after appetizer; salad;  pasta (penne with alfredo sauce for me;  penne alla vodka for everyone else);  a great sirloin steak with roasted potatos & veggies (including fresh asparagus);  and tiramisu for dessert (as well as Italian pastries baked by dh's aunts).  

Also way too much at lunch (barbecued) at BIL's on May 19th with the family:  a small steak with a baked potato, also a hamburger, and salad. There were also hotdogs, corn on the cob and a quinoa salad (which I couldn't eat because it had tomato in it), and apple pie and birthday cake for dessert.  (Our nephews' wives both had birthdays earlier this month -- they were born same day, same year! and wound up marrying brothers!  Isn't that wild?)

Thin-crust, fast-fired pizza from an outlet at the mall an outlet at the mall, both times we were there this month. (Apparently an American chain?)  Rather like the delicious pizzas we enjoyed in Ottawa's Byward Market a few years back. You can build your own or order from their suggested menu, which includes two tomato-free options for me. (I don't remember the name of the one I usually order, but it has a cream/alfredo sauce base with cheese, garlic and bacon, and arugula sprinkled on top at the very end when it comes out of the oven.)  Couldn't finish the entire thing in one sitting, both times, so took home the remaining slices and had them for lunch the next day. Delicious!  

Takeout lunches & dinners this month included soup, pizza slices and teriyaki rice bowls (chicken for me, beef for dh) from the supermarket takeout counters; California Sandwiches, chicken fingers and fries (Jack Astor's), and breakfast sandwiches (for lunch) from Tim Hortons. 

And on the drinking front ;) -- we don't normally keep a lot of alcohol in the house -- but we bought dh's uncle a bottle of champagne for his 90th birthday party (what do you get for a 90-year-old man, right??), and I picked up a small bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream for myself at the same time.  I enjoyed a nice big glass of it, cold, on Mother's Day, while taking part in a text chat with some other childless women. Perfect!  ;)  

Buying (besides books, lol):  

• Some new kitchen towels and handtowels for the bathroom, a couple of T-shirts for myself, and a couple of things for Little Great-Niece & Little Great-Nephew (including matching T-shirts that say "Cousin Crew," lol) at the mall.  
• A black handbag/purse (style name Leila, pebbled leather) at the Kate Spade outlet store, on our most recent trip to the mall. Similar to the Vince Camuto bag I am using right now (the salesperson even commented on that). I didn't NEED a new handbag, but I tend to be very picky about my purses, and the ones I like are hard to find at the moment. I like them big (but not TOO big! -- or else I overstuff them), with a substantial strap(s), at least two compartments (preferably three, which this one had) and the more pockets, the better.   Most Kate Spade bags are a little too small and dainty for my tastes, but this one was perfect. 
• Regular price on the tag: $479 (Canadian)(!) -- store price much less than that (I don't remember exactly how much, but under $200), and there were a couple more discounts. Including taxes, I paid just over $150.  :)   
• Great deal?  Well yes. EXCEPT -- when I got it home and removed all the paper stuffing inside, I realized it REEKED. It smelled like cigarette smoke. :(  I put it in the closet, and the next morning, the whole closet smelled. 
• So I moved the bag into the other bedroom/office (lol) and did some Googling. I put a couple of small (snack-sized) open Ziploc baggies full of baking soda inside each compartment, closed them up, then put the purse inside a plastic bag with the rest of the box of baking soda. 
• That was 2 days ago. I opened up the bag and the purse yesterday morning. I could still smell something, albeit not quite so strongly. So I pulled out the lining and set it out on a chair on the balcony in the shade for a couple of hours. Once the sun started moving onto the balcony, I brought the bag indoors. It still smelled a bit, but less so. I wrapped it up again with the baking soda in the bag overnight. I may set it outside again for a while today. 
• Any other suggestions for me??  (Dh has suggested I could take it back, but I'm not sure I want to do that. It was the only black purse they had left in stock.) (Maybe that's why??)  I'm in no hurry to use it;  the purse I have is just fine right now. I just like to have one in reserve. ;)  

Wearing: Capris, sandals and short sleeves, finally!! (by mid-month)!  Yay!!  :)  (Albeit I still need to put on slippers and/or a cardigan, now & then!) 

Noticing:  My rosacea, which subsided after being on a prescription cream for a month (one month only -- albeit it did not vanish completely), is flaring up again. :(   Probably time to go back to the doctor. He said he might refer me to a dermatologist. I had FLAWLESS skin when I was a teenager (go figure...), so I'm having a hard time with what I see in the mirror these days...!  :(   Sigh.... (Would this be menopause related??) 

Missing:  Little Great-Niece and Little Great-Nephew. It's been two weeks since we last saw them, and it feels like ages.  :(  

Trying:  To be a little more active than I have been lately...!  (The nicer weather is motivation!) 

Prioritizing: Keeping up with reading my various book club selections. I'm enjoying them all, but I do hope to be able to get to read a few of my own choices soon...!  (So many great books, so little time...!) 

Wanting: To pay a visit to the nearby art gallery where I have a membership again soon. I think the last time we went was on my birthday in January -- the grounds are lovely, and the weather is MUCH more conducive to a walk around there than it was then!. 

Hoping:  For a good report from the dentist next week, when we go for cleanings & checkups...!  

Enjoying: Playing Connections in the New York Times every day lately. I never got into Wordle, but we recently played a themed version on a Zoom call for one of the online groups I'm in, and I was hooked!  (One more thing for my daily to-do list...!) 

Loving & Appreciating:  Being able to have the balcony door open and letting the fresh air in for most of the day, almost every day lately, during the last half of the month!  

Wondering:  How long that's going to last before the heat & humidity kick in??    

Feeling:  Happy that warm(er, but not TOO warm... yet!!) weather is finally here! 

"The Travelling Cat Chronicles" by Hiro Arikawa , Philip Gabriel (Translator)

Confession time:  contrary to childless/free stereotyping, dh & I don't have pets -- and if I had to make a choice, I'll admit I'm more of a dog person than a cat person (although I don't mind cats). And when it comes to reading, I've never been a big fan of books about animals, although I was exposed to lots of them in school. In elementary/primary/grade school, the teacher would often read us a book, a chapter at a time, when we got back from lunch, before diving into the afternoon's lessons and activities. Among the titles I remember are "Black Beauty," "Black Gold," "Misty of Chincoteague," "The Incredible Journey," "The Yearling," etc.  So many of these titles were (in my memory, anyway) horribly sad, and they honestly just didn't interest me as much as books about people did. 

So I'll admit "The Travelling Cat Chronicles" by Hiro Arikawa (translated by Philip Gabriel) isn't a book I likely would have picked up on my own. It's the January read for my Childless Collective/Nomo Book Club (and I'll be leading the discussion!).  

Nana is a stray (male) cat, taken in by a young Japanese man named Satoru, because Nana reminds him of his childhood pet, Hachi.  (Nana means Seven in Japanese, and Satoru decides on the name because Nana's tail is bent like the number 7). They live together happily for several years -- until Satoru explains to Nana that he can no longer keep him (for reasons that are not initially clear).  Together, cat and human travel around Japan in Satoru's silver van, visiting some of Satoru's childhood friends and vetting them as potential new owners. Through these friends, we gain insight into Satoru's formative years and experiences. 

I sensed pretty quickly where this story was going. Kleenex was required at the end.  There is, however, a dose of humour provided by the proud and feisty Nana, who narrates most of the book. 

From a childless perspective, this is a a pretty "safe" read. Bonus:  near the end, we're introduced to Satoru's (single and childless, awkward but loving) aunt who raised him, and get a few surprise revelations about his past.  

3.5 stars on StoryGraph. I debated whether that should be rounded up or down on Goodreads, and settled on 4 stars.  I wasn't immediately captivated by this book, but it did wrap up rather nicely. 

This was Book #45 read to date in 2023 (and Book #1 finished in December), bringing me to 100% of my 2023 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books! :)  4 books ahead of schedule. :) You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2023 tagged as "2023 books."  

They're home!

My last real status update on my brother-in-law and nephew was last Monday (July 17th). A lot has happened since then! 

• Older Nephew's homecoming a week ago Friday (on July 14th)(which I wrote about here) was, unfortunately, short-lived. Last Tuesday morning (July 18th), I was eating my breakfast when his wife called dh, asking if we could drive up there and look after Little Great-Nephew for the day:  she needed to take Older Nephew back to the hospital in downtown Toronto. His bloodwork results were off -- and, somewhat alarmingly, he was seeping fluid from around the stitches of his incision.  :(  
• We literally dropped everything, showered and dressed in record time, left within an hour of her call and made it there before noon. LGN was happy to see us and good as gold as usual.  
• On the other hand, the dog -- a miniature dachshund, whose legs are too short to climb upstairs -- whined long and loud every time I would head upstairs to join LGN & dh -- so I wound up spending a lot of the day with him. Even so, he peed on the couch -- TWICE! -- presumably to show his displeasure at being abandoned, not only by his mom & dad, but also by me!  Poor puppy!  (It's hard to be mad at him!) 
• Older Nephew was readmitted  :(  and then had to wait around for an MRI (which meant not being able to eat anything until it was done). It eventually happened at 10 p.m. that night (!).  His wife returned home around 7:30 p.m., and we left shortly after that. 
• After analyzing the MRI results, the doctors decided to do a (non-surgical) procedure to correct the problem, which took place on Friday morning. Poor Older Nephew couldn't eat for 24 hours after that either! 
• We didn't expect he would be sent home until Sunday or Monday -- but he got the okay to leave on Saturday (today!),  and is now home (again!) -- hopefully for good this time!  :)  
• He will be off work recuperating for at least the next 2-3 months.  
• We made a detour to BIL's house en route home from Older Nephew's house on Tuesday night:  SIL had asked us to check the refrigerator and throw out any food that had spoiled or looked iffy.  Let's just say we threw out a LOT of stuff.  (Clearly, BIL & SIL don't spend a lot of extended time away from home...!  -- dh is meticulous in ensuring we use up stuff before we head off on a trip that's going to last more than a few days, and we usually leave the refrigerator & freezer compartment nearly empty.)  We finally got home around 9:30 p.m. 
• The next morning (Wednesday), we got up early and headed downtown to visit BIL & Older Nephew. It was BIL's 61st birthday. We'd seen him just two days earlier and we were shocked -- and delighted! -- by just how much better he looked and sounded. He'd been gradually improving to that point, but he was just SO much more like his old self, even since our last visit on Monday. It was great to see!  
• He arrived home early Saturday afternoon! -- almost three full weeks after he was hospitalized, and 12 days after his operation.  He's a full 100 pounds lighter than he was at his peak weight!!  (But believe me, this is NOT the way you want to lose it!)  His arms are like toothpicks -- he's lost a lot of muscle mass, as well as weight (most of which he hopes to keep off for good) -- but the swelling in his abdomen is gone and the swelling in his legs has subsided considerably.  Absolutely amazing.  
• Meanwhile, dh's scratchy throat turned into a sore one, and he developed a horrible cough. Two negative covid tests to date, and he's feeling a bit better, but he's resolved to stay away from BIL and Older Nephew for a while longer. :(    (One of dh's cousins went to pick him & SIL up and bring them home.)  
• Dh couldn't resist heading over to BIL's on Saturday afternoon, though.  We both wore masks, the balcony door was open (ventilation) and we only stayed a few minutes. 
• We're both happy to see the last of downtown Toronto traffic for a while...!  It took us a FULL HOUR to travel from the hospital to the closest exit onto the expressway that runs east-west along the lakeshore -- a distance of barely more than 2 kilometres or 1 mile!  We couldn't get in the right lane in time to make the exit ramp, and had to loop around and try again. Sooooo frustrating!
• We could have taken the subway downtown -- there's a station a few miles/minutes away from where we live, with ample parking nearby, and a station right on the corner outside the hospital -- it's about a 45 minute trip -- but there's been an uptick of crime and violent incidents on there lately (albeit it's still very safe overall), and dh said he preferred to drive. And since he's the driver in the family...!  
• One of Older Nephew's Wife's friends started a GoFundMe on July 14th to benefit the family. In the week since then, it's racked up $6,000 from more than 30 generous donors! 
• I posted the link on my social media, and was tickled and touched to see two of my besties from high school donate $100 each. :)  

World Childless Week 2022, Day Six: "We Are Worthy"

The Day Six theme of World Childless Week -- as it has been for the past four years -- is "We Are Worthy."  

Someone recently said to me, “A peacock is most vulnerable when it shows its beauty.” It made me think of the beauty we all hold within us that can be diminished and feel tainted by the pronatalism surrounding us every day. We need to speak up and speak out until every childless person feels equal and confident to shine whilst showing their vulnerability. 

Today, let’s share and celebrate, why we are worthy and beautiful.

Four years ago, there was an online summit for childless people during National Infertility Awareness Week on the theme of "We Are Worthy," and I wrote about it and my thoughts on the subject of worthiness here. I can't think of any other posts I've written about worth/worthiness in particular, but I have pointed out plenty of examples of pronatalism and how the childless/free experience has been marginalized, when I've found them. I didn't know the term "pronatalism" when I first started this blog, so I started using the tag "mommy mania" -- the best I could come up with at the time. I've gradually been re-tagging them as "pronatalism." 

The "bible" on pronatalism from a childfree (by choice) perspective would be "The Baby Matrix" by Laura Carroll (which I reviewed here).  A real eye-opener, and highly recommended!  

On the flip side, I suppose, would be the posts I've written about or touching on feminism, tagged as "the f word." I was brought up thoroughly steeped in the second-wave feminist messages of the 1970s (for good and for bad);  I have always believed and often said that I am more than my uterus. Unfortunately, that's still not the message that society tends to send us or the people around us....!  

Check out today's content on the WCW site, including community members' contributions (new ones being added every 15 minutes throughout the day) and (count 'em!) FOUR free webinars and workshops! 

• 4 a.m Eastern Time: "Childlessness and Pets," with Judy Graham, Narelle Hudson, Anne Xavier Altamore, Rochelle Trimnell-Ritchard and Sarah Roberts, all from Australia. 
• 11 a.m. ET:  "Pronatalism May Be Getting Louder, But So Are the Childless," with Stephanie Phillips, Jessica Hepburn and Annie Kirby from England, and Hilary Fennell from Ireland.  
• 12:30 p.m. ET: "Mindful Yoga Practice," with Sarah Jane Smith from British Columbia, Canada. 
• 2 p.m. ET:  "We Are Worthy of Your Support," with six childless women from around the world. 

These will all be recorded and uploaded to the Day Six page for anyone who cannot make the live events. 

(On the subject of pets -- dh & I do not and never have had them during our married life -- although I had a puppy and a turtle when I was growing up, and we're constantly being told that we "need" to get a dog. (eyeroll)  I wrote posts in 2013 and 2017 explaining why we choose to remain petless. We do adore & dote on Older Nephew's miniature dachshund. :)  You can find all my pet-related posts here.)