I normally don’t complain about prices, and I dislike when other people with privilege do so. But for every rule, there’s at least one exception, and this is it. What the hell is going on with the price of gas?? Gas is always expensive in our area, often a good
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wmtc: in which we discover kai is houdini
A new fence, eh? Not so fast! One minute the dogs are on their side of the fence, barking at a woman walking her dog past the house. The next minute, Kai is playing with the dog, on the street. Of course Kai completely ignored our calls. Her training is
Continue readingwmtc: jason kenney and doug ford. how depressing.
The chickens have voted for Colonel Sanders again. It’s an old, old story, and we seem farther away than ever from changing the ending. Doug Ford is destroying Ontario in a way Mike Harris only dreamed of. Healthcare, schools, libraries, parks, public transit — all programs, all supports, and countless
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: is your child ready to read?
In our local paper. At Your Library: Is Your Child Ready to Read? Kindergarten is a child’s introduction to school – but your children’s education begins long before they ever set foot in a classroom. At The Library: Is Your Child Ready to Read? Teachers and librarians talk about something
Continue readingwmtc: in which two humans figure out how to make a yard safe for canines
We did it! We closed the gaps in our partially fenced yard, in a way that looks decent, was within our budget, and within our skill set. First we researched online, and eliminated many possibilities. Then we simplified the project by choosing the least number of gaps to close that
Continue readingwmtc: the troll that wouldn’t die
He lives. Those of you who go back a long way with wmtc will remember how this blog was the target of trolls, back in the heyday of the blogosphere, before Twitter and Instagram existed, before so many bloggers moved to Facebook. Social media evolved, attention spans got shorter, and
Continue readingwmtc: first bear sighting of the season
We see bald eagles every day here, and we’ve seen lots of elk — but they never stick around for a photo. This little guy was munching away, and let us get some pics from the safety of our car. It was a beautiful privilege to see him. No lectures
Continue readingwmtc: "at your library" in the north island eagle: column #1
I’m writing a library column for the local newspaper! I’m really excited about it. Everyone reads this free paper, so a column is an amazing opportunity to promote our services. It’s also a fun writing challenge, to strip away the library jargon, appeal to a wide audience, and quickly write
Continue readingwmtc: pupdate: ten things we love about kai
The yard is only partially fenced, so until we close the gap, Kai is tethered.She doesn’t seem to mind. Allan, Diego, and I are totally smitten by this little munchkin. What a surprise, eh? In no particular order, here are ten awesome things about Kai. 1. She’s housetrained. Through at
Continue readingwmtc: outstanding customer service from wayfair.ca
Wayfair.ca has amazing customer service! Their selection is great, the prices are competitive, and they offer free shipping with orders of more than $75. But their customer service has sealed the deal. We bought two lamps, replacing the lamps that were smashed by We Help Moving‘s ineptitude. The glass shade on
Continue readingwmtc: introducing… kai!
Our first meeting Introducing Kai, the new addition to our pack, and Diego’s new sister! Kai (rhymes with eye) is small for us, about 30 pounds, a pit-mix with a “Staffie” look. She is much smaller than a Staffie — unless her foster mom was very wrong about her age!
Continue readingwmtc: rotd: frederick douglass, prophet of freedom
Revolutionary thought of the day: Douglass’s great gift, and the reason we know him of today, is that he found ways to convert the scars Covey left on his body into words that might change the world. David W. Blight, Frederick Douglass, Prophet of Freedom This is what every abuse
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: jackie robinson: a biography
I finished reading this fine biography a while ago, but I’ve been having trouble writing about it. It was very good. If some parts were a bit too detailed for me (which is bound to happen if a biography is comprehensive), parts were thrilling, fascinating, sad, and very moving. There
Continue readingwmtc: the north island restaurant report: where to eat in port hardy and port mcneill
I was sure that one of the downsides of moving to a small town in a relatively remote area would be a serious lack of food choices. I’ve been very happy to be wrong! There aren’t a lot of restaurants here, but what’s here is very good — well-prepared, fresh,
Continue readingwmtc: drive and hike to the ocean: san josef bay
Ever since we moved here, I’ve been fascinated with our town’s proximity to Cape Scott Provincial Park. Cape Scott is a wilderness park, accessible mainly through the rugged North Coast Trail — for very serious hikers, i.e., not us. But I’ve read that some small sections are more accessible for
Continue readingwmtc: winter drive: alice lake loop
A few weeks ago, we took a scenic drive known as the Alice Lake Loop. We read there were various short hikes and natural attractions along the way. We may have missed some stops or turn-offs, as it really was mostly driving and very little walking. On the other hand,
Continue readingwmtc: "if you don’t act like adults, we will": thank you climate strikers. thank you, thank you, thank you.
Friday’s global student protest brought me so much joy. And also sadness, because I often feel so cynical about our ability to stop climate change. And also hope, because I won’t succumb to that cynicism. I will fight it, and fight it, and fight it. Because our cynicism is the
Continue readingwmtc: in which i am a local celebrity
Impudent Strumpet wondered if Allan and I were now locally famous. Well, apparently we are. Things I heard at the library: “I want to do a story on you.” The customer who said this is the owner, publisher, writer, and editor of the North Island Eagle, a community newspaper here.
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: solitary raven: the essential writings of bill reid
I’m supposed to be writing about the Jackie Robinson biography, which I finished weeks ago, but so far I haven’t been motivated to do so. I finished another Wallander mystery — my “in between” book — but the next bio on my list, the new one about Frederick Douglass, hasn’t
Continue readingwmtc: walking the walk: if canada is serious about reconciliation, the senate must pass bill c-262
Canadians, contact the Senate. Urge them to work together to pass Private Member’s Bill C-262, “An Act to ensure that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples“. My own letter included at the end of this post, in the
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