I'll be brief.

Over the past couple of months, a thought has floated in and out of my mind. A very specific, singular thought. About a very specific topic.

Do I, or don't I, return to the writing of my memoir?

I know I shelved it over a year ago. I know the four drafts did what I needed them to do for Me.

Yet every so often since then, I pictured myself dusting off all my notes and scribbles.

And starting draft #5.

Because, to be fair, the overriding topic never went away. 

For now, it's just a thought; just a question I ask myself every so often.

*****

So readers, are there any opinions out there?

If so, let me know what you think.

In the meantime, here are more of my happy places!

December 30, 2025

It appears we are at that familiar point of our annual calendar, where we are closing out the current year and readying ourselves for the incoming new year. Like so many others, I’m reflecting back on the past twelve months. Yet, to be completely frank, I’m also reflecting upon more than just the past year.

Throughout the month of December, I’ve been digging into my photographic files. Specifically, the folders and folders of images saved on a hard-drive from five summers spent working and playing in the Rocky Mountains. Now, many of you already know of my past exploits and wanderings amongst those world-famous pieces of rock. You also already know those mountains hold a gigantic place in my heart.

You might wonder what spurred on this desire to step back into my collection of images? Well, with returning to Squamish earlier this year, I set about getting my apartment freshly painted. I then decided that I wanted my own photographic images to adorn those freshly painted walls. So far, I have sorted through, edited and purged all of the photos from the summers of 2018 and 2019. That means three more summers to go!

Let me tell you, this proverbial trip down memory lane has been an absolute hoot! Between the actual photographs of hike after hike, after hike, there are also countless one-minute videos taken at noteworthy locations along those various hikes. The scenery alone is enough to make me re-live each hike. What else captures my attention, however, is the sheer joy and excitement in my voice as I describe what I am seeing to would-be viewers on Facebook and Instagram once I got myself back into cell range.

Many different adjectives aptly describe my tone of voice in those videos: exhilarated; happy; over-the-moon; ecstatic; bubbling over; enthusiastic. I think you get my drift. What I’ve since come to realize, and here’s where reflecting on 2025 comes in, is that it has been a wee while since I was that excited, that passionate, about some element of my life.

The past three or four years have been full of changes. I retired from the rafting industry. I re-located to Kelowna to be closer to my aging parents. I inserted myself fully into my parents’ lives, ultimately making arrangements for an ambulance to take my father to hospice. I then worked together with my sister to relocate our mother to Toronto, packing up her belongings for the moving truck, sorting and disposing of all the other items that remained, getting the condo ready to sell. Once the papers were signed, I then fractured my ankle as I prepared myself to move back to Squamish. Then it was full-on with settling back into my apartment, back into my ‘hometown’, finding and starting a new job, administering the annual Whistler Independent Book Awards, and letting my ankle heal. By the time November came along, I was pooped. I think that’s when I entered my last blog entry, and was about to depart on a desperately needed, self-imposed off-grid getaway.

The getaway was just what I needed. I brought my journal, my fountain pens, a few good books, healthy food and a couple bottles of wine! I left my laptop at home and turned off my cell phone, chucking it in my empty duffel bag once I’d unpacked at the Big White chalet (that’s where I went!). During my time away, I successfully made sense of my grieving emotions and returned home feeling better sorted, better rested, and more relaxed. Invigorated, I turned to my heaps of photo files so to decide what images I wanted printed and framed for my freshly painted yet still unadorned apartment walls.

And that leads us to my thoughts this evening. Reliving all those memories from past summers, and re-remembering how amazingly fantastic it felt to be in the Rockies, I realized something quite profound about my present life. That ever since removing myself from the Rocky Mountains, and carrying on with my life in new directions, I’ve yet to find something else that makes me feel just as passionate and enthusiastic as the Rockies once did.

Don’t misunderstand me, I know I have lots in my life that I adore and love. I do. I definitely do. I simply want something in my life that produces that same level of passion I felt during my five summers in the Rockies.

Is that so much to ask?

Perhaps that’s what my goal for 2026 should be: Find my passion … again! Because we all need a good dose of passion in our lives, don’t we?

So, here’s to seeking out and finding our passion. I’ll let you know when I re-discover mine. Hope you re-discover yours, as well.

Happy New Year, Everybody!

October 18, 2025

It’s mid-October and anyone who knows me well knows that I do look forward to this particular time of year. Why is that, you may ask. Well, besides it being sweater and scarf season, with the added bonus of beautifully coloured leaves falling everywhere, my favourite annual event takes place just up the highway from my home. That’s  right … it’s time, once again, for the Whistler Writers Festival!

Last year, my attendance at the festival focused more on the social side of things, whereas in previous years, as an aspiring memoirist, the focus was definitely on the writing side of things. I was simply more interested in seeing friends last year (albeit writing friends) than learning new mechanisms to help improve my writing skills. The added bonus was my involvement with the Whistler Independent Book Awards and being on stage to announce the winners.

For this year’s festival, my focus will be even more fine-tuned. In fact, I will not even be attending the entire festival (I know, what a shock!). My 2025 festival role will completely focus on the book awards, meaning I will only be in Whistler for two days. Typically, I’m there for five! I’ll check into my accommodation Thursday afternoon, go nonstop on Friday from morning till night, announcing the 2025 WIBA winners partway through the evening. Saturday will be some official WIBA representation and then I will be returning home for one sleep before driving off in my Jeep early the next morning for a desperately needed off-grid getaway.

Even though I’m going to a BC destination that is fully plugged in for technological communication, I am going to pretend that I am completely off-grid for two whole weeks! When I go to sleep on November 1st, I am turning my phone off. Airplane mode is not enough. I want the device OFF and thrown into the bottom of my luggage. And I won’t turn it back on again until I wake up in my own home in Squamish … two weeks later! Now doesn’t that sound divine?

Last summer, I treated myself to an actual off-grid experience near Kootenay National Park. It was the best getaway EVER. No texts. No emails. No phone calls. No Candy Crush. And no streaming movies on my laptop. I slept, read books, wandered the trails, and sat back on the covered deck and watched Mother Nature do her thing. All the while, letting my mind unwind and unravel. I plan to repeat that overall experience even though the location will be different.
 
This past year, as you know, has been a doozey. The one-year anniversary of my father’s passing is coming up on November 11th. Needless to say, as most of my generation can imagine, a heck of a lot has happened since then. I need to get away. Need to tap out. Need to unravel the emotions that I’ve just been too busy to let unravel. I am going to stock up with healthy food, pack my hiking gear, my winter boots, some red wine, candles, comfy clothes and some good books. Last year at the cabin I read the amazing book, Woman Watching, by Merilyn Simonds. Her latest book, Walking With Beth, is coming with me for this getaway.

I need to rest. I know I do. I need to replenish. I also need to grieve (‘cuz who has had time to do that since last November?). I need to take long rambling walks, and stare out over the mountains, and write and scribble in my journals with my fountain pens. I need space for ME.

For all of us out there who know the value of self-care, I am happily looking forward to being in communicado during the first half of November!

Thanks for reading and catch ya later.