-44 C, I'm told. The coldest I've seen was at 8:30 this morning, -42C, so it was almost certainly colder than that overnight. For those of you who do temperature in Farenheit, -40 is precisely the same on either scale. Freakin' cold! Both vehicles are dead (or at least in a deep deep hibernation state), … Continue reading What January Brings
Author: SweetEstherChronicles
My name is Elise and my husband Randy and I bought a 1982 Westfalia and named her SweetEsther .... that one wonderfully impulsive decision has changed everything!
Christmas at Our House
In the past, Christmas preparations meant baking and decorating and parties and menu planning ... this year it meant get that dishwasher hooked up and the 'guest room' emptied out and all the reno tools down to the cellar. In between that, we had a ton of stove pellets (a literal ton) to deal with, … Continue reading Christmas at Our House
Cluttering
I just read an awesome blog post by a Canadian writer, a tongue-in-cheek take on de-cluttering. Or the opposite, really. Anyway, it made me laugh and it made me think about the literal piles of stuff accumulating directly behind me as I sit here writing. Because we brought all our worldly goods with us when … Continue reading Cluttering
Invisible Disability Syndrome
Living with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) while travelling in a Volkswagon van in hot weather presents a few challenges. But here's an issue that is not so obvious. The front doors are wide, very wide. They require a lot of space to open fully. If you don't open them fully, it is still possible to exit … Continue reading Invisible Disability Syndrome
Trick of Treat!
We bought more candy this afternoon, in a quasi-panic moment. Good thing we did, too! It's a mild day, no rain, no snow, no snowsuits -- that's a real thing this far north, and kids aren't crazy about trick-or-treating in their snowsuits. But this evening is a lot of fun with way more kids at … Continue reading Trick of Treat!
Useless, But Not Pointless
Voting was a big deal with my father. He had strong opinions and he expressed them . . . strongly, for sure. But the biggest deal with him was not how I was voting, but that I was voting. On my 18th birthday, he was on my case to get registered with the voters list. "What if … Continue reading Useless, But Not Pointless
Tale of a Small Town Cow
I walked into the Anonymous Art Show this afternoon at the Burrard Market, hoping to find a painting by one of my favourite local artists, expecting to be wowed by well-crafted landscapes, meaningful abstracts. Maggie greeted us at the door with her signature smile, bright and genuine and enthusiastic. I walked up one side of … Continue reading Tale of a Small Town Cow
All’s Well That Ends Well
I started well. When I got up this morning, Hubby had lit the pellet stove before he left the house for work, so none of that early-morning chill for me...Who am I fooling? I don't do early mornings, I barely do mornings anymore. Still, it was some degree of morning and it was cozy, instead … Continue reading All’s Well That Ends Well
Goodbye Summer
September has come gently this year. Temperatures in the mid 20's (that's Celsius) and lovely, easy days. This morning I looked out the window and noted that the cottonwoods by the creek have just begun to turn. It's going to be another beautiful autumn. This summer was a weird one. No mosquitoes, no wildfire smoke, … Continue reading Goodbye Summer
Tasty Things That Go ‘Pop!’ in the Night
It's just a little past 1 o'clock in the morning. I'm sitting here listening for the sweet sweet sound of canning jars going 'pop!' as the lids seal. That's 5 so far, and each one gives me a little thrill. They're just 7 small jars of spiced crab apples, music to my ears. … Continue reading Tasty Things That Go ‘Pop!’ in the Night
