Film review: That Christmas
This year, I’m pleased to report, there’s a new Christmas movie worth the female audience’s time, and it’s called That Christmas. I’m all the more pleased because it gives me hope, coming as it does from an unlikely source; one of its co-writers is Richard Curtis, the writer-director behind Love Actually (2003), a Christmas movie with serious drawbacks, namely the hypersexualization of women and normalization of pornography, promiscuity and fellatio—things most female viewers don’t look for in a Christmas movie. You won’t see any of that in That Christmas, which is as it...
Read MoreSonshine Girls Painting – It’s the details that matter.
Your home is more than just a place to live—it’s where you create memories, find comfort, and feel truly yourself. We understand how important that is, both for you and your family. Whether you’re refreshing a single room or transforming your entire home, painting can be an exciting but sometimes overwhelming project. That’s where we come in. At Sonshine Girls Painting, we believe the process should be as enjoyable as the result. We’re not just about getting paint on walls; we’re about listening to what you need, finding solutions to any concerns, and making sure you feel...
Read MoreDying From or Living With: Cancer Reimagined
My first awareness of cancer as something to fear was when I was eleven and visiting my mother’s parents in New Zealand. We traveled from Montreal, Canada, to spend the holidays with my mother’s parents. It rained a lot during that visit, and my younger brother had a cold. Because he had a cold and because my grandfather was dying from cancer, my grandfather stayed in his room, and we were not allowed to see him, “In case you get him sick,” the adults told us. My grandfather was an engineer with Boeing Airlines, and he, along with the other engineers, was exposed to various chemicals...
Read MoreFilm review: Widow Clicquot
Before today I was unfamiliar with the name Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, didn’t know the story behind the famed champagne Veuve Clicquot. So when I saw the trailer for Widow Clicquot, released earlier this month, my interest was piqued, mainly because it centered around a determined woman who, following her husband’s death—and in spite of opposition from various men—transformed his business and made it a great success. Off to the theatre I dashed, and I doubt I could have found better this weekend. Usually, I’m allergic to British and American films about the French. Seeing...
Read MoreFor the birds
“I would like to paint the way a bird sings“ – Claude Monet Well, I’ve really opened up a can of worms with this topic. Instead of a single piece on birds, methinks when I write that book (!) there will be a whole section of stories devoted to these divine creatures. Perhaps a sweet duckling experience way back in Uni, a creepy Edgar Allan Poe raven moment, 30-eagle rescue in 1988, flying eagles overseas to a new life in England, freakish death-defying eagle love-dance right above my head, adventures with Sam the Myna bird, my Dad the Cardinal, flying dreams. The list goes...
Read MoreWho will care for pets when you are gone?
It’s important to have a plan in place for your pets in case something happens to you. Your pet will likely be distressed without you and would benefit from staying with someone familiar, if they can’t go to a permanent home right away. Each animal has individual needs, and you know your pet best. You should consider who would be the best caregiver for your pet, both temporarily and permanently, if those arrangements are different. Hiring a pet sitter could be a good interim solution if the permanent caregiver isn’t immediately available. You may need to account for...
Read MoreLOST ON TRANSFER BEACH
It sat on the bench, pink canvas, toes scuffed, all alone, Its owner with Daddy, shoeless having been driven home. So safe, so light as he held her hand, Bright with excitement she had run to the sand. Tousled hair, still in her sundress, oh so neat, Sucking her thumb dreaming of sandcastles she fell fast asleep. Somewhere near a six-year-old slept, All through supper his mother kept, Kept asking where he thought his new boots sat? They sit together, straight, a pair that, That left by the change room door. Brown leather, Would be ruined with a coming change of the weather. On a...
Read MoreAre you thinking about downsizing?
Our plans to downsize or “right size” can reflect how well we deal with aging. Older adults often realize they require less space than when their children lived at home. Living in a smaller area, such as moving from a detached house to a condominium or townhouse, can free up time for new activities. While strata fees may seem like an added expense, it’s essential to consider the cost savings of home maintenance. It’s also wise to think ahead and consider mobility issues before they become problematic. Reducing living space can be challenging, especially when fitting...
Read MoreFilm review: Back to Black
Unfamiliar with Amy Winehouse’s music and story as I was, my interest was nevertheless piqued by the trailer for the newly released biopic about the ill-fated British singer-songwriter: Back to Black, which covers her life from the age of 18 to her death from alcohol poisoning at 27 in 2011. Winehouse’s rise to fame coincided with the busiest period of my own life, when I wasn’t bothering with new music. Before watching Back to Black I didn’t research Winehouse or listen to her albums—I just wanted to be entertained for a couple of hours with a bag of popcorn—so the film’s...
Read MoreDriving Dilemma
“The machine of a dream, such a clean machine”. Those are the opening lyrics to I’m in Love with My Car, by Queen, way back in 1975. Man, I love that song. I was pondering the topic of my next prose when, just like magic, it presented itself! I had pulled into Ladysmith’s Sharecare to load up on feed. A large shiny red truck was parked beside me & the fellow was just getting into the cockpit. All of a sudden the engine grunted a loud ‘RUNRUN’ and with screeching tires he backed up onto the road, then sped all of 12 meters to the round red thingy that says STOP in big...
Read MoreMy Last Conscientious Choice to Divest from Fossil Fuels
What will my children be thankful for? They’ll thank me fo making my post-death disposal arrangements. Now if I could just make the arrangements I want, in the province where I was born and will die, British Columbia. I am one of a group of Cowichan Valley women concerned about the environment and the climate emergency as well as the slowness of governments, provincially and federally, to take the courageous and urgent action needed to avert the effects so evident around us. Alkaline Hydrolysis (AH) is legal in PQ, ON, SK, Nfld and Lab, NWT and 24 USA States. What is AH and why choose...
Read MoreFilm review: Wicked Little Letters
Lately I despaired of seeing anything at the theatre that’s worth the female audience’s time. There are a surprising number of horror films currently playing—someone should remind Hollywood that Halloween is still six months away. And a not insignificant number of movies are just the latest installment of popular franchises (e.g. Kung Fu Panda 4, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the fifth installment). Fresh and female viewer-oriented picks are light on the ground this spring. Then I discovered Wicked Little Letters would be released this month, an R-rated comedy that combines two of my...
Read MoreM&M Food Market offers Online ordering and Delivery options for Prepared Meals!
My name is Jessica Turner, my husband and I run 2 of the M&M Food Markets here in Victoria. We wanted to reach out and re-introduce our store and its offerings to the community. M&M Food market has hundreds of healthy frozen prepared meals to choose from that are perfect for individuals or families looking for variety in their diet and some help cooking on those nights when you just don’t feel like doing it all from scratch! Many seniors have found that M&M meals are an affordable way to get high quality, healthy, prepared meals delivered to their homes. M&M has committed to...
Read MoreTHE TOILET GODS MUST BE ANGRY
Ah summertime; the time of year that usually presents lazy days, soaking up sun, sand, and other pleasantness, away from the work-a-day world of finance and high-stress madness that usually rules our lives. OK, not so much finance but high-stress madness was our daily visitor. We used to have a boat; a lovely, converted gillnetter. We enjoyed wonderful stress-free summers onboard, but, that first maiden summer voyage managed to deliver some very important lessons. That first long trip we took our friends, Lyle and Mary with us to Desolation Sound, a long-held desire for Bill, along with our...
Read MorePut your paperwork in order; leave a legacy – not a mess!
There are many financial aspects to getting your affairs in order. In addition to documenting your real and personal property, you may have business interests, outstanding debts and liabilities, monthly donations and subscriptions, and bill payments to consider. A significant risk for an executor generally comes from mishandled income tax matters. Therefore, it is also important to document all tax-related instructions for your executor. When loans to family or friends are not documented, or there was an expectation for repayment that did not occur, bad feelings and even conflict may arise...
Read MoreAnother Labour of Love
The problem is that those of us who are lucky enough to do work that we love are sometimes cursed with too damn much of it. Terry Gross, JournalistI sure don’t want to jinx us but lemme just say…I’m hoping that the cold has snapped and skedaddled away. I should know by now not to be smug thinking that I’m prepared and can relax. Such has proven true with grape vine and fruit tree pruning, weeding, harvest, mulching and especially cold snap water prep. I’ve written previously about the Honey-Do List, that roster of once-hidden wishful-thinking items that Laurie had compiled; those...
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