2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the powerful magnitude 6.5 earthquake that hit the tourist town of Puerto Plata. I figured after two decades, now, was a good time to share my experience of what it was like to be a tourist in the epicenter of it all. The island of Hispaniola is home to Haiti and …
Continue reading What’s it Like to be in a Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake? Remembering Puerto Plata 2003
I’ve never been out East. Every time I travel within Canada, for some reason I head to the West coast. I’ve never travelled further east than Montreal, Quebec. So, when an amazing deal pop up on Lynx Air, I pounced on the $99 return flight to St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador. I tend to travel …
I’m researching my Irish roots via my 2x grandfather, Patrick James Mullen. My updated DNA origins have provided me with some further insight into my Irish roots. The recent update has really narrowed the percentage of Irish I have in my DNA, my current ethnicity estimate is 6%, but it can range from 0-14%, the range …
Continue reading On Genealogy: My Irish ‘Patrick James Mullen’ Eyes are Smiling
I had my heart set on locating the abandoned City of Paris/No. 7 mine. Not Paris France, Paris BC. Never hard of it? Neither had I until I moved to Big White, BC for the summer and was looking for another urbex adventure. Development of the City of Paris Mine began in 1898 and by …
Some call them the best band of all time, others call them the most overrated band on earth. Whichever side of the coin you fall on, you can’t help but respect and appreciate the music of The Rolling Stones. I can’t remember the first time I heard a Stones song, what I do know …
I needed a getaway, a short escape to clear my head and refocus, when just by happenstance, my friend Jacques called and told me he was just about to complete his 3-month stint working at the Fairmount Jasper Park Lodge (JPL) in Jasper, Alberta. Photo Taken in the Great Hall You don't get what you …
I assumed I had some Scottish in me given my 2x great-grandparents last names are McKenzie and Leckie. I just recently received my updated DNA estimates via Ancestry and this lit a little fire under me to finally document my proud Scottish pedigree. Ancestry DNA Estimate With its center in the northern third of the island …
Ok, ok, so I’m related to the Royal Family, no need to get all excited … so is pretty much everyone with any amount of Anglo-Saxon blood. If you're new to my blog, I write a lot on my genealogy and, in light of Prince Andrew's latest Royal scandal, I thought I'd blog about that. …
Continue reading On Genealogy: His Royal Highness, Prince Andrew, Duke of York & Me
You wouldn't know it was a cold war fallout bunker, especially when on the front of the building there's a sign that reads Kitchener-Waterloo Rowing on the front of it. I’ve lived here all my life, but for a few years, and had I not known of its existence from stories, I’d be none the …
This is an update to genealogy blog #4 which featured my great grand father, Émile Lamothe, whom I called grand-pépère Lamothe (original blog has been deleted). It was originally posted on June 3, 2017 and I’ve since come across some new photos and information that I want to document and update his story. Cleophas Émile Lamothe (he …
Continue reading On Genealogy: The Life of WWI Pte. Émile Lamothe
I've driven this stretch of road a couple times now and in all honesty, it's a long haul and I wasn't much looking forward to it. Driving straight it is about 26 hours, give or take, especially that due to COVID-19 travel restrictions we cannot cross the US border. That way would shave off about …
Continue reading SUV Camping – Manitoba to South Western Ontario
Gimli is the cultural heartland of Icelanders in Manitoba and the country as a whole. Gimli’s first European settlers were Icelanders who were part of the New Iceland settlement in Manitoba. In Norse mythology Gimli is known as the most beautiful place in the after life, where only the worthy will be transported after death. …
Continue reading Amazing Feat of Flying: Visiting the Gimli Glider!
I was driving to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (say that 10 times fast) to visit some friends. As I traveled down Highway 16, about 55 km on the other side of Yorkton (from Manitoba) when a domed roof of an old Ukrainian Orthodox church peek out on the right side just over the horizon. It was fairly …
Continue reading Urbex: The Little Ghost Town of Insinger, Saskatchewan
It is the JFK assassination of my generation. It's like asking where were you when Elvis died. An event so big that it defines a generation. So significant and relevant that no matter what else you may forget in your lifetime, this event is forever etched in your brain. September 11, 2001 was the day …
There were few staples in Churchill that I stuck to in addition to eating in, mainly because they were conveniently located close to my B&B ... and they were open. It's a small town, things close early also capacity and hours vary due to the current COVID-19 state. So without further ado, let's check out the …
There are so many adventures to be had in this little town of less than 1,000 …. take in as many as you POSSIBLY CAN … you don’t wanna miss a thing. I stayed for 5 nights and I still had things I wasn't able to do that I wanted to ... I guess that …
Continue reading On Travel: Exploring The Marvels of Churchill, Manitoba!
I can't speak directly to other hotels, inns or B&Bs. However, I can say with absolute certainty that my experience in Churchill was greatly enhanced because of my B&B hosts. I couldn't imagine my trip without them being part of it. I want to share as much as I can about where I stayed because …
Continue reading On Travel: Where I Stayed in Churchill is a Must Stay!
Churchill, Manitoba is as close to a frontier town as there is in Canada. Churchill is Manitoba’s northernmost community, and is located where the boreal forest meets the tundra, on the shores of Hudson Bay, bordering the newest Canadian territory of Nunavut. The town sits on a narrow point of land bound by the ocean …
Continue reading On Travel: Last Stop, Churchill – My Journey to the Far North
After three quarters of a century in the Cambridge area of Waterloo Region, the pins fell for the last time at this bowling alley on May 7, 2017. The longtime family business sold the land to a developer, who plans to build apartments. The developer ran into financial problems and the site has been …
Continue reading Urbex: Exploration of an Abandoned Bowling Alley
It has been a hot minute since I’ve posted … I’ve been embroiled in a landlord/tenant matter, wherein I repossessed my home from crappy tenants and have spent the better part of the last 6 weeks renovating it - they left it in such a shambles (ugh) … I’ll post on that separately, they completely …
Continue reading Urbex: The Ongoing Story of the Eccentric Pastor Lee House
I haven't blogged in a long while, and while I'm at a dead end in another line of my tree, I decided to do more research on the Cornells. I wondered if it was the same "Cornell" that is synonymous with the Ivy League American University - Cornell. My fifth cousin 6 times removed OR …
Continue reading On Genealogy: MY Relation to Ezra CORNELL – Founder of Cornell University
In this blog, we are exploring the abandoned Stoll Strawberry Farm in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. It is a more recent abandon, 2017. We came upon this find as a "trade" with another urbexer. The video version of this urbex can be viewed here. We only had time to explore the house, we were …
Continue reading Urbex: Exploring an Abandoned Strawberry Farm
This past weekend we explored the well-known urbex site - the Pastor Lee House in Haldimand County, Ontario. It's been abandoned forever, has unfortunately been "trashed" and is still a time capsule of bizarre oddities. The video accompaniment to this blog can be viewed here. Trust me it's worth the watch! We spent a couple …
Continue reading Urbex: The Truest Story About the Abandoned & Eccentric Pastor Lee House
Overview Added to Centre Wellington heritage list map January 2021. Located at the north corner of **th Line East and Sideroad **. Lot **, Concession ** of Pilkington Twp. There are two L4C2s, one on the east side of the Grand River and one on the west (E and W). CN Fergus Subdivision ran through …
Continue reading Urbex: Abandoned 1867 Heritage Farmhouse Explore
The Lookout Inn is situated just south of North Bay, in Callander, Ontario. It used to be a hotel with a dining area and patio overlooking Lake Nipissing. The two buildings became a popular destination for vandals over the next decade. The well known and unique resort in Callander officially re-opened its doors to the public in 2017. They …
Continue reading Urbex: Northern Ontario Abandoned Hotel Explore!
Who doesn't LOVE a good pair of UGGs (or UGG look alikes)? I'm on my third pair -- this pair is an UGG Classic Short II - super comfy, I can't imagine my life without a pair of UGGs in them! And, let's be real, UGGs aren't on the cheap side either, with a price …
Continue reading YES, I Washed my UGGS in the Washing Machine!
Another awesome #urbex today - I was able to find not 1, not 2 but 3 abandoned farm houses to explore. I actually located 6-7 in a little cluster in Milton/Oakville - but am only going to post about these 3 today. IF YOUR INTERESTED IN SEEING THE VIDEO VERSION OF THIS POST - CLICK …
Continue reading Urbex: Exploring 3 Abandoned Farm Houses in 1 DAY!
This weekend I did another awesome urban explore at an old abandoned factory in town. I’m not gonna share the exact location. You may think it’s ridiculous to not share the location of a place you’ve explored. It is an abandoned building after all, what’s the big deal? The reason I don’t share location information …
Continue reading Urbex: Exploring a Well Known Meat Processing Plant!
On the coldest day registered this year, my friend Thomas and I decided to stay local for our #urbex and decided to explore an abandoned factory in town. It has been abandoned for decades and I drive by it quite regularly, for some reason it never occurred to me to explore it .... so 2 …
In February 2020, I pushed myself beyond the limits of what I saw as possible. I showed up for myself and others in my community a part of a group of devoted hikers who set out on a 24-hour, 65 km non-stop trek, across Waterloo Region, in the dead of winter to raise awareness of …
Before getting into the meat of this post, it’s important to understand blood typing. Interestingly, 85% of the world’s population are Rh+ and only 15% are Rh-. Most of us don’t know our blood type (if you don’t, I strongly encourage you to find out, it’s so important, especially if you require a blood transfusion). …
Continue reading Rh- Alien Blood,Royal Blue Bloods and My Linage to King John I
I always thought I was special, a Princess you might say, and now I have a little weight behind me to back it up, my 24th great grand-father was King Louis VIII of France. And this discovery, has just set my whole genealogical dig in a whole new wild direction; an astronomical connection all the way …
Continue reading On Genealogy: MY ROYAL CONNECTION to King Louis VIII of France
While I was laying around a few weeks ago, I binged watched the TLC show Extreme Cheapskates. It's an American reality tv series that profiles the lives of those who take frugality to an extreme. Now, let's all be real here and accept that a lot of it appears to be staged and scripted. It may be …
Continue reading Saving Money is Great. Saving Lots of Money is Even Better.
It's been 3 months since I last posted. It feels good to be back to be posting again, thank you for being patient with me, as I worked through the new world as we know it. If you're a follower you know that one of my favourite pastimes is exploring abandoned buildings/relics. While in British …
Continue reading Urbex: Abandoned Farm House, North Wellington
𝕄𝕪 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕘 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕦𝕡 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟 𝕀 𝕒𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕪𝕖𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕖𝕡𝕥! In 2018 I posted a blog on an up-and-coming Toronto rapper, who since, has gained the love and respect of many a fan ... to the tune of nearly 20,000,000 downloads on Spotify ALONE! His first album Hou I Am …
Continue reading I Can’t Believe They Took Your Life -Toronto Rapper Houdini 🎩 😭
A couple of days ago, I posted a blog on my exploration of the abandoned 102 year old smelter in Greenwood (Anaconda) BC - what a cool experience! If you haven't had a chance to read that blog - click here. This blog will document our journey from Big White, BC to Greenwood, BC - …
Continue reading On Travel: Awesome Day Trip! Big White, BC to Greenwood, BC
Did the coolest thing yesterday! I explored the BC Copper Company Smelter Ruins in Greenwood, British Columbia (BC). IT'S BEEN ABANDONED FOR 102 YEARS! The weather on Big White (Mountain) called for rain all day, that was the perfect opportunity for a day trip! Initially planned to head to Penticton, BC and the weather was …
Continue reading Urbex: 102 Year Old Abandoned BC Copper Company Smelter Ruins
COVID-19 social distancing walk and I'm out and about in the great city of Kelowna, British Columbia (BC). Whilst living up on Big White, a trip down to Kelowna would not be complete without taking the time to search for the legendary Ogopogo who reputedly resides in Okanagan Lake. Lake Okanagan is about 400 kms east of …
Continue reading Monster Hunt: My Search for the Ogopogo Lake Monster
COVID-19 Week 8 Update. Never one to stay down, always one to turn a breakdown into a breakthrough. This time is no different! If you're a regular to my blog, you'll know that my 12 month adventure of a lifetime all over South East Asia (SEAsia) has been "postponed" due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. …
Continue reading COVID-19: Turning a Breakdown Into a Breakthrough
How are you fairing during the COVID-19 pandemic? Have you ever seen anything like this? We've gone through SARS (2002-2003), the Swine Flu (2009-2010), Ebola (2014-2016), MERS (2012 - present) AND nothing of this proportion, this magnitude. Have we ever witnessed anything quite like what we’re living through with this pandemic? I'm now at day …
Continue reading COVID-19: Day 19 … How Long is this Gonna Last?
In the words of sexy hotness, Matthew McConaughey, "alright alright alright". It's been a hot minute since I've posted ... so I just want to bring you all up to date on the current lay of the land -> the status of my year long adventure to South East Asia, the COVID-19 pandemic and the …
" If you want to be tougher mentally, it is simple: be tougher. Don't meditate on it" ~ Jocko Willink I love this quote, it’s simple. Don’t think about it, just BE IT! Most of us spend too much time thinking and not enough time doing. We spend more time being bystanders in our own lives and …
Continue reading Be Stronger Than Any Excuse You Sell Yourself!
There are people in the world who are not as fortunate as we are. They are plagued with instability, mental health issues and deserve to be treated with respect. They’re human. I’m not sharing this story to highlight myself, just to show that one little thing can mean the world to someone. I was at …
Continue reading In a World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind!
I've been nursing a flu/cold since last Thursday. And, while I feel much better than I did at the onset, I leave on my 12 month adventure in 2.5 months and my health is one of the only things that matter to me at the moment. I need to be in top health before I …
Continue reading My Journey Through The World of Functional Medicine Pt 3
Today we venture into part deux of my journey to restoring good health. Since I last updated you, I've received the results of two things: the blood work that my medical doctor requested to investigate my level of fatigue i.e. I have had significant anemia in the past and he queried my thyroid function. …
Continue reading My Journey Through The World of Functional Medicine Pt 2
Ugh, I've been dragging my butt so hard lately *again* and if I'm being honest, it's been a lot of months, like 6-7 or so! I just thought I was exhausted and burning the candles at both ends and that it would pass (I need to learn to listen to myself better). If you're reading …
Continue reading My Journey Through The World of Functional Medicine Pt 1
It feels just not too long ago I had posted that I was traveling all over South East Asia and here it is ONLY 4.5 months away! I can hardly believe it! I have changed my departure date so many times - it was originally end of February and then I had postponed it to …
I've seen a lot of buzz on the internet lately about some version of the post below - some positive and others negative - and neither are right or wrong - it's all a matter of perspective and opinions depending on how you view the world. I am of the belief that as individuals we …
“You have the life you're willing to put up with". Think about it, what are the problems of those heinous dark shadows currently spoiling the warmth and happiness of your otherwise blissful life? 🎯 Do you hate your job? 🎯 Are you in a bad relationship? 🎯 Is there something wrong with your health? Fine! Get a new …
Continue reading You Have the Life You’re Willing to Put Up With
So, you think you can’t do something? You’re too scared? 😱. You can, you are scared AND do it anyway! Anyone who knows me knows I’m deathly afraid of heights. Ask my kids how I am when we take off on a plane. Ask them which one’s hand used to hurt worse from the nail marks …
I spent last weekend in New York City (NYC), I was attending a leaders course in Manhattan with 350 of the eastern seaboard's most brilliant, inspirational beings, like no kidding - this powerful group is up to big things! While we were out and about enjoying our lunch break, we spent some time walking about …
Continue reading What’s The Connection Between INTEGRITY and LITTERING?
I have a ton of obsessions -- an obsession with lip chap, an obsession with recycling, an obsession with traveling, with being right (kidding) and an obsession with true crime. What is it about serial killers that fascinates huge swaths of the population? What really happened to JonBenét Ramsay? Where is Madeleine McCann? Did Michael …
I really hope you've all been awesome and living your best lives! I just got in not too long ago from dinner with one of my good friend's who is home for a visit from Japan - she and her family moved there 2 years ago on a work assignment and I haven't been able …
These egg muffins are loaded with all your breakfast favourites! Perfect for busy mornings and quick on the go snacks ... I've been eating a lot of eggs lately and was looking for a way to change up the ways I'm cooking them, and decided to go back to an old fan favourite. Recipe makes …
I never used to think this way. I used to be of the belief that I wanted the great house, the awesome vehicle, a closet full of name brand clothes - have a Louis Vuitton on my shoulder and Louboutin’s on my feet ... I have all that and more. And, guess what? .... it …
It's Monday night, I just competed my coaching call, did some work, just finished some research on a new project I'm working on .... and about 5 days ago I finished a 3 day JUICE CLEANSE ... I've done juice cleanses in the past, but, honestly it's been a hot minute since I did my …
⚠️ I am a ridiculously PASSIONATE person, I don't think that anyone who knows me would disagree. That works to my advantage the majority of the time and at times to my disadvantage ... sometimes I need to be dialled down or be more mindful in the way that I communicate 💬 my passion, and, it's …
IT'S DAY 10/10 and I could keep going with my list of gratitudes ... but I'll wrap the posts at 10, as promised. Randy Travis wrote a song years ago called My Heart Cracked ... some of the lyrics go: Shattered dreams, lay everywhere Broken promises, are all we share I finally took, all I …
Continue reading 10 days of gratitude: day 10 – MY BIG BEAUTIFUL HEART!
DAY 9 - the 2nd last day of things that I am grateful for .... it’s able, it’s healthy, it's responsive and it's mine ... ... today I am grateful for my body. It takes a lot for me to actually say that. Like most women, I became down on myself for having gained …
Today's blog is going to be quick and very to the point ... I woke up, felt the warm sun on my face after a long winter, I see the trees trying to bloom their first leaves ... and it hit me, I'm grateful for THAT! I simple act of nature, and I'm grateful for …
.... we all make them, non intentional - oversights. Today I focus on being grateful for my mistakes Made perhaps via clouded judgment, your perspective of the world, opening your mouth when you should have thought beforehand or that stupid phone call or text. WE ALL MAKE THEM AND GUESS WHAT YOU'LL MAKE MORE ... …
This morning I woke up, made my tea with my shiny red kettle, poured it into my large Starbucks mug, sat in my lovely sea-foam green chair in my lovely new condominium, with my MacBook Air to write this blog. After which, I will put on my Canada Goose jacket and Ralph Lauren boots and …
Continue reading 10 days of gratitude: day 6 – MY BELONGINGS!
I'm 1/2 way through my 10 days of gratitude with this post! It hasn't been hard at all finding things to be grateful for ... Post #5 is about the people in my life who have had an impact, in ways some people have no idea that they even have. Some people are just so …
Ok, we are onto day 4 TODAY, I have so many things to be grateful for - we all do - we just have to take stock of everything little thing - things don't always have to move mountains to be significant enough to be grateful for - in fact for me it's quite the …
Continue reading 10 days of gratitude: day 4 – MY CHARACTER!
How are we feeling today for Day 3 of our 10 days of GRATITUDE? Today's #3 can certainly be difficult to think of in gratitude especially when we're down in the dumps, we've had our heart broken, lost a loved one or even got passed over for a job we really wanted. #3 takes a …
Continue reading 10 days of gratitude: day 3 – MY SITUATION!
Welcome to day 2 of practicing gratitude ... Thanks for joining me along my gratitude journey. It always feels more productive for me to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys in this case). There's obviously a reason counsellors will suggest journalling, it just feels good to get it out there! I've been practicing …
I've been trying to figure out what to write about next. I wasn't into researching any more on my family tree. But, I have been spending some time determining what I wanted to do the first month of my move to SEAsia (next year - woo hoo!). Enter INDIA, I have been wanting to spend …
It's dreary and rainy out today, and I don't wanna get out of bed. Since I am taking a bit of a break from traveling, I thought I'd focus more so on the Genealogy part of my blog ... I still have so many lines that I need to "EXPLORE". I select which one to …
Continue reading On Genealogy: My Connection to Explorer, Louis Joliet!
As you know, I'm a genealogy nut, or more like nerd. I love working on my family tree, although in the past 6-8 months I've barely looked at it more or less worked on it. I can't even remember the last genealogy blog I posted (hang on let me check --- other than a quick …
Continue reading On Genealogy: Updated DNA Ethnicity Estimate
I've been back from Vietnam for about 2 weeks now. I have to admit it's been tough being back - to the cold, the snow, back to working 9-5, not traveling ... Today I want to share a little about my overall experience in Vietnam. What I loved, things I wished I had done and …
Continue reading On Travel: Vietnam – What I Loved and Didn’t Love
As I write this, I'm home, in bed, it's 3:00 AM and I cannot sleep. My body still thinks it's 3:00 PM, jet lag sucks! So I thought, what better time than to start my layover in China 🇨🇳 blog. The process was a lot easier than I imagined, so I thought I'd share in …
Continue reading On Travel: 24-hour Transit Into Guangzhou, China Without Visa
tạm biệt Việt Nam Today, I left Vietnam. The country I have come to love over the last 3.5 weeks It’s a mix of emotions having to go back to Canada. I’ll miss it there, I'll miss exploring, the food, the culture, the adventuring and of course, my eldest daughter. On the other hand, I’m …
lời chào hỏi! I'm into my third week traveling through Vietnam. It has been such an experience - one that I am so glad I decided to undertake - I've learned so much about myself during this trip. I've learned to push myself outside of my comfort zone by: 1) traveling solo for the first …
Continue reading On Travel: Vung Tau and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Xin chào! I hope all is WELL with all of you ---- I'm continuing my travels through Vietnam this week - in Đà Nẵng and the ancient city of Hội An. I am more than pleased with my trip to Vietnam to date. It's truly a beautiful country, steeped in a long difficult history …
I'd been planning this trip for months -> months of research, watching YouTube vlogs, booking hotels, finding places to sightsee- which cities to visit? What to see while I was there? Did I want to start in the North and travel South or vice versa? I decided to fly into Ha Noi and travel South …
#dryjanuary, have you heard of it? Dry January is a public health campaign urging people to abstain from alcohol for the month of January. I just heard about it in December and thought "why not!" So, Why Ditch The Alcohol? Millions of people pledge to ditch the booze every January! Participants testify to how great …
I remember watching Three Men and a Baby when it came out in 1987. I was 13 years old. It was right up there for me that year along with Dirty Dancing, Labamba, Throw Mama from the Train and Teen Wolf Too! Awww, those were the good ol' days, weren't they? For people of a …
Continue reading Remember That Baby From Three Men and a Baby?
Original post (Head to the bottom to see the concerts I attended in 2018) I love MUSIC and to me there's nothing better than going to a concert. Last year I wrote a blog counting all of my concerts and I wanted to continue that list - so I have updated it here in this …
UPDATE: Originally posted on June 22, 2017 (that post has since been deleted) IT’S A SOGGY, DREARY AND WET ONE OUT THERE AS I WRITE TODAY … EVER SO FITTING AS TODAY’S BLOG FOCUSSES ON MY ENGLISH ROOTS AND FOLLOWS MY PATERNAL GRAND MOTHER’S, FATHER’S SIDE. I HAVEN’T WRITTEN EXCLUSIVELY ABOUT THEM, BUT I HAVE …
I remember a time long before Netflix, Amazon Red, Zulu, YouTube Channels and Android Boxes when Summer was the worst time of the year for TV - months of repeats until the Fall schedule started ... Then again, I also remember a time that your cable box was connected to your TV by a cable …
Dad,Every November 18th since 2014 is a painful reminder of your absence in my life. I wish I could turn back time and live out every single day of my life as if it were a grand celebration of you. Had we only known you’d be taken from us so soon and so unexpectedly 😭.I …
Continue reading Dad, It’s Been 4 Years and I Still Miss You Soooo Much💔
I was taking a walk with the dog today around my neighbourhood - I moved back to KW just over a year ago. I was born and raised here. Did a 5 year stint in Toronto (Toronto proper, not the GTA - at Dufferin and St. Clair) and then spent 2 years in Manitoba - …
I wanted to share authentically with you today for #supersoulsunday I’m often told by people “you’re so strong” , “you’ve been through so much, and have come through the other side better”, “I wish I had your strength”, “you look great for your age" (and thank you, I think I do too - for any …
Originally posted on December 31, 2017 UPDATE: Sooooo, I'm finally finished Season 11 and I was able to watch the episode that was shot down the street from me in September of 2017. I'll explain a bit the scene I was there for. By the point that I arrived Yannick's scene had already been shot …
Continue reading On Set: Update – Murdoch Mysteries Was Shooting in my Hometown …
Good afternoon, good morning or good evening folks, wherever you're reading this from. I'm writing this today from beautiful British Columbia (BC) - it's so true that they immortalize it on their license plates. I'm out here visiting my youngest daughter and her boyfriend who moved here a few months ago to enjoy a …
Continue reading On Travel: Beautiful Vancouver, BC and Area
A bit ago I posted a blog called On Health: My 30 Day Trial of the Whole Food Plant Based Diet, I've long since completed my 30 day trial of a whole food, plant based (WFPB) diet. I promised you all an update .... So, here are a few of my take aways from that …
Continue reading On Health: Update – Whole Food Plant Based Diet
Today I'm chatting with HOUDINI - a rapper from Toronto, Ontario (aka The 6). I came across his music earlier this year, when I heard his feature on Came to Conquer with Northside Benji. At that time he was still going by the stage name daHoudini. This kid's got something special, I promise you, he's gonna …
Continue reading Exclusive Interview With Up-And-Coming Rapper – Houdini
I haven't written a blog on genealogy in what feels like a long while. We've been going through a bit of a heat wave in Southwestern Ontario the last few days, it's cooler and less humid today at around 25 Celsius. For the better part of the last week, it has been hitting near 40 …
Continue reading On Genealogy: Willis Carrier – One COOL Dude!
I have such diverse interests ... although I love fashion, and makeup and dressing nicely in name luxury brand clothes, a huge part has "nerd" labeled all over me, and I'm most definitely not offended by it, I've embraced my inner nerdiness. One of the things I am obsessed about are documentaries --- other than …
If you're new to following my blog (thank you for supporting my journey, I do truly appreciate each of my followers -and please feel free to tell a friend, I try to keep my topics relevant and authentic to me as a person and life), then you likely know that I am .... wait for it …
Continue reading On Dreams: my plans to move to south east asia
It's been a while since my last blog entry, I've been feeling so many different things lately, and as I started to type I thought I was actually going to talk about empty nest syndrome, or my plans to move to South East Asia in a few years ... but as I started - I …
Continue reading On Health: Why I’m Choosing Complimentary Care
It's miserable out as I write this - it's cold and snowing. To think, just yesterday I was in Cuba and today ... back to reality. I hadn't been to Cuba in about 17 years, but my best memory is that of an aqua blue ocean, sugar-white beaches and mojitos, so, I was anxious to …
Last week myself along with about 19 other colleagues started a trial whole food, plant based (WFPB) diet. The trial is for one month, and we are to stick to the diet with a rule of 80/20. 8 days in and I am starting to believe more than ever that so much of what we …
Continue reading On Health: My 30 day Trial of the Whole Food, Plant Based Diet
I took a bit of a break from my close relatives because I found another interesting leaf hint and decided to follow it. I saw this one before, but, I felt I would have to do a lot of research so I passed. Then I came across something else on the same person and decided …
Continue reading On Genealogy: The Loyalist, The Spy and The American Revolution
This line continues down my maternal grand-mother side. This is the story of my great great gramma and grampa on my grandma's dad's side. This is the story of Louis Napoléon Allard and Eva Beaulieu. Louis' Birth Louis Napoléon Allard was born on/about November 24, 1874, in Curran, Ontario to Marie Louise Gariepy, age 20, and …
Continue reading On Genealogy: My 2x Grand-Parents – Louis Allard & Eva Beaulieu
I've been trying to determine where next to follow my ancestry line to and which line to write about. Instead of writing about some distant relative, I thought I'd start writing with those a bit closer to me and write backward. I am going to start with my great grand parents on my mom's …
Continue reading On Genealogy: My Maternal Great Grand-Parents: Palma Duchesne & Laurette Allard
My first blog of 2018 .... and it's a recipe. I'm in crunch mode - I'm taking the kids and I to Cuba in no less than 5 weeks ..... The other day, I had the sweetest tooth after dinner and immediately after eating a yummy healthy dinner, I dug right into a Caramel Sea Salt …
Continue reading Recipe: Unguilty Pleasure – Yummy Protein Cake in a Cup
It's UFC night here at the house, it's also New Years Eve Eve - the boys are watching UFC and I'm blogging my second to last entry of the year. I'm into UFC but am truly waiting for the Cyborg vs Holly Holm fight. Not that this has anything at all in common with UFC …
Continue reading On Set: Murdoch Mysteries Was Shooting in my Hometown …
It's 5 minutes to midnight I just sat down for the 1st time since 1:00 PM. The last thing on my to do list was make the Christmas fave ... Ambrosia Salad. I make this EVERY year for my mom, she loves it. Of course the kids love it too - I mean who doesn't …
Who Are the Filles du roi? Most Canadians are familiar with the King's Daughters'/Filles du roi, especially those with French descent. If you aren't familiar, they were some 700 women who arrived in the colony of New France (Canada) between 1663 and 1673, under the financial sponsorship of King Louis XIV of France. Most were …
Continue reading On Genealogy: Filles du roi – Descendant of Jeanne-Claude De Boisandré
My Better Life 