Boosted!

Happy to receive my second booster this week. Thanks to our friends at Walker’s on Clarence.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad

In his 95th year and still going! A cool, cloudy day today so we’re saving the Dairy Queen shakes for a warmer afternoon.

Sometimes I see things

Watch for this whistling tree in the median on 8th Street. He’s holding a bouquet.

Back in the saddle

My 113th blood donation after a little hiatus during the pandemic. Here’s what Mayor Charlie says in his blog. “Let’s beat the Queen City: During the month of June, Saskatoon and Regina will be in another challenge against each other. This time, we’re out for blood. There are roughly 2400 open appointments in Saskatoon available to make a donation of blood. 1 in 2 people are eligible to donate, yet only 1 in 81 actually do. Help save lives and consider booking an appointment in June.”

Our family has another reason to take a pause and donate blood right now. My brother-in-law Jim is in hospital in Indiana after an accident last week. This one is dedicated to him, and all those who are in need of lifesaving blood. It’s literally – I mean literally – life saving. It’s a simple simple act that can make such a big life changing difference for someone in need. Like my big brother-in-law Jim.

Good humans

This is timely given it’s Pride Week. I have so much respect for this batch of friends in Toronto. My pal Jessica met Matt at a time in his life when he needed some serious friendship, and their story shows what a life-changer a little concern, connection and compassion can be. Check out their story here. Below, a couple of photos of these forever friends. The nice twist to this story is that someone with an intellectual disability can be the driver for positive in someone else’s life, not the stereotypical always recipient of help and good deeds. Everyone needs to be the reason behind affirming things in someone else’s life now and then. Good people all around.

Summer is here!

And we were just getting used to spring. The Summer issue of Saskatoon HOME is out with a little bit of everything for readers. Model trains, a backyard oasis, an extraordinary pool, tips on turning your gardens into a pollinator paradise, tricks on using a fantastic new invention – the air fryer – and a little botulism thrown in for good measure. Pick up your copy at any one of several racks in the city or, better yet, get a subscription so HOME gets to your home four times a year without fail.

Signs of spring

No one image captures what spring is like in Saskatoon, so here’s my selection to welcome the season after a long, cold winter of isolation. There’s the iconic crocus at the swale, a sudden snowfall after our return from California (just to show us who’s boss), nighttime street cleaning, dingoes at the zoo basking in spring sunshine, Jim’s May birthday, nanking cherry blossoms, a walk at Peturrson’s Ravine (watch out for ticks this year!), garden planting, the discovery once again of the dreaded red lily beetle in the backyard, the delivery of our annual beehive, complete this year with some spectacular bee stings for our beekeeper, along with some tick picking. The first cone from Dairy Queen on 8th Street, the neighbours’ tulips on glorious display, and some samples of Ukraine solidarity. Enjoy the season. It goes by quickly!