Quantifying your bonus
So it’s official. House prices in the County have been escalating at a rate even faster than in Metro Toronto, Ottawa, Peterborough, Niagara-on- the-Lake and the Muskokas, According to PEC Affordable Housing Corporation president Chuck Dowdall, the average sale price in March was $821,000—an increase year over year of nearly $250,000— not a bad return […]
Read, Write, Re-Read
I have heard libraries and booksellers are busier than they’ve ever been since the Pandemic hit. That’s got to be a good thing, right? I think it must be. When all of the isolating and locking down began, I was at a loss about what I could do to fill the days. Reading has helped. […]
The Stress of Commemoration
When our good friend Bill Wightman died in 2017, we wanted to remember him with the planting of a tree. And eventually, a tree was chosen and planted on the grounds of CML Snider public school, near Main Street. But it took place—albeit with the concurrence of the Hillier and Wellington councillors— in the absence […]
Mom, Mom, Mom, MOMMMY
It’s Mother’s Day, as I write this column. I don’t know about all you mothers out there, but it sort of feels like an ordinary Sunday, if you get my drift. I got up. I had a coffee, or two. I watched CBS Sunday Morning. I ate toast. I started to write this column. Those […]
Buying a screwdriver
“You can’t buy a screwdriver in Niagara-on-the-Lake,” heritage consultant Carl Bray told Council’s committee of the whole last Thursday. That town has “got a beautiful shell, but it’s a hollow one except for the very wealthy. Everybody who works there lives in St. Catharines or Pelham.” The lesson, which we in the County are eager […]
Eight dollar tomatoes and free range chickens
How does your garden grow? A family friend suggested a column about gardening. She doesn’t really know me very well. But here’s my take on raising plants. I’ve been on the horns of a dilemma for a few weeks. Actually, as soon as winter turned into spring, I’ve been giving this more than a little […]
A Baby Steps Wealth Tax
Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have taken their first baby steps towards taxing wealth directly. In her April, 2021 budget, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland introduced a luxury tax on cars and planes selling for over $100,000 and boats selling for over $250,000. (I didn’t know that you could buy a plane for less than $100,000, or that […]
And then?
Well, and then we had a Trash Bash Day in the County. It wasn’t a “Pandemic Trash Bash”. It was just a plain, old Trash Bash. It was a “Put on those blue gloves, grab the green trash bags and pick up trash”, Trash Bash day. While I’m all for being mindful of debris and […]
Hank, Rod and Kris
The pandemic has certainly created some odd arrangements. Take our household. For about the past year, our son has been living with us while he teleworks in Ottawa. His entertainment proclivities have become my entertainment activities. And he has introduced and re-introduced me to three interesting people along the way. The first person is not […]
Friends
Last week, an acquaintance stated, “He’s doing the best he can do. If any of you think you can do a better job, you should speak up. Being the Premier isn’t an easy job.” Or something to that effect. Of course, this was in regard to how Premier Ford is handling the pandemic in Ontario. […]