My Favourite Ottawa Made Hot Sauce
Possibly my favourite hot sauce EVER!! It came in the mail today and I was delighted to receive a BONUS bottle of an experimental batch from Noisy Kitchen Hot Sauce!
It’s definitely trendy to support local, now more than ever, but I promise to only endorse my favourite things. I also consider to be a lover of hot, spicy foods! It’s only natural that I discovered this hot sauce at a former Punk Ottawa Flea Market (sigh, remember buy & sell markets?) event at Maker Space.
Anywho, if you’re looking for a great Ottawa area sauce, look no further than Noisy Kitchen: High Quality Small Batch Hot Sauce.
Birthday Wish for CHEO
Last year I was inspired to dedicate my birthday to kids in treatment at CHEO. I know how long and boring those days can be in isolation - I think we can all relate, too, on some level thanks to this outbreak.
This year, things will be a little different. Yes. I’m still getting older on the 25th. Yes. There are still a lot of children, from babies to teens, receiving life saving (and life altering) treatment in hospital. Many are confined to small, isolated rooms. Some are cut off from their friends and family. Others have to miss out on normal kid stuff because they are sick.
To help make their day a little brighter, I decided to direct any and all attention from myself to them.
Were you going to buy me a card? Were you thinking of taking me out for lunch, dinner, a pint or a coffee? Were you maybe going to gift me a scratch card or cold hard cash (a classic granny move)?
If you answered ‘yes’ or ‘I was thinking of maybe doing that’. First, thank you! Second, please throw that money here:
This is my second year doing this for the kids and, working with the CHEO Foundation, I have made sure 100% of the proceeds go directly to FUN! Art supplies, craft kits, toys, stuffies, movies and other sources of entertainment.
Last year, I was blown away with all the support and gifts given for the kids. This year, I will not be accepting any physical donations in person. I do want to see the faces of those who ARE giving though, so please send me selfies of you with your BIGGEST smiles alongside any messages you wish to give to children in treatment.
This campaign will last the entire month of April. Please help me spread the word for our young friends self-isolating at our wonderful CHEO.
My 1st 'DIY Moto' Holiday Party!
If you’re an Ottawa area motorcycle enthusiast, DIY Moto is a wonderful resource filled with the best people that you should have on your radar.
I’ve learned some stuff about my bike and made some new friends through various social meet-ups (and from just bumming around the garage) like the seasonal ‘Moto Social’. This was my first year attending DIY’s Christmas Party and it was a lot of fun!
Here are some pics from the night:
Shout out to Birling for supplying some awesome raffle prizes - I WON THE TOQUE! <3 <3 <3 This glorious raffle victory is made even more sweet as the toque I’ve been wearing for years, which is in dire need of retirement, comes from Birling’s predecessor, Antique (the OG Bank St. days). An additional shoutout to Sasquatch Soaps for their donated goods (which I ALSO won)! I’ll be smellin’ lovely in time for the holidays, so thank you!
In need of spoons: the spoon theory & me
I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis in every joint (excluding my spine) from my eyes to my toes since I was 18 months old. I’m 33 now with two young kids plus a full time job.
I. Am. Tired.
My son started school this year and I have had one virus or another since September.
In addition to my Enbrel (for RA) I take iron, b12, magnesium and Tylenol daily. Lately, I’ve been wearing my air cast to help put pressure on my aching ankles.
This is typical RA stuff with some new, unappreciated but “normal”, side effects. A few months ago while investigating some abnormal blood work, docs came to the conclusion that I am chronically fatigued due to the arthritis now targetting my blood.
I didn’t even know this was a thing!
Web MD will tell you that is is, in fact, a thing.
If it’s not enough, me saying “I feel like garbage” then feast your eyes on the scientific (hematology reports) proof!
…So for half a year or more, I’ve been more tired than I’ve ever been and it’s just “normal”.
It’s my normal.
The blessing and curse of arthritis is that tomorrow is uncertain; could be an “up” day, a “down” day or… “normal”… where 10 hours plus of sleep at night doesn’t leave you feeling rested. Every tiny thing becomes a major, multi-faceted task. Putting on your winter boots is enough to have you passing out from sheer exhaustion.
I’ve never related to a description about my life and energy levels more than that expressed as the “Spoon Theory”.
This infographic very accurately conveys what my ultra-fatigued body & mind struggle to. I’ve actually seen it and shared it on social media before, however new challenges brought me back to this same image. I even emailed it to my boss AND to my partner this week; two (very different) people who, I feel, need that missing perspective RE: my day to day functioning and limitations.
If you’ve ever seen me in a “down” swing & ask “what can I do to help?”, simply read and try to absorb the above “Spoon Theory”.
Asking how to help is very thoughtful, and appreciated, but since there is not a lot physically you can do to help me (most of the time), reading the super quick infographic posted above would mean the most.
Knowledge is power! Understanding is medicine! Thanks for reading this!
The Seance at Northern Gothic
I attended a seance with Marc Jade (medium) not knowing what to expect. I’ve never done anything like this before but, if you know me personally, you know I’m a believer. The experience was very, very reaffirming. I was told some very authentic “stuff” from the other side... Thank you, Northern Gothic, for the hospitality and Moody Blooms for the floral arrangements, boutonnières, corsages, et al.
Spent the night with a bunch of wonderfully gifted spirits 🖤 Here are some photos from our experience! Yes, the place is as hauntingly breathtaking as you could imagine - my photographs don’t really do the land or structure(s) justice.
