Recovery/Boredom

Though I’ve been working since my surgery (I was off air, but programming, the week immediately following my procedure), I’ve reached the point of absolute “drain.”

I know I need to give myself some slack but I miss my friends. I’m bored of being in bed all day. I miss fitness and working out. My foot is still far too swollen to walk, even in the aircast and I’m trying to do core fitness floor workouts but I’m honestly so tired it’s really hit or miss.

Digging very deep, I was able to work my bar shift in Barry’s Bay on Saturday night (with an assist) but slept all day Sunday a result. I will do the same this weekend but hopefully be in a better place, physically.

My next apt, with X-rays, is Friday, February 14. It won’t technically be six full weeks, post op until Thursday, February 20. I am hoping the X-rays set me free in terms of the air cast and I also hope the swelling in my ankle goes away so that I can learn how to walk with this new foot. It’s the same side (right) in which I had my hip replaced two years ago. I’ll get the hang of it… again!

Following that appointments guidance, I expect to be back at the radio station full time, per usual. While it’s awesome to be able to work from home - it is not the same. Looking forward to seeing people, driving, getting dressed, bathing, walking, tidying up, etc. and hopefully being surgery free for another few years! More than two would be nice.

To My Cottage Guests & Friends

Heads up! With the state of things, I will no longer be offering access to Netflix at the lake. You will still have access to Disney+, Paramount+, Apple TV and Music, Crave + HBO, alongside any other streaming services I continue paying for (that allow me to stream at my primary and secondary residences). It’s a bit of a moving target at the moment as I prioritize finances and where I choose to spend my money. You will always be able to stream using your OWN accounts/profiles, just remember to LOG OUT once you’re done streaming. I try to always remember to check and reset the TV settings before new guests arrive.
I will also be testing a new Internet Service Provider this spring for a potential shift away from our current provider. While I know that many good hearted people work at SpaceX and Starlink, I am having trouble reconciling with their CEOs most recent actions. Windmill will always have internet/WiFi, but I cannot speak to it’s reliability. I will keep you posted but understand if you wish to cancel your reservation at the lake based on any of the above decisions.

Winterlude 2025

This is the Official Website for Winterlude 2025 - but that’s a real mouthful when referencing on-air during my radio show, so I figured I’d make a quick ‘highlights’ page for those who wanna know!

Winterlude is MOSTLY FREE - Week 1 is from January 31 to February 2. Week 2 is from February 7 to 10 and Week 3 is from February 14 to 17 (Family Day).

There are three MAIN Winterlude sites in Ottawa/Gatineau. They are:

• Sparks Street; sculptures, music and light show, sugar shack, parliament light display

• Byward Market; carriage rides, farmer’s market, synthetic rink,

• Snowflake Kingdom; tubing, maze, intro to skiing/snowboarding, obstacle course, drone shows

Here’s how you can access the sites via free SnoBus shuttle which operates:

BLUE CIRCUIT (between Robert-Guertin Park-and-Ride and Jacques-Cartier Park/Snowflake Kingdom) on Saturdays from 9am to 9pm, Sundays from 9am to 6pm

RED CIRCUIT (between Snowflake Kingdom to Sparks St.) on Saturdays from 10am to 5:30pm, Sundays 10am to 5:30pm and Family Day Monday (Feb. 17) from 10am to 3pm.

Rideau Canal Skateway is NOT part of Winterlude’s official programming but it’s been a great season for skaters so far, so I wanted to include it!

There is Winterlude themed programming (not free) at both the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau and the Museum of Nature in Ottawa. The Winter Jazz festival is also on at the Arts Court Theatre (not free).

photo by Amy Volume, Sparks Street, Ottawa

Website Overhaul

Please let me know if anything seems wonky or inaccessible as I am currently updating this website. I’ll make any major changes and/or minor adjustments by mid-March, so stay tuned for recovery pics from me as well as new photos to show off some changes at the lake.

This season, I will entertain the idea of nightly rentals of my cabin (two night minimum) in May, September and October. If you’re interested in a little (or a lot) of rest and relaxation: click here! During Peak Season (June, July and August) I will continue to only rent by the week, Monday to Sunday.

While I am no longer personally sharing to Instagram, I will continue to publish content to the Windmill Cottage account. I encourage you to connect with me via e-mail, or drop a comment right here in my blog!

Thanks for stickin’ with me.

the New Twitter

Yesterday afternoon, I spent a few hours purging my Instagram site. Our messages, if you’ve ever messaged me, are still there and you’ll still be able to follow me. For a long time, I’ve felt uncomfortable using Social Media; does it give more than it takes? I’m not so sure anymore… As my kids approach the age of being interested in it, I find it more and more important to focus on real friendships and real, in-person engagements when possible; go outside and ‘touch some grass’, you know? As motosocial season starts and/or as I return to in-studio work/life, I may share content to the ‘gram but at this time it was just a way for advertisements to try and reach me. No thanks.

I am giving Bluesky a try and you can find me here. It’s like Twitter (before Twitter died) and that’s because it was created by Jack Dorsey! He’s no longer a part of it - but this is microblogging at it’s finest; the user is in control of the content. I think I’ll hang out there for a little while!