There is a Tibetan proverb that says,
“The secret to living well and longer is: eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure.
I’ve had it backwards this past year.
I’ve been eating double, walking half, spending triple and watching Netflix without measure.
Time to start living well.
They say people resemble their dogs. This is definitely true for Bentley and me. During the summer months, we know it’s been a good day if we’re wet and bedraggled.
Bentley of course, wears the look much better than me. After a day of swimming at the lake, his gorgeous russet brown fur glistens in the sunshine, making swirly patterns on his back.
I’m more on the bedraggled side, but I come by this look naturally. I have fond memories of my Mom, wet and bedraggled after a day at the beach at Lake Simcoe.
She’s been gone almost 40 years now, but I can still picture her walking back from the beach, in beat up old running shoes filled with sand, her short brown hair tousled with a few strands falling across her face. She wore an old one-piece bathing suit with a towel draped around her neck with a big smile on her face. We were always happy up at that old beach cottage.
I think about my Mom as I trudge up our wooded path from the lake, my feet squishing in my crocs feeling clean and refreshed. I’m in my happy state, wet and bedraggled.
What’s your happy state?
We’re very fortunate to have a true gem in Canada right here in our backyard: the Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque.
I fell in love with the Thousand Islands Playhouse the first time I ever laid eyes on it. A former canoe club, it’s situated at water’s edge on the shores of the St. Lawrence River. CBC Radio once called Canada’s dockside theatre “the most charming theatre in Canada”.
Dave and I went last week to The Sound of Music at the playhouse. We arrived early to enjoy a glass of wine and a beer on the wooden benches overlooking the river and watch the sunset.
The building itself has a wonderful, relaxed vibe. The lobby has swinging screen doors and old wooden floors with boards that creak. As we sat watching the boats on the river, we chatted with people from Gananoque whose neighbours’ kids were some of the Von Trapp children in the play. It is one of the most idyllic venues in Canada.
I’ve seen many plays at the playhouse, but I was blown away by the quality of this particular production. I saw the Mirvish production of The Sound of Music in Toronto many years ago and enjoyed this one much more.
There is something about local regional theatre that is so intimate and engaging. You are up close and personal with the actors (there isn’t a bad seat in the house), and you become immersed in the performance.
It was an ambitious production with a cast of more than 40 actors and executed flawlessly. They even had two sets of children who must have alternated nights.
The leads were phenomenal with superb voices. I could have listened to the Mother Superior, Maria and Captain Von Trapp sing all night. The scenes with Maria and the children were simply enchanting. The costumes were impeccable and since you’re so up close, you can see every embroidered detail in the traditional Austrian dirndl and leather lederhosen.
Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it is one of the most well-known, beloved stories of all time. Audience members were smiling, swaying in their seats and singing to their favourite songs, entranced by the performances.
Often with local theatre, you need to suspend your imagination to make the set design work, but this production was brilliant in its design. It featured majestic mountains as a backdrop and floor-to-ceiling porticos that transported you through the various scenes, making you feel like you were in the abbey, dancing at the Von Trapp estate and attending the famous music festival where the family makes their escape at the end of the play.
The Sound of Music is now officially the most popular production in the Thousand Islands Playhouse’s 40-year history. They’ve extended the run for another three weeks, so if you want tickets, get them fast.
This week’s #HappyAct is to support local theatre and enjoy a local production in your area.
When I grow up, I want to be a drag queen.
Last weekend, my friend Barbara and I went to the Clark’s Drag Show at the Thornbury Craft Company. It was part of Collingwood’s Pride celebrations which they hold in July instead of June presumably because that’s when the town is hopping with cottagers and summer visitors.
It had been more than 30 years since I had been to a drag show. The last time I had seen drag queens on stage was at a bar on the island of Mykonos in Greece when I was in my 20s.
It was such a fun afternoon! The three queens Katinka Kature, Heaven Lee Hytes, and Mira Fantasy strutted their stuff in their sequined outfits, leotards and stunning wigs, hamming it up for the crowd to their favourite pop tunes. There was a bachelorette party on the patio, and everyone was singing along, dancing in their seats as we sipped on our ciders and stuffed tips down their tops.
As I watched the queens perform, it struck me that to be able to assume an exciting, alter-ego would be so incredibly fun and liberating. It made me wish I was a man who could dress up as a woman. Since I can’t sing a note, this would be the perfect performing outlet for me!
It also made me wonder why we just can’t accept people for who they are and appreciate them. I must confess I don’t understand and am saddened by the latest wave of 2SLGBTQ+ violence happening in some communities. Humanity is not defined by what we wear, the colour of our skin or our sexual orientation. It is defined by how we act, kindness, acceptance, and love.
As the queens performed their big finale, we raised our glasses in cheers. Portions from each flight were donated to Collingwood Pride.
Here are some fun pictures of the afternoon. If you’re interested in catching a drag show, The Hayloft Dance Hall in Prince Edward County holds drag shows on Saturday nights during the summer months.
With groceries, hotel and restaurant prices through the roof these days, it can be a challenge to find things to do without spending an arm and a leg.
But as I recently discovered, there are still lots of things you can do for free and still have fun. Here are some fun events and things to do that don’t cost a dime coming up:
For more ideas on fun, inexpensive things to do in this region, see 25 Things to Do in South Frontenac. Everything with an asterisk is free.
Kingston is a great place to catch music in the park followed by movies in the square on Thursday nights
A few weeks ago, I was rummaging through some of Clare’s castoffs and found an unopened 2023 Dog Trivia Daily Desk Calendar.
I took it to work and have been catching up on my dog trivia ever since. Here are some fun facts to make you smile during the Dog Days of Summer:
And for all you fellow dog lovers in South Frontenac, don’t miss the Dog Days of Summer event at the Frontenac Farmers Market this Friday, July 14 from 3-7 pm in Centennial Park.
Bring your pooch for a dog-themed outing. Get their photos taken, nails trimmed, enter to win a “ruff”-le basket and let your four-legged friend have some fun at the off-leash dog park. All proceeds go to Happy Tail Animal Sanctuary and Kingston Humane Society. I also read that the Kingston Humane Society has been at capacity recently. Summer is a great time to adopt a pet.
Did you know the dogs of the Frontenac Farmers Market have their own Instagram account? Follow them at frontenacfarmersmarketdogs.
On Friday night, Dave and I saw the legendary Buddy Guy live on stage at the Montreal International Jazz Festival during one of his Canadian stops on his The Damn Right Farewell Tour.
Let me first state on record, that Buddy Guy is the coolest performer on stage right now. There are some artists that have mindblowing light shows, fancy backup dancers, aerobatics, and elaborate sound effects and gimmicks.
Buddy has a wailing guitar, a distinctive blues voice, and a presence that commands the entire audience. He has soul.
He walked out on stage wearing a black and white polka-dotted shirt with grey overalls, sneakers and a ball cap looking like a hip train engineer. He was dapper, self-deprecating, humble and very, very funny. He was the definition of cool. When he was telling stories of what it was like playing with other blues greats, you could hear a pin drop in the audience.
Born in 1936 in Lettsworth, Louisiana, Buddy made his own guitar at age 13 and learned to play by trying to reproduce the sounds of bluesmen he heard on the radio.
He told stories of coming to Montreal as a young musician and playing at a blues club on St. Catherine Street with Mama Cass, BB King and other greats.
In true Buddy Guy fashion, he let his guitar do the talkin’. He wailed through riffs and licks, making his guitar sing and scream the blues. His vocals were as strong as ever, but I was struck by how much he played the crowd as he played his instruments. He had both of us in the palm of his hands.
This is Buddy’s last tour and you could tell he was a bit nostalgic and reflective. He talked about how you don’t hear blues music on the radio anymore and how all his old friends and fellow blues musicians tasked him with keeping the blues alive. He’s made that his life’s passion. He also adjured us to make this world a bit better and love one another.
You can still catch Buddy on tour, but most of his tour dates now are in the US and Europe.
It was an unforgettable evening and I just want to say, thanks, Buddy, for keeping the blues alive.
The blues don’t lie. Damn right.
For two weekends in a row, I’ve driven two hours each way to our nation’s capital for a dozen of your bagels.
Well, technically, the reason why I drove two hours to Ottawa was to take Dave to the airport for a fishing trip, but really that was just a convenient excuse for making the pilgrimage to your fine establishment.
You see I am batty for bagels, and not just any bagels, your bagels. Your bagels are, by far, the best.
I’ve tried others. Costco bagels are doughy and devoid of flavour. Dempsters bagels are bland and boring. Tim Horton’s bagels are trite and tasteless. None of them can hold a candle to your perfect blend of salty, toasted, melt in the mouth buttery bagel.
To quote Sinead O’Connor, nothing compares to you. You are my everything bagel. I knead you.
But two hours is a bit far to drive every weekend, so I’m writing to you to invite you to set up shop on the beautiful shores of the St. Lawrence in the limestone city.
Kingston has wonderful outdoor patios, award-winning restaurants, eclectic bars and trendy coffee shops. We are, however, devoid of bagels.
The sign at your Woodroffe location says, “Open 24/7, 365 days of the year”.
Come to Kingston. We’re not that demanding. Heck, you could be open three hours a day, 100 days of the year, and that would be enough for us to get our weekly fix and be happy campers.
I hope I’m not spreading it on too thick, and thanks for hearing me out but let’s put a ring on it right now. I can’t wait for the day I wake up to you every morning.
Lots of love and lox,
Laurie
Dear friends. This week, I’m asking for your advice.
All my life, I’ve struggled with my weight. The reason? I love food and I’m not willing to give it up.
Until now, it hasn’t been a problem. I’ve always been fairly active and healthy, and it was an easy choice to keep eating what I want and not worry about my body size or image to be happy. We also tend to eat relatively healthy: no processed foods or fast food.
But as the years have gone by, I’m finding it harder to feel good about my weight. Breaking my ankle this winter was also a breaking point. All of a sudden, I couldn’t walk to keep the pounds off.
Maybe I need to do something drastic or crazy like Kevin Maginnis. The 57-year old Nashville man was a TikTok and talk show sensation after eating at McDonalds three times a day for 100 days. He lost 58 pounds and says he’s never felt healthier (and his blood work proved it). He said the key was eating less—in contrast to the famous SuperSized documentary, he ordered whatever he wanted, but downsized all his meals.
When he was asked by the Today Show hosts how he was going to sustain his weight loss, he said, “Half a plate to lose the weight, three quarters of a plate to maintain your weight.”
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis once said in an interview, the key to being healthy and fit as you age is simple: eat less, move more.
Sounds simple, right? But if it’s that simple, then why do so many of us struggle with losing weight, especially as we age? At least I know I’m not alone. It’s the only thing Oprah and I have in common.
This week’s #HappyAct is to weigh in and lay it on me thick, like butter: what is your best advice for keeping your weight in check?
Some time ago, I stumbled across these statistics on happiness.
There’s not much we can do about our age and genetic disposition, but we can make an effort to reach out to friends, spend time with our loved ones and focus on what’s most important in our lives: developing positive relationships.
If all else fails, wear something orange or yellow.
Happy Act 