The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

Recent Frugal Wins: Christmas PJs, Greek Yogurt, and Gift Bags

I’m popping by with another random assortment of frugal wins!

I used gift bags as shopping bags. A few weeks ago I was at Dollarama with Belle, and we were picking up a few fall…

Frugality
Oct, 14, 2026
16 Comments

Do We Really Need a Warning Label on Shredded Coconut??

I’ve been feeling a bit grumpy (?), conflicted (?)… I don’t know exactly what I’m feeling, but I have thoughts about Canada’s new front-of-package nutrition warnings. Let’s discuss!!

To me, it’s reminiscent of the introduction…

Food, Random
Oct, 13, 2026
37 Comments

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving

In my part of the world, it’s Thanksgiving.

Gratitude has become a big part of my life over the last few years, and it’s changed how I approach this holiday. Pausing to give thanks feels…

Gratitude, Holidays
Oct, 12, 2026
27 Comments

Happy Things Friday: 9 October

Wow. Canadian Thanksgiving really crept up on me this year.

John arrives home later today from a work trip to Helsinki, and tomorrow my father-in-law arrives for a week-long visit. A turkey has been…

Cool Bloggers Walking Club: Week 1

The first seven walks are in the books.

This iteration of Cool Bloggers Walking Club has felt a bit overwhelming to me (as a participant, not as the organizer). I’m not sure why life…

I mentioned this topic tangentially as part of my blog “birthday” celebration, but one of my all-time favourite posts remains a fascinating discussion about names. (Here’s the original, posted back in April of 2024)

I…

Readers Don’t Come Blank To Books (A Little Audio Experiment)

I’m trying something new!

A few weeks ago, I came across a quote from Kelly Corrigan (mentioned yesterday in my September book review post) that got me thinking about how much we bring to the…