I've pretty much done everything possible to avoid packing for my Saguenay trip. I really don't know why I do this. I just do. Once, I left Canada for a whole year and didn't get around to packing until the night before. With school coming up it's been really easy to procrastinate. There are hundreds of thousands of other things to distract myself with. Like labelling. Oh, how I have labelled today! You name it, I've labelled it. Hubby was … [Read more...]
Saguenay Series, Part 2: Getting ready for my adventure
September 4, 2010 by 3 Comments
![composite[1]](http://www.julieharrison.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/composite1.jpg)
I'm the kind of girl who packs the night before. Okay, sometimes even the morning of. So hubby reviewed the itinerary for my upcoming adventure to Saguenay, Quebec on my behalf and suggested that I'd better buy some hiking boots. And also, some waterproof pants and proper rain jacket. Seeing as how I don't think I'll be heading out on lots of adventures involving lots of rain over the next few years, I told him I'd buy some boots, but that … [Read more...]
Saguenay Series, Part 1: It seemed like a good idea at the time
August 31, 2010 by 10 Comments
Once upon a time, I was an adventurous girl. I travelled with a backpack, I slept in forests unknown, and brought big souvenirs home from countries that I loved (my hubby!). I look back at photos from those times and I don't recognize that girl at all. Not one bit. If I look around, I can see that most of my fellow adventure seekers from that era have also mellowed out considerably too. I guess it's simply the passing of time, I suppose. But a … [Read more...]
Geocaching: All Who Wander Are Not Lost
August 17, 2010 by 6 Comments
This is a guest post by Julie Henning, Feed Me Editor, Road Trips for Families. You can check out yesterday's post for an intro to Julie and the other travel bloggers I met at BlogHer. Please join in me giving her a warm welcome to our little coffee spot! ********************* All Who Wander Are Not Lost! Kids today are “high tech.” Gaming, cell phones, and texting (OMG, LOL). Heck, sometimes we use email to communicate, even though we’re … [Read more...]
School for Bloggers: Some fellow travel bloggers I’d like you to meet! (#BlogHer10)
August 16, 2010 by 4 Comments
I'm really thrilled to be hosting a guest post tomorrow by Julie Henning of Road Trips for Families! But let me back up a little in order to introduce her ... While I was at BlogHer, there were "Birds of a Feather" lunches that we could join. I dropped into a seat at the "travel" table and met some really cool women who run really clever blogs. These included (and please let me know if I've forgotten someone!): Traci from Go BIG or … [Read more...]
School for Bloggers: The mandatory BlogHer recap post that never happened. And won’t. (#BlogHer10)
August 14, 2010 by 2 Comments
So. BlogHer. I know, I know. I'm supposed to do a recap of my experience -- what was great, what was not so great, which blogger idols I met and what swag I lugged back. But I'm not going to. I just didn't have time this week and now I don't feel like it. Plus, it's totally unnecessary, since some fabulous writers have already done great recaps. So I'll share a few of those with you instead. First, I'll point you towards the recaps written … [Read more...]
School for Bloggers: I don’t see sleep anywhere on this BlogHer agenda (#BlogHer10)
August 5, 2010 by 6 Comments
I started up this blog just over a year ago as an outlet for personal writing -- the kind of writing that doesn't take place during my work day in corporate communications. I envisioned it as my own little creative and social sandbox for my free time. But what I didn't realize then was just how much I would enjoy playing in this sandbox. And I think the reason I love being in this space so much is because it's a constant learning joy ride. I … [Read more...]
Postcard from Bar Harbor, Maine: Humans and the creatures they love
August 3, 2010 by Leave a Comment
While in Bar Harbor, I took in a tourist attraction to see a much-loved creature. "I stood shuffling nervously. Nervous because I really wanted a lucky glimpse of the creature and also, because I hoped that the motion-sickness pills I had gulped down would work." The experience left me wondering about the finicky nature of human love ... Please click here to read the full piece as featured in the e-zine Life As A Human. … [Read more...]
Postcard from Jonesport, Maine: Are Fishermen Lonely?
July 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment
We had had only one criterion for our holiday: an ocean view. So I simply searched the internet for all cottages that met this criterion and then booked the one at the best rate, which happened to be in a small fishing town called Jonesport ... [to read more, please click here to read the full post on Life As A Human] … [Read more...]
When will he learn?
July 18, 2010 by 14 Comments
We'd hardly cut into the long drive ahead when my hubby asks if we could pull into the Canadian Tire he'd spotted. I knew what he wanted. "Oh, come on," I pleaded, "We really don't need a bike lock. Your bike is the only one worth anything and we can bring it into the hotel room if we have to." He countered saying that it would be really quick -- he could just run in while I drove to the Tim Horton's for a caffeine fill-up. "No ... these … [Read more...]
Camping lesson #1: If there’s no nature, it’s not worth it
July 3, 2010 by 4 Comments
In an attempt to bring ourselves back into the camping spirit now that we have children, we bought a pop-up tent trailer this spring. I admit that we swallowed our pride when we parked it in our driveway. It really put a damper on our camping "street-cred." Just as we defiantly swore we'd never buy a minivan just because we had children (and, for the record, we still have not succumbed ... yet), we also swore to never "car camp." Our first … [Read more...]
Tom Thomson knew a good thing when he found it
April 27, 2010 by 10 Comments
The celebrated artist Tom Thomson and his comtemporaries in The Group of Seven spent a great deal of time in Algonquin Park. The Park was more rugged then, and more quiet I'm sure. But despite the changes over the years, this Park remains as inspiring as ever. Hubby and I have had a long-lasting love affair with this Park. So much so that I wanted to name our son or daughter Quin (short for Algonquin). We've spent countless hours alone in … [Read more...]
Personal style: Sacrificed at the altar of family
April 3, 2010 by 22 Comments
![a_view_of_our_tent_trailer[1]](http://www.julieharrison.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/a_view_of_our_tent_trailer1.jpg)
Most of the folks in our circle started out strong. We wouldn't sacrifice our personal style just because we were starting a family. Hell no! Just because we'd be parents didn't mean we'd have to give up our sense of "cool." But, one by one, we've all slipped into family-dom. Some jumped in whole-heartedly, while others -- like my husband and I -- tried to hold on stubbornly to as much as we could. Here are some flashing signals that you … [Read more...]
The March Break Highlight
March 23, 2010 by 2 Comments
So, all the Ontario kidlets are now back to school. I hope most of you were able to enjoy some March Break relaxation. Things here have been busy for me (as I'm sure it is for other Ottawa local readers since government fiscal year-end = lots to do and all on by an immovable deadline of March 31st). Wouldn't it be great if the kids' spring break started on April 1st? My 7-year-old, Stella, and hubby, however took some time off for quality … [Read more...]
Only one more sleep …
March 18, 2010 by 5 Comments
...until I get to put my arms around my baby sister again! She's coming back home for a short holiday, and I can't wait! (To learn more about her life in Korea, you can visit Letter from South Korea: Part 1 and Letter from South Korea: Part 2.) … [Read more...]
Need to getaway? Make a break for Montreal.
March 15, 2010 by 8 Comments
If one day at home with the little cherubs on March Break has you swilling wine tonight, it's time to consider a getaway. In all seriousness, I do find it hard to feel like I've had a "break" if I don't leave home, don't you? And I often think children must feel that way too. I've got a getaway idea for you that won't break the bank: Montreal. When I brought my daughter to this city, she really did feel like she'd travelled to … [Read more...]
The Winter Resolution series: Bush party! (shhhh … pass it on)
March 7, 2010 by 4 Comments
When I was a teenager, every so often word would spread that a "bush party" was going to take place on the weekend. Unlike the "house party" which took place at some poor unsuspecting parent's home while they were away, a "bush party" involved no house, just a location in the woods somewhere. The two types of parties still shared some commonalities -- no parents, underage drinking and police showing up. The last item on the list being why the … [Read more...]
Extra! Extra! Read all about it …
March 6, 2010 by 3 Comments
Good morning! If you don't normally buy an Ottawa Citizen newspaper, pick one up today to support not only your local paper but this caffeine-needy writer! In today's Travel Section, I have two articles for your morning coffee: #1: What a woman wants: how hotels can cater better to women business travellers and a list of hotels going all out to do so. Women entrepreneurs interviewed for this piece are Penelope Trunk of Brazen Careerist, … [Read more...]
The Winter Resolution series: I did it!
March 1, 2010 by 11 Comments
The last item on my winter resolution list was: "Go on winter hike in the Adirondack mountain range." It certainly seemed a lofty goal for a book-worm gal like me, but hey, I put it out there in writing on my blog and while I don't mind being a private wimp, I don't like being a public wimp. So off we went to Lake Placid this weekend! I'd had the weekend booked with the grandparents for months but somehow it crept up on me. Friday was a … [Read more...]
My head is really big
January 29, 2010 by 11 Comments
My head is so big, it's practically toppling off my neck at the moment. Here's why: An unexpected shout-out! I like to poke around Girl about O-town's blog because she always seems to know what new funky things are going on around Ottawa. Not the same ol' stuff -- fresh, interesting stuff! I love admiring great design -- paper, home, web -- and as it happens, not only does she as well but she also creates a lot too. So much so, she just … [Read more...]
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