You know you are truly Canadian when you are flipping through the channels and come upon Rita McNeil's Christmas Special and despite it being goofy and campy to a degree that is virtually ... no ... absolutely and completely ... indescribable, you simply cannot avert your eyes, let alone bring yourself to select a different channel. I think it's actually an act of treason for a Canadian to switch the channel once Rita McNeil's Christmas Special has come onto the screen.

I had some work done on my new sled yesterday, and in order to do all the welding and grinding you have to take the whole thing apart. Which means that you have to take all the padding off. Since I had it all in pieces, I decided to re-pad my sled.

For anyone who even complained about their house being cold, come stay with us for a week in Squamish. That'll cure you.

My husband has our digital thermostat set to go up to a balmy 16 degrees when he gets up in the morning and comes home in the evening, and then it goes down to 12.5 degrees during the day and at night.

I am part of a program called Tobacco Free Sports, and act as an athlete ambassador, going to elementary schools and youth organizations to help encourage kids to choose to be tobacco free.

So Friday was my very first speech, at Squamish Elementary School, in front of 75 grades five, six and seven students.

And how did it go?

This is the first time a corner of my house actually looks like it might pass as part of a Real Simple photo spread. Every time I walk up the stairs and pass this corner I giggle with delight.