Toronto Star: Under Toronto’s dystopian haze, Canada’s pivot away from climate leadership is impossible to ignore. "We’re now actively betting against a global energy transition from the fossil fuels contributing to these events." Gift link: www.thestar.com/gift-redeem?...

Jesus the air quality index for Windsor, Ontario is 614 right now. Please use a respirator if you need to be outdoors. Nobody should be rawdogging Ontario air. Indoors use an air purifier or build yourself a Corsi-Rosenthal box. Here's how: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTRD...

Last night in Andrew Haydon Park. Beautiful music from the Nepean Concert Band, beautiful night, complete with geese on the water and skies begging to be painted. #Ottawa

Had our flag 🇨🇦 in the window for Canada Day and this is the last day I'll be able to enjoy its glorious red and white reflection on my oh so Canadian Stratford posters featuring Brent Carver and Paul Gross. Since the ink is starting to fade I'll soon be relocating them to a spot in the shade.

We had tickets to the free NAC concert but had a 20 minute walk from where we'd parked. It started bucketing down when we were about 30 feet from the venue. Leaving 90 minutes later we got thoroughly drenched jogging back to the car despite sheltering under bridges & in the packed Rideau Centre.

Two PMs at the LeBreton Flats Canada Day celebration in Ottawa yesterday afternoon before the intense rains came down and cancelled the rest of the party.

I think when Gord Downie sang, "The rain came down berserk" in My Music at Work he might have been talking about Canada Day 2026 in Ottawa, like, *foreshadowing*. However the thunder & rain didn't dampen spirits in the NAC's spectacular Canada Day free concert with the NAC orchestra - what a treat!

So impressed with After Everything. It doesn't deserve the lousy Rotten Tomatoes audience score. Believe the critics on this one. It's honest, charming and at times difficult to watch because relationships are hard, especially when you're going through difficult things & you're only frigging 23.

Everything old is new again.

Another day, another onslaught of AI penned scam emails offering to help promote my various novels. Lately I can see Chinese bots all over my websites, no doubt scraping info to use in their hunt for targets. I hope no one's falling for this crap.

Treating my Shingrix side effects (mainly sore arm and a wild amount of fatigue) with the dependable Canadian remedy, Hickory Sticks, and couch time. Last night's Colbert is also helping.

Just back from beautiful Montreal. Go Habs!

Couldn't resist this for my writing desk.

Early blooms in Ottawa's Commissioner's Park before the tulip festival starts on the 8th.

Enjoying a Jabreezy Doughnut in Perth's slice-of-heaven Stewart Park yesterday. The Tay River water level was quite high, an issue in much of Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec this April.

Yet another reason to love Perth, Ontario.

Excited to see The Book Market Orléans has officially relocated to 2871 St. Joseph Boulevard (the corner of St Joseph Boulevard & Gabriel Street (right across from the Tim Horton’s). It's a nice large space downstairs but there's an elevator as well as stairs. Needless to say, I bought books!

That's right.

Beautiful weather last Saturday so we went for a walk at Dow's Lake & the Arboretum. The swimming platform looked forlorn and this creepy Blair Witchesque stone sculpture (with the kid's toy incorporated) was flashing me back to the Barbie shoe in Something Very Bad is Going to Happen.

Poignant commentary on Ottawa's Rideau Street (perhaps the city's most heartbreaking street) scrawled on this real estate sign at Rideau and Nelson.

Today my local gas station in Orléans, Ottawa is accurately reflecting the vibe of the times.

It's happening. The Ottawa weather is finally both fine and dry enough for the running shoes I bought in February to make their first trip outdoors. 20 Celsius.

Glued to NASA feed. Wishing Artemis II a safe journey back home to us all after an extraordinary trip. www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3kR...

Wishing Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch a safe and spectacular trip around the moon!

Something only the Ottawa folks will fully get: "I would not wish a commute from Orleans to Algonquin on my worst enemy." - Reddit comment from 19 hours ago

Peacock, please get moving on green-lighting Ponies season 2! We're having way too much fun for you to end the party here. Haley Lu Richardson & Emilia Clarke have swiftly become one of my favourite TV duos.

But I hope we realize how tenuous that is and we need to protect it." - standup comedian and actor Mae Martin (2)

Another day, another zillion book marketing/book club scam emails. They've gotten alot more creative & detailed thanks to AI. Not to mention annoyingly relentless. Apparently they mostly lead to a Nigerian gang. Writers beware! annerallen.com/2025/11/upda...

Watching a 1970 Mod Squad where a teacher's targeted by a politician & others who are opposed to her teaching sex ed in school. Jarring to hear the Julie character call out regressive attitudes with the sentiment that, "But it's 1970!" when 56 years later MAGA are dragging the U.S. back in time.