A couple of weeks ago I was proud of my tulips as they were already poking up a good three or four inches. Now imagine my dismay at seeing those stalks completely frozen as last night it was minus 10. For me it’s an aesthetics problem but for farmers climate change is a disaster we can now witness in real time in the Okanagan.

Because it was so balmy all fall the trees and grapevines were humming along, no thought of preparing for winter. Then in January within a day or two it was minus 30 degrees which has reportedly killed almost every grape, cherry and peach in the Valley.

And now with the low snowpack we’re told to expect a major drought, and then add a possible heat dome in summer and we’ll have ravenous forest fires coming toward us again.

So as usual I’m happy I save that paper towel that I used for drying lettuce to reuse it for something else, and proud to see used plastic wrap sitting in the drawer waiting to wrap a leftover. Then I read about the billions of tons of waste in the oceans thanks to cruise ships, or the mountains of discarded unsold fast fashions in the landfills, and wonder if my efforts might be in vain.

Never mind. We all have to do whatever we can, wherever we can. And speaking of which, Elsa and I are going to hunt for treasures tomorrow, followed by lunch at Chutney on Pandosy Street. Though God knows all of the lunches I’ve eaten of late have decided to remain on my stomach so that I perpetually appear to be seven months pregnant.

I don’t need to be out eating and wasting time given the enormous amount of projects I have before me. I know you’ll find this hard to believe, but I’ve compiled favourite newsletter articles into a book, and have named it Okay, I’ll Bite. Now I need to find a genius to format it and probably an artist for the cover and some cartoons, then off to Kindle Direct Publishing. If I sell two or three copies, I’m fine with that.

I’m writing a second eBook on starting a home-based baking business based on the Nuttier than a Fruitcake experience. To prepare I’m reading old emails I sent to mom and they’re quite hilarious because they’re not only updates on the business, but stories about life with adult children in the home. I’m glad I blocked some of that out.

Not content with the world of e publishing, I decided to get rid of stuff I no longer need, and if it’s of value, to try and sell it. I started with the old Brio wooden train tracks which I set up with a few trains and photographed, then will put it on Facebook Marketplace. I have a garbage bag filled with Lego that I plan to get rid of the same way. I do give a lot to thrift, but these items might bring in a bit of dough, and that’s always good.

I had a very nice lunch with Denis last Friday. He came from Midway arriving at noon and stayed until 2:30 which was rare but turned out to be a very good visit. He loved the chicken souvlaki, roasted potato, tzatziki and Greek salad I’d made us. It’s good to have a decent relationship with an ex when there are kids involved as let’s face it only the other partner who knows exactly what’s up with a kid.

This cold snap isn’t just bothering fruit it’s also making the hens mad as we haven’t had one single egg for at least six weeks. Everything’s angry at this strange weather.