“Write the stories of the mountains you have climbed. They may become a page in someone else’s survival handbook.”

I am a fifty-something woman who has been around a bit.  I was raised in a Catholic family of seven children in a small city in Canada and on a pretty lake each summer. Sporty, bossy and outdoorsy, I also spent time in the Canadian Army.

This blog is ninety-nine percent memoir made up of personal essays and anecdotes.  If you wish to contact me, my email is: mmvns33@gmail.com .

What you can expect to find here are a variety of stories about many things: challenges; choices; funny occurrences;  rants; loves; embarrassing moments; stuff that moves, frustrates or saddens me. There are stories from all over Canada, The Canadian Army; Military College; growing up on a lake in the summer at a place we call the Camp. First jobs, adventures, heart-break, family life and even mental illness. Travel in Central America with our then four-year old, Australia adventures, India and trekking in Nepal.  There are currently (Sep 2021) about ninety stories on this blog.

The stories are listed in the decade to which they pertain, for example ‘the 80s’ as well as some other category for example: ‘I’m In the Army Now’; Mental Illness or Funny or ‘Those were the Days my Friend’.

If you choose to follow my blog, you will receive a notice through email or on wordpress when there is a new story to read and there will be many more stories to come.

*Some names and place names have been changed to safeguard privacy.*

A word about photos on this blog:

Some are my very own.  Some of the best are from my eldest sister and a few are from friends. The header photo of the daisies is from my sister Eva.  She says:

‘I am happy to share this picture that was taken in 2004.  There was a never seen before, and never since, daisy showing that year.  All the open land spaces were filled with daisies. They covered the fields like a white, shimmering blanket.  Here is a shot that came from that time.’

After reading a post, feel free to leave a comment and let me know how this story affected you or how it made you feel or if you have any questions for me.  Please note: it is fully possible to leave an anonymous or first name only or initialed comment but, I love when you leave me some clue as to who you are, if you and I know each other.  All comments are approved by yours truly before going ‘live’.