Mustang Mortie

by | Jun 18, 2009 | Sylvia McNicoll

When we first got Mortie, he hated car rides.  He got over his fear to some extent on our road trip to New Brunswick.  This year he’s really enjoying the breeze through his fur in the Mustang with the top down.

Ride Mortie, Ride.

Trip to Ottawa–a writing perk

by | Jun 14, 2009 | Sylvia McNicoll


Whenever kids ask me why I write, I’m a little gobsmacked.

I actually wonder why everyone wouldn’t  want to write.  I find I’m always explaining the world to myself–it’s very therapeutic.
But what about the travel perks?  The other editor with my magazine, Alison Wood, became too busy to do a feature on travel to Ottawa so, with some arranging with Ottawatourism.ca we had a press adventure pass and a free hotel for a couple of nights.
Of course when I travel for Today’s Parent Toronto I need to bring a young person and Hunter’s always up for the job.  He’s a great traveller and enjoys museums, weird food and pools at any hotel.  
He also likes to pose for weird photos.  These won’t be in the magazine: Hunter posing over the Eternal Flame so that it looks like he’s on fire, Hunter’s head poking up in a Polar bear diorama at the Museum of Natural History.
So we had a great mini holiday.  I won’t say we made a million but memories are worth a lot too.

Visiting Sudbury

by | Apr 27, 2009 | Sylvia McNicoll


Today I met a great group of students and teachers at Cyril Varne Public School.  I always have fun presenting but it’s nice when it seems the students are excited too.  It’s wonderful to talk about a book set right in Sudbury (Slam Dunk Robot) to kids who live in Sudbury and have visited Science North.  The teachers also prepared a fabulous pot luck.  Apparently one box of Ritz crackers, with one can of condensed milk and a bag of square Skor bits baked up in a long pan for who knows how long transform in to the most delicious square ever.  And I’ve eaten at many a potluck and shower before.

I forgot to take out my camera and have a photo taken with the kids.  But I rushed over to Science North immediately where I was asked if I’d like to hold something.  I got to pat Rosie.  See the photo.

Great character, wonderful read

by | Apr 22, 2009 | Sylvia McNicoll

Instead of working day and night, I’m enjoying some reading lately.  I loved Home Free, Sharon Jenning’s new book with Sumach.  It’s set in the 60’s and she’s able to capture snippets of the oddity of that era.  The way our parents talked to us or handled abuse or even how acceptable harsh discipline was in that era.  But I love the gutsy girl–which is how the whole series is named.  She wants a friend and becomes an even better one to the secondary character and to the reader.

Mortie learns to drive

by | Apr 21, 2009 | Sylvia McNicoll


Because we were leaving our jackapoo Mortie with Jen and Adam and because William is crazy for cars, we succumbed to buying a silly carbed for Mortie.  We kind of knew he’d prefer his old chewed up one and we were right.

We found Hunter loved driving down the stairs in the car. William enjoyed sitting in it.  We even placed baby Jadzia in it to lure Mortie just to try.
Finally we stuffed his old bed inside and he sleeps in it just fine.
I notice he has removed the windshield though.

The Saskatoon Zoo

by | Mar 29, 2009 | Sylvia McNicoll


Because the heritage site was closed, we visited the zoo instead where it was admission by donation.  I couldn’t find a slot or box for a donation so I will donate to my VISA instead.

All the animals were enjoying the sun.  I couldn’t capture it but my wolf was actually grinning.  I think he was happy for me because I finished the Wild Life Series.
Tomorrow it’s back to the schools. Â