When I was in Grade 8, elementary school, I was left to babysit my baby sister. A “friend”, someone I did not know well, visited me on the farm that day. She wanted me to go with her to visit someone else.
I told her I was taking care of my baby sister, who was sleeping at the time. Her response was “she is sleeping, just leave her, she will be all right.”
That person was not my friend. I rejected her ridiculous advice, after which she chose to leave for more interesting entertainment, never to return.
So many times in my life I’ve encountered people with similar logic patterns, adjusted almost completely to their personal desires. I have also observed that they seldom feel responsible for negative outcomes resulting from their “logical” decisions.
I do not respect these people.
I have noticed that they are not easily detectable until circumstance reveals their character. They are often carefree, friendly, funny, superficially kind, and are very appealing. They remind me very much of high-fructose corn syrup.
I like people with sugar, like whole ripe peaches, juicy apples, luscious strawberries. I love sweetness with depth and complexity of flavour, interesting texture, rich in nutrients.
I have wonderful friends.
A cool morning here at Mist Cottage. The sun is shining, and the breeze is gentle. Our walk was very pleasant, it was not too cold, not too hot, and early enough in the morning to offer a bit of occasional shade.
The day opens before us, with a few small projects in mind. But mostly we wait to see what the garden offers that will keep us busy. The natural rhythm of gardening and preserving sets the pace of life here at Mist Cottage.
Harvesting and preserving season come with a certain degree of domestic chaos. Our kitchen is of adequate but not generous size. Some equipment remains on the counter year round, as it is used almost daily. That would be the canisters of whole wheat flour, oats, and sugar. The bread maker, the coffee maker, the microwave oven, and the Berkey all take their honoured positions on the counters. Then there are the utensils on the counter: the spoon mug, the measuring spoon mug, the metal wooden mixing spoon container, the spatula and whisk container, and the paring knife mug. There is not a lot of counter space left.
When other equipment comes out of storage for use, the kitchen soon becomes cluttered. Milling flour, slicing bread, cooking in the Instant Pot, there are many instances when small appliances are used and take up all available counter space.
After equipment is used it must be cleaned, usually washed. I like to ensure all items are completely dry before they go back into storage. The damp items are left out to dry overnight. After a busy day in the kitchen there will be equipment left to dry on every available horizontal surface in the house, including the bed.
Space is also needed for cooling things like homemade bread, muffins, or squares, freshly canned jars so that they can sit overnight and part of the next day after they have been washed.
Mist Cottage is not spotlessly clean, it isn’t pretty, it isn’t always functional… it is home.
There is no place like home.
Worldly
Weather
19°C
Date: 10:00 AM EDT Saturday 29 August 2026
Condition: Mainly Sunny
Pressure: 102.4 kPa
Tendency: Rising
Temperature: 18.6°C
Dew point: 13.5°C
Humidity: 72%
Wind: S 8 km/h
Visibility: 24 km
Quote
“If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.”
Rene Descartes
1596 – 1650
I’m glad you’re enjoying your personal space. Ours is cluttered, but it’s ours, it’s home!
Joan, homes fascinate me, they are an extension of us, almost a body part!
Hi! Gander is on browser now, Mags. And as more people join I’m spending more time there. Real life intrudes in posts and there is the odd rough character (2 in the last 4 months) but it’s fun. You should come visit.
Teri, I checked it out yesterday, I am now registered as they did not ask for access to my computer to read, but I cannot comment without giving personal information through devices. I am not really interested in putting my personal information on someone’s database, so I will just read and will not be participating. There is a verify in person at retail post offices, but you have to have the app and use a qr code, so still dependent on smart phones.
Don’t know if it would make any difference but Gander has pledged/contracted they will not sell or give away any personal info they gather. And they are soley Canadian.
FYI, my handle over there is aurora. Glad you’re at least lurking!
Teri, it isn’t the company itself I have concerns about, it is hackers.
I will be lurking! Thanks for sharing your handle, I have clicked on follow!
Maggie, you run the risk of hackers wherever you go, even here. The thing to do is give limited info on yourself, never saying enough to be identified or give away your exact locality.
I don’t remember what Gander has said about security. I know they’ve been rooting out people from other countries and removing them.
Maybe I should ask them to publish some info on their level of security…
Teri, I agree that giving limited personal information about yourself online is the best course of action. I am willing to risk it when there are no other options and there is a need, such as interacting with the government, but I don’t feel Gander represents a need in my life.
I really do not blame them for wanting to ensure members are Canadian, but the level of information they are demanding for membership is more than I am willing to share.
I can’t really think of an alternative method that is less invasive while remaining effective. If I think of one I will contact them and suggest it!
This is what I have so far:
The “Human Check” System: To eliminate malicious bots and fake personas—which are the primary vehicles for social hacking—Gander leverages a human-verification model. They partner with digital identity verifiers like GoConfirm and integrate Canada Post Identity+ to verify that users are real people over the age of 18 before they can post, comment, or chat.
Anti-Algorithm Design: Social engineering thrives on algorithmic amplification that feeds on outrage and fear. Gander uses chronological feeds and sorting mechanisms that completely opt out of “dopamine-driven” engagement loops, preventing bad actors from scaling targeted harassment or deceptive campaigns. (The above from Gander’s webpages)
Data Sovereignty & Zero Surveillance: By strictly ensuring data remains under Canadian control and rejecting surveillance advertising, Gander keeps data footprints low. Social hackers rely on scraping public profiles for targeted phishing (spear-phishing); Gander’s minimal-data approach reduces this threat vector significantly. (This from Scotiabank.)
Thanks Teri, very interesting.
My trust in Canada Post is limited, particularly their services that stretch beyond traditional services such as mail and package delivery.
Do you remember their “forever email addresses”, I sure do. There are lots of other examples that I can think of.
Also, I remember a bank had a security service for documents, which I purchased and then was shocked to receive all of the personal financial information belonging to another person, in detail, the name was not even similar to my own, nor were the bank account numbers.
So you see, my trust is limited, due to personal experiences with institutions.
I think Gander is on the right track, I am an outlier.