Janna Banana

 It was the mid-80's and life was much simpler. 

Without cell phones, we simply rode our bikes around the neighborhood searching for friends. Our parents rarely knew where we were, but we always returned home as soon as the first streetlight illuminated, which in June could be 11pm. ;)   

It was my first day of kindergarten and I had trained for this day all summer. I practiced the walk to and from school all summer with my parents, and now that I was officially a kindergartner, I was expected to walk the few blocks home from school independently. 

Amendment: Mom swears that she picked me up from school that day. But I prefer my memory...

I had other plans. 

I met Janna. I liked Janna. It was her first day of kindergarten too. At the end of the school day (I think it was a half-day, ending at noon), I asked Janna, "Do you want to come home with me?"

Janna said, "Sure!"

When we arrived at my house, my mom asked me who my friend was. I couldn't remember her name, but I liked her. She had a picture of a dancing banana wearing sunglasses on her shirt. Mom asked Janna if her mom knew that she was at our house. Janna assured my mom that her mom knew where she was. 

Janna's mother was not aware of Janna's plans to go home with a random classmate. 

When Janna failed to return home from school on her first day of kindergarten, her mother was frantically scouring the neighborhood searching for her daughter. 

The police may or may have not been called, but eventually my mom contacted Janna's mom (likely through a phone book), and all was well. 

singing banana shirt!!!

This one pivotal event cemented a very special 40 plus year relationship.

Fast forward to July 2025 - approximately 41 years later. 

Janna and I "whooooo'd" as we popped the second bottle of prosecco. 

"Hey, you want to go on a Dirty Dancing weekend?" I asked Janna as I poured the bubbles into our glasses. 

"Where is it?"

"Somewhere like Virginia or West Virginia - definitely a Virginia."

"Sure!"

"You want to upgrade to the cabin?"

"Like THE cabin where Baby lost her virginity to Johnny Castle?"

"Probably, yep." 

"Sure." 

Independently, Janna and I are very rational and conservative beings who weigh pros and cons, always making informed and sensible decisions. But ever since that very first meeting back in 1984, when Janna and I join forces, we suddenly possess this impulsive and spontaneous energy (which can be amplified with the presence of alcohol) and occasionally lose all sensibility. 

I feel so incredibly lucky to have a Janna a in my life. 

Janna and I essentially grew up together. 

Because I was an only child (for 15 years), Janna was always my "plus 1" for summer camping trips and family weekends away. 

We learned how to waterski together and experienced our first sleepovers with each other (her mom always made us crepes for breakfast!)

We went through some rocky middle school friendship stuff but came back together in grade 9, just in time to start our tumultuous high school journey. 

We both made the senior volleyball team in grade 10 and were on the court when we won the provincial championship. 

Janna was the first person to suspect that I liked Evan Linday. Despite protesting that he was "just a friend," Janna dialed his number, threw the phone at me and then giggled uncontrollably when I screamed and frantically hung up the phone.

 "If you don't like him then why do you get a big, stupid smile on your face when you say his name?" 

She always knew how I felt, sometimes even before I recognized my own feelings. 

Janna was my first and only roommate in university. We began university life in Saskatoon with a thud, living quite miserably in a dank basement with a very dodgy landlord upstairs whom we suspected was rummaging through our drawers in our absence. Together, spontaneous and impulsive, we decided to make a big move to Edmonton to attend the University of Alberta, where I was going to pursue admittance into the Master's Speech and Language program, and Janna was going to pursue an environmental science degree. 

Our life in Edmonton was a blast. We lived in this incredible old house just off of Whyte Ave, situated perfectly between school and the best bar hopping street in Edmonton. 

We met so many great friends, and quickly merged with Janna's cousin's friend group, which resulted in so much fun. Waaaaay too much fun. 

We also worked hard. I remember attempting to study linguistics in my room over the sounds of the bird calls emanating from Janna's room where she was studying avian biology. 

We also shared an unhealthy obsession with Dirty Dancing. We owned a dilapidated VCR that required one to hold a cord a foot about the machine the entire time that a movie played. Committed, one of us sat on the floor holding the cord while we watched Dirty Dancing on repeat, miming every line of the movie while practicing the lift on our hardwood floor. 

Janna and I somehow found the perfect balance of late-night, belly-laughing, chair dancing, shot-taking FUN with early morning calculus classes and straight A's. 

Janna was my Maid of Honor when I married Evan.

I was Janna's Maid of Honor when she married Preston. 

In the spirit of spontaneity and impulsivity, in our 30's, Janna and I both encountered unexpected debilitating medical diagnoses at the same time. Although this was most definitely not a bright spot in either of our lives, I distinctly remember our parents helping our fragile bodies out to the car so that we could go for dinner together and thinking how unlucky we were to be so sick, yet how lucky we were to literally lean on each other during such a shit time. 

Janna and her husband, Preston, now have two boys, aged 14 and 11.  The boys are heavily into hockey. If you are a hockey parent in Canada, you know that this means weekend tournaments all fall, winter, spring, and sometimes summer-long. To add to the hockey commitment, Preston also coaches one of his son's hockey teams, in addition to his busy full-time job. 

Janna has been shattering the glass ceiling, paving the way for women in the mining industry for many years; however, this has been a banner career year for Janna. Janna's team has recently received federal approval to construct the first Uranium mine in Canada that will utilize a new type of mining called the ISR method, which is much better for the environment than conventional mining methods (it is much more technical than what I've described here, but it surpasses my100-level geology course knowledge). The bottom line, Janna is a very successful and busy woman. 

Janna and I typically get a few afternoons each summer to catch up. During these afternoons we attempt to cover all of life's major categories, while also recalling and reliving our childhood memories. It's a whirlwind and often results in a wine headache the next day. But, man, I savor those days. 

So, you can just imagine how excited I was to spend 3 whole days with my Janna at the location where our most cherished movie was shot! What a memorable experience. 

The Mountain Lake Lodge in Pembroke, Virginia is location where most of the Dirty Dancing movie was shot in 1986. At that time the movie had a dismal budget of 7 million dollars and was unable to film in the Catskills, the setting of Dirty Dancing. One of the producers discovered the Mountain Lake Lodge on an in-flight brochure as they were scouring locations and after touring the property, they made the decision to film there. 

The Dirty Dancing weekend is s special event held multiple times a year that is jam-packed with Dirty Dancing events such as dance lessons, a character costume contest, trivia, dance parties, and a scavenger hunt which allowed us to discover the specific locations where memorable scenes were shot. There were about 130 people who attended our weekend, and I would guess maybe 12 of those participants were men. Haha! Evan would KILL me if I dragged him to that event!

But...It really is a Dirty Dancing fan's dream come true. 

As soon as you spot the iconic brick building from the driveway and hear the Dirty Dancing soundtrack blasting from the property speakers, you are instantly transported to Baby's arrival at Kellerman's Lodge in 1963. 

Janna and I enjoyed the events, and we especially enjoyed the people-watching/judging? Haha. There were some interesting people, to say the least...and a few couples who were really there to DIRTY DANCE! "How do you call your Loverboy?" "Come here, Loverboy!"

Our spontaneous and impulsive selves took over, and we even nailed the lift (we call it the "mini-lift") from the exact location that Baby and Johhny practiced in the movie (the lake has since dried up, so we persevered through rock and dirt). 

But, most of all, the biggest treat was hanging out together, without any time pressures.

There are not many people in your life with whom you can fill 3 straight days with constant conversation, flip-flopping between memories that span 40 years!!!

"Do you remember when the girls started freezing bras at that sleepover and I faked a stomachache so I could go home because I didn't have a bra yet?"

"How is your oldest kid enjoying his new school?"

"Yes! That was the night at the pipeline when X wanted to beat you up and I kissed Y!"

"What was the Premier of Saskatchewan like at your meeting last month?"

"Remember when we spent our last $20 on Ladies night at the Thunderdome. It was $1 highballs, so we drank all night AND got a cab home!" 

"Magnesium and CBD oil plus my bed cooler and lavender pillow spray has really improved my sleep score." 

(I highly recommend googling old classmates but be prepared for the occasional mugshot!)  

Between the 3-hour car ride each way, the lovely dinners, the slow morning coffees, and our "wine time" in our cozy cabin between events, we were basically living THE dream for 3 exquisite days. 

I'm so thankful that, with the help of prosecco, Janna and I became the impulsive and spontaneous versions of ourselves and pulled out our credit cards to book that trip back in July. Also, cabin upgrade...worth it!!!! The crooked wood floor really added to our lift-practicing experience.

I'm really proud of our friendship. Not many people have what we have. 

I'm so thankful for my Janna Banana. 

My goal for my 46th year was to connect in meaningful ways with others. Although this specific connection with Janna spilled over into my 47th year, it truly was the icing on my birthday cake. 

To be honest, there have been times in the past 15 years where I truly felt like the best days of my life might be behind me. My 46th year made me realize that the best is yet to come. It's time to get out of that corner and have the time of your life! (See what I did there?) 

Cheers to childhood friendships that endure through distance and time 💖

Argentina - The Travel Blog and the Good, the bad, and ugly

 Hey friends,

We've recently returned from an epic adventure in Argentina, and I can't wait to share it with you.

Firstly, am the only one who didn't realize how far south Buenos Aires is? When I saw that it was 9-hour fight from Miami, I was flabbergasted. Obviously, my geography leaves something to be desired. 

We had 2 full weeks in Argentina, and we decided to explore 3 areas of Argentina on our vacation: Buenos Aires, Mendoza, and Iguazu. We managed to slip in a 24-hour adventure to Uruguay, which was definitely a worthwhile addition! 

Here's what I'm going to do: I'll outline each section of our adventure with some recommendations/tips for anyone who might be interested in our itinerary - very travel blog-Esque

Once we get the facts out of the way, I'll provide you with the dirt of the trip. You know, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Feel free to skip to the dirt and maybe bookmark the blog if you ever decide to travel to Argentina and want some advice. 

Let's start with Buenos Aires!

The first and last leg of our trip took place in Buenos Aires. Although I'm not a big city person, I really enjoyed Buenos Aires and have locked it in as one of top 3 big cities (Edinburgh and Cape Town are also on that list). 

The first thing that I noticed when we arrived was that the Spanish language sounded much different than any other Spanish-speaking country we've visited. People spoke more with their hands, and the cadence was more melodic, as opposed to clipped. I immediately recognized it as having an Italian influence, which I later found to be true due to a massive immigration of Italians to Argentina in the late 1800's - early 1900's. Not only is the language influenced by the Italian culture (have you ever witnessed 2 Uber drivers argue explicitly with their just their hands, windows up? EPIC!), but the food also has massive Italian influence. 

During the first leg of the trip, we stayed in an area called Palermo Soho. This was the perfect starting place for us, as we felt very safe to wander around, exploring picturesque squares/parks, incredible restaurants, and cute boutique shops. 

On our last leg of the journey, we chose to stay in downtown Buenos Aires. We were within walking distance to the iconic monuments and architectural landmarks. This area was busier, and although I never felt unsafe, there were people sleeping on the streets and the traffic was less forgiving - like you may get clipped if you prematurely step onto the curb. It had a totally different vibe than Palermo, but I'm glad that we explored both areas. 

Here are things that we did in Buenos Aires:

• Walking Food Tour: DO THIS! This was one of the highlights, and perfect for our first night. Our host was super passionate about Argentina and food, and taught us so much about the politics, culture, and history of Buenos Aires. We visited 4 very different and delicious restaurants, where we began our obsession with the EMPANADA!
• Rooftop Asado Experience: This was another really fun experience where we attended a rooftop asado (Argentinian barbeque) at a local Buenos Aires home. There are spots for 12 people, and we lucked out with a very interesting and interested group of people. I would think that this experience could be lame if you were surrounded by duds. The food and conversation were really good! We're glad we did this one!

• La Recoleta Cemetery: This is where all the notable Argentinians are buried and often referred to as the most beautiful cemetery in the world! Honestly, I wasn't expecting to spend a lot of time here, but we happened upon a live ceremony, complete with a marching band, and it was quite extraordinary. We took the time to translate some of the plaques as well, which was interesting. I would check it out!
• Teatro Colon: This is a magnificent opera house, renowned for having the best acoustics. You need to sign up for tours, which filled up a day in advance during our trip. Check ahead to see if the main opera house has the lights on. Apparently, there are times when they turn the lights to the main opera theatre off in preparation for an opera. I'm not sure that the tour would be worth it if you were unable to experience the main opera house. 
• We did the hop on, hop off bus trip. I wouldn't recommend this. Ubers are super cheap, and I think it's a better use of your time to select a few areas of the city and take Ubers to the locations. 
• You must visit the San Telmo market on a Sunday! With a nice mix of tourists and locals, the market spans about 10 blocks and has such a great vibe! There are booths with local wares, as well as live music and SO MUCH DANCING! I loved this. People just toss their purses aside and dance in the streets. Ev and I grabbed a table at a small local restaurant, drank wine, and took in the view. I highly recommend!

• Take an Uber to Puerto Madera. There is a magnificent bridge, which is an iconic landmark. There are tons of fabulous restaurants and walking along the river in the evening is an incredible experience - again...more live dancing in the streets!

Mendoza/Uco Valley

The next leg of our trip was Mendoza. It's about a 2-hour flight from Buenos Aires, and located in western Argentina, near the Chilean border. Although we flew into Mendoza, we chose to rent a car and drive closer to the Andes mountains to an area called the Uco Valley. This area is known for its high-altitude vineyards that produce incredible Malbecs and Chardonnays. The wineries were not like any that I'd ever visited before. They were very sleek and modern - almost industrial looking! The wineries, called bodegas, are mostly family run, and it is apparent that the families take great pride in what they produce!

We spent one day driving around, taking in the beautiful Andes scenery and stopping at a cool city called Tunuyan. It was the Easter long weekend, and Argentinian people celebrate both Thursday and Good Friday - turning it into a super long weekend. We saw local families camping by the river with their horses, selling food and crafts at a market, and of course - dancing. I absolutely loved watching people just get up and dance. Dance truly is a symbol of the Argentinian identity!

We hired a private driver for our second day who took us to two incredible bodegas (wineries). Our driver spoke excellent English and had prior experience as a high school teacher, so she filled us in on all the history, as well as the backstories on all of the bodegas. We had an incredible day touring the wineries, tasting ALL the wine, and enjoying a beautiful lunch with the Andes as our backdrop. 

Tips:

• We decided to skip the city of Mendoza, as we were "citied out," and enjoy the quieter countryside of Uco Valley. If you do this, rent a car. It's easy to get around, and there are no Ubers or public transportation in the Uco Valley.
• Ensure that you pre-book your vineyard tours/lunches. There was no walk-up option; however, we were there during the Easter long weekend, which was a much busier time. 
• Arrange for a driver if you're wine tasting. You're driving on highways, and the police presence is high. Our driver explained that they will pull you over if they suspect you've been drinking. 

Iguazu

The next leg of journey took us to Iguazu, a city on the Brazil/Argentina border known for its spectacular Iguazu Falls. 

To get to Iguazu, we had to fly back to Buenos Aires and catch a 90-minute flight to Iguazu. There were no connections available out of Mendoza. 

As soon as we breathed in the humid air in Iguazu, we knew that we were in completely different climate. Iguazu reminded me of Costa Rica in this respect - lush jungles and a tropical climate. 

We stayed at a beautiful resort deep in the jungle, overlooking the Iguazu River. Although our resort was very family-orientated, there was a very special serene "Adults only" pool and bar with a fabulous river view. We spent a lot of time here!

We spent an entire day touring the Iguazu Falls. You do not need to book a private tour or a package, as you can pay at the gate, which gives you access to beautiful trails and a train that takes you to, what feels like, the top of the world. The trails are easy to traverse, and many people were pushing strollers with ease, although there were a lot of crying children, which makes me think that it's a long day for a baby/toddler. 

Iguazu Falls really are breathtaking. When the wind shifts, the water droplets soak your face. The air smells like the "fresh scent" that you aspire to achieve with laundry soap. The water is so powerful. It's just magnificent. 

Tips:

• Allow yourself a solid 6 hours to take in Iguazu Falls. Wear good shoes!
• Taxis are available and cheap. I recommend taking a taxi to The Triple Frontier, a cool spot in Iguazu where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay all meet. We went at sunset, which was a great time to catch markets, and snap a great sunset view of this national wonder. 

 

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

The last leg of our journey was a last-minute decision! We had 3 final days in Buenos Aires before we flew back to Cayman and decided to venture across to Colonia, Uruguay via ferry for one night. 

I'm glad we added this stop to our trip. I think it was worth it!

There are multiple daily ferry options, and travel to Colonia was a quick 90-minute ferry ride from Buenos Aires. 

Colonia del Sacramento was founded by the Portuguese in the late 1600's, and I could immediately tell that the Spanish language and the people were different than the in Buenos Aires. The pace was much slower and relaxed. 

The historic quarter of Colonia is a UNESCO world heritage site, featuring cobblestone streets, brightly painted colonia houses, and historical site ruins. It's a very quaint and picturesque city. This would be a fabulous stop for photographers!

Tips:

• We found that very few people spoke English, but that's cool. We used our Google Translate app and the people were so friendly and very willing to communicate with us, using any means possible!
• You can opt to go over to Colonia on the ferry for a day trip. We decided to spend the night in a really cute boutique hotel called Charco Hotel, right in the middle of the historic area. The restaurant was phenomenal, and perhaps one of our best meals. I highly recommend this hotel!
• Colonia Del Sacramento is not cheap - the hotels and food are slightly more expensive than Buenos Aires. This was the one place on our trip where we were unable to use our credit card for a taxi. They accepted American cash. 

THE DIRT!

If you've hung in here until now, thanks. 

If you scrolled down, skipping the travel blog, welcome to THE DIRT.

Let's break this into 3 sections: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Let's start with the bad. 

The BAD

Domestic air travel in Argentina is not for the weak-hearted. 

To be fair, I screwed up. I did a bit of research and knew that a few of the airlines were not reliable; however, when I saw that they offered multiple flights a day (like one every 2 hours), I assumed that if a flight was canceled, we could easily hop on the next. 

I was wrong. Very wrong. 

Our first domestic flight was from Buenos Aires to Mendoza. We arrived at the airport at 8am, 2 hours before our departure time to find everyone standing in a very long line at the Fly Bondi Ticket counter. We found another couple who spoke English and they explained that Fly Bondi had canceled the flight. I immediately was like, no biggie, this airline has 5 more flights to Mendoza today. 

Nope. Fly Bondi canceled all 6 of the flights to Mendoza that day. There was no reason given. The weather was perfect. Poof - the flights were just erased from existence. 

Panicking slightly, Ev and I got on our phones to look at other options. There were no other airlines flying that day and it looked like we wouldn't be able to get to our destination until the next evening, which seriously impacted this leg of the trip. We considered renting a car and driving 13 hours to Mendoza. I implored Chat GPT, "Is it safe for 2 non-Spanish speaking white people to drive from Buenos Aires to Mendoza?" (Apparently, it's okay-ish during daylight - not super convincing). 

By the time we reached the ticket agent, people were yelling at the agents and security guards were sent to de-escalate the situation. It was a shit-show. 

I approached the young ticket agent, who looked OVERWHELMED. I attempted to engage her in Spanish, and she quickly switched to English, after I butchered her language. 

I said, "This must be really stressful for you." 

The girl took a deep breath and her demeanor changed, "Hold on," she said. 

She returned a few minutes later and quietly said, "The 6am flight is still delayed and there are 2 seats available. Run, and you can catch it. Don't tell anyone."

We did as we were told and managed to get on that flight. 

I'm still thankful that she creatively solved our problem. 

And...just be nice. Everyone is going through something. Seriously, I feel like people turn into their most selfish version once they enter an airport.

Our second issue with Fly Bondi was when they sent an email about 15 hours before our return flight, stating that our flight time had been changed from 10am to 6am. This was a huge change, as we had a 90-minute drive from our hotel to the airport, which meant a 2:30am departure from our hotel after a full day of wine tasting.

OH MY GOD. 

I did not let the early departure affect my ability to down every single taste of wine that was offered to me. I gave zero F's. Zero. I wish I would have given like 2. 

This looks like regret 

I found myself walking around the rental car at 4am attempting to walk off the hangover at a gas station and not vomit en route to the airport. It was rough. 

After our 2 Fly Bondi experiences, I decided to rebook our next flights with the national airline, which is Aerolineas Argentinas. The cost was double, but well worth it. 

Also, passengers who fly with Fly Bondi are generally miserable. I mean, you would be too if every flight you booked was either cancelled or rescheduled. 

No! Just NO. 

Ev hilariously ended up breaking up in a fight in one the of the airport lines. 

Two ladies were arguing in Spanish - it appeared to be over one of the ladies trying to get ahead of the other in the "line" (these "lines" didn't actually exist, from what I could see). 

Ev was merely a foot between these two angry women, who were going at for at least 10-minutes, yelling loudly back-and-forth in Spanish across Evan's increasingly annoyed face. 

I was seated a few feet away but could see that Evan was quickly losing patience. 

He finally shouted, in the deepest, sternest, "dad" voice ever...."ENOUGH!"

The ladies appeared shocked, yet one attempted to convince Evan that she was in the right. Obviously, Ev had no idea what she was saying in Spanish, but he immediately cut her off, very calmly and slowly stating, "I.    DON'T.    CARE."

Everyone stopped in their tracks. The fight immediately stopped and everyone was silent. 

I noticed the husband of one of the fighting women nod respectfully at Evan. 

I choked on my water and began snickering uncontrollably. I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. Evan and I laughed about this our entire trip. So funny. 

Argentina is a huge country, and the only way to explore other areas is to use the domestic airlines. Pay more and use the national airline. Do NOT make the same mistake that I made. Fly Bondi resulted in a lot of unnecessary stress on our vacation and caused me to reconsider whether I could ever drink wine again. Boo. Don't ever get between me and my wine. 

THE UGLY

Can we discuss the influencers for a minute or two?

I am so over this. 

You all know that I love a good picture. I want to capture memories! Seize the moment! 

But...I can also put my phone away and live in the moment as well. It would appear that this is becoming too challenging for some people, who choose to live through their phones. 

Iguazu Falls is a beautiful National Park with thousands of incredible photo-worthy spots. 

I observed so many beautiful people march up to a "photo spot," immediately set up their phone and then proceed to "create content" while removing clothing, striking ridiculous poses, and throwing their hands in the air with artificial joy, then immediately march on to the next spot to repeat the process.

Like are you even having fun? Did you actually "see" anything? Grrrr. 

I didn't want these people to detract from my experience, but I could feel myself becoming more annoyed as the day progressed.

When we finally reached Devil's Throat (the top of the falls), and entered the viewing platform, I was immediately awestruck by the incredible view. It was jaw-dropping. 

But then I looked around and all I could see were people creating content. 

One guy removed his shirt, groomed himself for a solid 5 minutes and then flexed. He literally flexed his muscles, high in the air, above one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world. Ugh. 

I made a decision right there and then that I was NOT going to let these annoying people affect my experience. 

I've recently completed a mindfulness course and decided to put a lesson into practice. 

I stood at the railing over the magnificent falls, closed my eyes and practiced the "Five Senses Technique," where I focused on what I could see, feel, hear, taste, and smell.

It worked! I was lost in my senses for a solid 15-minutes. I could actually taste the water on my face when the wind blew the falls in my direction. The roaring of the water drowned out the noise of the other observers, and I was truly lost in the moment. 

When I opened my eyes, the only people I noticed were other people like me...people who were visibly moved by the scene. I watched one older man's eyes fill with tears as he approached the viewing area. I heard the quick intake of breath as people approached the falls and gasped. Wow. It was incredible and I may have enjoyed watching people's "first look" more than the falls themselves. So cool. 

My attempt at influencing

THE GOOD

Honestly, there was so much good to report from this holiday.

The food was incredible. 

The people (other than the Fly Bondi passengers) were kind, helpful, and welcoming. 

The areas that we chose to explore were a perfect mix of adventure and chill for us. 

Ev and I really enjoyed each other. It was so nice to get away and adventure together. I loved our time together!

Another win...my body did its job. Other than the always painful right knee, the prosthetic joints carried me through jungles, vineyards, and long airport lines. I have no idea why the left hip isn't following in the other joints footsteps, but it's hanging in there longer than anyone expected and I'm SOOOO grateful for that. 

But I think that the highlight of the trip, perhaps influenced by my mindfulness course, were the connections that I made (or felt) with people along the way!

I thought a lot about the Fly Bondi ticket lady experience. This poor girl was having a very bad day. She was being yelled at by multiple people and had a line 100-deep of angry passengers to deal with. We've all been there. Sometimes you just want someone to notice that you're a fricken human - notice that you're going through it and empathize with you. When I reached the front of the line, although I was stressed about our travel situation, I just thought, "Shit. This girl is struggling." Simply by noticing and commenting, I felt like we formed a (quick) human connection. In turn, she did us a solid. It was a good reminder to get out of my own head and pay more attention to my environment and the people in it. Be present with others. Honestly, it's helped a lot with my anxiety. 

While in Uruguay, Ev worked in a coffee shop while a toured about the city. When I met up with him at noon, he had just ordered quite a bit of food, and I reminded him that we didn't have a lot of time before our ferry left. As his food arrived, I encouraged him to pack up and eat quickly.

I could see that the servers in the restaurant were confused by our behavior. The food had just arrived and we were packing up. They were speaking quickly to each other in Spanish. I put on the google translator to eaves drop and could see that they were confused, "Did he order this? Did you bring him the right thing? Why are they leaving?"

I approached the servers, and translated the following to Spanish, "My husband has no sense of urgency. We have a ferry to catch, and he ordered this food not realizing that we don't have time. The food is great and the service has been excellent. He lost track of time."

The ladies listened to the translator and then nodded and rolled their eyes, saying, "Hombres!" ("Men!") 

One server attempted to tell me something in Spanish. I couldn't fully understand, but I knew that she was telling me about her "esposa" (husband), touching my arm gently, and laughing with me. 

Ev continued to pack up his computer while downing his Malbec, saying, "I feel like you're talking about me!" Bahaha. NOOOOOO.

I laughed with this group of ladies for a solid 5-minutes, and it occurred to me that being annoyed with your husband is universal. It transcends borders, languages and cultures. Humans are all the same. We really are. And how cool is it to travel 5000 miles to come to this realization!

Cheers to connections! (but not the cheap domestic airline connections) 

The leading cause of family anguish...the science fair project

 Picture it...Prince Albert, 1990 (Can you hear Sophia Petrillo?)

It's 10pm and air is thick with tension.

The basement carpet of the new-ish home on Eagle Cres is covered in cellophane, fragments of cardboard refrigerator boxes, and bright pink paint - the wrong shade of pink - which has dripped from the paint bucket, over the protective cellophane, and on to the light gray carpet. 

I am sobbing, desperately trying to blend the two shades of pink (that do not match!) onto the cardboard.

My mom is applying carpet spray and lightly dabbing the stain, attempting to remain calm but exhaling loudly with each dab. 

My dad is recutting the cardboard with his exacto knife, while checking on the status of his carpet every 2-minutes and grunting with frustration.

I am whimpering, "It's not the right colour. I need to start over!"

This, my friends, was science fair project time in our home. 

In retrospect, I should have a frank conversation with my mom and dad and question whether this led to the demise of their marriage? Haha. Joking. Sorta. 

You guys, I had a love/hate relationship with the science fair. 

I hated the process. I hated the planning, the experiments, the display. I hated attempting to raise the bar each year, surpassing last year's project. The pressure was immense. Pressure from whom, you ask. Me. The pressure from ME was immense. In fact, I developed an ulcer right around the year that the science fair began and it's definitely a contributing factor. 

But I loved the positive reinforcement. The happiness that the A+ I inevitably received for these projects outweighed the tears, sleepless nights and ulcer-ridden stomach. 

I loved watching the judges' eyebrows raise in surprise when they noted the effort and dedication that was devoted to this project. I always advanced to the city-wide science fair, and although I didn't win that one (for some reason, I was okay with that), I was gifted a special day off of school to hang with the other type-A stress ball nerds of Prince Albert. 

I know that my parents disliked science fair season as well. They always jumped in, offering to help in any way that they could. They did their best. My dad may have overstepped a few times (like whittling an airplane wing from a two-by-four for my "lift" project). Although every year and project was slightly different with different challenges, the one constant remained...anguish and tears. 

Fast forward to 2026. 

I was asked to be a guest speaker at an event called "Cayfest," showcasing children's book authors on island. I was also asked to produce a booth showcasing my book. 

My eyes lit up when I began picturing an extensive science fair display donned with colorful Katie the Caiman posters. I had matured extensively in 35+ years. This was my chance to overachieve in a calm and non-painful way, without harming the ones I love. 

I rushed to the office supply store, as I know the materials sell out quickly during science fair season on island, and I found the magical tri-fold displays...in multiple colors! Selling for $12!

Can you believe this? In the 80's my parents were dumpster diving in the back of furniture stores trying to find these damn things and now one can purchase an already painted tri-fold display. It's not even fair. 

I quickly found the perfect green for Katie and assisted a woman in finding a bright blue one. 

"Book fair project at Prep?" the mom questioned. (Cayman Prep is a private school on island). 

"Huh? Oh. No, this is for my own project," I laughed nervously. 

"Oh," replied the mom. "I just assumed you were a Prep mom. We're all trying to buy these for our kids before they sell out."

"I'm sorry," I replied, "I remember how hard these projects were on my parents. I wish you the best of luck."

"We all know it'll just be me doing the project," she laughed. 

I wanted to shake this woman and tell her how lucky she was that she didn't have to rummage through dumpsters and deal with drippy pain cans. But I held back, wished her the best, and carried on. 

I began to build my display when Evan suggested I could make it even bigger and more impressive by refiguring three of the tri-fold cardboard displays. 

YESSS! Bigger and better!

After collecting more tri-folds (sorry Prep moms!), I began planning my posters. We would need more printer ink and special paper for that. 

In typical island fashion, every office supply store on island was sold out of my printer ink. I was placed on special lists with other desperate printer folk awaiting the coveted ink. I waited on bated breath for days until I received that call that my ink had cleared customs. Once I received my ink cartridges (max 2 per person, people!), I began printing up a storm, filling my extensive science fair project with bright, beautiful posters.

Feeling satisfied with the result, I messaged the organizer of Cayfest, ensuring that I had table space for my science fair project extraordinaire. She informed me that I had about 3-4 feet to work with. 

My heart sank. I frantically got out a measuring tape and determined that my monstrosity was nearing on 6 feet. 

I could feel that familiar science fair lump of despair form in my throat. 

Why won't they just let me overachieve????

"No. You are 46 years old. You will not cry over another science fair project," I told myself sternly. 

Ev entered the kitchen just as I was on the edge of, as the kids call it, "crashing out." 

"I don't know why I care so much. No one else is going to care. This is ridiculous," I sighed as Ev gave me a tight squeeze. 

I took a deep breath, tabled my thoughts, (scribbling and underlining "self-compassion" in my notepad for my next psych session), and proceeded to downgrade the science fair project into a manageable 3 feet. 

This, my friends, is called "maturing." I've obviously reached peak adulthood. The daily meditation is paying off - perhaps not achieving zen status but remaining calm when core childhood memories attempt to derail my emotional stability is a step in the right direction. 

In the end, Cayfest was really fun. I was the only author who created a science fair display, but that's fine. I officially achieved child entertainer status when I was asked to join Ms. Izzy on stage for a "Katie the Caiman" rendition of "Down by the Bay." For those of you who don't know who Ms. Izzy is, let's just say that I scored major street cred with the 2–6-year age bracket. 

I donned a Britney Spears headset mic and moved across a stage, reading excerpts from Katie while demonstrating strategies for parents. The crowd was less than impressive in size, but they were interactive, attentive, and I had a lot of fun! Ev was in the front row, smiling encouragingly, Kris Jenner-style. I had visitors at my booth after the show and sold some books. Overall, it was a solid experience, despite the tri-fold disappointment. 

Cheers to mending childhood trauma. Joking! Sorta. 

It's adequate. Note the fold in the top center poster. That almost killed me. 

Actual footage of Evan

Hypnosis, Mr. Dressup, and Swift parTAYS!

 Hey friends!

It's been such a busy month, full of awesomeness that I can't wait to share with you.

Hypnotherapy

Firstly, I promised that I would follow up with the hypnotherapy experience.

As you know, my psychologist is a trained hypnotherapist and suggested that it might help with these horrible surgery nightmares that were causing me to wake up in the middle of the night in a full panic attack. 

Because my psychologist has known me for 2 years, she produced a script that was fully tailored to my thoughts, experiences, fears etc. She read this script while I was hypnotized, with the goal of accessing my subconscious mind and reframing my emotional responses. 

I was totally game for anything that would stop the nightmares, so I went in with an open mind, but as I felt myself slipping under, I felt scared and initially fought it, attempting to stay alert and in control. Although it took me longer to relax, I began to feel lighter, and kinda fuzzy, similar to that feeling that you experience just before you fall asleep. I could hear everything that she was telling me, and in fact, I remember most of it. It felt very short. Although the session was almost 90 minutes long, I felt like I had only been in that state for a few minutes. She then encouraged me to start wiggling my toes, my fingers, and eventually open my eyes. I opened my eyes and suddenly began crying. hard. like violently crying. 

With snot on my face and chest heaving, I ugly cried for a solid 10 minutes.  I've only cried like that once - when I found out that Monty had died. I wasn't even sure why I was crying, to be honest. 

My psychologist was very encouraging, stating that this session was very productive, and exactly what she had hoped for. 

I drove home in a daze and fell asleep upright at my computer. I felt tired, drained, and very low in mood. I was scheduled to return for another session in a few days, and I honestly wasn't sure if I felt up to it. 

The listless feeling lifted after about a day and when I returned to the clinic, my psychologist suggested that perhaps I didn't require another hypnotherapy session. I was a little surprised, and maybe a bit relieved, but I didn't see how that one session could have really made a difference. 

Well, it's been a month and I have not had one surgery nightmare! Can you believe it? These were occurring 2-3 times per week, and I've been gifted about 30 consecutive nights now without a nightmare panic attack. I was actually afraid to fall asleep at night, and now the only thing waking me up at night is my yelly hungry cat!

Here's what I've learned:

I experienced things during my medical "journey" (I hate that term, but what the hell do I call it?) that my brain processed as traumas. I did everything I thought I could do to move on, including making light of and joking about the events (that serotonin syndrome was some trip, hey?), meditating, participating in cognitive behavioral therapy, and literally running away from it on the elliptical (shocker, didn't work). Despite this, my brain was hanging on to those experiences and wanted to ensure that I did not forget by replaying them to me in my sleep in the most violent, horrible way (how would you like to die on the operating table tonight, Kirstie?).  I needed a way to reach my subconscious and inform it that I am safe. It is over. It's time to move forward, etc. Hypnotherapy appears to have been effective in doing that for me. I am so thankful that I have access to professionals with specialized skills.

As for the body, when my brain is more settled, I see a direct correlation with pain relief. Although I experience pain on a daily basis (OG hip and Britknee, specifically...also is anyone else really worried about Britney????), when I'm mentally and emotionally more settled, which is absolutely linked to sleep, the pain feels very manageable. 

Sharing my book

Secondly, I'm still really enjoying my book adventure, and am busy producing and sharing the resources that go along with Katie the Caiman. 

I offered some professional development to schools last week and was able to show educators how they can target multiple goals and varying levels with one book. The participants were interactive and very receptive to my strategies, while also offering strategies of their own. It was a great experience!

I practiced my phonemic awareness activities with our Canadian visitor, Harper, who is 7 years old. Harper is a super keener and loved the "games," asking to work on word chains every morning. Harper is enrolled in French immersion, so it was interesting for me to see how her sound-letter correspondence was slightly different, but that she could still excel in the activities that I had created. FYI: phonological awareness skills are the number one predictor of reading abilities. Check out www.kirstielindsaybooks.com if this interests you. 

I was also invited to read at one of my old stomping grounds, Edna Moyle Primary School in North Side during their super cute family pajama reading night. I drove out to that school every Thursday and it was one of my favorite schools to visit, so I was happy to return and read Katie in my slippers and PJs. One keen student asked me what species caimans were classified as. EEKS Alligatorian? Crocodilian? Are those species names? Apparently, I need to brush up on my animal classification knowledge. 

I've been invited as a special guest speaker at a Children's Author Book Collective at an event called Cayfest in March. I'm looking forward to demonstrating reading strategies for parents while sharing Katie. I'll also be manning a booth there, which brings back memories of the 1990 science fair which had my parents dumpster diving for fridge boxes while I cried because I needed to win and the paint color was so wrong. Anyone? Anyone? 

I'm becoming more comfortable reading and sharing with the public. It's been a bit of a learning curve and not without its challenges. I still doubt myself, my knowledge, and my skills at times, but the more I share, the more that I realize that I do possess a specific set of skills that can help others, as well as interact and have fun with the kiddos. And, I mean, I had a dream as a child of becoming Mr Dressup or Ms. Fran from Romper Room, so although I don't have a magic mirror or a tickle trunk, I'm basically living my dream. Haha!

Vacationing at home with our Canadian buds

Finally, we hosted our super buds, the Hunter family, for 2 weeks during half-term break. 

To be honest, I was a little concerned about all of us living in such close quarters for 14 days, but it really was an awesome and a memorable "vacation" (I was mostly off work during their time here). In 12 years, I had never visited Crystal Caves or the Turtle Center, so it was fun to partake in those activities, but mostly I just really enjoyed reuniting again! Stacey and Charlene joined us most days as well. We beached, e-foiled, snorkeled, enjoyed an epic boat day, and commiserated together over Canada's suspenseful, yet tragic hockey loss. 

Having a 7-year-old in our home was a big change. Harper was here when she was 4, so she had some vague memories of her previous vacation; however, I think she was slightly disappointed when she realized that our giant pool was not, in fact, our private pool, but belonged to the entire complex, and the "stage" that she envisioned by the pool was actually a BBQ area! Haha. 

There were daily events such as Taylor Swift dance parties (Go "Paper Rings" on repeat!), pirate card games, and lots of singing. I sing to my animals all the time and the fact that Harper quickly joined in, learning all the songs made my heart so happy! (Top hits include "Let the Sunshine In," "Big Stretch," "Bathroom Party," and the very popular "Din Din Time" song). Soon she will realize that my dance moves and pet songs aren't cool, so I'm holding on to this moment for now. I loved spending so much time with Harper. She and Dilbert became super buds, glued at the hip, always waiting for me to get up in the morning! Although the constant crumb dropping contributed, she was also very kind and gentle with both the pets, which I love. I hope that Harper always has fond memories of her time with us. 

We've vacationed with the Hunters for about 17 years now. Our early vacations were mostly diving adventures, including a shark dive that retrospectively makes me shudder (fear of being swept out to sea by current, not sharks). Obviously, our vacations now include much less risk-taking and binge drinking. Sand toys and definitely way more protein consumption are now top priorities; however, the laughs, stories, and love amongst us continue to be the same. Some friends come in and out of your life at different times, and for different reasons, but the fact that our friendship has survived 17 years, so many life changes, and long distance makes me really grateful and proud. 

Cheers!

We still love sharks!

Fun Katie updates, cringey videos, Backstreet's Back (and so are the nightmares)

 Hey Friends!

Firstly, I just want to thank each and every one of you who reached out about my book, purchased a copy, joined the email list, and/or sent videos and pictures of a little friend reading my book. You have no idea how much I appreciate the support! Thank you. 

Putting Katie the Caiman out into the world has been exciting, but also nerve-wracking and scary. I was attempting to express how it feels to a friend, and I explained that writing has always been something that brings me great joy. When I share my blog, I don't feel obligated to entertain or produce some amazing literary piece. Also, I've never really considered that anyone would critique my blog. I mean...you could...but it's my personal thoughts and feelings and you're not paying for it. It's always felt safe to me. 

The book, on the other hand, is open to critique. What if the critique takes away all the joy that I get from writing? But...what if sharing my writing exponentially increases the joy? I'm still learning how to be an "author," which feels weird. When people congratulate me on writing a children's book, I find myself diminishing the project by saying, "Oh is just wrote a little story and self-published." I'm learning to be more proud, confident, and excited about sharing my work. 

Fun aside: Check out a snapshot of my vision board from March 2025. In tiny type under the fish...😊

I have been sharing Katie with many little friends on the island, as well as talking to organizations such as LIFE (Literacy Is For Everyone) about forming some partnerships. Katie the Caiman is now available on the islands' most beloved bookstore, "Book Nook." So, it's all very cool. I'm learning so much (ensure the environment and number of children is conducive to a reading!!!!) and really trying to stay present, focusing on all of the love that Katie and I are receiving. 

I really don't want this blogpost to be a whole book promotion. However, I just want to remind everyone of the free resources on www.kirstielindsaybooks.com.  As a clinician, I'm always looking for activities to accompany books - activities that I can grab and use for multiple levels and year groups. I really hope that teachers and clinicians will take a look at the resources and see the value in them. I also know that parents don't have time to download and print things, so I hope that they will appreciate the "on the go" section to help their children with these skills. I put a lot of thought and energy into this, and I know how useful these will be. So please share and check it out. *plug complete*

Kirstie Lindsay Books

But you guys...the videos! At the risk of sounding vain, I honestly overestimated my attractiveness! Ha! I'm not fishing for compliments here, honestly, I just re-watched my videos and focused on the asymmetry of my facial features, the shade of charcoal under my eyes, and my high screechy voice. Ugh! Even Evan was like, "You know, you don't really look like that in real life." One friend suggested a ring light and I was like, "I AM using one! AAAGHHH!" 😬. It took me about 20 takes to accept that this is "video Kirstie," and the purpose of these videos to help children. HELP THE CHILDREN, Kirstie, and stop focusing on your appearance! But seriously, isn't watching yourself age tough?? I'm always grateful that I GET TO age, but the realization can be jarring. 

Overall, other than the fact that I'm older and less attractive than I thought 😕, I feel like I'm in a really good place! 

My dad was here before Christmas, and we spent some really nice days together catching up. I see dad every summer at the lake, but it felt really good to host him and show him how we spend our time in Cayman. He hadn't been here in 11 years, so a lot has changed! (We now have enough money to buy happy hour food instead of finding the one place on island that supplied free appies with drinks! Haha). I know that my dad really enjoyed it and I'm so happy that he's healthy and living his best life in Mexico for the winter. 

My mom and I had an incredible mother/daughter trip to Vegas! We saw the Backstreet Boys at the Sphere - which was mind-blowing! If you ever have an opportunity to go to the Sphere - do it. Unreal. Full disclosure, mom and I are NOT Vegas fans. We don't gamble and hate crowds, so when we arrived to packed streets (so many strollers! who knew?), we changed our plans and focused on a few exhibits and many cocktail lounges. We stayed at the VERY Vegas-y "Westin" off the strip, which was absolutely our vibe😂. I am so happy that mom and I were able to spend quality time that didn't revolve around a surgery. I also owe mom for all her book editing hours! :) 

Interestingly, with all of this positivity around me right now, I began experiencing the horrible surgery nightmares that have come and gone for the past few years. I notice that they increase in frequency when I'm experiencing pain. I've mentioned them before, but basically, every dream revolves around me in the operating room experiencing something so horrific that I wake up in the middle of a panic attack. I've learned to manage the aftermath by sniffing lavender, taking a drink of ice water, reading, and petting Dilbert (he has actually woken me up from my nightmare on a few occasions!) But, c'mon, the last month has been extreme, and I've begun to fear bedtime. 

I've been seeing my psychologist for about 2 years now and we have a great relationship. She suggested hypnotherapy. I'm game for anything! It's interesting that mentally, I feel like I'm over my past surgical experiences. In fact, I often joke and laugh about some of the crazy shit that I experienced! Hey, remember that one time when I was awake while they discovered that I had a horrible cartilage disease and then used a chisel and power drill to drill a hole in my bone while I watched. So funny! (red flag red flag). But obviously, my brain has decided that those memories should be relived in epic proportions every night when my nervous system finally takes a break. That damn brain! It NEVER forgets. I also want to publicly apologize for being mean to Trevor S. in grade 2. I was shitty and I'm sorry. 

I've had my first hypnotherapy session, and it blew my mind - almost as mind-blowing as the Sphere but a little bit scary and unexpected. I'm going to try another session before I fully share my experience, but I will say that I do think it's going to be effective for me. I also want to emphasize that it's really important that you only do this with a professional who has the training and experience, as well as with someone whom you trust. Like, NOT on stage at the Saskatoon exhibition in front of hundreds of audience members! If you've participated in hypnotherapy, especially for "trauma" purposes (It still feels overly dramatic to refer to my experiences as "trauma"), I'd love to hear about it if you feel comfortable reaching out privately. I think it's so important to seek professional help when you are struggling. 

Thanks for listening. Cheers to 2026!

Introducing my first children's book: Katie the Caiman

 Hey Friends,

Guess what? I wrote a book. A children's book. It started as a fun little story that I wrote on vacation and turned into an actual book because Evan made me. Let me explain:

Firstly, I write little stories all the time. I always have. Plopped right in the middle of my desktop is a folder called, "stories," and it's filled with short stories about Dilbert, Stevie, and Biloxi, as well as tales about hockey life. When I'm writing a story and get on a roll, I can feel my heart rate increase (my Garmin will actually alert me to a "stressful event"), and I get this dose - a mixture of dopamine and endorphins that make me feel...well, alive, I suppose. I've written these little stories from the day that I began forming letters into words with my pencil. In grade 2 I had a teacher, Mrs. Bannerman, who recognized my affinity for writing and encouraged me to write a new story every week to share with the class. I spent my Sunday afternoons crafting a new story. I delivered the story to my class on Monday and waited on bated breath for my cohorts' reactions. As I watched my classmates smile, laugh, and listen intently to my words, I received that adrenaline rush upon realizing that my stories had an effect on others. I read to transport myself on an adventure and discovering that my written words could do the same for others felt pretty powerful and exciting for a 7-year-old!

 I just realized this may feel like a Pinterest recipe. Are you scrolling with frustration to get to the damn point? Sorry! 

Back to my book. 

When Ev and I were in Costa Rica last year, we visited the Jaguar Rescue Center, a facility that rescues sick, injured, and/or orphaned animals. We had an excellent tour guide, and I really enjoyed the back story on each animal in the facility, as well as a description of each animal's personality. I was most captivated by the story of the caiman who sat quietly in the pond, while turtles sunned themselves on her back. I heard a few people from our group comment, "Look! A crocodile!" One woman said, "Those turtles shouldn't be so close to that crocodile or they'll be lunch!" The tour guide explained that the animal was not a crocodile, but was in fact, a caiman. Most of the tour did not know what a caiman was, so he patiently explained that differences between caimans and crocodiles. As he spoke, I watched the caiman, peeking her eyes from the water to observe us. She appeared, to me, like an active participant in our tour. She must have heard this spiel a thousand times. I could hear her reptile voice saying, "I'm not a crocodile. I'm a caiman!" When the guide described where the caiman was found, everyone's' jaw dropped, and I instantly fell in love with this reptile. I had so many questions. How did the caiman end up THERE? How did the people react when they discovered the caiman? This reptile had a story to tell! (you'll have to read my story to get the full story - I can't give it all away in a blog post!)

As soon as we returned to our hotel, I stole Ev's laptop for a few hours, made myself comfortable on a beach chair, and quickly drafted the story of Katie the Caiman.

We returned from holidays, and like all the stories that I've written over the years, the story of Katie sat stagnant - this time, however, on Ev's laptop. 

Fast forward 6-months to a rainy morning at Candle Lake when Ev beckoned me into his office. 

"Look," he began, "I found your story about the caiman on my laptop, and I've submitted it to illustrators. I've narrowed it down to 3 illustrators that we can hire to transform this into a book."

"You did what?" I responded angrily, "That story is not finished. It is not my best work. What have you done? Cancel the illustrator." 

I was pissed. 

My stories belong to me. I keep them hidden on my laptop and now Evan STOLE my story and wanted me to share with others? The nerve. 

I was pretty angry with Ev for a few days, to be perfectly honest...until he showed me the illustrations submitted from Narek. 

Narek brought Katie to life with such beautiful colors and expressions. Katie was exactly as I had envisioned. It was like he had insider access to my imagination and was able to recreate it on paper. I felt my heart pumping, just as I do when I write my stories, and decided to pursue this (Like I had a choice! ha). 

I began working with Narek in August. First item on the agenda: I had to finish the story! I spent a few days thinking about the level of vocabulary I was using, ensuring it was consistent with the vocabulary of a child in kindergarten to grade 2, but also including a few higher-level words to spark discussion. I thought about how I could incorporate targets that I would use in my speech therapy sessions. I thought about how a teacher could use my story to target early literacy skills. I thought about how parents could use the story to expand their child's vocabulary and encourage interactions. I thought carefully about every word and then enlisted the help of my awesome mom.

Mom, the queen of grammatical structure, has been my editor from day one! You may not know this, but my mom is a very talented writer and writes articles for the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. 

Mom was so so helpful. I think that she spends most of the time omitting commas, as I tend to overuse them, all, the, time. :)

She provided suggestions to assist in making the dialogue smoother. 

Mom even caught the extra space after quotation marks in the first proof! (which was incorrectly printed horizontally, by the way...oops). 

I would not have felt confident in producing this book without my mom's careful eye. 

And here we are. Katie the Caiman arrived on island on Friday!

I'm very pleased with the illustrations. Narek did a fantastic job. 

I feel like Katie is a good start. I'm feeling quite insecure about sharing with others, but as Evan has reminded me time and time again, one must start somewhere. I'm no longer mad at Ev, by the way. I am grateful that he recognizes how much happiness writing brings me and opened my eyes to the realization that my stories could also bring happiness to others. He also reminded me that as an experienced speech therapist, I possess specialized skills that could help parents and teachers target skills in a fun and interactive way. Evan gave me the push that I needed (maybe more like a loving shove). 

It's definitely my FIRST rodeo, and I'm hanging on!

I've already written the first draft of the next book in the series, and I can't wait to share that one with you. As I see Katie in print, I envision how to improve upon the next. Now that you've been introduced to Katie and the core group of animals in the Jaguar Rescue Center, I think that you'll really enjoy the next book in the series. Soon come. 

As for Katie the Caiman, here is my advice (and my vision):

Cuddle up with your kiddo in a warm, comfy spot. 

While you read the story together, use the story and the illustrations to spark conversation. How does Katie feel? What do you think will happen next? What would you do if that happened to you? If you could bring a jungle animal to school, which one would you pick? What would your friends do? Don't just read the book but talk about it.

I see so many parents busy curating the perfect Christmas for their families right now. I also see a lot of children who appear overwhelmed and overstimulated by all of the festivities. Take some quiet one-on-one time with your child during the holiday madness. Turn story time into a fun and cozy interaction with your child. No screens, just a fun story, beautiful illustrations, and your imagination. 

Link to my website (in progress): Kirstie Lindsay Books

If you'd like to own the book:  buy the book

For my Canadian friends: buy the book in Canada

Enjoy.

Merry Christmas!