unseating Harper, from sea to shining sea

They're sprouting like wildflowers - new citizen's campaigns to get rid of Stephen Harper. I already belong to two: the wonderful "Can this onion ring get more votes than Stephen Harper"? and "Canadians rallying to unseat Stephen Harper." Now there's another, at "Catch22campaign.ca." How amazing that a man can provoke such a level of dislike and distrust and continue to rule. The long form census - who would ever have known one tiny thing about it, until the man arbitrarily tried to get rid of it? Because of his deeply conservative, libertarian principles, says Michael Valpy in the "Globe." Big Brother is going to find out everything about you via the long form census and then suck out your brain. And then take away all your guns, leaving you defenceless against the Communist and/or alien hoards.

Wait a minute - what year is this?

Let's dump the bastard! I urge you to join one of these fun groups. Michael Moore would be proud of these democratic Canadian movements. I'm sure Michael Moore IS proud.

I was a citizen activist yesterday, there at my local No Frills. Once again, in the produce department, almost all I could find were fruits and veggies from California and Mexico - at the end of July, in a city surrounded by lush farms. So this time, I spoke to the produce manager, who said he understood but there was nothing he could do, I should speak to the store manager, who said he understood but there was nothing he could do, I should write to Loblaw's - because every decision is made in head office. So I went home with a basket of Canadian peaches like hard rubber balls and wrote to the head office; am waiting for a reply. In the meantime, the peaches have ripened in just a day and are delicious.

The garden is sublime. Last year, my friend Lynn asked me if I enjoyed gardening and I said, not really. What was I, out of my mind? Perhaps it's because I was in her garden in France eating cheese, instead of in my garden in Cabbagetown, eating Canadian peaches. Every moment spent back there amid green and growing things, even if I'm battling black spot and slugs chewing leaves into lace, is bliss.

A dilemma this morning - I was about to sweep a cobweb out of my front window - quite a big one in the upper left hand corner - when I caught sight not only of the spider but of two big white egg sacs. She's a mother, a single mother just trying to make a living until her million babies hatch. Now I need someone to come and trap and carefully move Charlotte and her precious sacs to a better spot. Outside. But safe. Volunteers, please?

E.B. White, this is all your fault.

This is the last week I will write to you in my fifties. I am very busy for a decrepit 59-year old, and am looking forward to being even busier as a decrepit 60-year old. Not long now before the boom falls. Soon my kids will move me, like Charlotte, out onto an ice floe to fend for myself.