Zen

ENCORE FROM JULY 2025

NEW SCRIBBLES REVIEW |

INDIVIDUAL CAST/DIRECTOR PHOTOS COURTESY DCT'S PROGRAMME FOR HILDA'S YARD. ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY SCRIBBLES

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"Quack a Lack" Encore by Falynn

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Funny Headlines

encore post from 2019

Under His Eye! Scribbles Pal is Leaving His Mayor Position

ENCORE POST FROM 2018 - FILMING WAS 2017-2018

Here is our FAVOURITE photo from The Handmaid's Tale at David & Jim's place...

Scribbles Father of the Year debuted in 2013 and has been a popular annual feature ever since, Here's a look at all our proud papas. 

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Aeitch Graduates

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SCRIBBLES VIDEO | Go Canada Contest...Thusfar

Don't forget, you can still enter this contest. 

Just tell us what makes you proud about Canada.

We'll enter you in our draw for a chance to win some cool Canada swag.

Enter by email, Messenger or Facebook comments.

You must be a Facebook friend of Ken's or be on Scribbles email list to enter. 

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SCRIBBLES VIDEO | Mr. Sock Goes to Haliburton

Our friends Renee & Norm won our recent Mr. Sock's Birthday Contest. 

Here's a brief video featuring Mr. Sock prior to shipping the prizes to Renee and Norm, followed by Renee showing us what her dog thinks of Mr. Sock. Plus she has a little fun hiding Mini Mr. Sock.

 

HEALTH | 9 Ways To Increase Your Happiness

 By Ken Lauher  | OM TIMES

Through all my studies of Feng Shui, human nature and change, I’ve discovered that when you find happiness, you will attract everything you want to you. You will discover your passion, find or create a career you love that will make you all the money you desire, and find true love. So how do you “get happy?”

True happiness comes from within, not from external factors. Our career, the home we live in, the activities we’re doing at any given moment, and even how others think of us are all external factors. We may be able to change them, but it often takes work, intention and an action plan.

Here are 9 ways to begin increasing your happiness from within right now.

1. Focus on strong friendships and relationships. – Consider the times when you were happiest. If you don’t have a career or hobby you are truly passionate about, where you can completely lose yourself in the moment and feel fulfillment, I’m willing to bet all of your happiest times are spent with others. When we focus our intentions on giving and caring for others, we’ll feel better immediately.

That happiness is true happiness, not created by artificial things or situations. It comes from within. Nurture your relationships with close friends, family, and your partner — people who make you feel good about yourself — and focus your intention on making them feel good. You’ll be amazed by the positive change this creates in your life.

2. Find your passion and pursue it for a living. – We spend 40 hours per week (or much more than that!) in our jobs or careers. If you don’t love what you’re doing, it’s hard to be happy. Take time each day to pursue your true passion, even if you’re not sure (right now) how you can make money at it. If you don’t know what your passion is, take time to find it through meditation, soul-searching, and trying different activities.

Until your true passion begins earning you a full-time income, make up your mind to love your job and pursue it with the same enthusiasm as you would pursue your passion. If this is such a stretch you can’t even visualize it, it’s time to polish off the resume and find a new job, even if it’s just for now.

3. Cast off labels. – We’re all many things in life: mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons…. We might identify with our ethnicity, or our career, or the place we live. Some people put labels on themselves that begin in high school or earlier, and some we adopt later in life. Words like geek, nerd, hipster, yuppie, leader, “artist,” “the fat girl,” “the jock” are all labels we put on ourselves. Sometimes they serve us, but they always create a mold that we might feel forced to put ourselves in. When we adhere to labels, positive or negative, we are not embracing our true self, which is not any specific label, but just is. Make the decision today that you will not be defined — by yourself or others — with any specific words that put limits on yourself.

4. Embrace forgiveness. – One label people use often that doesn’t serve them is “victim.” When you are holding a grudge or holding on to past resentments, you cannot be your best self. To hold a grudge or hold on to past disappointments is living in the past, not the present.

Instead, practice forgiveness. Write a list of as many disappointments or hurts you can think of. Then release them completely. If it helps, burn the paper, or tear it into tiny pieces and toss it away. You can also practice affirmations and simply say out loud, “I forgive…” and mention anyone or anything that may have hurt you.

5. Enjoy life. Have you ever seen people suffering from a terminal illness or living in poverty yet they are incredibly positive, happy and (ironically) full of life? They have discovered the secret to happiness: Realize that your happiness doesn’t rely so much on your circumstances as on your attitude.

Too often, we hold back from making time for fun activities because we feel we have too many obligations or restrictions. We are waiting until we get the perfect job, the perfect home, the perfect partner… and one day we wake up and find we’ve put our whole life on hold.

Instead, take time to do the things you love and, as you’re doing them, forget about everything else, treasure the now and enjoy yourself. Taking time to do this frequently is one of the keys to living with happiness.

6. Take care of your health. – It’s much more difficult to be happy and live your best life if you are feeling run-down or sick. Today’s busy lifestyles, with all the pressures we place on ourselves, often tax our immune systems, leading us to get sick more often or, even when we are not ill, feeling less than our best. Get a good night’s sleep (8 hours is optimal for many people, although some people need more and some can do with a little less), put healthy foods into your body, and exercise at least 20 minutes a day most days of the week. This doesn’t have to be a formal exercise program; walk to work, take the stairs in your building, or throw a ball outside with your kids.

7. Take care of your mental health, too. – Sometimes, there’s nothing particularly wrong, but we need a break. The end result of not listening to these mental cries for a rest is often physical illness. If you won’t give your mind and body the rest it needs, it’s going to take it one way or another.

Schedule “me” time before it comes to that. Take at least 15 to 20 minutes to yourself everyday, soaking in a tub, meditating, reading something purely for pleasure. Whatever activity you enjoy and is just for you. Take a longer “date” once a week doing something you enjoy, too, whether it’s a low-stress girls’ night out, taking an adult ed. class, going to zumba lessons, watching a movie you love… you get the idea. There’s no reason to feel guilty about enjoying your life and thinking about yourself first.

8. Find what inspires you, supports you and gives you strength. Feng Shui is about intention and intuition. It is only in the quiet space of our minds that we can follow our intuition and stay focused on our intentions. It’s important to listen to your intuition to discover what it is that truly inspires you, to find out where you draw your inner strength. For some, this spiritual component comes in the form of organized religion. For others, it could be a sense of spirituality.

Inspiration comes from the words “in” and “spirit.” If you find inspiration lacking in your life, it could be time to consider spiritual activities such as yoga, tai chi or meditation. These activities will help you stay focused on the “now,” find your source of inspiration and strength, and stay in touch with your true self. Click here to find out more about the ways you can benefit from meditation.

9. Embrace your true self. If you take the action steps outlined in this article, I guarantee you’ll feel happier, more often. It’s only when we forget our true life purpose that we begin to slip into the “pursuit” of happiness rather than embracing the feeling of happiness.

When we choose to embrace happiness, we are in touch with our true self. It’s time to start liking yourself now — every single trait. Focus on all you have, the things and people that you love and all you can offer to others, and you’ll find it’s impossible not to be happier.

About Ken – One of America’s premier Feng Shui consultants, Ken Lauher helps thousands of people achieve their goals through Feng Shui. He can help you become a money magnet, attract passionate love, jump-start your career and get unstuck. Visit www.kenlauher.com to get your FREE Feng Shui guide and discover the ancient secrets that can help you unlock your true potential.

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Classic Joe Friday

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Contest is Now Closed- Winner Announced Soon

ADDITIONAL CONTEST RULES: You must be either a Facebook friend of Ken's or be on Scribbles email list to enter One entry per person. You may list as many things as you wish about Canada that make you feel proud. Negative comments will not be accepted and you will not be entered in our draw. Expiry date to be determined. 

Garden & Cleaning Tips

Here's our special Garden & Cleaning section 

VIDEO  |  Use Vinegar in Your Garden

Save the Bees

VIDEO |  10 Amazing Tips from Tidying Up with Marie Kondo

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More Laughs With Funny Comics

“To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.”
– Robert Morley

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SCRIBBLES VIDEO | Kim & Ken at Comic Con

My sister Kim & I had never been to Niagara Fall's Comic Con before, so when I recently got a two for one admission coupon in my $5 McDonald's Value Meal we decided we'd go this year.  

Admission at the door was $50 per person, oddly they were only accepting CASH for your admission. This was somewhat puzzling since many of the vendors were taking debit & credit as were the food area vendors, so why not the admission?  Maybe their system was down. 

There was plenty to see and literally hundreds of vendors. Celebrities were also on hand, although many were not going to be there until Saturday. We did see Mindy Cohen (Facts of Life, voice of Velma on Scooby Doo) Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk) and Vicki Lawrence (The Carol Burnett Show, Mama's Family).

There were also many in attendance in cosplay and that is what truly set this convention apart from others. 

Here's a 2 minute slideshow of some of the vendors and sight we saw at Comic Con. 

 

RETRO REVIEW | DCT'S The Red Velvet Cake War | 2016

Dunnville Community Theatre's latest production HILDA'S YARD begins this coming Friday and if it's anything like the plays DCT typically presents, it will be another memorable event. Many Scribbles friends are in this play, including our pal Judy Wenjina in the title role. 

Here's the storyline for HILDA'S YARD as featured on DCT's website.... 

"It’s Friday, September 28, 1956, and excitement is high in the Fluck household. Sam and Hilda are newly minted empty-nesters now that their 33-year-old son Gary has finally moved out. 

Sam’s first act of freedom? Buying their very first console TV. But forces far beyond their control are about to upend those plans.

This warm and witty Norm Foster comedy sweeps through joy, frustration, nostalgia, and everything in between — ultimately celebrating the love and steadfast support that hold a family together."

Scribbles will be attending this Saturday's production with my sister Kim (for the show only) and we look forward to seeing our friends both on stage and in the audience (that means YOU, Ritchie's mom Michelle.)

Here's another RETRO REVIEW of another fantastic DCT show. The Red Velvet Cake War. Featured in the play were two DCT members that are angels now, Julie Turner and Michael Maloney.

The Dunnville Community Theatre continued to amaze audiences with their production of The Red Velvet Cake War by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope & James Wooten.

The comedy is set in Sweetgum, Texas and revolves around the wacky members of the Verdeen gang as they prepare for a dysfunctional family reunion. Cousins Gaynelle, Peaches and Jimmy Wy wager a bet with mean ol’ Aunt La Merle that Gaynelle will bake a better red velvet than her and what pursues is pure hilarity. Theft, a tornado, an ill-fitting glass eye and an amorous psychologist are but a few of the things that made everyone in the house laugh out loud.

What set this production apart from some of DCT’s other recent shows, was the size of the cast. Past productions have seen 3 or 4 actors portraying multiple roles, while The Red Velvet Cake War featured 9 actors portraying 12 characters (that’s a lot of quick costume changes, wigs and accessories.) It was refreshing to see new faces among our familiar favourites.

DCT President and director of the Red Velvet Cake War, Nancy Erskine, sat with my neighbour Deanna and I, for a front row experience that has us in stitches and wanting more.

The cast of The Red Velvet Cake War included Sheila Scumacher, (Cee Cee), Judy Wenjina, (Gaynelle), Ellen Bloomfield, (La Merle), Michael Maloney, (Aubrey and Purvis). Candace Stern (Peaches), Julie Turner, (Jimmie), Diane Morris, (Bitsy and Mama Doll), Jordan Heron, (Newt and Grover) and Tracey Stirling (Elsa). Behind-the-scenes, the crew included Linda, Everett, Ritchie, Chris and Wendy.

Another 5 star production from the little community theatre that continues to grow and astound us.

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RETRO REVIEW | DCT's Original Production 'Next' Had All the Feels | 2024

Over the years, Scribbles has had the privilege of attending many live plays put on by our talented friends at Dunnville Community Theatre (DCT). DCT is putting on a new production starting June 19th (Hilda's Yard), so we are reposting reviews from some of our favourite past productions..

We don't go back quite as far as some of our other Retro Reviews. This one was from two years ago and it was an original production called 'Next'. 

PHOTOS COUTESY: KIM PAPPLE, DCT WEBSITE, DCT 'NEXT' PROGRAMME, SCRIBBLES 

My Word!

As I have enthusiastically and repeatedly mentioned, on June 15 (2024) my sister Kim and I went to Dunnville to watch the DCT production 'Next'. I wrote a review with lots of pix for Scribbles.co.

DCT pal Claire asked me if I would like to say a few words about the play that might be used in a review of 'Next' in the newspaper The Haldimand Press.

From The Haldimand Press, Valerie Posthumus' review of 'Next' featured in the paper's June 20th edition.

"On June 14, 2024 the Dunnville Community Theatre opened their hilariously funny and moving production of their “home grown play” entitled ‘Next’.

... Ken Leavoy attended the production and had this to say after the show: “My, my, my Delilah, a delicious meal, a touching storyline with nods to local hotspots, and a stellar cast. DCT’s homegrown production ‘Next’ checks all the boxes. A must see for theatre fans.”

WOO HOO... I'm famous now!! LOL!!

HERE'S SCRIBBLES PAST RETRO REVIEWS OF DCT PRODUCTIONS:

Sex Please, We're Sixty

Private Lives

Curtain Up

Just the Ticket

It Can Damage Your Health

Dixie Swim Club

NEW PRODUCTION STARTS FRIDAY

VISIT DCT'S WEBSITE CLICK HERE

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7-7-7 PROMO

This quick clip is a brief 37 seconds, but I can assure you it took considerably more time than that to put together and I would love it if you watch it more than once.

And because I sampled a piece of music in the background, this video is blocked in two locations.  Sorry Scribbles friends in Belarus and Russia. LOL!

 

EVENT |

SCRIBBLES QUICK CLIP | Happy Birthday Shelley

SCRIBBLES QUICK CLIP | 7-7-7 Again????

COMICS | ENCORE | Dog Gone Funnies!

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SCRIBBLES VIDEO | The Garden's Planted As Mr. Sock Gives Us a Tour

New Scribbles Friend Has An Eye For Detail

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SCRIBBLES QUICK CLIP | Mr. Sock's Pride Message

The Emperor's New Clothes

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RETRO REVIEW | DCT's 'Private Lives' | 2013

Over the years, Scribbles has had the privilege of attending many live plays put on by our talented friends at Dunnville Community Theatre (DCT). DCT is putting on a new production in June (Hilda's Yard), so we are reposting reviews from some of our favourite past productions. 

Today we go back to 2013 with DCT's stellar production of 'Private Lives'. 

Even at the best of times, DCT works with limited funds and a bare-bones stage. Their recent production of Noel Coward’s Private Lives found the small close-knit theatre group dealing with an even greater deficit. 

PLAYBILL WITH CAST -PIX COURTESY DCT

Their theatre is located within the Dunnville Optimist’s Club, which is currently undergoing major renovations. As a result, Private Lives would be presented in an entirely different room and using a temporary make-shift stage.  

Recipe for disaster? Maybe to some, but not when you’re the hardworking guys and gals of the Dunnville Community Theatre. Using minimal props, we were instantly transported to Europe.

“It is the late 1920s and divorcees Elyot and Amanda are honeymooning in the same French hotel with their new spouses Sibyl and Victor.

Inevitably they meet –they are, after all, staying in rooms with adjoining balconies –and so begins "one of the most famous high-comedies ever written”  [quote courtesy DCT’s Private Lives Playbill.]

Returning to the DCT stage were four veteran DCT actors. [Michael Maloney, Diane Morris, Lee Smith & Shayna Maloney] Although their faces were familiar to those who attend DCT plays on a regular basis, their versatility breathed new life and believability into the characters they portrayed this time around. Meanwhile, Candace Stern (“Amanda”) made her DCT acting debut in the show.

With act one completed, it was time for a set change. With no curtain to hide what is usually done behind the scenes, during intermission the audience got to see the stage transformed to a flat in Paris, right before their eyes.

This was something the play’s director Nancy Erskine [left] was not entirely comfortable with, telling Scribbles that they had tried to come up with alternative ideas, such as maybe a second stage in a another part of the room, but this would mean the audience would need to get up and turn their chairs to view act two and three, something that would be disruptive and probably not very well-received.

Not everyone was dissatisfied with the set change being highly visible. My sister Jane Storie, who had joined me for the show, said she found it interesting to get to see the activity which is usually hidden behind the curtain. I guess it’s all a matter of perspective.

With a subtle, but amusing conclusion (with the divorcees reuniting and quietly leaving their new spouses bickering amongst themselves) DCT’s presentation of Noel Coward’s Private Lives drew to a close, receiving loud approving applause from the full capacity audience and the promise of a beaming review from Scribbles.

 

 

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