Zara Phillips Tindall

On May 10, 2011. HM Queen Elizabeth II gave her consent to the marriage of her eldest granddaughter, Miss Zara Phillips, currently known as Mrs. Zara Tindall, to Mr. Mike Tindall.

Zara Anne Elizabeth was born in mid-May 1981 at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London as the second child and only daughter of HRH Anne, The Princess Royal and her then husband Mark Phillips.  She was christened July 1981 at Windsor Castle. Her name was suggested to her mother by her uncle, HM King Charles III thus, it is often said she is his favorite niece.

Zara attended Beaudesert Park School in Stroud, Gloucestershire, and Port Regis School in Shaftesbury, Dorset, before following other members of the royal family in attending Gordonstoun School in Moray, Scotland.  She later studied at the University of Exeter and qualified as a physiotherapist.  A renowned equestrian Zara qualified for the 2012 London Olympics and won a silver medal in the team event.  Her mother, Princess Anne, presented her medal.

Mike was born October 1978 at Wharfedale Hospital in Otley, West Yorkshire as the son of Philip "Phil" Tindall, a banker for Barclays, and his wife Linda (née Shepherd), a social worker.  He was educated at the private school Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield.  Mike began his career as an English rugby union player in February 2000 in the 2000 Six Nations Championship.  As well as winning the 2003 World Cup, he was a member of the England team which won the 2003 Six Nations Championship.  Tindall played in eleven Six Nations Championship competitions from 2000 to 2011.  He retired in 2014.

Zara and Mike met during the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia and on this day in 2010 their engagement was announced by Buckingham Palace.  As then-required by the Royal Marriages Act 1772, HM Queen Elizabeth II gave her consent to their marriage in a meeting of the Privy Council on this day in 2011.

The couple married in late July 2011 at the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland, with 400 guests in attendance.  The ceremony was followed by a reception hosted by HM Queen Elizabeth II at Holyrood Palace.

The marriage has produced 3 children, Mia Grace in January 2014, Lena Elizabeth in June 2018 and Lucas Philip in March 2021.  Zara frequently supports and attends events for various charitable causes, mainly revolving around spinal injuries, equestrianism, and children's charities.  Mike, in his role as Patron for the Cure Parkinson's charity, regularly takes part in fundraising events and challenges to raise money for the cause which his father lives with.  

Zara is not a working member of the Royal family however she attends family events such as weddings, funerals, Christmas Luncheon and, up until 2019, often seen on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour. Zara participated in the historic Vigil of the Grandchildren in honor of HM Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022 alongside her brother, Mr. Peter Phillips, and her first cousins, HRH William, The Prince of Wales, HRH Prince Henry (Harry), The Duke of Sussex, HRH Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Mapelli Mozzi, HRH Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Brooksbank, The Hon. James Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn, currently known as The Rt. Hon. Earl of Wessex and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor.  Most recently she attended the coronation of her uncle, HM King Charles III, in May 2023.

Zara is currently 22nd in the line of succession to the throne.

HM Queen Elizabeth II (Grandmother)

Princess Anne, The Princess Royal (Mother)

Dutton Ranch

 

Less than two years after Yellowstone rode into the sunset, the Dutton universe is already galloping ahead with fresh stories, new landscapes, and familiar faces. First came Marshalls, the Kayce‑centric procedural that expanded the franchise in a surprising direction. Now, Dutton Ranch picks up the saga of another sibling—and it wastes no time throwing fans back into the fire.

If you’ve been missing Beth’s razor‑sharp tongue, Rip’s steady grit, and the high‑stakes drama that made Yellowstone a cultural phenomenon, this new series is your next weekly obsession. Here’s everything you need to know to follow along with Season 1.

When we last saw Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) in the Yellowstone finale, they had settled into a smaller ranch in Dillon, Montana—a quieter life, at least by Dutton standards. But peace never lasts long in this universe.

At the start of Dutton Ranch, we learn that the Montana property has burned down. The family has relocated once again, this time to South Texas, where the land is vast, the rules are different, and the threats are just as relentless.

Their new challenge? An ambitious rival ranch that’s determined to push them out before they can put down roots. Beth and Rip may be far from home, but they’re still fighting like Duttons.

Finn Little returns as Carter, now older and more deeply woven into the family’s future. And the cast expands with heavy hitters: Ed Harris, Annette Bening, Juan Pablo Raba, Natalie Alyn Lind, Marc Menchaca, J. R. Villarreal, and Jai Courtney. It’s a lineup that signals big drama ahead.

The first two episodes premiered on May 15, 2026, streaming on Paramount+ and airing on the Paramount Network at 8pm ET/PT.  After that, new episodes drop weekly—one at a time, old‑school style.

Season 1 consists of nine episodes, taking us straight into early July.  We watched the first two episodes yesterday.  Beth and Rip are fantastic actors!

Cruising with your Canadian Cell Phone!

 

I've always warned everyone going on a cruise about the dangers of getting a huge cell phone bill if you use your cell phone at sea.  The US carriers have offered a cruise travel plan and now Rogers is offering one too!  I checked for someone going to Alaska. It's called Roam Like Home + Cruise Option.  

You need to go online and make sure your cruise line is on the eligible Rogers list.  Most major cruise lines are.  

Current Rogers cruise pricing (2025–2026)

Daily Roam Like Home (Cruise version):

• $18/day for International Roam Like Home + Cruise

• Includes 180+ destinations plus cruise ship coverage

• Data capped at 1GB per 24 hours, then slowed to 512 kbps

If you don't want to subscribe to this service, make sure your phone is in airplane mode and use the ship's wifi. You can use What's App or Facetime on the ships wi-fi for no extra charge. It works fine. I've used it on many cruises. If you have Starlink wi-fi you can video call!

I looked up Telus Cellular and found this:

TELUS Easy Roam does not apply while at sea on a cruise ship. When your phone connects to the ship's satellite network ("Cellular at Sea"), you will be charged premium pay-per-use rates: $7.00 per minute for voice calls, $0.75 per sent text message, and data is either blocked or billed at exorbitant per-megabyte rates.

Before you sail, call your carrier to make sure you are being offered the right plan!

Did I read that right?

 Did I read that sign right?  

"TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW

In a London department store: 

BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS..

In an office: 

WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN

In an office: 

AFTER TEA BREAK, STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD

Outside a second-hand shop: 

WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

Notice in health food shop window:

CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS...

Spotted in a safari park:   
(I sure hope so.) ELEPHANTS, PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR.

Seen during a conference: 

FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR.

Notice in a farmer's field: 

THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.

Message on a leaflet:

IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSO

On a repair shop door:

WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK.)

2026 Canadian Census

I received my census in the mail on May 4th.  My neighbour got their Census on the same day and asked if I would do it online for them.  I did and it was the short form.  Easy Peasy!  Then I did mine.  I got the long form once again!  70 questions!  What sex were you at birth?  What sex are you now?  Then the questions got more difficult.  I enjoyed reading the "how many people live in your house" and all the choices!   I wonder if some of the people who have visitors that don't leave when their visa has expired answer honestly.  

When I got to "how much do you spend a year on electricity", my phone rang.  It was my daughter who was commuting home from work.  I told her what I was doing but I needed to do some calculations.  I said "I'll sign off now and finish later".  Then it asked for a password.  My daughter has a fabulous sense of humour.  I can't share a password, not only because it's not the smartest thing to do, but this one was not appropriate to put on my blog.  It was really funny and I don't know why I didn't think of it!  I submitted my census the day it was mailed to me.

We had lunch with friends yesterday who don't own a conputer.  They called the Census Help Line and asked for a paper questionaire to be mailed.  It hasn't arrived yet.  When he watched the news he saw if you didn't file by May 12th, you could face a fine.  He hopes they don't fine him.  

My cousin Gordon and his wife are on a 14 day Alaska cruise.  They left May 3rd and don't get back until this weekend.  I hope he doesn't get a fine.

I love reading Twitter when people complain about giving the government their information.     

Dee Lundy didn't post the inside of the form.  I bet it was interesting.

I asked AI for a reason to fill out your census and got this:

Filling out the Canadian census matters for very concrete, practical reasons — and the benefits come right back to you, your neighbourhood, and your province.

🧭 1. It directly shapes services you rely on

Census data is the backbone for planning health care, education, public transit, housing, and infrastructure. Statistics Canada officials emphasize that everything from hospital capacity to school construction to road planning depends on accurate population data.

Transit planners, for example, use census commuting data — including what time people leave for work — to design routes and reduce congestion.

🗳️ 2. It determines political representation

Population counts from the census decide the boundaries of federal and provincial ridings. Without accurate numbers, representation becomes uneven.

💰 3. It affects how billions in funding are allocated

Federal, provincial, and municipal governments use census data to distribute transfer payments and target funding where it’s actually needed. Under‑counted communities receive less money.

🏡 4. It helps communities plan for growth

Everything from neighbourhood demographics to housing needs comes from census data. Even families looking to buy a home rely on census profiles to understand a community.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 5. It’s the only complete portrait of Canada

Statistics Canada calls the census “the only source of data for the entire country.” If people don’t fill it out, the portrait is incomplete — like missing family members in a photo.

📅 6. It’s mandatory

Participation is required under the Statistics Act, and households that refuse can face fines of up to $500. All residents — citizens, permanent residents, refugee claimants, and even temporary workers or students — must complete it.

🕒 7. It takes very little time

• Short form: ~6 minutes

• Long form: ~30 minutes (randomly assigned) - if that's true why have I received it for the last three census?

Brilliant Lady has it's first trip into Vancouver Harbour

Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady is the adults-only cruise line's fourth ship.  It debuted in late 2025 and today it arrived at the Port of Vancouver.  It's 111,000 gross tons with a capacity of 2,762 passengers.  I had an invitation to have lunch onboard but because it couldn't navigate under the Lions Gate Bridge until 9:30 AM and was scheduled to leave at 5:00 PM, it was cancelled.  That's quite a short turn around.

We arrived at 1:30 and the passengers hadn't even started to board yet.  I know two passengers who boarded today to go to Alaska.  I can't wait to see how they liked Virgin Cruises.

The Disney Wonder was at the west berth.  Lots of children on this ship!

It's much smaller than the Brilliant Lady

 

 Disney characters hanging from the aft!

Mother's Day

Mother’s Day has always been a celebration of love, gratitude, and the quiet strength that mothers carry through every season of life. But like many traditions, it didn’t start as the commercial holiday we know today.

The modern version began in 1908, when Anna Jarvis of West Virginia held a memorial for her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis — a woman who spent her life caring for families and promoting public health. Anna campaigned for a national day to honour all mothers, and by 1914, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson officially declared the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. From there, the tradition spread across the world, including here in Canada, where it quickly became a cherished spring ritual.

But beyond the history, Mother’s Day is really about moments — the small, thoughtful gestures that remind us we’re loved.

This year, my Mother’s Day began quietly. My daughter sent me flowers on Friday — a beautiful surprise on its own. I didn’t expect anything more. Flowers are already a gift of love, and I was content with that.

Then came an email yesterday: an invitation for dinner.

Now, we’re not a “restaurant family.” Crowds, noise, and rushed service aren’t our idea of a relaxing celebration. And my daughter, being a mother herself, shouldn’t have to spend the day cooking. She deserves to be honoured too.

So she came up with the perfect solution: a take‑out Mother’s Day dinner at her home — relaxed, warm, and shared together.

We enjoyed delicious Greek food from Poseidon Restaurant in Langley, one of the best spots around for authentic flavours. Alongside it, we opened a bottle of prosecco and a lovely rosé wine — simple, celebratory touches that made the evening feel special without any fuss.

And then came dessert: a homemade strawberry pie, beautifully prepared and absolutely delicious. The kind of dessert that tastes like spring and love in equal measure.

It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t elaborate.

It was perfect.

Thank you Cheryl, Dave and Lexie for a wonderful evening!