a peek inside the fishbowl

• My Only Child Died, But I’ll Always Be A Mother, chatelaine.com
• The Ultimate Guide to Bizarre Lies Your Mom Told You, atlasobscura.com
• Remembering Ma by the things she left behind, theglobeandmail.com
• Dear Mom, the War’s Going Great, nytimes.com

#Tulips are still sleeping in the Capital, but not for long! Check our Tulip Bloom Indicator for the first buds: https://t.co/BxgsKbCkJj pic.twitter.com/pz2k0bP6JO

— NCC-CCN (@NCC_CCN) May 3, 2018

• A Fast-Food Problem: Where Have All the Teenagers Gone?, nytimes.com
• How to Survive Your 40s, nytimes.com
• My name is Wil Wheaton. I live with chronic Depression, and I am not ashamed, wilwheaton.net
• Pastry Chef Attempts To Make Gourmet Kit Kats, youtube.com
• How Ferrero Rocher become a status symbol for immigrant families, thrillist.com

On the nightstand: The Ice Princess (Patrik Hedstrom and Erica Falck, Book 1)

We have a winner! Was it you? Scroll to the end of the comments.

You know what’s great about Spring in Ottawa – aside from the sunny warm weather of course – is the multitudes of people who suddenly appear outdoors. It’s kind of amazing. The winter layers disappear and we are walking, biking, running, skating! Crowds of people are out walking their dogs and teaching their kids how to ride a bike. Teens dig out their basketball nets, skateboards, and scooters out of the garage and kids are chalking up their driveways and sidewalks with hopscotch grids. Everyone wears the exact same “I am so happy to be outdoors” grin on their faces. It is, in a word, glorious.

This is the time of year when many toys come out of hiberation too: Frisbees and kites and skipping ropes and bouncy balls and bubble wands and squirt guns and rocket launchers. Some would say it’s the best time of year to get outside and play.

I’m very pleased to let you know that longtime Fishbowl patron*, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s is having a big store-wide sale May 17-20. 20% off everything in store and online. (!) Whether you’re looking to get active outside, refill that bubble juice for some quieter kind of fun closer to home, or you’re more of an indoor sort who’s got a hankering for a new board game, you will definitely want to check it out.

BIG BONUS: I have one $100 gift card for one lucky person to spend at Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s in time for the big sale. Interested? Please read the following carefully:

• This giveaway is for one $100 gift card (for in-store spending only) and will be given to one individual. It can be used during the sale or anytime afterward.
• In order for your entry to qualify, tell me in the comments below what toy YOU or your family, is playing with right now! (Well, maybe not RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND but I would love to hear about a favourite toy or game.)
• One entry per email address, please.
• A BONUS second entry goes to folks who leave a comment on this Facebook post as well. Just make sure you come back and let me know in a second, separate, comment that you did so.
• This giveaway is void where prohibited by law.
• If you can’t post your comment for whatever reason, you can email it to andrea at quietfish dot com. Please note, I cannot be responsible if your entry is misdirected or gets stuck in my Spam folder.
• I will draw the winning name using Random.org at noon EST on May 11, 2018. I’ll contact the winner via email at that time and post the name here as well. If I don’t hear back within 24 hours of emailing I will pick another name.
• The winner will need to pick up the gift card at a Tiggy’s location of their choice in a timely manner. In the Glebe, Rideau Centre, or Westboro store.

Good luck!

* Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s is a longtime patron of the Fishbowl and my go-to place to shop for fun stuff. If you haven’t been yet, you definitely need to check it out. :)