Living

"CAN I have chocolate?" five-year-old Cynthia asks. "I'd like Rocky Road," her nine-year-old brother says. The kids are at their favourite ice-cream parlour getting ready to enjoy a cone with their mom.

I learned a new word recently: slacktivism.

IF you think of Montezuma, instead of cursing him for the "revenge" suffered by travelers throughout the ages, praise him for introducing the world to chocolate.

SOME gardening experts claim it's too early to get out in the garden and start working. I must disagree. It's not too early, especially here on the warm coast.

Unassisted Living, by Wid Chapman and Jeffrey P. Rosenfeld (The Monacelli Press, 239 pages) $50 AS the baby boom generation moves towards retirement, many are rethinking what their housing needs are going to be.

NORTH Shore builders have a strong presence among the nominees for the Greater Vancouver Home Builders' Association's Ovation Awards.

En Famille Dinner: Provence Marinaside at 1177 Marinaside Cres., Vancouver will celebrate the arrival of spring and their 10 year anniversary with a dinner tonight, March 28 for $30. Reservations: 604-681-4144. Info: www.provencevancouver. com.

TIME was that being downsized or right sized or laid off or fired was a call to action. It was a time to fire up the old resume, do a little updating and start banging on doors, looking for a new job.

SPRING flowers bring new life and energy to any dinner table.

ON a recent weekend, my wife and I drove up to Whistler to meet some old friends for dinner. I've known John forever and Deb and I worked together previously at a health-care centre for children in Vancouver.