“Nothing new on your blog for weeks. Everything okay, or just tired of writing it for now?”

That was an email from a dear friend and reader here today, wondering where I have been for the past few weeks.

Sigh . . . I have been enjoying the beautiful summer weather in Quebec and Ontario during my three-week vacation.

Yes, there was plenty of skinny-dipping and sunbathing by the lake, and lounging on the deck with my loved one and the blue jay, red squirrels and chipmunk who regularly drop by for peanuts — and a few hummingbirds who drink from our flowers and feeder.

I could go on and on about how cute they are, and how they compete with each other for the food and drink we give them — even though there is plenty to go around.

Yes, life was so dreamy during my vacation — and now I am back at work, still not quite up to the speed of the proverbial rat race.

But I will get there . . .

One observation from a trip to the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa a couple of weeks ago: It’s not really a good place to take young children, despite efforts by officials there to make it appear to be fun for the whole family. It was very disturbing to see a section with huge comic-book images on the walls, where little kids were encouraged to put on gas masks and rubber outfits and such.

What are museum officials thinking? Do they have any idea the nightmares children could have after visiting that place?

— Jillian