Here I go sounding like a broken record, but are we ever lucky to live in this neighbourhood! Especially to be so close to so many things and especially close to our great River Valley!

I take a little holiday every day and go take my dog for an off-leash walk in Dawson Park. We even have our very own hoodoos down there, which are great fun for the dogs and a few souls braver than I to climb. We can also go down to the river from the park and swim and fish. Admittedly, I would not go in the river without my water shoes, but the water feels so good on a hot summer day.

When the sun warms my skin, I find myself moving so much more freely than when I have to brace myself against the cold of winter. Fresh air and sunshine – nature’s antidepressant! It is good for the body and better even for the soul. In summer, we can take all those activities usually reserved for indoors in winter and take them outside.

Food even tastes better eaten outside. For residents who don’t have a barbecue, check out the Boyle Street Community League’s website and come out for a barbecue on the second Friday of the month. Bring something to roast and and a dish to share. One of the things that help guarantee our happiness is having a good social network. We can have a chance to meet new people at the barbecue, and I know I’ve made friends at the park walking our dogs.

Fresh air, sunshine, and friends! Those are my plans for summer.

Manon is a resident of Boyle Street and an active volunteer in the community. This column contains her own opinions, and is not affiliated with the Boyle Street Community League.