Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery. 📍

Delicious lunch at Willibald Farms. I recommend the When Pigs Fly stout and BLT.

A multi-level restaurant or café interior with rustic industrial design featuring exposed wooden beams, corrugated metal ceiling panels, and two large circular LED light fixtures hanging from the ceiling. The space includes an upper mezzanine level with wooden railings and seating areas, decorative greenery garlands, and a service counter area below with plants and holiday decorations. The warm lighting and natural wood create an inviting atmosphere.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

🏊‍♂️🚴🏃‍♂️ Filling in the 2026 race calendar by adding in the Guelph Lake Olympic-distance triathlon

A confirmation email details registration for the Subaru Triathlon Series - Guelph Lake 1, taking place on June 20-21, 2026, at Conservation Rd in Guelph, Canada.

Annual polar bear swim

In what is now an annual tradition, my son and I went for a polar bear swim in Lake Ontario. We usually go on January 1st, but yesterday was -20°C which seemed almost dangerous. “Only” -10°C today so much more reasonable 🥶.

I’m often asked why I would do such a strange thing. Part of it is for the tradition and challenge. The more thoughtful reason is symbolic. The bracing cold, excitement of running into the lake and back, and bonding with my son feels like a great way to shake off last year’s residual complacency and start the New Year with an adventure.

Two people wearing winter jackets and hats are standing on a beach with the lake and a cloudy sky in the background.Two people are smiling while wrapped in towels against a backdrop of a blue sky with clouds.

My first day back at work and the internet went down. Maybe I should take the hint?

Year in books for 2025

2025 was another great year for reading, even if only to get away from mindless scrolling on my phone.

My favourite non-fiction book was Waves in an Impossible Sea by Matt Strassler and fiction was Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Those are narrow favourites though. I could have happily picked other books from the list.

No major changes planned for 2026. Maybe just some more targeted books on Canada, given the state of my nation and the rest of the world.

Breaking PointThe Random UniverseScaling PeopleThe Last TownSword & CitadelAlien ClayMedieval HorizonsWayward1984Greener Than ThouThe Potency of Ungovernable ImpulsesThe Book of the New Sun: Volume 1Fifth BusinessThe Dream HotelShroudPinesThe 51st State VotesThe Blacktongue ThiefForeign BodiesCity of Saints and MadmenFlowers for AlgernonSay NothingAutomatic NoodleSuperbloomCanadaI Am OzzyA Theory of EveryoneThe Ministry of TimeLord of ChaosThe Imposition of Unnecessary ObstaclesTapper's Day OffSlow HorsesAn Immense WorldA Field Guide to LiesThe the Longbow, the Schooner The Tomb of DragonsBlindsightOutliveLivesuitWorld War ZRevengerMoonboundThe Crisis of Canadian Democracy The Grief of StonesRevenge of the Tipping PointA Conjuring of LightOrbitalAt the Trough: The Rise and Fall of Canada’s Corporate Welfare BumsThe Dog Sitter Detective Takes the LeadThe Mercy of GodsThe Future of UsJasper on FireThe Light EatersWaves in an Impossible SeaShit My Dad SaysAbsolutionFaith, Hope and CarnageThe Infernal Machine

📚 Thanks to my family for a great set of books for Christmas this year.

A stack of seven books with various titles and authors is displayed on a reflective surface.

Finished reading: Breaking Point by Darrell Bricker and John Ibbitson provides a very clear description of Canada’s challenges. Thankfully it also provides good ideas on how to fix them. Pairs well with Andrew Coyne’s recent book, though they disagree on electoral reform. Although daunting, I’m optimistic that this is an exciting time for Canada’s rejuvenation 🍁📚

🔗 The Telemetry - by Angus Hervey - Fix The News

This gap, between the world as it is and how we’re told to see it, comes down to a choice about what we do with our attention. Mission control doesn’t ignore danger. It’s acknowledged, monitored, taken seriously. But knowing which emergencies require immediate action means you need to watch all the instruments, not just the alarms. That’s the difference between panic and an effective response.

An important reminder about the sensationalization of news

Finished reading: The Random Universe by Andrew H. Jaffe is an interesting exploration of probability and models in physics and cosmology. I also appreciated the historical context that showed how the models developed 📚

🏃‍♂️ Burning off some Christmas cheer on today’s run

A snowy trail lined with leafless trees stretches into the distance under a gray sky in Cambridge.

Finished reading: As a Canadian public servant, I’m not the target market for Scaling People by Claire Hughes Johnson. Nonetheless, I found the sections on managing teams and navigating conflict useful 📚

12 Days of Winter Wonder Photo Challenge - Day 12: Home

A cozy fireplace with a burning fire is behind a protective screen.

❄️ 12 Days of Winter Wonder Photo Challenge - Day 11: Feast

A plate of cannelloni with salad is served alongside a glass of Erdinger beer on a table set for a meal.

🎄Merry Christmas!

Family group shot with many wearing Christmas hats

❄️ 12 Days of Winter Wonder Photo Challenge - Day 10: Travel

A pedestrian crossing button is attached to a pole beside a road with houses and cars in the background.

🎶 II by Voices from the Lake is good for getting focused

An abstract blue and white artwork with text reading Voices From The Lake II at the top.

🎶 Great version of A Dawning at 9:34

❄️ 12 Days of Winter Wonder Photo Challenge - Day 9: Baking

Diced potatoes are spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, placed on a stovetop above an oven set to 400°F.

❄️ 12 Days of Winter Wonder Photo Challenge - Day 8: Grinch

A green sweater features a grumpy face wearing a Santa hat with the words CURRENT MOOD below it.

Finished reading: Seemed inevitable that The Last Town by Blake Crouch would become a mostly straightforward action plot with lots of shooting. Still entertaining, though not nearly as good as the first book in the series. 📚