Today, Chris and I met my mom and younger brother at the Merrickville Fair.

The Village of Merrickville is located 60 km southwest of Ottawa. In the 1790s, United Empire Loyalist William Merrick received a Crown grant in the area and built a saw mill, powered by the Rideau River. The community that was built up around the sawmill became known as Merrick's Mills. The opening of the Rideau Canal in 1832 drove further growth, and the Village of Merrickville was incorporated in 1860.

Today's Merrickville Fair featured a show of Canadian horses. The Canadian horse is a breed from Canada that traces its roots to a stock of horses Louis XIV of France shipped to New France in 1665, 1667 and 1670. Despite the harsh conditions, the horses thrived and were nicknamed "the little iron horse" or "the horse of steel."

The fair also featured a horse pull and calf and cow shows. The bonus photo montage below captures a flavour of today's events. The Merrickville Fair continues tomorrow (August 11).

Now onto the Saturday Synopsis.

I did mourn the certainty that I thought I had before learning of my cancer. When we're healthy, it's easy to think that our life will go on without incident into some distant future. And it's understandable to think that everything has changed when we get a diagnosis of a life-threatening illness. While I have less certainty about my future than I did before cancer, the reality is that I never had absolute certainty in the first place. I've learned to accept the loss of certainty—or perceived certainty—about my future without letting it dampen my spirits.

"Spend 10 minutes writing a few kind words about yourself on small pieces of paper. Place these notes in unexpected places, like in your wallet, on your bathroom cabinet, and in your favorite coffee mug. Finding them later will offer reminders of how extraordinary you truly are."

— Cyndie Spiegel, A Year of Positive Thinking

"When you wrote something kind last night…your words gave me a real lift when I needed it. Suffice it to say that I am blessed in many ways but often, self-confidence is not one of them. Struggled with depression as a young man. A residue of anxiety remains…. We all have our challenges and stories. I just want you to know that you helped me and that I appreciate it. Come to think of it, you’ve done it more than once. Reminds me to do the same for others."

— Former colleague

An effective leader starts by assuming that the organization they inherit is working well and that its people know what they're doing. Moreover, they communicate this explicitly to their new team. This puts employees at ease and immediately creates a sense of psychological safety—a feeling that the new boss is as committed to the team's success as the employees are. As the leader builds relationships with their new employees, they can ask questions designed to elicit ideas about what's working, what's not and what could be done to improve things.

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."

— Eleanor Roosevelt

I used to work with a woman who arranged office moves for our branch. The day after each move, one or more employees would inevitably go to my colleague with concerns about the new setup. She would say "give it a week, then come see me if you're still having issues." The reluctant movers rarely returned. They adapted, or discovered that the new setup had its advantages.

Whatever it is that you define as the best part of your day—being with others or being alone, being energetic or being tranquil, vacationing or staycationing—can tell you a lot about yourself and your priorities. So often, we fill our lives with shoulds. "My neighbour's backyard is so much better than mine; I should do more with my garden." "My colleague just got a promotion; I should do something to advance my career." "My brother-in-law drinks fancy wine; I should drink fancy wine." But you get to decide what you value most. There are no right or wrong answers, just answers that are more right for you regardless of what others might think.

"I do not know how to make graphics as well as you do, but would like to gift you the Women's Health Award for your exceptional dedication to improving women's health, both for yourself and for others, by sharing your stories. I hope you will take pride in this award. May it bring a smile to your face and a ray of sunshine to this moment."

— A friend

"'When we help other people we establish an experience or a connection with them — but we also remind ourselves of the value that we bring to the world,' Dr. Murthy said. 'And that’s essential because when people struggle with loneliness over time, it does erode their self-esteem and their sense of self. It can make them believe over time that they’re lonely because they’re not likable or they’re not lovable. And when we serve others, we come to see that that’s not the case.'"

— Christina Caron

Earlier in the day, I had decided that it was time to focus on living rather than mourning what might have been, on accepting what is as opposed to wishing for what isn't, on seeking peace. As Wayne W. Dyer said, "Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be."

After almost a week as the unaboober, it's time to start laughing about the whole thing. One friend sent me a photo of a booby (a large tropical seabird with brightly coloured feet), with the caption "I see your one booby and match you with another! Haha." Another friend asked—in response to my post referencing Knitted Knockers—whether there might be a lucrative market for Knotted Knuts. I replied that Knotted Knuts would be macramed (as opposed to knitted), because that seems more manly, and they would be made with fuzzy yarn.