February 18, 2026

Valentine’s Day is all about the love, and this time of year, Team Fergmeijer likes to put aside our customary cynicism, pop on our rose-coloured glasses, and remind ourselves of all the wonderful things around us. The skunk that lives under our porch is so stinkin’ cute! The neighbour’s cat is pawsitively adorable, and we’ve never seen a porcupine looking quite so sharp as the one sleeping in the tree in our backyard. Stung by a bee? A hint you will soon find your honey. And while the dog could be your best fur-end, the horse will definitely be your mane squeeze. 

Thank you to all the organizers and volunteers who worked so hard to put on the annual Winterfest event here in town last weekend. It is wonderful to see so many locals, as well as those from the wider Island community out to have fun and socialize. 

The next Chatter Matters cafés are February 23rd and 26th at 10:30am at the Park Centre. Contact Mary at 705 348-2285 for more information on this free event as part of the Seniors Active Living program!

It’s week three of Short Poetry for a Short Month! Create and submit your short form piece of poetry on any topic that won’t make the Expositor editors question why they let us do this (any more than they already do), and we will print it in the column! Any short form is welcome: haiku, limerick, rhyming couplet, monostich, etc. Email your submissions to fergmeijer@gmail.com. Just one week left!

Combining some of our favourite things, Team Fergmeijer celebrated Shrove Tuesday with a serving of puncakes, and we wrote a flipping fantastic poem to mark the occasion:

Are you getting snow-weary 

This cold February?

It doesn’t really matter,

There’s plenty of fresh batter.

Hit the short stacks

Of sweet warm flapjacks,

And mop up that syrup - 

Pancakes help you cheerup!

The next Euchre for fun night is Wednesday February 25th at the park Centre. Games start at 6:30pm followed by refreshments. Rookies and solos (and presumably solo rookies!) are all welcome. While you are at it, might as well mark March 11, 25, and April 22 as Euchre nights on your calendar as well. 

Happy birthday to Suedy H and Ruth F who are both celebrating their 29th birthdays. After all these years, you’ve still got it! (Somewhere. Probably in a drawer). 

The Seniors Active Living program is also hosting a mobility yoga and meditation mini-retreat for all those aged 55+. The mini-retreat will be Saturday, February 28 from 1-4pm at the Park Centre, and will feature mobility yoga, refreshments, and a meditation. Participants are asked to bring a yoga mat, water bottle, blanket and pillow. Cost is $20. Contact SLM5@outlook.com or 705 348-2285 to register!

Need an excuse to break out the knitting needles or crochet hook? Billings Library’s Fiber Arts Fundraiser is here for you! Visit their website (bit.ly/fiberfundraiser) and pick one of dozens of small, quick and cute projects, and donate them to the library to be sold at the summer market on Wednesdays.

Don’t worry if you didn’t have a valentine’s on Valentine’s Day. You probably didn’t have a groundhog on groundhog day, either. Have a great week!