August 26, 2026
On The Upside with Marley
There Is Still Time
As summer begins leaning toward autumn, it’s easy to feel that another season has slipped away too quickly.
Perhaps you meant to take more day trips, spend more evenings outside, visit old friends or finally tackle something you’ve been putting off. Suddenly, the mornings are cooler, the sun sets a little earlier, and store shelves are quietly filling with reminders of the season ahead.
But the changing calendar doesn’t mean you’ve missed your chance.
There is still time.
There is still time to sit beside the water with a coffee, invite someone over for an unplanned supper, take the scenic route home or spend an afternoon doing absolutely nothing productive.
We often treat enjoyment as something that requires perfect timing. We wait for an empty schedule, ideal weather or enough money to make the occasion feel worthwhile. Meanwhile, ordinary opportunities pass unnoticed.
The truth is that many of life’s best memories begin with imperfect circumstances.
The picnic may be interrupted by rain. The road trip may include a wrong turn. The family photograph may catch someone blinking. Yet those are often the details that make the story worth telling later.
Don’t let the approaching end of a season convince you that the good part is over.
Every day still contains a few unused hours. Every week still offers room for something spontaneous. Every conversation still has the possibility of becoming meaningful.
You don’t have to complete an entire summer wish list. Choose one simple thing and make room for it.
Call the friend. Take the drive. Sit outside after supper. Watch one more sunset.
The calendar may keep moving, but there is still time to make today count.
Why Familiar Places Matter
Most communities have places that seem ordinary until they’re gone.
It may be the corner restaurant where the server remembers your order, the hardware store where someone can identify a mysterious bolt at a glance, or the bench where neighbours regularly stop to exchange local news.
These places do more than sell meals, supplies or services. They provide familiarity.
In a world where so much is ordered through a screen and delivered without conversation, familiar places remind us that belonging often begins with being recognized.
The owner knows which newspaper you read. The cashier asks about your garden. Someone notices when you haven’t stopped in for a while.
Those small interactions may not seem important, but they quietly hold communities together.
Supporting a local business isn’t only about where money is spent. It’s also about preserving the places where stories are exchanged, friendships begin and people are treated like neighbours instead of account numbers.
The next time you visit a familiar local place, take a moment to appreciate what it adds to your community.
Someday, you may realize it was never just a store.
The Pleasure of Finishing Something
Starting a project is exciting. Finishing one is deeply satisfying.
It doesn’t have to be a major accomplishment. Completing a puzzle, organizing one drawer, repairing a loose cupboard handle or finally reading the last chapter of a book can create a surprising sense of relief.
Unfinished tasks occupy more mental space than we realize. Every time we see them, they quietly remind us that something still needs attention.
Finishing even one small job restores a feeling of control.
The secret is to stop waiting for enough time to do everything. Choose one manageable task and complete it from beginning to end.
A finished little job feels far better than ten ambitious plans waiting to begin.
The Hearing Test
A man told his doctor that he thought his wife was losing her hearing.
The doctor suggested a simple test.
“Stand twenty feet behind her and ask a question. If she doesn’t answer, move closer and try again.”
That evening, his wife was preparing dinner.
From twenty feet away, he asked, “What’s for supper?”
No answer.
He moved to fifteen feet and asked again.
Still nothing.
At ten feet, he repeated the question.
No response.
Finally, he stood directly behind her and said, “What’s for supper?”
She turned around and replied, “For the fourth time—chicken!”
The Garage Sale
A woman stopped at a garage sale and pointed to an old lamp.
“How much?”
“Five dollars,” said the seller.
“Does it work?”
“Perfectly.”
The woman handed over the money, took the lamp home and plugged it in.
Nothing happened.
She returned to the sale and complained, “You said this lamp worked perfectly.”
The seller nodded.
“It does. It worked perfectly at convincing you to give me five dollars.”
The Dog Trainer
A man proudly told his neighbour, “I taught my dog to fetch the newspaper.”
“That’s not unusual,” said the neighbour.
“It is for my dog.”
“Why?”
“We don’t subscribe to a newspaper.”
The Restaurant Complaint
A customer waved the waiter over.
“This soup tastes like dishwater.”
The waiter looked surprised.
“You’ve tasted our dishwater?”
“No.”
“Then perhaps we should wait until all the evidence is in.”
The New Smartphone
A grandfather showed his new smartphone to his grandson.
“It recognizes my face, answers questions and tells me where I’ve parked.”
His grandson said, “That’s amazing.”
Grandpa nodded.
“Now I just need one that remembers why I walked into the kitchen.”
Editor’s Quote Book
“A meaningful life is rarely built in one grand moment. It is assembled quietly from thousands of ordinary choices.”
— Marley
Trivia Quiz
(Click Question For Answer)
Your Horoscope
For Amusement Only
Aries Mar. 21 – Apr. 19: A delayed plan begins moving forward. Stay flexible and let small adjustments improve the final result.
Taurus Apr. 20 – May 20: Comfort comes from familiar surroundings, but one modest change could make daily life noticeably easier.
Gemini May 21 – Jun. 20: Your words carry extra influence this week. Use them to encourage rather than criticize.
Cancer Jun. 21 – Jul. 22: Someone close appreciates your patience. A calm conversation strengthens trust and clears up confusion.
Leo Jul. 23 – Aug. 22: Your confidence attracts attention, but your generosity leaves the deeper and more lasting impression.
Virgo Aug. 23 – Sep. 22: One unfinished task deserves priority. Completing it creates welcome momentum for everything else.
Libra Sep. 23 – Oct. 22: A compromise becomes easier when everyone feels heard. Listen carefully before offering your solution.
Scorpio Oct. 23 – Nov. 21: Trust develops slowly through consistent actions. Continue showing up and let your reliability speak.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 – Dec. 21: A spontaneous outing refreshes your outlook. Leave some room in your schedule for surprise.
Capricorn Dec. 22 – Jan. 19: Practical planning prevents unnecessary stress. Prepare early, then enjoy the freedom your effort creates.
Aquarius Jan. 20 – Feb. 18: An unusual idea may be more useful than it first appears. Give it proper consideration.
Pisces Feb. 19 – Mar. 20: A peaceful setting helps you understand something that seemed complicated only a few days ago.
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The Calendar
I bought a calendar that ends in August.
The rest of the year is still up in the air.
The Garden
My garden finally started producing vegetables.
Unfortunately, they’re all zucchini.
The Memory
My memory isn’t getting worse.
It’s simply becoming more selective without consulting me.
The Toolbox
I own every tool needed to repair the house.
What I’m missing is enthusiasm.
The Late Sleeper
I woke up full of energy this morning.
Fortunately, I rolled over and it passed.
Marley’s Video Pick
How to Speak So That People Want to Listen
Have you ever felt that people weren’t really listening, even though you had something important to say? In this practical and entertaining TED Talk, sound expert Julian Treasure explains several habits that can weaken communication and introduces simple principles that help people speak with greater honesty, clarity and warmth.
He also demonstrates vocal exercises designed to improve the strength, range and effectiveness of the human voice. Whether you’re speaking to a room full of people or having an everyday conversation, the video offers useful reminders about how our words—and the way we deliver them—can influence whether others truly listen.
The Last Word
“You may not have time to do everything, but there is almost always time to do one thing that makes today worthwhile.”
I truly enjoy reading the perkolator . It’s funny and informative. I look forward to the next issue.
I’m so happy to hear that Barbara. It means a lot to us to make a positive difference in our communities 🙂
Smack on Cous!
I wouldn’t miss an issue.
Grateful, Thank You so much 🙏
We’re so happy you appreciate it 🙂
And our heartfelt thanx to you, Brian Garvey for coming up with the PERK idea 30 years ago. I and many others have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy the publication for hopefully years to come.
I commend you!
WELL DONE !
The May 1st edition was the best I’ve read since becoming a follower. Positively Speaking……logical and smack on, the quiz, difficult but for the first time ever I’m 8 for 8! The bog island vid…who’d a thunk?
I can’t be all positive though.
The sand which board with I b4 e was a tough one for my aging eyes.
Lastly, could your font be slightly larger with the adds just a wee bit smaller.
So many magazines, internet articles, etc have yet to learn that their main audience is aging and eyes are not what they were of days past.
Keep up the good work.
PS: Adds work. I’ve used more than one company you’ve listed with total satisfaction (politicians excepted)
Hi Dave. Firstly thanks so much for the comments. I’m not the writer of this stuff just the web guy. While reading anything that you find is too small on the internet generally all you need to do is hit your Control and the plus key or minus key together to increase or decrease the size of things. I’m afraid if we reduce the ads any smaller they won’t be readable and of course it’s due to their investment in the Perkolator that the publication can actually exist 🙂 Happy Spring.
why do l keep getting the same perkolator every month for the S Muskoka edition. this is the same issue running from Jan.2026.
Hi Nina
The Perkolator doesn’t actually publish monthly, it publishes weekly. I cannot see what you’re seeing of course. However I have reviewed the website thoroughly and including the last 5 weeks Perkolator’s and there’s no duplication. The only thing I can determine is if you’re clicking on an old email from last month and expecting last months perkolator. Clicking on the link in your subscription email will always take you to the latest edition regardless of how old the email is. Perhaps that’s where the issue lies.
Thanks for reading!
Today’s edition is the same as last weeks.
Apologies Howard. It’s now fixed. The automation wasn’t automatic!!!
Please don’t change anything, I look forward to my weekly paper
We’re glad to hear that you’re enjoying The Perkolator.. You keep reading it and we will keep it coming.
Why, when I’m already a subscriber must the pop up SUBSCRIBE for double your pleasure pop up in the first place? Oh, I just realized, you can’t have pop ups in your printed newsletter.
Silly me.
As well. Without being “logged into” a website, there’s no way for it to determine who you are. SO it displays for everyone 🙂
Lately your articles seem to be very anti-woman. I’m most certainly going to stop reading!
Good day Jessica. I do hope that you are still reading The Perkolator. Although you don’t say which articles you found objectionable, I can assure you that we, at The Perkolator, are not anti-women. In fact, if we look back to past issues men are the Butt of more jokes and stories than are women. In our world we need to find the humour in our words, habits, situations, and actions more often, whether we are male of female. The ability to laugh at ourselves and our humanness allows us to cope better with the stresses in life. I hope that you will consider continuing to read The Perkolator, understanding that we are only joking and mean no offense.
Best Regards.
Brian G