August 26, 2026

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!”

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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.”

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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.”

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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.”

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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.”

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Editor’s Quote Book

“A meaningful life is rarely built in one grand moment. It is assembled quietly from thousands of ordinary choices.”

— Marley

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Trivia Quiz

(Click Question For Answer)

 

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Your Horoscope

For Amusement Only

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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.

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The Garden

My garden finally started producing vegetables.
Unfortunately, they’re all zucchini.

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The Memory

My memory isn’t getting worse.
It’s simply becoming more selective without consulting me.

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The Toolbox

I own every tool needed to repair the house.
What I’m missing is enthusiasm.

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The Late Sleeper

I woke up full of energy this morning.
Fortunately, I rolled over and it passed.

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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.

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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.”

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