It’s May Two-Four!
Hi, , it’s almost the Long Weekend!
Cottage-opening weekend is finally upon us! The Victoria Day long weekend, often dubbed the “May 2-4 weekend”, marks the unofficial commencement of cottage season. In the northern reaches of the country, this long weekend also signifies the start of gardening season. For a long time, I thought this weekend earned its nickname from the popular tradition of sharing a ‘2-4’ of your favorite beer by the cottage campfires. While that might be a fitting description, the name actually stems from the fact that Queen Victoria’s birthday was on May 24, 1819.
In economic news, Canada’s inflation rate recently climbed to 4.4%, surpassing expectations. This marks the first increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since it reached a high of 8.1% in June of the previous year. The Bank of Canada has pledged to revert to a 2% inflation rate, so even a slight increase could prompt a re-evaluation of their current approach. The main contributors to this increase were mortgage interest costs (rising by 28.5%), rents (increasing by 6.1%), and grocery prices (surging by 9.1%). Interestingly, the primary driver, mortgages, was largely influenced by the hike in Bank of Canada rates, a measure designed to temper inflation in the first place.
Seeking advice on how to spend the weekend in Southern Ontario, I consulted with ChatGPT. The AI recommended a visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens (don’t forget to stop by Cherry Hill Gate!), attending a production at the Stratford Festival, or embarking on a wine tour in Prince Edward County. The list also included exploring Elora Gorge or enjoying a boat tour through the Thousand Islands. If you find yourself in Ottawa, the Tulip Festival comes highly recommended!
Regardless of how you plan to spend your long weekend, consider giving your soap a second glance if you’ve been attracting more mosquito bites than your companions. It turns out that certain brands can actually lure these pesky insects more than others. If you’re in search of a repellent scent, coconut soap might be worth a try!
Until next week,
Trevor & the Cherry Hill Team
