Editor’s letter

Highs and lows

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, but I feel like we’re living through a very bizarre time right now. In March, here in Ontario at least, life seemed to be getting back to normal—and I have to say, I was ready for it. Dining indoors at restaurants? You had me at indoors. Inviting people over? Yes, please. It felt novel to return to the office for a few meetings, and fantastic to see many members of Team Chats for the first time in 2022. Even riding the subway again was exciting. Of course, while all of this was happening, Ontario’s COVID numbers started skyrocketing. As I’m writing this, I’m just getting over a COVID infection. If I had known at this time last year that I’d get sick despite being fully vaxxed and boosted, I would have laugh-cried for a week straight. But here we are! I know my three shots are the reason my symptoms are incredibly mild and, more importantly, that they ’ ve helped keep other people safe. That said, I’m honestly glad that I had no idea just how long this pandemic was going to last.

In spite of these ups and downs, it does seem like we’re inching toward some sort of normal—and the arrival of spring definitely helps. In this issue, we’re welcoming the season with a fresh batch of recipes for rainbow chard (p. 88), the most delicious muffins (p. 82), and a Mother’s Day bagel spread that’s a breeze to pull together. (I especially love our brunch shoot, on page 74, because it features our senior editor, Chantal Braganza, and her adorable son.)

We also have a thought-provoking slate of features, including an essay by Jowita Bydlowska. You might remember Jowita as the author of the bestselling memoir Drunk Mom, in which she shared her secret battle with addiction as a young mother, as well as how she eventually got sober. As is the case for most of us, Jowita’s story isn’t a straight line. A few years after her memoir was published, as she writes on page 58, she started drinking again. I really admire Jowita’s candour, and I think her essay is a perfect example of the stories we want to tell in Chatelaine: honest examinations of what it’s like to be a woman in the world. I hope you enjoy it, too.

Maureen Halushak

@maureenhalushak letters@chatelaine.com

Also in this issue

Take a deep breath We ’ re not saying you ’ re doing it wrong, but you just might benefit from breathing . . . better. Here ’ s how (page 42).

Dopamine dressing Brighten your outlook with one of these colourful picks, all from Canadian brands (page 26).

“It’s a personal cost” Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner on going her own way—and what she ’ s learned from her mistakes (page 62).

Falling out Chatelaine editor Andréanne Dion on the mental health toll of hair loss (page 18).