Anne is Real Butter Back in the fabulous fifties and swinging sixties, Canadians were all but commanded to cast aside their beloved butter in favour of margarine – this so-called “modern marvel” that promised thrift, health, and, if you squinted hard enough, a resemblance to butter. But in its original form, margarine looked as appetizing..
The Fox / Le Renard By / Par Anne-Marie Labreque Quebec artist and poet L’artiste et poète québécoise Poem translated by Robert McBryde Le poème original en français suit immédiatement la traduction. The original French poem immediately follows the English translation. Fox: Carnivorous mammal, similar to a wolf but smaller in size..
The Gift of Concentric Rings* From Anne, Whose Hands Are Generous On May 12, 2025, Anne was rushed to the operating table for emergency surgery to remove as much of the metastasizing brain cancer that could be extracted without rendering her entirely dysfunctional. Just before going under the proverbial knife, she gave me three of..
Kindred connections: The timeless bond of cousins for Anne and me Cousins hold a truly unique place in our hearts – often the first friends we have in life, they bridge family ties and share in our joys and burdens with a special understanding born of shared history. In times of hardship, like the..
Anne’s Jaunty Moccasins A bittersweet poem in honour of everyday courage She slips them on each morning’s light, Her moccasins, a gift so bright. Though clouds may gather, spirits thin, She finds her strength in moccasins. The doctors speak in hushed, grave tones, Yet Anne just grins and soldier’s on. Her shoes, a badge..
Ramblings on January 25 to celebrate Robbie Burns’ Birthday Every year, on January 25th, the Scottish people, including the Scottish diaspora, celebrate Burns’ Night. This is the night where Scots highlight the life and works of Robert Burns, a poet and lyricist, and arguably one of Scotland’s most notable figures. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/robert-burns In my..
Anne’s Red Pepper Revolution “The food of the true revolutionary is the red pepper. [She] who cannot endure red peppers is also unable to fight.” -Chairman Mao Zedong, a native of chili-loving Hunan province, famously linked the consumption of spicy food to revolutionary fervour. Anne liberally sprinkles Sichuan courage on her noodles– A revolution in..
She’s a clean machine As a devoted caregiver for my wife Anne, I find myself constantly hovering, attentive to her every need – sometimes to an excessive degree. Her battle with terminal brain cancer has left her quite wobbly on her feet, requiring me to be vigilant at all times. Whether it’s guiding her through..
Love, loss and legacy: From neurosurgeon to patient, from wife to caregiver I thought you might be interested in this story that was recently posted concerning Gina Gentili, whose husband, Dr. Fred Gentili (a renowned neurosurgeon practicing in Toronto) passed from glioblastoma: https://www.braintumour.ca/stories/love-loss-and-legacy-from-neurosurgeon-to-patient-from-wife-to-caregiver/. Gina speaks a lot about caregiving and shared resources for other caregivers. ..
The Indomitable Anne and the Great Hat Rebellion Or, How to Outwit a Vicious Canadian Winter with Sheer Stubbornness Let me tell you about my beloved Anne, whose spirit is as unyielding as the Canadian Shield and whose relationship with winter headgear is more complicated than a double-double at Timmies. Most mortals, upon being handed..