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..
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..
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..
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..
Anne’s New Year Banquet: Spicing Up Fate A Tale of Resilience, Laughter, and Sichuan Peppercorns Back in the swirling mists of early May – when the maple leaves were barely awake and Anne’s neurons were staging an Olympic relay – she awoke from emergency brain surgery with a sense of place that was disconcertingly certain…
Reflections on Christmas Sunday and Christmas Carol Season: A Loss of Innocence From an early age I have been obsessed with the Biblical narrative of the Fall from grace, with its vivid imagery of innocence lost in Eden. From the time that I turned 12 or so, the story has resonated deeply as..
Geno Lewis: Scoring a touchdown for compassion My precious wife Anne is stricken with glioblastoma, an incurable form of brain cancer. Kind neighbours have rallied to provide emergency support when she collapses or is otherwise indisposed or de-railed. One such kind soul is Geno Lewis, a star wide receiver for the Ottawa Redblacks, the city’s..
Anne: A Figgy Pudding at Christmastime A Metaphorical Tribute This year more than ever, Anne will be our figgy pudding, the centrepiece of the holiday table: warm, inviting, and filled with the richness that brings friends and family together. Like the pudding’s tapestry of fruits and spices, Anne is a harmony of kindness, wit, and..
A Child’s Christmas Carol Confusion Wonder and Bewilderment in Yuletide Lyrics* When I was a small child growing up in Georgetown, Ontario, Christmas carols embodied an enchanting mystery – a flurry of twinkling words and sounds that tumbled through the air as delightfully as snowflakes, yet made about as much sense as trying to build..
Sitting Up Is Hard to Do A Bittersweet Parody* of an Old Pop Song, Produced by Anne’s Courage and Wit Anne, ever the philosopher of the practical, has coined her own anthem: “Sitting up is hard to do.” She murmurs it with the gravitas of a torch song, and it echoes through our home like..