A promise of light
Winter solstice should be a time to reflect on our fragile existence upon a planet placed in the Goldilocks belt of the Solar System. Fifty kilometers northwest of Dublin is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Newgrange. Built over 5,000 years ago by farming communities working the fertile plains of the region, this Neolithic monument […]
Blackhawks get caught napping
I am quite certain that teams do not lose NHL games intentionally. Just the opposite, in fact. When it comes down to it, every game is important. I get a little tired of hearing people say that they are hockey fans, then add that they only watch the playoffs, because that’s when players really play […]
Countdown
So, the countdown to Christmas has really begun. I try to keep my excitement factor down to a dull roar, but it’s difficult when so much is going on. For those of you who think you know me, and many of your do, you know how much I love having our family home for the […]
Doc is hanging up the spikes
Some of us were caught napping today when we read that Doc Halladay was retiring from baseball. In a move with some precedent, he signed a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, so that he would retire as a Jay. He did spend the past four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, but the bulk of […]
Mulling it over
Historically limited to those of the ruling classes who could afford the spices required, winter (or mulled) wine has had an ardent following throughout the ages. Some say the tradition began in Homer’s Odyssey, when Circe (a minor yet lascivious goddess) drugged Ulysses’ crew on their homeward journey. She laced wine with drugs and herbs […]
The little things
December. Yup. It’s the little things that are making this December memorable for me. For instance, little did I know we had an extraordinarily talented young lady living right next door. Indeed, our neighbour, along with dozens of her new stage friends (perhaps a neighbour of yours among them), made this past Sunday afternoon very […]
Rum Ruminations
British troops have enjoyed beer and rum rations for quite a long time. Royal Navy sailors received a ration of 4.5 liters of beer, on a daily basis, right up to the year 1665. Unfortunately beer did not travel well, and tended to spoil on long voyages (especially those in warmer climates). Fortunately, the English […]
Home away from home
The Buffalo Bills journeyed to Toronto last Sunday to face the Atlanta Falcons. It marked the sixth occasion for the adventure of a Bills’ home game in Toronto, a home game away from home. As I have noted on previous occasions, I often listen to 550 on the AM radio dial to catch the flavour […]
How I stopped the insanity
December. Geez, I was just getting used to the end of summer and now we’re slip-sliding into the end of autumn and careening into the beginning of winter and Christmas. LOML and I have just made soup with a frozen carcass of the Thanksgiving leftovers. Heck we haven’t even raked up all of the last […]
Parata
The Latin word ‘parare’, which means to prepare or to furnish, crosses language borders to become ‘parata’ in Italian, ‘parada’ in Spanish and ‘parade’ in French. Around the world, there is the Chinese Lantern Parade; Fête dé Noué; The Cortege; Junkaroo—a cultural street dance from Africa; there is also Kattenstoet—‘Festival of the Cats’—in Belgium; the […]