The egalitarian spirit
If you take the train from Union Station in Toronto from time to time, as I do, you probably find it annoying to hear them announce (if you can hear it at all) “VIA business-class passengers may board at any time after they have finished their free drinks and snacks in the lounge. All other […]
In the end
This past weekend, LOML and I attended the memorial service of a friend and colleague. While I have never been a fan of the funeral-in-achurch service, I am a fan of memorial services. I’m a bit selfish that way. Funerals are so shockingly immediate while memorial services are often held weeks or even months after […]
The puck
It was on April 21, in 1951. The Canadiens and the Leafs battled in the Stanley Cup final at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The game went into overtime. One of the stalwarts on the Leafs blueline, “Bashing Bill” Barilko creased the twine behind Gerry McNeil to win the game, and the Cup. Old hockey […]
A killing frost
On the night of April 26, the commune of Meursault (in the Côte de Beaune region of Burgundy) was severely damaged by the worst killer frost since 1981. As County winegrowers can testify, such a calamity is truly heartbreaking— regardless of the region it strikes. We know the impact that plunging temperatures have, not only […]
Weeds
It’s May. That season when life bursts forth with delirious enthusiasm. Grass grows inches each day, birdsong overwhelms the quiet mornings. Grey and brown are replaced by a glorious palette of greens. And amidst those greens, little bursts of yellow— the neat, ubiquitous dandelion. Humans, it seems, have a love-hate relationship with the plant many […]
Mom, mommy, mama
Ah, Mother’s Day. As I write this, I’m thinking “everyone has a mother,” right? One way or another, there was a mom-person for each of us. It stands to reason it should be easy to write about the celebration of motherhood, shouldn’t it? From the get-go, motherhood has been complicated for me—but I’m sure it […]
World Championships
The World Under-19 Women’s Floorball Championships concluded last Sunday in Belleville. The Canadian team played its way successfully into the Gold medal game in the “B” division. They had to play Germany once again, certainly their nemesis in the sport. Trailing 5-3 in the final period, the Canadians tied the score in the dying minutes […]
Elevating
Did you get the census thing stuck in your door the other day? The envelope from Stats Canada, I mean. Gotta fill it out and send it in cuz it’s the law, right? Count yourself in. Last count, back in 2011, we were 25,258 souls. Hard to believe, but with a few of us coming […]
A study to prove it
Are you one of those old fossils who thinks it’s terrible that cursive handwriting is increasingly not being taught in primary schools? Do you feel there is a undue emphasis being put on the need to teach coding to children, when the only code they really need is the postal code to put on an […]
2016 World Championship
On Wednesday, the world will arrive at the doorstep of the Quinte region for the Under-19 Women’s World Floorball Championships. Actually, the opening ceremonies took place last night. Elizabeth Manley, Canadian figure skater, was on hand to help open the games. As a matter of historical note, both she and Brian Orser were born in […]