Justin Taylor – enjoying the hockey life
Outside the visitors’ dressing room in the Germain Arena, there is a stationary bike. There was a lineup to get on the bike following the game last Friday night. When I caught up with Justin Taylor, he was busy on that bike. Like many other hockey players, he likes to wind down after a game. […]
Spring training 2012
We are experiencing the kind of weather when a young man’s fancy turns to…Baseball! For that matter, a young woman’s fancy as well. Not that I struggle to be politically correct. The pitchers and catchers arrived a couple of weeks ago, as did a few others hoping to glean a few extra brownie points. At […]
The phrase phase
For a while, my favourite book genre was the mystery novel. Fortunately, Ruth Rendell seemed to produce them at a rate that was greater than anyone’s capacity to read them. Then it became political non-fiction. At one point, I might have leaped upon Brian Mulroney’s voluminous memoirs even though they made no reference to brown […]
Reactionary gal
I get asked a lot of questions about this column. Sometimes the answers are easy to cough up. Other times, not so much. A man recently asked where I got the “ideas” for my column. I told him I often write about things in my everyday life. “Like the Christmas tree that kept falling down?” […]
An enduring tradition
Ontarians are justifiably proud of their award-winning dessert and ice wines. Today, however, I want to write about a French dessert wine that has been in production for over two millennia: the iconic Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, made from muscat blanc à petit grains. This grape is among the oldest grape varieties still in […]
Survivors
Some of my best friends are survivors. Yup, they are. I’m sure, if you’ve been reading my columns for a few years, you’ll remember my family’s personal journey through bypass surgeries. LOML is a heart-bypass surgery survivor. His is a genetic problem not related to his lifestyle. My father, on the other hand, was a […]
The 360 degree view
Well, the excitement is building. Yes, I know it’s the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and more power to her. But I’m referring to something a tad larger. It’s the 150th anniversary of Wellington’s incorporation this year. Now I hope that mere statement is not going to start those with similar longevity anniversaries rioting in the streets […]
Matthias on the Prowl!
Shawn Matthias is a Florida Panther. At six feet, five inches tall, plus or minus a bit on skates, he is a big cat. He patrols the rink in a sweeping fashion, unless a breakout opportunity arises. He relishes transition opportunities. He recently notched his ninth goal of the season into an empty net. On […]
Steeped in blood
When we last left off, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the region of Languedoc had managed to survive and prosper as a throughway for trade between Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. Under the benevolent Counts of Toulouse the area remained renowned for its wine and song—and a comparatively wealthy standard of living—up […]
Super Bowl XLVI
On the last play of the game, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady launched the ball into the Giants’ end zone. For a moment or two, it was up for grabs; however, it fell onto the turf, just beyond the reach of Rob Gronkowski, the whistle blew, and the Giants began to celebrate their second recent Super […]