Up, up and away
The Rapture. I may have missed it on Saturday. You know how it goes, a couple of the kids were visiting and we had cider to buy and enjoy, we had to find a good home for coffees and treats, and art to ogle and tempt us. Perhaps I just didn’t have time for The […]
Don’t ask
Rain. Rain. And again with the rain. Just go away, rain. I’m not sure I’ve talked to anyone, recently, who is thrilled with the amount of rain we’ve endured over the past few weeks.The weather is just plain dreary and as much as I want to stay upbeat and optimistic about my life, I just […]
Taking the humour initiative
My wife and I were in Toronto last week preparing for my upcoming surgery. While we were there, a relative, who is gay, told us the following anecdote. He and his partner had an inordinately difficult time going to gay square dances. It was impossible, as partners rotated during a song, to know whether you […]
Playoff season
This is always a great time of year for sports fans. The Stanley Cup semifinals are underway, as are the playoffs in the National Basketball Association. The NBA began the season with a bucketful of hype surrounding the Miami Heat. The team convinced last year’s MVP, LeBron James, to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to join […]
Heart of my heart
In 1987 the first fundraising ride for the Heart and Stroke Foundation was organized. Twentyfour years later it still happens on the first Sunday of June. If you’re a cyclist it’s a great thrill to pedal your arse across the Gardiner Expressway, up the Don Valley Parkway and then turn around at York Mills Road […]
Fine wines
In 1789, the deep divide between the wealthy and the poor resulted in a revolution that shook the French nation and reshaped Europe. During its early stages, not only the aristocracy was subjected to the caress of the guillotine, but also many French land and vineyard owners shared the same fate. However, in pragmatic fashion, […]
Silence of the lambs
As a youngster growing up, I didn’t know about abuse. My parents dished out a bit of voice-raising and a whisper of spanking. I can remember my Mom shouting “Just wait ’til your father gets home.” And when Dad got “home” his line was “don’t make me take my belt off.” I don’t remember the […]
Mushrooms, maple, cherries and royalty
We all know that the County is looking for a new economic development strategy now that the author of the “creative rural economy” approach has been shooed out of town. What we didn’t know, until now, is how close the County is to executing an audacious new strategy. The project has been shrouded in complete […]
Different ports
Port is a wonderful way to mark a special event such as a birth, graduation or wedding. Vintage ports can lie down for at least 20 years, for future enjoyment. There are many styles of port with different aging potential. First, there is the simpler ruby port, stored in stainless steel tanks and blended to […]
My dinner with Jacques
Senator Jacques Demers recently spoke to a group of businessmen in Belleville. Now approaching his 67th birthday, he spends a little time nowadays on the road, sharing a message or two with anyone who cares to listen. To say that he has had a fascinating trip to the present is a serious understatement. He was […]