Charming with song
One of the talents that Canadian public figures have become known for in recent years is the ability to charm with song. Think of Margaret Trudeau and the song that she made up for the wife of the president of Venezuela; or of her daughter-in-law Sophie Grégoire Trudeau’s foray into public song on Martin Luther […]
Along the curve
I confess I am not an early adopter, especially not for my age. I understand technology, I use it because it is useful, but my disdain for it and resistance to it has probably been to my detriment. But like many human beings, I can give in to laziness. When a thing makes my life […]
Off the road again
The one local issue we hear about most is roads. To maintain our roads properly would subsume the whole of the County’s annual budget, so we do triage and only repair the ones that need repair the most, or that have the noisiest advocates. The situation is untenable. I have a solution to offer, which […]
On the road with mom
By the time The Times hits the street, on the 29th, I’ll be making my way from Heathrow to Upper Street in Angel with LOML and my brother. Yep, I’ll be “over ’ome”. It’s been a busy month, March has been. I’ve been to a lot of places in my time, but have never made […]
The home stretch
Most of the NHL teams have about 10 games remaining at this point in their season. Some teams have already locked up a post season berth; some are planning for next year; several teams are on the bubble, playing for a chance to earn some playoff cash, and an opportunity to drink from the Stanley […]
Mistakes
Last month, a night nurse in the Belleville Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit sat with a premature infant, bottle feeding. It was 3 a.m. She fell asleep. The baby’s cries startled her awake. He had fallen from her lap and was on the floor. Later the parents learned their child’s skull was fractured. Last week, […]
The Natty Nostalgist
Well, Prince Edward County has done it again. Fresh from being chosen as one of the world’s top 10 must-see destinations, we have now triumphed in that one of our number has made it onto the list of Canada’s 10 bestdressed individuals. The list, published last Saturday by The Globe and Mail, includes an “extravagance […]
Near and far
This weekend I’m in northern- ish Ontario. Specifically, I’m in Espanola with LOML. We’re here for a birthday celebration. LOML’s uncle marked his 100th birthday on Friday. He’s not Irish, and I’m sure luck wasn’t involved in his longevity. As far as Espanola is concerned it’s been about 20 years since I was here. Uncle […]
Liquid treasure
There are three major alternatives to “organic” wine production. “Biodynamic” viticulture methods have brought about worldwide improvements in the health of the vines, in soil fertility and in pest, weed and disease management. The method is not new: it was practiced up until the 18th century, re-introduced in the 1930s, and is currently gaining traction […]
Out of touch
Along with the country itself, the Canadian Senate is turning 150 this year. The Senate’s existence has been long fraught with controversy over the entitlement and privilege of its members. But it has been especially harshly scrutinized over the past five years or so. Over a dozen senators made headlines when their questionable spending of […]