Labour Day 2016
Last week, I gave you an update on the Canadian Football League. I trust you enjoyed the annual Labour Day Classics in both the East and the West divisions. For those of you more attracted to the American game, the NFL training camps break this week and the season gets underway. They will battle until […]
A perfect time
If you manage to be in the right place at this time of year, you might catch the attention of the vineyard manager (owner, winemaker—basically jack-of-alltrades) agonizing over his vines, trying to determine the correct time to harvest and thinking ahead to the best choice of yeast for fermentation after the harvest. It was such […]
Eats, shoots and shampoos
What motivates me to select a particular shampoo, you ask? I check off the boxes. Price —check. Value for money (which is really just another way of saying price)— check. Biodegradable ingredients—check. Recyclable container—check. Never tested on animals—check. Added UV protectors guarding against environmental pollutants and discolouration—check. Made in Canada—check. Approval by the grammar police— […]
Scribblers and combination locks
September always brings a flood of emotion and memories for me and, likely, many of you. When I was a pre-schooler, I really wanted to go to school. I remember watching, tearfully, as my older sisters trudged across Strathburn Park to the corner where a big Greyhound bus picked them up and whisked them off […]
Grape temptations
If you have visited a vineyard recently, you will have noticed a magical transformation as grapes change from hard green berries into deep purple (if it is a red variety) or a golden green (if white). The animal world seems to know this veraison only occurs once the grapes reach a certain level of sugar. […]
Breakfast of Champions!
Most of the teams in the CFL have played half their games at this point in the season. As is often the case, the teams from the West Division have done a little better than the teams in the East. The Calgary Stampeders have lost just once in the nine games thus far. The British […]
Pressure
Anyone who has spent any time in Europe, and especially in France, should not be surprised by the burqini dilemma that has been igniting ire from feminists and human rights activists alike. For one thing, France has seen a number of terrorist attacks. Muslim extremists living in Europe, have planned and carried out a succession […]
The Singapore Single Stars
Two lowly takeout stands are spreading hope to thousands of cheap and cheerful eateries around the world. The famous Michelin guide to three star (“exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”), two star (“excellent cooking, worth a detour”) and one star (“very good…in its category”) restaurants has just been published—for Singapore. And for the first time, […]
As luck would have it
I do want to mention him— but only because I’m fascinated by his style and his narcissism. Trump. Oh, I’m so happy that my Curcio and Durning families picked Canada over the U.S. when they arrived in the early part of last century. I can’t imagine having to choose between the rock and the hard place. So what’s nagging me these […]
The next Olympic games
For many years, I have been a strong advocate for the Olympic Games. Great memories flash through my mind when I reflect on past Games. The Games became an important impetus for learning in my classroom. A wonderful activity used to study geography, sport, culture and many other subjects. I will continue to follow many […]