His birthday came and went. Like all of the firsts, its the days leading up to it that cause the most anxiety. The funny thing is we don't even notice the correlation. We just can't sleep. We are in a daze. We think it must be something else. I felt better last week. What happened? … Continue reading The firsts →

The summer of 1973 was a magical time for me. I was twelve years old and we had just moved into our new house. Actually it was a creaky old place built in the early 1900's. But it was new to us. We lived next door and when our neighbours decided to move to a … Continue reading Kindred Spirits →

The other day I was lunching with friends from my teen years. A great deal of time had passed since our last visit and we were busy touching on all the craziness life had recently thrown at us. While everyone knows the danger topics, sometimes we feel secure in our history or past friendship to … Continue reading Dualism →

When my daughter was young she once said what she loved about going to a Lutheran summer camp was not having to explain what a Lutheran was. I completely understood that sentiment. I like to use the following analogy. Lutherans and Catholics have the same relationship as Americans and Canadians. Lutherans are relatively small in … Continue reading A Tale of Two Countries →

I curse. Lots. I don't even realize I am doing it sometimes. Well, most times. I don't take the Lords name in vain nor do I say damn or hell or other words considered taboo by my god fearing card carrying Lutheran parents. I am however quite colourful in other ways. You know what I … Continue reading Choosing our words… →

We have all heard the phrase "Perception is reality". People use it all the time, often to justify behaviour. But what does it really mean? Where did it come from? When in fact the two words are in actuality, opposite. Kinda. Perception is basically my thoughts on any given matter whereas reality is just that. … Continue reading Perception →

That is how I feel everyday now. Somehow it's easier to walk through life when someone walks beside you. Even if he spent most of his time in his chair. Everything is different. I can't explain it. I don't sit in my chair by the window. It doesn't have the same comfort. I don't watch … Continue reading Two steps forward, one step back →

Many years ago in an airport I met a woman in her eighties who was returning home from a cruise. She wasn't with an old friend or a family member. She had taken the cruise with a total stranger. Another older woman, also a widow had met her the day they boarded the ship. The … Continue reading Never say no →

When I was raising children this was often the beginning sentence of late night calls to my mother. My Mom was an immigrant with a grade seven education. Don't let that fool you. She was an avid reader and just as nut nut about current events as my hubby. If something was happening in the … Continue reading Mom… The baby is sick… →

I am a lot like my father. He joked and laughed with people all of the time. He flirted with every waitress even into his late eighties. When I was younger I found it odd. Now I am the same way. We don't like to be reminded we are like our parents because we immediately … Continue reading Talking with strangers →