AKA WHAT AN IDIOT I AM! AKA I'VE HAD LOTS OF PRACTICE LEARNING TO LAUGH AT MYSELF! Those awkward moments… -when you send ‘that’ text to the wrong person -when you forget someone’s name, but you waited too long to ask…or you think you remember, and call them by the wrong name all night -when … Continue reading Those Awkward Moments… →

This year I didn’t even put up a Christmas tree. What has happened to my Christmas spirit? It’s just not what it used to be. I fondly look back at the Christmases in my childhood which are vivid in my memory. I think I remember them so well because things were always the same, always … Continue reading Christmas-Back in Gem →

Waiting in the cubicleSeparated only by blue curtainsI sit waitingMy daughter is in recovery andI am scared I hear the woman beside meTalking incessantly on her phonePetty gossip, laughing, droning onI want to tell her to shut the hell upTo tell her she is loud and annoyingBut I don’t I hear another woman further downArguing … Continue reading But I Don’t →

As I write this blog I am at the Misericordia Hospital waiting while my daughter is in surgery. I don’t like being here; it brings back painful memories of when my mom was here so many years ago. I am here though to support my daughter and be there for her and take her home. … Continue reading Last Hurdle →

The goalie is occasionally the star of the gameBut more often than not he takes the blameHe’s stuck back there alone in netExpected to stop or at least deflectThat never-ending speeding puckHe relies on brains and hopes for luckAnd plays each game with grit and pride(A little humour thrown in on the side!)He’s always there … Continue reading The Goalie →

Maturity and one’s willingness to look beyond the obvious work together to help one know his or her mother..and in turn, know him or herself. If we dissect any person we know that he or she is born with unique physical, mental, and emotional traits. We recognize the significance of the formative years, and the … Continue reading Know thy Mother; Know Thyself →

The junior high drama was over. I was finally happy at school-my teacher, Mr. Friesen, and all of my classmates-about ten of us in the split grades 10-11 classroom. We laughed, we hung out, and life was great. I still played trumpet in the county marching band, and had my first beer after band practice … Continue reading In the summer of ’66… →

I generally prefer to find diners or coffee shops that are owned by local people rather than the big franchises. We have such a cafe in our neighborhood that is open seven days a week, run by a couple who are there 24/7. I admire their work ethic and what they contribute to the community. … Continue reading The Mom and Pop Coffee Shop →

My second book, 'Just Socks', was inspired by my husband Dave's book, 'From Pioneer to Pioneer'. He researched, wrote and published a book about his revered grandfather, George Kirkham. Dave grew up next door to his grandparents in Port Credit, Ontario. Grandpa's house and yard was really an extension of his own. Dave and his … Continue reading ‘Just Socks’ -connecting the generations →