July Blues

July 10, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

Summer bursts with activities and plans, and I am already wondering at the folly of trying to move in the midst of it all. I put out a group text yesterday to solicit help from our kids, and the response was as expected: We are away that weekend. Can we help with the pre-move prep? […]

#FOWC: Gumption

June 16, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

A six-year-old, intent on exerting independence, exerts gumption (Fandago’s word of the day prompt is gumption)

FOWC: We Couldn’t Hide Our Excitement

June 10, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

Five-year-old Sloane came for a sleepover with Grandma and Grumpa this weekend. Imagine the delight when we Sloane and I came upon this mother and her little ones: Mother Mallard was not as delighted to see us and ushered her ducklings into nearby brush: but new life, once revealed, is seldom content with being hidden, […]

RDP #7 -Colouring You Purple

June 7, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

I am colouring you purple, for the sacredness of your being, for the majesty of your soul. I am colouring you purple, for the joy that you spread – for the laughter that we share. I am colouring you purple for that is the hue that best expresses the infinite capacity of my love for […]

Fishin’: A Photo Story

June 2, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Some stories are better told with pictures: Making memories with Grumpa.

Baby Turns Two

May 31, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

Two years ago my husband was just released from the hospital following triple bypass surgery, my daughter’s mother-in-law fell down their stairs resulting in a concussion, and our third granddaughter was born. It was a chaotic time. Now, I am happy to report, all are well, and the little one is more than thriving. We […]

The Coach Learns a Lesson

May 29, 2018.Reading time 7 minutes.

“Whatever you do, we have to beat this team!” Eight eager heads nod, mouth consent. We all hate this coach. Two of my girls are injured but have come along to support their teammates. Our center, a tall blonde, new to basketball waits for the ball drop. She easily catches the ball and dribbles towards […]

Come Play, Gamma

May 15, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

“It feels like my heart and my thumb changed places,” five-year-old Sloane says carefully guarding her injured digit. I can’t help but laugh. She can be a little dramatic, this one. “Can you get us a tissue?” I ask her older cousin. “I don’t need it! It stopped bleeding.” The blood has bubbled up on […]

Reunion

May 10, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

“A big tree fell down,” two-year-old Auggie says, her little face scrunched in concern. We have just arrived at daughter #2’s. Last time I saw this granddaughter she was just eighteen months and barely talking. She shows no signs of knowing who Ric and I are, other than telling us her big news. Five-year-old Sloane […]

Texting Love

April 6, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

hi grandma i miss you so mach i am so excited The text came unexpectedly, one Saturday morning. It was clearly from our granddaughter, Finn. to see you, the message continued, my mom and me are so glad you will cane back Finn is six and in grade 1. Her mom did tell me she is top of […]

I dream that I am teaching again, and having assigned the class independent work, I am spending time connecting with each student to see if they are grasping the material. It’s my favourite part of teaching, and I wake up wondering if I’ll ever have that feeling again. So rewarding. It is bittersweet, growing old. […]

Fatal Fury

Really wasn’t your faultthis fury that overcame –Words evoked onslaught,a raging river of pain. Didn’t mean to push you,miscalculated my aim,swimming in swamp watersnot a recommended game. You floundered, gurgled,cursed me by name –our love story, now viralbrought an alligator fame. (Image my own. Tale is totally fictional, I promise.)