I am contemplating the importance of punctuation when writing poetry. Please be advised that I am not an expert – either of the period or the poetic form – just a woman, who having stumbled upon the possibility of penning a word or two, has found herself questioning (which definitely needs a question mark, doesn’t […]
Went to sleep with my laptop by my side. Big mistake! Casually pushed it into the spot normally occupied by my husband, but as he is away, it was so easy to do. Didn’t give it another thought. Never imagined that an object, so inanimate, would nudge me all night, invade my dreams and plea […]
If you’ve ever wondered what living with a disability feels like, imagine this: Judgment is your constant companion. Family, friends, and even total strangers will suddenly feel entitled to express opinions about your condition, lack of trying, mental attitude, the latest trends in healing, and so on. You may be berated for using a handicap […]
A single onion, its papery crisp coating still intact, sits on a small cutting board, signalling intent. Beside it, a sharp-edged knife, and an unopened can of salmon. It is the salmon can that has turned this scenario from an action shot to a still-life. I had planned to have it for dinner last night […]
“Have nothing to eat or drink after midnight,” the woman told me on the phone. “They are going to put me out,” I tell my daughter, “I’ll need someone to drive me and be with me the rest of the day.” “It’s only a tooth, Mom!” says my eight-month-pregnant middle child. “I’m happy to stay […]
There’s that moment, just after having been flat-lined by a wicked cold or the flu, when you know you are on the mend, even though your energy is still low: a restless impatience to be ‘done with it’ so you can get back to life. I find myself feeling that way often, only I don’t […]
Should you choose to visit, you’ll be received with old-fashioned charm – ours is a simple cottage of a home, with well-worn furnishings, warmly muted walls, and a kettle always brewing. Our clutter is a further statement of our relaxed lifestyle, welcoming you to kick back and relax. If the weather is favourable, we’ll sit […]
My mother birthed six children through the course of two marriages; her first husband, father of the original four, married a woman who also had four children, so we are a family of full, half, step and out-of-step children. Fifteen years separate the oldest and youngest, and as the second youngest, I have never really […]
Used the ‘f’ word last night – added and ‘ing’ for extra emphasis – flung it with a full throttle hostility. It startled both my husband and myself, and we have been tiptoeing around each other ever since. It is not like me to lose my temper, or at least not to express myself with […]
Dreams illustrate the themes being played out in waking life. (Interpretation of dream messages is always personal, so keep that in mind while reading.) Last night, I dreamt about being in a store, within a mall, initially with a group of friends, and then on my own, staying behind because I felt that something needed […]