Growing with gratitude for life's challenges
Some stories just beg telling and this is one of them. I knew there would be trouble the minute I laid eyes on the gold lame’ lunch bag my husband plopped on the counter in front of me. My old one, an industrial blue hardware store model, had drowned the day before in a bath […]
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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 […]
Read More“Are you guys brother and sister?” the question came from our soon-to-be five-year-old granddaughter. Dropped off by her mother for an overnight stay, we had a day of cousins and uncles and aunts, and of course, Grandma and Grandpa. I brushed off her comment with a: “No, we’re married”, but the innocent observation shook me. […]
Read MoreIf 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 […]
Read MoreA 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 […]
Read MoreHumbled is only way I can describe my experience of Paul Beatty’s novel, “The Sellout”. Beatty’s comic approach to issues ranging from being raised by a single parent, racial matters, love, and the judicial system is cleverly acerbic. Each line of the novel is packed with cutting commentary, and I found myself laughing out loud […]
Read MoreShould 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 […]
Read MoreMy 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 […]
Read MoreThe penny has dropped! Bear with me here, and I will fill you in on all the sordid details. My husband and I met online, or I should say, almost didn’t meet online because of one very crucial difference: our views on camping. He had posted that he’d love someone to burn dinner with, as […]
Read MoreOne of the last things my ex-husband did before becoming an ex, was to show up with a used motor home, unexpectedly. I won’t get into the details here, but suffice to say it was neither discussed in advance, nor a suitable vehicle for family outings. So, when I met my current husband and he […]
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One Woman's Quest II 