I wrote this post three years ago. Now I live without my Mom's voice and I am doing what I promised. I am working on a big project, writing a novel and my mind is playing on a big canvas. My blog posts arrive quietly in my mind while I am cleaning, sorting or … Continue reading Writing about Writing
Family
Illness onto death, or let’s just not talk about it.
We happily live in a bubble of health until we are struck down. It is very hard to live in a constant state of appreciation for your present health without getting maudlin or morbid. It is probably best not to think about it at all. The people who live best do seem to have a … Continue reading Illness onto death, or let’s just not talk about it.
Merry Christmas and Happy Channukah!
My Mom
I should be calling her on the phone right now. And I am reluctant. It is not because she is a self-pitying or complaining, or crabby or incoherent. When I do call we have fun calls about writing, thinking, dreaming, regrets and relationships. The hard part is saying 'good bye' because I can tell that … Continue reading My Mom
My In Laws
After 27 years it is clear that they don’t really like me. And it is not so much that they don’t like me, as I will always be foreign to them. It is deep down prejudice, and it often makes me feel sad and strange when I am with them. As a group, I know … Continue reading My In Laws
We really do like Zellers!
I opened a Facebook page called 'Save our Amherst, N.S. Zellers'! and I meant it. You would think living in a small rural area would save us from the constantly changing landscape of retail take overs but in fact it makes us all the more vulnerable to it. There are two small towns near where … Continue reading We really do like Zellers!
Let’s Go to the Cinema!
It was a Sunday afternoon and I could edit my essay on XML in the Library System or take my kids to a matinee at our local film theater, the Vogue Cinema. I got my priorities settled fairly quickly and grabbed the kids. A half hour on country roads and we are in quiet little … Continue reading Let’s Go to the Cinema!
Snow, Snow, Snow!
If the room is filled with a cool white light and the air smells crisp like apples and fresh laundry, then you can tell that it has snowed before you even open your eyes. I remember the joy of smelling snow as a child, and jumping out of bed to see if it was true. … Continue reading Snow, Snow, Snow!
Wedding Parties, Love and Honesty
We were lounging in my daughter Rose's shared house in Halifax watching that reality show about women choosing their wedding dresses when one of the young college girls turned to me and asked me directly, “Did you cry when you chose your wedding dress”? I looked to my daughter with a query in my eyes … Continue reading Wedding Parties, Love and Honesty
Happy times with my Daughter
Treat. Yo. Self.This was my daughter’s mantra on my weekend visit into Halifax, the city of students.For us, a brunch out, a day of shopping and a dinner out were the extent of our madness, but was it was great to do whatever we wanted and take all the time we wanted eating and talking.What … Continue reading Happy times with my Daughter
Notes from a Sinking Isthmus 