Merry Christmas to All…

This is a season filled with happy memories and enjoyable experiences as families gather, special foods are eaten, gifts are exchanged, and songs are sung. It can also be a time of poignant memories, loneliness and sorrow. Sometimes we don't get to be with the ones we love. But whatever our circumstances, we can reach out…

Farewell, Mora Maclean

On February 11, 2016 my aunt, Mora Beryl Maclean, died at Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  Here is her obituary: MACLEAN, Mora June 13, 1931 – February 11, 2016 On Thursday, February 11, 2016:  Mora MacLean, who was born and raised in Ottawa (Westboro) and most recently lived at the Redwoods Retirement Residence, Ottawa. She had an…

Kisses in the Rain

Book Review: Kisses in the Rain, by Krista Lynne Jensen: After a car accident claims her fiancé and her most recent memories, Georgie Tate moves in with her aunts, who live on a small island outside Seattle. She begins to reshape her life as she struggles with the knowledge that something bad happened, and she…

Christmas Highlights

Christmas is over for another year, and as I reflect back, I am grateful for my family and friends, the time we could spend together, and the love we have for each other.  Here are a few of the highlights: - Watching my grandson's excitement as he opened his train set and then spent hours…

The Playground

As a child, one of my favorite places to play was at the playground at the end of my street, not far from my house. It was a corner lot with a merry-go-round, a swing set, a curving slide, a sandbox, and a large grassy area. The merry-go-round was divided into triangular sections with a…

Holiday Memories

I've gone a few days without posting.  I've been busy with shopping and sending out Christmas cards/letters, not to mention shoveling mountains of snow from the latest snowstorm.  But the best thing has been having my kids come home.  It has been so wonderful to see the girls make a gingerbread house together, the boys…

Happy Canada Day

To all my fellow Canadians out there, happy Canada Day. I hope you're having a great time celebrating with your families and friends. I was in Grade 4 when Canada celebrated her centennial birthday. Our school put on a big program that included songs, dancing, our very own red and white maple leaf flag, and…