Monthly Archives: November 2017
Cultural Differences V
Sometimes the differences can be surprising. Canada switched to the metric system in 1975, so I wasn’t anticipating any problems in the kitchen – I know how metric measurements work. I figured I could read the numbers on the packaging. The problem started when we started purchasing things for the kitchen. Pots and pans were […]
Christmas In Colmar – II
Today just some photos from the Christmas market in Colmar, France.
Christmas In Colmar – I
A week or so ago I described the Advent Market we attended in Mullheim, and, if I remember correctly, said it probably didn’t compare to the classic European Christmas markets that I had heard about. I was right. Last Saturday, despite a forecast of rain and no snow on the ground, we made the hour-long […]
The Day The Angels Fell
Sometimes you start a book and don’t finish it, for various reasons. You might run out of time (especially of it is a library book); you might lose interest in the topic; or you might lose the book. Hey, it happens! None of those three apply to Shawn Smucker’s debut novel, The Day The Angels […]
Grey Cup 2017
It is that day again. The Grey Cup game is tonight. I was supposed to be there, but by the time tickets went on sale I knew I would be in Germany. I might have opted for watching on television instead anyway. I went to the game in 2004, the last time it was in […]
The Mini Golf Course
Real estate agents have a mantra: “Location! Location! Location!” When choosing where to live it is always important to consider the local amenities. How close is your prospective home to churches, schools, shopping, transit, recreation and a myriad of other options? Each of us shuffles the list into different priorities. I never considered putting the […]
Stones of Remembrance
I wish I had brought a stone with me, but I didn’t know. As a small town, Sulzburg has few tourist attractions besides fresh air and hiking trails. However, it is known for its synagogue and Jewish cemetery, both no longer in use. Well, the cemetery is still there. So is the synagogue. It is […]
No Clothes, This Time
I wonder how it feels when the academic has no clothes? When their prejudices are revealed to the world and they stand naked, are they embarrassed? Or do they not even notice? The drawback to commenting on current news is that at times events unfold faster than This is the third time I have written […]
Thought For A Wednesday
Just a reminder for those who disparage meat eaters… Hey, lighten up – it’s a joke! (Disclaimer: These days it seems there is nothing that someone doesn’t take offence with. If you have been offended, hurt or traumatized by today’s image, send me an email. I can provide the name of a counselor who […]
Cultural Differences IV
In North America it is common for retail salespeople to wear name tags. Turns out they do in Germany too, but there’s a big difference. The name tag is so much a part of the uniform that those wearing them often forget they are there. If I see a clerk wearing one I tend to […]
random thoughts from lorne 
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