Category Family
The Pew
I went to church, and was slammed by the passage of time. Nothing, and everything, had changed. It had been almost 25 years since I last visited Montreal’s Madison Baptist Church, the place my family attended pretty much every Sunday from 1957 to 1972. My formative years were spent there. Intellectually I understood that it […]
Today’s Anniversary
I was discussing family history with my brother and sister in our online chat, specifically our maternal grandfather’s wartime service. Seeking to clarify a point, I looked up his records and realized that today is the 110th anniversary of the day he arrived in England, after almost nine months of training in Canada. Like many, […]
Milestones
Today would have been my mother’s 98th birthday. Given that she died in 2019, it seems a little strange to be commemorating it. You don’t have a birthday party without the guest of honor. Except, as humans we have an awareness of time (and mortality) that the rest of creation does not. Why else do […]
Consistent To The End
I was wandering through the cemetery in Arnprior, Ontario, and came across this tombstone belonging to my dad’s uncle and aunt. I don’t visit the family graves often, and don’t remember seeing this one before. I never met my great-uncle Charles, at least not that I remember. I was only 21 when he died. But […]
A Relic of the Past
How are you at cleaning your car? Not the exterior, but the stuff you accumulate inside. Napkins, lip balm, plastic utensils and straws, wipes, tissues, sanitizer, cloth shopping bags, small ice scraper, a miniature umbrella, loose change for tolls, phone chargers, first aid items – all those things it is good to have on hand, […]
Never Out Of Season
“Let’s do a craft grandma!” my grandson said. He’s four. His idea of a craft is finding a willing adult who will follow his directions. If you don’t do it his way, there are consequences. Grandma is easier to convince to join in this fun than Grandpa. This former pie plate with candles coming out […]
Monday’s Reflection
Canadian weather is like a politician. It makes promises, then doesn’t deliver. Today, for example, was a nice spring day. Almost summer-like. By mid afternoon it was 15 degrees Celsius. It seemed certain winter was over. People were out walking in shirts. Cyclists were enjoying snow -free roads and paths. Dog walkers were stopping to […]
Winter Blues
When i went out this morning it was drizzling. Freezing drizzle. Which then changed to snow. I was not impressed. I’m tired of winter. Spring is here according to the calendar, but snow and ice continues to fall. It seems like it has been longer than usual. Maybe that is a sign of my getting […]
Are You Green Today?
I’m not sure my Irish roots allow me to properly celebrate St. Patrick’s Day today, even if on March 17 everyone be is Irish. Whatever I do, I certainly won’t be drinking green beer. That just seems wrong. My family emigrated from Ireland to Canada in 1846. Yes, Anderson is a Scottish name. We weren’t […]
End of an Era
When my children were young we always had frozen juice concentrate in our freezer. Not anymore though. My wife and tend to buy fresh juice, or at least purchase it in liquid form, on the occasions we drink the stuff. Yes, it is more expensive, but it is also more convenient than buying the concentrate, […]
Recent Comments