Category Society
Thanksgiving Day
Given that it is a holiday in Canada I thought it was a good time for some reflections on the day. This is an edited version of my first Thanksgiving post from 2014. Following a Canadian tradition that goes back to English explorer Martin Frobisher in 1578, Canadians today are celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. The […]
Thanksgiving 2020
What a difference a year makes. Have you said that recently? Things are so unlike 2019. Last year the Canadian Thanksgiving fell less than two weeks after my mother’s death, so we made it a family celebration and time of remembrance. This year instead my sister will deliver a turkey meal to my daughter’s doorstep. […]
The No-Brainer
This is a holiday weekend in both Canada and the US and people don’t know what to do – at least if you believe media reports. I think it is more likely that people know what they should do – but they don’t want to do it. After all, why should COVID-19 disrupt holiday plans […]
Getting It Wrong
I was amused when I saw the snake. Even more amused when I saw the apple beside it. It was a half hour wait between trains, so we wandered down Offenburg’s main Street. We saw enough to mentally mark it down as a place for a Saturday excursion. At first I thought the snake was […]
World Teachers’ Day
If you are reading this, it is likely someone taught you to read. Most of us don’t teach ourselves, but learn under the guidance of a teacher. Today is World Teachers’ Day. As the husband of a teacher and the father of another teacher, I can appreciate the difficulty faced by those in the profession, […]
Six Months Later
We’ve been living with this coronavirus, COVID-19, for more than six months now. Are you as tired of it as I am? Last night, as I considered today’s post, I realized I wasn’t in the mood to finish a travel piece, or the political commentary I was working on. So you’ll have to wait for […]
False Praise
I downloaded and installed a new fitness app on my phone, Every Monday I get a report, filled with praise about my progress. Except I have no progress. Not that I am physically inactive. I walk at least 20 kilometres weekly, much of it uphill. But I haven’t bothered to record it with the app. […]
Monday Morning COVID
I know it’s a typographical error, but you have to admit, it is still funny. Six months into the restrictions (more some places) and everyone is tired of COVID-19. Which may explain the spike in cases in some areas as people ease up on their precautions. Humor helps us get through tough situations. We need […]
Wasn’t That A Party?
Suppose you threw a party, invited everyone you knew, and no-one showed up? What would you do? I didn’t think to ask that on a recent visit to Freiburg. Maybe I should have. This is a big year for the biggest city in my area. Founded in 1100, Freiburg had lots of events planned for […]
First Day!
Monday was the first day of school, always a big day. My neighbor will remember this one all her life. It’s a familiar ritual, packing the book bag and getting on the bus or walking to the school. You did it when you were young. Perhaps you are at the age where your children or […]
random thoughts from lorne 
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