Category Society
It’s Boxing Day
There are bargains to be had today for Canadian shoppers. Those in Australia are getting similar deals at stores there, while in the UK people are returning unwanted gifts to the stores. That’s why they call it Boxing Day. Americans don’t get the same shopping spree because they had Black Friday last month, possibly the […]
Christmas Eve 2019
No Santa coming by sleigh to my house today. That’s a tradition we don’t observe. No chestnuts roasting by an open fire either – no fireplace available. Last minute shopping? Possibly – we’re low on milk and the stores are closed Christmas Day. The stores will be closing early, allowing employees to spend the evening […]
Skywalker Rising
I liked the ending. Somehow it seemed fitting. I could have done with a little less action though – it seemed like one light-sabre battle after another, to the point they all seemed the same. And, spoiler alert, you know the good guys are going to win. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker brings to […]
First Hand Experience
Four years ago I wrote a post I called “Climate Change For Dummies,” my thoughts on environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio’s hysterical reaction to living through a Chinook, a climate phenomenon I only knew from books. This week though I was in Calgary, Alberta, and more or less experienced a Chinook. I say more or less […]
On The Slopes of Vesuvius
They never saw it coming. I think that is a large part of the appeal, why millions of people visit Pompeii every year. It is not just that the city is well preserved thanks to having been buried for centuries under ash and lava. It is that we can empathize and identify with the people […]
He Swore At Me!
I won’t repeat the words. He called me names I won’t repeat here. I don’t use that sort of language. Then he hung up on me. All I did was talk about ducks. You would think by now this telemarketer would have removed my number from his system. I recognize his voice, though his name […]
Christmas Is Coming
Originally posted in 2015. He looked round again and could hardly believe his eyes. There was the blue sky overhead, and grassy country spreading as far as he could see in every direction, and his new friends all round him, laughing. “It seems, then,” said Tirian, smiling himself, “that the Stable seen from within and […]
Santa Claus is Not Coming
When I was looking for something Advent themed for Sunday’s post, I came across this piece written by my son in 2016. I thought it would be nice to share it with you and give another perspective on Sunday’s post. You can find his original here. Santa Claus won’t be visiting our house this […]
The Santa Effect
I have posted this before, the first time more than five years ago. I wasn’t planning on revisiting it this year, but yesterday I was reminded that my son wrote a sequel. I thought it would be nice to share that, and will do so tomorrow, but it helps if you read the original post […]
The Christmas Market
For the first time ever, Ottawa has an outdoor Christmas market, modeled after the ones in Europe, which are a huge tourist attraction. I was excited when the market was announced. Then I realized that this is a modest first year for the market. There are only about 20 vendors. I guess that makes sense […]
random thoughts from lorne 
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