You would never know it is the infamous Black Friday - not from where I sit -  in my Detroit hotel room. laptop propped on my knees as Kidlet works on her essay. Canadians don't have this crazy busy shopping day so here I am, in the big ole USA, perfectly poised to pounce all over shopping deals. And yet I choose not to. Frankly I am afraid of the mobs; I am too impatient to wait to buy; there is nothing I need or want THAT much; not to mention I really do not enjoy s... Read Full Story

Kidlet and I are taking a road trip. Look out Motown - here we come - an invasion of crazy Canucks weasling in on the American Thanksgiving. The closest I've ever been to Detroit was from across the river in Windsor...So we're throwing Kidlet's newly sanitized, sterilized and aerated hockey equipment into Benzie (with a few cans of Fabreez for good measure) and heading to America. It will be four days of alone time with Kidlet - kind of - in between hockey games and team dinners ... and ... Read Full Story

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Sure signs that Christmas is on the way ...egads  in a month:the Tim Hortons cups are decked out in Christmas finery a sure sign if there ever was oneI haven't started my Christmas shopping despite my best intentions I must be comfortable in that wild eyed, frantic frenzied state of last minute shopper.our outside Christmas lights aren't up yet where the heck did we store them last year?but some people's are neighbourhood show offa happy little tickle is forming in the part of my tummy w... Read Full Story

It's that month, that time of yearthe invisible internal clockkeeps track of minutes and hoursleading up to the countdown.After all these years it still seeps and spillsprofound and utter grieffor all that we had and lost'leading up up to thecountdown.It's that month, that time of yearinternal memory recountsexactly what procedure, medication you endured leading up to thecountdown.It's that month, that time of yearwhen I want to stealjust a moment to let down -feel the impact, shock and ... Read Full Story

Girls are FAB - that was the message today .... Pretty Sister was my date today to the charity event that my other two close amigos are involved in ... FAB Foundation. FAB - Fit, Active, Beautiful - has a mission to boost the self esteem and confidence of girls aged 11-13 years; they have started with a running program that encourages team building and goal setting/achieving. The afternoon was billed as a ladies only luncheon and silent auction.  Known for my brawny athleticism (NOT... Read Full Story

Yesterday when I got home from work I had not one - but two wonderful surprises waiting for me. I finally got word that I have been matched with a sister in the Women for Women sponsorship program. I applied over a month ago and have been anxiously waiting to get started. My application coincided with an appearance of the founder on Oprah - which translated into a huge interest in the program. I still haven't received the particulars but I feel good knowing that things are progressing.The ici... Read Full Story

How did this happen? It’s November 20th already! I promised myself that all of my Christmas shopping would be done by the end of November so that I would be free and clear to really enjoy the festivities – famjams, visits, dinners – that I love so much.As optimistic that I usually am, I’m not sure I’m gonna make it this year. I haven’t even started. I haven’t formulated my thoughts around what special gifts I want to make/buy/order for the special ones in my life. And it really has to start w... Read Full Story

I hadn't seen her in more than 10 years but tonight when I met my old dear friend Red (guess what colour her hair is) for dinner, time and space collapsed and it was as if we had never been apart. My friend S set it up. In another lifetime - two decades ago -- we all worked together. Now these two women are accomplished executives and I get to say that I knew them "before they were ..."For three hours we swapped work philosophies, updated one  another on our parents, our husbands and our... Read Full Story

Maybe it's recent birthdays of my two older daughters; maybe it was reading this quote from The Prophet that I posted on my other blog, Soul Snax. Whatever the reason, I've been reflecting on my daughters, how I raised them, the kind of parent I was... and what it meant to be a mother to them. Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you. ... Read Full Story