The Generosity of Autumn

On Sunday afternoons in the summertime it was customary to hear a tinny ditty from the rooftop speakers of a diesel-run ice-cream truck. Once the driver parked his noisy vehicle on our street, he  slid open the finger-smudged window to the sidewalk. At the same time parents scrambled for change and a cluster of children […]

What’s in a Name?

On Friday September 13, a golden retriever pup came to us when she was eight weeks old. Arriving at the name that we hoped would fit her perfectly was no easy task. Names are important and I wanted to get it right. For some of us our names hold a story or two. One place […]

The Search for Sanctuary

After Jack’s careful and lengthy adherence to the best way to grow grass under the shade of a maple tree, we conceded to the grass-eating slugs. In response, I planted an indigenous garden. The ground covers that did the best were Variegated Goutweed and Lily of the Valley. I chose plants that I knew would […]

Life Lessons

from my Canine Companions I grew up with dogs. My father did too. Everyone in our extended family holds a kinship to canines. There’s no surprise my father is a dog whisperer. The dogs in my family were Tippy, Nipper, Hobo, Bear, Kylie and Jennifer. And I learned from each of them. Tippy was a […]

A Really Bad Bar Fight

When Dr. L asked me to bend forward, backward and sideways, it was no trouble for me to touch my toes, reach back or slide my hand down the side of either leg. “The pain is at its worst at night. I’m getting no sleep,” I said. “Go to emergency at Sunnybrook. Ask for an […]