My Own Calcutta: A Year of Living Generously

Yay! I did it! After years of pushing my manuscript to the backburner, I took the plunge and moved forward. My first book, My Own Calcutta, was recently published on Amazon. Let me share with you the storyline… It’s November 2013. As Rita Jacques hears that a typhoon has devastated the Philippines, she’s once again…

Hiding in the Hydrangeas

This is an updated re-blog on my neighbour, Rocco, who passed away last week from a heart attack. I admit it. When I’m overtired, I want be left alone in my garden. I’ve pretended not to notice Rocco (my elderly Italian neighbour) nearby when I’m busy weeding. He gave me several hydrangea plants two summers…

No Time to Panic!

Panic is sweeping my city. News that a doctor working in a local hospital may possibly be infected with the Coronavirus has set off alarms for many people. Fearing that everyone will soon be sick, shoppers are stocking up on hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes and toilet paper. Toilet paper? I thought it was a respiratory…

Liver, Anyone?

Catholics can be funny creatures of habit. We like to sit in the same pew each week. I like “my” pew because it’s close to a fan. That makes for prime seating when the weather gets hot because the church lacks air conditioning.  But, last Sunday I noticed two different people situated in the pew in front of me. As I’m short, this…

Winter Driving Tips

I credit nursing for giving me confidence with winter driving. You see, when you know you must show up for work, regardless of horrible icy or snowy road conditions, you just do it. And, then when your shift ends, you know you’re going home. Even if the snow plows haven’t made it out yet. That’s…

Enduring Love

I love to check out garage sales. It’s not just the lure of finding a treasure for next-to-nothing that’s the attraction. It’s the opportunity to find something unique that is no longer available in stores. Once I stumbled upon a garage sale where there were many poppy items and Christmas nutcrackers, both of which I…

Two Super Heroes!

It’s Nurses’ Week here in Canada. There’s a saying: “Save one life, you’re a hero. Save 100 lives, you’re a nurse!” Nursing isn’t easy a lot of the time. In fact, it’s tough. But, nurses are tougher. If you weren’t tough when you entered nursing school, you were molded into a nurse with stamina by…

Thousand Word Thursdays- #2

Halloween, nursing and flowers. These are a few of my favourite things!   © Rita Jacques 2016

A Translator, a Soldier and an Orphan

My parents would kill me if they knew. I should know better. Weed-whacking the lawn in sandals. And, me a nurse, to boot. Well, it happened. Nope, no toes were lopped off along with the tall grass. No injuries were sustained. However, a wayward doggie-doo ended up splattered on my foot! Ahkkkkkk! As I cleaned…

Eulogy for Dad

Our family of six kids was raised in an era when children weren’t coddled. We were aware of our parents’ expectations. If you knew what was good for you, you did it. Without complaining.  I remember showing my parents a challenging test marked 98%. Dad looked at it and said, “What about the other 2%?”…