Thirty-Three Years To Go!

34 years of marriage on Nov. 6 and holding. “Only 33 more years to go!”, my hubby, Guy, teased me. Holding hands still and holding each other up, through the tough times. Rejoicing with the good times. There’s no one else I’d rather have by my side. Mom and Dad were married 67 years. Might…

Consolation

An isolated chair in great condition sat in the alley near the homeless shelter. I wonder if any homeless people rest a spell there. Christine, the shelter’s administrator, approved of  my sister’s idea to raise awareness of poverty in Windsor. My sister is a successful writer. It’ll be an every Monday blog feature titled: Their Shoes.…

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%?”…

Peaceful Poppies for Dad

Mom, two of my sisters and I were ushered from Dad’s bedside into the ICU quiet room. On the wall was a large painting of whimsical poppies on thin stems. Strong stems to support big flowers of crepe paper texture. Delicate yet strong. I’ve always loved poppies since watching The Wizard of Oz as a…

Counting Blessings

Thanksgiving dinner is canceled this year. One year, a co-worker from Pakistan dined with us. Another time, a couple from China shared our meal. This year’s different. Our family’s cleaning up after a flood. No time to clean, shop, cook and entertain for the holiday. It is what it is. We’re thankful anyways.  Afterwards, we’ll eat pumpkin pie and drink wine. Cheers!…

Passion for Petunias

Easy Wave Pink Passion Petunias. Who would have known a bunny fancied them? In late spring, my sister planted these particular petunias at my Dad’s request in my parents’ garden. At that time, the petunias were surrounded by a spreading white flower called Snow in Summer. The Snow in Summer died down later leaving several…

No Nursing Homes, Please!

Two women. One’s about to turn 90, and the other one’s already 91. They’ve lived totally different lives but share something in common. Both are fiercely independent and have no intention of stepping foot inside a nursing home. My Mom turns 90 on the ninth day of the ninth month this year. Mom’s raised six…

Fragrance from Beyond

Ever find a scent can bring you back in time? Well, here’s a short, sweet tale for you. Years ago, my hubby, Guy mentioned how he collected flower seeds alongside his Mom as a boy. She would grow pink four o’clock flowers in their yard. When the fragrant blooms finished, a dark round seed could…

Sunflowers in the Front Yard

When I was a young girl, my Dad told me we couldn’t plant sunflowers in the front yard. Well, I’m all grown up now. Rebel, rebel! There were a few shrubs on the corner of our front yard which had been irritating me. If I planted flowers nearby, they’d be eaten up by bugs attracted…

The Pool Shark

And the legend of the pool-shark lives on, you could say! My husband, Guy and I attended a BBQ last Saturday when we noticed small bean bags being thrown across the lawn. Guy was asked by his sister if he was going to play the bean-bag toss game. Sort of like lawn darts but apparently…