July 2016

You, You, You Oughta Know

Well, that didn’t last long. Early this year, The Guardian newspaper in the UK announced that Alanis Morissette was going to write an advice column for its weekend magazine. She took over from Molly Ringwald and said her mix of “intuition and empathy” would serve her in the role. Well, she just quit. Alanis and her rapper husband just welcomed their second child and she says she wants to focus on being a Mom.  …

Auntie B

This week, Derek’s beloved Auntie Barb died just four months shy of her 96th birthday. She was Derek’s Dad’s older sister who worked for 40 years at BMO and looked after her Mother, Derek’s Gram.  She lived as a single lady, although she had many friends and suitors.  …

To Tell the Tooth

It’s been more than a year since I lost a tooth. It was always a troublesome one. When it needed a small filling, it turned grey. So I got a veneer on it, which lasted several years until I swallowed it while eating a caramel apple at the Western Fair. Then one day while driving home from work, it just made a break for it. I called the gap it left behind, my hillbilly tooth.  …

Throwback Thursday – Fire in the Sky

Last weekend’s fireworks brought to mind what fireworks will always remind me of – The Benson and Hedges Symphony of Fire at Ontario Place in Toronto. Yes, kids, there was a time when cigarette companies could sponsor giant events. The SOF was launched in several Canadian cities in 1990 and I was delighted to emcee the Toronto version for several summers.  …