A couple of birthdays ago, I gave Derek a gift certificate for a helicopter flying lesson at St.Thomas Airport. He loves helicopters and has often said that if he had it to do all over again, he’d like to fly one. This was as close as I could get him. It included a 15 minute flight.
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It’s only been a year since Derek had his 20-year ponytail lopped off. …
The idea was to create a bunch of little events throughout the year because it’s a milestone birthday-year for Derek. It began with the trip to Iceland. And I haven’t thought of how it will end, yet. (I’m open to ideas!) But here in the middle, his daughter was going to come from Nova Scotia for a surprise visit. …
Whenever someone mentions Prince, the following story comes to mind. And yesterday, when news of his death at 57 started burning up social media, it came back in vivid purple colour. It was the time Prince came to London, Ontario. In 1984, I was working at CKSL and so was Derek when his purpleness was spotted in the Forest City. As my friend Dan Brown writes, this was long before he lived in Toronto or had any ties to Canada. …
Derek and I don’t make public declarations about our relationship. Occasionally, there’ll be a compliment or a jokingly sarcastic comment on social media, but that’s mostly meant to entertain. Whatever we think or feel about each other tends to stay between us. …
Derek’s Dad was just 21 in 1943 when he answered the call to fight in WWII.Â
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Five years ago, most of my family, hubby and I returned to my Dad’s hometown area of Picton ON for a community pancake breakfast. …
My stupid tooth came out of my stupid head on Saturday night. It had been feeling loose and temperamental for a few days so I wasn’t surprised but I wasn’t exactly delighted, either. …
Spice the wonder-cat, the head of security, the lead tiger of the house, is an indoor cat. He has no front claws, very few teeth, and when we adopted him at age 11 I signed a declaration promising to keep him inside. It’s for his own safety. I’m not a fan of roaming felines anyway, so it was a no-brainer. …
If my husband’s ponytail was a person, it would be an adult, living on its own and probably partying with other ponytails. …
One day you’re saying a new deck can wait. The next day, you’re working out a drawing with the contractor and watching the old deck come down. …
It was one of those things. On Sunday morning, I had merely turned away from the sink after tying up my hair in a ponytail and my iPhone leapt from my hand and into the (mercifully clean) toilet bowl. Â …
These photos didn’t make the Twitterverse or even this blog, I don’t think. But each one brings back a delightful memory of the year. …
The Swollen Glands, the Movember team that my Free-FM cohosts are part of, raised more than $4200 for men’s health this month. Â And today, Blair and Derek are waking up without scratchy, uncomfortable lip caterpillars. Â …
If I could save time in a bottle I’d give it to my husband so he could get more hours inside the 1969 Airstream we”re renovating.  I say “we” even though I haven’t done a thing yet! I’m involved in decisions but no actual effort until after the grunt work is done. …
On Saturday we paid a visit to a farm where 35 years ago, my husband spent the summer picking and processing tobacco plants. It’s something he and my Mom have in common, although she worked for many long, hot summers on tobacco farms. Â Â …
So the sixth time was the charm! After five cancellations because of weather, my milestone birthday gift got off the ground on Saturday morning.
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Derek put it best: “It was only a matter of time!”  We attended Hogtown Cycles’ first anniversary celebration and co-owner Mike casually said, check out the bike on the end. …