My sister-in-law and I are classical music aficionados. For a number of years, we had season tickets to the Oregon Symphony and greatly enjoyed meeting in downtown Portland for each of the concerts in our season's package. This long-time … Read more
I'm old enough to remember hearing popular radio program announcers say things like "Don't touch that dial" and "Stay tuned" and "Tune in again next time" that would keep the attention of the listeners during station breaks. I was … Read more
We sat in a small group and talked about appointments and disappointment, and how, when hope is crushed, we experience frustration. When I have an appointment, someone has agreed to meet me at a particular time, or I've agreed to meet … Read more
Perhaps you, like me, wonder at times how to manage those lengthy prayer request lists which come along. There are so many needs — for friends, family, leaders, nations. Some lists come as emails or letters from various organizations. It … Read more
Years ago, Larry and I were chaperones on a teen trip that left us sleeping in many different abodes. If my memory serves me, we slept at a hostel, in beautiful college dorms on Lake Michigan, and in many campsites. But the most memorable … Read more
Recently, I fixed the shower by attaching a new shower head to the flexible hose that comes from the taps. This was no big deal as I am a practical-minded person. More recently, however, I noticed that the screw-fit connector to the pipe … Read more
Do you like tongue twisters? Here's an old favourite: "What noise annoys an oyster most? A noisy noise annoys an oyster most." I doubt that noise annoys oysters at all since they can't hear. But I do know what does annoy them the most, … Read more
In 2013, my husband and I retired and bought a two-and-a-half-storey brick house in Durham, Ontario, Canada. Our seven-year-old granddaughter said, "Grandma, it looks like a haunted house." It did. But the real estate agent called it "a … Read more
Denver, my ninety-five-pound dog, has a habit. He routinely stands beside the dog food bin licking its outside. Day in and day out, the same old, same old: lick, lick, lick. By his behaviour, you would think that I starved him, even though … Read more
Who would have thought that I would welcome the pounding and thudding up on my roof? Yet, at last, the long-anticipated and dreaded day had arrived! Our condo association board had been preparing us for several months for this reality. It … Read more