Lozenge-Infused Thoughts on the Year that Was
I had a plan. It was a good plan. I was going to take some time off and as we came closer to the 31st, I’d write a thoughtful post about the past year. There was no reason whatsoever that this plan shouldn’t come to fruition. Except for Nemesis, of course. Who, I am quite…
Cherry Jelly and Other Christmas Disasters
It all started with the cherries. Photo by Janne Andersen We should have known this was an omen. Instead, we saw it as the perfect opportunity to say “you f*cked up again, mom,” laugh, and move on. Until it was time to make the ris a la mande. Which is not supposed to be mushy,…
#ChronicChristmas Day 25: Enjoy
It’s here. By the time you read this, you’ve probably done the big rip (especially if you have kids) (or you still retain the childlike wonder about pressies). I’m all about the latter. Maybe even the childlike wonder about the magic of this particular holiday. It’s what gets you through a busy, emotional day. Connecting…
#ChronicChristmas Day 24: Julehygge or Welcoming the Spirit of Christmas
Today, my family is celebrating Juleaften. Celebrating what….? Juleaften. Or Christmas Eve in Danish. Where I come from, the grand celebration happens tonight with a special dinner — a.k.a. the Best Meal of the Year — and exchanging presents. And it means that today is about disconnecting and decompressing and let the julehygge take over….
#ChronicChristmas Day 23: Sing
When is the last time you sang? I mean, really belted one out, disappearing into the music and the feeling, and not caring about the dogs howling in the neighbourhood, and the cracks appearing in your glasses? OK, so maybe that last part doesn’t happen to everyone. Did I ever mention that my sister has…
#ChronicChristmas Day 22: Good Enough
There are only a few days left to finish it all — how much is left on your list? Unless you are one of those incredibly organized people who have every bow tied, and every piece of tinsel polished before Labor Day, chances are you are near hysterics by now. So I’m going to suggest…
#ChronicChristmas Day 21: Embrace the Small Moments
What do you remember from past Christmases — the times everything went according to plan, or the moments when imperfection snuck into the celebrations? We work so hard to make the holidays perfect, but that’s not what makes for enduring family legends. One of my favourite memories was the year when the tree slowly, but…
#ChronicChristmas Day 20: Ask for Help
Me do it. I’m not a toddler, but you will quite frequently hear me say similar words. Perhaps a bit more eloquent, as my language skills have improved somewhat since I was two. But really. It boils down to the same thing. I bet you’ve been stuck in the same place more than once, but…
#ChronicChristmas Day 19: Be Kind to Someone
Christmas doesn’t just come from a store. Yes, we’re back to those immortal words by the green guy in my favourite Christmas special. Because contrary to everything in every commercial starting earlier and earlier in November every year, this season isn’t actually about consumerism. It isn’t even about buying presents for each other (or yourself)….
#ChronicChristmas Day 18: Buy Yourself a Present
You have a list, and you’ve checked it not twice, but a dozen times or more. It’s colour-coded, carefully organized to keep track of which gifts you bought for whom, who you’re still working on, where the gifts are on the various stages between stuck in the closet somewhere in a pile of bags to…
Hello from the Disabled Side*
Dear Adele, Like every other person in the world, I was really excited about your new album, and even more excited when I heard you were going to come to Toronto. Not just one show, for four shows! I took a look at the dates and decided that the Friday show would be perfect. You…
ChronicChristmas Day 17: Feed the Animals
The current mild temperatures in Toronto notwithstanding, we have entered a time of year where it’s hard for wildlife to find food. I remember reading an article last year about how many waterfowl had starved to death because of the thick layer of ice on Lake Ontario that lasted for months and months. Watching birds…