Blog Articles About Family

Muffin: She Came, She Saw, She Conquered

This cat has mind and personality to spare, but she is also beautiful. She is completely different from Lucy’s tall and elongated frame, Siamese-narrow face and rather coarse coat. Muffin is short and compact, standing solidly on this earth, with a face as broad as a tomcat’s. Her eyes are ever alert and communicating her…

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A Dance with Words

When I lived with my parents, dinner was one of my favourite times of the day. Not because my mother is an excellent cook – although there is that – but because dinner was the time where we all sat down together, ate and talked. And it was the talking especially that made this time…

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Going to Gondwana

This weekend, we went to see the Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum. Basic story: big dinosaurs from the southern hemisphere. Really big. We did a herd excursion – somewhat fitting, what with the herds of extinct creatures – piling friends and kids into one group and got set loose…

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Lunch with the Tinks

Last week was March break here in Ontario and my sister brought the kids for a lovely lunch and a visit. Liam has joined the race to adult teeth and then some, losing both bottom front teeth and one at the top Time for a serious chat sister to bother  Mormor and Liam playing squares…

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Christmas Shenanigans

Coming up for air after a weekend of immersion in the Christmas spirit is an oddly disconcerting experience. It’s back to work and I’d much rather stay within the warmth and joy of what in Danish is called Julehygge. In other words, hygge specific to Jul (Christmas). It’s a good place to be. The Boy…

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Caregiving for Dementia: How to Support with RA

November was Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, as well as National Caregivers Month in the US and HealthCentral marked it by doing a special project where writers from different sides wrote about dementia and Alzheimer’s. Earlier this month, I wrote about dementia caregivers’ increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases and this week, I take a more personal…

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The Tinks Turn 6

Yes, they do. Today, in fact. I don’t know how they went from this to who they are today, but I’m enhjoying every minute! We had a wonderful party for them a couple of weeks ago. Herewith a few pics for the day. I was in charge of distracting the wee monsters while everyone else…

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In Which My Mother Scares Everybody

“She’s in the ICU.” These are not words you want to hear about your mother. Well, about anyone, I suspect, but in this particular case, we’d expected her (relatively) routine back surgery – spinal fusion and correcting spinal stenosis – to go smoothly and to receive a call from someone on a regular ward telling…

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Spring Party

This weekend, we  gathered a bunch of people for a potluck Spring party. A few moments: John holding up a wall and I can see the rockstar from his younger days I’d discovered Sunniebunniezz, an excellent source of handpupoets and many other treasure and got a pterodactyl for Liam. Naturally named Pteri and here seen…

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Sisters

A little over 38 years ago, my parents sat me down and told me I’d be getting a present in early Spring. I guessed a bike, but it was a sister instead. And she’s still the best present I’ve ever received.               Happy birthday, Janne!   

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10 Years

Today it has been 10 years of life without my father and it is hard for all of us to understand it’s been this long. I remember that St. Patrick’s Day in 2001 with crystal clarity. Remember the call from the nursing home that said if I wanted to be there, I should come quick,…

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75th Birthday Party

Mor’s birthday party was held yesterday with a fantastic turnout of almost 60 friends and family, ranging from 3 months to 90+ years. The Birthday Goddess was suitably attired in a tiara for the duration Stewart has a serious discussion with Morgan The youngest, Aryka And on the other side of the continuum, Edith Then…

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