When I walked into the firearms safety course last weekend, imagine my surprise when I saw that the women in the room outnumbered the men. Like the Aerosmith song says: “Janie’s got a gun” or at least she wants to get one, or else she wouldn’t be in this room. Why were so many women interested in the ability to …
Cold bucket, warm hearts
On social media lately, I’ve been deluged with posts of songs from the movie Frozen and now most recently, with the ice bucket challenge. If you, like me, have been living under a rock, let me bring you up to speed. The movie Frozen has one really great song, “Let it Go,” that children and parents everywhere are singing and …
Another step in language journey
As a parent, it didn’t take too many years of elementary school for me to realize that it’s not only our children that have trepidation about the annual oral presentation requirement of their curriculum. While our children have to face their fear of speaking in front of others, as parents we face our apprehension of having to hear a presentation …
A vacation isn’t always synonymous with relaxation
Especially with the steely grip this winter has had on many of our moods, it was high time for an escape. I took the kids on a cruise to the Caribbean, to find some relaxation, sun, sand, and heat. I’ve travelled with my children before, but never for such long airport layovers, and never on a cruise. While I did …
One act of kindness
My daughter made two ladies cry. Usually, this would be cause for concern, but instead it is time to proudly share. For her tenth birthday Audrey asked for money to donate to Christmas Cheer. (Warning: the goodwill toward man shown in this article may make grinch-like hearts grow two sizes or may even inspire you to do a random act …
Stress-free kids birthdays
In a day and age where employer and employee loyalty is virtually non-existent and unemployment rates are high, I am always happy to see people who have carved out a niche market for themselves as entrepreneurs. Most recently, I held my daughter’s birthday party at “Celebrate your Day your Way Party and Play Centre” where I met David Greer. Greer …
9 to 5 doesn’t work with women today
When you’ve asked someone how things were going, how many times do you hear the answer “Busy?” How many times have you yourself provided that answer or spiced things up a little but adding “Things are good … but busy?” We’re racing towards something, and sometimes I wonder if it’s one big heart attack for all of us. I can’t …
Take on the mole hills
When do you make a mountain out of a mole hill? Every day we’re faced with situations that are wrong, appear wrong, or simply rub us the wrong way, and it’s hard to know which battles are worth waging. One famous leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “The time is always right to do what’s right.” I have always …
Great way to spend Canada Day
On the heels of a mediocre year of events celebrating the Sault’s 100th birthday and the bicentennial of the War of 1812, I can confidently say that few events have wowed me lately. The Passport to Unity, Relay for Life, BonSoo Gourmet Dinner at Sault College, and Buskerfest events are truly notable; and I can now add the Canada Day …
Where did our vocabulary go?
What’s happened to our vocabulary? It took some comic books from the 1960s and 1970s and a Nancy Drew novel from that era to hammer home the point that in four decades we seem to have lost a huge chunk of the English language. My daughter was home sick. Typically, she’d turn on the television and enter the monosyllabic land …