How do you read the paper? Are you a skimmer or scanner? Watching people the newspaper here in the airport on the way out of town once again shows me that it takes all types to make the world spin. Some read it cover to cover; every headline, every word. Some are less conscientious. What type are you? Of these …
Warm up to acceptance — it makes winter easier to handle
It’s been a long, cold, snowy winter. With record snowfalls so early in November, some days it seemed like winter was here to stay forever. The first day of spring came and went, and while daytime highs rose, the melt was abated by night-time lows, and further stammered by more snowfall. In reviewing old photos, on the same day a …
Give a hoot about owl attacks
Did you hear about the owl attacks in early February? No? Neither did I, that is until last week. A neighbour down the road called me to tell me that he’d been in hospital and had heard that two independent people, in the same evening, had been admitted in the emergency department after being attacked by owls while skiing at …
Children’s birthday parties say so much
Throwing a successful children’s birthday party is no easy task. I try to execute a party that will make my child happy and will be a healthy, and hopefully a learning, experience for the guests. With a little extra upfront planning, this is possible. They say that kids spell love T-I-M-E and I am inclined to believe that. One friend …
Rally to save Algoma rail service
If you live in Toronto, or Ottawa, you probably don’t think much about road closures due to extreme weather, but up here in the North, when Highway 17 closes, we notice. Flights are just as tenuous and weather dependant. When have you heard of a train cancellation due to weather? Rail is reliable, but in Canada, rail is lagging behind. …
And now you got a mountain
I don’t envy the position that the current mayor and city council find themselves in, but I do see this as a defining moment for them. With a month under its belt, council was probably hoping it would be focusing on enjoying Bon Soo activities, but instead they are facing a mountain of issues (yes the Searchmont pun is intended), …
Don’t risk safety for fear of offending stranger
A woman shows up at your door in the night and asks to use the telephone as she’s run out of gas. What do you do? Given two recent incidents like this in the Sault with dastardly results, we should all be thinking about what we would do to protect ourselves, our families, and our property. An ounce of prevention …
Write a bucket list for purpose, hope and forward momentum
I was recently reminded of a conversation going back a couple of years where we talked about our bucket lists. As per normal convention, most of the people in the group spoke of places they’d like to visit; activities they’d like to attempt; foods they’d like to try; and personal goals they’d like to reach. My list wasn’t dissimilar, (I …
Forgiveness and New Year’s Resolutions
As we stand on a precipice of a New Year, it’s a moment to reflect on the past, plan for the future, and also to enjoy the present. I like the idea of New Year’s resolutions, because they give me pause to think about how I can be a better human being. (There’s nothing wrong with me, I’m perfectly imperfect, …
Purge, but save the landfill
With the year drawing to an end, there is a sentiment we often hear: “Out with the old and in with the new.” To me this sounds like the rallying cry for consumers everywhere, and it scares me a little, but regardless, at this time of year we find ourselves rearranging furniture to find room for the Christmas tree and …