Reposted from Facebook I am getting married in 12 days. There isn’t a single thing anyone could have ever said or done to have prepared me for the future I find myself standing in right now. It is as surreal and as deliciously whimsical as you might imagine. Change is the thing that makes us... Continue Reading →
[Some differences between my experiences (and my spelling) with those of Anne Lamott. Still, great words here.] [Anne Lamott] August, ugh, not my favorite month. If I were God’s West Coast representative, I would not have scheduled it, and gone directly from the heat blasts of July—which we would endure with only once or twice... Continue Reading →
Prompted by a fierce attachment to his own pet, Paul Yoon wrote a harrowing yet hopeful novel, set during wartime, told from a canine perspective. By Pamela Newton, in the New York Times, Aug. 2, 2026 For visuals by Erik Tanner visit the link with the full article above. Oscar, a sweet, lumbering 70-pound lab... Continue Reading →
The Politics of Isolation CHARLIE ANGUS / THE RESISTANCE / Substack / JUL 31 There have been countless books written about the political crisis of our time, but one small book stands out. Hyperpolitics, by Belgian historian Anton Jäger, puts forward the thesis that the dramatic failure of left and centrist politics is rooted in... Continue Reading →
Dr Amir Khan GP MBChB(hons) MRCGP DCH DRCOG DipDiab PGCE On Instagram These are five things humans have done for generations that modern life has quietly pushed aside. The wonderful thing? They’re completely free. Memorise something. Give your brain a workout instead of outsourcing everything to your phone. Sing. It doesn’t matter if you’re in... Continue Reading →
Creating...One thread...One stitch...At a time Slowly Some of us enjoy fast food, fast travel, or fast talking. Others, however, like to take things slow. I want to introduce you, dear reader, to Hilary Rice who lives, and thrives, slowly, with priest husband Mike near Madoc, Ontario. Kathie and I first met this couple at the... Continue Reading →
Writing today from an undisclosed location in central Ontario 90 minutes’ drive and boat ride north of Peterborough. It’s summer here at a lovely cottage thanks to a kind invitation from a new family member and her parents. I say “cottage,” having originally typed “cabin” inappropriately. There is an important distinction between the two monikers.... Continue Reading →
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo Trump's police state is growing, but communities are organizing against it, by Robert Reich Jul 14, 2026 Friends, Yesterday, Joan Sebastian Guerrero — a 26-year-old from Colombia with a wife and 3-year-old daughter — was killed by an ICE agent in Biddeford, Maine. Guerrero was authorized to work in the United States... Continue Reading →
So here’s the good news. Kathie and I are off to Ontario for some holiday and a Blue Jays game. Go Jays, sigh . . . We are leaving Juno at home with some trusted friends who are also house and dog sitters. And burglars take note, if you decide to break in I guarantee... Continue Reading →
The Honourable Tom Siddon, PC (1941–2026) – Obituary on Castanet [First, from Tom’s family] It is with heavy hearts, but with heads full of happy memories and passed down knowledge, that we must announce the passing of The Honourable Thomas Edward Siddon, P.C., on June 28, 2026. Tom was surrounded by family when he peacefully... Continue Reading →
Take Note - Reflections on life, music, politics, retirement and more by Ken Gray 