The expression “bucket list” came into wide use after the release of the movie Bucket List in December 2007. It derives from kick the bucket (to die) plus list, hence a list of things to do before we die. Although the prospect of a bucket list may seem morbid, there are sound reasons to craft a list — by […]
FUN FACTS FRIDAYS: IDIOMS 2
Occasionally on Fridays I post facts for our interest or amusement. To begin the series in July 2017, I examined the little known origins of a dozen idioms still used in everyday conversation to explain different situations in a few words. Today I add another dozen to that list. Close, but no cigar: almost winning. Carnival […]
GRANDPARENTS: NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL
Marina and Andrew welcomed Elizabeth Katherine, a healthy 7 lb. 8 oz. sister to Henry and Charlie, into the world on August 15 at 8:40 a.m. EDT, making Glen and me grandparents for a third time. On this joyous occasion in Toronto, we were at home in Vancouver — because we don’t live in the […]
BACK TO SCHOOL
The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure to curiosity.” Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) We can fill the days of our sunset years in many ways, but going back to school rates near the top of my list of diversions. I don’t mean earning another degree, though many mature individuals do. I mean going to […]
FUN FACTS FRIDAYS: BEER
Since 2008 over 200 cities worldwide celebrate International Beer Day on the first Friday of August. On IBD we’re meant to: gather with friends and enjoy the deliciousness of beer. acknowledge the men and women who brew and serve beer. bring the world together by celebrating the beers of all nations and cultures. According to their journals, […]
TRAVELLING SOLO
Half the fun of travelling for me lies in the planning, but travelling solo means we cannot share the anticipation of adventure with anyone. The trip’s in our own head, from beginning to end. On the other hand, we can choose the destination and activities with no regard for another’s wishes. In retirement we may […]
LIBRARIES: A GO-TO PLACE
If we downsize in retirement, as Glen and I did, we need to adapt to small spaces. This process involves efficient furnishing, putting every square inch to maximum use. But it also means devising ways to spend time — and not always money — away from our home, to ensure our walls do not feel […]
A DAY TO REMEMBER FATHERS
The first Father’s Day in the U.S. was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Washington state. However, it took 58 years after President Wilson made Mother’s Day official for President Nixon to sign the public law in 1972 making Father’s Day a permanent holiday. Now many countries declare the third Sunday in June as a […]
FUN FACTS FRIDAYS: GEOGRAPHY
Geography is the study of places and the relationships between people and their environments. The following dozen facts reveal how fascinating our world is as we discover unusual information about its geography. As the largest country in the world, Russia spans 11 time zones. At one end we can be sipping coffee at 7 a.m. while at […]
SUNSET TO SUNRISE: FAMILY REUNIONS
Families may get together on the joyous occasion of a wedding or the sad one of a memorial service. Other times they might organize a reunion — choose a date, location, accommodation — and then encourage everyone to attend. Our family has held reunions in 1990, 1997, 2000 and 2009, with participants coming from four […]