21st Anniversary
I remember turning 21. Sort of. I was at university for a summer term, living in the Columbia Lake Townhouses with Roger, Ed, and Brian. It was a Friday, and I only know that thanks to the internet. All I really remember …
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Family
270 posts tagged with this topic.
Last day in Ruskin
Last year, I didn’t get to come to Ruskin. I’d been told that our division president was coming out to Calgary during the same week, so I stuck around. And was shafted by other politics at play. So I missed …
Ontario 2026 - Old friends, dishwashers, and home
More weird dreams than I care to think about (I’m sure some of them would make interesting manga, but as a novel they’d be unworkable) kept me from decent sleep. Today was our last day in Ontario and we …
Ontario 2026 - Touring St. Thomas
The bed was hard. The girls slept terribly on possibly the worst pull-out couch, ever. After failing to get the Krupp machine in our room to work, Monkey and let Alex and Choo Choo sleep a bit more and stole away to the …
Ontario 2026 - A Service in St. Thomas
The thunderstorm started at 5am. Cathy’s dog, Hennessey, got me up not long after. Dogs generally aren’t fans of loud noises and this dog isn’t a fan of thunderstorms. I knew then it was going to be a …
Ontario 2026 - Gardens and Tiramisu
Well, Toronto got canned. I was woken by a text from Asinkwe saying she wasn’t able to make lunch. After some discussion, we opted to skip going back into downtown Toronto. After helping Cathy replace a lock on her …
Ontario 2026 - Visiting with Friends and Family
One of the things I’m terrible at when coming to Oakville is visiting with friends. It’s not that I don’t want to visit with anyone else, it’s often that I don’t have enough time available …
Ontario 2026 - It was a rainy day...
It was a rainy day in Oakville when my cousin Raoul… Wait. I don’t have a cousin Raoul. We all slept in, even Cathy, who’s famously up early, and Tori, who didn’t have an 8:30 shift at the pool. …
Ontario 2026 - Louis Tomlinson and the Blue Jays
From the outset, today’s plans were always going to be a big dodgy. Although we had a definitively hard schedule for 6pm, the rest was to be made up as we went. Obviously, we’ve been to Toronto before. Alex …
Ontario 2026 - Happy Birthday to Me!
Happy birthday to me! Things got off to a bit of a slow start, as I started to wake up around 4 or 5, for reasons I don’t understand. I was tired and awake at the same time. It was rough. I managed to eke a bit …
Ontario 2026 - Cider and Niagara Falls
Forest fires in Northern Ontario have dropped a lot of smoke over Southern Ontario. The sun is nothing more than a pale red disc in the sky. It’s still hot, humidity sky-high. It’s a good reason to leave …
Ontario 2026 - The trouble with rental agencies
It’s been a long time since I was excited to fly. I don’t think I’ll ever recapture the novelty of flying when I was a kid – and goodness knows the airlines will never be like that again – …
What About Ceyx?
Janice had a cat. I say “had” because she is no longer with us. But the cat remains. His name is Ceyx. It’s pronounced “KAY-ix”. It’s the name from a minor Greek myth, apparently. …
Packing up a life
How full is a life well-lived? Can it be judged by the things it collects? Books. Trinkets. Pets. Paintings. Clothes. Boxes. Dust. When life turns to dust, what then? The packing begins. Life is messy unorganized random …
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Obituary for Janice Aicken (neé Campbell)
One of the challenges when someone dies is having to prepare an obituary. Being a writer and story-teller, I felt compelled to put together one for Janice. It’s too wordy and would never be used in a newspaper. But …
Janice Aicken, 1943-2026
Today, my mother-in-law, Janice Aicken, died. Janice has been unwell for months … years, really. But the last four months have been especially hard, a result of illness that brought forth the underlying issues. …
Happy 16th Birthday, Choo Choo!
When you were younger, it was so much easier to see the changes from one year to the next. But in the last couple of years, the only significant changes are … well, hair colour. I wouldn’t say you’re …
New Years Tea, 2026
It’s that time of year again, and we’re off for Afternoon Tea, somewhere. That was the first of our challenges: where. Don’t get me wrong, going to Banff is wonderful and it’s a tradition …
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2025, A Year In Review
The 2020s keep on burning like a bad dumpster fire. It’s hard to find the highs when we saw the disturbing rise of fascism in the former home of democracy, authoritarianism rising in Alberta (with several uses of …
Merry Christmas
As the song goes, it’s Christmas once again. But once again, it doesn’t really feel like it. I miss the building excitement when I was a kid, of a sparking morning and family and the chaos of presents and …
Happy 20th Anniversary
Where does 20 years go? For Alex and I, it was LavaLife. Yep, an online dating site. We’re one of those. To be fair, the real thing LavaLife did was connect two people who probably wouldn’t have met any other …
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Happy 18th Birthday, Monkey
I’ve thought of how to start this post so many times over the last few months and I’ve still not figured it out. The regular platitude of “happy birthday” just doesn’t cut it. This …
Irish Family Trip, Day 12
Our flight was early, so we had an early morning. Well, early for some in this family. For me, it was normal. Packed and ready, downstairs, with cab called so we could get to the airport. The taxi arrived on time, we …
Irish Family Trip, Day 11
Last (full) day in Ireland. To zero surprise, I was up before everyone. I thought about where to go for breakfast – we’d had a few other ideas on our mind – when a thought crept across… Premier …
Irish Family Trip, Day 10
One of the problems with renting a car is returning it, especially before you get dinged for another day. The car was of no more use to us – everything from here is on foot. So I got up at 6:30, while my family …
Irish Family Trip, Day 9
Some yobbo felt the need to tear down the road with his car, popping exhaust, waking me up. Then a bunch of assholes waking up their friend — and the entire fucking hallway — at 3am. This should have been the sign for …
Irish Family Trip, Day 8
For once, we were up early. (Well, “early” for my family, anyway.) Alex had a geocaching event that she wanted to attend, because how often do you get to do something like that in another country? Besides, it …
Irish Family Trip, Day 7
Unsurprisingly, I was up before everyone else. We weren’t under the same time pressures as the day before, though we did have a dinner we had to attend in Newtownards. I made coffee. It was … reasonable. I …
Irish Family Trip, Day 6
And I thought yesterday was a drive. I woke up to people above us thumping around. The joys of a four-storey walk-up. Dragging everyone else out of bed, we headed up the road to Blas, a restaurant in the Gateway Lodge. …
Irish Family Trip, Day 5
Today was a drive. I think we covered most of the Irish West Coast. Which means you do nearly twice that, because there’s nary a straight road to be found in this country. Roads felt like they were wrapped like …
Irish Family Trip, Day 4
Sometimes, when you have a really busy day, and you might not have entirely slept off the jet lag from two days earlier, you sleep in a lot later than expected. We were an hour behind schedule getting going. And I say …
Irish Family Trip, Day 3
When I got up around 7:30, Monkey had already been up for an hour. I loathe mornings on vacations without plans because people will sleep indefinitely and I didn’t pay a few thousand dollars to fly to a different …
Irish Family Trip, Day 1/2
Despite the lack of sleep due to the Dirty Knobs concert and rising early on Friday to prepare for an interview that was delayed, I couldn’t sleep Friday night. Still, I forced myself to sleep in a bit. I took the house …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 8 - Vancouver and home
I had the worst sleep. Between a third day of fucking fever and headaches (the Tylenol was barely having any effect), the crew decided to have an all-night dance party in the crew quarters underneath us (Deck A, below …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 7 - At Sea, Sick
Didn’t sleep well. Wasn’t hungry but had a bit of breakfast anyway. Went back to the room to rest and sleep. The ship doesn’t really have a quiet spot to settle and sleep other than your own cabin. I tried to watch Death …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 6 - Ketchikan and the flu
I woke this morning knowing that there was a high likelihood that, by the end of the day, I’d be buried under the sheets with something nasty. I was very unhappy with that reality because the one thing I did not …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 5 - Glacier Bay
Five o’clock came earlier than I expected. I’m not sure I couldn’t sleep due to the (somewhat forced?) excitement of entering Glacier Bay, or just because sleeping on the ship hasn’t been great. I …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 4 - Skagway and the White Pass and Yukon
I’m starting to lose track of days. I think that’s the sign of a good vacation. Heavens forbid that I might actually like cruising… We arrived in Skagway early, I woke briefly and glanced at the …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 3 - Inside Passage and Juneau
Slept better. Ish. Having a shower was an improvement. Surprisingly, despite the small room, the bathroom is quite reasonable. Bathtub with shower, vacuum toilet (like in an airplane), with enough room to change where …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 2 - Inside Passage
I’d had a headache leaving Calgary yesterday. It returned last night. I slept terribly. But my biggest fear of sleeping in the same room as my mother – the teeth grinding and snoring, a distinct memory from …
Cruising to Alaska with Mom, Day 1 - Vancouver and Departure
A few months ago, Mom declared that she’d like to go on a cruise, but it was a struggle to find the right thing, since traveling solo isn’t particularly cheap (double occupancy is a thing), and her mobility …
Monkey's Graduation
Whenever I take a day off from work, I write an Out of Office (OOTO) message. Most people write fairly boring OOTOs, along the lines of: I’m away from the office today. If you have an urgent needs, please send them …
Montreal, Le Central, Mozart, and Vomiting ... oh my
Alex has a mild obsession with the movie Amadeus. This comes from seeing it as a child, home with a cd, and her father thought it would be an interesting thing for her. Not Strawberry Shortcake, not The Care Bears, not …
The End of Childhood Adventures
When you’re a parent with young children, you can see possibility, opportunity, and endless field of options. That’s part of being a parent, it’s being freed of expectation and looking towards the best …
The trip home from Ruskin
It took us two days to drive out to Ruskin for Christmas. No matter how we sliced it, it was going to take two days to get home, too. And that was a good thing. Travelling through the mountains in winter is a tough slog …
New Year's Tea in Fort Langley
Planning started back in November: what were we going to do for our annual New Year’s Tea? The problems were two-fold. First is the usual catch with Alex’s wheat allergy – not everywhere does a …
Christmas in Ruskin
Merry Ho Ho, one and all! Late last night, I tried to catch a picture of a CN freight train heading west. I tell you this because I was trying to kill some time before picking up Alex. Her flight arrived just before …
Christmas in Ruskin - The Fraser Canyon
I didn’t know before today that Moxie’s does breakfast. At least, the one attached to the hotel. And it was pretty decent, even if it was $85 for three people. Hitting our usual gas station on Columbia St …
Christmas in Ruskin - The Drive to Kamloops
It’s been seven years since we’ve done Christmas in Ruskin. The reason we don’t go is because of Alex’s work schedule, which has been extremely unhelpful in getting us enough time to be there. …
Banff Christmas Market with Cathy and Nat
As Stuart McLean once said (heavily paraphrased): In most major cities across Canada, people are drawn to the expansive showcase windows of the largest retailers, such as the Eaton’s, Simpson’s, and The …
A Last Halloween
Tonight, Monkey, you had your last Halloween. I don’t mean you last last, just the last one being at home as a … well, as my child. I, by and large, avoided being around because you had your friends over and …
A Quick Visit to Oakville
I’ve worked too much. I need a break. It’s only a few days, but I need to get my mind off of work before I burn out. Again. So I’m hopping plane to go see Cathy. I’m flying Flair, which is a bit …
Aurora over the house
I’ve been working hard a lot, long hours, trying to stay ahead of things. Actually, more like just not get drowned by them. So I’m at my desk in the basement (my “office”) when Choo Choo comes …
Enter the Kitten
I took Mom out to Banff today to see the fall colours. Well, at least the colours that are there, already. It’s hard judging when Banff will be in autumn glory, as what we see in Calgary isn’t necessarily …
The Last First Day of School
And suddenly, it’s the first day of school. But it’s a landmark “first” – it’s Monkey’s last first day of school, today she enters Grade 12. I don’t really remember my …
Happy Birthday, Monkey!
I find the end of August creeps up on us far too quickly and suddenly, it’s your birthday and I’m not even sure what happened to summer. Such as it is this year, and we’re in Banff. It wasn’t even …
Happy Birthday to Me
I hate my birthdays, sometimes. Because I end up planning them. A surprise would be nice. (My 50th had surprises, which I loved.) Today, I turned 52. And it was left to me to decide what we were doing. I chose to go Fort …
A Trip into Vancouver
Today, we went into Vancouver. Last year, I went in my own to visit with Scott (and ride in his time machine). This year, it was all of us to hang out with Jen. I wasn’t too keen on trying to drive into Vancouver. …
SUP, Take Two
In theory, I should be working. I say this because there are things that need to be done to keep the team moving at work while I’m away. I say “in theory” because when I checked the Jira board today, I …
Pretending to be a Tree Monkey
Today was my first real day of vacation in … I’m not going to count, it’s been too long. And I’ll be honest, I feel a bit guilty about it. That maybe why I agreed to go to WildPlay. WildPlay, if …
My First Time on a Standup Paddleboard
Alex is the Queen of Kijiji. If she’s not selling something there, she’s finding something. And she found paddleboards. For the record, until now, I thought of paddleboards as a fad. It seemed like someone …
The Long Drive to Ruskin
I’ve lost count on the number of times I’ve driven to Ruskin. It’s definitely into the double digits. I tried not to drink too much last night. I blame Jared for the “one beer too many” …
Enter the Kitty
It’s been over a year since we put Asia down. (I won’t say “died” because it wasn’t a natural end, it was just necessary given her health.) And we’ve been kitty-less since. Most of …
Alex's First (Paid) MRI Shift
Alex works in “Diagnostic Imaging”, which is how the medical community (at least in Alberta) lumps together X-Ray, Ultrasound, Computer Tomography (CT, aka “cat scan”), and Magnetic Resonance …
Early Retirement is a Myth for Most
My dad was about my age when the company he’d worked for most of my life until that point decided to screw him over, effectively forcing him out. I wasn’t there when he got home, I was at my after-school job …
A Sleigh Ride in Banff
Just prior to Christmas, Jean (Alex’s stepmom and Granny to the kids) declared that she wanted to do an old-fashioned sleigh ride with the girls in Banff sometime in the new year, and could she make those …
New Year's Tea
I’ll just come out and say it: I didn’t want to do New Year’s Tea this year. Yes, it’s our tradition, yes we try to do it even under strange circumstances (heck, we made our own during COVID). I …
Christmas with Nana
I genuinely don’t know the last time we had Christmas with my mom. The closest we’ve come is when we went to New York City back in 2008. Prior to that? Maybe 2004. It’s been a while. Of course, Mom …
Passing by FOMO
Last night was Believeco (Calgary)’s annual Holiday Party (though “Christmas” was more generally used, we acknowledge the more non-denominational intent). And has nearly every corporate (and more …
Still waiting for fall
It’s mid-September here in Alberta, which means one of two things: it’s either fall, or we’ve had an epic snowstorm. And since we haven’t had the latter, it must mean the former. Or rather, it …
Driving the Crowsnest Highway
I’ve driven part of Highway 3 – the Crowsnest Highway – between Cranbrook, British Columbia and Fort MacLeod, Alberta. I’ve driven it enough that I know the general map. What I haven’t done, …
Driving an Electric Car from Calgary to Fairmont Hot Springs
For the record, Alex drove the electric car. I was her support, in case something went wrong. A couple of years ago, we decided it was time to ditch our diesel Jetta. It was gathering too many repairs and VW’s …
Goodbye Asia, 2004-2023
Today we had to say goodbye to our beloved cat, Asia, aged about 19 years … and probably 11 of her 9 lives. I’ve never been comfortable with euthanasia, not even the concept of it. The idea that we can take …
Mother's Day with my Mom
I’ve been struggling with this memory all day. I think the last time I celebrated Mother’s Day in the presence of my mother, I think I was 18, still in high school. There might have been one, maybe two years …
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Mom Moves to Calgary
A couple of years ago, just as COVID hit, my mom decided it was time to move into a “home”. She’d lived on her own for nearly 20 years at that point and her condo was no longer as fun as when she moved …
New Year's Tea, 2023
Traditions are just meaningful habits. - Me Another year, another tea. I mean, that could be the post, but there’s a few things worth mentioning… First, Anarchy and Chaos – sorry, I mean Monkey and …
A Visit to Lake Country
A number of weeks ago, Venture’s CEO, Arlene Dickinson, announced that staff could work from anywhere they liked this summer, to take advantage of our new-found COVID freedoms. By and large it wasn’t a big …
50 Years of Me
Well, I’ve somehow managed to make it to 50 years of age. I’m pretty sure teenaged me is mildly shocked. (50 year old me kind of is.) I’m not where I thought I’d be, even as little as a decade …
The Last Days
Ten years. A decade my kids have been going to school. And up until the last year, it was a central part of my life. I’m the morning parent: get kids up, shepherd them through breakfast and lunch-making, get them …
The Long Road Home
I still wish there were trains between Vancouver and Calgary. Passenger ones, like VIA, not the Rocky Mountaineer (which, admittedly, I would still love to take, but I tend to not have an extra $5,000 lying around). But …
Resting in Ruskin
It’s a weird year, here, in Ruskin. When we’ve been here at this time of the year in the past, the back field is well under way, with flowers and shoots of whatever it is that Randy’s planning to grow. …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Return to Reality on Ferries
We’re back in Ruskin. And it took way longer to get here than I could have imagined this morning. We were the first ones away, having the car effectively packed by 09:00. I had no illusions for the trip ahead: …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Hikes and Sheds and Crabs
It was a quiet day, overall. Unlike yesterday, it was drizzly, if a bit rainy. And that was okay, at least for us – we were on the we(s)t coast, so of course it should rain. And we had no particular plans, so …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Whales, Shelter, and Jesus, Oh my!
It’s amazing what one good night’s sleep can do for you. I felt substantially better after a restful night (though I’m told I snored horribly), ready to take on the day. My day started, with a quick …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Hangovers and Sunsets
I awoke somewhere around 08:00. I think. The morning until about noon is a bit hazy for me. Yes, I overdid it. Way overdid it. I was a bit woozy, and although my head didn’t hurt as much as it should have, it was …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Arrival in Tofino
Today. Oh my, today. Perhaps one of the best days I’ve had in … well, a very, very long time. And there are parts that I will regret tomorrow. But for now… I couldn’t sleep. The bed in the …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Three Valley Gap to Ruskin
It was a comfy bed. Until it wasn’t. I dunno if it’s just me getting old, but I find it’s hard to find a mattress I’m truly happy with. I had to pry the family out of bed with a crowbar at 7:30am. …
Salty Sea Dog Reunion, Calgary to Three Valley Gap
Over six months ago, during our weekly FaceTime catchup, Mom decided that we needed to have a joint birthday celebration. She was due to turn 80 in April, I turn 50 in July. And although we were still in COVID …
Happy 80th Birthday, Mom!
Today, my mom turns 80. I don’t really know if that’s a milestone, in all honesty, though it is a big number. And it’s a good number – it’s strength and health and will to continue forward. …
20 Years Without My Dad
My father passed away 20 years ago today. There was a time, not too long ago, when I thought about having lost him a lot. I was a young(er) father with young children and I felt often at wits’ end and I so dearly …
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Traveling in the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has been … I don’t want to use the the word “unprecedented”, because it’s not entirely true. If you look back far enough, there are similar scenarios: SARS in 2003, while never declared a …
New Years Tea 2022
If there’s one tradition we’ve tried to stick to, it’s New Years Tea. We very much know this is an indulgence, one we are very privileged to be able to afford and enjoy. It’s a once-a-year thing, …
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Christmas Trees and Parties
There isn’t a fresh, real Christmas tree in any lot in this city. They’re all gone, most of them weeks ago, at prices that would make even most unscrupulous ticket scalper blush. We learned this last week, …
Christmas Tree Fail
2021 has been a strange year for our family. The elephant in the room, of course, is COVID-19, which kept us from our “usual” activities: swimming lessons, regular outings, dim sums, movies, concerts, and …
Healthy 10th Birthday, Choo Choo!
A decade ago right now, Mommy and I were preparing to go to Foothills Medical Centre. There, Mommy would have a caesarian section and you would be pulled forth into this world — not of woman borne! — with your arm draped …
Ten Years in Canada
I was born in what was once the small town of Oakville, west of Toronto. I lived there until I was 18, when I went to university, and split my time between Waterloo, Oakville, Ottawa, and Toronto, until January 1998, …
A farewell to neighbours
We moved into our current home in March 2007, a few months before Monkey was born. We were not newlyweds anymore, we were bracing for a family. The home we had lived in was nice, and ideal for a couple. For a pregnant …
20 years from Ontario
Two decades ago today, I did something immensely stupid: I left home. Literally and figuratively. Twenty years ago, I was still sleeping in my room on Gatestone Avenue in Oakville. While I had lived on my own at …
The kids' first New Years Eve
Okay, to be fair, Monkey is now 10, and Choo Choo is rapidly approaching 8. They’ve seen “New Years Eve” a few times, but they’ve been more the family-friendly type. Staying up to midnight is the new thing. …
Disney World 2016 - Twas the day before Christmas
The Art of Animation Resort had left information on our door regarding our DME pickup. We had until 1:30pm to relax, do any final shopping, and pack. For our final breakfast, we went to Pop Century, to experience their …
Disney World 2016 - Magic Kingdom
This was the day I’d been waiting for since June. I have nothing against Epcot or Animal Kingdom, and I very much love the Kennedy Space Center. But when it comes to magic, the closest I’ll ever get to witnessing real …
Disney World 2016 - Animal Kingdom
I moved the family as quickly as I had the day before. My biggest need that morning wasn’t to get to Animal Kingdom, it was to return the car before we got dinged another USD$133. I’d gotten over the fact that we’d ended …
Disney World 2016 - Kennedy Space Center
We were up early, hitting the front of the hotel for 8:20, to catch our shuttle bus to the Alamo Rental location just inside the Magic Kingdom‘s outer gates. We were renting a car for exploring! I had originally arranged …
Disney World 2016 - Resting at the resort
It’s genuinely amazing what a single night of sleep can do for a person. I woke up feeling human. And apologetic about my behaviour the night before. And dying for coffee. Which, fortunately, the Landscape of Flavors has …
Disney World 2016 - Epcot
Our first FastPass was booked for 9:40am, so we had a need to usher ourselves along that morning. Up, shower, dress, eat, and on the bus for 9am. It was a bit hurried, but nothing more dramatic than trying to get the …
Disney World 2016 - Disney Springs
Walt Disney World covers an area of 110 sq km, encompassing the four theme parks, two water parks, 27 themed resorts, and their shopping/entertainment district, called Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney, among a …
Disney World 2016 - Arrival at Walt Disney World
We arrived in Orlando at about 1:00am. Amazingly, the girls were still awake (given, it was only 11pm Calgary time). The airport was nearly empty. And yet, Choo Choo sprinted ahead to see a giant (fake) Christmas tree, …
Disney World 2016 - The kids find out
The biggest problem with Christmas around our household is Alex’s work schedule. Being an X-Ray Tech at Rockyview means that she has to work any conceivable day of the year, Christmas Day included. Add to that a …
A new year, a new car
Today, Alex and I picked up our new car. And it’s new, not a previously-enjoyed vehicle. It’s a 2016 Honda CR-V. Yes, it’s an SUV, the very thing I often rail against. It’s not even our first. (More on both of those in a …
Things I have missed about summer in Ontario
I’m currently in Ontario, taking the opportunity to visit with my family. It’s always a strange feeling to come back here: it’s where I was born and grew up, but I’ve been gone for over 15 years. A lot has changed. You …
A birthday hike
Well, Monkey, you’re seven. Like, seven. I’m having trouble really saying that. It’s just weird that you’re so much older than I always feel like you should be. You’re growing up a little more every day, and flit between …
New year, renewed hope
I blinked, and 2013 kind of vanished on me. It’s a blur, a seemingly endless stream of activity that rarely relented long enough for me to appreciate any of it. I have pictures to prove it, sure, but I have to struggle …
New Year's (Eve) Tea
By tradition, our family does afternoon (or high) tea on 1 January, and thus far it has always been at a Fairmont hotel (which, frankly, does excellent afternoon tea). This year, almost exactly one year ago today, we had …
Happy 6th Birthday, Monkey!
Six years ago from about now, I had come home, a newly-minted father, without the slightest clue what you were about to do to my life, Monkey. I had no idea what awaited me, not a hint of what things you would make me …
Happy 3rd birthday, Choo Choo!
It’s one of those funny things you sometimes run into as a parent. In one moment, you’re nearly panicking at the seemingly rapid passage of time, that your tiny infant is suddenly racing around the house, reading books …
A perfect gluten-free bread loaf
For our wedding, Alex and I got a breadmaker. (I think we had it on our list.) It’s a good breadmaker, and we’ve used it many, many times, though we had eventually stopped using it for the baking aspect — the loaf size …
New Year's Tea, 2013
Every year, so far able to be said to be “like clockwork”, we have Afternoon Tea on New Year’s Day. So far, every time has been at a Fairmont hotel (three times at the Banff Springs, once at the Hotel …
Christmas Blitzkrieg
When I have those moments when I think I’ve gotten too old, and I think I’m starting to feel like my age, I’m thankful for sudden sustained bursts of activity that remind me that, really, I just lead a much duller life …
A funny thing happened on my way home
So last week, I was huddled with my mom back in Oakville, Ontario. No, I didn’t publicize this because — and utterly no offense meant to anyone — I didn’t want to see anyone but my Mom (and by extension, my sister and …
Happy 5th Birthday, Monkey
Today was a big day, Monkey. A milestone — yet another of many to come. Another year has passed, but it’s an important one. You’re past infant, toddler, and now preschooler. You’re a real kid, now. You’re going to school …
A walk in the (amusement) park
Kids, we missed the Calgary Stampede this year. That was partly intentional, to be honest. Yes, it was the 100th anniversary, and Choo Choo was old enough to actually do some of the things there, but … well, it …
Vacation 2012, Day 2.5
Well, kids, this vacation is certainly having some ups and downs. I’m taking that as a good thing, by the way, since without variation things can get a little dry. That’s also a joke, incidentally — “dry” …
Vacation 2012, Day 1
Hey kids, You’re both sleeping right now. Soundly so. You’ve both had a big, exciting day, and I’m frankly amazed you made it as long as you did. You normally don’t pack this much into a few days, let alone a few hours. …
On 10 years of missing my dad
Dear Dad, It’s been 10 years since you passed. Actually, a little over ten years. The anniversary was on the 7th, and I’d be lying if I said I’d thought about you that day. I honestly don’t remember if I did, but I’d …
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Happy 2nd birthday, Choo Choo!
Happy 2nd birthday, my dear Choo Choo! It’s almost impossible to believe you been with us only two years, you shining little light. Two short — and somehow, impossibly long — years ago, you found yourself suddenly …
New Years Tea, 2012
This year, we continued with our burgeoning tradition of having afternoon tea on 1 January. In our previous two years, we ventured into the mountains to the Banff Springs, which boasts one of the best afternoon teas I’ve …
Merry Christmas, 2011
It’s been a long silence, I know. This has been a tough year for the Sowrey family. Between kids growing up, new jobs, and pressures from all angles, finding the time to write is a challenge unlike any I’ve experienced. …
A Birthday Weekend
Happy birthday to me, etc., bla bla bla and yadda yadda yadda. Yes, it was yesterday, but I was a little too preoccupied with my birthday to actually write about it. So it comes, here at the end of the weekend, as we …
Monkey's First Stampede
Perhaps the title’s a bit misleading, Monkey, but I suspect this will be the first Stampede you actually remember. And you have reason to remember it, too. You’ve listened to marching bands, eaten pancakes, ridden …
The first week back at work
On Monday, Alex went back to work for the first time since August 2007, which is when she went on maternity leave. Then we moved to Costa Rica and back, and had a second child. During that entire time, Alex stayed at …
Happy first birthday, Choo Choo!
Well, my little girl, you’re a year old today. A year ago, you came into our world early, confused, cold, and separated from Mommy. It wasn’t exactly how any of us had hoped you’d arrive, but we were happy to have you no …
Understanding my father
It’s been nine years since my father passed away. In some ways it seems like only last year, and in others like forever ago. It’s funny how time seems to pass quickly in some circumstances, but inches by in others. Time …
The Lake Louise Ice Magic Festival
On Friday, I came across an ad — I think it was through the @VisitCalgary Twitter feed — that there was an Ice Magic Festival at Lake Louise, and the picture I saw featured a castle made of ice. Given that the Monkey is …
New Year's Tea, 2011
I gotta tell ya, kids, 2010 was a pretty wild year. I know a lot of people who keep telling me that the years “just fly by” and before you know it, another year’s gone. The year past was definitely a change …
A rainy train
Every year, the City of Vancouver puts on a light show in and around the miniature train in Stanley Park. Last night, after the kids had gone to bed, Allen, Jean, and I discussed the possibility of going. The catch was …
A visit to the North Pole
During one of her many perusals of the local newspaper, Jean (aka “Granny”) came across an ad for “North Pole, BC”, billed as a “gateway” to the North Pole via Maple Ridge. (Perhaps …
Our first family flight
I remember the excitement as a kid on those early mornings where we got up to rush to the airport to fly somewhere. It was a hurried affair that I simultaneously loved and loathed. While most of me vowed to never deal …
Our last day at the Calgary Farmer's Market
On 23 December, the Calgary Farmer’s Market will close its doors in the old CFB Calgary lands forever. It’s a dark day for the Sowrey family, as the Calgary Farmer’s Market has been a fairly significant part of our lives …
A year in Canada
A year ago tonight, my family returned to Canada from Costa Rica. We had lived abroad for a year and a half, and had done our best to make a go of a new life in a new country. But it wasn’t to be, and we finally came to …
There are times
There are times when I wish I could do Whatever I wanted And then I remember you There are times when I wish you could feel The aching of my heart And know why it is so There are times when I see your sense of wonder And …
The end of summer vacation
Well, kids, I’m not sure if you’re going to remember this August a few years from now (well, Choo Choo, I’ll be impressed if you remember today, tomorrow), but this has been a fantastic month. It’s been a long month, …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 8
We were up perhaps a bit earlier than I’d thought we’d be up, but I’d also forgotten we were stopping in Redcliff to visit Marnie and her kids. Thankfully, Grandpa had enough sense to jumpstart us for the day. That …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 7
Despite the nice appearance and newness of the hotel, the Canalta has stiff beds that are really meant for only one person — any movement is felt by the other person on the bed. The pillows are massive and overstuffed …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 6
We were all slow to rise today, but we made quick work of breakfast. You said goodbye to your Great Uncle Ken and Great Aunt Marilyn before we headed to the car. Our first stop was to drop off Granny at the airport. She …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 5
We were supposed to go out to a lake near the Ontario border today, but Mommy and I threw up the white flag and declared us all “done”. We need a break. Monkey, you’ve been very patient being trapped in the …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 4
Wow, I wasn’t kidding, was I? It was a long day. A really, really, really long day. We were up and running and gone by just after 8:15 this morning, trucking our way up to an RV park just north of downtown along Main …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 3
At least we didn’t have to get up too early today, Choo Choo, and you let us sleep a bit longer. That helped rest away the many kilometres behind us. We hit breakfast, also at the Chicken Chef (there ain’t a lot of …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 2
Choo Choo, I don’t think you yet have a real understanding of time. And certainly, you don’t understand the idea of letting Mommy or Daddy sleep in. Today, I’ll admit, that wasn’t something we would fault you for, since …
The Great Family Roadtrip 2010, Day 1
Well, kids, today was a slow start to our cross-prairie adventure. The morning was otherwise ordinary, rising and having breakfast and dressing. But then I climbed into the car and took Asia away to her hotel for the …
Four fun-filled days
I sit here at my kitchen table, rubbing the weariness from my eyes. Not the things you’d normally hear from me, mind you — I haven’t been working too hard as of late (as you know, my big project is done). No, this is …
Thank you, Nana
Earlier this afternoon, Sylvia Grace Jones (formerly Tisdale), passed away at the age of 97. She is survived by her children, Linda, David, and Brenda, her grandchildren Pam, Darren, Cathy, Jennifer, and yours truly, and …
Monkey, Lost and Found
Well, Monkey, you gave us perhaps the greatest scare of Mommy’s and my parenthood today. Sure, we’ve seen you really sick with a couple of nasty colds, you’ve cut yourself in a couple of nasty falls, and definitely given …
A Dinosaur Day in Drumheller
Hey kids, I know it’s been far too long since my last letter. Sadly, it’s that worst excuse of poor excuses: I’ve been working a lot. Back in January, I started with a new company, the Evans Hunt Group. The project has …
Choo Choo's first Easter
Maybe I should actually have titled this: “Monkey’s last Easter where she gets all the eggs for herself”, but that just seems a little long. But it’s true, Monkey — next year, even if Choo Choo isn’t walking …
Arrived! Choo Choo!
Well, kiddo, you made it. Despite all the worries about antibodies running amok and the placenta suddenly appearing in the wrong place, you made it into the station, so to speak, even if you were a behind schedule. (I …
How a cold led to a new TV
Have I ever mentioned how much I hate being sick? Well, add to that a very sick and very pregnant wife, and a sick toddler (which I suspect led to Alex and I becoming ill), and you’ve got a pretty miserable household. …
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Dealing with Kell Antigens
Two weeks ago, I was sitting at my desk at work, plugging away on requirements documentation. It’s rather mind-numbing at times, but is often very helpful for the rest of the team. My phone rang. It was my wife, Alex. …
Missing you
Absence makes the heart grow Fungus, decay, loss, sorrow, woe, and worry Emotional complex, broken A friend once told me “Life gets in the way” It was too long time ago he told me that Life has kept us apart …
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Memories of Grandma
I still remember the day. December 6, 1995. I had been working at my part-time job at a computer store just off-campus, suffering through a wicked head cold. I’d begged my manager to let me leave early, but he’d needed …
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Happy 97th Birthday, Nana!
There’s nothing like a birthday to make people feel young. Yes, young. You think birthdays make you feel old, don’t you? C’mon, admit it, most people think of birthdays as another notch in the Age Belt, and suddenly grey …
Torches and waterslides
Well, Monkey, it’d been over a month since the last time you swam in a pool, and I thought it high time we went for a swim. In fact, it was so overdue that I felt it was also a good time to go for a Surprise Weekend. And …
There and back again, a Monkey's tail
This is a joke you might not understand until you’re older, Monkey. For now, it’s one many of my friends will have a good chuckle at… You’re asleep right now, in your own room, on the mattress from one of our sofa …
New Year's Tea
The New Year is always a reason for change. It’s always a reason to do something differently than you’ve done before. It’s a time when people hold to ages-old traditions, and make efforts to start new ones. It’s a time …
Twas a couple of nights before Christmas
Not a lot of posts in a while, I know. We’ve been pretty busy since returning to Canada barely two weeks ago. We arrived late on the 8th, having spent 19 hours in transit from Costa Rica. It was dark, extremely cold, and …
You can never go home again
When I was a kid, I heard the phrase “you can never go home again”, but never understood it. I mean, I went home every day after school, so what was wrong with that? It wasn’t until I went to university that …
The trip home
Well, Monkey, we’re home now. I know it doesn’t seem like it to you, because you’ve lived in three different homes since you were born. But this house, the one in Calgary (where we’re currently adjusting to serious …
Taking a pet from Costa Rica
It figures, just when we thought we’d started to have everything figured out, we hit another snag. (There’s always another snag.) This time, it’s with Asia, our cat. Our problem is not with Canada — all they need is a …
3 weeks remaining in Costa Rica
Today marks 21 days until we leave Costa Rica. Three weeks. We officially enter a period of time that could be a “long vacation”. Sadly, a vacation is something we’re not going to be having. Instead, we have …
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Our last weekend away
Well, Monkey, we’re down to less than a month before we’re back home again. In fact, a month today you’ll (hopefully) be sound asleep in a bed in our home in Calgary. It’s hard to believe that this is actually ending. It …
A trip to La Paz
Our time is dwindling in Costa Rica, Monkey. Our little experiment draws to a close in just over a month. That’s five weekends (not counting the one we just had — that would have made it six). Our Costa Rica …
Brother or sister?
Well, Monkey, today we’d hoped to find out whether or not your sibling-to-be will be a boy or a girl. At this point, we don’t know if you’ll have a little sister or a little brother. All we do know is that whatever the …
Day of the Ya Ya
Well, Monkey, today was your Ya Ya day. In case you don’t remember what “Ya Yas” are when you get around to reading this, this is your name for The Backyardigans. And a couple of weeks ago, Mommy noticed …
O Canada, my home and native land
For anyone who’s been reading this blog for a while, you know two things: I currently live in Costa Rica. I’m Canadian. One of those things is about to change. Almost a year and 2/3 ago, I caught a rumour about Critical …
Happy 2nd birthday, Monkey
Today, you turned 2, Monkey. It’s almost hard to believe that it’s been two years, and yet those two years seem to have disappeared in a blink. You’ve spent just over half of your life (to date) here in Costa Rica, and I …
Snot and coffee
Well, Monkey, the last week’s been quite the slog. Last Saturday, you started showing signs of being sick, having caught something from one of your schoolmates. It basically turned you into a bonafide snot factory. (One …
Parenthood, round two?
Hey Monkey, today is an auspicious day. Today, with some luck, you’ve officially started being a Big Sister. Today, Mommy and I found out that we’re going to be parents again. Well, not that we aren’t already parents. …
A (wet) birthday vacation
Well, Monkey, if your memory is any good, you should remember the last few days for the rest of your life. And not because you got to spend five uninterrupted days with your dad (remember, I just turned 37 … I’m …
Día del Padre en Costa Rica
Hey kiddo, Today was Father’s Day. Not just here in Costa Rica, but in many other places around the world. Today was a special day in many ways, notably in that you and I got to spend a lot of time together (sadly, …
A year in Costa Rica
This morning was cool and wet, something I can say with confidence to be a rarity here in the Central Valley region of Costa Rica. I can say this because today marks my first anniversary in Costa Rica. One year ago …
Dear Murphy, Fuck off and die!
Yeah, Murphy, I’m talking to you. You’ve been dogging me now for 10 months, almost non-stop. You’ve always been there, hiding in the shadows, popping out every so often to cause a bit of havoc only to vanish again. …
A (literally) crappy weekend
Well, you already know that Mi Pequeña Niña had an incident earlier this week. Apparently she was not meant to be alone in sickness, and on Friday night, I got to join in the fun. That is, if you can call running to a …
Xmas in NYC, Day 5
Sorry for missing Day 4, folks, but we were having a bit too much fun to go anywhere near a computer to blog about it. Nyah, nyah, nyah. Yes, we’ve been busy. And been having fun. I mean, what else are you gonna do in …
Xmas in NYC, Day 3 (aka Christmas Day)
Merry Ho Ho, everyone! Today, of course, is Christmas Day. We started our morning with a waltz down to breakfast in the hotel’s restaurants in our PJs. (Well, I wore clothes. I wouldn’t be allowed into most places with …
Xmas in NYC, Day 2
My dogs are barkin’. It’s been a day on my feet. A good day, to be sure, but a lot of walking, and a lot of standing. The same was true for Alex, and it would be for Mi Pequeña Niña if she hadn’t slept for a solid hour …
Xmas in NYC, Day 1, Part 2
Alex found Barnes and Noble without difficulty. Choosing what to buy? Now that’s difficult. Upon her return, Mi Pequeña Niña and I suited up for our little excursion — the “other” major toy store in …
Xmas in NYC, Day 1
Our first family Christmas away from Canada has ended up being colder than we expected it to be a mere couple of months ago. Back then, we were expecting to be in Costa Rica. But due to certain unforeseen circumstances, …
In Hazy Burlington
Our last day in Calgary — yesterday — was filled mostly by me repacking all of our bags so we could fly out, and then the actual travel here to Burlington, Ontario. We’re here to visit with family (today is Alex’s family …
All packed up with somewhere to go
Well, so much for an easy day. I suppose I was asking for that, eh? We left the hotel a little later than planned, and the movers (three guys in their 20s) and the two cleaners were already at our front door engaged in …
One week to go
I’ve been in Costa Rica for over three weeks now. Three weeks away from Alex and Mi Pequeña Niña. Each day has been a challenge being so far away from them. The longest I’d ever been away before was six days. Six short …
Bringing my cat into Costa Rica
We’re bringing Asia with us. Not the continent; she’s our cat. We don’t want to part with her. She’s a wonderful pet and truly part of the family. She was our first baby before Mi Niña Pequeña came along. Giving her up …
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T minus 14 days to Costa Rica
Yeah, I’m back in Calgary, but this is only for the last bit before moving down (semi-)permanently. We have a place to live. That’s important, because it’s a place to go to. That would make this move even harder. But …
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Things to do before moving
Moving within a city is a snap. It’s a lot of work, yes, but logistically it’s not a big deal. You disconnect some services, sign them up at a new location, move your phone numbers, arrange your mail, and then move your …
The Obligatory Vacation Recap
In the few minutes I have before I dive back into another conference session, figured I’d cover some of the items of our last vacation. This was a 2.5 week excursion mostly to Scotland, with a few days in England. Alex …
Father Christmas
A bit of a realisation hit me today: this is the fifth Christmas since my father passed away. Five years of listening to Christmas at King’s College‘s version of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and God Rest Ye Merry …
Christmas in Calgary 2007
Another Christmas has come and is now waning. It’s been a long, but good day. Our child isn’t old enough yet to truly understand Christmas (although the morning nap appeared to be aborted due to the desire to be around …
My baby's back!
Over the last week-and-a-bit, I’ve been without my family. Alex and the wee one were out in BC visiting with family. Me? On self-imposed exile in the basement to try and wrap up as much of the renovations as possible. …
Family reunion in Ruskin
Allen organised a family reunion, mostly for the local folks. The family is scattered far and wide, but it’s not easy for everyone to come out. I think Alex and I came from the furthest distance away. Flying wasn’t easy. …
Raining in Ruskin
We flew out from Calgary this morning to Abbotsford, to attend Alex’s family reunion (hosted by Allen at the family “farm”). I haven’t been here since sometime last year, and I’m struggling to remember …
Up at the cottage
Over the weekend, I had the chance to go stay with my sister and brother-in-law’s cottage near Huntsville, ON. It’s been a long time since I was last there, and it was good to see my family one last time before it …
Enter Parenthood
Alex took a pregnancy test this morning. Positive. We’re in shock. Alex more than me. I’m so much in shock in even in a bit of denial. And I want another test. But not because I don’t want to be a father — I want to be …
Day of Visitation
Alex slept better in a king-size hotel bed. Not so much for myself. I was tired. Grumpy. Irritable. That’s why I was particularly annoyed with the complete and utter disappearance of my deodorant (which I know I had with …
In Merry Old London (Ontario)
We arrived last night, around 20:00 local time. A quick run through the airport, and we were tracking through the back country out to Janice’s place in Kintore. The house was cool (old farm houses tend to lack a lot of …
Christmas 2006
The saga of Alex’s grandfather’s passing continues. The funeral arrangements changed from when I booked my flight out and return. The funeral is now on the Friday (instead of the Thursday), which sadly doesn’t work for …
A solemn Christmas Day
After yesterday’s marathon church-o-rama, I wasn’t able to stay up watching A Christmas Story for long without falling asleep. But I was up shortly after 8:00 to make breakfast: pancakes and a ham, cheese, potato, and …
Thanksgiving in Ruskin
I had a quick jaunt out to Ruskin (a section of Maple Ridge, BC) for the Thanksgiving weekend. It was a trip I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to take at first. Reason: Too much work, and too tight deadlines to allow …
Surprise birthday weekend in Revelstoke
This weekend, it was my turn to be surprised. And surprises came in droves. Sunday was my 34th birthday. I find it a little hard to believe that I’m actually that old. I always figured when I was in my 30s, I’d be more …
Meeting my niece for the first time
I spent most of last week in Critical Mass’ Toronto office. I was there primarily to support our technical team, which hasn’t had the level of support from me that it’s been needing. So I went out to try and reestablish …
Earth Day in Montreal
We were a little slow waking up this morning. Might have been due to the change in time, or possibly due to the fact that we’re beginning to relax on this vacation, or because we simply didn’t get out of bed. All the …
Going through Montreal
Under normal beginning-of-vacation circumstances, I would have risen without too much a care about work and prepared for my imminent departure to wherever it is that I’m going. However, things being what they are, I had …
Enter the Kitten
There are a many things that I am grateful for: a loving family, a good job (even if it does stress me out a lot and keeps me insanely busy), good health, high speed internet connections, snow, sunshine, a warm bed, a …
Christmas in Oakville with Chris and Kaz, New Years with Alex
I had hoped to go some place warm for the Christmas holidays this year. I wanted to put Christmas lights on a palm tree. I wanted to make sandmen. I wanted nothing more to worry about than getting a sunburn on Boxing …
Brunch at Banff Park Lodge
I slept horribly. I’m not sure if it was from the hiking we’d done yesterday, or the troubling thoughts running through my mind as a result of last night. I’d felt like Alex and I had been abandoned for breakfast, as …
Pam and Sean/Muck's Banff wedding
The schedule had been for breakfast at 9:00. Cathy and Craig weren’t terribly happy about that (it is early, after all, especially after being out drinking most of the night), but were up and running before Alex and I. …
Thelton McMillan leaves Critical Mass
A couple of weeks ago, we received a note in our inboxes that Thelton McMillan, the President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) had left Critical Mass. Needless to say, this had come as a bit of a shock to the staff, who …
Family arrives in town for a wedding
Tonight, my family arrived in Calgary. It’s time for another family wedding (no, not mine), which means the relatives from far-flung reaches of the universe come together. Pam’s getting married on Saturday. She and Sean …
Thanksgiving 2004
If I had a list of top ten bands that would never play Calgary, KMFDM would have been on list. But more on that in a minute or two. Today began fairly normally for a Sunday: Alex and I rose, ate, showered, and prepared …
Jon and Pearl's Wedding
I haven’t been to too many weddings this year. After last year’s complete lack of nuptuals, I’m up to my second. Thankfully, I didn’t have to go any further than a couple of kilometres. After my jaunt to Japan, having to …
Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra's Mozart on the Mountain
A busy weekend this most certainly was. But it was a fun, productive one. The first major thing was on Saturday. Mom’s in town to help out with Nana’s recovery from surgery (she had her knee replaced at the beginning of …
Birthday Camping in Kananaskis
This weekend, Alex and I went camping. It was the first time I’d gone camping since about 1997, before I’d moved to Vancouver. Seven years is far too long a dry period. We weren’t camping alone, though. My aunt and uncle …
Turning Japanese Again, Returning to Canada
I can’t even call this a “last day”. Yesterday, really, was our last day. Today is the packing/travelling day. And the day to say goodbye to dear friends. I hate leaving friends behind. Chris is one of my …
Planning for a Return Trip to Japan
Fourteen days, and counting. Two weeks from today, I’m off to Japan. Again. Relax, this isn’t going to turn into a yearly thing. If I’d had a choice, I’d probably be going to Australia this year, maybe New Zealand. But …
Flying home to Calgary
I woke earlier than usual — about 8:45 or so. Craig was still up, but not nearly as tired as when he’d scared the bejezesus out of me. Turning down his offer of a beer (for Craig, this was still the end of the day), I …
Computer repairs and financial advisors
I woke late again. I could get used to this. Mom came to pick me up after getting myself all cleaned up. We went down to her place, where I took the time to try and bring her computer up to snuff again. It seems that …
VIA Train from Montreal to Toronto
Morning came early. (When your hosts have to get up early to go to work, you get up early, too.) The plan was simple: on their way to work, Therese and Stuart would drop me off at Central Station where, like when I …
Christmas Day and Boxing Day in Calgary
I slept fitfully. I don’t really know why. But when I awoke Christmas morning, there was a slight sense of excitement. Perhaps I’d been depressed the day before and not taken notice. (The reason why, of course, still …
It Just Doesn't Feel Like Christmas Eve
‘Tis the night before Christmas, and all through the house, the cat is sound sleeping, as I sit here with my mouse. No stockings are hung by a chimney with care, just thrown in the laundry bin ‘cuz I have more to wear No …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train - Reunion
This weekend, I visited southern Ontario. Even though I’ve only just left, it almost feels like I was never even there. A few weeks back, Critical Mass announced (to the employees) that it was in the process of pitching …
Banff National Park and Lake Minnewanka
Despite the plethora of forest fires plaguing the B.C. interior, my family decided it was a good weekend to dive into the (mostly) green forests of Banff National Park. Now you’re probably wondering why on Earth I noted …
Aunt Brenda's birthday and my hatred of Microsoft Word
The weekend past was the August long weekend. Well, it was the long weekend for most people. For me, it was one of three things: painting the house, spending time with family, or being at work. Four things, if you count …
Painting my house (among other things)
I need a weekend from my weekend. ‘Course, it’s my fault for trying to do so much at once. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been preparing to paint my house. (The outside, that is.) I should have painted it last year, …
Moving Nana from Prince Albert to Calgary
Well, it’s Easter time again, and that means a lot of family events out here in the great Canadian plains. The major difference this year is what sort of family events we do. In previous years, it’s been a massive dinner …
Anniversary of my father's death
Today is the first anniversary of my father’s death. The last time I saw my father was over a year ago. Since then, all I’ve had are pictures and the memory of the sound of his voice. I have no home movies, no audio …
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Old friends in Southern Ontario
With Cathy at work, and Craig sleeping for the day (he’s currently working nights), there was little that would cause me to rise early. Well, almost nothing. I had a lunch date to keep. Rising at a reasonable hour, I …
A Busy Calgary Christmas
This has simultaneously been the quietest and the busiest Christmas season I think I’ve ever experienced. I had been looking forward to two weeks of quiet rest, working on personal projects, sleeping, watching movies, …
I want to go home
I’ve been on the road far too long. Last night was Thanksgiving dinner up at the cottage. Good food, family, friend (there was only one), and good times. Even better sleep, in my old bed (since co-opted for use in the …
Halifax to Huntsville
I hate alarms. Especially when they go off while you’ve still got an hour of darkness left of the night. I had an early flight to Toronto, though, and wasn’t keen on missing it. I had packed the night before, so all I …
CBC TV 50th Anniversary VIA Rail train, Day off
[This entry written by Geoff Sowrey, ©2002 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Text used with permission of CBC. The opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of the CBC, employees, affiliates, or …
Cathy and Craig's Wedding
Somewhere, in a long-forgotten book in some dusty corner of a decrepit building in a burned out city, there is a sentence that says vacations are supposed to be restful. And someone is going to a lot of trouble to make …
Family Comes out for my Birthday
It’s always good when people drop by. It’s even better when it’s family. And they bring gifts. Most of the Tisdale clan descended on Calgary this weekend. Partly because we hadn’t seen everyone in a while, partly because …
Easter in Calgary with my Family
Third year running: Lots of family, lots of activity, and way too much food. This year’s events started Thursday evening, when my mother arrived from Ontario, as did Chris’ parents for their first (and possibly only) …
Eulogy for David Charles Sowrey
The following was the eulogy read out at my father’s funeral. It was written by one of our closest family friends, Mrs. Claudette Robinson, who also did the reading. David was a multi-talented man. What was his calling? …
Death of David Charles Sowrey
If you had told me that I would one day dread hearing the tune to Auld Lang Syne at five o’clock in the morning, I’d have thought you crazy. But like many things that I thought not possible, this is precisely what …
Returning Home with a Cold
I hate being sick. When I arrived here, I had a sore throat. I had thought i was because of a lack of water or fluids while in transit. It was, however, the beginnings of my first cold in a year. It’s more annoying than …
A Slight Ray of Sunshine on a Very Cloudy Day
Today we a good day. Despite the slew of visitors, we finally saw some major improvement in Dad. For starters, he had a shave — almost all by himself. And not with an electric — he used a safety razor. The shave was …
Helping Out Around the House
And so ends another day at home. There’s a strange air of optimism that seems to permeate almost everything. We know what’s coming, but we’re always happy and upbeat. Well, Cathy is anyway — I’m a little too quiet around …
Coming Home to Watch my Father Die
I awoke at 4:30 this morning, not originally knowing why I was tired. I had tried (unsuccessfully) to get myself drunk the night before. I wanted to numb the pain. I didn’t want that dull ache in my gut that told of bad …
Going Home to Visit with my Family
Tomorrow I’m going home, to spend what could be my last few days with my father. It’s not something I’m really looking forward to. Last Thursday, dad suffered a stroke, probably a result of his brain cancer. It left him …
Coping with my Father's Terminal Illness
Fewer things are harder than losing a loved one. I suppose it’s even worse when you lose them slowly. And it’s only worse when there’s nothing you can do about it. My father is dying. As you might recall, late last year, …
Christmas with my Family in Oakville, Cathy Gets Engaged
Yeah, I know, the holidays are over, why the heck am I writing about it now? Simple: I got away from computers for two weeks, and haven’t had the time to write until now. Unlike last year, I spent roughly half my time …
Mark and Darla's Wedding in Toronto, Appleby College, Hart House
Well, I had meant to write this earlier this week, but after what happened on Tuesday, I hope you can understand why there’s a delay. Most of you probably don’t know that I went back to Toronto on the weekend. It was a …
Easter with my family, friends
Someone’s out to get me, I swear. Unfortunately, that someone is probably me. This has got to have been one of the most hectic weekends I can remember. Here’s the general gist of some of the things that were going on: A …
Wedding in Toronto
Whirlwind weekends. Gotta love ’em… This weekend, as some of you already know, I was in Toronto. One of my friends, Jay, was getting married to his girlfriend of six years, and I was fortunate enough to witness …
Touring Alberta, Calgary Stampede, Columbia Icefields, Lake Louise, Banff (Bamf!), Drumheller
Owing to a very hectic week, I really haven’t had a chance to get to this one. Hopefully my workload will drop a bit in the not-too-distant future so I can return to the simpler things in life … like writing …
Easter in Calgary, Visiting with Friends, Eating Russian Food
Years ago, Easter weekend meant a trip to my grandmother’s in Toronto for a dinner with the rest of the family. It’s been a while since I’d been in a large family gathering for Easter, but this year certainly did put a …
The Night Before Christmas
‘Twas the night before Christmas, And all through the house, Not a creature was stirring, ‘Cause they were all at the hospital. Well, briefly anyway. Our evening was off to a startled start, after Allison required …
How to Throw a Surprise Party
There’s nothing better than seeing the look of complete terror upon someone’s face. Especially if you know there’s a benevolent force behind it. Such as with a surprise party… Allison’s birthday was on Sunday …
Visit to Ontario, Returning Home
The alarm went off at 8:00, and I staggered out of bed. Chris and I had made tentative plans to go for breakfast, but I needed to call him and find out. Chris couldn’t make it. The whole week had been like that — we’d …
Visit to Ontario, Clogged up Kitchen Sink Drain
The original plan that day was to go into Toronto. Allison was feeling better, and she wanted to see the various neighbourhoods of Toronto she had heard so much about. That was the original plan, and plans around the …
Visit to Ontario, General Inactivity
Allison was not feeling well the following morning. Jet lag, the flu, a bad bit of food, we didn’t know — only Allison was not feeling well. Wednesday thus became a slow day — Allison slept off her illness, I read …
Visit to Ontario, Touring Downtown Toronto
The alarm went off at 6:45am. I was up almost immediately, Allison begged for “five more minutes”. I took the opportunity to quickly have some orange juice. Allison was in the shower moments later. We had to …
Visit to Ontario, Oakville and Caledon East
The fire was still going the next morning. I don’t know if they rekindled it, or if the fire had just simply burned all night. Breakfast was eggs, bacon, leftover ham, and potatoes (not the deep-fried ones, thank …
Visit to Ontario, Cottage in Huntsville, Thanksgiving Dinner, Algonquin Park
We awoke to the smell of bacon. It must be an instinctual thing — no human can sleep through the smell of bacon. Your body takes in the smell and promptly yells: “Get up ya lazy oaf! There’s bacon to be had! GET …
Visit to Ontario, Getting a new Apartment in Vancouver, Traveling to Huntsville
We awoke to three deafening pounds on the bedroom door. Cathy had arrived at the Sowrey homestead, and wasn’t going to wait for her poor brother (and future sister-in-law) to adjust to the time change. She wanted to …
Visit to Ontario, the Flight to Toronto
Allison was supposed to call me when she got downtown. I was a bit concerned that it was 2:00pm, and I hadn’t heard from her. I was supposed to pick her up at 2:00 at the Stadium Skytrain station. We still had to go over …
Wedding in Naramata
Several weeks ago, we received an invitation to a gala event in the Okanagan for one of Allison’s friends, Heather. She was getting married to her significant other, Brian. We were asked to attend the three-day event in …
Snow in Vancouver, Dinner on the Island
Today is an auspicious date for me — one year ago today, I started my new job, working for a company that makes video games. A year later, I’m still here, despite the difficulties Radical went through in October and the …
Return of the Future Sister-in-law
Last night, Allison’s sister Jane returned from Europe, having spent the past seven and a half months in England (and Greater Europe). I remember being quite jealous at the time that she was going — she was doing what …
Pacific National Exhibition (PNE), Mom Visits
Summer has begun its slow end — the Pacific National Exhibition opened this weekend. I can only assume that its Toronto counterpart, the Canadian National Exhibition, also started this weekend. As back home in Ontario, …
Biking to Work, Dad brings my Car to Vancouver
Once again, I’ve left writing too long, and probably forgotten details of the events of my life. So if I forget anything, I apologise in advance… A couple of weeks ago, I decided it was high time that I started …
Weekend in Calgary, Banff (Bamf!)
This entry is long overdue — I should have issued this sometime last week. But it’s been one of those weeks where I’ve barely had time to check my email, let alone write any. It all started a few weeks ago, when I heard …