When I started this blog I had the idea that I wanted to write a book but needed to start with smaller writing projects. Snowbird of Paradise has been a good place for me to gain some writing practice, and I find that I like writing blog-size pieces […]
Yesterday I went with my niece and great-niece to see Mary Poppins Returns. We all have fond memories of the original Mary Poppins movie and we were looking forward to seeing the new one. These are my thoughts on it, but if you want to experience it without […]
You know how, when you need some gift-buying inspiration, you go to a favourite shopping website and click on the options? You can select gift ideas for men, women, kids, or a specific celebratory event. Well, the people who put the products under those categories have some really […]
It has been a long, painful, journey both literally and figuratively since I had a bad fall while in California. It has also caused me to rethink a few things; the fragility of my health, the risks of wintering in the USA, and the wisdom of never again […]
For the last couple of years, I have mostly kept my comments on Facebook to my day-to-day activities and reactions to the events in the lives of the people I care about. I love seeing their family photos, weddings, vacations, weather concerns, and pets. My thoughts about politics […]
Don’t jump in the puddle. Stay close. It’s not just the cars. There are lots of people here. Stay in front of me. I don’t want to lose you. Where’s your monkey? Do up your jacket. Walking around Monterey recently, on the recreation trail to Lovers Point and […]
Houston, you have a problem. You just voted to repeal an ordinance that would have banned discrimination on the basis of age, race, or sex, and I don’t think you know what you have done. You bought into the propaganda that made you afraid. You were lead to […]
The other day, someone was asking me about my family and if I had any grandchildren. At first I said “No.” Then I said, “Well, kind of…” I’m a common law step grandparent, and yes, I just made up that title. My son’s life partner has a son […]
It’s only half an idea right now, but I’m thinking about teaching English overseas. This idea began germinating last year when I saw an ad in a professional magazine. They were looking for retired teachers to teach students in China in order to prepare them for university in […]
(This post is in response to the Weekly Writing Challenge: Fifty. It is a story in 50 words.) He saved for months, secretly borrowed a dress ring to get the size, and excitedly waited for the engraving to be ready. The proposal was carefully planned, romantic, and successful. […]
When women go through the change of life in menopause, everyone they know goes through it too. When your co-worker keeps adjusting the thermostat in the office, you suffer right along with them. When your life partner suddenly develops insomnia, you both lose sleep. If your sister is […]
Recently I was sorting through a box of miscellany and discovered a collection of a complete stranger’s family photos going back to about 1945. I volunteer at a Habitat for Humanity Restore, and we receive all sorts of things as donations. Although the focus is on reusable appliances, […]
My father was always able to get a practical job done in the least expensive way. It wasn’t always pretty, but it usually involved hard work and making do with whatever tools were at hand. One of the many things he did in the garden of our family […]
Last year I went to a San Jose Sharks versus Montreal Canadiens hockey game. I wore a teal blue jacket and a baseball cap with “Canada” written on it. I joked about painting one side of my face red and white and the other side teal and black. […]
One of my children has outed me on Facebook. It was not exactly a secret, but at the same time I wasn’t quite yet ready for everyone in my world to know that I am the mother of a transgender adult. The big story, of course, isn’t mine. […]
As I get ready for my return drive to Alberta next week, I find myself with a quandary. I have a decision to make about where to live in Canada and I’m seeking your advice. I usually have a difficult time making choices, and the more selection I […]
I am a snowbird who travels south for the winter. When I get there I have a bird of paradise plant on my patio.
