Roxanne Tellier – Up With Pride!

In the 50s and 60s, most of the gendered role models for kids were caricatures, physical and psychological distortions of what a ‘real man’ or a ‘real woman’ should look like, and how they should behave.  

Peter Addresses the Tragedy in London

This week I will not be writing about what I was going to write about, my “adventures with the Minister” will make their appearance in a couple of weeks. Next week I will be writing about Pride Month. This week, this week has been overtaken by events.

I woke up Monday morning and saw a message from an old friend, hoping that Betty and I were safe. I replied in the affirmative and then began an online search, as I was unsure of what she was referring to. After some time searching, I came across a statement made by Ed Holder. (One of the things I do when I move somewhere new is to find out who the municipal leadership is, thus I knew that he is the mayor of London, Ontario.) 

Thus did I become aware of the horrible events of the previous night.

Segarini – A Lifetime of Imaginary Friends

It was early Summer of 1994. My wife, daughter, and I had been in Stockton California since October of 1989, a hastily made decision brought about by a late night phone call informing me that my Mother had had a stroke while driving my Aunt Alice home from a night out, and had a very bad automobile accident. She wasn’t expected to survive.

Cheryl, my wife, and Amy, our daughter, flew out to California immediately. Unable to fly, I took the train, praying my Mom would hang on untiI I got there.

Peter and Betty – Together

This week, Loyal Reader, we start off in a dark, depressing place. However, thankfully, my story does have a happy ending, due to a number of factors.

In the period of misery I experienced after Lois’ passing, I came close to “hitting rock bottom”. I really don’t remember much of the last half of September, 2019, and I was actually happy to have the distraction of having to clear out Lois’ apartment the following month to enable me to focus my energy on something besides my all consuming grief. I couldn’t have finished that job in a timely manner without the help of Lois  neighbour Kathy, who loaned me a dolly, and my nephew David, who came over and helped me out on two separate occasions, including going as far as renting a van to help me with moving the contents of the apartment, something I most certainly couldn’t have done using public transit. ( Happy birthday, David, by the way.) a)

Roxanne Tellier – Carry That Weight

If you have recently gone from having a little trouble getting into your skinny jeans, to contemplating buying your whole new summer wardrobe from Omar the Tentmaker, you may have fallen prey to that other pandemic within the pandemic known as “The Pandemic 15,” fifteen pounds being the median amount of weight that many of us have piled on in the last year. 

Roxanne Tellier – The Hardest Job

Happy Mother’s Day to all those who play that role in their family, no matter their gender.

“Being a mother actually has very little to do with birthing a child from your body. That might be the most obvious scenario, but motherhood is so much more than a physical happening. I have known some expert ‘mothers’ who never birthed or raised any children of their own, and I have known some mothers with a brood of children who shouldn’t be allowed to come anywhere near them. I don’t think motherhood can be simply defined by having or not having little people under your care.

Bob’s Annual Mother’s Day Memoir

It’s that time of year again.

This Sunday, we celebrate the first and longest lasting love of our lives. The woman who gave you life, protected you, encouraged you, unconditionally loved you, and even wiped your butt.

From the day you were born and 9 months previous to even that, she is the one force who gives and forgives, teaches and comforts, confronts and cares and metes out justice with a wooden spoon or a denial of dessert. …and regardless of your relationship with her, in the end, she is alive within you always, because she is your Mother.

Roxanne Tellier – I’ll Take White Fragility for $300 Alex

Earlier this month a meme starting going around that made a lot of people feel uncomfortable. The meme asked people to acknowledge that overcoming inherent bias, prejudice, and all the ‘isms’ was an ongoing thing, and that we are all ‘works in progress.’

I’m so tired of those that virtue signal, with various #NotAllWhatever hashtags. To hear these paragons of wounded nobility talk, they are the ‘exception that proves the rule,‘ because they’ve always treated women well, and never failed to give anyone of any creed or colour whom they’ve encountered, the same pure and unadulterated dignity, respect and opportunities as those that look just like them.

I rather think that anyone who COULD claim such innocence, is unlikely to ever do so.

As quickly as the meme travelled thru the internet webs, it just as quickly disappeared, which is an interesting commentary on how society is struggling with what those on the political right are calling ‘cancel culture.’

Chef Tom – In honor of Passover on the 27th

Peter, Coffee, House Rules, and Snoopy

Last week’s column generated some positive feedback, and I appreciate those who took the time to get in touch with me. As a writer, I want to inform people and let them know that they are not alone and that there are resources and opinions available to assist them in resolving the situation that they are dealing with. I will be doing more writing about toxic people, but this week I will write about something a little more pleasant, a bit easier to read.