I’m a world-class napper. One of the best. A friend once said I could sleep on a clothesline. My mother had to register me in morning kindergarten so I could still have my afternoon nap. And the habit stuck—to this day—and I’m now 72. Churchill, Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, and me. We’re all committed nappers. And, the recent restrictions and self-isolation have allowed me to indulge…
Lady Thelma Furness was the other woman King Edward VIII loved before Wallis Simpson
When a first-time novelist produces a best-seller, it’s no small achievement. After reading, The Woman Before Wallace, A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts and Royal Scandal by Bryn Turnbull I can see why her book became such a success. And historical fiction is my favourite genre. It’s well-written, engrossing, and especially satisfying when the author is a fellow Canadian. It’s the story of Lady Thelma Furness, King…
Pssst . . . wanna place a sure bet on NHL, NFL, NBA and major league baseball during the pandemic?
Three mornings a week I send my husband off to the golf course with a cheery, “Score lots of goals, honey”. That’s what good wives do. Lord knows I do try to be a good wife. That also gives you an idea of how much I know about sports. Practically zero. Well, I do understand hockey. What Canadian boomer kid can possibly grow up without…
Author treats communist rule in Ukraine with unusual humour
Do you ever read a book and find yourself thinking, “How on earth did the author ever come up with this stuff”? That was my reaction to Good Citizens Need Not Fear by Maria Reva. It’s a satirical commentary on life in Ukraine during perestroika in the late seventies—and I absolutely loved it. Who would have ever thought communism could be treated with humour? She could…
In my experience, “Follow your passion” may not be the best career advice
I’ve never bought into the advice given to young people today to just follow your passion and the money will follow. If only life were that simple and formulaic. For so many reasons I’ve instinctively found this philosophy to be flawed, misleading, and even dangerous. First of all, young people rarely have the depth of life experience and knowledge necessary to even properly identify what…
Mary L. Trump is clearly not a fan of her uncle, Donald Trump
When I first started reading Too Much and Never Enough, How My Family Created The World’s Most Dangerous Man by Mary L. Trump, niece of Donald Trump, I honestly was not sure I’d have the stomach to finish it—but I did, in less than two days. Watching the Donald Trump horror show and the collapse of the United States has not been a pleasant experience…