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Respair
Respair – The Oxford English Dictionary has one reference to it, from 1525. It is defined as fresh hope; a recovery from despair. Credit to my cousin Carol for bringing this word to my attention. It could be the word of the year going forward into 2022. We have had to cope with many changes to all levels of our society including loss of health and income in the last…
Christmas Letters
My sister does a Christmas letter every year and while designed for friends and relatives living far away it is entertaining for those who see her regularly too. Generally, she outlines the ups and downs of the year but sticks to positive highlights as much as possible. After the last two years we all appreciate her reminding us of the…
Cousin Carl
Carl was born at a time when persons with Downs Syndrome were institutionalized almost from birth but that was never a consideration for my aunt and uncle. The family lived in a small town in the Maritimes surrounded by family and a close community so Carl stayed at home. Family parties were pretty raucous in those days and Carl was…
Charles Barkley and H.A.
First up I was never much of a Barkley fan when he played but when he said forcefully that we should not rely on him to be a role model for our kids, I cheered! My son is a huge basketball fan and he played for years. Thinking about his rookie year in high school will still bring a tear…
Thinking of Johnny
Lots of opinion and misinformation, angst and anger around the issue of vaccination. It’s not getting better as proof of vaccinations are required in many situations and those who refuse to comply dig in for what many describe as personal reasons. The line we hear from the medical community that resonates with me is that vaccines protect the disease from…