2018: A Year in the Life

As the sun sets on this year, we always reflect and generalize what those 365 days were; great, good, uneventful, bad.  Many people say to 2018, ‘Don’t let the door hit you on the way out’, but it wasn’t that kind of year for me.  There was sadness for sure; losing my Mom, and others who lost their loved ones (including two dogs close to my heart), saying goodbye to longtime friends who moved away (Kelly to the west and Stephen to the east), the trials and horrors in the USA, the world and even here in Ontario.  But there was also joy; inheriting a wonderful dog, great summer trips to friend’s cottages, and a year of firsts;  a week away on my own to a cottage, having a photograph in an exhibition, becoming part of a special and spiritual book club,  learning how to play Bridge, seeing a double rainbow, road-tripping for the first time with my lifelong best gal pal to fabulous Newfoundland, and driving Miss Daisy (aka Suzy Gregory), a woman I was a companion and later friend to for most of this year. I’m sure we’ve all experienced the good, the bad and the ugly this past year, but we do with every year that comes and goes.  It’s part of living.  If we look back there’s usually more of the ‘good’. Here’s a few snapshots of my 2018 and tonight I will raise a glass to one and all for a positive and exciting year ahead!

*featured photo: last night’s glorious sunset along Lakeshore Ave near Leslie St.

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7 Faces of Dr. Dre

I haven’t seen the film, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, but it’s the story of the visit of a magical circus to a small town in the southern US and the effects that visit has on the people of the town. Well, there are some similarities between that movie and Dr. Dre. She definitely effects everyone she meets, especially me.

To say she has and is a character is an understatement as some of these ‘poses’ will demonstrate. She’s just a lovebug with a great temperament, sense of fun and a damn great dog! Enjoy these fun pics of her.

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Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

With pesticides banned in public spaces, it’s quite a sight seeing them in full bloom. But they don’t last long! They were out for about 3 days. This morning we went back to the same fields, only to find they’ve gone to seed already! A great day to ‘Make A Wish’.

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Cry Me A River

The day I took these photos was the day my Mom had passed away. It was around 4:30-5pm on Feb 20th and I’d just driven from the hospital after many hours there and the sorrow of leaving my Mom, and her leaving us.  When I got home, my dog was itching to go out, so we drove down to Ashbridges Bay. When I saw this, I was bowled over by this ‘flood’ of melted snow. It was odd, but beautiful. And it was foggy. I was in a fog. Fog seems to add sadness and beauty to things I find. And silence. Kind of perfect really. I remember posting these photos on Facebook when I got home and messaged a friend asking, “Is it horrible of me to post photos the day my Mom died?” She immediately wrote me back and said, “No, of course not. It’s your connection to people and allowing you to do what you love, with love.” I thought that was sweet. The days that followed this one, the weather spoke to me vividly. There was an incredible sunset the night of Mom’s funeral and the next morning (and late afternoon) sunbeams that shot through the grey clouds. I remember looking up, smiling and thinking she was sending us a message. I haven’t seen an amazing sky since then, but I haven’t really paid attention. Those days were super-charged, and seem to have carried me along.

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