The Ski Lesson

The force of the expletive rolling off her tongue echoed like a shotgun across the towering birch trees, startling a flock of birds into the blue winter sky. Blowing wads of snow out of her nostrils, she paused to take stock. Nothing really hurt, however, looking to her left and to her right, she could

…And I Would Do It All Again

“Happy As Larry” – commonly referred to as Larry, is a mischievous reindeer who came into our lives while Thing One was just a baby. He very quickly became a member of our family. I am often overheard asking the whereabouts of my various family members – including Larry. Of course, that does not seem

Making a Splash

“Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” – Dorothy Gale, The Wizard of Oz The ‘Wadge is a small town, nestled in the picturesque hills and valleys of the Northwestern Ontario forests. By small, I mean that is has everything one could need – except for a Tim Hortons; and maybe a

Half-Way to Santa’s House

“So…I stepped away for like, two seconds…” – the beginning of every parenting horror story I began this blog in 2020, as a means of keeping in touch with family and friends at home in Canada, as we experienced the highs and lows of life as a foreign family in Japan. The struggle to raise

Unwelcome

The cold wind whistled through the trees outside. Something in the neighbour’s yard – a branch or a shutter – was banging against the side of the house next door. Leaves skittered across the empty streets. The full moon hung in the sky, a hazy mist surrounded it and gauzy dark clouds drifted past. Pulling

Frogs and Boogers: A Recipe for Disaster

THING TWO!! Get your finger out of your…NOOOO! Don’t EAT it! EEEWWWW!! GROSS! Boogers are delicious, Mummy. The early autumn sun reflected on the golden strands of Thing Two’s hair. Her cheeks were as rosy as apples. She was tanned from spending every day of the summer months playing outside with her brother and their

I Love Not Camping

“Goodnight guys! Sleep well… and Aaahggrrhh! DON’T TOUCH ME!! I AM SUNBURNT!” I gingerly laid back on my pillow, which was still slightly damp from the previous night’s rainstorm, and the resulting puddles inside the tent. Trying not to allow my sunburnt arms and shoulders to touch anything solid, including the ground, my hands were

Lost

Dark clouds rolled angrily in the sky. The wind was howling, and the rain was pouring steadily. It was a dark and dreary day. The kind of day, that made one want to curl up under a blanket and watch movies. The kind of day that should be filled with nothing but hot cups of

Invisible Mummy

With her heart aching, she reluctantly let her son’s hand go, calling out “I love you! Be a good boy! Listen to your teacher!” as he joined his walking group and took his first steps toward elementary school and his bright future. While feeling so very proud of him for facing these new challenges with

Evil Has an Innocent Face

The warm spring sun gleamed down from the azure blue sky, striking the girl’s caramel brown locks. She shimmered with youthful exuberance as she jumped and splashed and played in the shallow waves. Her childish giggles rippled across the sand, as a cold early spring wave lapped at her ankles and she ran away up