There is an old joke from the Great Depression: Two hobos are discussing the economy and one says he thinks things must be getting better because he just saw a rabbit and no one was chasing it. The … [Read more...]
I Don’t Know What Happened
It’s the most common phrase we hear on the phone these days: “I don’t know what happened…” The line has disconnected for no apparent reason. So we call each other back and get busy signals until one … [Read more...]
The Money Pit
When my wife and I moved here to live full-time on our country property, my neighbour Hughie McKee, the farmer next door, came over to inspect the foundation that the backhoe had just dug to prepare … [Read more...]
We Need to Stay in Touch – But Can Community Newspapers Survive?
It’s getting harder than ever to know what’s happening around here. A couple of months ago, Metroland announced that 70 of its community newspapers in Ontario would be shutting down their print … [Read more...]
‘TRUE PASTRY GLOVES’ – STUMBLING THROUGH THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
This past summer, an old friend of mine asked me to serve as an honorary citizenship judge for the annual Canada Day “reaffirmation” ceremony he supervises in my hometown. It took place on the main … [Read more...]