I have only lately regained my zest for shopping. This for me is a telling observation. Shopping has historically been a conspicuous feature of my existence. For example I prided myself on knowing where to purchase almost anything, especially along the lines of made-to-measure or what the British prefer to call bespoke (that is, strictly custom made). But for the past number of years I have either abandoned or neglected the  enterprise except of course for the necessities of life.  This of course hardly qualifies as “shopping”. Even if one were not considered an overkeen shopper, it scarcely pushes the point to remark that shopping  engenders the vision of an exploit far less tedious than snapping up household provisions. Shopping if it is to have any substance whatsoever must include a degree of superfluity.  That element was decidedly lacking in my recent behaviour.   I had become abstemious. Continue reading →

I am ebullient! My lightheartedness is unstoppable! The sensation – a combination of utter relief, unparalleled exhilaration and moderate confusion – is reminiscent of Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas morning.  I can still see Alastair Sim helplessly struggling to keep from grinning as he awoke from his unsettling dream, recognized his fortune and hopped about in his nightgown, gushing enthusiasm, embracing his unsuspecting char, throwing open the window of his cloistered bedchamber onto the much altered world and greeting the street urchin below with gleeful beneficence!  Life turned out to be pretty good after all! Continue reading →

Calling someone a “loser” is normally frowned upon. It tends to fly in the face of everything we’ve learned or been taught about sociability, tolerance and compassion. Not to mention that it’s viewed as a harsh albeit considered assessment. We are by contrast more inclined – at least publicly – to make excuses for people’s poor or diminished behaviour, caused by everything from untimely loss of a loved one, accidental injury, medical trauma, mental illness or financial ruin. Frequently however it is an unavoidable conclusion that, whether through any fault of their own or not, some people are indeed de facto losers and all the mollification in the world will not change it.  They have simply lost the battle with life.  They may have capitulated, they may have succumbed, they have been beaten down by degrees.  Perhaps they never even had a chance in the first place (or possibly they never even tried).  Whatever the circumstance, they are by any account a loser, someone who hasn’t managed to come up smelling roses. Continue reading →

It’s Thanksgiving Weekend. And once again we have lots to be thankful for, lots! As a serendipitous added blessing, Saturday morning was magnificent, a great start to the celebration, an undeniable perfection – clear blue sky, blazing autumnal colours and refreshingly cool air! Everything shone as a result. Everywhere we saw people with a bounce in their step! Continue reading →

Whether or not I express it in words, it is my constant refrain that I am lucky. I consider I have always had a lot to be thankful for and it staggers me that my luck hasn’t yet run out as I am sure it must one of these days.  For the time being my frame of mind is unclouded by anything but amazed gratification. The sentiment though is not especially dignified. Nor is there anything spooky about it, like the alignment of the stars or destiny or hidden power (much less the archaic “portion of life” theme – which is really some religious apology for what is in fact bad luck). It’s just everyday luck of the draw. I suspect that my relentless affirmative disposition, bordering as it does upon smugness, rankles some people (which is why I tend to keep it to myself). Yet as my mother has so often posed rhetorically, “What’s not to like?” There is nothing calculated about the conclusion; it is an entirely fluid and uncontrived summing up. The closest I come to contaminating the belief is to presume to avow that even the second-class moments of my life turn out for the best (which might mistakenly be interpreted as an admission of the occasional bit of bad luck).

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Whenever I am obliged to think about something I get uncomfortable. It is virtually assured that I am in an enforced state of suspended activity. Thinking is sadly not my default maneuver. Instead I fashion myself a man of action. If I am unable to fix a dilemma without abeyance it is sign I am out of control. Resigning myself to contemplation of the matter is little more than an ill-diguised attempt at productivity, an act designed to create commotion and delay the sting that is patience.  Ultimately however I awaken to the advantage of analysis and it usually reinforces the strength of my original perplexity; namely, there are reasons I am stymied. Continue reading →

Even if one fervently reckons each day of life a manifest privilege, there is no denying that some days are less action-packed than others.  Nonetheless it is equally patent that the trifling details of life are what constitute the loam of our existence. An account of those spiceless components, and sifting for the gems of life among its humble fodder, is I have discovered not without its modest gratification. As an illustration allow me if you will to relate the featureless events of today. Continue reading →

To some people it might seem alarming that I get fired up about taking my octogenarian mother for an afternoon stroll in her wheelchair but that is precisely what we did today.  And we enjoyed it! Permit me to set the scene by enlightening you that my mother now resides in a retirement residence on Colonel By Drive in Ottawa South.  The building she inhabits is effectively adjacent the famed Rideau Canal along which pedestrians walk, bicyclists cycle and on which boaters paddle or motor and – during the winter – people skate. It is an idyllic neighbourhood of older homes in a cherished location.

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sartorial (adj.)
“pertaining to a tailor,” 1807, from Modern Latin sartorius, from Late Latin sartor “tailor” (source also of French sartre “tailor”), literally “patcher, mender,” from Latin sart-, past participle stem of sarcire “to patch, mend,” from PIE root *serk- “to make whole.” Earlier in English in same sense was Related: sartorian (1660s). Sartorius as the name of the long leg muscle is because it is used in crossing the legs to bring them into the position needed to sit like a tailor. Continue reading →

This afternoon we fulfilled our daily ritual of visiting my mother at her retirement residence on The Driveway in Ottawa. When we arrived she and her dining partner were seated outside on the veranda presumably idly watching people coming and going.  We had brought along 4-dozen freshly baked donuts in as many small white cartons.  My mother had some trouble understanding why we had done so though she and her friend were each quick to put in a claim for one of the donuts.  As we ventured into the residence for the purpose of depositing the donuts with the staff for later distribution to the residents we encountered a forum of the residents sitting in the extensive lobby in the mottled afternoon sunshine listening to Lauren Hall singing to them.  We left the donuts at the front desk and sat down with the others to enjoy the performance.  My mother and her friend joined the congregation not long afterwards. Continue reading →