Gone to Pot — There is a lot of talk about weed these days, especially here in Canada, where it has been legal for a couple of years now. It seems everybody is smoking it, growing it, eating it, or rubbing it all over their bodies. I’m not really into the ganja, but I…

From the Diary of a Parentified Child — I am nine when my father runs off with his 23-year-old secretary. He leaves a note on my mother’s pillow: I just don’t love you anymore. I know this because I find the crumpled piece of paper in the garbage can after my mother falls asleep on the couch. …

A Hard (Drive) Lesson to Learn A few years ago, I had a Big Mac attack. I preface this by stating I wasn’t parked out under the golden arches, pigging out on pseudo-meat inside a sesame-seed plastic bun. No, my Big Mac attack was all about my computer, and despite…

When the Child Becomes the Parent — Last week my 95-year-old mother, Pauline, was admitted into a long term care facility about twenty minutes from my home. She has dementia, hypertension, kidney disease, and in the past year or so, has dwindled to just over 100 pounds. A fall just after Christmas put her in the hospital…

It’s Really Quite Simple ONE — Ensure that you have plenty of good coffee on hand, and by good, I mean good — none of that MGB or Nabob crap. (This may well be the most important rule.) TWO — If you don’t have a dog or a cat, borrow…

Who Used to be Good — A year ago, I was on the honour roll. Home by ten. Running 5k a day. A year ago, I was Good Louisa. Pretty. Dutiful. Compliant. But hey, things change. And so do people. …

You’re Doing it all Wrong Middle-aged women should work in banks, hospitals, and other respectable places They should remember birthdays, passwords, and know how to cook their father-in-law’s favourite dish on auto-pilot Middle-aged women should be good at budgeting And instinctively know intricate details about laundry They should sport short…

A Little Girl’s Musings on Marriage Rosemary thinks this marriage stuff is for the birds It’s silly, she thinks; she will NEVER get hitched Not ever When she is older, she will change her name to Rosie She will eat overpriced cereal for dinner, and wear clothing that is far…