I’ve just come in from an evening walk along the waterfront. One of the resident great blue herons sat on a concrete embankment, contemplating his dinner prospects in the water below. Along the bridge I stopped to see if the red-winged blackbirds were scouting a nesting spot among the reeds. Last year the male regularly…
70 for 70, seventy friends for a 70th birthday. That was the plan, and thanks to the determination and incredible organizational skills of Jeannette (David’s wife), the twins (Robin and David Jarman) celebrated in style. The Jarmaniac twins turned 70 on March 27th. For their 50th birthday they wrenched their backs trying to duplicate the…
“I hope I see you again,” she said. We stopped last night to say farewell to a couple who are high on our list of favourite people. When we said our goodbyes, Jill spoke the six words that struck me like an arrow. I can’t get that simple phrase out of my mind. Farewells are…
Nearly a week has passed since I wrote the first draft of this post. Today, the feelings are just as strong. The Overland train is swaying along the tracks that lead away from Melbourne. This morning we said our last, reluctant goodbyes and hopped the train at the Southern Cross Station. Around 4 p.m., we’ll…
You can see the delight on Sunday’s face. Her mother, Michelle, is leaning over the iPad. Sunday is beaming because she is looking at another beloved face. Her mother, Miriam, is talking with her via Facetime. Miriam is in Melbourne, putting in a day’s work, while Michelle and Sunday enjoy their beach house in Anglesea.…
One night in Melbourne I told Oscar (2 1/2) and Lily (4) the story of the pater familias who complained of the noise in his house. There are many versions of the folktale so I felt free to adapt it. To the passel of children, I added a brother and his wife and all their…
It’s an old saw, “If I’d known how much fun grandchildren would be, I’d have had them first.” In my case, things worked out that way. I’ve never had children. That’s a long story with some sad chapters, but what it means for me now is that I’ve skipped the hard part and gone straight…
I figured I should get my hair cut pretty short so that it would be wash-and-go for my trip to Australia. I had a coupon for a nearby hair salon and walked over this morning to get my unruly hair tidied for the journey. Women thrilled with the hair they were granted at birth are…
On December 30 Michael Dahl posed two questions in the title of his blog post on Speak for We: “Does blogging matter? Does it create change?” He was responding to the question David Henderson posed to himself that same day: “Does Blogging Matter in the Social Sector?” I promised to comment on Michael’s post but…
Years as a country doctor, in Alabama and in B.C.’s central interior, gave Sterling Haynes insight into the gritty reality of his women patients. He also fathered four strong, independent, amazing daughters—who are also a reflection of his equally strong, independent, and amazing wife, Jessie. When he sent me this poem, he wrote: “Until women…
On July 5th in a Melbourne hospital, a miracle slipped into the world. I know that’s true because one of her moms called me moments later to tell me I was officially “Tutu”. That’s a Hawaiian word for grandmother and will be my nickname as this most beloved of children grows. I never experienced motherhood…
The statistics are staggering. Around the world there are millions of victims of sexual assaults, honour killings, gender-selective abortions, date rapes, female infanticide, and misogyny* in all its manifestations. I am one of the more fortunate of my gender. I live in a safe place, with a loving partner and male friends who are gentle…
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