Bits and Pieces

Aberfoyle is a place that I have done gone went and not even been through for so many years that I would have to take both of my shoes off in order to count the number. Now I know that is a mouthful of garble that is going to raise my editor’s eyebrows, but it is actual fact.
 
I know I have quite a following of readers down that way, but the reasons and opportunity to travel in that southerly direction have just not arisen. But that has just changed. I feel highly honoured to be invited by members of the...
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Canada's Business

Now that the summer holiday season is ending, and the interruption caused by volcanic ash has been dissipated, what is the future for travel? 
It is necessary to see where we are coming from in order to look into the future.
All but forgotten is that travel already has revolutionized our society. Prior to the Second World War people went on excursions on Sundays - when most of the social and recreational trips were made. Then the big day was Friday, as a result of a combination of work, shopping and errands for family business. As store hours were extended, Friday no...
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Life-wise

Recently, someone asked me, "When do you plan to retire?" 
I laughed, saying that I'd already tried retirement and found it didn't work. Actually, I retired early from Rogers Engineering in 1992 so that I could spend more time writing. Even before leaving there as a technical editor and writer, I had started writing and editing for the Christian aid organization, Partners International. By April of 1991, I had written my first regular column for The Guelph Mercury’s Senior's magazine. So, in a sense, I started my retirement career even before retiring.
In that so-called retirement, I authored my first...
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Valuing Our History

Last week’s column described the burning of five barns in Guelph and Guelph Township in 1897 by two young men, Jim Quinn and Jack Busby, and their arrest for the burning of Robert Hadden’s barn in Guelph on January 20, 1897.
 
While in custody a fearful Jack Busby had agreed to turn on his partner, in return, he hop­ed, for a light sentence.
After several brief appear­ances in court by the pair, Crown Attorney Henry Peter­son was ready to proceed with the trial of Jim Quinn on the morning of Feb. 1. The case was the topic of the town in Guelph,...
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WriteOut of Her Mind

You know I am often game for public humiliation. Not on purpose, but by misfortune and by my own instigation. My latest: Zumba class.
Yep. Get that visual. One of my best pals dared me to go to Zumba class. After weeks of inviting me, she resorted to calling me a chicken. Nun-uh. I was going to show her. It was 6:30pm. Class was about to start. I had just wolfed down two slices of greasy pizza and a handful of chicken wings ten minutes before I squeezed into an unflattering pair of yoga pants and headed to my first class....
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