(I wrote this story almost exactly a year ago. It seems appropriate to share it on my blog as the leaves once again start to fall. The boys are in Grade Three now and thriving.) My two oldest grandsons started Grade Two this autumn, photographed on that first day of school resplendent in their new … More The Perils of Second Grade
The world went quiet. Everything stopped. We isolated. No friends, no neighbours, no dancing, no grandchildren, no meetings, no appointments. Only groceries and pharmacies. Twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week—just here. I wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote every day. Watched TV at night. Masked outings. Sanitized and washed again and again. … More Six Months and Counting
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil is a proverb taken from a 17th Century carving above the door of a Japanese shrine. The Buddhist depiction of monkeys covering their eyes, ears, and mouth was meant to impart the lesson that we shouldn’t dwell on evil thoughts. Nowadays this proverb is sometimes used … More See no Evil
Having all events, appointments and social gatherings cancelled for the last month or so has meant that I’ve had more time to spend writing my next book. I’ve gone further back in time to the years we spent in Pakistan, before Nine Years in Bangkok: Lessons Learned. At the same time, I’ve been watching the … More Pakistan: The Prequel
I need to make a correction to my last blog post entitled ‘Judgment’. The correct spacing for social distancing in Canada is 2 meters or approximately 6 feet. I inadvertently wrote 3 meters and I apologize for the mistake. Of course the point of this blog wasn’t precision of distance but rather an introspection about … More Corrections and Comments about Judgment Blog
Am I becoming more judgmental in these days of isolation and social distancing? I’ve been asking myself this question more and more lately. In Canada, at least in British Columbia, citizens aren’t forced into seclusion. We have been asked to stay home as much as possible; go out only when necessary. When we do go … More Judgment
Social distancing and isolation are the story of our lives right now. I know we are all trying to make the best of it and connect with each other in new ways, even as we anxiously watch the death toll climb. We just want this to end as soon as possible. But there is also … More Healing
Recently I have watched two documentaries—one about Hillary Clinton entitled Hillary and one about Taylor Swift entitled Miss Americana. Both of them deeply resonated with me. Hillary Clinton is from my generation but Taylor Swift is barely 30. What do these stories of two very different women have in common? They both deal with the … More Be a Good Girl
My latest podcast interview is with Denis Murphy at The Happy Mindset. He has posted the interview on Apple Podcasts, Spotify etc. But it is easiest to go to his website thehappymindset.com and search for 9 Years in Bangkok. That will bring up my interview. I was very happy with the interview and what was … More New Podcast Interview
I am currently conducting research for my next book about our years in Pakistan. I came across this little piece I wrote for fun a few years ago and I want to share it with you. Adventures in Pakistan The heat, the dust, and the crows… These were some of the negatives I heard about … More A Little Taste
