“You’re not from around here, are you?”

I often describe myself as linguistically confused. Although I grew up in prairie Canada, I haven’t lived there in many years. As Tech Guy would attest, and except when I’m speaking with old friends, any remnants of my childhood Midwestern twang have long...

Gratitude and new beginnings

My small town has recently welcomed a Syrian refugee family. Soon after their arrival, the newspaper ran a picture of the mom, dad and their three young children playing in the local park. It was an ordinary, yet also extraordinary scene. Our new neighbours have spent...

Family reunited

If you read my blog regularly, you know that when my daughter, English Rose, and I moved to Canada from England in July 2015, we left a very important person behind. For the past fourteen months, my husband, Tech Guy, has remained in England, working to support our...

Letting go

“You’re the writer. Spin it.” I didn’t appreciate it then, but those words, spoken by a sales guy with a swagger, a bespoke suit, and a Porsche, marked a defining moment in my life. Although I’d dabbled in fiction, I wasn’t writing it...

Canadian repatriation: Month 6

It’s now six months since I left England to start a new life in Canada. As much as I love my new home and have put down roots here, I also find myself reflecting on what I miss about the place I left behind.Living in an old countryI live in rural eastern...