The Good Yife



Ah Tuscany!

 Ah...Tuscany. The cypress trees, the sun, the wine (insert sound of screeching brakes here followed by the sound of a record player needle being dragged across an LP).

Okay, so it's not Tuscany. But where is it? Surely this scene couldn't be set in New Brunswick...or could it?

Anniversary Portrait #2

It must have been the chick peas!

I love photography so the idea of a 25th wedding anniversary portrait seemed like a great idea. I'm not one to pose for a Sears family portrait as I require something more natural.

What could be more natural than me underwater? And Wendy next to me, plugging her nose (underwater or above)? Hey...that's us!

Our 25th Wedding Anniversary

Twenty-five years!

I've done a handful of exceedingly stupid things in my life. I've also done a handful of exceedingly brilliant things in my life. Nothing...I repeat, nothing, has been more brilliant than marrying Wendy. It would be hard to imagine marrying a better woman. I can't.

When I look at my life...where I've been and where I'm going, I think that I might just be the luckiest man alive.

I don't need to be lavished with glistening gifts. A silver tea service or a silver platter would end up on Kijiji....eventually. The greatest gift of all is that I know how lucky I am.

Professor Nielsen

The University of Toronto Faculty of Music has a new Professor...and profess she will! On August 19 I helped Wendy to move her earthly scholastic possessions into her teaching studio at UofT.

She was excited. I was excited. Her colleagues will be excited. Her students will be excited. It's all good.

Actually, it's great. It marks a turning point in both career and life. We are so lucky!

Serene Scene or Serena Seen

The hair!

Julian and I have been playing tennis lately. It's been a blast. Neither of us are particularly talented BUT we're getting better every time we play...the way things should work. Wendy accompanied us to Queen's Square the other day and watched us play. You could tell that she wanted to play, even though she didn't have proper tennis shoes (and matching skirt) with her. No matter.

Wendy took to the court at the end of my match with Julian. Julian and I were both suitably impressed with Wendy's cross court smashes and general shot making. Toward the end of Julian and Wendy's rallies, Julian said to me 'who knew my mother was Serena Williams?'.

Stay tuned. Wendy is keen to play more.

P.S. The best thing about Wendy's tennis game...she didn't scream like so many other professional female tennis players. That's right, Sharapova, I'm talkin' about you.

Mom & Dad's 60th Wedding Anniversary

Have Your Cake...and eat it too!

Sixty years is a long time for anything, unless you're waiting for wind in which case sixty years is the average time between decent windsurfing sessions in New Brunswick.

My parents have been married for sixty years this month. Impressive! Wendy, Julian and I decided to celebrate the occasion with a delicious cake (Mom's recipe), some music and dinner out (chish & fips at Frank's Finer Diner).

It was a wonderful afternoon. Mom was in fine fettle and everyone was happy.  It was an intimate afternoon. We're a tightly knit group...the five Fuskateers! It feels good.

Summer's Eve

Reflective moment.

It's August, the month that announces summer's pending demise. Oh, how gloomy sounding! The fact is that by August 20 I notice the evenings getting shorter and a nip often teases the night air, but we're not there yet.

This image was taken on August 10 and it was a classic summer's eve, no question. Wendy, Gill and John sat on the dock and enjoyed the moment (limoncello in hand!).

There aren't many left at this point...for this year, so we'll savour them individually. We'll notice their personalities, temperament, follies and foibles. We'll miss them when they're gone.

Slim Shaded Feat. Mootha

Please, no autographs.

There was absolutely no need for us to be wearing sunglasses indoors. It's just one more way to spice up life at mom's nursing home. Props are important and we'll use anything at our disposal to get a chuckle.

The other day I took mom's dining 'bib, which had a tartan-like pattern, and wrapped it around my waist like a kilt. I then proceeded to imitate a highland dancer. More than one resident was laughing with me...or was it 'at me'?

Where's Me Mootha?

A lot of famous people become even more famous because of a catch phrase. My mother, not to be outdone by the mucky-mucks, has a catch phrase...'where's me Mootha?'. It all started when my dad was in the hospital during the winter of 2011. Mom stopped calling him Bill, his real name, and started referring to him as 'me Mootha'. She was always wondering where he was, hence 'where's me Mootha?'. 

I really should trademark the expression, it's that good.

"Shut That F___ing Dog Up"

I like live recordings, but sometimes I settle for taped.

My neighbours' dog is neurotic, but so are my neighbours, so they get along famously the mutt. Me? I don't think I'd enjoy having a flea bitten, dust mop, lion-maned, ankle humping yap trap that barks all day long.

Ahhhhh...peace and quiet in the country. So elusive.

My estimate is that Yappy-do next door barks approximately 1000 times per day, at least on the weekends when there's a lot of boat traffic on the lake. Yappy doesn't like SeaDoos so at least we have that in common, but I not a barker. I'm a writer. Woof, woof, meow, a-choo.

At 10:15 p.m. on Saturday Wendy and I were sitting on our deck enjoying the warmth of a summer night. Though it was dark and there were no longer boats on the lake, Yappy was still barking. This 'peaceful' scene was shattered when someone across the lake yelled "shut that fucking dog up". I have no idea who yelled that, but it was music to my ears.

I certainly don't want to punish my neighbours for having a yapping dog. Having the dog, or each other, is punishment enough. That said, it makes me wonder what kind of a 'personality' would 'enjoy' having incessant yapping in their lives. Perhaps for one of the dog's two owners, it's comparatively quiet given the alternative (and I'm not referring to the SeaDoos).

Blissful Blossoms et Fleurs Fantastique

Just Add Water et VOILA!

The yellow fleurs (i.e heliopsis) seem to hold back until August, then POW!! Almost all the flowers currently in blossom in my jardin are yellowish. I should make a point to plant something other than yellows in the future, but  don't call me anti-jaune. They're my favourite!