Want to Make Waves….
Don’t forget: today’s the last day to enter the Goodreads Giveaway of two copies of my book Making Waves: The Continuing Portuguese Adventure
Mary Soderstrom
Putting Out Fires Because Music Can Be Too Hot: A Tale of Free Pianos and Carelessness with Fire
Much to-do this morning about two decorated pianos installed on Montreal corners for the month of September to provide a place for impromptu music. Great idea, even if not totally…
And We Think We Have Animals in Our Backyards..
The racoons ranging in our backyards seem to have disappeared–or maybe they just figured out how to get out of trash cans and so don’t make so much noise. Whatever,…
The Case of the Missing Ducklings
For the last several summers we’ve watched with pleasure as ducks raise ducklings in at least one of our neighborhood parks. This photo was taken two years ago when it…
Saturday Photo: Urban Agriculture
There’s been a lot about urban agriculture in the press around here lately. Hard to tell just how much impact the movement to grow your own food in the city…
Celebrating Birthdays Today!!!
Lukas’s birthday was Wednesday, Jeanne’s will be Sunday, so we’re having the gang (11 of them, counting Jeanne) over for barbecued leg of lamb and other good things this evening.…
Let’s Hear It for Montreal: Two Article Laud My Favourite City
Montrealers have been beating up the city for the last little while: crumbling infrastructure, too much road repairs/reconstruction, doubtful influences in contract awards etc. So it is refeshing to come…
ERDC Committee to Plan Payout to Gazette Freelancers
The Electronic Rights Defence Committee is beginning discussions about how to distribute the money and stock it received on behalf of freelancers who wrote for The Gazette of Montreal from…
Sad Day for Truth: Ideology Doesn’t Cut It if You Don’t Check the Facts
It used to be said that the first casualty of war was the truth. Now, unfortunately, truth seems to be completely forgotten in any sort of skirmish. The latest example…
Eid al Fitr in Quebec and Saudi Arabia: Reports from Iles de Boucherville and the NY Times
Had a lovely picnic yesterday on the Iles de Boucherville with the extended Soderstrom and Lizée families: 10 adults and four kids with one on the way. Nice to get…
Saturday Photo: The Unyielding Clamour of the Morning
One of my favourite novels by a Canadian writer is Neil Bissonndath’s The Unyielding Clamour of the Night, an imagined story of terrorism and dedication in a country not unlike…
Serendipity: A Video That Fits My Frame of Mind
These days I’m toggling back and forth between working on the short story collection Desire Lines and the first stages of a new non-fiction book called Road through Time. The…
The Following Is Completely Unsolicited. Centre du Rasoir is Terrific
Let’s hear it for the Centre du rasoir and Sunbeam/Osterizer. In these days of instant obsalesence how heartening it is to be able to replace a part for an appliance…
Julila Child at 100: Let’s Not Forget Elizabeth David and MFK Fischer Either
Even Google got in the act this morning with a cartoon of our Julia, cooking away. It would be Julia Child’s 100 birthday today, and the cooking and eating world…
Fifty Years Later the Girl from Ipanema Still Rocks
One of the greatest songs of the 20th century turns 50 right about now. Given that Rio will host the 2014 World Cup of Soccer and the 2016 Olympics, it’s…
From the Book Front: Big Auction of Larry McMurtry’s Books and the Future of Used Books
“Wanted Dead or Alive: Used Books” was the headline in The New York Times story about a huge auction of some 300,000 books. Larry McMurtry, the best selling novelist of…
Love Story: American Style: Medical Bills Leave No Money for Wedding
In the picture in the New York Times today, the couple are taking a turn around the ballroom as their wedding. They look a little worn, but obviously happy. Good…
Winners in the Great Goodreads After Surfing Ocean Beach Giveaway
Congratulations to Juan of San Diego, Sarah of Colorado Springs CO and Vicki of El Dorado, KS who were picked by Goodreads from the 558 entries to receive copies of…
Saturday Photo: Rain, Reflections and Random Beauty
After weeks of hot, clear weather, we’ve had a few days of rain. This weekend, in fact, is the first this summer to be wet. Heaven knows we need it!…
The Internet Produces More Reliable Poll Results Than Telephoning
Great story today in Le Devoir about voting intention surveys by internet. I’ve spent more time than I would like to admit calling voters during elections, and I know that…