birthdays

There’s bound to be some blood along the way

Today we’re going to talk about the boy. Child #2. My son.

You may have a boy also. And if he hasn’t yet put his head inside the open mouth of an alligator, then, well, congratulations.

My boy announced recently that he’s going to jump from a plane.

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No more kids! (But their birthday cakes? Hmm.)

It’s been the never ending birthday for our youngest, Hannah, who needs little introduction. She’s the girl who gets in the papers when she becomes a Canadian citizen, the girl who honestly give thanks for her life (and for bypassing the other life she could have had), the girl who Providence shines on in the

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Answering the tough questions

The Children’s Mother has returned from Tanzania which means, besides the addition of some fresh flowers in the house, I can focus anew on what it is that I do. When you discover what this is, please tell me. Ah, yes, it’s answering questions. From the kids. Interesting questions. A full-time job, for sure, but

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These warm summer days

It was a summer party. “Hey,” I said to the man who had just walked in the doorway. “You almost look like someone I used to know.” He laughed. “And look!” I said. “There he is, on the wall!” He looked up at an old video clip of a wedding, with him in it, and laughed

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(I’m 50 now.) Inline skates? Yes. Smartphone? No.

(The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday, July 25, 2015)

HAMILTON, CANADA ✦ The last time I peed in a bottle, my doctor looked it over, then looked me over, took my blood pressure and finally said, “Good God, man! How in the world do you manage to do it?”

He told me that he thought I’d live to be 100, and then, if I remember correctly, (which I don’t always, anymore), he said something about putting a large poster of me in his clinic (or was it on the front of the building?) to encourage others of my, uh, vintage. I think that’s what he said, anyway.

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On turning 50, flying candy and new wedding rings

When you’re 20 the world (thank you Rich Mullins) is your parking lot. When you’re 30 you know better. When you’re 40 you’ve had a crash or two. You live with a regret or three (even if you’ve divorced them). By the time you reach my age – I turned 50 this past week – you’re happy

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The music of my life

Some days I wish I was more musical, at least as musical as the rest of the family. I think the dog wishes the same for himself. Sensing this, yesterday I let Zack listen to Handel on my i-pod. It was Handel’s Concerti Grossi Op 3. I held the buds in his big German Shepherd dog ears. He

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Why I should be named Son-in-Law of the Year

I was on the phone this morning and got the question – again – ‘so what’s it like being married to someone so decorated?’ I figured the fellow meant this, not the chocolate cake we gave Jon for his birthday party the other day, although it was, I must say, a fine cake, covered in black, red

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