Dying In Good Health

Dying In Good HealthMy widowed 89 year old father called the other day. Youngest sister was coming over for lunch, he was dressed. I said “You sound chipper today, you must be feeling pretty good”. He said “Oh, I’m alright, but I just wish I weren’t on this earth...

Dad’s War

Dad’s WarMy 89 year old widowed father was studying organ at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto when the war broke out. He enlisted as soon as he could. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 130 pounds, scarcely the stuff of either bomber crew or front line infantry....

Thanksgiving With Dad

Thanksgiving with DadThe weather Thanksgiving weekend was cold and wet. Stiff wind out of the west, where the rollers come from. Jamie and I decided not to sail to Niagara, but to drive. We were going to have Thanksgiving Dinner with my widowed 89 year old father at...

My Father, The Carny

My Father, The CarnyMy widowed father, now 89, has returned to his roots, in a way. He now lives at Serenity Towers, a luxurious assisted living place in Niagara, just blocks from the old Lakeside Amusement Park in Port Dalhousie.He got his start there as a carny...

Mission Accomplished

Mission Accomplished“It’s enormous!”. That was my widowed 89 year old father speaking to oldest brother on the phone. He was sitting an a navy blue deck chair on the patio of the Niagara Yacht Club, cane between his knees, finally looking at my new boat.I had wanted...

A Chequered Career

A Chequered CareerMy widowed father, now 89 and living in an assisted living facility in Niagara, has had an interesting life, right from the start.First of all, his mother was probably not his mother. She was a grand Toronto lady to whom the concept of giving birth...