Corrie Street 18 Mar. 2018
Heroin Oh my God! Billy and Lee bliss out in the church. Lying in the aisle, propped up by the ends of pews. All in the name of pain relief,…
DNA Tests
I first saw DNA tests at London Ont's Pawlooza dog festival, in 2010 I think. They were tests to find out what breeds were in the genetic structure of any…
Ford Ontario
The Ontario Progressive Conservative party yesterday chose Doug Ford as its leader. That's Doug, brother and advisor to the late Rob Ford who has to have been the weirdest mayor…
Corrie Street 11 Mar. 2018
Danny Zuko Friday, for the first time I ever remember, someone walked out of Audrey's salon looking different than when they went in.* I was so amazed by seeing actual…
Beef Stew
Beef stew is one of the easiest things to make. Brown meat cubes, add veggies and liquid and let it cook slowly. Plan on a couple of hours of cooking…
Corrie Street 4 Mar. 2018
Helpful Hints Monday and Tuesday episodes were like Hints from Heloise - what to do and what not to do. 1. Empty pockets before doing a wash. Summer puts clothes…
Corrie Street 25 Feb. 2018
Living Donor Thursday, a transplant unit assessor talks to Aiden about being a living donor. "We do like to shower people with pamphlets," he chuckles when Aiden says he'd read…
Acts of kindness
From my St. Thomas Dog Blog, Feb. 3, 2012. Reposted in honour of Rebecca Schofield's acts of kindness renown. Ms. Schofield, of Riverview NB, passed away Feb. 17, 2018. She…
Corrie Street 18 Feb. 2018
Soup for Henry Friday, Henry and his little game got unmasked. Not a big surprise, but done in a way that I found worth a replay. Soup dumped on his…
Louis John
Newfoundland archivist and historian Don Morris wrote about Louis John in his Vignettes of the West column in The Western Star. The photocopy I have of the article is difficult…
Corrie Street 11 Feb. 2018
Secrets and Lies Thursday's episode starts with two stories packed full of secrets and lies. One is working for me, one is not. The one that works is Nicola conspiring…
Druggie Pets
First posted on my St. Thomas Dog Blog, 3 Nov. 2010. Filmmaker Patrick Reed was on CBC Radio’s Q, talking about his new film, Pet Pharm. (It is no longer…
Corrie Street 4 Feb. 2018
Metaphor in a T-shirt Monday's second episode, a bar fight. Must be on the production to-do roster, I thought. So now they can check that item off. Then it became…
P. L. Robertson
Red Robbie, green Robbie. If you know what that means, you're a Canadian. Or a connoisseur of screws and screwdrivers. The Robertson screw and screwdriver, with square socket heads, the…
Corrie Street 28 Jan. 2018
Register Registry Monday it's Chesney and Sinead's wedding at the Register or Registry Office. Whichever, it didn't happen. What a surprise - not! I also felt like who cares as…
Pegasus World Cup
This Saturday, January 27, is the 2nd annual Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in Florida. The richest horse race in the world, it costs one million dollars to enter.…
Corrie Street 21 Jan. 2018
Dawn Light You never see dawn light on Coronation Street. But in the first scene of Wednesday's episode, there was the gray of dawn. Not from fog or drizzle. Just…
One Trump Year
One Trump year is like one dog year - very long! Tomorrow, January 20th, is the first anniversary of his inauguration as the 45th President of the United States. A…
Corrie Street 14 Jan. 2018
Team Acts Carla and Roy. Roy and Brian. Carla, Roy and Brian. Maybe add Cathy to any or all of these team acts. Friday, all four were in Roy's kitchen.…
Corrie the Soap
When did Corrie become a soap opera? Here I mean that in the derogatory sense of the phrase, denoting melodramatic, formulaic and often illogical storytelling. About four months ago. That's…
Corrie Street 7 Jan. 2018
Let it bleed Peter is driving Billy home from court. Billy got off with a warning for attacking Peter. Outside the courthouse, a young guy got mouthy with them and…
Tamale Pie
With salad or garlic bread on the side, tamale pie makes a perfect winter's night meal. It's a Tex-Mex type of shepherd's pie or baked polenta with tomato sauce. My…
Corrie Street 31 Dec. 2017
Chords of Melodrama Tuesday the trampoline in Fiz and Tyrone's back yard burns. Who did it? Had to be Beth, says Fiz. No, Liz gives Beth an alibi. So Fiz…
Getting Chicks
Our elderly hens will soon shuffle off this mortal coil. Time to get some chicks, we decided. For five summers, our hens have gone broody. Weeks of sitting on eggs…
Corrie Street 24 Dec. 2017
Pelznickel Roy Cropper was a complete flop as the community centre Santa - or Pelznickel as he chose to costume himself. The scenes of him in the café, for me,…
So this is Christmas
From the St. Thomas Dog Blog, December 2011, this is my summary of STDOA events and animals of the year. Christmas - and what have you done. Looking back at…
Corrie Street 17 Dec. 2017
Hello Henry Eva and Rita when Henry walks in the Rovers on Tuesday with a great big bouquet of flowers. Wow - even better than they'd expected. Actually, they didn't…
Gander Bay NL
Decks Awash, in 1983, published an issue about Gander Bay and Hamilton Sound. Below are the pages about Charles Francis of Clarke's Head in Gander Bay. He was a Mi'kmaw…
Corrie Street 10 Dec. 2017
Stoke on Trent Monday, Moira and Colin left Weatherfield for Stoke on Trent. They have been the only bright spot for me the past few weeks. And they maintained their…
Halifax Explosion
Halifax Harbour, December 6 1917, two ships collide. An explosion, followed by a tsunami and a fire that burns much of the city. The next day, a major snowstorm. A…
Corrie Street 3 Dec. 2017
Cheesecutter Thursday, Moira comes bearing gifts for Colin. Norris' blood sample, a flat cap, and herself. The blood sample is so that Colin can find out if Norris is his…
Code Talkers
In the early part of World War II, the enemy was breaking every military code that was being used in the Pacific. This created a huge problem for strategizing against…
Corrie Street 26 Nov. 2017
Oddball Oddball, Jude calls Mary. That, he says, was his defence of her when Angie complained to him about Mary's interference and criticism. He goes on, while having it out…
Cauliflower Cheese
I made baked cauliflower cheese with cherry tomatoes for supper one night. It was so pretty I had to take a picture. It tasted so good that I thought I…
Corrie Street 19 Nov. 2017
Benign Doctor: "The tumour was benign." Gemma, head down: "Flippin' heck." Rita: "No, that's good news." Gemma: "Oh!" And then the tears and hugs and laughter. Wonderfully touching. Brought tears…
Eden Line
My grandmother wrote this short history of the Burwell family on Eden Line in Bayham Township, Elgin County, Ontario. My guess is she wrote it about 1966. I came across…
Corrie Street 12 Nov. 2017
Shoot Thursday Phelan, Andy and Vinny in an abandoned paper mill somewhere. Phelan's handgun. Time to shoot or be shot. Tense, dramatic. And so long overdue that I just didn't…
Passchendaele
The Battle of Passchendaele ended 100 years ago today. It is also called the Third Battle of Ypres and the "Muddy-est, Bloody-est of the whole war." The latter is what…
Corrie Street 5 Nov. 2017
A Few Genuflects "Just say a few genuflects and you'll be fine." Todd tries to restore normality to his new household. What better way than to be irreverent, especially toward…
Horse Fun Show
Riding students on school horses, visiting horses and riders. A barn open house and bbq. Warm, sunny weather. A good thing because the yard and barn were full of horses,…
Corrie Street 29 Oct. 2017
The Appletons The Appletons - Jude, Angie and baby - have moved to Weatherfield from South Africa. On Friday, Mary was making them breakfast, delightedly cooing at baby and delightedly…
Corrie Street 22 Oct. 2017
Courtroom The end of Tuesday's episode: Bethany and Sarah leaving the courtroom at the end of Nathan's trial. Arm in arm, walking through the lobby to the door. We could…
Cat Show
Tomorrow, Oct. 22, is the London Cat Show at Western Fairgrounds (Canada Building 9-4:30). I went to it in 2011 and wrote the following in my St. Thomas Dog Blog.…
Salsa
An excellent medium tomato salsa. It is chunky so if you want a smoother salsa, cut your veggies into smaller pieces. If you want it hotter, increase the jalapeños. To…
Corrie Street 15 Oct. 2017
Conflict Management You could see it coming a mile away. Still it was good. Conflict between the bar staff, and Toyah asserting her credentials: I've got a diploma in conflict…
Ikea Chair
In honour of Ikea opening a store in Dartmouth NS, The Manatee published an article about a couple divorcing after a trip to the new Ikea. Very funny - the…
Corrie Street 8 Oct. 2017
Wedding Dress The star of the Connor double wedding was the dress. Eva's wedding dress. In the back room of the Rovers, in Adam's law office, at the altar, in…
Talking with our Vera
An interview, 1992 My name's Liz Dawn. I play Vera Duckworth. I bet all your listeners will recognize this voice! What's Vera like? Well, actually, Jack and Vera, they're the…
Corrie Street 1 Oct. 2017
Hospital Corridor Rita flat on her back, eyes wide open, being wheeled in a hospital bed along a hospital corridor. Visible to her only a white ceiling panel, a light…
School Horse
To call yourself a rider, one horse can give you your best final test: a school horse. Horses ridden in lessons build up knowledge of what makes a good, and…
Corrie Street 24 Sept. 2017
Beer Launch Thursday, Newton & Ridley held a launch for a new craft beer at the Rovers. More secrets than beer got spilled. Tracy and Ken arrived just in time…
Corrie Street 17 Sept. 2017
Notes I was going to pick the scene with Rita saying Len would be home soon. But then Friday, we saw her notes. Reminders to herself about who is who…
Redemption: Shelter Plan B
My impression after reading about Nathan Winograd is that it’s animal shelters that need redemption. He is Director of the No Kill Advocacy Center in the US and is giving…
Corrie Street 10 Sept. 2017
Chocolate Eclairs Phelan goes into a dark, dingy cellar at the end of Monday's episode. He carries a grocery bag. He pulls out a box of chocolate eclairs. He's talking…
Basil Pesto
Basil is easy to grow, and each plant produces a lot. There's only such much fresh basil you can use at any one time. So make pesto with that abundance.…
Corrie Street 3 Sept. 2017
Man U Kirk to Jenny: "Eva's Man U and you're Weathy County." He totally nailed it but, oh boy, what a thing to say. Eva suggested a double wedding for…
Diana 1961-1997
Twenty years ago today Diana, Princess of Wales died at the age of 36. She was the daughter of the 8th Earl Spencer and 15 times great-granddaughter of King Henry…
Corrie Street 27 Aug. 2017
Car Trunk Try as I might, nothing the rest of the week dislodged the sight of Michelle locked in the trunk of a car. Not that I liked seeing her…
Dill Pickles
I've always liked dill pickles, but I didn't like homemade ones. They just didn't have the crunch that Bick's and any store-bought ones had. Then I tried dills that Helen…
Corrie Street 20 Aug. 2017
Romeo in Overalls Yes, Dev can be a buffoon. But love and loyalty run deep in him. Erica and her Romeo in overalls, his friend Kevin, hurt him to the…
David Duke and Donald Trump
David Duke said "we're going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump" during the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville VA on Saturday. David Duke, former Imperial Wizard of the…
Corrie Street 13 Aug. 2017
New Landlady The closing scene Tuesday: Toyah putting a coin in the tampon dispenser in the ladies' room of the Rovers. Crying. That morning, Peter and Toyah started work as…
Bread and Butter Pickles
Bread and butter pickles you buy in the store are thinly sliced rounds of cucumber only. But most of the recipes for them include sliced onion and sometimes chopped green…
Corrie Street 6 Aug. 2017
The Receipt Brian has added another string to his bow, another arrow to his quiver. He is now a Litter Enforcement Officer. Hands on, not just behind a desk, that's…
Diseases of Friend and Foe
(From Aug. 5, 2011 on my St. Thomas Dog Blog) When Waterworks Wally got his shots last week, his vet tested him for diseases I’d rarely heard of in cats.…
Corrie Street 30 July 2017
Poor Kev Anna dolls herself up, and apologizes to Kevin on Wednesday. Poor Kev. He's not been getting any. He was on his way to do so - with Erica…
John Perkins
On Saturday, July 22nd, John Perkins, of Butternut Stables in Hampton NB, died. He was my riding teacher. For many others, he was that and more. First, he was a…
Corrie Street 23 July 2017
Dead Man Walking He's a dead man walking. So said Leanne about Aiden on Thursday after seeing him with Maria outside the spa. Ok, let's see the Battersby girls take…
Frederick Anger, Welland or Wisconsin
The History of the County of Welland, Ontario: Its past and present 1887 James E. Anger, publisher and proprietor of the Niagara Falls Review, and Rev. William H. Anger, principal…
Corrie Street 16 July 2017
Pregnancy Test Eva goes into her bathroom on Wednesday to take a pregnancy test. We go in with her. It was one of the most intimate moments I can ever…
Corrie Street 9 July 2017
I need help "Please, I need your help. My name's Bethany Platt and I need you to call the police." A gasp of relief could be heard across the nation,…
Salisbury Horses
"Outside this lovely home, drive down the circular driveway covered by mature trees and be greeted by an old barn and about 3 acres cleared ideal for horses." Thus reads…
Corrie Street 2 July 2017
Dancing to Disaster The last moments of two episodes: two characters dancing to disaster. Both visually just wonderful. I didn't think anything could top Eva's dress and mariachi band on…
Canadian Songs
So, for Canada Day, I looked for Canadian songs that evoke a sense of place, of history. Those songs that everybody knows a few lines of, to sing at public…
Corrie Street 25 Jun. 2017
The Golden Child Wednesday, Ken convenes his children. Only Daniel knows why. Ken is going to tell the others what Daniel did, and that he lied to protect him. When…
Fruit Crumble
Fruit crumble is one of the easiest desserts to make - and very, very delicious. The one I made today is fresh rhubarb and frozen black cherries. It's based on…
Corrie Street 18 June 2017
Slam Poetry Slammed by a poetry book. Poetic justice? Poetic irony? Slam poetry? Possibilities for wordplay are endless. But the dramatic tension was very real. This week Ken's attacker was…
Goderich Postcards
My grandmother's parents, Matthias and Emily Lymburner, lived for a few years in Goderich, Ontario. These are postcards sent from their early days there in 1911. General View of Goderich…
Corrie Street 11 Jun. 2017
A Room of His Own A room of his own, I bet that's what Daniel wanted on Tuesday. It's what I wanted for him! Last minute cramming for an exam…
Wilma the Cat
In honour of Wilma, cat colony princess, who died yesterday in St. Thomas ON. Reposted from St. Thomas Dog Blog, March 29, 2012. Wilma was a homeless cat who was…
Corrie Street 4 Jun 2017
Satellite TV "Ever since she got the satellite tv she spends every evening flicking through the various foreign news channels with her eyes closed trying to guess the nationality of…
Homeless Companions
From St. Thomas Dog Blog, Sept. 4, 2013. Reposted in honour of US Memorial Day and Harold Palmquist, a US veteran who is biking across the country with his dog…
Corrie Street 28 May 2017
To what end? Wednesday, Ken asked the question I've been asking myself about his storyline. "But to what end? It doesn't make sense." Ken was commenting on why Tracy would…
Corrie Street 21 May 2017
Viewer Discretion I don't think I've ever before seen CBC put a 'viewer discretion' advisory at the beginning of Coronation Street. They did Monday. And with reason. Bethany and Nathan.…
Training at the Dog Park
This week in 2010, we in the St. Thomas Dog Owners Association were doing a final spit and polish on our new Lions Club Dog Park. I posted this May…
Corrie Street 14 May 2017
David the Dog All week I waited, worried. Where was David the dog? Finally, Friday, there he was trotting along with David the human. I hope David the dog doesn't…
Genevieve Jane Duffenais
Dear readers, I need your help. I am looking for the parents of Genevieve Jane Duffenais or Duffney. She married George Hynes. They lived in the Gravels on the Port…
Corrie Street 7 May 2017
Raise a monster Wednesday, Shona tells Gail her truth. She's Clayton's mother. Yes, the kid who killed Kylie. "Nobody sets out to raise a monster," says Gail. Gee, thanks, that'll…
Fortune Bay NL
Devon Griffin wrote the following about Fortune Bay and the family of Elizabeth Saunders. He sent it as a comment on Newfoundland Mi'kmaq Family History. But with so much information…
Corrie Street 30 Apr. 2017
Terror in the Factory It was scary this week, watching Sally be terrified. Ringing phones, texts saying "I see you" and a box left at the factory for her. It…
Princess Louise Park
Sussex has the best all-in-one park I’ve ever seen: Princess Louise Park on Leonard Ave, just off Main Street. There are other recreation areas in town, but PLP puts a…
Corrie Street 23 Apr. 2017
Barlow Fecundity Friday, Peter encourages Toyah about the baby quest: "You've got Barlow fertility on your side now. We're famous for our fecundity." True! But, funny and kind of creepy…
Hunger Strike 1983
Early morning, April 21st 1983, St. John's. Atlantic Place offices were just starting to wake up. Thirty-one Mi'kmaq men and women from Conne River went upstairs to the RAND offices.…
Corrie Street 16 Apr 2017
Mad Street Wednesday, Barlows scurry around, all upset about different things. All mad at Ken for different reasons. Pat Phelan like an injured bull - mad at Ken. Ken angry…
Cedric and Jamie
This day, in 1997, I laid my cat and dog in their final resting place. Cedric, the cat, had cancer of the jaw. Jamie, the dog, had arthritis so bad…
Corrie Street 9 Apr 2017
Life Lesson Ken sits Sinead down Thursday for a talk. A life lesson. It was a spine-tingling good scene. A history of his life and of Coronation Street. Also a…
Colombe Brothers
The Colombe brothers of Shallop Cove, Fred and Frank, died exactly two years apart. On October 9, 1915, Fred died of wounds received at Gallipoli. On October 9, 1917, Frank…
Corrie Street 2 Apr 2017
Remittance Man Adam Barlow is in trouble, worse, bringing trouble to the family. So, here's your bag, here's some money, now go. A modern day remittance man. A way the…
Shallop Cove
A 1980 interview with Nathaniel Adolph White, 1896-1987, of Shallop Cove, St. George's. It was part of a genealogy and community history research project. I have only a tape transcript…
Corrie Street 26 Mar 2017
Friendship Nice little moments Monday of friendship history. Leanne and Toyah badger Peter to speak to Steve on Leanne's behalf, get him to back off on wanting to be part…