Corrie Street Apr. 12/15
Cordon Blech Sally Webster on Friday. Dramatic moments happened, and events crucial to story arcs. Above it all, Sally shone. At the Bistro, thinking about steak tartare: "it's very Cordon…
Barn Cats
Frank Moore, a farmer north of Belmont who my parents knew, always had lots of barn cats. He said one year, years before, there had been an explosion of cats…
Lotto Red Chamber
Is the Senate a place for 'sober second thought' or what, in 1985, then-reporter Mike Duffy called “a task-less thanks” for political party helpers? Senator Mike Duffy is on trial for…
Corrie Street Apr. 5/15
Teen Moms Wednesday, Anna tried to have a heart-to-heart with Faye. How are you really, what's bothering you, what's going on? Faye said nothing other than everything's fine. How could…
Australia honours Smoky
On July 20, 2012 in Brisbane Australia, Smoky the war dog was awarded posthumously the Australian Defence Force Tracker and War Dog Association medal for military service. At the Royal…
Yorkie Doodle Update
After I wrote a review of Yorkie Doodle Dandy (St. Thomas Dog Blog, April 2012), I got a lovely email from author Bill Wynne. Thank you so much for the wonderful…
Corrie Street Mar. 29/15
Portugal Roy was the most useful person in the leaving-for-Portugal saga. As usual. When the taxi was due to pick up Katy and Joseph, Ches was making chips in the…
Yorkie Doodle Dandy
I don’t know much about WWII, and even less about the American campaign in the South Pacific. I learned a lot, and felt it, reading about a Yorkshire Terrier. William…
Dog On It: Review
Dog On It is the first in a mystery series by Spencer Quinn, aka Peter Abrahams. The protagonists are Chet (dog) and Bernie (human). Set in the US Southwest, the…
Corrie Street Mar. 22/15
Wedding Bells-up If I were Gail, I think the bells would have gone off when Michael had a major hissy fit in the registry office. Yes, he had cause to…
The Tao of Horses
“If you knew a horse, you could depend on him and if he was going to do something bad, you could depend on him to do that too. I always…
Corrie Street Mar. 15/15
Reading Romance Tolstoy's Anna Karenina is one of the best romance novels ever written. Yes, it is long. But the only explanation I can think of for the size of…
‘Trifles’ of Creature Comfort
A 1916 play Trifles was written by American journalist Susan Glaspell. It is a murder mystery based on a real event in Iowa at the turn of the century. A…
Corrie Street Mar. 8/15
Snapshots A woman walks into the Rovers with Kevin. If you had never watched an episode and just turned on the tv at that moment, I think you would know…
Iditarod Murder: Review
A 1991 mystery novel by Sue Henry, the first in her Alaska Mystery series. Murder on the Iditarod Trail is good (title for Amazon). Several murders. At first I thought…
Winter Resort
Winter wonderland for skiing, skating and snowshoeing when the mood strikes and the weather is perfect. Nature-made snow sculpturing. Little birds buffeted by wind in their brave search for seeds…
Corrie Street Mar. 1/15
Talking Stick Too bad Dev couldn't have listened to my mother's advice: you can't have more than one woman running a kitchen. I'm sure she'd extend that to a shop…
Giving shelter
Years ago, I went to the London Humane Society with a friend. While she looked for a cat, I stayed at the front desk. I was horrified – justifiably or…
Corrie Street Feb. 22/15
Underacting Sometimes it's not the great speech, not the grand gesture. A look tells the story; underacting makes the impact. Three such moments from three actors. Emotional scenes that, in…
The Wrong Dog
In the library last week, I found a new-to-me dog mystery writer. Carol Lea Benjamin writes a series featuring private detective Rachel Alexander and her intrepid Pit Bull partner Dashiell…
Corrie Street Feb. 15/15
History Today Friday Sinead makes peace with Roy and, in doing so, spurs him to make peace with his and Hayley's history. Sinead's brush with mortality makes her empathize with…
Fur Babies
I’m reading Michael Schaffer’s very interesting book One Nation Under Dog. He talks about the term “pet parent.” When I first encountered this phrase, I saw it as, yes, a…
Corrie Street Feb. 8/15
Radio GaGa Once I was prescribed pills for severe stomach pains. The doctor told me to eat "a bland diet." I thought milk and cream soups qualified as bland. The…
Corrie Street Feb. 1/15
Crash Can't pick one: three excellent episodes, countless excellent scenes. The bus crash, of course, from lead-up to aftermath - perfect in acting, writing, lighting and camera work. Everybody dressed…
Death and Repose
From my St. Thomas Dog Blog, Apr. 13 2010 - in memory of Jack who died 7 years ago today Today is the 13th anniversary of the death of my…
The Wolf in the Parlor
It took me a few months to read The Wolf in the Parlor: How the dog came to share your brain by Jon Franklin. It was my ‘morning coffee’ book.…
Corrie Street Jan. 25/15
Prince Charming Kirk and Beth's wedding was as wonderful as I'd hoped. But there were last-minute jitters, and those gave me my scene. Kirk is late for the ceremony, making…
Our Deirdre
Anne Kirkbride has died. Tonight, after a short illness, say the news reports on CBC and online. We know her best as Deirdre Barlow. We last saw her flinging a…
Corrie Street Jan. 18/15
Tinkers I don't know (and don't want to know) how long the Tinkers are going to be around. At first sight, I knew this is going to be good! I…
Lab Mysteries
If you like dogs and mystery novels, or even just one or the other, have a look at J. F. Englert’s Bull Moose Dog Run series. There are three so…
Corrie Street Jan. 11/15
Gift of the Magi Maybe it was coincidence that a Christmas week story reminded me of an O. Henry story. In "The Gift of the Magi," a couple each give…
Burwell Bible
I have never seen the Bible that belonged to my great-grandparents Hercules and Ada Ann Burwell. But I know what was written in it, thanks to their daughter-in-law, and my…
Corrie Street Jan. 4/15
Naughty and Nice Santa Claus is coming to town. And he's going to blow Kylie's world apart. Happy Yuletide season for the Platts is over. Across from the Platts' house,…
Cat People
There are unsung heroes among us. Almost everyone knows one or two, or at least has encountered them. They’re usually not thought of as heroic or civic-minded. Instead they're a…
Corrie Street Dec. 28/14
When I'm 62 Tracy got the news that Rob got 25 years in prison and she cried genuine tears. Poor Tracy, I thought with my heart going out to her.…
Corrie Street Dec. 21/14
Family Day Family Day at Jamila House: almost everyone was there, dressed up for family portraits. But they were consumers, not participants. Willingly or not, the Nazirs ran the event,…
Corrie Street Dec. 14/14
Ruby Tuesday The week had a lot of gems, but the sparkliest of all was Tuesday's ruby red lip sofa. It's too bad it wouldn't fit into Kevin's house. He…
Corrie Street Dec. 7/14
Stand and Stare Tuesday, Steve has a hideous day. He had gone to the doctor and been diagnosed with depression. He asked for something to make it stop but, thankfully…
Perfect Rice
The trick to perfect rice, steamed with grains nicely separated, is wash it first. Put the amount of uncooked rice you want in a pot and add water. You'll see…
Corrie Street Nov. 30/14
Illiteracy Skills Amid all the tutting about 'why didn't your teachers notice?' and 'why didn't you tell me?', Faye made the best observation about Tim's illiteracy: "You must be dead…
Corrie Street Nov. 23/14
Parental Disappointment Friday saw disappointment. Leave-takings and sad hearts. Peter took his taxi ride off the street. He is off to Portsmouth to get himself together. Cilla is off back…
Corrie Street Nov. 16/14
Poor Tracy Luv First scene Monday in the Barlow living room, Ken and Tracy amid the leftovers of her wedding. He's trying to make her feel better. Telling her how…
World War I
It seemed like a good idea at the time. That’s the explanation I come up with for why World War I started. Virtually the entire world became embroiled in war…
Corrie Street Nov. 9/14
Chances and Choices It was Ken really, talking about Peter in jail, of Simon growing up without a dad and carrying the shame of his father being a convicted murderer.…
Corrie Street Nov. 2/14
Community Work "Not only is she a bossy-boots, she has a flair for the dramatic." Norris summed up Yasmeen Nazir and her 'community development' perfectly. I admire Yasmeen, while also…
Corrie Street Oct. 26/14
A Day in a Life A year ago, Roy was in Blackpool with Hayley. This year, the hotel sends a cheery notice addressed to them both, offering a discount should…
Corrie Street Oct. 19/14
The Wedding Planner Sinead should go into partnership with Michelle as a wedding planner. But her resources of imagination, ingenuity and tact would probably be all used up on managing…
Corrie Street Oct. 12/14
When I'm Cleaning Widows Tim has flyers printed for his window cleaning business. But he doesn't see the typo, even when a horrified Maddie points it out to him. The…
Cigar 1990-2014
The news from the Kentucky Horse Park that Cigar died Tuesday Oct. 7 made me look through photos I have of him. After retiring in 1999, he lived in the…
Corrie Street Oct. 5/14
Hurting Two weeks of episodes, two scenes. Both make you ask, 'WTF are you doing?' Tuesday, Eccles is safe from Amy. Thursday, Tim, Andrea and Neil are not safe from…
The Acadians: Review
Bill Smallwood takes a complicated period of history and makes it more complicated - and that's good. The Acadians, the first novel in his Abuse of Power series starts in…
DIY Kraft Dinner
KD - Kraft Dinner - is the ultimate comfort food/fast food, especially for Canadians (says Wikipedia) who have grown up on it since it came on the market in the…
Corrie Street Sept. 28/14
Happy Anniversary We've likely all known a Neil, or been him. The guy you pray you don't get stuck beside at a dinner, that you avoid at parties because he…
Corrie Street Sept. 21/14
Fly-Tipping Fly-tipping: dumping garbage where you're not supposed to. A lamp thrown in a dumpster was cause for a funny small mystery in the larger story of the dodgy flooring…
Corrie Street Sept. 14/14
Hello Elizabeth "Never work with animals or children," W. C. Fields said. They always steal the show. Corrie actors might add so too do the words 'Hello Elizabeth'. There were…
Dogs in War
A compendium of examples of dogs in war written by Jim Stewart and originally published on the STDOA website. (Tap highlighted book titles to see on Amazon.) Sergeant Gander The…
Corrie Street Sept. 7/14
Smothering Mothers Thursday, two mothers, both mad as hatters. The scary scene was the return of hovering, smothering Gail. It's been nice recently seeing Gail having something to do other…
Corrie Street Aug. 31/14
That's Amore At the kebab shop, Chesney speaks for us all as he tells Kirk to just do it now! Kirk still wants a bit of drama for his proposal…
Corrie Street Aug. 24/14
Shut Up "Shut up shut up shut up!" Deirdre screamed at Ken as he continued to badger her about not having told him what was up with Peter. He is…
A Grenfell Mat
At the annual Sussex Flea Market in Princess Louise Park you can find almost anything. But a Grenfell hooked mat was probably the last thing I expected to find. It…
Corrie Street Aug. 17/14
Hello, Goodbye It was ironic this week that Dennis Tanner left the street and Ken Barlow returned. Dennis left first, so they didn't have a chance to say hello and…
Corrie Street Aug. 10/14
Repo Man Tuesday, the repo man comes to the Windass-Armstrong house. Faye is the only one home and she lets them in. The bailiffs size up what is worth taking…
Corrie Street Aug. 3/14
Fairy Tale Andrea turns up, with a bag, at Lloyd's flat. She is ready to move in and ready, willingly or not, to tell him she is married. But Lloyd…
The Uncles’ Great War
An uncle and two great-uncles are my touchstones for the First World War. The one I knew best was Charles Scanlon, husband of my mother's older sister Ada. He was 20…
Corrie Street July 27/14
Five Minutes In the final five minutes Wednesday, two scenes we've all been waiting for. First: Rob squirms as Tracy tells the cops that he gave her the charm bracelet…
Corrie Street July 20/14
Designing Todd My husband does not like Todd, at least not the manipulative and nasty Todd who returned from London. But he grudgingly had to agree with Todd's critique of…
Corned Beef Macaroni
A 'how we think she made it' recipe for corned beef and macaroni that my grandmother Burwell cooked. It should look like a stew or thick soup. Grandma said it…
Corrie Street July 13/14
Happy 40th Steve looking right in the eye of the big milestone birthday. 40th. The one where you really can't pretend you're young anymore. You're really not old either but,…
Corrie Street July 6/14
Memorials It was the side funerals for Tina that I liked best. The unofficial memorials. Steph missed the real funeral because she had second thoughts about her pink dress. Then…
Corrie Street June 29/14
Forgiveness Friday Owen tells Gary what Anna did. "Laid back and thought of England. Took one for the team." Gary's face registers shock; he can't look at his mother. She…
Corrie Street June 22/14
Traitor Thursday's episode was a shocker. Michelle was without her trademark eyeliner! Less surprising was her attack on Steve for keeping Peter's secret, although the savagery of her words was…
Corrie Street June 15/14
Truth and Consequences Tuesday, all scenes of three stories about truth telling. Opening with what looks like Tina dead in the builder's yard. But no, she's moving - and talking.…
Corrie Street June 8/14
Truths Told Tuesday Steve said to Peter the truths we've all been saying. Friday, Rita did the same with Tina. Neither recipient paid a blind bit of notice. But at…
Battle of Ridgeway
Today marks a bizarre incident in Canadian history. Irish-Americans invaded Canada, planning to hold it hostage as leverage to end British rule in Ireland. My family's farmhouse was smack-dab in…
Corrie Street June 1/14
It's complicated A good story is like a good sausage: you enjoy it without thinking about how it's made. Not complicated is it? This week's pick is two scenes, both…
Corrie Street May 25/14
Crossed Lines You knew Anna was not going to tell Owen about her deal with Phelan, the one that got Owen out of Phelan's debt if not the bank's. You…
Corrie Street May 18/14
Foster Care Friday Maddie showed maybe there is more to her than meets the eye. I have been alternately bored and irritated by her and Sophie - please get off…
Northern Dancer
There are some athletes so well known that, fan or not, you can place the name without thinking. Gordie Howe, Muhammed Ali, Michael Jordan, Northern Dancer. 50 years ago, the…
Corrie Street May 11/14
Toothpaste "You can't put toothpaste back in the tube, can you?" That's what David tells Maria when he sees that her use of a misunderstanding is spiralling beyond her control.…
Corrie Street May 4/14
Tina's War Peter is slick with the ladies. He has proved he can juggle wives, lives and emotions. But when Tina girded herself for battle, Peter didn't stand a chance.…
G. Frederick Anger UEL
In colonial times Georg Frederick Anger, a native of Germany, lived on the Susquehannah River in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolution he joined Butler’s Rangers at Fort Niagara.…
Corrie Street Apr. 27/14
Playing with Fire The Windass-Armstrongs are playing with fire, literally and metaphorically. Phelan pushed Owen too far by hiring a new foreman, overseeing everyone including heretofore manager Owen. Obviously happy…
Corrie Street Apr. 20/14
Two Petes Peter Barlow in a pub, drinking himself legless, trying to forget his wife is pregnant and his girlfriend might be. Steve comes in to take him home. Peter…
Corrie Street Apr. 13/14
Readers' Comments We had a little sensitivity training Thursday with Beth reading online comments about her. If we ever want to post a smart-ass remark about someone’s appearance, clothes or…
Corrie Street Apr. 6/14
Welcome Home, Kevin My choice of scene this week is all the ones with Kevin. Welcome home indeed, Kevin. His reunions with friends and neighbours seemed to have real emotion…
Corrie Street Mar. 30/14
Like A Man Amid the construction Tuesday, Owen and Gary discuss what makes a man. What is bravery. Gary says a soldier in war. Owen says someone who does anything…
Corrie Street Mar. 23/14
The Look of Love Tina hangs up her coat in the Rovers’ back hall, listening to Carla extol the virtues of Peter the love god. A surprise overnight getaway to…
Corrie Street Mar. 16/14
Old Friends I’m sorry it took Rita’s marriage ending to see some lovely scenes with her and Norris. In particular, the two of them having tea and a heart-to-heart was…
Corrie Street Mar. 9/14
Because I can The Rovers was a sad place Friday. Islands of unhappiness, caused by people manipulating other people’s emotions just to see if they can. Rita and Dennis, looking…
Turcotte, the movie
If you live in or are from New Brunswick, if you’re Canadian, if you like horse racing, the NFB has a film for you: Secretariat's Jockey: Ron Turcotte (2013). In…
Corrie Street Mar. 2/14
Faces of Fiz Monday we saw Scary Fiz. In the past few weeks, we’ve seen many faces of Fiz. Worried Fiz, Caring Fiz and Hurt Fiz. My husband and I…
Corrie Street Feb. 23/14
Gooseberry Michelle may tell him he’s thick, but Steve sometimes seems smarter and more insightful than even he thinks he is. In scenes on Thursday and Friday, there is deftness…
Corrie Street Feb. 16/14
The Eulogy One and a half minutes: the length of time Roy spoke at Hayley’s funeral. Not a prepared eulogy, but the speaking of a broken heart. His words encompassed…
Corrie Street Feb. 9/14
Aftermath Carla and Anna in Hayley and Roy’s room, in the aftermath. Their shock, realizing Hayley is dead. She lies curled in Roy’s arms. He isn’t aware they’re even in…
She Loves You
Some things you will never ever forget. One, for me, is Ed Sullivan introducing “these youngsters from Liverpool.” Hands clenched on head, pulling at hair, “eek, aah, oohh.” In the…
Corrie Street Feb. 2/14
Strawberry Jam Forever When the vanload of strawberries for Hayley arrived, all I could think of was olives – cases and cases arriving at the Bistro. A continuing joke, with…
War and Peaceniks
“Where have all the flowers gone, and the young men gone for soldiers every one.” A Pete Seeger song. The death of that great warrior for peace made me think…
Corrie Street Jan. 26/14
The List Gail’s parenting style, of helicoptering and martyrdom, gives me nightmares. So too do the products of her mothering. David has long been the most overtly, and dangerously, screwed…
Hayley Patterson Cropper
Hayley became a cornerstone of Coronation Street in her 16-year tenure. She was brought on as a side story, maybe a funny story: Roy, resident odd duck, finds a ladylove,…
Corrie Street Jan. 19/14
Something Beautiful What was rather beautiful this week was Liz telling Peter what’s what in her pub. She followed him to the men’s room to have a few words with…