I write about the small and significant moments that shape our lives — family stories, friendships, personal observations, lessons learned, and the quiet experiences that often matter most. This site is a place to reflect on life with curiosity, gratitude, and honesty: the challenges that strengthen us, the people who influence us, and the everyday moments that deserve to be remembered. From cycling journeys and travel to conversations with grandchildren and reflections on resilience, I hope these writings encourage thoughtful living and deeper connection. My mission is to build a family legacy of strength, generosity, and steady & trustworthy leadership — embracing physical challenges, growing continuously, and encouraging my family and community to rise to theirs. I believe a meaningful life is built not only through accomplishments, but through consistency, kindness, endurance, and the example we leave for others.
“I must confess a shameful secret: I love Chicago best in the cold.” Erik Larson, The Devil in the White City.
I’m only a few chapters into Larson’s book, but far enough in that I was looking forward to our visit with Danelle and Drew in Chicago with a slightly more interesting, more dark perspective into the city’s past.
Enjoying a short break in Evanston, while walking along the lakeshore.Saturday morning, we walked along the shores of Lake Michigan, in Evanston. This is a view looking at Chicago, tiny in the background, where we would spend Saturday night.Walking downtown Chicago, I was the true country boy in the city, always looking up.
Only days after the election, I had to marvel that this building is small compared to the towering con job that convinced so many average Americans that the entitled billionaire named on the tower had anything in common with them, let alone giving a shit about them. There’s roadblocks and hundreds of armored police officers for blocks around the building, or to comment on it using a Trump tweet, “Sad.”
Danelle & Drew took us to Cindy’s, a rooftop bar/restaurant in the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, where we enjoyed drinks, a fire, some fantastic views and more good conversation.
View from Cindy’s
View from Cindy’s as evening wore on.View of Adler Planetarium from Cindy’s.Along our walk to dinner…a long walk to the bellyQ.So I wouldn’t necessary say, “I love Chicago best in the cold,” but I love Chicago and I love our reason for making the trip …
Last Saturday we spent some time at the newly reopened National War Memorial.
Maybe we all have extra cause for reflection this year as Remembrance Day approaches, given the disturbing rise of the alt-right in the US and Europe, the horrors in Syria, the provocations of Russia…not to mention threats from North Korea or Iran or who knows where else. But from my small vantage point, I am feeling much more grateful than ever for all those who have sacrificed to make our world better.
Over my 24 years of living in Ottawa, the image of Remembrance Day for me is the National War Memorial, with the ancient vets waiting in wheelchairs and with walkers, resolute against the cold of November, as the bugle sounds the Last Post, below drab skies and falling rain, sometimes snow.
The Memorial has been hidden for the last seven months as part of a major restoration project. Most mornings I ride my bike past the site on my way to work. I have missed it. Before the restoration, I enjoyed seeing the visitors who always seemed to be there no matter what time of day, taking photos or perhaps reflecting on the statues or on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The site is clearly important to people and, for me, made even more important, more solemn, more immediate, by the killing of Corporal Nathan Cirillo in October 2014.
When we read last Saturday that the Memorial had reopened Friday, we decided we should go there right away, like visiting an old friend who has been away too long.
On the way to the Memorial, we paused to view a couple walking under the trees along the Rideau Canal (view from the pedestrian bridge). In my 24 years of living in Ottawa, I can’t remember when the leaves were still on trees as Remembrance Day approaches.The Peace Tower – a symbolic link between the National War Memorial and War Museum. Viewed from the bridge over the Canal by the Chateau Laurier,.Over 24 years, I have visited the Memorial many times and pass by it most mornings on my way to work. After the restoration, it was good to take a new, fresh look at it.The larger than life figures, their elevated position, create a sense of movement…emotion..Though I will be out of town this Friday, I will still think of this symbol of Remembrance, as I have extra cause to reflect and be thankful this year on the eleventh hour…
Crossing the bridge over the Onyar River on our way to the Rambla in Girona would become an early evening ritual for us.
“Dad, you have to come stay with us in Girona.” That’s all it took really. Decision made. A dad’s love for his son doesn’t need any more encouragement than that. In a flash, Deanna and I were here…in Spain. Not as tourists but as guests…thank you Mike and Elly!
Everything closes down at 2pm and re-opens at 4pm. By early evening, the streets start to fill up with families, lovers, shoppers, and …just about anybody else.
We loved being able to walk just about everywhere, through the narrow streets in the old city, bustling with people. Buying the food we needed for the day, and nothing more. There’s a nice sense of community and family. We loved it.
Rush hour! Fold in your side-view mirrors if you’re driving in old Girona.
The Rambla. The leaves were just starting to bud. We enjoyed cafes and tapas and people watching–if only Sparks Street Ottawa could be like this!
Looking back on a stroll across the stone bridge over the Onyar River.
The view from the other side of the river, just after sunset.When you’re told Girona is a cycling mecca, you can believe it! Deanna and Elly at La Fabrica, our morning go-to place for Café con leche.It was great as a dad to see how well Mike and Elly have fit into the community. Above are three of our favorite (as Elly calls themselves) “Cycling Wives!”
For the first week, we followed Mike’s race, the Volta a Catalunya, and saw flashes of him and 198 some other riders, and lots of the Catalonia region.
On the Queen Stage of the Volta, the race began near this city, Puigcerda, and would finish in the snow-capped mountains that look way too far away!
And this is the view on the snow-capped mountain. Mike had a bad crash earlier, which we didn’t know until much later. The damage to his forearm and hip were on his right side (opposite of where Deanna and I were cheering).
Two Cycling Fans in Barcelona!
I’m amazed at the massive resources required to run a World Tour Pro Cycling team. Teams have rock-star looking buses with captain chairs and personal entertainment systems for each rider (in this case, the bus has an external large screen TV for fans to watch), some teams have tractor trailers for the equipment and workshops for the mechanics, and all teams have four or five support cars to follow the racers…and teams will have this same crazy amount of resources at its two or three other races across Europe! A far cry from just a few years ago when all the support vehicles for Mike were… Elly’s Mini Cooper.
Besides the day we watched the final stage of the Volta in Barcelona, we only spent a day in the city. We had seen a documentary about the architect, Antoni Gaudi. On our walk to his famous church, we stumbled across another of his buildings, the Casa Batlo. It is…well…Gaudi of course!
This is the Gaudi Sagrada Familia! Started in 1882 and it might be finished in 2026 or 2028–I work for the federal government and even that seems a long time!
The amazing thing for us was the use of natural light, here the late afternoon sun created a magical sense.
Bike Geek Photo. After a death-defying (for me) descent down hundreds (at least for me it seemed like it) of switch-backs, I took this iPhone snap of my very sweet loaner bike that World Pro Tour rider, Kristoffer Skjerping, raced on last year, with the Mediterranean in the background. Can it get any sweeter? Yes, World TTT Canadian champion, Karol-Ann Canuel, rode with me for an hour of my loop to the Mediterranean. Yes, she no doubt rode a lot slower for the old office worker that I am, but riding with such a wonderful athlete/person is a treasured experience!Riding with my boy is the best. Maybe the sweetest of memories on these rides. Even getting a flat is not a bad thing. Warm sun. Mediterranean in the background. He did make me suffer. There’s a climb called the “Cobra.” 970 metres of climbing over 13kms…I think he was trying to get his inheritance early….
We loved the time we spent on the Rambla on our last night in Barcelona. It was a Saturday night and tens of thousands of people were milling about, the place was full of energy!
Dinner at Bots de Vi, Girona. Thank you Mike and Elly for sharing Girona with us and for blessing us with rich new experiences.
