Sisters' Day

Six years ago, yesterday, Erin’s sister Wendy drowned while on vacation in Mexico. The tragedy devastated us, and continues to have an effect on us these years later. It’s been an emotionally difficult couple of days for Erin and her family, not to mention all who loved Wendy.

Erin was pregnant with Vivian when the tragedy occurred, but as the counsellor said to Erin, our daughter was not born grieving, and we resolved that she should not be made to grieve. Soon after Nora was born, Erin, Erin’s mom Rosemarie and I have made this day ‘Sisters’ Day’, so that Vivian and Nora could spend some special time enjoying each other’s company, appreciating the value to each other of sisterhood.

These days, this typically means going down to Vincenzos and ordering cupcakes.

There’s more on Flickr!


In Other News

  • My second column with the Kitchener Post is now online, here. Here, I take on various stores’ customer loyalty points programs. Are they really worth it? The math may surprise you.

  • On Friday, much of King Street through downtown Kitchener was shut down for the annual classic car cruise. This is a popular event, apparently, where people flock to downtown Kitchener to see a parade of classic automobiles, all polished to perfection. I’m sure it was a fun event — I myself might have liked to see it — but it did make it difficult to get anywhere near or away from downtown Kitchener Friday evening. Side streets crossing King from Stirling all the way up to Victoria were basically blocked off, forcing huge detours.

    This coming Sunday, much of King Street is going to be shut down again, this time from Waterloo Square all the way to Kitchener City Hall. This is for the two cities’ first joint Car Free Day. People young and old as well as many families with children are expected to head down to our central artery for the novelty of being able to walk or bike down this major thoroughfare without being threatened my competing automobile traffic.

    Two events, two festive atmospheres, two closures of King Street, both just two days removed from each other — the first one taking place at the end of Friday’s rush hour, and the second taking place on a lazy summer Sunday afternoon. Care to bet which one raises louder complaints about inconveniencing car drivers as part of a radical “war on the car”?

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