Sunday Tendernesses

She entered the sanctuary, her presence announced by the jingle bells on her walker. She sat in her usual spot, a few rows back on the left side. During community prayer time she acknowledged that things have been a true struggle lately. Getting around is increasingly difficult, and she really, really hates this fact. And,…

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As many of you will know, much of Ontario just experienced a deeply cold snap. Temperatures in Toronto dropped last Thursday night to around minus 30, and stayed very cold until Saturday night. While this kind of weather is uncomfortable for everyone, it can be deadly for others. On that Thursday morning, a relatively new…

A true win-win-win

As you likely know by now, The Dale loves neighbourhood partnerships, including our connections with the many organizations based out of 201 Cowan Avenue. One of our more recent connections is with a not-for-profit social enterprise called Aangen. Aangen’s “All Dried Up” program is located in the kitchen right next to The Dale’s office in…

The Holy Hug

I’m a hugger. One my many childhood nicknames was “Huggy Bear,” and one of the many nicknames I’ve recevied from Dale community members over the years is “The Hugging Bandit.” Over the last few weeks I’ve been fighting a cold, followed by the stomach flu, and have been avoiding hugs for the protection of those…

Our first Dale wedding!

Dear reader, if you’ve been following The Dale’s journey for even a little while, you’ll know that we do a lot of funerals and memorials. While it is an honour to be asked to do these services, it is a weighty honour that we wish wasn’t necessary quite so frequently. For many years, one community…

Joy is not made to be a crumb

One month ago today I was heading into an eight day silent retreat at Loyola House, an organic farm and retreat center in Guelph, run by a group of Jesuits. This experience was made possible through the generosity of some amazing friends, and every one of those eight days was a gift. With the help…

Grace at the grocery store

After a couple of weeks off (about which I’ll write soon), I’m back in the Dale saddle 🙂 One of the things I love about how Tuesdays currently look at The Dale is that I get to just “do life” in the neighbourhood. I check the mail, do some grocery shopping for our Thursday breakfast,…

a perspective shift

As an aspiring gardener, I am not a fan of squirrels. They seem to take unholy delight in digging up bulbs, nipping the stems of flowers in half, taking a single bite out of nearly-ripe strawberries, scooping dirt from potted plants and flinging it around balconies. I’m a fairly chill person most of the time,…

Still here!

Hi team. I know it’s been a while since I last wrote here, and for that I apologize. Summer always seems to get away on me– I’m finding it hard to believe that we’re more than halfway through July! As things open up, regulations loosen, and the general anxiety around COVID seems to wane, we…

Azorean Stew

About a month ago I had a great chat with someone I didn’t know very well, while in the breakfast line-up at The Dale. This friend was in the mood to share about his life, which he did with both vulnerability and humour. He told me that he grew up on a beautiful island in…