Author Archives: Judith Pettersen

The politics of a local community choir can be as complex as any ancient fiefdom. We have our King and Queen, Mark and Crystal, as firm but gentle rulers. We, the choir, don’t ordinarily vote on things, but we do offer opinions, a staggering weight of them. When speaking at inopportune times, Crystal can easilyContinue reading “Game of Tunes”

The other night I dreamed that I had no skin. Just bones, so you could see all my dental work. I looked at my skull in the mirror and wondered if it was really me. When I woke, I kept thinking about it. Who am I, anyway? We are all the sum total of ourContinue reading “The Mirror”

My sister took me to a spa in Fort Garry called Thermea. In bathing suits and white bathrobes, we sashayed between the outdoor hot pools, warm and cold pools, dry and wet saunas with accompanying scented oils, an outdoor fireplace where we read our books, and indoor mats that lulled us to sleep in theContinue reading “The Massage”

Forget New Year’s resolutions. Twelve months? At my age, that feels like two weeks. Not nearly enough time to reach for the stars. My new plan, uncovered this evening, allows me four whole years. So by the next leap year, my mission(s) should be accomplished. First on my list is to stop falling down, atContinue reading “Leap Year”

There are days when I feel myself ascending. Rising above my ordinary life into a heady mixture of something that can feel a lot like joy, but might only be self satisfaction. My part of the universe is very well, thank you. I am floating around, above it all. Up with all the other smugContinue reading “Falling Down”

Yesterday I was popping a free range chicken into the oven when it started talking to me. “Hi,” it said, which was only mildly startling. (Many things around my house like to talk.) “My name is Henrietta.” Well, of course. I stared into her lemon stuffed cavity and wondered where all of this was heading.Continue reading “That’s so Cricket”

One of the great things about growing older is that no one gets to tell you who you are anymore. When you’re young, what you hear from friends and family often defines your sense of self. ‘Of course you’re good at ballet!’ Even when you know the truth, you often trust the opinion of othersContinue reading “I Know You”

For the first time in our lives, my husband and I have taken separate vacations. He’d been longing for Havana. I really, really wanted to stay in Canada. So that’s what we did. I visited Calgary, and he began his grand adventure of a holiday on the cheap in Cuba. Though, not so cheap anymore.Continue reading “Hello From Cuba!”

There are times when the voice on the other end of the God line seems  faint. Are you there, I ask, and my voice wavers like a child left  alone in a dark basement. On my last trip to Calgary, I experienced a perfect storm of events that had me writing my own codicil toContinue reading “Are you There, God? It’s Me, Judy”

It’s a new year. It’s winter. You’d think I’d be done with bugs. Not so. In the fall, not wanting to say goodbye to two beautiful tropical trees, I brought them inside. Yes, I had small bugs flying around. That’s to be expected. This isn’t my first time at the bug rodeo. But yesterday wasContinue reading “It’s a Cinch”