Jane Macdougall

When you think of drugs, the mind turns to morphine and antibiotics – things you can ingest or inject. It doesn’t automatically think of percussion or melody. There are, however, other ways to medicate; other… Read More »MUSIC THERAPY

Work had let out early. It was Christmas Eve so the only thing getting done was paper shuffling and well wishing. I took my time walking home along Robson Street. All these years later, I… Read More »SAME AULD LANG SYNE

We’re only days away from the annual pilgrimage. I speak, of course, of the yearly trip to the living room. You know, that room at the front of the house where all the good stuff… Read More »THE PERFECT HOUSE

When a faculty starts to dim, it takes a long time to figure out what’s happening. Balance doesn’t vanish in an afternoon. The sound of the oven timer doesn’t become undetectable in a day. These… Read More »DYING OF THE LIGHT

There are a couple of movies that stand up to repeated viewings. Jaws. The Godfather movies, any and all of them. The first Rocky movie. Amélie.  It’s a Wonderful Life. The Hangover movies are pretty… Read More »MOVIE NIGHT

Do you remember Tweed perfume? If, by chance, you happen to have an old bottle of Tweed perfume stashed under the bathroom sink, dig it out. Even if it’s used, you can hawk that bottle… Read More »WHAT A NOSE KNOWS

I want to go back to school. I want to take History, and Architecture, and Religious Studies, and Bioinformatics. Kinesiology might be useful. Oh, oh, oh  … and Applied Mechanics!  Now, that would be fun! … Read More »MATURE STUDENTS

The program came on at 10:00 on Friday nights.  I got off work from my waitressing job at 9:00. If I hurried, there’d be enough time for a quick shower and a change into pyjamas… Read More »REMEMBRANCE DAY

There’s a saying I love: “Everything is going along nicely and then you drop a jar of apple sauce”. Similarly, you could say, “Everything is going along nicely and then you discover another bag of… Read More »APPLES OF YORE