The other night I was watching TVOöÏÓãÊÓƵapp The Agenda and an erudite, award-winning author was talking about two taboos: politics and religion. It was fascinating television on several levels as she linked the two in TrumpöÏÓãÊÓƵapp America.

I just celebrated my 26th Christmas with my lovely bride. Each Christmas has been special and each one has been a little different.

The other day, I fell off a ladder. More precisely, a ladder I propped up on a snow-slicked deck so I could clean out eavestroughs, slipped out from under me, dropping me seven or eight feet.

For some time, we’d noticed several big coolers and baskets by the front door of a neighbour. Sometimes, while walking our dog, we’d see someone pull into the driveway and drop some food in a cooler or basket. 

In a recent column, I mentioned the old biblical warning that money is the root of all evil and that sure set off a lively debate with my wife. 

They say all politics is local and that municipal politics is closer to our everyday lives than any level of government. ItöÏÓãÊÓƵapp about water, sewage and garbage pickup. ItöÏÓãÊÓƵapp about street-light repairs, safe pedestrian crosswalks and parks where our children can play. 

Why do people cheat — whether on their spouse, during tests, playing sports or in business? A recent event amongst friends triggered this question in my mind and nagged me for several days about the psychology of cheating. 

Many years ago, a person named Margaret Wente called and offered me a job at the Globe and Mail newspaper, which I accepted. Many, many years ago, I passed through the Catholic school system in Toronto, elementary school at Holy Cross and high school at Neil McNeil. 

Pope John XXIIIöÏÓãÊÓƵapp ascension to saint status, along with Pope John Paul II, sent me on a quest to find some of the new St. John XXIIIöÏÓãÊÓƵapp wittiest remarks.

With the kids well into their teenage years, I was looking for an Easter tradition to replace the old Easter egg hunt that evaporated some years ago.