Travel

On the road again

Brigitte Pellerin

May 17, 2024 — 1 min read

Mama-mobile, not exactly as pictured, driving through a country that's way prettier than upstate New York. Allowed to dream, aren't I.

A bit of a shorter update this week as I’m on the road from Ottawa to Connecticut via Toronto which, as you’ll know if you’ve ever looked at a map, is totally not on the road to Connecticut from Ottawa. But since Eldest was competing both in music (Toronto) and ultimate (Connecticut) on the same week, mama had to treat themself to a long boring stretch of 401-403 to the endless I-90 but at least we skirted Niagara Falls and since Eldest hadn’t seen those falls since she was a wee one, we paused briefly to ooh and aah. There’ll be pictures, fear not.

Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia and let’s just say we need to be more vigilant than ever. Actually that’s not quite right. We’re past vigilance and into full-fledged self-defence mode against retrograde right-wingers (but I repeat myself) going after everything that’s not their favoured version of family life, which by the way doesn‘t even include the right for women to divorce without having to prove adultery or some such.

In this context I am pleased to help highlight Ottawa’s first LGBTQI+ refugee house, that is being announced today by Rainbow House. Rainbow House provides essential services to members of the community and they deserve your support.

And in the Ottawa Citizen this week I wrote about the formidable Diane Deans, who died Tuesday.

Sacred cows make the best burgers, or why we should stop worshipping parking

When I took Eldest to Paris in April one of the things she remarked was how easy it was to move around without a car. The picture above was taken in the fourth arrondissement somewhere near a thrift store she wanted to visit and where, incidentally, she did purchase something.

Be loud with your period

I don’t remember the first time I heard about “period panties” and like everyone who menstruates I was immediately both curious and slightly horrified. What do you mean, a change in my habits? I’m not ready to change those. I’m 53 and nearly 2/3 years old

A book like no other

As I wrote elsewhere, transfeminine professor of law and bioethics Florence Ashley’s first book, Banning Transgender Conversion Practices, was nothing short of a rhetorical tour de force. “The subject matter is not easy, given how emotional people can get when it comes to providing affirming care to trans and

Brigitte be rappin’

A short note today, because 1) it’s summer and 2) I am preparing to compete (!) in Ultimate this weekend, first competition in anything since Worlds in karate in 2018 I’m not nervous at all and 3) I am working on two longer pieces for you that should be

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Sacred cows make the best burgers, or why we should stop worshipping parking

Be loud with your period

A book like no other

Brigitte be rappin’