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June 26, 2025

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26 juin 2025



 




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Upcoming events


CANADA DAY AT THE LEGION – Canadian Legion Branch 632 on Taylor Creek Road will be hosting a fun-filled day of family-friendly activities with music and food starting at 11 am. FREE FOR EVERYONE

CANADA DAY ON PETRIE ISLAND featuring a Kids Zone, adult beverage tent, live music, food, main stage entertainment, a giant birthday cake at 1 pm. and a spectacular fireworks display at 10 pm. For more information visit canadadayorleans.ca.

ORLEANS FARMERS MARKET every Thursday from 11 am to 4 pm in the parking lot at the Ray Friel Recreation Centre on Tenth Line Road. Shop the freshest seasonal produce, meat and dairy, baked goods, prepared foods, crafts and more while getting to know the folks who grew and made it.

DJ NIGHT at the Orléans Brewing Co., 4380 Innes Rd. (near the McDonalds) from 7-10 p.m. to 6 p.m. Join us and our roster of DJs every Thursday, and jumpstart your weekend fun, a day ahead!

CUMBERLAND FARMERS MARKET from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the R.J. Kennedy Arena in Cumberland Village with 85 local farmers and vendors ready to showcase their freshest produce, handmade goods, and unique finds! FREE ADMISSION

STRAY DOG BREWING COMPANY presents Crroked Creek live and in concert in their taproom. From Montreal, Crooked Creek effortlessly blends bluegrass and country music genres. Tickets $15 available at straydogbrewing.ca. The Stray Dog Brewing Company is located at 501 Lacolle Way in the Taylor Creek Business Park.

 

 

 


VIEWPOINT: Dreading the inevitable of a potential empty nest
By Fred Sherwin
March 2, 2023

My son, Dylan, announced the other day that he wants to move to Toronto. He’s one half of my now 25-year-old twin boys.

Apparently, Ottawa sucks and it’s boring and so he wants to get the heck out of Dodge. In fact, as I write this column he’s in the Big Smoke looking for gameful employment in the hospitality industry, or at least the type of employment that will allow him to rent a room in T.O..

He dropped this bombshell on me just days after I found out that my daughter Maggie (some of you might remember her as “the Magster”) got accepted to teacher’s college at Lakehead University.

For those who don’t know, Lakehead is located in Thunder Bay, as in the Thunder Bay that is 16 hours away by car. Heck, Regina is closer to Thunder Bay than Ottawa is.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled that she finally knows what she wants to do with her life and that she has been accepted to teacher’s college, but in Thunder Bay?

Why couldn’t she have been accepted to Nipissing, or even Toronto, both of which are only a day’s drive away.

But my biggest fear beyond the fact that she will be so far away, is having to come face-to-face with the prospect of one day becoming an empty-nester.

I can’t tell you the level of dread I have over that inevitability.

Now, I know that there are some of you out there who are already empty-nesters and who couldn’t wait for the day when the kids moved out and you and your spouse were left in peace and quiet and tranquility.

I was the last of my siblings to move out of my parents’ house, only I didn’t so much move out as I was gently nudged out.

One day my father sat me down and informed me that he and my mother were going to move into a one bedroom condo.

“So where was I going to sleep,” I asked.

“That’s the point,” my father replied, “you aren’t.”

And just like that, I was booted out of the nest at the tender age of 21.

In my own case, at least my other son, Jamie, will still be around to keep me company along with five cats, three of which are mine and two of which are Maggie’s. Apparently they don’t allow cats in the university lodging at Lakehead.

Jamie still has a year to go at Carleton for reasons that are too complicated to get into here. At least I have that small mercy.

But I guess the day will eventually come when he will move out to. Which brings me to my other fear – having kids that live in a different city.

Jamie wants to pursue film production, which means he will eventually end up in Vancouver, and once Dylan gets a taste of the big city I doubt he will ever come back to Ottawa for more than a visit.

Maggie on the other hand wants to live and teach in Ottawa, which is great, at least that gives me a retirement plan.

I’ve always told my kids that they may be sleeping in my basement today, but tomor-row I will be sleeping in their basement.

I know I will go absolute bonkers if I’m stuck living on my own with no kids around to drive me crazy. Although, it would be a lot cheaper. I’m guessing my hydro, gas and water bills would be cut in half, if not more. Especially my water bill. You see the boys have a tendency to take 45-minute showers twice a day. They are the cleanest 25-year-olds around. Who knew being next to God would cost so much?

I’ve started to get them to chip in, but it still doesn’t cover the full amount.

No matter. I’m happy to harp on them about it and bang on the door to get them to turn the shower off so I can actually take my own.

That’s one of the things I will miss most, along with trying to sort out the 20 pairs of shoes that seem to always pile up beside the front door and all the jackets and coats left all over the place, and the calls to come pick them up because they’ve had too much to drink, or driving my daughter to an from work because she is too terrified of driving to bother getting a driver’s license. Ahhh, fatherhood.

I really should be at the stage in life where I’m anticipating the arrival of grandchildren, but at the rate my three are going, that could take awhile.

In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy every single minute they are still under my roof and relish in those memories once they move out.

(If you wish to comment on this or any other View Point column please write to Fred Sherwin at fsherwin@orleansstar.ca)

 

Entertainment

  Sports


OST production of Anne of Green Gables a joy to behold

Shenkman unveils Matinée Café and World Music lineups

Lots to see and do at the Shenkman Arts Centre during the month of June


East end athletes win nine medals at OFSAA track and field championships

Louis-Riel wins surprising gold medal in 4x400 relay at OFSAA championships

Bevy of east end track and field athletes qualify for OFSAA provincial championships

 

Commons Corner


 

Queen's Park Corner


 

Local business

  Opinion

 


DYNAMIC FOOT CARE CLINIC: The first step to pain free feet

 

LOUISE CARDINAL CONCEPT: Interior design consultant

 

BLACKBURN SHOPPES DENTAL CENTRE: Committed to providing a positive dental experience

 

 

 


VIEWPOINT: When it comes to public transit, Canada is a third world country

 


Vanxiety_life #15: Navan’s vanlifers complete cross-Canada odyssey

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