Author Archives: Peter Carter

LULLABY FOR A HARLEY: It’s gettin’ on. Sometimes it needs a nap. Now. When my twin daughters Ev and Ria were tiny babies, my father Tom, who lived 300 km north in our hometown of Sudbury, called them the “tough girls from Toronto.” Tom died before Ria and Ev were even able to walk, butContinue reading “Now hear this: 5 musical lessons learned on the great Upstate New York Motorbike Tour”

MY MAN STAN: He’s never fails to entertain. I’m so proud of myself that I’m going to brag about what just happened and then–for the remainder of this extraordinary day–just goof off. Here’s what happened. I just spent a few hours at a Canadian Business History conference at the University of Toronto which I wouldn’tContinue reading “Watch as Pete wins his political "Participant" ribbon”

Sign number-one that we live in the wealthiest society of all time? We use real folding money to buy something called kitty litter, and that kitty litter actually comes with something called supplies. Specially manufactured items for cat poop. There’s a pet-supply store on my block called the Kennel Cafe and when I entered anContinue reading “Oh write your own damn headline with "scoop" in it. I'm too pooped.”

SONS IN ANARCHY: From left, Me, Ed, Pat, Tom Sr., Tom Jr., and Alex When we were little, my brothers and sisters and I frequently rode around in various motor vehicles with my dad, Tom. Most often we were in the family pick-up truck but sometimes Dad drove a car and–because he and his brotherContinue reading “How my father raised a bunch of (tea) potty-mouth anarchists”

This was me to my wife Helena–in  the moments leading up to the great solar eclipse of 2017–even as we were picking up the free eclipse glasses that the University of Toronto’s Dunlap Observatory was distributing: “I don’t know what the fuss is about. I really don’t care about an eclipse. I have absolutely noContinue reading “9 Lessons Learned During the Great Eclipse of 2017”

LOST BUT NOT LEAST: Not knowing where you are doesn’t matter if you don’t care where you’re going. Twenty. That is a conservative estimate of how many times my daughter Ev and I have had to ask strangers for directions over the past three days.  She and I are on a five-day motorcycle adventure aroundContinue reading “Lost in New York. And loving it.”

BOB (TULK) COULD WELL BE MY UNCLE: He knew all the new and old Newfie jokes It takes about four hours to drive south from my hometown of Sudbury to my house in mid-Toronto, Ontario. Over the past half century, I and members of my extended family have driven that road a few thousand times.Continue reading “On the road with Ed. I just can't wait to be on the road with Ed”

Me&Ev, as in, ever notice daughter is 1 letter away from laughter?  If you asked me yesterday at breakfast if I’ve ever had a musical gig that paid me money, I would have: a) thanked you for even thinking the question; b) laughed; and c) said “nope”. But. Had you asked me at lunchtime, you’dContinue reading “Born to be M-i-i-i-i-ld”

(Not the most flattering photo, but I do look concerned. Also I would like to note that I have no relation to the SPCA,I think this coat came from a Goodwill.)  Channeling Tom Sawyer yet again, this week at Pete’s B&G I’m going to let somebody more capable than myself get the work done. Baxter NadayContinue reading “I think this might well be my favorite blog yet!”

CAN’T BELIEVE WE ATE THE hole things Sometimes, I drive my motorcycle to work. It’s about a 10-minute trip–longer if I’m lucky. That’s one of the thing about bikes. You never really want to get where you’re going. This office is in a very densely populated part of Toronto known as Little Portugal. And aboutContinue reading “You can get anything you want at Alice's…”