The bits of paper are pillng up around me. I must deal with these words before I become logged down in my blog.

No. I must try to deal with this horrible massacre that happened in Toronto yesterday: 10 people dead, 14 in hospital, badly injured. I'm watching the evening news with the touching report of the aftermath.

I went shopping this afternoon, walking to my local bank and grocery store. At a street crossing, waiting for the light to change, a young Asian-Canadian woman spoke to me - or did I speak first? Together we sadly acknowledged what is on everyone's mind today, the sad sad destruction not only of the people who were murdered or grievously hurt but also of our belief and confidence in the city/country we live in.

Shock. Denial.

"We're not like that," she said.

"No, we're not."

We crossed the street, talking as neighbours do. We parted. "Take care," she said. You too.

I may not get to the words tonight. Maybe tomorrow.

Tomorrow is another day.

I'm counting on it.

cusp a point of transition between two different states: those on the cusp of adulthood.

There are other meanings, of course, but this is the one that applies to me right now : I am on the cusp of very very old old age, because of my brand new GREAT grandchild. I must have mentioned Elise Boulding to you before now.

Elise Boulding (1920-2010) was a sociologist who coined the phrase, "the 200-year present", that gives us a perspective of time - past and present - within one's personal reach and understanding. Consiider the ages of the oldest and youngest persons you know and there you have within your lifetime a span of about 200 years to draw from, past effects and present conditions, from which you can extrapolate some personal predictions of the future. That's very exciting. I'm part of my new little girl's past and of her future knowledge.

Cusp, yes!

More to come. I'll make a list so I won't forget.