What are these water-kelpies that haunt the Scottish fords? Well-known in Scottish folklore, the kelpies are malevolent shape-shifting water creatures that can take the form of magnificent horses with enormous strength.

You know the pain — standing in the longest line at Universal Studios or Disneyland or any popular theme park, waiting to shuffle forward, watching the clock tick away one, two or even three hours towards a ride that will give you a couple of minutes of excitement.

This morning, as I drove between stores getting the weekly grocery shop, film director Denis Villeneuve was on the radio talking about his career with Tom Power.

I bought a new book the other day. Actually, I bought two. It never seems possible to buy just the one. I don't know why but books are very expensive here in Canada, far more than in the UK. 

The other day, I recounted a tale to my kids from when I was very young. I'm guessing I'm 3 years old and I'm fairly certain I'm the only child in the car. Any older and my next sister down would be in there too.

My youngest daughter has always loved words. As a tiny toddler, I would find her lying in her bed, tucked up, turning the pages of novels plucked from our bookshelf, books without pictures, books not for tiny toddlers.