it was a year ago today that I fell into the pond…
I must say that I am still very careful when I walk around the edges of it…
wonder how long it will be before I am not so deliberate about moving in that area…
I can still feel the shock… and now I laugh when I think how I pulled my phone out of my back pocket, in the water, and dried it on my shirt even before trying to get out🤪…
the other memory involved the huge bruises that came up across my breasts days later from where I hit the waterfall rock… although they were a beautiful shade of purple… apparently I really hit it hard, lol…
started my day with a Duo call from the kids in Ottawa… they have been without power since the wild storm on Saturday…
they were at the Canadian Science and Technology Museum testing wifi as she had a video meeting… the Museum is just a short walk from their house, has plugs all around the outside of the building (technology), and the wifi gave an excellent video call, so that was very handy… I was the test for the meeting, lol…
while they waited for the phones to charge she was teaching him how to play Rummy… it was the card game we played for hours as we sat in the hospital with my mom as she was dying… we laughed about him needing to know how to play when they sit at my deathbed… way in the future…
we talk most days, but don’t often video call… it is always lovely to see their beautiful faces… and it was fun to show them the garden…
I walked to the Park today… first time in I don’t know how long… at least a year, and maybe longer than that…
took a bit of self-talk to get out the door… I am certainly feeling braver on the whole with being around other people, but I haven’t walked any distance for a long time…
so happy that I did it… the streets were clear of water… thank goodness… and there were very few people on the sidewalks and paths…
walking through the forest in the Park always brings me joy… and they have new signs with wonderful quotes along the way…
the trail has been renamed Story Trail and is part of the Indigenous Youth Storytelling Program… what a great idea… the trail has obviously been cleaned up and there was even a hut made with fallen branches… I am hoping that it might be covered with leaves as the summer progresses…
going through the English and Leo Mol Gardens was a bit disappointing, although really, considering the weather, what was I expecting, lol… the gardeners were everywhere raking and cleaning up the spaces, but there were very few blooming things… I saw one tree, a few daffodils and maybe a berginia in a few different locations…
the great news was that it was basically empty so I had ample time to stop and look whenever I wanted…
there were many geese and I did spot a few goslings, which was delightful…
I was a bit tired by the time I made it back to the house, so I had a nap…
not too long ago my daughter sent me photos of two books that she thought I might like… they were at Costco and she wondered if I wanted her to buy and mail them to me…
I thought they looked good, but said I would see if the kids here could pick them up for me;-)…
a few days ago a friend checked to see if I needed anything from Costco and I mentioned these books…
she picked them up for me and came by today to drop them off… I asked if she had time for coffee and she said she did if I was okay with her coming into the house…
I feel like I am getting more comfortable with having individuals inside these days…
we talked about art, family treasures, grandkids, the weather, and food… a great visit…
this morning I dug out the hair scissors, a sheet, comb and spray bottle…
then I dragged the table and hibiscus into a corner of the dining room to make some floor space available…
my friend came over and we had a a hot drink before she trimmed up my locks, lol…
the back is always the spot that needs the most help and she did a great job…
I took a before and after of the front…
happy to have it tidied up…
looks like my very old hair scissors finally bit the dust… they have had a good life… first with my hairdresser friend and then with me for twenty or so years… I am going to have to search for another pair of used ones… wish me luck…
this morning I received an email from the David Suzuki Foundation about Healing Forests…
forests are one of my favourite places and I had already been thinking of Cathedral Grove and the banyan tree in Lahaina on Maui…
as a matter of fact I chose a tree mug for my tea…
for years I have walked through a portion of the forest at Assiniboine Park on my way to the English Gardens…
after making a donation to the Healing Forests, I came across an IG Live as they were broadcasting a ceremony from The Bay where it was transferred to the Southern Chiefs Organization…
the project looks amazing and is supported by all levels of government…
I have always found forests, whatever their size, to be restorative and healing, so these two things that came to me on Earth Day made me very happy…
today is Easter, so I decided to make all my meals a treat;-)…
for breakfast I had two poached eggs with a potato patty…
there may have been a little chocolate eaten…
lunch was the last of my dimsum from Gimli Fish… the three packages are around $10 each and they provide three meals… it is a great option for me…
I did have a laugh when I microwaved the first batch… instead of using the timing for the microwave, I used the ones for steaming… it didn’t taste quite as good as usual that time, lol…
supper was a version of stuffed pork chops which I used to make for my beloved and I all the time… I used country style spareribs over my homemade stuffing…
came out beautifully and the bottom of the stuffing was deliciously crisp…
recently my grandson and I had a conversation about some fun times… two of the things he remembered are below…
one was a tubing trip down the river in Courtenay, BC, where I was knocked off the tube by a tree branch and lost my new hat… everyone but me was quite happy as they hadn’t liked it, lol… he was around seven at the time… I ended up with a bruised leg and a gash on my head… it certainly was something I won’t forget, and apparently neither will he…
the other memory was around a beta fish in a vase that I kept on my desk at one of my workplaces… he has always been interested in fish and is a great collaborator with the goldfish…
so interesting to hear the things he remembers;-)…
the last of the luggage was at the front door and a quick breakfast was eaten…
in the car by 4:05… dropped her at the airport and drove by the new Western Aviation Museum on my way home… it looked really cool, even at 4:30 in the morning, lol…
back to bed and up at 8:30… texted with her as she waited in Toronto for her connecting flight…
then I returned the den back to normal…
gathered up towels and sheets and ran a load of laundry…
the house feels a little empty and there was no one to make lunch for😢…
I am already thinking about the next time we can get together in person, although we chat nearly everyday…
it was a wonderful visit and I enjoyed each and every minute…