02:29 - 03.07.06
National identity
I enjoyed Canada Day and got a lot of unexpected exercise too. I guess that's a good thing. I was too tired after that, what with the heat added in draining my energy away, to write last night. Besides number three son arrived for a visit and I had to choose - you or him, dear diary. Family comes first.
Remember I mentioned my friend from the Middle East was due for a visit? We agreed to meet at my favorite downtown mall - the one right off the Bow River - just before noon on Canada Day. That seemed fitting somehow. Realized as I was preparing to leave home that our transit system runs on Sunday service on statutory holidays. That was still negotiable, but then in their infinite wisdom, the transit bosses decided to not provide train service into the downtown that day as well. One had to get off on the north side of the river and either walk an extra couple of miles or so through the seediest part of the downtown, or take a chance on catching the shuttle bus provided as a substitute for the train service.
My problem was in trying to decide on the timing of my travel. At the best of times, when everything flows smoothly, one can expect about a 40 minute commute from my home to downtown. That rarely happens. I usually allow at least an hour for travelling on weekdays and I add another half hour on weekends just in case - if the train is running. Shuttle busses are an unknown quantity, especially on a statutory holiday. No information given that I could detect on how often they ran or when they were actually scheduled to arrive at the pick up point. That meant a much earlier start to the day, just to be certain I could get to my destination on time.
Why, on a major statutory holiday, when all the festivities for families are located in the middle of the downtown would the city fathers make such a decision? It was tough enough as a single, sort-of-fit adult making my way there. I watched as families with little children as well as seniors and some disabled folks struggled with a replacement service that made no concessions for their special needs. What a thoughtless thing to do.
I did manage to arrive at the mall early, so I just people watched and shopped waiting for the appointed meeting time. There were television sets scattered about in the mall so that all the soccer fans could keep up with the scores in the big world cup playoff round. Most of the stores were open, so I found I could get my window shopping fix at two of my favorite stores - Son of the Pharoah and Amos and Andes - while not having enough time to get in trouble spending money in them. The mall has been reorganized recently, so I also wanted to see what was new. Found that the Tibetan store had disappeared and that was very disappointing. The herbal store I visit from time to time is now tucked in an out of the way corner. It just happened to have a really effective tincture I use for my asthma on sale. I had run out of my supply some time ago, so I felt ok spending money to help me keep breathing.
Emerged from that store just in time to meet my friend. We decided to sit out on the patio of the restaurant to take in the ambience of the day. I had mushroom soup with a side of asparagus, while she had hummous and tabouleh - both very nice and not expensive either. We spent our time noshing and talking about family and personal issues, then segued into areas of interest we both share. A long discussion about water conservation and distribution. Writing is a passion for both of us so some talk about how to do better - at least for me. Both of us are pondering what to do with the next phase of our lives so that was mulled over over coffee. Speculation about some of the sea changes we both expect to see in the political landscape in the country. National and provincial politics seemd a fitting topic for celebrating the nation's birthday.
Wandered out to Princes Island after we had done eating to take in the different performances and displays set up for the citizens who wanted to celebrate the day together. I was showing her the watermarks from the flooding of a year ago. In one of the places that was underwater last year, a young man of Asian descent was sitting on a park bench playing a beautiful, sultry tune on his flute. The baby ducks that had been paddling in the nearby pond were all waddling up the bank, trying to get closer to the flutist while the momma ducks were trying to corral and herd those little ones back to safe territory. The river is running very high and fast right now, but it is nowhere near what it was a year and a bit ago. There were many groups out on large rafts on the river, all looking relieved they had safety gear. Some of the paddlers appered to be overwhelmed by the power of the current too. It was fortunate those ones couldn't see what we saw from our vantage point. Snags and large objects just about keel depth scattered like landmines across the breadth of the river. It appeared, upon examination, that someone like the river patrol had attempted to flag/buoy some of the most dangerous ones. I couldn't say with full confidence, that what had been done will be enough to divert some accidents. Lately a lot of rafts are capsizing because the occupants don't have the skills to be on water moving that swiftly. Don't borrow trouble - right?
We walked across the parts of the island that had been under water, tested out the rebuilt bridges that had been washed away and admired the engineering skills that had been used to upgrade the rip-rap that stabilizes the banks of the river. It was interesting to see how much higher that had been extended in the process of replacing the old flood levees - those original structures that had been there since the 1940's built up and fortified over the years. There were a lot of families in attendance and it was heartening to see all the children celebrating whole heartedly. Face painting, art tents, potato sack races, games of soccer, several stages featuring different performers and lots of food, of course. It was getting very hot and muggy as thunder clouds rolled in overhead. We were listening to the group from Bolivia when the storm broke. They had exercised an almost hypnotic effect on the crowds. People just stopped in their tracks to listen. At least, that is, until the combined effect of the clouds of mosquitoes and the bolts of lightning flickering overhead sent people scurrying for shelter as the skies opened up their floodgates.
We ended our visit over coffee inside the Family Y. My friend had friends celebrating over 50 years of marriage with a barbecue that evening, so she headed off to dry out and change while I started to make my way back to that train station on foot. I slipped back through the mall and picked up a summer dress on sale for about one quarter of the original price at the one store I like. Most of my work clothes are getting to the point where they aren't wearable anymore. The seams are finally just dissolving. I've worn the same 3 or 4 outfits for probably the past 5 to 10 years anyway. I do need something presentable to wear for job interviews - right? Next destination was Chinatown. My brother-in-law had asked me to pick up the herbal remedies that help him keep mobile. He has gout and arthritis, you see. The Chinese remedies work better for him. Back on the river path after that staying close to other Canada Day participants. Some of the homeless males can be very agressive if they see a female on their own and I wasn't up to trying to outsprint them by then. I enjoyed the walk to the last serviced stop by the train. I was pretty damp by the time I got to that station although I couldn't really determine if it was the scattered showers, the 100% humidity wicking onto my cotton clothing or just good old fashioned perspiration that was causing it. The train was full of people, some of whom appeared to have been sitting there waiting for the train to move for a very long time. I was lucky, I guess, because the train moved about 10 minutes after I boarded. There is no air-conditioning system on the trains other than the open windows, so it was pretty unbearble when the cars were stationary. Most of the fellow travellers appeared to be half conscious as we headed for the suburbs.
I had planned to get off the feeder bus near the grocery store before going home, but changed my mind when I saw the line up of police cars at one of the entrances to that parking lot. It appeared that the police officers had been chasing one car and had finally got him cornered at that point. An old beater mid-size car and one male surrounded by the officers. He was wearing a team jersey of some sort and was likely in his 40's - either that or hard living made him look older than he was. He was leaning against his vehicle arms folded, looking both bored and annoyed. The female officer was talking to him, but he was choosing to turn his back on her each time she tried to speak with him. One of the male officers was carrying something in a towel toward them. It appeared as though he had just taken it out of the fellow's car. I was worried that this fellow might try to make a break for it from the attitude he was displaying. I decided that it might be wiser to pay a little more at the convenience store closer to my home, just to be out of the drama playing out on the street. Two stops down I popped in and out of the store and could still see all the flashing lights going.
My youngest was a bit miffed I was so late, so I told my tales of woe and walking the extra miles. He had been waiting for me to watch one of his new videos with him you see. One of Bill Cosby's earlier performances. Even now it still had us roaring with laughter. Family dynamics don't change, even though everything around them might seem totally different today. Number three son arrived as that was ending and the two of them seemed happy just to visit for a while. He left clutching the whole of the Indiana Jones series in his arms. Oh no - no Harrison Ford or Sean Connery in my home now. We do have the Star Wars movies too, but number one son has those at his home right now you see.
Today was hot and muggy, so my only work was on the election assignment - nearly done - plus one of Elections Canada's frequent urgent requests for information/reports. Our essay for Canada Day? How do we assess our polling day staff to ensure adequate literacy and numeracy skills. Another hour or two gone there. Another unpaid service, but whatever. Talked with both my old tech and my new tech as well later in the afternoon. Handing over the baton you see and all that. Tentative steps, I guess.
Anyway it's late and time for bed dear diary - so say the cats. Good night.
�
�
